Latest News
Afghan forces need US assistance to combat Taliban: Special Ops General
General Richard Clarke, chief of US Special Operations Command, said on Thursday that the Afghan security forces need US assistance to successfully counter the Taliban and other threats Afghanistan faces.
Addressing the Senate Armed Services Committee, Clarke said: “The capabilities that the US provides for the Afghans to be able to combat the Taliban and other threats that reside in Afghanistan are critical to their success.
According to Military Times, Clarke declined to provide any details of possible options he has outlined to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on how he could provide needed counterterrorism troops or capabilities if special operations forces are not physically in Afghanistan.
Clarke noted that no decision has been made about the withdrawal, adding that “we will always provide options” to deter or defeat al-Qaeda, Daesh or other terrorism threats.
Referring to his recent visit to Afghanistan, Clarke said: “Progress has been made and I found a very capable commander.”
Violence by the Taliban and other insurgent groups like al-Qaeda has remained high in the country despite peace efforts, which include the signing of the US-Taliban deal in Doha in February last year and the September start of peace talks between the Afghan Republic’s team and the Taliban. .
After coming into power, the new Biden administration announced it was reviewing the deal signed by former president Donald Trump’s administration.
Biden has stated despite the looming May 1 troop withdrawal deadline that this agreement is still under review.
With only five weeks to go before the deadline, speculation has been mounting that Biden will seek to extend the troop presence and to leave counterterrorism troops in the country.
On Thursday, Biden said it will be hard to meet the May 1 deadline for getting all troops out of Afghanistan for “tactical reasons.”
“We will leave–the question is when we leave,” he said.
Asked if he envisioned US troops in Afghanistan a year from now, Biden said, “I can’t picture that being the case.”
According to a Reuters report the US Secretary of State Tony Blinken is meeting with NATO allies in Brussels this week. Biden also referred to the Afghanistan visit of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
There’s an UN-led process that’s beginning shortly on how to end this war, he said.
“It is not my intention to stay there for a long time. But the question is how and on what circumstances do we meet that agreement that was made by President Trump, But we are not staying a long time,” Biden said.
Reuters also reported that Germany has decided to extend its military mission in Afghanistan beyond the May 1 deadline. .
According to Reuters, German lawmakers approved late on Thursday a new mandate which allows the German military to keep up to 1,300 troops in Afghanistan as part of a NATO mission until Jan 31, 2022.
Latest News
Afghanistan’s problems caused more damage to Pakistan than 3 wars with India: Durrani
Islamabad’s special envoy for Afghanistan Asif Durrani said on Wednesday that Pakistan has suffered more due to Afghanistan’s internal situation than Pakistan has suffered in three wars with India in terms of blood spilt and finances drained.
Durrani said at a one-day International Conference titled “Pakistan in the Emerging Geopolitical Landscape”, which was organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and the German Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), that over 80,000 Pakistanis died in the two decades of the War on Terror and that his country was still counting its dead and injured.
“After the withdrawal of NATO forces, it was hoped that peace in Afghanistan would bring peace to the region. However, such expectations were short-lived,” he said.
He also stated that attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group on Pakistan’s border areas increased by 65 percent, while suicide attacks increased by 500 percent.
“The TTP’s enhanced attacks on Pakistan while using Afghan soil have been a serious concern for Pakistan. Another worrying aspect is the participation of Afghan nationals in these attacks,” he said.
Durrani also said Pakistan had suffered geopolitically since the Soviet Union invaded the neighboring country.
“The post-9/11 world order has negatively impacted Pakistan. Apart from losing 80,000 citizens’ lives, including 8,000 law enforcement agency personnel, the country’s economic opportunity cost is estimated at $150 billion,” Durrani said.
Talking about the future outlook for Pakistan in the regional context, Durrani said that while “our eastern neighbor is likely to continue with its anti-Pakistan pursuits, the western border poses an avoidable irritant in the short to medium term.”
However, he said Pakistan can overcome its difficulties with Afghanistan, including the TTP challenge.
Latest News
Afghanistan now a ‘nexus for diplomatic endeavors’, says IEA
In the wake of dozens of meetings between high-ranking Islamic Emirate officials and visiting officials from foreign countries, and other diplomatic advances, the IEA said on Thursday that in the current geopolitical landscape, Kabul now “serves as a nexus for diplomatic endeavors and political deliberations pertaining to global affairs”.
In a series of posts on X, the IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said diplomatic missions and political delegations from various nations, including Russia, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, the European Union, and others, “are evident in the capital, highlighting its strategic importance in fostering Islamic cooperation”.
He said: “Recently, the honorable Minister of Transport of the Islamic Emirate, Mr. Hamidullah Akhundzada, led a significant delegation to Termez, Uzbekistan, for essential discussions aimed at enhancing bilateral relations.
“These discussions encompass a wide range of topics, from trade facilitation to security assurances, indicating a focused effort by the Islamic Emirate to strengthen and broaden its international engagements, thereby ensuring sustained development and stability.
“These initiatives, characterized by diligence and effectiveness, underscore Afghanistan’s enduring commitment to diplomatic engagement and its pivotal role in regional and global affairs,” he said.
Mujahid added that these initiatives “also emphasize the vital connection between diplomatic efforts and economic prosperity, promising favorable outcomes for Afghanistan’s socio-economic landscape.”
He pointed out that despite ongoing challenges, Afghanistan “remains steadfast in its pursuit of prosperity and resilience, defying pessimistic projections and charting a course towards political and economic renewal.”
He said: “Continued efforts are essential to fostering inclusive growth and impactful initiatives, thus advancing Afghanistan’s journey towards sustainable development and increased influence on the global stage.”
Latest News
Mullah Baradar discusses creation of railway with Kazakh deputy PM
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, deputy prime minister for economic affairs has met with Erik Zhumangarin, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, and discussed the establishment of a railway network from Kazakhstan to Pakistan through Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, the deputy PM’s office said in a statement.
During the meeting, Baradar emphasized the need to sign agreements to solve the banking problems of traders from both countries, the creation of Afghan-Kazakh joint companies, and the facilitation of visas for Afghan traders.
According to the statement, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan said that the Kazakh government intends to establish a joint chamber of industry and commerce and a joint trade and labor group between the two countries, and is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in the sectors of e-governance, industry, higher education, education, health, and banking.
-
Latest News4 days ago
Pakistan’s frontiers minister stresses ‘dignified’ return of Afghan refugees
-
Regional3 days ago
Iranian president lands in Pakistan for three-day visit to mend ties
-
Climate Change4 days ago
Massive river flooding expected in China, threatening millions
-
Latest News4 days ago
Chinese keen to invest in Panjshir-Kabul water conduit project
-
Latest News2 days ago
Rashid Khan named AWCC’s brand ambassador
-
World4 days ago
Two Japan navy helicopters crash, one body found, 7 missing
-
Sport3 days ago
Kolkata beat Bengaluru by one run in IPL as Kohli fumes at dismissal
-
Sport3 days ago
ACL: Aino Mina 3-0 Istiqlal Kabul; Attack Energy 3-0 Khadim