Latest News
Afghan war crimes suspect says he is a victim of mistaken identity
A 76-year-old Afghan man accused of being the commander of the Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul in the 1980s, where he allegedly abused political opponents, on Wednesday told The Hague court it was a case of mistaken identity.
“I am not the person that you are talking about,” the suspect, who said he did not remember his own name but was identified in court as Abdul Rafief, told judges.
According to the charges summarized by the judges, Rafief is accused of living in the Netherlands under a false name and that he is actually Abdul Razaq Arif who served as commander of the Pul-e-Charki prison between 1983 and 1990, Reuters reported.
Afghanistan’s Soviet-backed government was fighting a guerrilla war against mujahideen at the time, following the Soviet invasion in 1979.
Prosecutors say Rafief was responsible for political prisoners in the jail, who were allegedly held in inhumane conditions in the facility. Guards under his command allegedly beat, tortured and executed prisoners, Reuters reported.
During the hearing Rafief referred all questions from the judges about his identity to his lawyers and said he was ill, dizzy and could not remember anything.
Rafief came to the Netherlands seeking asylum in 2001 and has become a Dutch national. He is being tried under “universal jurisdiction” principles, which say suspected war crimes and crimes against humanity can be prosecuted abroad if they cannot be tried in the country where they were allegedly committed.
The Netherlands has already successfully tried three high ranking officials of the Afghan military intelligence service for similar crimes in the same period in Afghanistan.
A high-ranking Uzbek delegation comprising government officials and private sector representatives from the Republic of Karakalpakstan arrived in Kabul on Saturday to discuss the expansion of trade and economic cooperation with Afghanistan.
The delegation is headed by Amanbay Orinbayev, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Karakalpakstan.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the delegation is expected to hold talks with Nooruddin Azizi, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, focusing on strengthening bilateral trade and economic relations.
The ministry said the visiting delegation will also participate in trade connectivity meetings and business-to-business sessions aimed at enhancing commercial cooperation between the two sides.
As part of the visit, the Uzbek delegation is also scheduled to travel to Balkh province, where members will attend additional trade meetings and inaugurate an exhibition showcasing Uzbekistan’s domestic products.
Hamid Karzai, former president of Afghanistan, has expressed concern over recent developments along the Durand Line, saying Pakistan has increased military and economic pressure on villages and residents living near the line.
In a statement, Karzai said the apparent purpose of these pressures is to push residents of Durand Line areas to seek help from Pakistani institutions for resolving security and other local issues.
He added that, amid this situation, some tribal elders from both sides of the Durand Line recently signed documents described as “peace agreements,” which were later officially welcomed by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to Karzai, these developments amount to an effort by Pakistan to legitimize the Durand Line and represent an action against Afghanistan’s national sovereignty.
The former Afghan president also urged the relevant Afghan authorities to provide the public with a clear explanation regarding the recent agreements and developments along the Durand Line.
Latest News
SAARC failure pushes Pakistan toward trilateral ties with Afghanistan, China, Bangladesh: Dar
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar has said that the failure of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is pushing Pakistan toward exploring trilateral cooperation frameworks involving Afghanistan, China, and Bangladesh.
Speaking at the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA) Conference in Lahore on Friday, Dar said SAARC has “unfortunately not been able to kick off,” limiting regional economic integration and cooperation.
He said Pakistan is now looking at alternative regional arrangements to strengthen economic connectivity and trade, including trilateral formats such as China–Pakistan–Afghanistan and China–Pakistan–Bangladesh.
Dar stressed that South Asia cannot remain in “isolation,” noting that the region, home to nearly two billion people, is missing significant economic opportunities due to weak cooperation among neighbouring countries.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established in 1985 to promote economic and regional integration among South Asian countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
The organisation was designed to encourage cooperation in areas such as trade, development, education, and cultural exchange. However, in recent years, SAARC’s effectiveness has been significantly limited due to political tensions between member states, particularly between India and Pakistan, leading to stalled summits and reduced regional engagement.
As a result, regional economic cooperation in South Asia has largely remained underdeveloped compared to other regional blocs around the world.
High-ranking Uzbek delegation arrives in Kabul to boost trade ties
Karzai: Pakistan seeking to legitimize Durand Line, authorities must clarify
Los Angeles to welcome the world with historic FIFA World Cup 2026 opening event
SAARC failure pushes Pakistan toward trilateral ties with Afghanistan, China, Bangladesh: Dar
Canada to host opening ceremony for FIFA World Cup 2026 in Toronto
Bayat Power extends gas supply deal with Afghan Gas
Etihad Airways to expand Kabul–Abu Dhabi flights to daily service amid surging demand
Afghanistan’s new cricket head coach Richard Pybus arrives in Kabul
Afghanistan moves toward self-sufficiency in car battery production
Germany to launch online visa system for Afghan study and work applicants in Pakistan
Tawsia: Discussion on Afghanistan’s economic path and position
Tahawol: Pressure on Afghan refugees from Tajikistan to Europe discussed
Saar: Ongoing criticism of Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy discussed
Tahawol: Diplomatic turn in Iran–US confrontation discussed
Saar: Expanding interaction between countries and IEA discussed
-
Business1 day agoNew Afghanistan-China transport corridor launched via Turkmenistan
-
Latest News4 days agoPakistan’s Achakzai pushes for Afghanistan dialogue amid economic strain
-
Business3 days agoAfghanistan presses Chinese contractor over delays in Mes Aynak copper project
-
Business3 days agoUzbekistan launches new cargo corridor linking China and Afghanistan
-
Latest News4 days agoFood prices surge 20% in Afghanistan as Hormuz crisis disrupts supply routes
-
Latest News5 days agoAustrian interior minister heads to Uzbekistan to finalize Afghan deportation deal
-
Sport5 days agoAll eyes on Jeddah as AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2026 kicks off
-
International Sports4 days agoMumbai Indians pull off record chase as IPL action continues