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Anas says Haqqani Network never existed, that it was pure ‘propaganda’

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Anas Haqqani said this week that the Haqqani Network never existed and that when he was arrested in Qatar, he had been a harmless student on holiday.

In 2014, when he was 20, Haqqani was arrested in Qatar, tried in Kabul and sentenced to death.

According information obtained by Der Spiegel, the only reason he wasn’t ultimately executed was because China intervened with the government in Kabul at the request of Pakistan. In the end, Anas Haqqani was freed in a prisoner exchange.

Speaking to Der Spiegal this week, in a rare interview, 28-year-old Haqqani said: “The so-called Haqqani network that the West keeps talking about never existed. This is pure propaganda by our enemies.

“And I was a harmless religious student in his young twenties. So, please distinguish between theoretical support for certain goals and practical action. Of course, like most Afghans, I wanted to liberate our country from occupation so that we could live independently and in dignity, peace and prosperity, in an independent state.”

During the 20-year-war in Afghanistan, prior to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan take over in August last year, the Haqqani network was alleged to have planned some of the most serious attacks in Afghanistan from Pakistan.

Haqqani told Der Spiegel that he spent the first years of his life in Wazir Akhbar Khan in Kabul before his family, including his father Jalaluddin Haqqani, fled to Miranshah in Waziristan in Pakistan.

He said contrary to popular belief, his father never invited Osama bin Laden to Afghanistan but stated they had known each other from the war against the Soviet Union.

He reiterated that the Haqqanis had nothing to do with many of the attacks they were blamed for and said while both sides did fight “I myself never fought”.

On being arrested in Qatar, Haqqani said: “In 2014, I was arrested in Qatar on behalf of the then Kabul government and extradited to Afghanistan. This happened completely illegally.

“I was kept in solitary confinement for years in a tiny cell, first in an intelligence prison, then in Bagram. That was against all the laws and rules that prevailed in that country at that time as well.”

“I was really innocent, a young religious student in my eighth year. I was only on holiday in Qatar. There, I visited friends and relatives who had just been released from Guantanamo.

“All the accusations that were made against me at the time in these court proceedings are false.”

He also said: “Please, we did not choose this war. It was forced upon us. I hope that we will never have to suffer these things we suffered during those years again.”

On the general amnesty, Haqqani said: “The amnesty applies to everyone, without exception, including the armed opposition. The head of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Emir Akhundzada Haibatullah, has ordered this. We therefore call on all Afghans to return to their home country.

“The leadership of the Emirate is very serious about the amnesty. Action will be taken against anyone who violates this general amnesty. They will be prosecuted and severely punished,” he said, adding that “the Emir has ordered the establishment of military courts. If you know of any examples of unjust persecution, please report them to us. There must be no revenge or reprisals against the representatives of the previous government.”

Haqqani also acknowledged that the Shia minority has long been targeted by extreme elements throughout the Middle East and Afghanistan. “The position of the Islamic Emirate against these elements is crystal clear:

“There is no truth to the allegations of the oppression of the Hazaras by the current government. Our government is very serious about any harassment or harm toward our Hazara brothers. Our government is not perfect. After so many years of war, there are problems between individuals. There are old scores that have been settled, family disputes.

“But the main reason why many people leave is hardship. The economic disaster in Afghanistan is again a consequence of the U.S. sanctions. We are not responsible for that, but rather the international community is, the Americans are. This is tantamount to the collective punishment of our people. Why doesn’t the international community cooperate with us?”

He also said that during negotiations in Doha, the Germans played a particularly positive role in helping the IEA reach a peaceful solution, especially the German envoy Markus Potzel.

“Therefore, we expect the Germans to remain engaged and to renew our relationship with the usual bilateral strength. And we expect the Germans to take a bold step and to overlook small problems in order to improve relations.

In conclusion he said: “Things take time. And please tell the Germans in your home country that they should not always worry about women’s problems, but also about men’s rights. Men suffer, too, and they make up more than half of the population, after all.”

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Afghanistan–Russia first business forum inaugurated

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Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of Afghanistan Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk on Friday officially inaugurated the first Afghanistan–Russia Business Forum on the sidelines of the 16th Kazan International Economic Forum.

According to a statement issued by the deputy PM’s office, Abdul Ghani Baradar stated that since the Islamic Emirate’s takeover, Afghanistan has achieved political stability, expanded its economic activities, increased trade, and attracted investments from both domestic and international investors across various sectors. He noted that numerous large and small-scale projects have been launched for the country’s reconstruction, being implemented by both domestic and foreign companies in coordination with IEA.

Baradar emphasized that alongside the launch of infrastructure projects, IEA has also prioritized trade expansion and seeks to facilitate the export of Afghan products to regional and distant countries. He highlighted Russia as a strong potential market for Afghan goods and called for the establishment of favorable conditions for trade.

He further stated that IEA is ready to construct the second Salang Tunnel to promote trade and transit with Russia and Central Asia and requested cooperation from the Russian Federation in this regard, considering its relevant expertise.

Baradar also reiterated Afghanistan’s interest in participating in the North–South Corridor and stressed the importance of the Afghan–Trans project, calling for Russia’s cooperation in initiating and implementing it.

He added, “We are eager for Afghanistan to play an effective role in strengthening this corridor and contributing to regional economic connectivity.”

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk expressed Russia’s support for a stable and developing Afghanistan, noting that such progress is in the interest of the entire region.

He stated that Afghanistan is moving in a positive direction and the participation of a high-level delegation from the Islamic Emirate in the 16th Kazan Forum demonstrates the Afghan people’s desire to live in peace and advance economic matters in a peaceful environment.

He further noted that Russian companies are ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in areas such as mining, construction of water dams, electricity generation, railway expansion, manufacturing of transport equipment, regional connectivity, and trade growth.

Overchuk added that a cooperation agreement has been signed for the establishment of a joint trade center between Moscow and Kabul. He expressed hope that the center would create new avenues for bilateral cooperation and effective utilization of existing opportunities.

The opening ceremony was also attended by the Deputy PM and the Minister of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan. The Deputy PM of Tatarstan stated that Tatar automotive companies are ready to operate in Afghanistan and that Tatarstan is prepared to sign an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with Afghanistan in this field.

It is expected that, on the sidelines of the 16th Kazan Forum, major agreements will be signed between Afghan and Russian traders to boost trade between Kabul and Moscow.

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Feasibility study of trans-Afghan railway to be ready in early 2026: Russian deputy PM

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A feasibility study of the trans-Afghan railway is due to be ready early next year, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said at the 16th international economic forum Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2025.

“Russian and Uzbek railway specialists are drafting the feasibility study of the trans-Afghan railway construction project together. We are expecting the project feasibility study to be ready in early 2026 so that decisions on its implementation could be made,” Overchuk said, Interfax reported.

The trans-Afghan transport corridor will connect to the European Union, Russia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Southeast Asia. Uzbekistan said in 2023 it had reached an agreement with a number of countries to implement the project, key participants in which, besides Uzbekistan, would be Afghanistan and Pakistan. A preliminary agreement on Russia’s participation in the project was reached in early April 2024, during Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to Moscow.

Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan signed an agreement in February 2021 to construct a 573-kilometer railway line through Afghanistan, connecting landlocked Central Asia to Pakistan seaports.

The Uzbek Transport Ministry said earlier it would take at least five years to build the trans-Afghan railway, the tentative cost of which might reach $4.8 billion.

Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov told Interfax in April that roughly 8 million to 15 million tonnes of Russian cargo might be annually transported by the prospective trans-Afghan railway.

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Russia considering issue of IEA diplomat for ambassador post: Kabulov

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Russian Special Representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov has said that Moscow is considering the issue of the Islamic Emirate nominating a diplomat for the post of Afghan ambassador to Moscow.

Kabulov said this on the sidelines of an international economic forum in Russia, TASS news agency reported.

Earlier, Russia’s Supreme Court made a decision to suspend the ban on the activities of the Islamic Emirate by the Russian side.

The decision has enhanced conditions for trade and economic relations between the two countries, Afghanistan’s Charge d’Affaires in Moscow Jamal Nasir Garwal said.

“Our trade and economic cooperation was not so successful because the Taliban used to be blacklisted in Russia. Fortunately, after the Supreme Court’s decision, this problem was resolved. This opened up better conditions for developing our cooperation,” the diplomat said at the 16th International Economic Forum Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum.

Garwal expressed hope that Russia and Afghanistan will soon sign investment agreements in geological exploration and mineral resource extraction.

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