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Austin pays surprise visit to Kabul ‘to listen and learn’

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President Ashraf Ghani met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday afternoon in Kabul to discuss the Afghanistan situation ahead of a May 1 troop withdrawal deadline.

Austin made an unannounced stop in Kabul after meeting with high-ranking Indian officials including Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the weekend.

In a tweet after meeting Ghani, Austin said he was “very grateful for my time with President Ashraf Ghani today. I came to Afghanistan to listen and learn. This visit has been very helpful for me, and it will inform my participation in the review we are undergoing here” with President Joe Biden on the troop withdrawal review.

According to the Presidential Palace (ARG), both Ghani and Austin expressed their concerns over the increase of violence in the country.

ARG stated that their discussions focused on the need for an enduring and just peace as the main solution for the current situation in Afghanistan, and that Austin said the US is supporting Afghanistan in this respect.

Austin’s visit comes after Biden revealed recently that he’s “in the process” of reaching a verdict on whether to withdraw all U.S. troops on the ground, keep them in the country indefinitely or extend their presence for another six months.

“I’m in the process of making that decision now as to when they’ll leave,” Biden told ABC news in an interview last week.

“The fact is that that was not a very solidly negotiated deal that the president, the former president, worked out. And so we’re in consultation with our allies as well as the government, and that decision’s going to be — it’s in process now.”

Biden added that a full-scale military pullout “could happen, but it is tough.”

However, the high levels of violence is of major concern to all parties.

In February, Austin said: “Clearly, the violence is too high right now and more progress needs to be made in the Afghan-led negotiations.”

“So I urge all parties to choose the path towards peace. And the violence must decrease now.”

Approximately 3,500 troops are in Afghanistan, which is around 1,000 more than what was disclosed by Pentagon officials, according to the New York Times.

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Four civilians killed in firing by Pakistani forces on Kandahar’s Spin Boldak

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Four civilians were killed and four others wounded in firing by Pakistani troops on Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province late on Friday, sources told Ariana News.

The attack comes two days after a new round of peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan reportedly ended without a breakthrough, though both sides agreed to continue their fragile ceasefire.

The recent talks in Saudi Arabia were the latest in a series of meetings hosted by Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia aimed at easing tensions after deadly clashes near the Durand Line in October. Dozens were killed in the clashes in October.

Islamabad claims that Afghanistan-based militants carried out the recent attacks in Pakistan. Kabul denies the allegations, saying it cannot be held responsible for security inside Pakistan.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said Afghan forces had responded to the recent Pakistani attacks.

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IEA should respond to Pakistan’s security concerns with concrete actions: Andrabi

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Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi says both Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sadyr Japarov, the President of Kyrgyzstan, who visited Islamabad on Thursday, expressed their mutual commitment to a peaceful, stable Afghanistan with a sustainable future for the Afghan people.

Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Andrabi stated that both sides agreed that the Islamic Emirate must fulfill its obligations toward the international community and take concrete steps against terrorist groups to address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns.

This comes while the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly emphasized that no terrorist groups operate from Afghan territory and that it will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against any country.

The Islamic Emirate has also stated that Pakistan’s security concerns are an internal issue of that country, and Pakistan itself must take measures to prevent any security incidents.

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Malaysia’s PM calls peaceful solution to Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions

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Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has voiced deep concern over escalating tensions between the Afghanistan–Pakistan during a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Anwar said he emphasized Malaysia’s concerns regarding regional stability and urged all parties to pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.

His remarks follow media reports indicating heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan after a series of attacks in October.

During the call, the two leaders also exchanged views on several aspects of Malaysia–Pakistan bilateral relations.

Anwar also briefed Sharif on the ongoing flood situation in Malaysia and similar challenges facing neighboring countries, including Indonesia and Thailand.

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