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Blinken expresses concern over escalation of violence by Taliban

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US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken spoke with President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday night telephonically and expressed his concern over the sharp escalation of violence by the Taliban, the Presidential Palace (ARG) said in a statement.

Both sides discussed the relations between the two countries and the continuation of US cooperation with Afghanistan in various fields, the statement said.

Expressing concern over the escalation of violence by the Taliban, Blinken reaffirmed his country’s continued support for Afghanistan’s security and defense forces, and stressed the role of the United States in accelerating the Afghan peace process, the statement added.

Both sides also spoke about regional issues and the role of regional countries in the Afghan peace process.

This comes after violence by the Taliban continues to rage in parts of the country especially in Herat, Helmand and Kandahar provinces.

Due to the violence thousands of people are displaced after fleeing their homes while hundreds of civilians have been wounded and dozens killed.

Meanwhile, the United States said on Tuesday that one of many concerns about Afghanistan is that it could spiral into civil war, Reuters reported.

According to the report since the United States announced plans in April to withdraw its troops with no conditions by September 11 after nearly 20 years of conflict, violence has escalated throughout the country as the Taliban seeks more territory.

Peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban negotiators started last year in the Qatari capital of Doha, but have not made any substantive progress. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said the Taliban saw “the utility of a negotiated solution, they are engaged in Doha.”

“If they seek to contravene what they have said, then they will be an international pariah … and the concern on the part of all of us, one of the many concerns is that the result will be civil war,” Price told reporters.

A car bomb blast followed by sporadic gunfire hit Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Tuesday night near the heavily fortified “Green Zone,” leaving three civilians and three attackers dead, security officials said.

“It does bear all the hallmarks of the spate of Taliban attacks that we have seen in recent weeks,” Price said. “We unequivocally condemn the bombing.”

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Afghan official slams Shehbaz Sharif’s ‘shameful’ claims on Islamic unity

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Khubaib Ghufran, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information and Culture, sharply criticized Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over his recent claims about Islamic unity in relation to the war in Iran, calling them “shameful.”

On his X account, Ghaffran wrote: “You praised Trump as a hero of the Gaza peace plan, yet today you claim Islamic unity regarding Iran in a war that the same criminal (Trump) and his allies initiated?”

He added that while Afghanistan is governed under an Islamic system, Shehbaz Sharif has shown no compassion even toward the most vulnerable groups—from children to women and drug addicts—and that this cruelty persisted even during the holy month of Ramadan.

Ghaffran described Sharif’s stance as a “grave shame” and a stark example of “historical hypocrisy.”

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Airstrike on Kabul drug rehabilitation centre sparks legal concerns

Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Research, Isabelle Lassee, said the scale of casualties suggests the presence of a significant civilian population at the site.

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An airstrike on a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul has drawn sharp criticism from Amnesty International, raising serious questions about compliance with international humanitarian law.

The strike, carried out on 16 March, targeted a site at Camp Phoenix, a former military base that has functioned largely as a rehabilitation centre since 2016. Pakistani officials have claimed the attack was aimed at an ammunition depot allegedly located within the compound.

Responding to those claims, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Research, Isabelle Lassee, said the scale of casualties suggests the presence of a significant civilian population at the site.

“While the total number of casualties has yet to be independently verified, it is clear that the attack caused extensive civilian harm, with reports indicating hundreds killed or injured,” she said.

Lassee emphasized that the facility was widely known to house civilians undergoing treatment, and warned that any military action should have taken this into account. “Pakistan’s military should have taken all feasible precautions to avoid harming civilians and civilian infrastructure,” she added.

She further noted that even if a military target had been present within the compound, international law requires that any strike be proportionate, ensuring that civilian harm is not excessive in relation to the anticipated military advantage.

“The scale of destruction raises serious concerns about whether an adequate proportionality assessment was conducted and whether sufficient steps were taken to verify the target and minimize civilian casualties,” Lassee said.

Amnesty International has called on Pakistani authorities to disclose the intelligence behind the strike and to launch an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation into the incident. The organization stressed that findings should be made public to ensure accountability.

The group also urged all parties involved in the conflict to adhere strictly to international humanitarian law and to protect civilian infrastructure, including medical and rehabilitation facilities.

The airstrike formed part of Pakistan’s “Operation Ghazab Lil Haq,” which included strikes in both Kabul and Nangarhar Province. The targeted rehabilitation centre, known as Omid, reportedly had the capacity to accommodate around 2,000 individuals.

Casualty figures remain contested. Islamic Emirate officials claim more than 400 civilians were killed and over 200 injured, though these numbers have not been independently verified. The United Nations has so far confirmed 143 deaths.

The strike comes amid escalating tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. According to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, at least 76 civilian casualties had already been recorded since the conflict intensified in February.

Pakistani officials, meanwhile, reported civilian casualties on their side of the border, including four deaths in Bajaur district on 15 March and the killing of a child in North Waziristan earlier in the month, allegedly due to cross-border fire from Afghanistan.

The latest developments underscore growing concerns about civilian safety as hostilities between the two countries continue to intensify.

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Afghanistan expresses condolences after deadly helicopter crash in Qatar

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan has expressed condolences to the governments and people of Qatar and Turkey following a deadly helicopter crash in Qatar.

In a statement, the ministry described the incident as tragic and extended its deep sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives.

According to reports, the helicopter crashed into Qatari territorial waters, killing seven people. Authorities have said the incident was caused by a technical malfunction.

Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry also prayed for the victims and wished patience and strength for their families.

 
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