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Defense minister urges Pakistan to stop using its airspace against Afghanistan

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(Last Updated On: August 28, 2022)

Afghanistan’s Defense Minister Yaqoub Mujahid on Sunday said American drones flying over Afghanistan are entering the country’s airspace from Pakistan.

Speaking at an accountability session in Kabul, Mujahid called on Pakistan to stop allowing the use of its airspace against Afghanistan.

He said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) did not have reliable radar detection systems in place but that the authorities understand American drones are being launched in Pakistan.

“The information is not accurate and clear; Americans completely destroyed our radar system when they left [Afghanistan]. Again, according to the information we obtained, they [drones] enter Afghanistan through Pakistan and use Pakistan’s air space,” Mujahid said.

Pakistan has however rejected these claims and said its soil is not being used against Afghanistan.

This comes after the US carried out a drone strike on a house in Sherpur in Kabul on July 31. According to Washington, al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in the strike.

The IEA has meanwhile rejected claims that al-Zawahiri was killed in Kabul and said Sunday their investigation into these allegations is nearing an end.

“The killing of al-Zawahiri was a claim by America, until the investigation is finished, there are no new details,” said Mujahid.

Mujahid said the IEA has shared its concerns about drones in Afghanistan’s airspace with Washington.

“This is a clear aggression of America in Afghanistan and we have raised our voice and again America continues to do this and we condemn this action of America,” Mujahid said.

Mujahid also reiterated calls for Afghan aircraft, including planes and helicopters, flown to neighboring countries during the collapse of the former government, to be returned to Afghanistan.

So far, talks to have these aircraft returned have been fruitless.

Also speaking Sunday was the IEA’s chief of army staff, Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, who said the current number of soldiers in the defense force totals 145,000.

He also said the so-called National Resistance Front has been unable to achieve anything and that the situation in Panjshir province is now under control.

Fitrat stated that 60 military helicopters are currently in service and that 246 rescue flights have been carried out in the past few weeks. He said over 3,000 people have been saved from floods.

According to him, other achievements made in the past few months by the defense ministry include, among others, the deployment of about 25,000 troops to Afghanistan’s borders, the dismissal of 4,000 personnel, transparent distribution of salaries and recruitment of new staff.

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Afghan govt should be held accountable for its promises: Iran’s envoy

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(Last Updated On: October 2, 2023)

Iran’s special envoy for Afghanistan Hassan Kazemi Qomi says Moscow format meeting was held at a time when Afghanistan is still an important issue in the foreign policy of the region and the world and that the Islamic Emirate is accountable for what it promises.

Speaking to Iranian media, Qomi said that Afghanistan’s neighboring countries have come to the conclusion to change the conditions in Afghanistan in a collective move in cooperation with the caretaker government’s officials.

“In the field of regional initiatives at the Moscow format meeting, the countries of the region came to the conclusion that they should create a collective movement to help each other, to help improve living and economic conditions, and to help support the political process,” said Qomi.

He, however, stated that the US and its allies destroyed Afghanistan’s economic infrastructure and security foundations during their presence in the country.

According to him, although the US has withdrawn from Afghanistan, supporting Daesh is one of Washington’s priorities.

“Even though the Americans left today, they are still doing their mischief, supporting Daesh is still on the agenda of the Americans,” he added.

The caretaker government of Afghanistan has tried to fight against drugs and root out terrorism, but the danger of terrorists and drug trafficking still exists for the country’s neighbors, he said.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate says the neighboring countries, including Iran should not interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs.

“We ask all the neighboring countries not to interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan in any way, instead they should try to harmonize all their views with the Islamic Emirate,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for IEA.

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Paktika radio station back on air after 2-year break

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(Last Updated On: October 2, 2023)

A local radio station, Milma, in Paktika province has resumed operations after a two-year break, the radio officials said.

The radio officials said they took this decision at the request of their audience, adding that they will expand their broadcasting coverage to other provinces as well.

Milma radio reportedly had broadcasts for the southeastern provinces in the previous government.

Meanwhile, many media outlets have ceased operations due to economic problems over the last two years.

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Pakistan police detain 800 Afghan refugees in Islamabad suburbs

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(Last Updated On: October 2, 2023)

Pakistan police have detained 800 Afghan refugees in the suburbs of Islamabad, out of which 375 face deportation due to a lack of proper documentation.

“Islamabad police launched a search operation in Bara Kahu, Trinol, Mahar Abadian, Golra and Shams Colony and arrested 800 Afghan nationals,” police said.

“Four hundred Afghan nationals were later released on producing the proof of residence,” officials said. “375 other Afghan nationals had no identity papers, while 25 remaining Afghans have been detained till verification of their identity documents,” police further said.

“Lists of Afghans were compiled on the basis of secret information before the operation,” police said.

“Several criminal Afghan residents have also been pointed out and the operation will further step up in coming days,” officials said. Police said that the authorities have decided to deport 375 arrested Afghan nationals from Pakistan.

According to a report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan has surged to 3.7 million as of June this year, with a mere 1.3 million of them officially registered with the authorities. Approximately 775,000 unregistered Afghans are currently residing in the country.

As per Pakistan media outlets, a major 68.8 percent of Afghan citizens in Pakistan have settled in urban or semi-urban areas, while the remaining 31.2 percent are disturbed across 54 different regions including villages.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) considers the detention and alleged torture of Afghan immigrants in Pakistan to be against international standards and says that it has discussed this issue with Pakistani authorities many times through the Afghan embassy in Pakistan, and that it has been emphasized that Afghan immigrants in the country must be treated according to international laws.

At the same time, the Ministry of Refugees and Returnees says that to solve this problem, they are in contact with the Pakistani authorities to stop the process of arresting migrants and release the imprisoned Afghans.

Experts say that currently immigrants in Pakistan are facing many problems and challenges, and to solve these challenges, there is a need for diplomatic talks between Kabul and Islamabad based on international migration laws.

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