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Eight policemen killed in Taliban assault on Balkh security base
At least eight policemen were killed after Taliban militants stormed a security base in northern Balkh province, police confirmed.
Adil Shah Adil, a spokesman for Balkh police said the militants attacked the Shahrak Afghania Base in the Nahr-e-Shahi district of the provinces on Saturday night.
Adil stated that eight policemen were killed and six others wounded in the skirmish.
The relatives of the victims, however, said 14 policemen lost their lives in the attack. They accused the Balkh police chief of neglecting to provide adequate support at the base.
According to them, the Afghan forces ran out of ammunition.
Meanwhile, policemen told Ariana News that police headquarters did not deploy reinforcement troops despite their requests.
The police spokesman stated that the Taliban had planted mines along the road to the base and “due to bad weather conditions we could not provide air support.”
Adil added that at least seven Taliban militants were killed and five more injured in the clashes.
The Taliban have meanwhile reportedly increased their operations in Nahr-e-Shahi, the closest district to the Balkh capital Mazar-e-Sharif city.
The militants have carried out seven coordinated attacks against the base during the past year, sources said.
At least 30 members of the Afghan forces have been killed and a number of soldiers wounded in these attacks.
The Taliban confirmed its fighters overran an outpost in the Shahrak Turkeni area of the district.
The group claimed at least 12 soldiers were killed in the attack.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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