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EU condemns violence in Afghanistan, Urges Permanent ceasefire
Delegation of the European Union (EU) to the United Nations strongly condemned the high level of violence in Afghanistan, said the EU statement at the 75th United Nations General Assembly Vote on the General Assembly resolution on Afghanistan.
The EU also called for a permanent ceasefire in the country “to save Afghans from the meaningless suffering.”
“The EU and its Member States strongly condemn the horrific levels of violence in Afghanistan, which have continued, and in certain aspects even increased, after the Doha Agreement and the beginning of the intra-Afghan direct negotiations,” read the statement. “We call for an immediate, permanent, and comprehensive ceasefire.”
According to the EU, there is a historic opportunity for peace and stability in Afghanistan.
“Afghanistan is at an important juncture. There is a historic opportunity for peace and stability that all Afghans long for after decades of immense human suffering. Only an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process can lead to durable peace,” added the statement.
The EU also blamed the Taliban for deadly attacks across the country.
“The Taliban continue to perpetrate an unacceptable number of deadly attacks all over the country, including in urban areas, causing substantial civilian losses. This brutality runs counter to the Taliban’s stated commitment to peace and to the declared sincerity of their participation in on-going peace talks. The legitimacy of any leadership in Afghanistan starts with respecting the lives of the Afghan people. Those responsible for acts of horrific violence against civilians cannot be Afghanistan’s leaders of tomorrow nor partners of the international community,” said the statement.
The EU said that support of the EU and its Member States is conditional and depend on the progress the Afghan peace process.
This comes as recently targeted attacks and violence have been increased in Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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