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Fuel tanker explosions on Afghan-Iran border spotted from space

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Two explosions of fuel tankers at the Islam Qala border crossing between Afghanistan’s western province of Herat and Iran were powerful enough to be spotted from space by NASA satellites on Saturday afternoon. 
 
One of the explosions happened at about 1.10pm Afghanistan time and the other about half an hour later at 1.42pm local time. 
 
According to local officials the fire started at about midday when a fuel tanker exploded at the customs facility at the border crossing. 
 
This caused a massive fire that consumed more than 500 trucks carrying natural gas and fuel, sources and Iranian state media indicated. 
 
Younus Qazizada, the head of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said the fire had caused millions of dollars in damage. “Preliminary investigations show that more than $50 million of damage has been caused by the fire so far,” he said.
 
The Islam Qala border crossing is around 120km west of the city of Herat, and is a major transit route between Afghanistan and Iran.
 
The US allows Afghanistan to import fuel and oil from Iran as part of a special concession that exempts Kabul from US sanctions against Iran. 
 
It wasn’t clear early Sunday what caused the blast but officials said the fire was being investigated. The exact number of casualties was also not known although at least a dozen people had been taken to hospitals on Saturday night for injuries sustained in the fire. 
 
Wahid Qatali, Herat’s provincial governor, told The Associated Press on Saturday night: “For the time being, we can’t even talk about the casualties.”
 
The intensity of the flames meant ambulances were having trouble reaching the wounded or getting close to the site of the blast, said Mohammad Rafiq Shirzy, spokesman for the regional hospital in Herat city. 

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Saar: Revival of US military presence in Afghanistan discussed

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UAE president meets with Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani

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President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday met with Sirajuddin Haqqani, Afghanistan’s Minister of Interior, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.

The meeting was held at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, and the two sides discussed recent developments in Afghanistan.

They also explored ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation to serve the mutual interests of both nations, particularly in development-related areas.

The two officials reviewed efforts to support Afghanistan’s reconstruction and stability, aiming to foster development and prosperity for the Afghan people.

Haqqani hailed cooperation between the UAE and Afghanistan and commended the UAE for its humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

The IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated Abdul Haq Wasiq, the General Director of Islamic Emirate’s Intelligence, is accompanying Haqqani.

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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa officials to visit Kabul in hope of finding solutions to disputes

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In the hope of settling ongoing disputes, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur said he hopes to send a delegation to Afghanistan within two weeks to seek solutions to Pakistan-Afghanistan issues.

“The federal government talked about negotiations with Afghanistan over bilateral issues, but there’s no success. Now, the dialogue with Kabul will be held at the provincial level.

“A delegation of our [KP] government will meet Afghan officials within two weeks,” Gandapur was quoted by Dawn as saying.

He also said that a delegation of tribal elders from the province would also engage with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

He said he was hopeful that the IEA government would cooperate with the KP teams.

Pakistan has continued to blame Afghanistan for allowing Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to carry out attacks on KP soil from Afghanistan.

However, the IEA has repeatedly said they will not allow any group to plan or conduct attacks against another country from Afghanistan.

Gandapur meanwhile said he hopes the issues Pakistan has with Afghanistan would be resolved through negotiations.

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