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Hundreds feared dead in Herat after string of deadly earthquakes
A spokesman for Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority told Ariana News that hundreds of people have been killed in Herat province after a string of deadly earthquakes rocked the province early Saturday.
Janan Sayeq said at least seven villages in Zinda Jan district of Herat were completely destroyed in the two 6.3 magnitude earthquakes on Saturday morning.
He said in one village alone, only 100 families out of 300 survived the quake.
At least five powerful earthquakes struck the city and surrounding districts from just after 11am on Saturday.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS) a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit at 11:11 am, followed by a 5.5 and a 4.7 magnitude aftershock just minutes later. At 11:40 another 6.3 hit, at a depth of just 10km.
This was followed by a 5.9 quake just 30 minutes later. All of these quakes were at depths of between 7.7km and 14 km and most were epicentered around Zinda Jan.
The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement late Saturday that that military and rescue services have been dispatched to Herat as a matter of urgency. He also said urgent measures should be taken to provide shelter and food to the survivors who have been left homeless.
Mujahid said that all stops need to be pulled out to rescue survivors who are trapped under rubble.
Reports meanwhile indicated that telephone lines are down, which is causing difficulties in obtaining precise details from the impacted areas.
Herat is considered the cultural capital of Afghanistan and is the official capital of Herat province which is home to an estimated population of 1.9 million.
Pakistan says communities living along the Afghanistan-Pakistan Durand Line want peace and stability, despite ongoing security concerns in the region.
Speaking during a weekly media briefing, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said there are no major issues between the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan, adding that residents on both sides of the Durand Line want peaceful relations and greater regional stability.
However, Andrabi claimed that terrorism originating from Afghan territory continues to undermine peace efforts.
He said Islamabad believes militant activity crossing from Afghanistan remains a significant obstacle to improving regional security and bilateral ties.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly rejected such allegations, maintaining that no militant group is allowed to use Afghan soil to threaten neighboring countries.
Andrabi also said Pakistan remains diplomatically engaged on regional matters involving Afghanistan, Iran, India, and Somalia, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain Islamabad’s preferred means of resolving disputes.
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Afghanistan-Gambia ties discussed during Doha meeting
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Suhail Shaheen, head of the Islamic Emirate’s embassy in Doha, has met with Omar Jah, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Gambia to Qatar, to discuss bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest.
According to a statement from the Afghan embassy in Doha, Jah also oversees Gambian diplomatic affairs related to Afghanistan.
The meeting focused on Afghanistan-Gambia relations, the current security situation in Afghanistan, and potential investment opportunities in the country.
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and head of the Pakhtunkhwa Awami National Party, has said that if capable statesmen had been in power, people living on both sides of the Durand Line could have moved freely across the line.
Speaking during a podcast interview, Achakzai said that countries with histories of major conflict, including Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom, now maintain far more open borders despite past wars. He said that in many such regions, only a “paper line” remains, with limited border restrictions.
Drawing comparisons with the disputed Durand Line boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Achakzai argued that a similar arrangement could have been possible in South Asia.
“What is the problem here? A Punjabi could dance in Kandahar and a Pashtun could come here. Even if we are not formally one country, we could have effectively functioned like one,” he said.
The Pakistani politician also referred to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the later U.S.-led intervention, saying Afghanistan has the right to seek war reparations from those countries to support reconstruction efforts.
Achakzai further criticised the treatment of Pashtuns in Pakistan, alleging that individuals in cities including Lahore and Karachi have faced detention and deportation.
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