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IEA forms special ‘Green Unit’ to protect Afghanistan’s forests
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) said Monday that the government would create a special unit for the protection of forests in eight provinces including Kabul.
Inamullah Samangani, a spokesman for the IEA, said in a series of tweets that the 450-member Green Unit would be tasked to prevent “illegal deforestation” and trafficking of logs.
Samangani said that 100 members of a military unit would be assigned in Kabul and 50 more would be tasked to safeguard forests in seven other provinces. These provinces are Kunar, Nuristan, Khost, Laghman, Paktia, Paktika, and Nangarhar.
Samangani tweeted that the Green Unit will also be responsible for preventing “illegal utilization and trafficking of medicinal plants; destruction and usurpation of forests, grasslands, protected areas, and government property; smuggling of wood, natural products, and medicinal plants; as well as the illegal hunting of wild animals and birds.”
Hafiz Abdul Qayoum, the ex-governor of Nuristan province, raised concern in the past over the serious deforestation happening in Nuristan and Kunar provinces and called on the IEA to curb the problem.
“There have been reports of deforestation in Nuristan and Kunar. We hope that the relevant authorities will seriously prevent this and punish the perpetrators severely. The people should fully cooperate with the authorities,” Qayoum tweeted.
Recently the IEA Council of Ministers banned deforestation and timber smuggling in the country following concerns about increased deforestation.
“According to the decision of the Council of Ministers of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, cutting down forests, selling timber and transferring them is strictly prohibited,” spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted.
He also called on security and provincial officials to take steps to curb the problem.
Officials at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) say 7,000 incomplete projects of the World Bank are at risk of destruction in Afghanistan. They call on the World Bank to resume the work of these projects.
According to them, discussions have been held with the World Bank about these projects, but there has been no result yet.
“7,000 incomplete projects are being destroyed, and if the work is not started, these projects will be destroyed. We ask the World Bank to resume the work of these projects as soon as possible,” said Noorul Hadi Adel, the spokesperson of MRRD.
Meanwhile, members of the private sector also ask international institutions to resume their work in Afghanistan.
According to the officials of this sector, with the start of these projects, job opportunities will be provided for thousands of people in the country.
“These projects create employment for our people and the country will grow a lot,” said Mirwais Hajizadeh, a member of the private sector.
However, economic experts stated if the work of these projects does not start soon, they will be destroyed and the investments made in them will be wasted.
Ten people have been killed and six others injured by floods in Helmand province in the past week, local officials said on Friday.
According to officials, seven of those were members of the same family, and they were killed in Kajaki district last night.
“Most of the people moved from vulnerable areas to high lands and mountains, and thanks Allah the number of casualties is low,” Sher Mohammad Vahdat, the head of information of the Directorate of Information and Culture in Helmand, said adding rescue teams and security forces have been dispatched to help people.
It is said that the telecommunication system has also been disrupted due to the effect of floods in Kajaki district. Floods have also destroyed thousands of acres of agricultural land.
Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, met with the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi and discussed issues related to Afghanistan, it was announced on Thursday.
During the meeting, Otunbayeva thanked India for “its critical humanitarian support and longstanding friendship for the Afghan people” and discussed the importance of regional and international cooperation to address prevailing challenges in Afghanistan, UNAMA said on X.
Jaishankar also said on X that the sides exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan.
“Underlined that India has provided wheat, medicines, pesticides and school supplies. Appreciate the role of UN agencies as partners in these endeavors,” he said.
IEA urges World Bank to resume work on 7,000 incomplete projects
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