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IEA to establish a ‘much smaller’ military force: Muttaqi
Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Friday in Islamabad that the country no longer needs a large military and that not all former Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) will be re-employed.
“The army that was created by foreign intervention, we are no longer in need of having such large numbers,” said Muttaqi during a discussion with the Institute of Strategic Studies.
He was responding to a question about the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s strategy for integrating IEA fighters and ANDSF personnel into one military.
He said his country needed a small army “made up of people with fidelity and commitment and patriotism ingrained in them.”
Muttaqi was in Pakistan for discussions on numerous issues including the reopening of trade routes.
On Thursday, he also met representatives from the United States, China, and Russia, who were in Pakistan for a Troika Plus meeting on Afghanistan.
In response to the international community’s calls for an inclusive government, Muttaqi said the current administration is inclusive as it includes people from different ethnicities.
He said the international community is trying to force the IEA to include their political opponents, which is not the norm in other countries.
“We have never asked [U.S.] President [Joe] Biden to include [former] president [Donald] Trump in his cabinet,” he said.
On the issue of women’s rights, he claimed the IEA has not fired a single woman from her job since they came to power.
Human Rights Watch’s Heather Barr disagreed. She said: “Maybe they didn’t say to any women you are fired from your job, but they’ve certainly told many, many, many women that they shouldn’t come to work, and they shouldn’t come to work indefinitely.”
Muttaqi meanwhile said the IEA is trying to take a balanced approach in international relations.
“As for international recognition, what we are experiencing is that we are being recognized and treated as an official government of Afghanistan in our travels and in other cases,” he said.
“Embassies are open inside our country, and we have embassies and representation in foreign countries.”
A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan on Saturday afternoon, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The quake’s epicenter was reported in Jurm district of Badakhshan province, with a depth of 208.3 kilometers.
So far, there have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage following the tremor.
Shahabuddin Delawar, Head of the Commission for Contact with Afghan Personalities, says Afghanistan has achieved security, unified governance, brotherhood, and progress for the first time in 47 years under the administration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
Speaking at a meeting in Kabul on Saturday, Delawar said Afghanistan had lacked a unified system over the past four decades, but added that with the return of the Islamic Emirate, the issue has now been resolved.
Referring to Ashura commemorations held on Friday, he said the occasion was observed peacefully across the country under full security.
Delawar also urged exiled Afghan politicians to return, saying the commission was established to serve Afghans and address the concerns of returning figures. He added that any legal disputes involving returnees would be handled exclusively through the commission.
He further said the Islamic Emirate has expanded treatment centers and intensified anti-narcotics efforts since regaining power, claiming this has led to a significant decline in drug addiction.
Addressing the issue of international legitimacy, Delawar said he understood why the United States has not recognized the Islamic Emirate, arguing that Washington suffered a defeat in Afghanistan that it cannot easily overlook.
“They have suffered a major defeat that they cannot forget; if they recognize us, they will face questions from their own people,” Delawar said.
The European Union says it is implementing hundreds of millions of euros in projects to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Afghanistan and help expand economic opportunities across the country.
Speaking to Ariana News, EU Chargé d’Affaires in Kabul, Veronika Boskovic Pohar, said the programs are aimed at creating jobs for skilled workers, women, youth, and returnees, while also strengthening the private sector. She added that alongside international support, Afghan authorities also have a role in facilitating economic growth.
According to Pohar, the EU is currently implementing projects worth €156 million focused on livelihoods, durable solutions, job creation, and women’s economic empowerment. She said an additional €40 million program specifically designed to support returnees will be launched in the near future.
She noted that the EU is gradually shifting its focus from emergency humanitarian aid toward long-term sustainable solutions, particularly for internally displaced people and returnees in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the United Nations, marking World Day of Small and Medium Enterprises, said SMEs account for more than 90 percent of businesses worldwide and play a critical role in employment and economic growth.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stressed that stronger investment, innovation, and sustainable industrial development are essential to help businesses withstand economic challenges and build resilient economies.
Afghan private sector representatives and economic analysts say greater support for SMEs could help the country address economic challenges faster, increase employment, and promote sustainable long-term development.
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