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Key Taliban commander arrested in outlying area of Kabul
Afghan security forces have arrested a key Taliban commander in Shakar Dara in Kabul province, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) confirmed in a statement Sunday.
Mullah Akhtar was arrested during a joint operation in Kabul province on Saturday night in Saleh Khali and Boya Zar villages in Shakar Dara district, the statement read.
Shakar Dara district is on the northern outskirts of Kabul city.
“He (Mullah Akhtar) was involved in recent terrorist and destructive activities in Shakar Dara and extorting (money) from the residents,” read the statement.
The Taliban, however, in a statement claimed that the Afghan forces had arrested a civilian taxi driver and the man has nothing to do with the group.
This comes after an operation by Afghan security forces last week in the same district. Five Taliban insurgents were killed and two more wounded in the operation.
The presence of Taliban militants in the area has raised concerns in recent weeks – especially after a July attack by the group against a security checkpoint in Mir Bacha Kut district.
Meanwhile, reports emerged this past week of families fleeing the Shakar Dara district amid a growing Taliban presence in the area.
Concerns have also been raised as to the overall security threat this poses to Kabul city.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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