Latest News
Khalilzad says it would have been better to get IEA involved in talks early on
He noted that the anger and feelings of the US leadership at that time would have made it difficult to reconcile with the IEA, but the IEA members, in conversations in Doha, blamed Karzai and the Northern Alliance figures.
Former US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, has said that it would have been better to get the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) involved in negotiations or deliberations about the future early on.
Speaking in a podcast released by Doha Debates, Khalilzad said that senior IEA members had met chairman of the interim authority in Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, following the Bonn negotiations, saying they would accept the new authority, provided that they could live in honor and dignity in their homes and not to be pursued and prosecuted.
He noted that the anger and feelings of the US leadership at that time would have made it difficult to reconcile with the IEA, but the IEA members, in conversations in Doha, blamed Karzai and the Northern Alliance figures.
“They (IEA) thought that 20 years of war and all the loss of life on all sides of Afghanistan was due to that mistake, as they saw it, to that neglect by President Karzai,” he said.
The former US diplomat recalled that President Donald Trump decided in 2018 to get troops out of Afghanistan believing the US wouldn’t succeed in winning the war and that priorities had changed.
Khalilzad said that he kept insisting in talks with the IEA that nothing would be agreed to until everything is agreed to, but there was this messaging from Washington and a desire not to link, too tightly, withdrawal to the agreement between the government and the IEA because of an assumption that the “Afghans would not agree with each other.”
On the two secret annexes of the Doha Agreement, Khalilzad said that they were about the specifics of the withdrawal process and terrorism issues, not the future Afghan government.
He emphasized that the Doha agreement meets the core concerns of the United States as not as single American was killed by the IEA during the 18 months and IEA is living up to its commitments regarding terrorism.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has announced the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid, and the Supreme Court considered his imprisonment sufficient and decided to release him.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
Latest News
Around 2.3 million tourists visited Afghanistan’s recreational areas during Eid: Ghufran
Khubaib Ghufran, spokesperson for the Ministry of Information and Culture, announced on Tuesday that over Eid al-Fitr holidays approximately 2.3 million domestic and foreign tourists visited the country’s recreational areas and natural attractions.
Ghufran said this level of tourist presence shows a significant increase compared to previous years and indicates growth and strengthening of the tourism sector.
Meanwhile, officials from the ministry’s departments, while emphasizing public cooperation in preserving the environment, maintaining cleanliness in public places, and protecting tourist attractions, stated that through extensive cooperation and efforts by security institutions, tourists were able to travel to different parts of the country with full confidence during the Eid holidays.
According to Ghufran, the Ministry of Information and Culture is working to develop and strengthen the tourism sector across the country and to provide more facilities and conveniences for tourists.
However, some tourists who traveled to various provinces praised the order, security, and hospitality of the people. They said that all provinces of Afghanistan have always been beautiful, but this year, with the current level of security and tourism facilities, their trips have become even more memorable.
Islamic Emirate releases American prisoner Dennis Coyle
UK announces additional £3 million in aid for vulnerable people in Afghanistan
Around 2.3 million tourists visited Afghanistan’s recreational areas during Eid: Ghufran
Berlin does not recognize IEA envoy as charge d’affaires of Afghan embassy
US allies in Middle East ‘edging closer’ to joining conflict
Pakistani military jet downed in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad, pilot captured alive
Afghan Air Force conducts airstrikes in Islamabad, other cities
Prominent Muslim scholar issues fatwa calling for Afghanistan-Pakistan ceasefire
Afghan air force strikes key Pakistani military installations in retaliatory operation
IEA: Special circle in Pakistan has launched mission to destabilize region
Tahawol: Possibility of US ground forces entering Iran war discussed
Saar: Using US prisoners as political pressure
Tahawol: Pakistan’s efforts to destabilise Afghanistan
Saar: Decline in international assistance to Afghanistan
Tawsia: Assessment of Afghanistan’s economic activities in 1404
-
Sport4 days agoAfghanistan national buzkashi falls short in Kokpar World Championship semifinals
-
Sport3 days agoIreland to host Afghanistan for ODI series in August
-
Latest News5 days agoSecurity Sources: Pakistani military shelling in Kunar and Nuristan leaves female doctor dead
-
Latest News3 days agoMojtaba Khamenei calls for improved Afghanistan–Pakistan relations, offers help
-
Latest News2 days agoDeadly violence likely without dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan: ICG
-
Sport4 days agoFIFA sanctions Israeli Football Association over discrimination violations
-
Latest News3 days agoMalaysian PM welcomes temporary Afghanistan–Pakistan truce, urges lasting peace
-
Latest News4 days agoIEA defense ministry accuses Pakistan of ceasefire violations