Latest News
Mark Frerichs released after IEA and US agree to prisoner swap

A top Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) official, Haji Bashir Noorzai, has been released after almost 20 years in Guantanamo Bay. He arrived in Kabul on Monday.
He was one of the last Afghans detained at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, according to sources.
According to the IEA’s foreign minister, the US freed the official on Monday in exchange for American engineer Mark Frerichs.
“Haji Bashir was released after two decades of imprisonment and arrived in Kabul today,” said Mohammad Naeem, an IEA spokesperson based in Doha, in a Tweet.
Haji Bashir Noorzai was detained and accused of bringing more than $50 million worth of heroin into the United States.
Speaking at a gathering on Monday, Bashir Noorzai said that his exchange for the American citizen Mark Frerichs will help resolve problems between Afghanistan and the US.
He also called on the world to talk to the Islamic Emirate and choose the way of negotiation.
Noorzai’s attorney denied that his client was a drug dealer and argued that the accusations against him should be dropped since American government agents had deceived him into thinking he would not be detained.
Speaking at a press conference in Kabul, foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi informed the media that they had swapped Frerichs on Monday morning and received Haji Bashir Noorzai, who had spent nearly two decades in prison after being accused of drug offenses.
“The way of force, war and coercion never gives results,” Muttaqi said in the conference. He emphasized on talks and negotiations to solve all the issues, because according to him, this matter has been proven by the Doha Agreement.
Frerichs, a veteran of the U.S. Navy from Lombard, Illinois, spent ten years working on development projects in Afghanistan. He was kidnapped at the start of February 2020.
Latest News
IEA special forces rescue hostage in Balkh

The Ministry of Interior says the special forces from the ministry and the 209th Army Corps of Al-Fatah carried out an operation and rescued a businessman who was kidnapped a month ago in Balkh, Mazar-e-Sharif city.
The ministry said on Twitter the trader was abducted in the first district of Mazar-e-Sharif city by kidnappers and a ransom of $300,000 was demanded for his release.
Two of the kidnappers were arrested in this operation, the officials said.
Latest News
Kabul businessman slashes price of onions and potatoes to help the needy

As the prices of onions and potatoes skyrockets in Kabul, one businessman in the city is offering customers a massive discount on the produce for the next seven days.
Seven kilograms of onions currently sells for up to 500 afghanis in Kabul markets, but businessman Mirwais Hajizada has slashed the price to 150 afghanis for 7kg.
He has also cut his price of potatoes at 100 afghanis.
“Today, you can see that there are ten trucks carrying 500 to 1,000 tons of onions and potatoes. We have decided to distribute 1,000 tons per day for seven days,” Hajizada said.
Kabul residents welcomed the initiative and asked other traders to sell essential goods at reasonable prices.
“This is a very good job. This is a good price for poor people,” said Mukhtar, a resident of Kabul.
Pacha Khan, a resident of Kabul city, said: “We ask other traders to reduce the prices of produce in this holy month of Ramadan.”
Kabul Municipality also called on other members of the private sector to help people.
“We appreciate this initiative. We ask other businessmen to have mercy on their people and hold their hands,” said Ismatullah Ansari, Deputy Director of Market Regulation Department at Kabul Municipality.
Municipality officials also warned shopkeepers in Kabul city that if anyone sells basic food items at a price higher than the price set by the department, they could run the risk of having their shops closed down.
Latest News
UAE sends 38 tons of humanitarian aid to quake victims in Afghanistan

The United Arab Emirates on Friday sent a plane carrying 38 tonnes of medical and food supplies to Afghanistan to meet the needs of families affected by earthquakes that recently struck northeastern part of the country.
UAE’s Foreign Ministry in a statement said that the provision of these supplies is part of the UAE’s enduring efforts to provide urgent relief to countries affected by natural disasters and enhance humanitarian support for vulnerable groups such as women, children, and the elderly.
In this regard, the relief supplies will assist those affected by the earthquakes’ impact, which has exacerbated the current humanitarian situation, the statement said.
In the handover ceremony at Kabul airport, Abdullah Azzam, the Special Secretary of the Deputy PM for Economic Affairs Office, said that the aid will be distributed transparently to the needy and affected citizens.
He expressed gratitude for the humanitarian assistance provided by the UAE, emphasizing that such activities strengthen and expand the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Azzam also called on the international community to opt for bilateral relations and interaction with Afghanistan rather than resorting to sanctions and pressures.
The UAE’s humanitarian efforts for Afghanistan from 2021-2022 included the launch of a relief air bridge that sent 28 aircraft carrying 623 tonnes of medical and food supplies, benefiting approximately 1.1 million people, including 850,000 women and children, UAE’s Foreign Ministry said.
-
Sport2 days ago
ATN secures digital rights to broadcast IPL
-
Latest News4 days ago
Hundreds of needy families receive aid packages in Paktia
-
Regional4 days ago
China’s Xi speaks with Saudi Crown Prince, supports Saudi-Iran talks
-
World4 days ago
Ex-student shoots dead 3 children, 3 adults at Tennessee Christian school
-
Business3 days ago
Afghanistan’s exports total $2 billion for last solar year
-
Latest News4 days ago
US House committee chair signs subpoena for State Dept Afghanistan documents
-
Health2 days ago
Chile detects first case of bird flu in a human
-
Latest News4 days ago
AWCC launches 3G services in a remote area of Kunar province