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Pakistan denies Afghanistan’s involvement in Chitral attack
Pakistan’s Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani said on Friday that the Chitral terrorist attack is an “isolated” incident and it does not appear to have been authorized by the Afghan authorities.
Talking to reporters informally after briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Jilani said that Pakistan has taken up the issue of rising terrorist attacks in the country emanating from Afghanistan with the Islamic Emirate and that the two sides are in touch with each other, Business Recorder reported.
“We are in dialogue with the interim Afghan government (IEA)…the talks are yielding positive results,” the caretaker foreign minister said.
However, he said that Thursday;s terrorist attack in Chitral is different and an isolated incident. “I don’t believe that it has been sanctioned by the Afghan interim government authorities (IEA),” he added.
On Thursday, Pakistan’s army said that four soldiers and 12 terrorists were killed when a large group of militants equipped with the latest weapons attacked two military outposts located close to the Afghanistan border in Chitral district’s general area of Kalash.
“Terrorists’ movement and concentration in Gawardesh, Pitigal, Barg-i-Matal and Batash areas of Nuristan and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan had already been picked up and were timely shared with interim Afghan government. The valiant soldiers fought bravely and repulsed the attacks inflicting heavy casualties on the terrorists,” Pakistan army’s media wing said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch on Friday called on IEA to fulfill obligations to deny the use of Afghan soil by the terrorists for perpetuating acts of terrorism against Pakistan.
She said that Pakistan’s security concerns are relevant to the opening or closure of the border. Torkham border crossing closed following a clash between security forces of the two countries on Wednesday.
Baloch also expressed concern that a “large amount of weaponry that is available in Afghanistan and has now reached some terrorists entities as well, continue to pose a threat to Pakistan, especially when these terrorist entities attack Pakistani civilian and military targets. “
IEA has previously rejected claims that weaponry left by foreign forces in Afghanistan have fallen in the hands of terrorists. It has emphasized that it will not allow anyone to use Afghanistan soil against any other country.
The United States has warned that the threat posed by terrorist groups, including ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K), remains a major concern, with instability continuing to provide opportunities for militant organizations to expand.
Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, Tammy Bruce, Deputy Representative of the United States to the United Nations, said on Wednesday countering ISIL, al-Qaida and their affiliates remains a key priority for Washington.
“These groups continue to exploit instability — as evidenced by al-Qaida’s gains in the Sahel, ISIL’s growing focus on Africa, and the persistent threat from ISIL-K in Afghanistan,” Bruce said.
The remarks come as Afghan authorities have repeatedly rejected claims that terrorist organizations are operating from Afghanistan and said they will not allow the country’s territory to be used against other nations.
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Kuwait fund signs $5 million in humanitarian grants for Afghanistan, Syria
Under the agreements, $2.5 million will be allocated to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund and another $2.5 million to the Syria Humanitarian Fund.
The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) signed two grant agreements worth a combined $5 million with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Thursday to support humanitarian operations in Afghanistan and Syria.
Under the agreements, $2.5 million will be allocated to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund and another $2.5 million to the Syria Humanitarian Fund.
KFAED said the grants will help finance urgent humanitarian programs and projects aimed at addressing critical needs and providing life-saving assistance to vulnerable and affected communities.
The funding will also enable the OCHA-managed humanitarian funds in Afghanistan and Syria to respond more rapidly and flexibly to emergencies, support humanitarian partners on the ground and improve coordination of relief operations.
According to KFAED, the latest agreements reflect Kuwait’s continued commitment to international humanitarian efforts and bring its total contributions to joint projects with OCHA to approximately $16.1 million.
The agreements were signed by KFAED Acting Director General Rashid Al-Bader and OCHA representative in Saudi Arabia Mohammad Zaid.
China has urged Afghan authorities to take resolute action against terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan, warning that such groups continue to pose a serious threat to the country and the wider region.
Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, Sun Lei, Chargé d’Affaires of China’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, said on Wednesday the international community should pay close attention to the counter-terrorism situation in Afghanistan.
Citing a report by the UN Secretary-General, Sun said terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan, including ISIL-Khorasan (Daesh), continue to increase their capability and intent to carry out cross-border attacks.
“China urges the Afghan authorities to honor their counter-terrorism commitments and take resolute action against all terrorist groups based in Afghanistan,” Sun said.
He also called for action against individuals and entities listed by the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee, warning that Afghanistan should not become a breeding ground for terrorism.
The Chinese diplomat said the international community should support Afghanistan in rebuilding its economy and improving people’s livelihoods, arguing that addressing economic challenges can help remove conditions that contribute to the spread of terrorism.
Sun added that China supports greater cooperation between Afghanistan, Central Asian countries, and regional organizations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to jointly address cross-border terrorist threats.
The remarks come as the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly denied the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, saying it will not allow Afghan territory to be used against the security of any other country.
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