Connect with us

Latest News

Taliban not interested in working together for peace: Ghani

Published

on

President Ashraf Ghani said Tuesday after a prayer ceremony at the Presidential Palace marking Eid al-Adha, an event marred by a rocket attack, that the Taliban has no intention of working for peace.

Despite the rockets falling, Ghani and other high-ranking officials calmly continued praying.

Mirwais Stanekzai, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, stated that the first rocket hit close to the Edgar mosque, the second one landed close to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the third one landed in the Chaman-e-Hozori area of the city.

He said that the rockets were fired from the Parwan-e-Se area of Kabul.

Addressing a ceremony after the prayers, Ghani stated: “The Taliban have no intention and will for peace… We sent the delegation to convey our last words [to tell them] that we are sure, we have the will and we are ready to sacrifice for peace.”

Ghani added that the Taliban showed that they have no will for peace and “we have to make decisions based on that.”

“I have told the world that the release of 5,000 prisoners [Taliban] was a big mistake. At that time I told them and our politicians that it [the release] will have dire consequences; I told them that this Taliban will deceive you and they are not such people to hold commitments.”

“You cannot capture this country through rockets… come to participate in a national process [election] and convince people [to elect you] and see how people will make you heroes,” he said.

Referring to the formation of public uprising forces, Ghani stated all forces should be registered in the framework of the Afghan security forces, “neither formation of militias is acceptable nor arbitrariness in the country.”

Ghani stated that the Taliban should be questioned why they are destroying buildings, “why the love of homeland is a dishonor for you [Taliban], why they execute [people] in dessert [court], they blew up roads and houses, why they use car bombs, why they blew up mosques.”

He added that the Taliban destroyed more than 260 government buildings as they were public facilities.

Ghani asked the Taliban if they had any positive message for the people of Afghanistan “especially for Afghan women”.

The president, meanwhile, stated that the Afghan Security and Defense Forces (ANDSF) must stay out of politics.

“When a soldier is being hired through mediators [politically] the result is a cowardice defeat and escape from the battlefield.”

“Why our sacred uniform was disgraced? Because there was political interference… I don’t accept any interference [in the Afghan forces],” Ghani said.

Latest News

Kabul and Moscow ink five MoUs on trade, transit and energy

Published

on

The Economic Deputy Office of the Prime Minister said on Friday that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk signed five memoranda of understanding in various sectors on the sidelines of the 16th Kazan International Economic Forum.

According to a statement from the PM’s office, these agreements were signed on Friday after the Afghanistan–Russia Business Forum held in Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan.

“The agreements cover cooperation between Afghanistan’s Ministry of Transport and Aviation and the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation in the areas of transport and transit; expansion of trade relations between the chambers of commerce of both countries; cooperation between several major private companies of the two countries in the exploration, extraction, and refining of oil and gas in Afghanistan; and the development of regional trade and the establishment of an industrial-logistical complex,” the statement read.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Afghanistan–Russia first business forum inaugurated

Published

on

Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of Afghanistan Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk on Friday officially inaugurated the first Afghanistan–Russia Business Forum on the sidelines of the 16th Kazan International Economic Forum.

According to a statement issued by the deputy PM’s office, Abdul Ghani Baradar stated that since the Islamic Emirate’s takeover, Afghanistan has achieved political stability, expanded its economic activities, increased trade, and attracted investments from both domestic and international investors across various sectors. He noted that numerous large and small-scale projects have been launched for the country’s reconstruction, being implemented by both domestic and foreign companies in coordination with IEA.

Baradar emphasized that alongside the launch of infrastructure projects, IEA has also prioritized trade expansion and seeks to facilitate the export of Afghan products to regional and distant countries. He highlighted Russia as a strong potential market for Afghan goods and called for the establishment of favorable conditions for trade.

He further stated that IEA is ready to construct the second Salang Tunnel to promote trade and transit with Russia and Central Asia and requested cooperation from the Russian Federation in this regard, considering its relevant expertise.

Baradar also reiterated Afghanistan’s interest in participating in the North–South Corridor and stressed the importance of the Afghan–Trans project, calling for Russia’s cooperation in initiating and implementing it.

He added, “We are eager for Afghanistan to play an effective role in strengthening this corridor and contributing to regional economic connectivity.”

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk expressed Russia’s support for a stable and developing Afghanistan, noting that such progress is in the interest of the entire region.

He stated that Afghanistan is moving in a positive direction and the participation of a high-level delegation from the Islamic Emirate in the 16th Kazan Forum demonstrates the Afghan people’s desire to live in peace and advance economic matters in a peaceful environment.

He further noted that Russian companies are ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in areas such as mining, construction of water dams, electricity generation, railway expansion, manufacturing of transport equipment, regional connectivity, and trade growth.

Overchuk added that a cooperation agreement has been signed for the establishment of a joint trade center between Moscow and Kabul. He expressed hope that the center would create new avenues for bilateral cooperation and effective utilization of existing opportunities.

The opening ceremony was also attended by the Deputy PM and the Minister of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan. The Deputy PM of Tatarstan stated that Tatar automotive companies are ready to operate in Afghanistan and that Tatarstan is prepared to sign an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with Afghanistan in this field.

It is expected that, on the sidelines of the 16th Kazan Forum, major agreements will be signed between Afghan and Russian traders to boost trade between Kabul and Moscow.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Feasibility study of trans-Afghan railway to be ready in early 2026: Russian deputy PM

Published

on

A feasibility study of the trans-Afghan railway is due to be ready early next year, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said at the 16th international economic forum Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2025.

“Russian and Uzbek railway specialists are drafting the feasibility study of the trans-Afghan railway construction project together. We are expecting the project feasibility study to be ready in early 2026 so that decisions on its implementation could be made,” Overchuk said, Interfax reported.

The trans-Afghan transport corridor will connect to the European Union, Russia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Southeast Asia. Uzbekistan said in 2023 it had reached an agreement with a number of countries to implement the project, key participants in which, besides Uzbekistan, would be Afghanistan and Pakistan. A preliminary agreement on Russia’s participation in the project was reached in early April 2024, during Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to Moscow.

Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan signed an agreement in February 2021 to construct a 573-kilometer railway line through Afghanistan, connecting landlocked Central Asia to Pakistan seaports.

The Uzbek Transport Ministry said earlier it would take at least five years to build the trans-Afghan railway, the tentative cost of which might reach $4.8 billion.

Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov told Interfax in April that roughly 8 million to 15 million tonnes of Russian cargo might be annually transported by the prospective trans-Afghan railway.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025 Ariana News. All rights reserved!