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Taliban seize at least six districts in past 24 hours: Sources

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Taliban have seized control of six district centers – in Takhar, Kapisa, Balkh, Samangan, Ghazni, and Kandahar provinces – in the past 24 hours, local sources told Ariana News.

According to the sources, Farkhar district in Takhar, Alasay in Kapisa, Kaldar in Balkh, Feroz Nakhchir in Samangan, Gelan in Ghazni and Khakrez in Kandahar province fell to the Taliban in this time.

Kaldar, in Balkh, fell to the Taliban last week but Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) in cooperation with local uprising forces, led by the province’s former governor, Atta Mohammad Noor, regained control of the district on Tuesday, but on Wednesday, the Taliban released a video claiming the group had recaptured the district center.

Fawad Aman, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said early Wednesday the ANDSF had pushed back the Taliban in many areas across the country.
“We have captured many areas and have launched heavy attacks on the enemy,” said Aman.
Local sources, meanwhile, told Ariana News that Taliban have also recaptured Mirzaka district in Paktia, Dawlat Abad in Faryab, Shortepa and Kaldar in Balkh, Chah Ab, and Hazar Smoch in Takhar and Tala wa Barfak in Baghlan.

“Seven out of 14 districts are under Taliban control in the province,” said Shafiqullah Ahadi, an activist in Baghlan.

Sources in Takhar, and Badakhshan provinces also said that the security situation had deteriorated in their provinces.
“Taliban have surrounded Takhar province, but operations have not started so far,” said Sayed Sayyed Salahuddin Burhani a member of Takhar provincial council.
“Taliban attempt to seize more areas,” said Ziaullhaq, an MP.

In addition, the Taliban has also reportedly seized control of Khakrez district in Kandahar province and heavy clashes are ongoing in Grishk, Garmsir, Marjah, Nad Ali, and Nawa districts of Hemand province, as well as in the provincial capital Lashkhargah.

“Taliban want to capture districts, and Lashkargah city will also fall if government does not help,” said Attaullah Haq Bayan, head of Helmand provincial council.

Afghan Commandos meanwhile have retaken control of the Imam Sahib Port in Kunduz after the Taliban seized the port last week.
Abdul Hadi Nazari, spokesman for the 217th Pamir Military Corps, said at least 13 Taliban had been killed in the operation.
The Taliban has not yet commented.

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Termez to host first dialogue on Central and South Asia connectivity

Forum discussions will center on the current state and future prospects of cooperation between the two regions, with a focus on enhancing security, stability, and sustainable development.

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Uzbekistan will host the first Termez Dialogue on Connectivity between Central and South Asia from May 19 to 21.

The forum, with the “Building a Common Space of Peace, Friendship, and Prosperity” theme, is being jointly organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan.

The event is expected to bring together around 200 participants representing political, economic, and business circles, as well as financial institutions and think tanks from Central and South Asia, Europe, the CIS, Asia-Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East.

Delegates will include government officials, industry leaders, international organizations, and prominent experts from global research and analytical centers.

The core objective of the Termez Dialogue is to establish a multilateral discussion platform for advancing regional integration and promoting the UN General Assembly resolution “Strengthening the Connectivity between Central and South Asia,” adopted in 2022 at the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan.

Forum discussions will center on the current state and future prospects of cooperation between the two regions, with a focus on enhancing security, stability, and sustainable development.

Special attention will also be given to increasing the role of the private sector and financial institutions in driving regional economic growth.

One of the key anticipated outcomes of the forum is the adoption of a Communiqué encouraging joint efforts to strengthen trust and cooperation between Central and South Asia.

The Termez Dialogue is envisioned as a permanent platform for fostering strategic dialogue, identifying new opportunities for interregional cooperation, and promoting long-term peace and stability across the Eurasian continent.

A high level delegation from Afghanistan is also expected to attend the dialogue.

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Energy Minister Mansoor meets with Afghan investors in Tashkent

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Acting Minister of Energy and Water Abdul Latif Mansoor visited the Afghan Embassy during his official trip to Uzbekistan and met with Abdul Ghaffar Bahr, the Islamic Emirate’s ambassador to Tashkent, embassy officials and several Afghan investors.

In a statement issued by the Afghan energy ministry on Wednesday, Mansoor assured the Afghan investors living in Tashkent that IEA is providing the necessary facilities for their investment in Afghanistan.

He urged them to invest in the country’s energy and water sectors, adding that Afghanistan now presents a good opportunity for investors due to improved security.

He emphasized that the IEA is committed to supporting the private sector and has created legal, technical, and administrative facilities for investors.

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Iran plans to invest $5 billion in Afghanistan’s iron mines

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Iranian media have reported that the country is investing $5 billion in Afghanistan’s iron mines.

Alireza Bikdeli, acting ambassador of Iran in Kabul, stated that Afghanistan’s rich mineral resources present an opportunity for cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

He added that this investment would enhance Iran’s position in global steel production.

Fars News Agency reported that, given Iran’s increasing need for raw materials in its mining industries, the investment is expected to yield up to sixfold returns.

Iran imports each ton of Afghan iron mine at a price of $100 and exports it as steel at a final price of $600.

According to the latest data from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines, Iran has invested $2.3 billion in the country’s mining sector, including iron, over the past several years.

Abdul Nasir Reshtia, the executive director of the Union of Iron Smelting Factories, said: “If the country’s mines are extracted in a technical and professional manner, and all processing and production stages are carried out domestically, we will witness significant economic effectiveness.”

Reports indicate that the Iran-Afghanistan cooperation agreement on iron ore mining is a five-year contract, expected to generate $1.2 billion in annual profit for Iran.

Over the past three years, Iran-Afghanistan relations have expanded, with bilateral trade reaching $4 billion annually.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials have granted their border provinces the authority to fully utilize all resources to enhance relations with Afghanistan’s border provinces, particularly in the economic and trade sectors.

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