Connect with us

Latest News

Taliban welcomes gov’t’s decision of releasing 2,000 prisoners

Published

on

(Last Updated On: May 25, 2020)

Taliban welcomed the announcement of the government based on releasing 2,000 prisoners of the group emphasizing the release of all 5,000 prisoners.

In a tweet, the Taliban Political Office Spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said, “Release of 2,000 prisoners by the other side is a good step,” adding “The stipulation in Doha Agreement for release of 5,000 prisoners was to create a conducive atmosphere of confidence.”

“The process should be completed to remove hurdles in the way of commencement of intra-Afghan negotiations and to pave the way for further progress which is to follow,” he added.

Shaheen also expressed the Taliban’s commitment in the matter, writing that they are “committed to release of prisoners on its own part.

This comes as President Ghani initiated a process to release up to 2,000 Taliban prisoners as a goodwill gesture in response to the Taliban’s announcement of a three-day ceasefire over Eid-ul-Fitr, urging the Taliban to release the prisoners under their custody.

The United States has also appreciated the announcement by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

The president wrote on his twitter that he had received a phone call from the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the occasion, noting, “He thanked the Afghan government for initiating the brave process of releasing up to 2,000 Taliban prisoners. He asserted that the US will push for a long-term ceasefire/RiV and start of direct negotiations.”

It is noteworthy that since the US-Taliban Doha Agreement, the Afghan government has released 1,500 Taliban prisoners; where the Taliban too, has released up to 200 prisoners of the government.

The process froze when the Taliban increased the level of violence against the Afghan forces; it, however, now seems that the latest efforts of the US special representative, Zalmay Khalilzad, have been fruitful to resume the process.

Latest News

Contract worth $53 million signed for construction of last section of Khaf–Herat railway

Published

on

(Last Updated On: March 29, 2024)

A contract worth $53 million was signed Thursday for the construction of the last section of Khaf-Herat railway that connects Afghanistan with Iran.

The contract was signed between Afghanistan Railway Authority and Gamma Group in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, his office said in a statement.

The segment is 47-kilometer long, stretching from Rabat Parian to Herat International Airport and the Industrial Town, according to the statement.

It added that completion and standard operational readiness are expected within approximately two years.

“Upon its completion, this segment will integrate the Khaf-Herat regional connectivity project with Iran’s significant seaports and facilitate access to Europe via the Turkish railway network,” the statement said.

“Furthermore, traversing Afghan territory, it will bolster commercial exchanges between Central and South Asia. Notably, this project’s realization will enable the expansion of railway networks into Farah, Nimruz, Helmand, and Kandahar provinces,” it added.

Gamma operates across Europe and Asia in multiple sectors including construction, renewable energy, power transmission, mining, railways among others.

Continue Reading

Latest News

US urges IEA to fulfill counter-terrorism commitments

Published

on

(Last Updated On: March 29, 2024)

The US State Department said on Thursday that Washington is committed to ensuring that Afghanistan can never again be a launching pad for terrorism.

“We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan can never again be a launching pad for terrorism, and we continue to push the Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) to fulfill all of their counterterrorism commitments to the international community,” the department’s spokesperson Matthew Miller said at a news briefing in Washington.

He reiterated that the United States had clearly communicated to the IEA that it’s their responsibility to ensure that “they give no safe haven to terrorists, whether it be Al Qaeda or ISIS-K or any other terrorist organization”.

Miller also reassured US allies that Washington was closely watching the developments in Afghanistan and was ready to deal with any threat emerging from the region.

“We remain vigilant against the evolving threat of these terrorist groups, and our global coalition to defeat ISIS and the C5+1 help intensify our efforts to monitor terrorist threats from the region and prevent their ability to raise funds, travel, and spread propaganda,” he said.

C5+1 refers to a diplomatic platform involving the five Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgy­zstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) and the United States. It serves as a forum for discussing and addressing regional issues such as security, economic development, and cooperation.

“The United States remains vigilant against the evolving threat posed by terrorist groups, including ISIS-K, and has maintained an unwavering focus on terrorism since President Joe Biden took office three years ago,” Miller said.

The US, he said, was “working both unilaterally and with its partners to successfully disrupt threats across the globe and degrade ISIS”.

“We will continue to work to hold ISIS accountable for its actions and to prevent terrorist attacks against the United States and other Western countries,” Miller said.

This comes as IEA has repeatedly said that it is committed to not allowing anyone to use Afghanistan soil against any other country.

Continue Reading

Latest News

IEA condemns Israel for confiscating 800 hectares of land in West Bank’s Jordan Valley

Published

on

(Last Updated On: March 29, 2024)

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) strongly condemned on Thursday Israel’s decision to seize 800 hectares of land in the occupied West Bank’s Jordan Valley region.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said that the recent actions by “the Zionist regime demonstrate that it does not to adhere to international laws, especially international humanitarian law.”

“Continuation of such unilateral actions and ignoring the rights of Palestinian people will further deteriorate the situation,” the statement said.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan expects international actors, particularly influential regional Muslim countries to fulfill their legitimate, human and moral responsibilities in supporting the oppressed people of Palestine and prevent the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied territories,” it added.

Israeli media have reported that Israel seized 800 hectares of land in the Jordan Valley region of the occupied West Bank, claiming it as “state land.”

It is reported the seized land could be used for the construction of illegal Jewish settlements.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2022 Ariana News. All rights reserved!