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Three journalists allegedly beaten by Taliban
An Ariana News journalist, a Pajhwok Afghan News photographer and a reporter for Khorshid TV were allegedly assaulted by Taliban members on Wednesday.
The Ariana News reporter, Mahmoud Naimi, and Pajhwok photographer, Babrak Aminzadah, were both allegedly beaten while covering a demonstration in Nangarhar, while the Khorshid TV journalist, Nawid Ahmad Kawesh, was allegedly beaten at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Wednesday.
Nai-Supporting Open Media in Afghanistan says that Naimi, and Aminzadah, were beaten on Wednesday morning while covering a protest march in Jalalabad.
At the same time, the Afghan Independent Journalists Association reported that Nawid Ahmad Kawesh, a Khorshid TV reporter, had been beaten while trying to interview a Taliban member in front of Kabul Airport.
Meanwhile, Ahmadullah Wasiq, deputy head of the Taliban’s cultural commission, confirmed that they had received reports of ill-treatment and threats against journalists in Kabul and Nangarhar. He said they are investigating the claims.
Wasiq however assured the media that they would take action against the Taliban members who threatened these journalists.
This comes after Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujaheed addressed his first ever press conference on Tuesday night and assured the media that the Taliban’s interaction with the media will be based on principles.
“Once again we want to assure all media that our interaction with all media will be based on principles.” He said: “We want all private media to be free and independent and to continue their impartial coverage. We also have three requests from the media and we hope they will agree with us.”
He further said: “First: All publications must be in accordance with Islamic values and principles and can be published in accordance with Islamic principles and values and operate and publish freely.
“Second, the media must be neutral in matters. We want the media to have healthy criticism of us so that the future administration realizes its shortcomings and with your cooperation [media] we will understand the shortcomings and will be able to provide better services to society.
“Third: Publications should not be against our national values, such as inciting ethnic prejudices, inciting ethnic or religious issues, because this is not in the interests of our society.”
Meanwhile, at least three people were killed and several more injured in Jalalabad, after gunshots were fired at a protest against the use of the Taliban flag on Wednesday.
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Mullah Baradar discusses creation of railway with Kazakh deputy PM
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, deputy prime minister for economic affairs has met with Erik Zhumangarin, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, and discussed the establishment of a railway network from Kazakhstan to Pakistan through Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, the deputy PM’s office said in a statement.
During the meeting, Baradar emphasized the need to sign agreements to solve the banking problems of traders from both countries, the creation of Afghan-Kazakh joint companies, and the facilitation of visas for Afghan traders.
According to the statement, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan said that the Kazakh government intends to establish a joint chamber of industry and commerce and a joint trade and labor group between the two countries, and is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in the sectors of e-governance, industry, higher education, education, health, and banking.
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Iran, Pakistan leaders raise concerns over ‘terrorist groups’ in Afghanistan
Following a two-day official visit to Pakistan, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a joint statement emphasizing the need to further expand commercial and economic cooperation and transform the common border of the two countries from a “border of peace” to “border of prosperity”.
The two leaders also strongly condemned aggressions and crimes of Israel in Gaza, and demanded an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as well as unimpeded humanitarian access to the besieged people of Gaza.
Numerous other issues were also discussed but on the topic of Afghanistan, they jointly declared their commitment to the development of Afghanistan as a peaceful, united, independent country free from the threats of terrorism and drug trafficking.
According to the statement the two countries pointed out that the existence of terrorist organizations in Afghanistan is a serious threat to the security of the region and the world.
The two sides stressed their desire to strengthen cooperation in the field of fighting terrorism and ensuring security and creating a united front against terrorism.
They also discussed the importance of coordinating regional and international efforts to ensure security and stability in the region.
“While respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, the two sides recognized that increasing participation of all strata of Afghans in basic decision-making will lead to the strengthening of peace and stability in this country,” the statement read.
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Over 1,000 Afghan refugees forced out of Pakistan in one day
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations (MoRR) says over 1,000 Afghan migrants were forcibly returned from Pakistan on Tuesday through Spin Boldak border crossing in Kandahar province, the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry stated that based on information provided by the Spin Boldak Kandahar border command, these returnees comprised 191 families, totalling 998 people.
In addition, three migrants released from Pakistani prisons were also returned, according to the statement.
The statement added that after registering the returnees, the refugees were referred to the offices of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the World Food Program (WFP) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Each family received 10,000 afghanis – paid to them by the Islamic Emirate.
In another statement, the ministry said that 2,783 migrants living in Iran voluntarily and forcibly returned to the country during this week.
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