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UNAMA Sees ‘Unprecedented Opportunities’ for Afghanistan to Seek Peace

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(Last Updated On: October 24, 2022)

Tadamichi Yamamoto, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), briefed ambassadors on what he called the current “politically dynamic period” that has seen ceasefires by the Government and the Taliban extremist group and preparations for elections in October.

“The key political events of peace and elections are far from assured but we are seeing unprecedented opportunities to make progress to seek peace and to consolidate the political foundation for the future,” he said.

The unilateral ceasefires were held earlier this month during the celebrations marking the end of Ramadan.

It was the first time in nearly 20 years that both sides have honoured a call to lay down arms.

Mr. Yamamoto reported that during the three days, social media channels were flooded with photos of representatives from the two sides embracing each other. Local authorities also allowed Taliban fighters to return to their hometowns, while some Afghan soldiers visited areas controlled by the extremists.

Despite the developments, a government proposal to extend the ceasefire was not reciprocated.

Mr. Yamamoto explained that because the Taliban’s goal is to end the presence of foreign fighters in Afghanistan, it has shunned direct talks with the Government.

But, as he told the Council, ending the long-standing conflict will require talks among all parties, which of course means the Taliban and the authorities will have to meet over the negotiating table.

“What we have learned is that both the Afghan Government and the Taliban have command and control over their troops. Afghans, including Taliban fighters, clearly want peace. It is also clear that President Ghani is taking courageous steps to seek peace through talks,” he said.

Meanwhile, preparations continue for parliamentary elections in October and presidential elections in early 2019.

So far, more than 7 million people have registered to vote in what Mr. Yamamoto described as “a fully Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process”.

The UN has provided 23 international experts to work alongside the Independent Election Committee, with additional technical advisers currently being recruited.

Civil society representatives have also committed to monitor proceedings at all polling stations.

The UN Mission chief highlighted concerns, however, such as uneven registration in some provinces, including due to logistical or security reasons.

Mahmoud Saikal, Afghanistan’s Ambassador to the UN, said “comprehensive” security arrangements have been put in place to ensure citizens can vote in safety.

“Our hope and expectation is to ensure that these elections will be transparent, credible and inclusive, in accordance with our people’s demands,” he added.

The security concerns come as deadly violence continues across Afghanistan, with a suicide bombing in the capital, Kabul, on 11 June being the most recent tragedy.

UNAMA reported more than 5,600 security incidents between mid-February and mid-May this year, while 311 people have been killed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) — a preferred weapon of terrorist groups.

Vladimir Voronkov, head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, told the Council he hoped a global meeting this week at UN Headquarters in New York will boost international cooperation to tackle such threats.

“Afghanistan genuinely needs and continues to request legal technical assistance and capacity-building projects to strengthen its national criminal justice framework to combat terrorism,” he said.

Linked to this is Afghanistan’s long-standing position as a source for opium, the drug used to make heroin.

The Security Council meeting coincided with the launch of the annual flagship report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). It showed that global opium production reached a record high in 2017, largely driven by Afghanistan.

Mr. Yamamoto also pointed to another threat: drought, particularly in the north and west of the country.

Wheat harvests last year were nearly 60 per cent below the five-year average, and the 2018 crop is expected to be even lower.

The UN has accordingly revised a plan to address the problem, with humanitarians now seeking $547 million to support affected populations.

Source: UN News

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MoI registers over 8,700 criminal cases in the past six months

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(Last Updated On: March 28, 2024)

Abdul Matin Qani, the Ministry of Interior’s spokesman said on Thursday that in the last six months, 8,747 criminal cases have been recorded across the country.

Addressing a press conference in Kabul, Qani said of these cases, 7,233 have been solved while the remaining 1,525 are still being investigated.

He said 12,540 people have been arrested in connection with these crimes.

In addition, 21 kidnappers have been killed, 18 hostages have been freed and 172 people have been arrested in connection with kidnappings in the same period of time.

Qani also said in the last six months 837,000 passports have been distributed. He said three new passport offices will be established in Kabul in the near future.

“10,000 passports are distributed to citizens daily by the Passport Department,” said Qani.

On the issue of narcotics, he said drug cultivation, production and trafficking has been eradicated. He said drug manufacturing equipment and 377 drug factories have been destroyed across the country.

According to him, the ministry has also made advances in collecting illegal weapons, fighting corruption and improving police skills.

Qani stated that during this period, no security incidents took place in most provinces across the country.

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TAPI gas company CEO satisfied with project’s progress

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(Last Updated On: March 28, 2024)

The minister of mines and petroleum, Shahabuddin Delawar met with the executive director of the TAPI project and the ambassador of Turkmenistan in Kabul on Thursday to discuss progress around the key project.

Murad Amanov, head of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline project, expressed his satisfaction with the recent progress of the project and talked about the practical roll out of the project.

Delawar said that the preliminary work of TAPI is progressing quickly and that the pipeline will be put into operation in the near future.

TAPI is a natural gas pipeline being developed by the Galkynysh – TAPI Pipeline Company Limited with participation of the Asian Development Bank.

The pipeline will transport natural gas from the Galkynysh Gas Field in Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and then to India.

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UK’s Mercer faces 10-day deadline in Afghanistan war crimes inquiry

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(Last Updated On: March 27, 2024)

Johnny Mercer, the former UK Minister for Veterans Affairs, has been given 10 days to reveal the source of allegations that British troops engaged in war crimes in Afghanistan, or face a potential prison sentence.

British media reported on Tuesday that Mercer, following his allegations regarding the killing of Afghan civilians by British forces, was ordered to reveal the sources of his information.

The BBC reported that a public inquiry commissioned by the UK government into the actions of its forces in Afghanistan has directed Mercer to disclose the names of individuals who leaked information to him about alleged war crimes and cover-ups by special forces, or he may face imprisonment.

Although separate investigations have sought to verify these claims, the British government has yet to officially confirm them.

Earlier this month, Mercer, who served in military missions in Afghanistan, told the court that despite the information he possesses, he cannot confirm the killing of Afghan civilians by British forces between 2010 and 2013.

In court, he also stated that the claim British soldiers killed unarmed civilians in their sleep does not contradict his findings, but he admitted reluctance to believe it.

According to Mercer, British forces were allegedly instructed to carry an unregistered weapon — one not associated with NATO forces — to place next to the unarmed Afghan individuals they had killed.

The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says the countries that had troops in Afghanistan for 20 years all committed war crimes.

Mujahid stated that if the investigation carries on, it will be a big step and that the crimes committed should be investigated transparently.

“The crimes that have been committed should be investigated transparently because this was not the work of a few soldiers but a plan that was drawn and crimes were committed in Afghanistan,” he added.

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