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UNAMA, US and OIC among many to condemn Kabul mosque explosion
The United Nations in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has condemned Friday’s deadly attack on a mosque in Kabul, which resulted in the death of at least 10 people.
UNAMA said in a statement that the attack on the Khalifa Sahib Mosque “is the latest in a series of indiscriminate assaults on civilian targets in the capital and provinces.”
According to UNAMA, two UN staff members and their families were also in the mosque at the time of the explosion.
“Today’s attack, carried out on the last Friday of the Holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of the Eid-ul-Fitr, totally disregards human lives and religious sanctity.
“No words are strong enough to condemn this despicable act, targeting a place of worship, as Muslims across Afghanistan prepare to celebrate the Eid,” said Mette Knudsen, the UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan.
“Recent attacks against civilians, targeting ethnic and religious minorities, represent a disturbing trend in Afghanistan. These violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws must end immediately,” he said.
Friday’s explosion follows a spate of attacks in recent weeks in mosques and schools in the major cities of Kabul, Kunduz and Mazar-e-Sharif.
Friday’s attack has however sparked widespread condemnation from a number of foreign countries and international communities.
US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West tweeted early Saturday: “I condemn the senseless and terrible attacks against innocent Afghans this past week, including at Khalifa Sahib mosque. These attacks must end. Perpetrators must be brought to justice.”
The European Union, was among those that condemned the incident and said: “Another explosion shook Kabul, targeting worshippers during their Friday prayers and taking the lives of many. It comes in a series of heinous and coward attacks on civilians gathering in a market, school or a mosque in this holy month of Ramadan.
“The European Union mourns with the families of the victims and wishes those injured a full and speedy recovery. Terror has no place in any religion or faith,” read their statement.
The EU also called on the Afghan authorities to ensure safety and security of all Afghan citizens and to hold those responsible to account.
“It is imperative to implement effective counter-terrorism policies and measures that eradicate the threat of terrorism both inside and from Afghanistan’s territory,” their statement read.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif has also strongly condemned Friday’s blast in Kabul and “expressed his deep sense of grief and sorrow at the loss of precious lives and conveyed his condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families”.
Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs also issued a statement and said: “We express support and solidarity to the Afghan brethren in effectively countering the challenge of terrorism.”
The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meanwhile called for a “more resolute stand by the de facto authorities against whoever sponsors or orchestrates” the attacks.
The OIC said in a series of tweets that these repeated and indiscriminate attacks “reflect the unabated volatility of the security situation in Afghanistan”. The organization also called for a more resolute stand by the de facto authorities against whoever sponsors or orchestrates them.
Friday’s explosion was the latest in a string of attacks targeting civilians. The blast ripped through a mosque in Kabul city, leaving dozens dead and wounded. On Thursday, two more explosions were reported in Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh province also leaving dozens dead and wounded.
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Pakistan to repatriate nearly 20,000 Afghans awaiting US resettlement
Authorities will also share verified data of the affected individuals with relevant departments to support implementation.
Pakistan will repatriate nearly 20,000 Afghan nationals currently awaiting resettlement in the United States, The Nation reported, citing official sources.
The move affects 19,973 Afghans living across Pakistan.
A federal directive will instruct provincial chief secretaries and police chiefs in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and the Islamabad Capital Territory to begin the repatriation process immediately.
Authorities will also share verified data of the affected individuals with relevant departments to support implementation.
Following the Islamic Emirate’s return to power in 2021, more than 100,000 Afghans fled to Pakistan, many of whom had worked with the US and UK governments, international organizations, or aid agencies.
Thousands have remained stranded in Pakistan for over four years while awaiting US resettlement clearance.
Prospects for relocation have dimmed amid a suspension of case processing by the US administration, according to The Nation.
Under Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP), all Afghan nationals still awaiting US relocation will now be returned to Afghanistan.
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Terrorist activities observed along Afghanistan borders, says Lavrov
Terrorist activities continue to be observed along Afghanistan borders and along the India–Pakistan–Afghanistan corridor, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published on Monday.
Speaking to Russia-based media outlet TV BRICS, Lavrov pointed to ongoing concerns in the Middle East, including its Asian regions.
He highlighted the importance of collaboration with India at the United Nations to advance a global counter-terrorism convention.
Lavrov stated that while the draft convention has already been prepared, consensus on its adoption has not yet been reached.
Russia has repeatedly expressed concern about militant threats from Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has dismissed the concerns saying that it will not allow Afghanistan’s soil to be used against any country.
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Afghan border minister holds phone talks with Iran’s deputy foreign minister
Noorullah Noori, Afghanistan’s Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, held a phone conversation with Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, to discuss bilateral border cooperation.
According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening border collaboration, with a particular focus on the ongoing renovation and updating of border markers. They also agreed to accelerate joint technical and legal meetings to enhance coordination.
As part of the agreement, the next meeting of senior border officials from Afghanistan and Iran is scheduled to take place in Iran in 1405 (2026–2027).
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