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UNHCR chief fears long war in Ukraine will worsen region’s humanitarian disaster

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A protracted war in Ukraine, which appears to be a growing possibility, could lead to years of disastrous humanitarian consequences, says United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.

“In our experience as a humanitarian agency, these are the wars that are the most difficult to deal with in terms of humanitarian consequences,” Grandi said in a CBC interview on Sunday.

According to UNHCR figures, nearly 4.4 million Ukrainians have fled their country since the Russian invasion began six weeks ago. That’s about 10 per cent of the country’s total population.

“It was like an ocean of people, a river of people moving out of Ukraine into neighbouring countries,” Grandi said of the exodus.

“The most heartbreaking scenes were the separations between men and their families because men were staying behind to fight. And I had never seen anything like this.”

Most Ukrainian refugees have fled to neighbouring Poland, which has struggled to cope with the sudden and massive wave of people in need of shelter, health care and other basic services.

The UNHCR recently opened a temporary office in Kraków to help that city, which has taken in some 150,000 Ukrainians.

Grandi told CBC Europe’s response to the crisis demonstrates that the continent has the ability to welcome refugees, if not always the desire.

“Now the U.S. is back with a big program, which is great, but if it hadn’t been for Canada staying the course on resettlement … we would have maybe lost the capacity to do this for many vulnerable people. And that deserves glowing words.”

Grandi also noted a shift in the crisis facing Afghanistan. He said humanitarian agencies are now focusing largely on ensuring people still in the country can live safely, rather than facilitating more departures.

He said international groups must pressure the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to improve its stance on humanitarian issues, even in the face of recent setbacks — such as the move to once again ban girls from attending high school.

“The response to that must be continuous engagement,” Grandi said.

“We can’t let Afghanistan go because if Afghanistan collapses as a state … then we will have another colossal humanitarian emergency on our hands.”

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Turkey invites IEA’s commerce minister to Antalya Diplomacy Forum

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Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, met on Thursday with Sadin Ayyıldız, Chargé d’Affaires of the Turkish Embassy in Kabul. During the meeting, Ayyıldız invited the Minister of Industry and Commerce to participate in Turkey’s Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Industry, the meeting also emphasized the economic, trade, and historical relations between Kabul and Ankara, as well as the export of Afghan goods to Turkey.

The two sides discussed increasing trade volume between the two countries, strengthening economic relations, facilitating and enhancing commercial activities, cooperation in road transport along various routes, activating the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, and regional cooperation.

Azizi, while thanking Turkey for inviting the Islamic Emirate to the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, introduced the Ministry’s technical team to ensure better coordination and planning.

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum is an international conference held annually in Turkey, aimed at examining global challenges and finding joint solutions through dialogue and diplomacy. It hosts representatives from more than 100 countries, including presidents, leaders, high-ranking officials, international organizations, analysts, and media from various countries.

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Afghan, Malaysian PMs discuss situation between Kabul and Islamabad

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Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate, in a telephone conversation initiated by Mohammad Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, discussed regional developments, particularly the recent situation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, said in a statement that Hassan Akhund stated during the call that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s principled position is clear and that it believes in resolving issues through mutual understanding and cooperation.

Hassan Akhund added that during Eid al-Fitr, at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, the Islamic Emirate demonstrated its goodwill by respecting a pause in defensive operations.

He stated that violence benefits no party and that actions that increase tensions should be avoided, emphasizing that wisdom and rationality must guide efforts to resolve problems.

He also expressed concern over rising regional tensions following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

The Malaysian Prime Minister also expressed concern about the regional situation and hoped that the temporary halt in hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan would continue, and that existing problems could be resolved through sincere negotiations and understanding.

He added that Malaysia aims to play a positive role in facilitating understanding between both parties.

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Iranian naval commander Alireza Tangsiri killed in airstrike, says Israel

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Israel’s defence minister says that an Israeli air strike has killed Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ navy.

The killing was carried out “last night, in a precise and lethal operation” and targeted other “senior officers of the naval command”, said Israel Katz, in a video statement.

“The man who was directly responsible for the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz to shipping was blown up and eliminated,” he claimed.

Since the start of the joint US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28, Israel has announced the assassination of several top Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Republic ‘s powerful security chief, Ali Larijani.

Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, reporting from Tehran, said there was no official Iranian confirmation yet of Tangsiri’s killing.

“But if it’s true it’s going to be another major blow for a country that has already experienced a lot of military commanders being killed” since the war began, he said.

The head of the Basij paramilitary forces, Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani, and Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib were also assassinated in Israeli attacks.

Moreover, in recent days, Israeli forces have carried out several strikes targeting the naval assets of Iran.

Last week, Israeli airstrikes hit several Iranian naval ships in the Caspian Sea, including ones equipped with missile systems, support vessels, and patrol craft.

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