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US special envoy says dialogue is key to finding solution to Afghanistan crisis
US special envoy for Afghanistan Thomas West said Thursday that political dialogue among Afghans is a central part of the solution to all challenges.
In a series of tweets West hailed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ initiative to bring together special envoys earlier this week in Doha to discuss approaches to Afghanistan.
He said the UN has made it clear that the meeting was not about recognizing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) government but that the focus was on identifying shared interests and “how we collectively advance them.”
He said the “shared interests” included terrorism, repression of women and girls, the devastating humanitarian crisis, and the flow of narcotics from the country, among others.
“Countries assigned different priorities to these interests, but among points of consensus: political dialogue among Afghans is a central part of solution to all challenges,” he said.
He noted that the UN in Afghanistan’s leadership had also participated and that they “continue their vital humanitarian work and engagement with Taliban (IEA).”
He added that the UN had “also received critical advice beforehand from diverse group of Afghan women living across country.”
The Doha meeting, which was held on Monday and Tuesday, brought together special envoys from over 20 countries and was hosted by Guterres.
Speaking at a press on Tuesday, the UN chief said the organization would remain in Afghanistan to deliver aid to millions of desperate Afghans despite the IEA’s restrictions on its female staff. But he warned funding is drying up.
Guterres also said concerns over Afghanistan’s stability were growing.
“Throughout the past decades, we stayed and we delivered, and we are determined to seek the necessary conditions to keep delivering. Humanitarian aid is a fragile lifeline for millions of Afghans. The United Nations will not waiver in our commitment to support the people of Afghanistan,” Guterres said.
Azerbaijan has released 14 Afghan nationals from its prisons, Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday.
The ministry said in a statement that the release happened following efforts by Afghanistan’s embassy in Baku.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its appreciation to Azerbaijan and relevant authorities for their cooperation and humanitarian action. It also reaffirmed that the IEA will continue to follow up on and resolve the cases of Afghan prisoners.
Former U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, says Washington is largely satisfied with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) efforts against terrorism, though progress in broader relations remains hindered by the issue of prisoners.
In an interview with NDTV, Khalilzad said the United States views the detention of at least two American citizens in Afghanistan as the primary obstacle to improving ties.
Khalilzad highlighted what he described as a “significant degree of satisfaction” in the U.S. assessment of the IEA’s counterterrorism commitments under the Doha Agreement. He said the IEA continue to fight Daesh, a group they have long considered an enemy. Many Daesh militants, he added, have been pushed out of Afghanistan and are now in Pakistan.
At the same time, Khalilzad said concerns remain regarding human rights and the political role of non-IEA Afghans.
The Ministry of National Defense of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has rejected recent accusations made by Pakistani officials following a deadly attack at a mosque in Islamabad, calling them “irresponsible” and “baseless.”
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif wrote on X that preliminary findings suggest the suicide bomber had been on the move to and from Afghanistan.
According to the Afghan Defense Ministry, Pakistan’s defense minister “immediately and irresponsibly” blamed Afghanistan for the attack without conducting proper investigations. Afghan authorities noted that this pattern has been repeated in the past, particularly regarding incidents in Balochistan and other security events inside Pakistan.
The ministry stated that linking such attacks to Afghanistan “has no logic or foundation,” adding that these statements cannot hide Pakistan’s internal security failures or help solve the underlying problems.
“If they were truly able to identify the perpetrators immediately after the incident, then why were they unable to prevent it beforehand?” the statement asked.
The Afghan government emphasized its commitment to Islamic values, stating it does not consider harm against innocent civilians permissible under any circumstances and does not support those involved in illegal acts.
The statement urged Pakistani security officials to take responsibility for their internal security shortcomings, review their policies, and adopt a more constructive and cooperative approach toward both their own citizens and neighboring countries.
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