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Veteran Afghan strongmen to form new front for talks with Taliban
A band of veteran Afghan leaders, including two regional strongmen, are angling for talks with the Taliban and plan to meet within weeks to form a new front for holding negotiations on the country’s next government, a member of a group said.
Khalid Noor, son of Atta Mohammad Noor, the once-powerful governor of northern Afghanistan’s Balkh province, said the group comprised of veteran ethnic Uzbek leader Abdul Rashid Dostum and others opposed to the Taliban’s takeover.
“We prefer to negotiate collectively, because it is not that the problem of Afghanistan will be solved just by one of us,” Noor, 27, told Reuters in an interview from an undisclosed location.
“So, it is important for the entire political community of the country to be involved, especially the traditional leaders, those with power, with public support,” Noor said.
Atta Noor and Dostum, veterans of four decades of conflict in Afghanistan, both fled the country when the northern city of Mazar-i Sharif fell to the Taliban, without a fight.
The U.S.-backed government and military folded elsewhere as the Taliban swept into Kabul on August 15.
However, the backroom discussions are a sign of the country’s traditional strongmen coming back to life after the Taliban’s stunning military campaign.
It will be a challenge for any entity to rule Afghanistan for long without consensus between the country’s patchwork of ethnicities, most analysts say.
Unlike their previous period in power before 2001, the predominantly Pashtun Taliban did seek support from Tajiks, Uzbeks and other minorities as they prepared their offensive.
Despite a commitment to negotiations, Noor said there was a “huge risk” that the talks could fail, leading the group to already prepare for an armed resistance against the Taliban, Reuters reported.
“Surrender is out of the question for us,” said Noor, the youngest member of the erstwhile Afghan government’s team that held talks with the Taliban in Qatar.
Ahmad Massoud, leader of Afghanistan’s last major outpost of anti-Taliban resistance, last week also said he hoped talks with the Taliban would lead to an inclusive government, failing which his forces were ready to fight.
It remains uncertain how much popular support is actually enjoyed by leaders like Atta Noor, widely accused of corruption, and Dostum, accused of multiple acts of torture and brutality, and described in a U.S. State Department report as a “quintessential warlord”. Both leaders deny the accusations.
The Taliban, already a formidable military force, are now in possession of an estimated 2,000 armoured vehicles and up to 40 aircraft, among other arms left behind by fleeing Afghan forces, potentially bolstering their firepower.
Still, Noor said the Taliban would not be able to hold out against a popular resistance.
“History has shown that no one in Afghanistan can rule by force, it is impossible,” the Western-educated politician said, “No matter how much support they have from international community, it will fail.”
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Afghan interior minister meets outgoing Chinese ambassador
During the meeting, Minister Haqqani described Ambassador Zhao Xing’s tenure in Afghanistan as effective and praised his positive contribution to strengthening relations between Afghanistan and China.
Ambassador Zhao Xing, in turn, expressed his appreciation to the leadership of the Ministry of Interior Affairs for their cooperation and support throughout his tenure in Afghanistan.
The Chinese ambassador underscored the importance of the historic relations between Afghanistan and China and expressed hope that bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries would continue to expand in the future.
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Afghan doctors barred from Peshawar hospital over visa issues
Several Afghan doctors and medical staff have been stopped from working at Northwest General Hospital and Research Centre (NWGH) in Peshawar due to visa-related issues, according to Pakistani freelance journalist Tahir Khan.
Khan reported on Monday that the affected Afghan medical workers had applied for visa extensions, but their applications have yet to be approved.
A September 2 circular issued by the Human Resource Department of Alliance Healthcare (Pvt.) Ltd. directed Afghan nationals without valid visas to discontinue their duties with immediate effect.
According to the circular, the employees can resume work after submitting valid visa documentation and completing the required verification process.
An NWGH doctor told Khan that several Afghan doctors and other medical staff had previously been working at the hospital with valid visas but have now been suspended while their visa-extension applications remain pending.
The development comes a week after the Lahore High Court suspended the operation of directives issued by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council ordering Afghan medical students to return to Afghanistan.
The reported suspension of Afghan medical staff at the Peshawar hospital has raised concerns among affected doctors, who say they remain unable to work while awaiting decisions on their visa applications.
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Mujahid: Afghanistan’s reconstruction must rely on domestic investment
Mujahid added that Afghanistan’s long-term development should ultimately be driven by the efforts, capital and resources of Afghans themselves.
Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says Afghanistan’s reconstruction should be driven by the country’s own resources, domestic investment and Afghan businesses rather than dependence on foreign aid and projects.
Mujahid said several countries, including the former Soviet Union and the United States, had implemented reconstruction and development projects in Afghanistan over the past decades while pursuing their own objectives and interests.
He said although some projects were completed, they were not sufficient to meet Afghanistan’s needs, while the country also suffered significant losses during periods of foreign involvement.
Mujahid stressed that Afghan traders and investors should play a central role in rebuilding the country and advancing economic growth.
According to him, the Islamic Emirate is working to encourage Afghan businesspeople to invest inside Afghanistan and contribute to reconstruction and development.
He said domestic investment is essential for strengthening Afghanistan’s economy and achieving greater self-reliance.
Mujahid added that Afghanistan’s long-term development should ultimately be driven by the efforts, capital and resources of Afghans themselves.
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