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Watchdogs outraged over photo of Australian soldier drinking from prosthetic leg

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Patricia Gossman, Associate Asia Director for Human Rights Watch, has called on the Afghan government to speak up for victims of the alleged war crimes carried out by Australia’s special forces.

Following the publication on Tuesday of a photograph of an Australian special forces soldier drinking beer out of a prosthetic leg belonging to a dead Taliban fighter, Gossman tweeted: “The Afghan government should speak up for the victims and demand a thorough and independent investigation of all alleged crimes, prosecutions of those responsible, and adequate and swift compensation to the Afghans harmed by these crimes.”

Zabiullah Farhang, a spokesman for the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) said the photos showed Australian soldiers “had no respect for the life of Afghans here”.

Other Afghans reacted with as much disgust at the photograph, and others published in Australian media.

“It is the most disgusting, shocking and horrific image I’ve ever seen,” Hayatullah Fazly, a member of the provincial council in Uruzgan, told the Guardian.

“It is more painful when you consider that [the soldiers] were here to help us and make us feel safe. It’s shameful.”

The publication of the images follows the release last week of a redacted report into Australian special forces’ conduct in Afghanistan that linked soldiers to the unlawful deaths of 39 prisoners and civilians.

One alleged incident, heavily redacted in the report, is described as “possibly the most disgraceful episode in Australia’s military history”.

A special investigator’s office has been set up to prosecute the alleged crimes detailed in the report.

Farhang meanwhile told the Guardian: “This is a true violation of international human rights and also it is a war crime. We welcome the Australian prime minister’s efforts in creating an [office] to investigate it, this will help in discovering more crimes.

“We ask the Australian government to hear and accept the demands of victims … [to help in] bringing the responsible to justice. The special committee should also facilitate a way in which the victims can directly contact them,” he said.

Gossman also said prosecutors needed to “investigate up the chain of command” and hold senior officers criminally liable if they knew about the alleged crimes and failed to prevent them or punish those responsible.

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Islamic Emirate’s army now self-sufficient, says chief of army staff

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Mohammad Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, says that over the past four years, the army forces of the Islamic Emirate have shown no hesitation in defending and protecting Afghanistan, and that today the country’s army is standing on its own feet.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense, Fitrat made these remarks at a meeting with media representatives, political analysts, and a number of government officials aimed at coordination and strengthening cooperation. He added: “Nations that cannot stand on their own feet and rely on others, even if they grow, will not be capable of achieving real progress.”

Fitrat also expressed appreciation for the role of the media in ensuring security and in supporting the country’s defense forces, stating: “We and you, as citizens of this land, must put our hands together and build the country together, take pride in our forces, and strive with all our strength for the country’s development. We have created an army that defends honor, territorial integrity, and the borders of the country, and serves as the guardian of our freedom.”

He emphasized that the Islamic Emirate is working to establish an army equipped with modern weapons so that it can defend the country’s territory under all circumstances.

He stated that the country’s army has proven to the people that anyone who looks at this land with ill intent will face a firm and courageous response, and that it has also been made clear to neighboring countries that any aggression against Afghanistan will be met with a response several times stronger.

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Afghan health minister attends second WHO summit in India

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Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate, participated in the second World Health Organization meeting on traditional medicine during his official visit to India.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Public Health said that the meeting was held in India with the participation of representatives from around 100 countries, health ministers from 23 countries, professional experts from various nations, and officials from different departments of the World Health Organization.

During the meeting, discussions were held on the standardization of traditional medicine, training of individuals active in this field, recognition of traditional medicine as an established reality, and the sharing of countries’ experiences in this area.

The ministry stated that the purpose of participating in the conference was to standardize traditional medicine in Afghanistan, adding that for several decades this sector has been practiced in a non-standard manner and without a defined curriculum or clear principles.

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Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan boost trade and digital finance ties

Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives.

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Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Abdul Salam Hanafi, has met with a high-level Kyrgyz delegation led by Minister of Economy and Commerce Bakhyt Sydykov to discuss expanding bilateral trade and strengthening cooperation in digital financial services.

During the meeting, Hanafi reaffirmed Afghanistan’s readiness to deepen ties with Kyrgyzstan, stressing the importance of developing electronic administration systems and modern banking channels to facilitate trade and financial transactions between the two countries.

Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives. He also pointed to potential cooperation in areas such as the printing of securities and the development of electronic payment systems.

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