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We are committed to assisting Afghan forces as long as needed: NATO SCR
Stefano Pontecorvo, the Senior Civilian Representative of NATO to Afghanistan said that foreign troops would continue assisting the Afghan forces “as long as needed”.
In an exclusive interview with Ariana News, Stefano Pontecorvo said that the decision in this regard would be made by the Afghan government.
Pontecorvo added that the Taliban’s high level of violence is unacceptable, noting that the government’s concerns about not releasing the remaining Taliban prisoners are legitimate.
Given the stalemate over the release of prisoners, he called on both laterals to show flexibility in achieving peace. He also legitimizes the Afghan government’s concern about the remaining Taliban prisoners.
“Although the prisoner release is slowly proceeding, we would like to see this stepped up a bit, but there are issues which are real issues on the side of the government on releasing the remaining number of prisoners. We call for flexibility from all sides,” NATO SCR Stefano Pontecorvo told Ariana News.
This high-ranking NATO civilian official considers it important to build internal consensus at the leadership level to achieve peace. He says the countries of the region and the world have agreed on a general consensus in this regard. He also says that the presence of the forces of NATO in Afghanistan will be at the request of the Afghan government.
“We don’t want to stay here forever, but we are committed to assisting for as long as we need to be here, and that will be decided by the Afghan government.”
Meanwhile, NATO Envoy called on the Taliban to remain committed and credible in achieving peace.
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.
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).
The Director General of the OIC Mission in Kabul, Mohammed Saeed Alayyash, met on Sunday with Rolf Dieter Reinhard, Head of the German Liaison Office for Afghanistan in Doha and Acting Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy in Afghanistan.
During the discussion, both sides exchanged views on the latest developments in Afghanistan. They focused on the security situation, as well as the humanitarian and economic conditions faced by the Afghan people.
The two officials also reviewed recent political developments and broader challenges in the country, highlighting the need for continued international engagement and support.
The meeting emphasized the importance of ongoing cooperation and coordination between the OIC Mission and the German side in addressing Afghanistan’s challenges and in supporting efforts to promote stability and improve the humanitarian situation.
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