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Withdrawal of troops also means withdrawal of foreign contractors: SIGAR

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(Last Updated On: March 12, 2021)

Washington’s Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction’s (SIGAR) John F Sopko this week warned that the May 1 troop withdrawal deadline does not only apply to foreign military forces, numbering around 10,000 in total, but also to as many as 18,000 foreign contractors and trainers currently in Afghanistan.

Sopko said in his latest report, SIGAR’s 2021 High Risk List, that there are “reasons to believe that without sustained support, Afghan security forces will fall apart because of a lack of personnel.”

He said as recently as the first quarter of fiscal 2021, 40 percent of the Afghan military’s logistics, maintenance and training depended upon 18,000 contractors and trainers who supplement the almost 10,000 U.S. and NATO forces in the country.

Under the terms of the US-Taliban deal signed in Doha in February last year, those key personnel are required to either stop work or withdraw along with U.S. forces.

“The Afghan government relies heavily on these foreign contractors and trainers to function,” Sopko said.

“This may be more devastating to the effectiveness of the Afghan security forces than a withdrawal of our remaining troops,” he added, noting that “no Afghan airframe can be sustained as combat effective for more than a few months in the absence of contractor support.”

Sopko also said that underlying all of this, is the fact that the Afghan government still cannot sustain itself despite $143 billion in U.S. assistance to help rebuild the country and considerable aid from other donors.

“This has been a horrible waste of [U.S.] taxpayer money, in many regards,” Sopko said.

“It may not be an overstatement that if foreign assistance is withdrawn and peace negotiations fail, Taliban forces could be at the gates of Kabul in short order.”

The U.S. believes the government in Kabul is still years away from being able to oversee the $50 million payroll system that has been in development since 2016.

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Mujahid claims some ‘circles’ are deliberately spreading false intelligence on Afghanistan

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(Last Updated On: September 28, 2023)

The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid once again denied the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and says that some countries are spreading false intelligence information about Afghanistan in order to cast doubt over the progress being made in the country.

Speaking at an event in Kandahar, Mujahid said Afghanistan has experienced the “bitter taste” of war for four decades and that he does not want the country to suffer another civil war.

“Why are there discussions in meetings that Afghanistan is a threat? And that Afghanistan causes problems for countries? There are problems in Afghanistan, why is this fear created?” Mujahid asked.

“I believe that some intelligence circles who do not want progress in Afghanistan, who do not want Afghanistan to be peaceful, are not tolerant of the current situation in Afghanistan; those intelligence circles indirectly create fear among some countries,” he said.

He also responded to widespread criticism of restrictions against women and girls and said that women currently work in several Afghan government institutions, such as the ministry of interior, national statistics and information authority, airports, and the ministry of industry and commerce.

He stated that in other sectors, jobs for women have been suspended but only until suitable environments can be provided.

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Haqqani says intellectual differences can be resolved

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(Last Updated On: September 28, 2023)

Abdul Mateen Qani, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior Affairs, on Thursday wrote on social media that Sirajuddin Haqqani, the acting interior minister, said in a meeting with a number of experts and political activists that difficult intellectual differences can be resolved through consultation and unity.

He said this was important as available opportunities should not go to waste. Haqqani also stated that most problems can be solved with mutual tolerance and the spirit of pessimism and hypocrisy can be eliminated.

He also reportedly pointed out that national and Islamic spirit is the foundation of stability of the nation and it requires attention in order to create a positive mindset.

The minister also said that no one can carry weapons without a permit.

Haqqani also stated that the Islamic Emirate has no problem with any country and commitments made in Doha have been fulfilled by them.

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Food and Drug Authority officials leave for G5 meeting in Iran

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(Last Updated On: September 28, 2023)

The head of Afghanistan’s Food and Drug Authority and his accompanying delegation left Kabul on Thursday for Iran where they will attend the G5 meeting.

Dr. Abdul Bari Omar, the head of the authority, is leading the delegation and will attend the Group of Five (G5) meeting that is being convened under the title “Health Diplomacy and Medicine and Medical Equipment System”.

The G5 meeting with delegations from the food and drug administrations of member countries get together with the World Health Organization with the aim of promoting and developing the health sector in their respective countries.

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