Kabul: Hours after US President Joe Biden ordered his troops to pull out of the war-torn nation, the Taliban on Friday claimed to be in control of 85 percent of Afghanistan’s territory.

The Taliban claimed that its fighters had seized the border town of Islam Qala, thereby completing an arc of territory from the Iranian border to the frontier with China.

A delegation of Taliban officials in Moscow said that they controlled around 250 of Afghanistan’s 398 districts.

READ: India Gives Stern Response Over Pakistan Alleging Involvement In Blast Near Hafiz Saeed’s House

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid too confirmed the same and said that the Islam Qala border crossing was “under our full control”.

Meanwhile, the Afghan government officials in Kabul said: “efforts are underway to recapture the site”.

“All Afghan security forces including the border units are present in the area, and efforts are underway to recapture the site,” AFP quoted Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian as saying.

This came as the US President had earlier said that his country’s military mission would end on August 31.

Biden, however, admitted it was “highly unlikely” Kabul would be able to control the entire country.

ALSO READ: ‘Boycott Beijing Winter Olympics’ Call By Brit Lawmaker Over Atrocities On Uighur Muslims

“The status quo is not an option,” he said, adding that he would “not send another generation of Americans to war in Afghanistan”.

The US President said the Afghan people alone should determine their future.

Kabul: Taliban fighters seized control on Thursday of a key district in western Afghanistan that includes a major border crossing with Iran, Afghan security officials said, as the Islamist insurgents continued their rapid military advances around the country.

In the last week, the Taliban have overrun areas bordering five countries – Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, China and Pakistan – as foreign forces end their two-decade intervention and the domestic security situation deteriorates.

Pitched battles between Taliban fighters and Afghan government forces were also underway in the northern Balkh province bordering Uzbekistan.

Two senior security officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the Islam Qala border crossing with Iran, located in Herat province, had fallen to the Taliban and that Afghan security and customs officials had fled across the border.

Al Alalam TV, Iran`s official Arabic language service, also reported that Afghan soldiers had entered Iranian territory via the border crossing to escape the Taliban.

Tariq Arian, spokesman for the Afghan interior ministry, denied the reports and said the border crossing was still under the control of government forces. Calls by Reuters to the offices of the provincial governor and police went unanswered.

Another security official said Taliban fighters had seized five districts in Herat without a fight.

Earlier this week, more than 1,000 Afghan security personnel fled into Tajikistan as the Taliban captured most of the northern province of Badakhshan, which also borders China and Pakistan.

CLASHES IN WESTERN PROVINCE

The defence ministry said Afghan government forces earlier on Thursday wrested back control of Qala-e-Naw, capital of the western province of Badghis, which had been stormed by the Taliban on Wednesday.

Hundreds of troops were deployed to the region, the ministry said, adding that fighting was continuing on the fringes of Qala-e-Naw, where insurgents had earlier seized key government buildings in the city including police headquarters.

“The city is fully (back) under our control and we are conducting operations against the Taliban on the outskirts of the city,” Defence Ministry spokesman Fawad Aman said.

The ministry said 69 Taliban fighters were killed in operations on the edge of Qala-e-Naw – the first major provincial capital entered by the insurgents in their latest offensive.

The rest of Badghis province is in Taliban hands. Western security officials say the Taliban have captured more than 100 districts in Afghanistan. The Taliban say they hold over 200 districts in 34 provinces comprising over half the country. Major cities remain under government control.

The insurgents have been gaining territory for weeks but accelerated their thrust as the United States vacated its main Afghan base, effectively ending an intervention that began with the ousting of the Islamist Taliban government in 2001.

Taliban advances have been especially dramatic in northern provinces where they had long been kept at bay.

Stop-start peace talks between the government and insurgents remain inconclusive. Taliban delegations visited Iran on Wednesday and were in Moscow on Thursday.

Defending the decision to pull US forces out of Afghanistan, President Joe Biden said on Thursday he did not expect the Taliban to take over the whole country and that he trusted the Afghan military. “We`re ending America`s longest war,” he said.

Live TV

WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden on Thursday strongly defended his decision to pull U.S. military forces out of Afghanistan, saying the Afghan people must decide their own future and that he would not consign another generation of Americans to the 20-year war. 

Speaking in the White House East Room, Biden said the Afghan military has the ability to repel the Taliban, denying reports that US intelligence had forecast a collapse of the US-backed government in Kabul in six months amid warnings of a civil war.

Biden set a target date of Aug. 31 for the final withdrawal of U.S. forces, minus about 650 troops to provide security for the U.S. embassy in Kabul, and said thousands of Afghan interpreters will be moved to safety.

A long-time skeptic of the 20-year military presence in Afghanistan, Biden said the United States had long ago achieved its original rationale for invading the country in 2001: to root out al-Qaeda militants and prevent another attack on the United States like the one launched on Sept.11, 2001. The mastermind of that attack, Osama bin Laden, was killed by a U.S. military team in neighboring Pakistan in 2011.

Biden was careful not to declare victory, saying “there`s no mission accomplished.” “We achieved those objectives, that`s why we went. We did not go to Afghanistan to nation build. And it`s the right and the responsibility of the Afghan people alone to decide their future and how they want to run their country,” he said.

According to an Ipsos poll from April, a majority of Americans support Biden`s decision to move troops out of Afghanistan, but only 28% of adults agreed that the U.S. accomplished its goals in Afghanistan, and 43% said the U.S. withdrawal now helps Al Qaeda.

Addressing critics of his decision directly, Biden asked: “How many thousands more Americans, daughters and sons, were you willing to risk? How long would you have them stay?” “I will not send another generation of Americans to war in Afghanistan with no reasonable expectation of achieving a different outcome,” he said.

The speech represented Biden`s most extensive comments to date about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan under pressure from critics to give more explanation for his decision to withdraw.Biden called on countries in the region to help bring about an elusive political settlement between the warring parties. He said the Afghan government should seek a deal with the Taliban to allow them to coexist peacefully.

“The likelihood there`s going to be one unified government in Afghanistan controlling the whole country is highly unlikely,” he said.

Biden said the United States plans to move thousands of Afghan interpreters out of the country in August and they can safely apply for U.S. visas.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the United States was looking at a range of options to house Afghan interpreters temporarily as they wait for their visas, including potentially military installations on U.S. territory as well as in third countries.

Kirby said the administration was looking at how to move the interpreters from Afghanistan, but the preferred option was chartered commercial aircraft.

The United States last weekend abandoned Bagram air base, the longtime staging ground for U.S. military operations in the country, effectively ending America`s longest war.The Pentagon says the withdrawal of U.S. forces is 90% complete.

Washington agreed to withdraw in a deal negotiated last year under Biden`s Republican predecessor, Donald Trump. Biden overruled military leaders who wanted to keep a larger presence to assist Afghan security forces and prevent Afghanistan from becoming a staging ground for extremist groups.

Taliban fighters seized control on Thursday of a district in western Afghanistan that includes a major border crossing with Iran, Afghan security officials said, as the Islamist insurgents continued their rapid military advances around the country.
In the last week, the Taliban have overrun areas bordering five countries – Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, China and Pakistan.

The commander of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, General Austin Miller, warned last week that the country may be headed toward a civil war. But Biden said Afghan troops far outnumber the Taliban, 300,000 to 75,000, and that a Taliban takeover can be stopped. “It`s not inevitable,” he said.

And he said there was no comparison between Taliban forces and the North Vietnamese Army that defeated the U.S.-backed South Vietnamese in the 1970s and prompted a hasty American withdrawal.

“There`s going to be no circumstance you`re going to see people being lifted off the roof of an embassy in the — of the United States from Afghanistan. It is not at all comparable,” he said.

US Representative Michael McCaul, ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Biden had “only offered more empty promises and no detailed plan of action.” “The time for platitudes and casting blame is over. The American people deserve answers and concrete solutions – not false hope,” McCaul said.

The US intelligence community believes the Afghan military is weak and that the Kabul government`s prospects for survival in the short term are not good, US government sources familiar with official assessments said. Biden denied that U.S. intelligence had forecast a collapse of the Kabul government in six months.

Biden`s administration is also grappling with its plan for expedited visas for Afghan people most at risk of being attacked by the Taliban. Rights groups are pushing to add up to 2,000 vulnerable women to the list.

Live TV

New Delhi: With the United States withdrawal inching closer, Taliban continued to make quick captures of major territories in Afghanistan, putting the Afghan security forces under extreme pressure and intensifying confrontations.

In the latest move, the Taliban claimed to have entered and captured Qala-e-Naw, the first regional capital to face an all-out offensive by it. The Afghan government has flown in its commandos to push back the Taliban and take control of the provincial capital in northwestern Badghis province.

The fight between the Taliban and the Afghan commandos has entered into the second day with President Ashraf Ghani stating that his security forces had the capacity to defeat the Taliban, even after the complete withdrawal of the US troops. The locals of Qala-i-Naw were forced to either flee the city or barricade themselves in their homes as fighting continues to intensify with each passing hour.

The Taliban have launched a major assault since the US has fast paced the withdrawal of its troops. Pentagon claims that the pullout of troops from Afghanistan is 90 per cent complete. Taliban, on the other hand, have started capturing new territories and are making fast forward movements into claiming major provincial capital like Qala-i-Naw, prompting serious concerns that Afghan forces may not be able to handle the Taliban assault without the American air support.

President Ghani admitted that the transition, of the shifting of power and control from the foreign troops to the Afghan government, has entered into the most complicated stage.

“What we are witnessing is one of the most complicated stages of the transition. Legitimacy is ours; God is with us,” he said during a speech in Kabul.

The withdrawal of the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops from Afghanistan, that also after two decades, seems to have vitalised the Taliban, who now seem to be moving towards claiming complete victory over the Afghan forces and the Ghani government.

Badghis provincial capital Qala-i-Naw has come under a serious Taliban offensive in the past 48 hours, with fighting continuing and intensifying.

“The Taliban have resumed their attacks from several directions with light and heavy weapons,” said Badghis Governor Hessamuddin Shams.

“Our security forces are bravely fighting them and the enemy is being pushed back. They are fleeing. We will give a hard blow to the enemy,” he added.

This is happening at a time when Taliban delegation and the Afghan government representatives have met in Tehran in a first surprise, but significant meeting, hosted by Iran.

Beijing: China appears to be preparing to ramp up its involvement in Afghanistan amid US troops withdrawal — with Beijing eyeing the war-torn nation for investment and influence opportunities. According to The New York Post, in recent weeks, Beijing has been vocal in slamming the United States for pushing forward with its troop withdrawal, citing the deteriorating situation on the ground.

Still, it had not made any public commitments regarding a response. US President Joe Biden has set a deadline of September 11 for the final pullout of the few remaining troops from Afghanistan. Citing the media reports, the Newspaper outlet reported that the Kabul authorities have become much more deeply engaged with Chinese leaders as the two work toward a deal to invest in Afghanistan`s infrastructure through China`s international “Belt and Road Initiative.”

As per the outlet, the trillion-dollar program has funded multiple projects — generally focusing on hard infrastructures like airports, roads, and seaports — throughout Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. It has been used by the Chinese Communist Party to grow its influence by providing infrastructure loans to poorer countries in return for control over local resources. The media report stated that the deal would extend the USD 62 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of the Beijing-led initiative.

“There is a discussion on a Peshawar-Kabul motorway between the authorities in Kabul and Beijing,” New York Post quoted the sources. “Linking Kabul with Peshawar by road means Afghanistan`s formal joining of CPEC,” it said.The outlet further reported that last month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian confirmed that China and Afghanistan were having discussions on a CPEC extension, though he declined to discuss the matter in detail. 

Live TV

Kabul: General Mir Asadullah Kohistani, the new Commander of the Bagram Airfield has said that his forces are getting ready for an offensive against the Taliban. The development comes even as Taliban is making rapid advances in the country.

Speaking to Wion, Asadullah also mentioned Americans leaving Bagram without any information. 

He said, “We had done the initial plan and coordinated…but Friday morning, we heard that US troops left the Bagram. We were not aware about that.” 

Bagram Airfield was the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan and a symbol of American presence in the country.

What is the current situation at the airfield?

Right now, the situation is completely normal. All our troops are deployed inside and outside. Our patrol is going on, we don’t have any problem so far.

Americans never informed you that they are leaving?

We had done the initial plan and coordinated with them regarding deployment and safety and security out of Bagram. We completed on Thursday night, but Friday morning, we heard that US troops left the Bagram. We were not aware about that. I think this is because of the phased departure they did not inform us for their safety, and they took their safety and security measures. They did not inform us, but the main point was everyone understood that all the Afghan National Army units secured and there is no threat from outside to the inside of the Bagram.

Have you reached out to Americans, asked them the reasons why they left like this?

The last contact with them was on Thursday night, 19.30 and after that contact point was cut off and we didn’t have any contact with them.

What is the current situation related to advances by the Taliban? Will Kabul fall?

Everybody knows, we are in a country with 4 decades of war going on. We fully understand we will take back all the areas which are economical, important and strategic. Afghan National Army is responsible and is getting ready for offensive operation and as soon as possible we will start our offense operation to change the situation.

Live TV

New Delhi: Afghanistan remains on tenterhooks as Taliban makes rapid gains in the country, in a situation reminiscent of the 1990s. 

Amid the turmoil, the Indian embassy in Kabul has said that Indian consulates in Southern city of Kandahar and northern city of Mazar E Sharif are “open” and “functioning”. 

The Indian mission in a tweet also pointed out, “We DO HOWEVER continue to closely monitor the evolving security situation particularly around Kandahar & Mazar cities.”

Media reports on #India closing its Embassy & Consulates in are incorrect. @IndianEmbKabul, Consulates in Kandahar & Mazar are open, functioning. We DO HOWEVER continue to closely monitor the evolving security situation particularly around Kandahar & Mazar cities. @MEAIndia

— India in Afghanistan (@IndianEmbKabul) July 6, 2021

Taliban is making rapid advances in the country as the last of the American troops withdraw after 2 decades. Over 1000 Afghan soldiers have crossed over to Tajikistan as Taliban has made gains in northern Afghanistan. 

Meanwhile, the Afghan envoy to Delhi, Farid Mamundzay had a meeting with India’s foreign secretary Harsh V Shringla and briefed him on the security situation in Afghanistan. 

During the meeting, Joint Secretary in the PAI–Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran division of Ministry of external affairs JP Singh was also present.

“FS assured our Afghan friends of India’s long term commitment towards peace and prosperity in Afghanistan”, MEA spokesperson tweeted.

Foreign Secretary @harshvshringla was pleased to welcome Ambassador @FMamundzay of Afghanistan. Ambassador briefed FS on the security situation in Afghanistan. FS assured our Afghan friends of India’s long term commitment towards peace and prosperity in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/DqsBbwrTnF

— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) July 6, 2021

India has been involved in a number of infrastructure projects in the country, well known being the Afghan Parliament in Kabul and the India Afghanistan friendship dam in Herat. 

Being the largest regional donors, it has been also involved in capacity building projects in the country.

Other countries have also made announcements about their consulates. Russia has already halted operations in its Consulate in Mazar E Sharif, Special Envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov has confirmed to its state agency TASS. 

Meanwhile reports in local media say Iran, Turkey have closed operations in the consulate in the city which is the capital of Balkh province.

Live TV

All-rounder Rashid Khan on Tuesday was appointed as the T20I captain of Team Afghanistan.

“Meanwhile Najibullah Zadran has been appointed the national team’s vice-captain for the format,” stated an official Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) release.

Rashid, one of the well-known global faces of the game, was selected by senior ACB leadership led by ACB Chairman Farhan Yousefzai, for the role considering his experience, brilliant performance as well as leadership skills with the national team over the years.

All-rounder @rashidkhan_19 has been appointed the T20I captain & @iamnajibzadran as V-captain. Rashid, one of the well-known global faces of the game, was selected by senior ACB leadership led by ACB Chairman @Farhan_YusEfzai

More: https://t.co/cmIU8G4C02 pic.twitter.com/s1WsoKva6m

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) July 6, 2021

Rashid Khan is currently the number two ranked bowler in the ICC T20I Rankings. He is 31 points behind table-topper South Africa spinner Tabraiz Shamsi.

Afghanistan is placed in Group B for the T20 World Cup 2021 alongside England, India, and South Africa while the remaining two teams will be chosen from the Qualifiers.

The 2021 edition of the tournament is scheduled to be played this October in UAE and Oman.

Earlier this year, ACB members had approved the proposition to go ahead with split-captaincy for the national team. The board also effectively removed Asghar Afghan as skipper of the men’s national team.

“As per the decision, left-hander Hashmatullah Shahidi is appointed the new ODI and Test captain of the national team while Rahmat Shah will serve as the vice-captain for both formats,” the ACB had said in an official release.

The Taliban is once again establishing its base in Afghanistan. In the light of events, other countries have started closing their consulates in Afghanistan now. According to information and reports received from officials, given the victory of the Taliban in the areas of northern Afghanistan, some countries have closed their consulates located in that area.

Tajikistan is securing its southern border by deploying reserve troops. According to reports from Tajikistan, about 1000 Afghan soldiers have crossed the border and fled to Tajikistan as the Taliban forces advance in the northern region.

According to a statement issued by the Tajikistan government on Monday, President Emomali Rakhmon has ordered the deployment of 20,000 reserve troops to further strengthen the border with Afghanistan.

This exodus of the Afghan army comes after the Taliban captured most of the districts in the northeastern Badakhshan province. Several districts laid down their arms without a fight, while hundreds of soldiers of the Afghan National Security and Defense Forces crossed the border and fled to Tajikistan seeking safety.

Turkish and Russian consulates in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province and fourth-largest city in Afghanistan, have reportedly been closed. Iran said it had limited activities at its consulate in the city.

Fighting is also reported in Balkh province, but the provincial capital is relatively calm. The Balkh provincial governor’s spokesman Munir Farhad said on Tuesday that the consulates of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, India, and Pakistan have reduced their services. He informed that Turkey and Russia have closed their consulates, and their diplomats have left the city.

The Tajik government said Afghan troops were allowed to cross the border on humanitarian grounds. However, the border posts on the Tajik side are controlled by the country’s forces and the Tajik side has had no clashes with the Taliban. Russia also expressed concern over the developments on Monday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there was “increased concern” about the ongoing fighting, but his country had no plans to send troops to aid the former republic.”

“We have said many times that following the withdrawal of the Americans and their allies from Afghanistan, the development of the situation in this country is a matter of growing concern,” Peskov said.

Kandahar: Amid the ongoing US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban on Sunday (July 5) took control of a key district in their former bastion of Kandahar. Citing officials, Geo News reported that after fierce overnight fighting with Afghan forces, the Taliban took over the Panjwai district. The group has pressed on with its campaign to capture territory across Afghanistan`s rural areas since early May when the US military began the pull-out.

The fall of the Panjwai district in the southern province of Kandahar comes just two days after US and NATO forces vacated their main Bagram Air Base near Kabul, from where they led operations for two decades against the Taliban and their Al-Qaeda allies, reported Geo News. The exit of foreign troops from Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, has fuelled concerns that the Taliban will ramp up their campaign to capture new territory.

Bagram Air Base has great military and symbolic significance, with foreign forces previously stationed there offering vital air support in the fight against the Taliban. Afghan authorities, who have taken control of the base, said that they will use it to fight terrorism, and have already re-activated its radar system, reported Geo News.

ALSO READ: Cuba evacuates nearly 2 lakh people ahead of Tropical Storm Elsa

Over the years, the Taliban and Afghan forces have regularly clashed in and around Panjwai, with the Taliban aiming to seize it given its proximity to Kandahar city, the provincial capital. The province of Kandahar is the birthplace of the Taliban, who went on to rule Afghanistan until being overthrown by a US-led invasion in 2001.

Panjwai District Governor Hasti Mohammad said Afghan forces and the Taliban clashed during the night, resulting in government forces retreating from the area, reported Geo News. Kandahar provincial council head Sayed Jan Khakriwal confirmed the fall of Panjwai, but accused government forces of “intentionally withdrawing”.

Fighting has raged across several provinces of Afghanistan in recent weeks and the Taliban claim to have seized more than 100 out of nearly 400 districts in the country, reported Geo News. Meanwhile, Afghan officials disputed the claims but acknowledged that government troops have retreated from some districts. It is difficult to independently verify the situation.: 

ALSO READ: How regionalism helped Africa to contain COVID-19 pandemic: Study

Live TV

Kabul: The US embassy in Kabul has said that it would continue to operate in the country amid the increase in uncertainty as the US continues to work towards its military pullout till August end.”The US Embassy in Kabul is open & will remain open. As directed by President Biden, we will continue to have a robust diplomatic presence in Kabul to carry out the range of work we do with the government and people of Afghanistan.

We have no plans to close the Embassy,” the embassy tweeted on Monday (July 5). This comes after The Wall Street Journal had reported that US officials have intensified planning for an emergency evacuation of the embassy in Kabul due to the worsening security situation in the country.

These preparations are taking place as part of the US withdrawal of Afghanistan. Violence has escalated in Afghanistan since the Biden administration announced its decision to withdraw troops from the war-torn country. Experts believe that growing clashes between Taliban and Afghan forces are fueling fears that the country is headed into a civil war.

ALSO READ: Myanmar’s junta bans executives from leaving after forcing telecom firms to implement intercepts

“The US Embassy is constantly planning for contingencies & how to mitigate risks to our people & programs. We are aware of security challenges to operating in Afghanistan, & we will adjust our presence as necessary to address these challenges,” the embassy added.

Reiterating Biden and Secretary Blinken`s stand, the embassy added that “US military presence in Afghanistan is ending, the US Embassy will continue our diplomatic, humanitarian, and security assistance programs in Afghanistan.”

Amid a surge in Taliban offensives and attacks on civilian populations and infrastructure in Afghanistan, the US embassy on Friday called for an end to the ongoing violence, which is largely driven by the Taliban.

Earlier this week, the Taliban said in a statement that civilians and non-military foreign nationals, diplomats, embassies and workers of humanitarian organisations would not face any problems or security risks from them.However, CNN reported that there are reasons to question that statement, particularly given the fractured nature of the Taliban. 

ALSO READ: Rescuers search for dozens missing in resort town after mudslide in Japan’s Atami city

Live TV

American troops pulled out of their main military base in Afghanistan on Friday (July 2), a United States defence official said, under an agreement with the Taliban allowing for the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from the country, to end their longest war. The U.S. military has coordinated its air war and logistical support for its Afghan mission from the Bagram air base, about 60 km north of Kabul, and the withdrawal of forces from the base symbolises the end of the U.S. military involvement in the country.

The following is a chronology of U.S. involvement and major developments in Afghanistan over the past two decades:

Sept 11, 2001: U.S. involvement in Afghanistan is triggered by attacks on the United States plotted in Afghanistan by the al Qaeda militant group, led by Osama bin Laden, who was in Afghanistan under Taliban protection.

Oct 7, 2001 – U.S. forces begins air campaign with strikes on Taliban and al Qaeda forces. Small numbers of U.S. special forces and CIA agents soon slip into Afghanistan to help direct the bombing campaign and organise Afghan opposition forces.

Nov 13, 2001 – U.S.-backed Northern Alliance forces enter Kabul as the Taliban withdraw south. Within a month, Taliban leaders have fled from southern Afghanistan into Pakistan.

December 2001 – U.S. forces bomb the Tora Bora cave complex in eastern Afghanistan where bin Laden is reportedly hiding but he slips over the border into Pakistan, where he disappears.

May 2, 2003 – U.S. officials declare an end to major combat operations in Afghanistan. Under President George W. Bush, the U.S. focus turn to preparing for the invasion of Iraq, which required a diversion of U.S. troops, equipment, and intelligence collection from Afghanistan. This allows the Taliban to slowly regroup, at first in the south and east.

Feb 17, 2009 – President Barack Obama, in his first major military decision as commander-in-chief, orders 17,000 more combat troops to Afghanistan to tackle an intensifying insurgency. The 17,000 reinforce 38,000 U.S. troops and 32,000 from some 40 NATO allies already in Afghanistan.

May 1, 2011 – Bin Laden is killed in a raid by U.S. forces in Pakistan. At about the same time, the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan peaks at about 100,000 as part of a surge that saw intensified CIA drone attacks on Taliban and other militants in Pakistan.

December 2011 – U.S. officials say U.S. diplomats have held about half a dozen secret meetings with Afghan Taliban contacts over the previous 10 months, mostly in Germany and Qatar.

May 27, 2014 – Obama outlines a plan to withdraw all but 9,800 American troops by the end of the year and pull out the rest by the end of 2016.

December 28, 2014 – The U.S. combat mission is officially concluded after the withdrawal of most combat troops and an transition to an “Afghan-led” war. Nearly 10,000 U.S. troops remain, with a focus on training Afghan forces and counter-terrorism.

August 21, 2017 – U.S. President Donald Trump announces his strategy, calling for an open-ended deployment of U.S. forces with the goal of forcing the Taliban to negotiate peace with the Kabul government.

September 4, 2018 – Afghan-born U.S. diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad appointed U.S. special representative to seek negotiations with the Taliban.

February 29, 2020 – The United States signs a troop withdrawal agreement with the Taliban in Doha that envisages peace talks between the Afghan government and the insurgent group.

September 12, 2020 – Afghan government and Taliban negotiators launch peace talks in Doha after months of delays.

December 2, 2020 – Afghan government and Taliban negotiators reach preliminary agreement on procedures for peace talks, a largely administrative development but their first written agreement in 19 years of war.

April 14, 2021 – U.S. President Joe Biden announces U.S. forces will stay beyond the May deadline envisaged by the U.S.-Taliban deal but will withdraw unconditionally by Sept. 11.

June 26, 2021 – Biden meets Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the White House. He calls on Afghans to decide their own future while vowing to continue security aid.

July 2, 2021 – U.S. troops pull out of Bagram air base 60 km  north of Kabul even as violence around the country is at historic highs.
 

Live TV

Islamabad: Pakistan would never again partner with the United States in war, said Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday ( June 30) and added that as a Pakistani he had never felt more “insulted” than when his country decided to join the United States war on terror.

“Pakistan could be partners with the United States in peace but never in conflict,” said Khan during the National Assembly`s budget session as he covered wide-ranging subjects, Dawn newspaper reported. “When we gave so many services, did they (US) praise us or acknowledge our sacrifices? Instead, they called us a hypocrite and blamed us. Instead of appreciating us, Pakistan was bad-mouthed,” he said.

“We decided to become a front-line state for the American war on terror. I questioned repeatedly, what did we have to do with the war?” While questioning the “idiocy” of the policies of the previous administration, Khan asked, “Does any country get involved in another`s (war) and lose 70,000 lives?”

ALSO READ: Wuhan’s only foreign scientist tells her story on China’s lab at the heart of the coronavirus mystery

Moreover, Khan even warned that a “very tough time” was coming for Pakistan in view of the situation in Afghanistan. Pakistan has said that some 5,000 terrorists belonging to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) pose a threat to its security from their “sanctuaries” in the neighbouring country.

“The assertions of the Afghan side are contrary to facts on the ground and various reports of the UN, which also corroborate the presence and activities of over 5000-strong TTP in Afghanistan,” the Pakistan Foreign Office said this week.

Earlier this month, Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said that Islamabad is expecting that the Taliban will not allow terrorist groups like TTP to carry out activities against Pakistan.

Pakistan has finished over 80 percent of the Durand Line fencing along with Afghanistan despite facing backlash from the people on both sides of the line. Despite the absence of a concrete agreement with the Afghan government, the Pakistan government has been declaring the Durand Line as an official border.

ALSO READ: Covaxin ‘effectively’ neutralizes Alpha and Delta variants of COVID-19: America’s NIH

Live TV

New Delhi: It is a well-known fact that opium, from which the majority of drugs are derived, is produced in a region known as the ‘Golden Crescent’ – overlapping three nations – Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. The narcotics transit along the porous Pakistan-Afghanistan border should actually be countered by Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), but the setup apparently has failed to work efficiently, and the narcotics easily find the way to Sea through the Makran coast. 

Stateless dhows are a big concern for security agencies worldwide. Such dhows have also been detected in Indian Ocean Region (IOR) from where the narcotics are destined to South-Eastern Asian countries.

In April this year, an Indian Naval Ship had seized narcotics worth Rs 3000 crores from a suspicious dhow in the central Arabian Sea. On similar lines, the Sri Lankan Navy also captured a foreign vessel and seized 605kg of Crystal Meth (Methamphetamine) and 579 kg of Ketamine (recreational drug). Interestingly captured nine crew members were found to be Pakistanis.

It has been witnessed that Sri Lanka and the Maldives are emerging as major destinations of drug cargoes originating from Gwadar.

“Most of the drug boats originate from Gwadar. This is possible only with the active support of ISI, otherwise, such large-scale smuggling is not impossible. As the drugs are exchanged in mid-sea, the Pak origin boats are rarely caught,” a source told Zee News.

“Pakistan’s bigger plans of narco-terrorism,” a report prepared by South Asia Democratic Forum (SADF) says that an increasing number of exposed consignments on the India–Pakistan border containing narcotics as well as arms and ammunition were seized by the Border Security Force(BSF), particularly in Punjab, indicates expanding activities by terrorists and drug traders, in both quantitative and qualitative terms. Moreover, it points to Pakistan’s ‘larger’ plans to carry out disruptive activities in India.

In 2015, the UNODC published an exhaustive report titled “Afghan Opiate Trafficking through the Southern Route”, which questioned Pakistan’s role in facilitating production, transportation, and marketing of narcotics products originating in Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan. Subsequent research funded by the European Union, published in 2018 as a paper titled “The heroin coast—A political economy along the eastern African seaboard”, conclusively nails Pakistan as the key protagonist in establishing an exhaustive supply chain of narcotics on the east coast of Africa.

StratNews, a leading defence website in its report, states, “In the Indian Ocean, such supposedly stateless dhows with drug cargoes comprise the marine transportation component of the well-oiled, state-supported narcotics trade, run by Taliban-linked drug lords in cohort with Pakistani cartels amply supported by the Pak armed forces. During boarding operations by law enforcement agencies on the high seas, the crew of such vessels (mostly small dhows) has been found to be mostly Pakistani and occasionally of Iranian origin, with their identification deliberately obfuscated by the absence of proper identity documents.”

All these drug seizures are in millions of Dollars – money that generally flows back into illicit arms, human trafficking, and other illegal activities. However, when it is state-sponsored the money could well be used by the nation sponsoring the illicit trade for procurement of weapon systems.

Live TV

New Delhi: In view of the escalating violence, the Indian embassy in Afghanistan on Tuesday advised all Indians visiting, staying, and working in Afghanistan to exercise the utmost caution with regard to their security and avoid all types of non-essential travel. 

In an advisory, the embassy said the security situation in Afghanistan remains “dangerous” and that terror groups have carried out a series of complex attacks, including targeting civilians, adding that Indian nationals additionally face a “serious threat” of abduction.

ALSO READ: GST Has Reduced Tax Rate, Replaced Complex Structure With Simple, Transparent Regime Says Finance Ministry

Afghanistan witnessed a series of attacks in the last few weeks as the United States looks to complete the withdrawal of its forces from the war-ravaged country by September 11, ending nearly two decades of its military presence there. 

“The security situation in Afghanistan remains dangerous in several provinces. Terror groups operating in Afghanistan have escalated violent activities and carried out a series of complex attacks in various parts of Afghanistan, including targeting Afghan defence and security forces and Afghan government institutions and even civilians,” the embassy said.

The embassy “strongly advised” all Indians to avoid all types of non-essential movements and urged them to keep essential movements as discrete as possible. The embassy also strongly advised the Indian companies operating in Afghanistan to take up necessary security measures for their Indian employees deployed at project sites.

“Indian nationals are not exceptions, and they additionally face a serious threat of kidnapping,” it said in the 13-point advisory.

“In recent weeks, targeted attacks that are on the rise in various provinces and districts, directed against government establishments and security posts, have seen civilians caught in the middle of the conflict. Incidents of roadside IED (improvised explosive device) blasts and magnetic IEDs used to target vehicles of civilians continue to be reported from many parts of the country,” it said.

In view of the heightened security threats, it said movements, especially during peak commuting hours, should also be avoided.

“While travelling on roads, maintain distance from possible targets like military convoys, vehicles of government ministries/offices, high-ranking officials, law-enforcement agencies, and avoid visiting crowded markets,” it said. The embassy also advised people to avoid visiting crowded markets, shopping complexes, mandis, restaurants and other public places.

The embassy said travelling outside the main cities should be avoided, adding that essential travel should be undertaken by air as many highways and roads are unsafe and prone to attacks.

“All Indian nationals arriving in Afghanistan are advised to register with the Embassy/Consulates on the website or by email to. Those who are already present but have not registered or updated their contact details are also requested to do so immediately,” it said.

According to official data, over 3,000 Indians are staying in Afghanistan currently.

(With agency inputs)

New Delhi: The Indian embassy in Afghanistan on Tuesday advised all Indians visiting, staying and working in Afghanistan to exercise utmost caution with regard to their security and avoid all types of non-essential travel in view of escalating violence in various parts of the country.

In an advisory, the embassy said the security situation in Afghanistan remains “dangerous” and that terror groups have carried out a series of complex attacks, including targeting civilians, adding that Indian nationals additionally face a “serious threat” of abduction.

According to official data, over 3,000 Indians are staying in Afghanistan currently.

The embassy “strongly advised” all Indians to avoid all types of non-essential movements and urged them to keep essential movements as discrete as possible.

“The security situation in Afghanistan remains dangerous in several provinces. Terror groups operating in Afghanistan have escalated violent activities and carried out a series of complex attacks in various parts of Afghanistan, including targeting Afghan defence and security forces and Afghan government institutions and even civilians,” the embassy said.

“Indian nationals are not exceptions, and they additionally face a serious threat of kidnapping,” it said in the 13-point advisory.

Afghanistan witnessed a series of attacks in the last few weeks as the United States looks to complete the withdrawal of its forces from the war-ravaged country by September 11, ending nearly two decades of its military presence there.

The embassy also strongly advised the Indian companies operating in Afghanistan to take up necessary security measures for their Indian employees deployed at project sites.

“In recent weeks, targeted attacks that are on the rise in various provinces and districts, directed against government establishments and security posts, have seen civilians caught in the middle of the conflict. Incidents of roadside IED (improvised explosive device) blasts and magnetic IEDs used to target vehicles of civilians continue to be reported from many parts of the country,” it said.

In view of the heightened security threats, the embassy asked all Indian nationals visiting, staying and working in Afghanistan to exercise utmost vigilance and caution with regard to security at workplace, place of residence and also during movement to their places of work.

It said movements, especially during peak commuting hours, should also be avoided.

“While travelling on roads, maintain distance from possible targets like military convoys, vehicles of government ministries/offices, high-ranking officials, law-enforcement agencies, and avoid visiting crowded markets,” it said.

The embassy said travelling outside the main cities should be avoided, adding that essential travel should be undertaken by air as many highways and roads are unsafe and prone to attacks.

“All Indian nationals arriving in Afghanistan are advised to register with the Embassy/Consulates on the website: https://eoi.Gov.In/kabul/ or by email to paw.Kabul@mea.Gov.In. Those who are already present but have not registered or updated their contact details are also requested to do so immediately,” it said.

The embassy also advised people to avoid visiting crowded markets, shopping complexes, mandis, restaurants and other public places.

“Any essential movement may please be kept as discrete as possible. Movements generally should not have a predictable pattern and timing and routes taken should be changed wherever possible to maintain an element of surprise. It is advisable to be in a high state of alertness during essential movements,” it added.

Live TV

India and Afghanistan played out a 1-1 draw in their last match of Group E of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Joint Qualifier, at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday.

A third-place finish in Group E means that India moves directly to the third round of qualifiers for the AFC Asian Cup China 2023. India has seven points from eight matches.

Now onto the next round! #WCQ #BackTheBlue #IndianFootball [?] #BlueTigers pic.twitter.com/RNbbeDU8jZ

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) June 15, 2021

India took the lead via a 75th-minute own goal courtesy of Afghanistan goalkeeper Ovays Azizi, but the Afghans pulled back their equaliser minutes later, through their teenage sensation Hossein Zamani.

India head coach Igor Stimac made two changes to the side that started for the Blue Tigers against Bangladesh in the previous game, with Bipin Singh and Udanta Singh making way for Rahul Bheke and Ashique Kuruniyan.

The Blue Tigers got out off the blocks right from kick-off as Manvir Singh soared up the right flank, made his way into the Afghanistan box and pulled the trigger. However, his shot was parried out for a corner by Afghan goalkeeper Ovays Azizi. The resulting corner by Brandon was cleared, but it fell kindly to Glan Martins on the edge of the area, whose shot was eventually blocked.

Afghanistan also attempted to create their chances in the opening exchanges as David Ahmed Najem found some space on the right and whipped in a few crosses, but India custodian Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was alert to the danger and came out to collect.

India started to grow into the game soon enough and Manvir once again raced down the right and played it through to an overlapping Suresh Singh Wangjam, who earned a corner for the side. Sandesh Jhingan managed to get a firm header onto the Brandon corner but the effort was cleared off the line by Afghan defender Haroon Amiri.

As India began to settle down in the second half, the Blue Tigers started to play the ball out of the back. A little under 10 minutes into the second half, a chance was created out of a string of passes that started all the way from the keeper. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu found Suresh in the defensive half, as the latter played it to Bheke with his first touch. Under pressure, the fullback struck the ball down the line to put Manvir through on the right flank once again but the cross was stopped.

Minutes later, Gurpreet made a crucial save to keep the scores at 0-0. Saighani hooved a long ball to Popalzay, who chested it down and volleyed it from outside the area, but Gurpreet was up to the task, as he plucked the ball out of the air.

Amiri stood in India’s way once again on the hour mark, when he headed way a free-kick by Brandon, that was aimed at Manvir, who had shaken off his marker inside the box, and looked set for a free header.

India’s perseverance finally paid off in the 75th minute, when Ashique and Manvir worked some space on the left flank, as the former had the time and space to send in a measured cross towards Liston inside the box. Afghan keeper Azizi fumbled the ball while collecting it, and turned it into his own net.

India thought they had their second goal a few minutes later, when Ashique again weaved his way into the box and sent in a cross, for Liston, who turned it in. However, the referee had already blown his whistle, as he had adjudged Ashique to have carried the ball over the goalline. That was Ashique’s last action of the night, as he was replaced by Bipin Singh.

Afghanistan soon went on the attack, looking for the equaliser, and found it through their teenage sensation Hossein Zamani, who came on in the second half. Receiving a cut-back from Noor Husin, Zamani curled a right-footer into the Indian goal, off the far post.

Manvir had a chance late in the second half, when he got his head onto a ball whipped in from the left by Subhasish, but his header went over the crossbar. Both the sides had a few last exchanges in added time, but the clock soon ran down, as the match ended in a 1-1 draw. 

Kabul: As the United States declares its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, Turkey is interested in taking control of Afghanistan`s Hamid Karzai International Airport if North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) allies permit.

Khaama Press reported that Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said that Turkish forces have agreed to take the control of the Hamid Karzai International Airport if allies provide support.”500 Turkish forces in Afghanistan will take the control and responsibility of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul if financial, logistic and political support is provided by the allies,” Akar said in a meeting with its NATO allies.

This comes as the withdrawal of the foreign forces which is scheduled to be completed by September 11 have increased concerns among the international community and the diplomatic mission`s presence in Afghanistan. Pentagon officials had earlier said that Pakistan had allowed the US military to use its airspace and given ground access so that it could support its presence in Afghanistan.

However, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi refuted the claim and said that the country would not provide its military bases to the US for future counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan and also not allow drone attacks inside Pakistan.

Whereas, according to the New York Times, some American officials believe the negotiations have reached an impasse for now. The US intelligence agency CIA did use a base in Pakistan to launch drone strikes against militants but “was kicked out of the facility in 2011 when US relations with Pakistan unravelled,” the report said.”Some American officials (told the newspaper) that negotiations with Pakistan had reached an impasse for now.

Others have said the option remains on the table and a deal is possible,” the report explains. According to NYT, William J. Burns, the CIA director, recently made an unannounced visit to Islamabad to meet the chief of the Pakistani military and the head of the directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd J. Austin also has had frequent calls with the Pakistani military chief about getting the country`s help for future US operations in Afghanistan.

(inputs from agency)

Live TV

Kabul: A significant part of the Al-Qaeda leadership resides in the Afghanistan and Pakistan region, including the group`s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who is “probably alive but too frail to be featured in propaganda,” according to a United Nations report.

The findings on the status of Taliban-controlled and contested districts were presented last week by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team.

The 18 member states report, issued last Friday (June 4), said that large numbers of Al-Qaeda fighters and other foreign extremist elements aligned with the Taliban are located in various parts of Afghanistan.

This comes as foreign troops withdraw from Afghanistan and plan to leave completely by September 11.

According to the UN report, ties between the two groups remain close, based on ideological alignment, relationships forged through common struggle and intermarriage.

The Taliban has begun to tighten its control over Al-Qaeda by gathering information on foreign terrorist fighters and registering and restricting them.

The group`s leader, Aiman Muhammed Rabi al-Zawahiri, is believed to be located somewhere in the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Previous reports of his death due to ill health have not been confirmed. “One Member State reports that he is probably alive but too frail to be featured in propaganda.”

According to the UN report, Al-Qaeda, including Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, is reported to number in the range of several dozen to 500 persons. Al-Qaeda core`s membership is of non-Afghan origin, consisting mainly of nationals from North Africa and the Middle East.

Although the member states assess that formal communication between senior Al-Qaeda and Taliban officials is currently infrequent, one member state reported that there is regular communication between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda on issues related to the peace process.

Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent operates under the Taliban umbrella from Kandahar, Helmand (notably Baramcha) and Nimruz Provinces.

The group reportedly consists of primarily Afghan and Pakistani nationals, but also individuals from Bangladesh, India and Myanmar, the report added.

ALSO READ: Woman with HIV carries coronavirus which mutates over 30 times inside her body

Kabul: Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan is an Indian favorite. He has been sensational in cricket’s shortest format by picking up wickets for franchisees all over the world. He is probably the most unique spinner in the current era. In a recent interview, Rashid said that De Villiers, Dhoni, and Kohli are the three batsmen against whom he likes bowling the most. 

Currently, the no.2 T20 bowler in the world, Rashid Khan does not believe in thinking of records. He said, “I just want to play cricket whether it’s five ten, or 15 years. I don’t keep a count of wickets, I just focus on performing well for the team and win matches. What’s done in the past is gone and I focus on the present and try to help the team win.”

Kabul: Referring to the media reports that the United States has sought to use military bases in Pakistan, the Taliban on Friday (May 27) warned Washington against maintaining surveillance in Afghanistan and said it will lead to “more bloodshed” in the country.

The Doha agreement has been “repeatedly” violated by the US and that it has led to the continuation of violence in Afghanistan, the Taliban statement added, as quoted by TOLOnews.

The US has rejected claims on violation of the Doha agreement amid its ongoing drawdown from Afghanistan.

Referring to some media reports, the terrorist group said that the US will keep its presence along the Durand Line for surveillance using Pakistan`s territory and airspace.

This will mean that the US will maintain its presence in Bagram and Shindand bases in Afghanistan and that if this happens, the Taliban “will continue their jihad” as in the past, the statement said.

The terrorist group went on to warn Pakistan not to facilitate the continuation of “Afghanistan`s occupation;” otherwise, it will be “a mistake” and a “big blunder”.

On Tuesday (May 25), Pakistan Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said in the Senate that Pakistan would not provide its military bases to the United States for future counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan and also not allow drone attacks inside Pakistan.

The foreign minister also rejected as unfounded the reports of providing the US, bases in Pakistan, making it clear that Prime Minister Imran Khan would never provide its bases to the US, nor would allow drone attacks inside Pakistan, reported The News International.

“I want to assure the House that Pakistan is in safe hands,” he remarked.

The remarks came after a Pentagon official said that Pakistan had allowed the US military to use its airspace and given ground access so that it could support its presence in Afghanistan.

Responding to the concerns of a senator, the Qureshi had said, “Because what we were fearing and we still fear and are concerned that a vacuum created in Afghanistan can drag or suck the country back into the decade of 1990s”.

Qureshi contended that as the US planned to withdraw its remaining troops from Afghanistan by September 11, Pakistan would continue playing its role for the advancement of the peace process in that country, reported The News International. 

Kabul: Amid the final US drawdown from Afghanistan, more than 8,000 families have been displaced in at least five provinces as fighting intensifies between the Afghan security forces and the Taliban.

Scores of families are facing a shortage of shelter, access to health services, education and other facilities for a normal life, TOLOnews reported citing displaced persons.

Afghanistan has seen a spike in the incidents of violence in recent weeks, leading to casualties of Afghan security forces and civilians. US withdrawal is underway and set to complete by September 11.

According to a report, heavy clashes is continuing in the five provinces including Baghlan, Helmand, Kunduz, Kandahar and Laghman, over the last few weeks.

“8,500 families have been displaced. Of the figure, 3,500 families have been displaced due to the fresh spat of violence,” said Sharifullah Shafiq, the head of the refugees and repatriations directorate in Baghlan province.

The Afghan government has pledged to address the needs of the displaced families.

“We have planned to help our countrymen who have been displaced from their homes. We are working with foreign NGOs to address their needs,” said Sayed Abdul Basit Haidari, a spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation.

On Thursday (May 20), a Pentagon release said that after the US withdrawal, any number of possibilities might arise, including a takeover of the country by the Taliban or a defeat of the Taliban by the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

“I will acknowledge the range of potential outcomes in the months as we go forward,” Brig. Gen. Matthew Trollinger, the deputy director of politico-military affairs for the Middle East, on the Joint Staff, said.

“I will say the ANDSF (Afghan security forces) — they`re a capable force. They have capable ground, air and special operations forces, and here, very recently, they`ve effectively both defended against Taliban attacks as well as gone on the offensive to disrupt Taliban activities.” 

Kabul: In an airstrike by Afghan Air Force (AAF) on Monday (May 17) at least 19 Taliban terrorists, including four key members and three Pakistani nationals, were killed in Faryab province. Afghan military`s 209th Shaheen Corps confirmed the news on Tuesday (May 18).

According to their statement, the Taliban were killed in an AAF air raid on a Key Taliban base in the Khwaja Namusi area of Pashtun Kot district in Faryab province on Monday (May 17) evening, reported The Khaama Press.

The statement added that among the dead were “Zainullah” known as Khalid Taliban shadow district governor for Almar district, “Noorul-Haq” designated Taliban district governor for Bala-Murghab district, “Mullah Asadullah Turkman” Taliban`s military commission chief for Andkhoi district, and “Mullah Raihan” a Taliban leader.

According to the statement three Pakistani nationals in the ranks of the Taliban were also killed in the airstrike, reported The Khaama Press.

15 others including Mullah Shoaib Taliban`s military chief for Faryab province were wounded following AAF airstrikes in the region, and 17 different types of vehicles belonging to the Taliban terrorists were also destroyed.

The airstrikes were conducted while senior Taliban commanders and military officials from several districts had gathered to plan their offensives on various parts of the Faryab province, the statement said.

So far, the Taliban has not commented on the air raid mission conducted by the Afghan Air Force, reported The Khaama Press.

This comes as security sources in Herat province said Feroz Ahmad head of the police for Torghundi district was killed in clashes between the Taliban and government forces.

Abdul Ahad Walizada, a spokesman for Herat police HQ told media that the incident took place on Monday (May 17) night, reported The Khaama Press.

According to Walizada, four Taliban terrorists were also killed during the skirmish.

Moreover, local sources indicated a National Directorate of Security (NDS) member was killed and two others were wounded in a Taliban attack in the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province.

A member of Kunduz provincial council, Khaliludin Hakimi said that the incident happened on Monday (May 17) night.

Security officials in the region confirmed the Taliban attack but did not provide further details. The Taliban have not yet commented on the incident.
 

Live TV

Kabul: The Afghan government is ready to fight against the Taliban after the full withdrawal of foreign troops from the country, said President Ashraf Ghani as the US announced the completion of up to 20 percent troops from the war-torn country.

“The threat of terrorism has changed. It has not disappeared. We are all agreed on this,” Ghani said in an interview with American public broadcasting service PBS on May 17.

“The US is committed to support things, providing support. This is financial, in the security area, in the economic area, in the humanitarian area, because the US, fortunately, shares the values of supporting the gains of the last 20 years. And our discussion is enormously productive.”

The United States’ military withdrawal from Afghanistan is up to 20 percent complete, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Monday (May 17).

“US Central Command estimates that we have completed between 13-20 percent of the entire retrograde process. We expect to be able to provide weekly updates on the progress of the retrograde,” the combatant command responsible for the Middle East and parts of Central Asia said in a statement.

Taliban terrorists have intensified activities since the formal start of the US-led forces pull out from Afghanistan on May 1.

The US aims to complete the withdrawal by September 11. Ghani has recently held talks with influential political leaders, including the reconciliation council chief Abdullah Abdullah and former president Hamid Karzai, to build a consensus around peace and form a high-level state council.

The US entered Afghanistan ostensibly to eliminate and destroy the Al-Qaeda terror group under its “war on terror” military campaign.

However, the effort morphed into an extended attempt to establish democracy on Afghan soil, Sputnik reported.

During the intervening years, the Taliban regrouped and gained control of large parts of the nation in what has become America`s longest war that lasted over two decades and led to cost up to USD 1 trillion.

Live TV

Doha: Amid the final drawdown of US troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban has agreed to begin substantive talks with the Republic team in Doha in the coming days, which would end the peace process stalemate.

According to Tolo News, the Taliban group plans to attend the Istanbul summit but wants the end negotiations to take place in Doha. The negotiating teams met in Doha on May 14 after a long pause.

Sources familiar with the meeting said the Taliban has asked to maintain the Doha negotiations–with serious discussions– but they want the final outcome to be achieved in Doha, not in Istanbul.

“I think that this will open the way for an Istanbul conference where the Taliban will attend. They might make the agenda based on who in the Afghan government team will attend, not based on the US agenda,” said Sayed Akbar Agha, a former Taliban commander said to Tolo news.

The Republic team said that efforts in Doha and Istanbul will help achieve results in the negotiations, but they stressed that the Taliban`s commitment is key.

“A meeting will be meaningful when the attendees include decision-makers and when there is a commitment for decision making. Only participation of high-ranking leaders can affect the current Doha process,” said Fawzia Koofi, member of the negotiating team of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, a delegation representing the Taliban led by Shai Abdul Hakim Haqqani has been in Pakistan over the last 20 days discussing with the leadership of the group the details of attending the Istanbul summit and the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan.

“Pakistan`s influence on the Taliban and the possible encouragement from Pakistan of course has an impact,” said Mohammad Amin Waqad, former deputy head of the High Peace Council, as reported by Tolo news.

President Ashraf Ghani has emphasised the need for a decision on peace by the regional players, and for Europe`s much-needed role to “get Pakistan on board” on the ongoing peace talks with the Taliban.

“Peace will primarily be decided upon regionally, and I believe we are at a crucial moment of rethinking. It is first and foremost a matter of getting Pakistan on board. The US now plays only a minor role. The question of peace or hostility is now in Pakistani hands,” Ghani told the German news website, Der Spiegel, in an interview.

Over Pakistan`s influence on the Taliban, Ghani said, “Pakistan operates an organized system of support. The Taliban receive logistics there, their finances are there and recruitment is there.”

“The names of the various decision-making bodies of the Taliban are Quetta Shura, Miramshah Shura, and Peshawar Shura – named after the Pakistani cities where they are located. There is a deep relationship with the state,” he added.

The negotiations in Doha were stalled after the announcement of a delay in US forces’ withdrawal in Afghanistan from the original May 1st deadline. 
 

Live TV