Russian Foreign Minister pointed to threats from terrorist groups, primarily the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, and the “acute problem” of drug production….reports Asian Lite News
Forming an inclusive government that reflects the interests of all ethnic groups and political forces is necessary to achieve a sustainable peace in Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.
“We note the efforts the Taliban is making to stabilize the military-political situation,” Lavrov said at the third meeting of the Moscow format of consultations on Afghanistan, Xinhua news agency reported.
However, the lack of international recognition of the Taliban, economic woes and humanitarian challenges illustrate instability in the country, he said.
The minister also pointed to threats from terrorist groups, primarily the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, and the “acute problem” of drug production.
Lavrov called on the Taliban to prevent anyone from using Afghan territory against third countries, especially against Afghanistan’s immediate neighbours.
He urged the international community to provide Afghanistan with effective financial, economic and humanitarian assistance, and the United Nations should play a central coordinating role.
💬 FM Sergey #Lavrov's remarks at the Moscow Format Consultations Third meeting on Afghanistan:
☝️ Peace in #Afghanistan remains a pressing goal. Forming an inclusive government, which reflects the interests of all forces, is the key to achieving it.
Acting Deputy Prime Minister of the Afghan Taliban’s interim government Abdul Salam Hanafi said the Taliban seeks to build good relations with its neighbours and all other countries.
Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that the current government would not allow its land to be used against other countries.
Representatives from 10 countries attended the multilateral talks in Moscow, and the Taliban delegation was led by Hanafi.
Iran helps the families affected by terrorist attacks in Afghan
Scores of families affected by the latest terrorist attacks in two Afghan provinces have received humanitarian aid provided by Iran…reports Asian Lite News
At least 93 worshippers were killed and more than 230 people wounded in suicide bomb attacks against two Shiite Muslim mosques during Friday prayers in northern Kunduz and southern Kandahar provinces earlier this month, Xinhua New Agency reported.
In northern Kunduz province, 240 families of victims were provided food and non-food items on Monday morning, Matiullah Rohani, director of provincial information and culture directorate, told Xinhua.
Iran helps the families affected by terrorist attacks in Afghan
The assistance was dispatched to Kunduz airport a couple of days ago by planes, the official said.
Earlier on Monday, two planes transported 35 tons of relief goods consignment, including 10 tons of medicines, from Iran to Kandahar International Airport, according to Hafiz Abdul Hai, head of provincial health directorate.
A total of 30 patients, who sustained serious wounds, will be shifted to Iran from a regional hospital in Kandahar city, capital of Kandahar, the official noted.
The affiliates of Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the deadly explosions that occurred on October 15 and October 8 in Afghanistan
The telephone conversation came four days after the UK announced that Indian travellers fully vaccinated with both doses of Covishield or any other vaccine approved by it will not need to undergo a 10-day mandatory quarantine on arrival from October 11, reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Boris Johnson on Monday held a telephone conversation during which they welcomed the UK’s recognition of Indian vaccine certification and agreed on the need for a coordinated international approach to engage with the Taliban, according to a statement by the UK.
The telephone conversation came four days after the UK announced that Indian travellers fully vaccinated with both doses of Covishield or any other vaccine approved by it will not need to undergo a 10-day mandatory quarantine on arrival from October 11.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said the two leaders reviewed the progress in bilateral relations since their virtual summit earlier this year, and expressed satisfaction at the steps initiated under the Roadmap 2030 adopted during the virtual summit. They also reviewed the progress of the Enhanced Trade Partnership and agreed on the potential of rapidly expanding trade and investment linkages between both countries, it said.
It said the leaders held discussion on issues related to climate change, in the context of the coming UNFCCC COP-26 meeting in Glasgow in November. PM Modi conveyed India’s commitment to climate action, as seen in its target for expansion of renewable energy and the recently announced National Hydrogen Mission.
They had extensive discussion on issues related to Climate Change, in the context of UNFCCC COP-26 meeting in Glasgow in early Nov 2021. PM conveyed India's commitment to Climate Action, as seen in its target for expansion of renewable energy & National Hydrogen Mission: PMO
The leaders exchanged views on regional developments, especially the situation in Afghanistan. In this context, they agreed on the need to develop a common international perspective on issues regarding extremism and terrorism, as well as human rights and rights of women and minorities.
The British statement said the two prime ministers discussed the shared fight against coronavirus and the importance of opening up travel. “They agreed the UK’s recognition of Indian vaccine certification is a welcome development to that end,” it said. According to the statement shared with journalists by the British High Commission here, the two leaders discussed the strength of the UK-India relationship and climate action in the context of the coming COP-26 in Glasgow. “The leaders talked about the current situation in Afghanistan. They agreed on the need for a coordinated international approach to engagement with the Taliban, emphasising the importance of upholding human rights in the country,” it said.
Was a pleasure to speak to Prime Minister @BorisJohnson. We reviewed progress on the India-UK Agenda 2030, exchanged views on climate action in the context of the forthcoming COP-26 in Glasgow, and shared our assessments on regional issues including Afghanistan.
The PMs welcomed the progress made on the 2030 Roadmap since it was agreed by Johnson and Modi in May. “This includes area0s such as trade and defence. The leaders looked forward to the upcoming visit of the UK Carrier Strike Group to India and the deepening of the UK-India strategic partnership,” it said.
In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi said, “Was a pleasure to speak to Prime Minister @BorisJohnson. We reviewed progress on the India-UK Agenda 2030, exchanged views on climate action in the context of the forthcoming COP-26 in Glasgow, and shared our assessments on regional issues including Afghanistan.”
The leaders also looked forward to the upcoming visit of the UK carrier strike group led by the HMS Queen Elizabeth to India and the deepening of the bilateral strategic partnership.
They had an extensive discussion on issues related to climate change in the context of the COP26 Summit in Glasgow in November. Modi conveyed India’s commitment to climate action, as reflected in New Delhi’s ambitious target for expanding renewable energy and the new National Hydrogen Mission.
Johnson “underlined the importance of making concrete progress on climate change ahead of and at the upcoming COP26 Summit”, and noted that India already leads the world in renewable technology. Johnson also expressed his hope that India “will commit to a more ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution and to achieving Net Zero emissions”, the readout said.
The UK announced last week that it will begin accepting India’s vaccine certificates from October 11, ending a travel row that resulted in British nationals facing a 10-day mandatory quarantine on arrival even if they are fully vaccinated.
British high commissioner Alex Ellis has said there will be “no quarantine” for Indian travellers who were fully vaccinated with Covishield or any other UK-approved vaccine.
They claim they are the only country in the world to have defeated (sic) two Superpowers (with their duplicity) – the erstwhile Soviet Union which they dismembered and now the mighty USA…reports Asian Lite News.
Afghanistan has been justifiably in the news and in the front and centre of every public discourse. The hasty withdrawal of the US troops and their associated contractors had led to the Afghan Army being crippled and capitulating. The Taliban is back in Kabul at the centre of power.
As stated by a noted security expert, “I have no view on the situation in Afghanistan, only dark thoughts”.
Much water has to flow down the River Kabul, and one hopes it is water and not blood, and much will be written about the situation there and its impact on the comity of nations.
But how is the extant situation in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region actually a boon for India’s future security imperatives is a matter to be looked at.
What does the future foretell for Indian security? The Pakistanis have their tails up! And from their perspective – justifiably so!
They claim they are the only country in the world to have defeated (sic) two Superpowers (with their duplicity) – the erstwhile Soviet Union which they dismembered and now the mighty USA.
That they were double dealing the USA and giving sanctuary to the Taliban was well known. Despite that, the US chose to gift billions of dollars in Coalition Support Funds (CSF) implies that they succeeded and pulled the wool over the eyes of the best intelligence gathering machine in the world.
The “Art of the Deal” could actually have been better written in Rawalpindi.
History also shows us that this facile victory for the Pakistan deep state will lead to pushing in a new wave of Afghan and other myriad terrorists from the Afghan hinterland into the Vale of Kashmir prior to closing of the passes, and an increase in the trade of illegal drugs on the Arabian Sea’s “Hash Highway” with the complicity of the Pak intelligence agency – the ISI.
However, the Pakistanis would also suffer economically. The heavy influx of Afghan refugees may stress the collapsing Pak economy and would certainly tie up Pakistan in greater internal strife.
And what about big brother China?
The attempt to change the status-quo along the border in the Ladakh region in mid-2020, was stymied by a swift retaliatory response by Indian forces on land and in a different manner which included an aggressive deployment of the Indian Navy’s ships across and beyond the Indian Ocean.
Such a swift reaction on land was probably not envisaged by the PLA. However, the strategic impact was provided by the deployment of Indian naval forces in the maritime domain and that certainly did surprise the PLA (Navy).
These lines-of-effort have led to the first stage of de-escalation by both sides, but the PLA is still present where it should not be – probably looking for opportunities. The different deployment pattern adopted by the Indian Navy continues till date with a large force of four warships still deployed in the South China Sea and the western Pacific Ocean exercising with the littorals and with the Quad nations concurrently.
While looking at India and its security establishment from the outside, it is quite easy to see the continental focus of the Indian strategic thinkers. Hence, it was quite a surprise to see the Indian Prime Minister chair a session of the UN Security Council on Maritime Security. Is there a shift therefore to the seas?
Indian journalist Shekhar Gupta has correctly highlighted the historical mistake by Indian policy makers of ignoring the seas. He states, “Our strategic thought, therefore, became land-border-oriented. We constantly thought Pakistan, terrorism, China and became reactive and defensive.… For 75 years, India’s strategic thinking has been so distracted by a threat that it had no time for our opportunity.” (highlights by this author). Mr Gupta succinctly concludes, “the latest turn in Afghanistan’s history has changed the dominance of geography in our region. If only we in India would leave our Pakistan obsession aside, even forget Afghanistan for now, focus on our maritime power and opportunity rather than overland threats. This is India’s greatest opportunity in 75 years to shift its strategic gaze from the north to the south.” The situation in Afghanistan actually, therefore, allows India to now focus on what it should have done decades ago – matters maritime.
The relevance of the Indian Ocean to India’s security needs no recounting but, quoting Alfred Thayer Mahan, helps place the correct perspective, “whoever controls the Indian Ocean, dominates Asia. This ocean is the key to the seven seas. In the Twenty First century, the destiny of the world will be decided on its waters”.
In the current security scenario summed up by the Indian Chief of Naval Staff, “We are transitioning to a period of busy peace, where the binaries of peace and conflict are becoming less relevant…..actors using diverse playbook of actions and counter-actions within this continuum on a day-to-day basis, whilst mostly remaining below the threshold of conflict”. Admiral Karam Bir presciently added, “Indo-Pacific also offers us the opportunity to break the mould of a land-centric, border-focussed nation that hitherto has been our dominant approach.
Admiral Karambir Singh
This border-focussed approach limits us from truly harnessing our fullest potential, of expanding our geostrategic gaze and influence into the wider globe. The waters of the Indo-Pacific offer such opportunity, to move outwards and seek India’s rightful place in global affairs.”
In this milieu, it appears that the situation in Afghanistan may actually free India from the shackles of history. It may also provide India a chance to leverage its geography – especially its maritime geography. It would be foolish for Indian policy makers to look the gift horse in the mouth. It is time to deal with incidents of terror in the Kashmir valley and discard the Pakistani obsession for it remains at the tactical level and has no strategic relevance. It is time to tack to the Blue Waters of the only ocean named for a country – The Indian Ocean. The Indian security establishment must focus on maritime power which, in turn, will ensure the growth of the blue economy and safeguard the future of India.
The domestic market has also been affected, according to Mohammad Ayoub, another trader…reports Asian Lite News.
Afghan merchants said that carpet exports to several countries, including India, have been significantly reduced due to the closure of air corridors, adding that there was also a decrease in domestic sales.
“We have products, but exports have stopped,” TOLO News quoted Mohibullah Kohi, a merchant, as saying.
“The air-corridor existed before, the ports were opened, and we exported products to Europe, the US, the UAE, and to India,” he added.
The domestic market has also been affected, according to Mohammad Ayoub, another trader.
“During the past 40 to 50 days, our business has been severed. We had customers outside… We sell the carpets but can’t transfer the money.”
Samira, who has been working in the carpet industry for more than four years, said: “The situation has changed more than ever because earlier the price of the carpets was good and the work we were doing was worth the money, but since the Islamic Emirate came, the carpets we are weaving are not being exported to foreign countries and the price has dropped.”
This comes as the chamber of commerce and investment said that if a substantial market is not found for the carpets, the industry will collapse.
“The air corridor has been closed for the last month and beyond one month,” said Khan Jan Alokozai, a member of the chamber of commerce and investment.
“This has caused big damage to our exports, our exports have not only been reduced, but have completely stopped.”
Afghan carpets recently comprised a billion-dollar-per-year industry.
Islamabad’s designs part of its efforts to revive the Afghan economy, which is facing a financial crisis, reports Sanjeev Sharma
Afghans are stressing that no one should use the Pakistani currency and those using it should be punished.
A number of people have reacted to a report in a Pakistani newspaper that said business deals in Afghanistan should be based on Pakistani rupees, Pajhwok News reported.
Daily Jang, a Pakistani newspaper in a report quoted the country’s Finance Minister, Shawkat Tareen as saying that Afghanistan faced shortage of dollar reserves and that would be the reason Afghanistan would make transactions in Pakistani rupees.
The report said that Tareen made the statements after International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank suspended payments to Afghanistan.
Raha Press reported Pakistan’s most “shocking” economy minister has told the Senate Economic Committee that since Afghanistan is running out of dollar liquidity these days, trade with Afghanistan may be in rupees (Pakistani rupees).
It should be noted that in the past, in many cities of the country that border Pakistan, the main trade exchanges were based on the Pakistani rupee, which was met with many reactions, the report said.
Shaukat said the situation in Afghanistan was being closely monitored and Pakistan would send a team to help revive the Afghan economy.
After these reports, Afghans launched a social media campaign titled ‘Afghani is our national identity’, Pajhwok News said.
Most of the social media activists shared slogans, such as: “We are residents of Afghanistan, Afghani is our national identity and using Afghan currency is our national responsibility”.
Social media user, Abdul Kareem in a tweet said, “I will build my country myself, so I will use the currency of my own country. Every transaction in Afghanistan should be on Afghan currency.”
Another social media user, Mohammad Sayeed, addressing the Taliban, said, “Survival of Afghani is totally depended on you, if Pakistani rupees replaced the Afghani here (Afghanistan), its responsibility would be upon you and Afghans will hold you accountable.”
A number of pro-Taliban people also reacted to the issue.
Hammad Afghan, one of them, in a tweet said, “If you want to enlighten your future and make a rich Afghanistan, you should promote our national currency (Afghani).”
Sheikh Abdul Hamid Hammasi, also a pro-Taliban Afghan, said: “If anyone values national identity and Afghanhood, then they should use Afghan currency for transactions…”
He said that Taliban should make it clear to all officials, businessmen and people that they would be punished if they used Pakistani rupees.
A number of other people held similar views and said those using foreign currencies should be punished, the report added.
Pak hosts meeting of intel chiefs
Pakistan hosted a meeting of spymasters of some countries in the region on the situation in Afghanistan, a security source said.
There was no official statement on the meeting, but an intelligence source privately confirmed that the session had taken place, Dawn reported.
The meeting was attended by the intelligence heads from Russia, China, Iran and some Central Asian states.
“The hosting of the meeting by Pakistan reflects our sincerity for peace in the region and Afghanistan,” the report said.
It was the latest effort by Pakistan, which had over the past few days hosted meetings of the foreign ministers of the six neighbouring countries of Afghanistan and that of their special envoys, to develop a common regional strategy on dealing with challenges emanating from the events unfolding in the war-ravaged country.
Foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries earlier in a meeting on Wednesday “agreed to remain seized of the developments in Afghanistan and coordinate with each other for a holistic, comprehensive and harmonized response,” according to a joint statement issued after their meeting.
The regional countries are worried about security situation along their borders with Afghanistan, terrorists using Afghan soil for launching attacks on other countries, spread of extremism, possibility of influx of refugees, drug trafficking and transnational crimes.
Two decades later, Massoud’s son Ahmad Massoud is once again fighting the Taliban to protect his father’s legacy. He is ably assisted by Amrullah Saleh, a former aide to Afghanistan’s famous war hero…reports Mrityunjoy Kumar Jha
The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Italy has announced that it will be closed on Thursday, September 9, 2021 to mark the respect of Afghanistans national hero Ahmad Shah Massoud on his 20th death anniversary. Massoud was the only chief Afghan leader who never left Afghanistan in the fight against the Soviet Union and later in the armed struggle against the Taliban.
Massoud,who was leading the last remaining resistance to the Taliban capture of Afghanistan, was killed by suicide bombers of the Taliban and al-Qaeda in his residence on September 9, 2001, two days before the 9/11. After the Taliban’s fall in 2001, he was declared the national hero of the country and September 9 was marked as martyr day.
Unsurprisingly, the Taliban detest Massoud and his clan. They even tried to destroy his tomb in Panjshir on Tuesday.
Two decades later, Massoud’s son Ahmad Massoud is once again fighting the Taliban to protect his father’s legacy. He is ably assisted by Amrullah Saleh, a former aide to Afghanistan’s famous war hero.
“The Taliban want the world to recognize them, and then they want to oppress the Afghan people again,” Ahmad Massoud has declared. “If someone invades our land, we will fight against it and defend ourselves and the rights of the Afghan people.”
The Massoud Circle in Kabul, 2006
The junior Massoud has launched a guerrilla war against the Taliban who have managed to capture parts of the Panjshir valley with the active support of the Pakistani army.
Pakistani Air Force planes and special forces battalions provided military support to the Taliban operation in Panjshir, Russian news agency Sputnik reported on Wednesday. The report says that four JF-7 fighter jets of the Pakistan Air Force including 27 Pakistani special forces helicopters and drones, are assisting the Taliban in their quest.
Like Italy, many embassies of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan are opposing the regime of Islamic Emirate Afghanistan foisted by the Taliban. Afghanistan’s embassy in India has also refused to represent the Taliban government. Abdulhaq Azad, a spokesperson of the Afghan embassy in Delhi told Deccan Herald that it will continue to represent the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in India and not the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan established by the Taliban.
“The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New Delhi will continue to provide services to the citizens of Afghanistan in India,” Azad said.
Earlier, during the Taliban’s aggression, the Afghan envoy had asked India to help his country with airpower against the Taliban.
“The avoidable suffering of Afghanistan is man-made and at a scale beyond all civilised contemplation,” he had said. Afghanistan is going through a difficult time, and only good leadership, compassionate attitude and international support to the Afghan people “would somewhat bring an end to these miseries”, Farid Mamundzay, the Afghan envoy observed.
This is a repeat of 1996 when the then Afghan ambassador to India Masoud Khalili refused to pledge allegiance to the Taliban following India’s refusal to recognise the Taliban regime. Khalili, was a close friend of Ahmad Shah Massoud, the leader of the anti-Taliban force the Northern alliance.
Photograph of Ahmad Shah Massoud (Wikipedia)
The previous Taliban regime was recognised only by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
While countries of the world have yet to decide about giving recognition to the Taliban government, all the Afghan embassies will be known as representatives of the previous Afghan government, as per the recognition by the United Nations.
Other Afghan embassies have also refused to pledge allegiance to the Taliban government. Ashraf Haidari, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Sri Lanka has been always critical of the Taliban. On Tuesday, he slammed the Taliban for their government formations.
“The beginning of the end of imposed totalitarianism: foreign madrassa militants deployed to target Afghans — Afghan women — at point-blank range is unforgivable by any standards of humanity. The UN knows, Biden knows which UN member-state plays with Afghan lives,” Haidari posted on Twitter.
Said T Jawad, Kabul’s envoy to Russia, retweeted a video of protests by Afghans in front of the Embassy of Pakistan in the capital of his country.
Shukria Barakzai, Afghan envoy in Oslo retweeted a post from a journalist which slammed the Taliban. “The Taliban government has 33 mullahs and 4 people under US sanctions but zero women or people from other political groups. Son of late leader Mullah Omar is Defence Minister. They say they have changed but this is hardline.”
Afghanistan’s envoy to Tajikistan Mohammad Zahir Aghbar had accused the Taliban and Pakistan of plotting to kill anti-resistance leaders Ahmad Massoud and acting president Amrullah Saleh in the Panjshir battle.
It may be recalled how Pakistani security agencies ill-treated the Afghan envoy’s daughter’s kidnapping case, following which, the then Afghan government had to recall its diplomats from Pakistan.
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General Nikolay Patrushev is also expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, reports Asian Lite News
India and Russia are set to discuss the Afghan crisis following the takeover of the war-torn nation by Taliban forces.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, General Nikolay Patrushev, has arrived here on Tuesday on a two-day visit for a high-level India-Russia inter-governmental consultation on the invitation of India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval.
The two top security officials are likely to discuss the Afghan situation.
This consultation is a follow-up to the telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 24, when the two leaders said the two strategic partners will work together and directed the senior officials of their respective countries to remain in touch on the developments in Afghanistan.
Patrushev is also expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, the MEA further said.
After the Modi-Putin conversation, Russia had said that the two leaders expressed the intention to enhance cooperation to counter the spread of terrorist ideology and drug threat emerging from Afghanistan.
Both leaders also agreed to set up a permanent bilateral channel for consultations on the issue.
On Monday, Russian envoy Nikolay Kudashev also reiterated that there is ample scope for cooperation between India and Russia on Afghanistan and both sides have been in regular touch with each other on the latest developments in the war-torn country.
He also said that Russia is equally concerned like India that the Afghan soil should not be a source of spreading terrorism to other countries and there is an apprehension that the terror threat may reach the Russian territory as well as Kashmir.
Earlier on August 26, the Afghan situation was discussed in detail when Deputy NSA Pankaj Saran visited Moscow to meet Russian NSA Nikolay Patrushev and Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov.
Following this, the two countries had agreed to step up coordination amid the unfolding situation in Afghanistan following troops pullout by the US and NATO.
Russia was a key player in pushing for the Afghan peace process before the Taliban captured power in Kabul on Augusta 15 this year.
On Friday, Putin had expressed hope that the Taliban will behave in a “civilised” manner in Afghanistan so that the global community can maintain diplomatic ties with Kabul. “Russia is not interested in the disintegration of Afghanistan. If this happens, then there will be no one to talk to,” Putin said.
In Kabul, the Russian Ambassador had met with the Taliban several days after the takeover and said Moscow would maintain its embassy in the country.
In the fast-changing geo-politics of the region, Russia has emerged as a key player on Afghanistan largely due to its engagements with the Taliban over the past few years. New Delhi’s engagement with Moscow is aimed at advancing its national interest since both sides share concerns on terrorism emanating from Afghan soil.
CIA chief met Doval in Delhi
Meanwhile, Doval met with US spymaster William Burns in Delhi on Tuesday. The meeting took place on a day when the Taliban announced the names of people who would run Afghanistan, including the leader of a US-designated terror group being named as Prime Minister.
Masoud in his voice clip though did not say anything about the capture of Panjshir province directly, added that their forces are present in the province and Andarab…reports Asian Lite News.
One of the leaders of the resistance forces in Panjshir province, Ahmad Massoud, has called on the people of Afghanistan to resurrect against the Taliban.
Massoud said that people from all the classes should get together and stand for their country against the Taliban, Khaama News reported.
Masoud aired his voice clip from an unknown place, hours after Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said that there are unconfirmed reports that Amrullah Saleh had fled Panjshir.
There were reports about the escape of Massoud and Saleh to Tajikistan.
Mujahid, speaking at a press conference, said that Panjshir province has been fully captured and added that those who have fled can still join the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Masoud in his voice clip though did not say anything about the capture of Panjshir province directly, added that their forces are present in the province and Andarab.
“National resistance force is for entire Afghanistan. We welcomed the call for a ceasefire by religious scholars in Kabul but the Taliban did not agree and launched attacks on the forces,” Massoud said.
He claimed that the Taliban’s last night’s attacks were backed by foreign forces and added that a new spokesperson of the resistance forces will be announced soon.
The spokesperson of the resistance forces, Fahmi Dashti, has been killed but the Taliban said that he was killed in a conflict between the resistance forces.
Humanitarian crisis
Taliban celebrated ‘Independence Day as the last troop of the US military forces left Afghanistan. But after the Taliban takeover, the average Afghan population faces mounting challenges ahead.
Afghanistan now is experiencing a collapse of administration and economy, rising food prices, restriction on basic freedom and brutalities against women and children. And there is no mechanism to seek redress or appeal, thus creating a hell-like situation for Afghan people.
The humanitarian organisations and non-profits working in Afghanistan have painted a horrific picture of Afghanistan and its people.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said a humanitarian catastrophe loomed in Afghanistan. “Almost half of the population need humanitarian assistance. One in three don’t know where their next meal will come from.Now more than ever, Afghan children, women & men need the support & solidarity of the international community,” he said.
With the withdrawal of the US troops, the economy of Afghanistan has taken a blow as the foreign fund assistance to the country has started receding. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have cut off their finance to the war-torn country as the international community debates over whether to recognise the Taliban government.
IMF has halted Afghanistan’s access to its resources including the country’s share of Special Drawing Rights (SDR) reserves. The World Bank has expressed concern over Afghanistan’s “development prospects, especially for women” and suspended aid disbursements. The World Bank’s aid commitment is worth $5.3 billion.
Now, the country is headed toward economic collapse thanks to struggling financial condition, frozen foreign help and lack of recovery roadmap by the Taliban.
File photo taken on Aug. 22, 2021 shows foreign forces entering the Kabul airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Xinhua/IANS)
In total, NATO has airlifted more than 120,000 people from the airport in the Afghan capital, the statement read…reports Asian Lite News.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) on Monday said that over 500 Afghan nationals, who assisted its forces during the war in Afghanistan, have been evacuated from the Taliban-controlled country, and temporarily accommodated at military bases across Europe.
“More than 500 Afghans who have worked with NATO and their families have been evacuated and are safely housed at temporary facilities in Bases around Europe supported by Allied troops,” the alliance said in a statement, adding that coordination with the allies is underway to provide the evacuees with essential support and settlement in member countries.
In total, NATO has airlifted more than 120,000 people from the airport in the Afghan capital, the statement read.
The Taliban entered Kabul in mid-August, leading to the collapse of the US-backed government. The large-scale evacuation of foreign nationals and Afghans seeking to leave their homeland from fear of Taliban rule lasted until August 31. (ANI)
