Tag: ashraf ghani

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Ghani vows to prevent further bloodshed as Taliban offensive continues

Taliban is gaining ground across Afghanistan and has so far captured some 18 provincial capitals, including the key cities of Herat, Kandahar and Ghazni, reports Asian Lite News

In an address to the nation amid the continued violence between the Taliban and Afghan government forces, President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday vowed to prevent further bloodshed in the country, adding that measures were underway for the remobilisation of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).

“Under the current situation, remobilising of the security and defence forces is our top priority and required measures are underway for this purpose,” TOLO News quoted Ghani as saying.

“I know that you are concerned about your present and future but I assure you as your president that my focus is to prevent further instability, violence and displacement of my people.

“To do this, I have started widespread consultations within and outside the government, with political leaders and international partners and I will soon share the results with the people,” the President added.

Ghani said he will not allow the ongoing war to claim more lives, loss of the gains of the last 20 years, destruction of public property and continued instability.

His remarks come as the Taliban is gaining ground across Afghanistan and has so far captured some 18 provincial capitals, including the key cities of Herat, Kandahar and Ghazni.

Taliban
Afghan security force members set on a military vehicle during a military operation in Jawzjan province, Afghanistan (XinhuaMohammad Jan AriaIANS)

The security situation in the country started to deteriorate since the withdrawal of the US-led forces which began in May.

The group is now continuing its fight to overrun Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, and Maimana of Farah province.

The violence has killed and displaced thousands of Afghans across the country.

ALSO READ – Taliban Detain Afghan Warlord Ismail Khan As Herat Falls

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-Top News Afghanistan USA

Troop pull out will have consequences: Ghani tells Biden

US President Joe Biden met his visiting Afghan counterpart Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah at the White House, reports Asian Lite News

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Friday (local time) said that he warned US President Joe Biden that Washington’s move of withdrawing troops will have consequences for both sides, though he did not ask Biden to delay the withdrawal.

“President Biden’s decision is a transformational decision that is going to have consequential results both for the people of Afghanistan and for the people of the United States in the region,” Ghani said during remarks in Washington, reported Sputnik.

Ghani further said that discussions with the US have been very productive and countries in the region should “bet” on the Afghan government to remain in power, not on other forces. He said that Biden has made clear that the United States will continue to provide security and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

Biden
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah meet US President Joe Biden at the White House. (SOurce twitter@DrabdullahCE)

Furthermore, the Afghan President announced that Afghan security forces have taken back a number of districts that had fallen to the Taliban in southern and northern Afghanistan. Ghani called on the Taliban for a ceasefire and to return to the political process.

“The Afghan government needs to manage the consequences that will emerge after the US withdrawal and the Afghan people must rise to the challenge,” he said.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin (Source twitter@DrabdullahCE)

Biden and Ghani met at the White House as US troops are leaving Afghanistan after over two decades of military operations there. The United States has already withdrawn more than half of its troops from Afghanistan and expects to largely complete by July, well ahead of the September 11 deadline, Sputnik reported.

The White House on Friday announced a series of measures to provide assistance to the South Asian country amid troop withdrawal, including donating three million doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine to the people of Afghanistan through the COVAX facility.

Additionally, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is also supporting Afghan efforts to respond to the critical shortfalls in oxygen and medical ventilation support by providing emergency and structural assistance. (ANI)