Afghanistan
India frustrated with situation in Afghanistan: Pak military
Referring to the oversized Indian footprint in Afghanistan, the Pakistan military has said New Delhi's investment was aimed at establishing influence in an effort to damage Islamabad's interests. "The prevailing situation has caused huge frustration on the Indian side," The Express Tribune quoted Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar, Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), as saying in a television interview on Saturday.
'Regional stakeholders expect responsible US drawdown from Afghanistan'
The US army is in the process of leaving Afghanistan and the withdrawal is expected to be completed by August 31, following which all regional stakeholders have to sit together and find a solution to the Afghan issue in consultation with the Afghan leadership, he added.
Pak tries to gain sympathy by playing victim card in Afghan melee
Internal communication within Pakistan government circles is to play on this narrative as aggressively as possible and try and gain sympathy from the global community. The objective is to gain ingress into the larger civilised world and be accepted as a nation that is striving to keep the world safe. They would thus draw in economic aid, long-term financial aid, get off FATF, establish closer association with the EU and US.
China pulls out citizens from Afghanistan as first step of a long game
Chinese state media reported that on Friday, China had sent a special Xiamen Air flight to Kabul, ahead of the rapid withdrawal of US and NATO forces from the country, after a two decade long turbulent stay. While the withdrawal of nationals appears to be part of a security protocol, it does not signal that China is inclined to lower its engagement with Afghanistan'a country that has a prized strategic location.
'Peace and security' in Iran-Afghan border after Taliban takes over crossings
"There is no insecurity on our border with Afghanistan," Xinhua news agency quoted Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as saying on Friday. On Thursday, Taliban militants claimed to have captured the customs offices of Islam Qala and Abu Nasr Farahi in the Afghanistan-Iran border.
Taliban militants surround major Afghan cities
Afghan commando units were back on patrol Thursday in the capital of Badghis Province in western Afghanistan, just a day after they beat back Taliban militants who tried to storm the city. Unverified videos posted on social media appeared to show Taliban fighters speeding towards the centre of the Qala-i-Naw city on motorcycles. Amid the chaos, there was a jailbreak at the local prison.
Boris Johnson announces withdrawal of UK troops from Afghanistan
"All British troops assigned to NATO's mission in Afghanistan are now returning home," Johnson told the House of Commons, lower house of the British parliament. The Prime Minister would not disclose the exact timetable of the departure for security reasons, but added that most of the 750 remaining British troops had already left, the Xinhua news agency reported.
US military mission in Afghanistan to end on Aug 31: Joe Biden
Biden in April ordered all US troops to leave Afghanistan before September 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that drew the US into its longest war. In defending the withdrawal, he noted that the US military had achieved its counter-terrorism objectives in the 20-year war. Biden reaffirmed that the US will continue providing support to the Afghan government.
77 Taliban militants killed in Afghan airstrikes
Earlier in the day, 35 militants were killed following a pre-dawn airstrike in surrounding areas of Alishing district of Laghman province, the Ministry said in a statement. A footage released by the Ministry showed heavily armed militants gathering in a muddy house before launching attacks on security checkpoints in the area, reports Xinhua news agency.
As Taliban begins to implement its code of conduct, civilians pick up gun
Under the new rules, the men have been asked to grow beards and the women have been forbidden to leave home. The Taliban also has set dowry rules for girls. The fears had been swirling for months after it became clear that US and NATO troops would be vacating Afghanistan after a stay of two decades—in the aftermath of the devastating attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York on 11 September 2001.
Advertisement