5 killed, as many injured in Afghansitan last week

KABUL (Pajhwok): At its latest summit in Islamabad last week, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) stressed the need for the resolution of disputes between countries through dialogue.

Germany provided $11.2 million in aid to Afghanistan, reports emerged regarding the killing of dozens of Afghan refugees in Iran.

But Iran vehemently denied the claim of a human rights organisation, with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan saying it had appointed a delegation to probe the reported killings.

Key events of last week

• SCO call for negotiated resolution of disputes
• Haalvsh: 260 Afghan refguees killed in Iran
• UN seeks probe into reported killing of Afghans

Casualties:

Last week, five people, including two security personnel and one woman, were killed, and five others injured in an armed attack on a passenger vehicle on the Faryab-Badghis highway in Faryab province,.

Note: These figures are based on reports reaching Pajhwok Afghan News. Some incidents may have gone unreported or sources could have provided incorrect figures.

During the previous week, three people had been killed and five others injured in two different incidents in Afghanistan.

Before the regime change in 2021, hundreds of civilians, insurgents and security forces would be killed and maimed every week.

SCO summit

Pakistan hosted the 23^rd meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG) of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on October 15 and 16.

A joint communique of the 23rd meeting of the council of heads of government of SCO member states stressed the promotion of cooperation within the framework of the SCO Year of Sustainable Development.

The participants considered it important to pursue sustainable and inclusive economic growth of member states ,optimising on the region’s potential in areas such as green development, digital economy, trade, e-commerce, finance and banking, investment, high technology, start-ups and innovation, poverty alleviation, health care, including traditional and folk medicine, agriculture, industry, transport, logistics connectivity, energy, including renewable energy, communications, science and technology, environment and climate change.

The interim government of Afghanistan was not invited to participate in this summit. Before the meeting, IEA’s deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said Afghansitan held observer status in SCO and maintained good relations with member states through bilateral mechanisms.

Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar commented on Afghanistan’s absence from the summit, saying, “The issue has been such since 2021. Although it was not a permanent member, it had observer status. However, since 2021, its observer status has also been suspended, and therefore they were not invited to this summit. Pakistan cannot make a decision on this issue alone.”

Reported killing of Afghans in Iran

Haalvsh, citing two eyewitnesses, reported that at least 260 Afghan migrants were killed while attempting to cross into Iran. However, this incident has not been confirmed yet by other sources.

Iran has rejected the reports as groundless. IEA says that claim regarding the killing and injuring of dozens of Afghans on the Iran-Pakistan border remain unverified, and a decision will be made following a thorough investigation.

Earlier, Khalil Rahman Haqqani, the acting minister of refguees, met Iranian Ambassador Hassan Kazimi Qomi and said IEA intended to repatriate Afghan refugees but emphasised on the need for a joint strategy to ensure their return with dignity.

Recently, several Afghan refugees expelled from Iran told Pajhwok that Iranian police mistreated them and forcibly expelled them from the country.

Continued aid

During the outgoing week, Germnay contributed $11.2 million to the humanitarian fund for Afghanistan.

sa/mud