3 killed in Afghanistan last week

KABUL (Pajhwok): Last week, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) hoped the new US administration would adopt a pragmatic approach towards Afghanistan.

Uzbekistan stressed cooperation with Afghanistan, with the European Union pledging $100 million in aid to the country.

Last week’s key events:

• UNODC: Poppy cultivation up in Afghanistan; MoI spurns claim
• UNAMA: The Ministry of Vice and Virtue imposes new curbs on women
• MoVV: UNAMA still prepares reports based on un-Islamic values
• Indian, Chinese envoys held talks with IEA officials
• Mirziyoyev: Cooperation with Afghanistan must continue
• IEA to new US: We want a realistic policy on Afghanistan
• US pledges $100m in aid to Afghanistan.

Casualties

Last week, three people were killed in various incidents in Nangarhar province, where security personnel found the body of a young man, who had been killed by unknown individuals, in Khogyani district.

The officials also report that in the same district, unidentified assailants beheaded a man writing amulates for people.
Additionally, security officials say a fight broke out between two brothers in the Sheikh Misri camp area of Surkhrod district. One brother was stabbed to death.
No reports of killings were received from other provinces of the country in the past week.

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

In the previous week, five people had been killed and two others wounded in an incident in Afghanistan.

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

UN claims surge in poppy cultivation, IEA denies

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported a 19 percent spike in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan in 2024, a claim spurned as baseless by the Ministry of Interior.

But Mufti Abdul Mateen Qane, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior (MoI), wrote on X: “As poppy cultivation is a destructive phenomenon considered haram in Islam, IEA Supreme Leader Maulvi Hebatullah Akhundzada has banned the production and cultivation of drugs in the entire country.”

UNAMA’s report on women

In its recent quarterly report on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, UNAMA noted certain sections of the law from the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, stating it had imposed new restrictions on women.

The UNAMA report said: “The law codifies a number of restrictions that had already been issued as decrees, edicts and instructions by the de facto authorities. The law also appears to broaden some preexisting restrictions, and adds new ones.”

But the Ministry of ٰVice and Virtue, in response to the UNAMA report, said the mission still prepared its reports based on non-Afghan and un-Islamic values.

Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, a spokesman for the ministry, said the report made no mention of the ministry’s achievements in areas such as inheritance and the prevention of forced marriages.

Mirziyoyev urges continued global support for Afghanistan

Speaking at the 11th summit of the Organization Turkic States (OTS) in Bishkek, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev underscored the importance of integrating Afghanistan into regional economic processes and prioritising the implementation of social and infrastructure projects.

At the same summit, Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reaffirmed his country’s support for Afghanistan.

The Turkish leader believed, in his view, a comprehensive approach based on fundamental human rights by the interim Afghan government could unlock new opportunities for Afghanistan.

Erdoğan said: “We do not separate the stability and peace of our region from Afghanistan’s progress. As we have always said, we stand by our Afghan brothers. However, I believe adopting an inclusive approach based on basic human rights by the interim government will open new opportunities.”

The Organization of Turkic States was founded on October 3, 2009, with the participation of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Currently, it includes eight member states, seven Turkic-speaking countries and Hungary.

Meetings with foregin officials

In a statement, MoFA said Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met JP Singh, joint secretary at India’s Ministry of External Affairs. They discussed political and economic ties between Afghanistan and India, as well as the issue of travel for Afghans.

Also, Minister of Defence Maulvi Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid met Singh. They expressed a keen interest in further strengthening interaction between Afghanistan and India.

Acting Minister of Public Health Maulvi Noor Jalal Jalali and Emergency President RossellaMiccio discussed various issues, including the expansion of services and facilities for disabled patients at the hospital.

The two sides also conferred on the initiation of specialisation programmes at the Emergency Hospital, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said in a statement.

Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Zhao Xing discussed bilateral relations with Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai.

In a post on X, Xing wrote: “I have great honour to meet with H.E. Shir Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, deputy foreign minister of Afghanistan and exchange views on strengthening bilateral relations.”

Trump’s victory, IEA view

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) hoped the new US administration would adopt a practical approach to foster tangible progress in bilateral ties.

Republican candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday defeated Vice President Kamala Harris to secure a second term in the White House.

In a statement, MoFA said{, “In line with its balanced foreign policy, we hope that following the announcement of thelection results, the incoming US administration will adopt a pragmatic approach to ensure tangible advancement in bilateral relations, allowing both nations to open a new chapter of relations grounded in mutual engagement.”

Continuation of aid

The European Union (EU) has pledged to allocate $100 million in support of humanitarian and development projects in Afghanistan’s agricultural sector.

sa/mud