11 killed, 16 wounded in Afghanistan last week

KABUL (Pajhwok): Last week, Kabul and Oslo discussed developin diplomatic relations and China said its relations with Kabul have improved and concerns about Daesh in Afghanistan were raised at the UN Security Council.

However, the caretaker government rejected the presence and influence of Daesh in Afghanistan.

Key events of last week:

• UNSC meeting: Daesh a threat to Afghanistan, beyond
• IEA: Daesh has no power in Afghanistan
• Transparency International: Afghanistan improves on corruption index
• IEA: Transparency International report inaccurate
• Oslo,and Kabul discuss boosting diplomatic relations
• Mullah Baradar Qatari PM discuss economic ties
• China: Relations improved with Kabul

Casualties

At least 11 people were killed and 16 others were wounded in various incidents of violence across Afghanistan last week.

At least five people were killed and seven others wounded as a result of a suicide bombing near a Kabul Bank branch in the capital of Kunduz province last week.

At least one person was killed and three others were injured on Thursday when a suicide attacker attempted to enter the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MoUDH).

Local officials say three individuals were killed and two others wounded after an old landmine exploded in limits of Sheikh Abu Nasar Farahi port in Farah province. At least four people have been wounded as a result of a hand-grenade blast inside a mosque in the capital of northern Samangan 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.

In the previous week, 16 people had been killed and four others wounded in various incidents across Afghanistan.

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

Concerns, reactions raised in UNSC meeting on Daesh

UN counterterrorism officials have warned during a Security Council (UNSC) that the presence of Daesh in the region remains a threat to Afghanistan and some other countries, asking central Asian countries and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to help Afghanistan battle security threats.

However, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) is yet to comment on this issue, but it had said before that Daesh was not a threat in Afghanistan because it has been defeated and any propaganda about this should be avoided.

Pakistan’s envoy to the UN Munir Akram said at the meeting that his country was a victim of terrorist attacks and had suffered economic and life losses.

He questioned the validity of US claims that IS-K was conducting recruitment campaigns in his country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan says tha the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan rejects the accusation made by the Pakistani representative to the UNSC, calling them baselss.

It said: “We reassure the international community that after the re-establishment of the IEA, the hideouts of Daesh and other groups in Afghanistan have been completely eliminated, and practically no threat has been generated from Afghan soil to any country. If any security incident occurs in Afghanistan, the perpetrators have come from the other side of the Durand Line.”

Combating corruption in Afghanistan

In a recent report released by Transparency International, Afghanistan was ranked 150 in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in 2022 out of 180 countries.

According to the report, Afghanistan climbed 24 places compared to 2021 when the country was ranked 174 out of 180 countries.

Mullah Hamdullah Fitrat, IEA deputy spokesman, said the report of the Transparency International on Afghanistan was inaccurate and one-sided and they rejected it.

He added strong and decisive steps had been taken against corruption in Afghanistan, the level of corruption had come close to zero, and the governance system cleansed of the meance.

Ties with China, Norwy and Qatar

Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi met with with Per Albert Ilsaas, the Norwegian chargé d’affaires for Afghanistan to discuss political, economic, and humanitarian issues.

In a statement, MoFA said key topics of discussion included positive engagement with countries, the expansion of diplomatic relations, the fight against narcotics, and the security situation.

Muttaqi emphasized the opportunities emerging in Afghanistan and said that the IEA welcomes positive engagement with the international community based on mutual respect.

Dr Mullah Abdul Wase, chief of staff of the Prime Minister office, in a meeting with Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan Zhao Xing expressed hope that China would not spare any efforts in recognising the IEA.

He stated, “China was the first country to recognize the Islamic Emirate’s ambassador and recall its own ambassador to Afghanistan, which demonstrates the strong relationship between the two countries. I hope that the People’s Republic of China will also make efforts in recognizing the Islamic Emirate.”

Zhao Xing said relations between China and Afghanistan have always been good, and since 2021, they have improved further. He also stated that China has supported Afghanistan in international organizationss and conferences.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, traveled to Qatar, and met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, the country’s prime minister and foreign minister.

Mullah Baradar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani discussed various issues including economic matters and Qatar’s investment in Afghanistan, said Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesman for IEA.

sa/ma