2 killed, 9 injured in Afghanistan last week

KABUL (Pajhwok): Last week, Kazakhstan appointed a special envoy for Afghanistan and Russia said it would decide on recognizing the Islamic Emirate at an appropriate time, while the UN claimed a three percent increase in security incidents in Afghanistan, which the IEA rejected, and the European Union announced €161 million in aid to Afghanistan.

Key events from last week:

• Hanifi: Afghanistan eager to expand ties with China, SA.
• Kabul, Beijing emphasize expanding cooperation.
• Kazakhstan appoints special envoy for Afghanistan
• IEA: Norwegian delegation to evaluate relations.
• Russia looks for appropriate time to recognize IEA
• UN report: Security incidents in Afghanistan surge; IEA denies.
• AI asks Pakistan to extend validity of Afghan refugees’ cards.
• EU to provide €161 million in aid to Afghanistan this year.

Casualties:
Last week, two people were killed and nine others were injured in various incidents across Afghanistan.

Local officials reported that, due to explosions of old unexploded ordnances, five people were injured in Faryab and two children in Kunar. In Nangarhar, a 16-year-old boy lost his life in a similar incident, and his brother and sister were injured.

Additionally, last week, unidentified gunmen killed a former provincial council secretary of the previous government in Faryab.

In the previous week, three people had been killed in Afghanistan.

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

China–South Asia Expo

Last week, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Maulvi Abdul Salam Hanafi departed for China at the head of a high-level delegation to attend the 9th China–South Asia Expo.

Hanafi said that Afghanistan was keen to expand cooperation with China and South Asian countries.

He emphasized that, due to its strategic geographical location, Afghanistan could serve as a vital bridge connecting Central, South, and East Asia.

Hanafi described the China-South Asia Expo as an important platform for fostering economic, cultural, and political cooperation among regional countries.

He noted that China, as a global economic power, has laid a strong foundation for regional development and progress through initiatives like the Belt and Road.

He reiterated Afghanistan’s interest in enhancing collaboration with China and South Asian nations in sectors such as mining, energy, transit, technology, and trade.

Hanafi underlined Afghanistan’s potential to play a key role as a regional connector due to its unique location.

Similarly, during a meeting with Wang Dongming, the Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, Hanifi expressed hope that cooperation between the two countries would be further strengthened and expanded in various sectors.

Dongming said that Afghanistan and China, as two neighboring countries, do not have any issues between them. He also expressed hope that relations between the two nations would grow even stronger and broader.

Diplomatic ties

Kazakhstan has named Yerkin Tukumov as the country’s special representative for Afghanistan.

The spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, Zabihullah Mujahid, praised Kazakhstan’s appointment of a special envoy and expressed hope that bilateral relations would further improve.

A Norwegian delegation will soon visit Afghanistan to assess bilateral relations between Kabul and Oslo, Norway’s chargé d’affaires in Kabul announced.

Per Albert Ilsaas made the announcement during a meeting with Foreign Minister Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi on Wednesday.

The spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Moscow is awaiting the arrival of the Islamic Emirate’s ambassador.

In an interview with Sputnik News Agency, Maria Zakharova also commented on the issue of recognizing the Islamic Emirate, saying that Russia’s leadership will make a decision on the matter at an appropriate time.

Reaction to UN report

Last week, UN Secretary-General António Guterres presented a report to the Security Council.
The report reviews Afghanistan’s political, economic, and security situation from February 1 to the end of April of the current Gregorian year. It states that security incidents in Afghanistan have increased by 3% compared to the same period last year.

Zabihullah Mujahid rejected the report, stating that it is based on inaccurate information and intended for propaganda purposes.

He asserted that security in Afghanistan is better than ever and that people are living their lives in peace.

Afghan refugees

Amnesty International has urged Pakistan to urgently extend the validity of Afghan refugees’ Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, warning that failure to act could endanger thousands of families.

In a statement, Amnesty International (AI) said that only ten days remain until the expiration of the PoR cards for Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

The organization warned that any delay in renewing these cards could have serious consequences, exposing thousands of Afghan families to severe hardships and legal uncertainty.

AI called on the Pakistani government to extend the validity of these identity cards immediately and to officially revoke the “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan” to prevent the forced deportation of Afghan refugees.

Japan’s Ambassador in Kabul Takayoshi Kormaya says his country’s assistance to Afghans will continue as before, with no reduction in aid. He said this at a meeting with Minister of Refugee and Repatriation Maulvi Abdul Kabir.

Kormaya said Japan allocated 7.5 million US dollars through United Nations agencies during the current fiscal year to address challenges faced by Afghan returnees from other countries.

Referring to the global decline in humanitarian assistance, he assured that Japan’s support for the Afghan people would remain steady and would not be reduced.

He also pointed out that following the ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, many Afghan farmers encountered economic difficulties, as suitable alternative crops could be introduced as yet.

For his part, Maulvi Abdul Kabir welcomed the continuation of Japan’s aid, calling it vital and stressed the importance of minimising unnecessary administrative costs in the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

Last year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) stated that it needed $500 million to continue supporting Afghans.

In its budget proposal for the year 2025, the organization announced that it requires a total budget of $8.2 billion, of which $499.8 million is intended to be allocated for operations in Afghanistan.

This comes as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has expressed concern over the reduction of assistance to Afghan refugees being deported from Pakistan and Iran, following a decrease in humanitarian aid from the United States. The agency warned that this situation could further worsen the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

EU aid

The European Commission has announced it will provide €161 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan this year to support the most vulnerable people.

It said this funding would support humanitarian organisations working inside Afghanistan with over €141 million, while also responding to the needs of Afghan citizens and refugees in Pakistan and Iran, with €10 million allocated per country.

Similarly, last week, the organization announced that an aircraft carrying 100 tons of humanitarian aid had arrived in Kabul.

sa/ma