Archive for August 4th, 2021

Taliban take over TV station in strategic city as US airstrikes pound key positions in Afghanistan

The Taliban have taken over a TV station in Afghanistan’s strategic Helmand province, a source at the TV and radio station told CNN on Monday, marking the latest of a series of advances by the militant group in the country. The Helmand TV station, located in the city of Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, is operated by state-run […]

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How Iran and Saudi Arabia Can Together Bring Peace to the Middle East

The shift in Washington is undeniable: the Middle East is no longer a top priority for the United States. The U.S. withdrawal from the broader region is evident in the departure of troops from Afghanistan and reductions in U.S. military commitments to Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, alongside a heightened focus on China and Russia. There are good reasons […]

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Peacekeeping force in Afghanistan not on radar screen of Security Council: Indian UN ambassador

“I don’t think we have quite come to the idea of a peacekeeping force in Afghanistan,” said T.S. Tirumurti, the Indian UN ambassador. UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) — The Security Council is not considering a peacekeeping force in Afghanistan although the situation in the country is a matter of grave concern in light of the abrupt withdrawal of U.S. […]

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Petraeus warns US leaving Afghanistan to face ‘bloody, brutal civil war’

The former US commander for Afghanistan, David Petraeus, has told The Times that the United States has abandoned its duty to protect the country and that it will leave the nation to a “bloody, brutal civil war.” Mr Petraeus, an architect of the counterinsurgency programmes in both Iraq and Afghanistan, warned that the nation is in danger of a takeover […]

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Uzbek, Tajik Militaries Conduct Drills Close to Afghan Territory

Uzbek military forces crossed the Tajik border on Monday, to take part in joint Russian-Tajik-Uzbek drills close to the territory of Afghanistan, Reuters reported. The military exercises are to take place from August 5 to August 10 according to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Defense. Moscow said it would send a much bigger military contingent to Tajikistan for trilateral exercises amid fears […]

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Clashes Ongoing in Herat City for 6th Day

Clashes entered the sixth day in the city of Herat on Monday specifically in districts 2, 3, 7 and 14 as well as in the southern parts of Herat’s capital near Injil district. Herat is the second provincial capital city along with Lashkargah where heavy clashes have been underway for the past few days. “We have air support and the […]

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Fighting in Helmand’s Capital Lashkargah Continues for 5th Day

Clashes between government forces and the Taliban intensified in the city of Lashkargah in southern Helmand province, leaving some streets of the city empty of residents and adding to concerns about rising threats to major capitals. The frontline was in District 1 where the US conducted an airstrike on Monday morning that left seven Taliban killed, according to the Defense […]

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UN calls on parties to stop fighting as civilian casualties mount in Helmand

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed its deep concerns over civilians’ casualties in southern Helmand province as the Taliban continue offensives across the country. UNAMA said Tuesday that at least 40 civilians have been killed and 118 others wounded within the last 24 hours in clashes between the Afghan army and the Taliban militants. “Deepening concern […]

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French envoy says Taliban will ‘never have total control of the people’

David Martinon, the French Ambassador to Kabul said this week that France is very disappointed in the slow progress around the peace talks but that the Afghan Republic has made huge concessions while the Taliban has not done the same. In an exclusive interview with Ariana News, he said: “We felt a very strong willingness from the republican side to […]

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Kabul residents come out en mass in support of security forces

Thousands of Kabul residents took to the streets of the city at 9pm on Tuesday night chanting slogans, including Allahu Akbar (God is Great), in support of the Afghan security forces who are battling the Taliban on multiple fronts across Afghanistan. In addition to chanting slogans, residents waved the country’s flag, showing support for the republic system and the government […]

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