Afghan President Ashraf Ghani congratulated Iran’s President-elect Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi on his victory in Iran’s presidential elections last week and told Raisi he hoped relations would further expand under his leadership. The Presidential Palace said in a statement on Tuesday Ghani and Raisi had a telephonic conversation. “Afghanistan and Iran are two neighboring and brotherly countries, and I hope that […]

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has said his country is ready to be a partner for peace in Afghanistan with the United States but that it will not host US military bases. In an opinion article for the Washington Post, Khan said: “Our countries have the same interest in that long-suffering country: a political settlement, stability, economic development and the […]

UN Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet has voiced her concern over the sharp increase in violence and harm to civilians in Afghanistan. In a statement issued after the 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Bachelet said the recent attack on “a school in a Hazara area of Kabul – which killed 85 children, most of them girls – […]

A senior Qatari official said Indian officials made a “quiet visit” to Doha where they met with the Taliban’s political leadership. India Today reported Tuesday that speaking at a virtual event, ‘Looking Towards Peace in Afghanistan after the US-NATO Withdrawal’, organised by Arab Center Washington DC, Qatar’s Special Envoy of the State of Qatar for Counterterrorism and Mediation of Conflict […]

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said Tuesday that a number of Taliban infiltrators were arrested in northern Kunduz province amid a sharp increase in Taliban attacks across the country. The MoD said in a statement that the infiltrators – under the guise of tribal elders – had spoken to the Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) to hand over a security […]

On 16 June 2021, Russian president Vladimir Putin met with US President Joe Biden to discuss the tense bilateral relationship. Despite differences in Russia’s specific bilateral relations with NATO members such as Germany over economic ties and the gas pipeline, or Turkey-Russia strategic relations, to name two examples, Biden presumably spoke as the senior partner of the Atlantic alliance. Judging […]

The European countries have their own plans, while welcoming the US leadership and resuscitating trans-Atlanticism but not jeopardising their cooperation with China. They will tread softly regarding Washington’s calls to crack down on China. Cooperation in the business circles will not be dented because enterprises will vote with their feet. The CNN reported that the seven leaders aired serious differences […]

The recently concluded meetings of the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Cornwall from the 11th to 13th of June 2021, have reaffirmed their commitment to a post pandemic world based on twin planks; i) revive capitalism and ii) reinstate imperialism. These twin decaying and dangerous ideals are central to the Carbis Bay G7 Summit Communique by […]

The Taliban insurgents have seized control of another 17 districts in eight provinces in the past 24 hours. A member of Takhar provincial council told Ariana News that the Taliban overrun the Dasht-e-Qala, Darqad, Namak Aab, Chaal, Khwaja Ghar, Hazar Samuch, Yangi Qala, and Khwaja Baha-u-Din districts of the province. Meanwhile, the Afghan forces have also retreated from the Dara […]

Beijing has warned Chinese nationals in Afghanistan to leave the country as soon as possible amid a sharp rise in violence and for its organizations to take extra precautions during these uncertain times. China’s warning comes amid the foreign troop withdrawal process, which is more than halfway complete. China’s embassy in Afghanistan said on Saturday that Chinese citizens and organisations […]