Afghanistan on Friday angrilyreacted to Russia’sSpecial Envoy Zamir Kabulov’s remarks in favourof a transitional coalition government in Kabul. Earlier in the week, Kabulov claimed the Taliban had not breached their peace deal with the United States of America. The pact was signed last year in Doha.

Foreign Minister Haneef Atmar is due in Moscow for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on issues of common interest. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry in Moscow said: “On February 24-27, Atmar will visit Moscow for talks with Lavrov and other officials.”

Russian President’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, on Friday met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and exchanged views on the Afghanistan peace process. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that “both Pakistan and Russia have convergence of views on matters of mutual interest including an inclusive political settlement of the conflict in Afghanistan.”

US President Joe Biden said that his administration “strongly” supports the diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the long-term conflict in Afghanistan. Addressing the virtual Munich Security Conference, Biden stated that the United States is committed to consulting closely with NATO on the way forward in Afghanistan.

Three IED blasts rattled Kabul city early Saturday morning, leaving at least two people killed. The first blast targeted a vehicle in Darulaman Road in PD6 of Kabul city at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Officials from the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations on Saturday stated that more than 70,000 families have been displaced in the current solar year in Afghanistan. Addressing a press conference, Noor Rahman Akhlaqi, Minister of Refugees and Repatriations said the displaced families have been receiving aid from Government and international bodies.

President Ashraf Ghani said during a phone conversation with Afghan soldiers on Saturday morning that Taliban will not get an interim government in Afghanistan. Ghani said that he is ready for Taliban’s threats.

Under the terms of that agreement with the US, the Taliban agreed to negotiate a peaceful resolution of this benighted country’s long-running civil war in return for Washington agreeing to withdraw all its remaining forces. In addition, they agreed to cut their ties with Islamist terrorist organisations such as Al-Qaeda.

United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin on Thursday after the second and final day of NATO Defense Ministerial in a released statement by the Pentagon thanked allies for their continued commitment to the Resolute Support Mission and reiterated that the US remains committed to a diplomatic effort to end the war.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed to fellow Defence Ministers representing NATO’s 30 members that the UK will scale up its own commitment in line with the Alliance’s missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Speaking in the virtual NATO defence ministerial conference said that UK government remains resolute to its support the Afghan government.