SECURITY
15 ISIS Militants Killed in Hamza Operations in Nangarhar Province
Nangarhar: At least 15 militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were killed during the ongoing operations in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. The militants were killed during the Hamza operations being conducted in the vicinity of Nargiso area in Achin district. Khaama
Explosives Placed in Fuel Tanker Defused by Kabul Police
Kabul: The Afghan security forces thwarted a plot by the anti-government armed militant groups to carry out another major explosion in Kabul city. The explosives were placed in a fuel tanker to carry out an explosion in the city. This comes as capital Kabul witnessed a series of deadly attacks and violence last week. Khaama
Faryab’s Strategic Area Captured by Taliban
Faryab: The Qurai Shaikhi area of Khwaja Sabz Posh district in northwestern Faryab province fell to the Taliban. Further details about the causalities have not been yet produced. Pajhwok
POLITICAL
Saturday Declared a Day of National Mourning
President Ashraf Ghani declared Saturday a national day of mourning to honor the victims of the recent deadly attacks in Kabul, Khost and Herat provinces. The decision was made to express condolences with the families of those who lost their lives in deadly blasts. Tolonews
NDS being led by Unprofessional, Unqualified Individuals: MP
An MP and a former military official said that the National Unity Government leaders have politicized the National Directorate of Security (NDS) and have appointed “unprofessional and unqualified” individuals in the leadership of the security agency. Senior officials of the NDS have been appointed based on political shares mentioned in the NUG agreement signed by President Ghani and CEO Abdullah in September 2014. Tolonews
Daesh Militants Recruiting in Ghor Province: Officials
A group of fighters loyal to Daesh are training a number of young men and children in remote area in the north of Feroz Koh, the capital of Ghor province in Afghanistan’s central regions. Ghor Police Chief, Gen. Mustafa Mohseni, said that Daesh was trying to make its stronghold in north of Feroz Koh city and it had trained dozens of people including teenagers. Tolonews
Thousands Attend Pro-Govt Gathering in Kabul
Thousands of people from the eastern zone held a gathering in Kabul, pledging their support for the unity government. Lawmakers, tribal elders, religious scholars and the youth from eastern zone attended the gathering held in Kabul. According to them we, should support the government in Kabul in order to defeat the enemies of Afghanistan. Pajhwok
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Ghani Calls for Joint Efforts against Terrorism
Addressing the 17th conference of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Kazakhstan’s Astana city, President Ashraf Ghani called for joint efforts against terrorism and said those countries which differentiate between good terrorists and bad terrorists would pay the price for it. Afghanistan participated as an observer state of the organization at the summit, but the country’s security was one of the key issues discussed at the conference. Tolonews
President Ghani, Pakistan’s PM Discuss Afghan Peace Process
President Ashraf Ghani met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Kazakhstan where they discussed the ongoing Afghan peace process among other mutual interest issues. They talked about improving bilateral ties and Afghanistan’s peace process. In this meeting, it was agreed that a trilateral meeting will be held among Kabul, Islamabad and Beijing in order to establish peace and stability inside Afghanistan. Tolonews
Ghani, World Leaders Discuss Terror, Expansion of Trade Ties
In his meeting with world leaders on the sidelines of the Shanghai Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, President Ashraf Ghani discussed fighting against terrorism and expansion of Afghanistan’s trade ties with regional countries – including Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President Ghani agreed on establishing a joint committee to seek ways for extension of economic cooperation between the two countries. Ghani also met with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon in Astana city in which the later assured Ghani to cooperate with Afghanistan in transit affairs – particularly in the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan-Sher Khan Port and China-Iran railways. Tolonews
Afghanistan and China Sign Agreements on Railway Network, Electricity Projects
The Afghan and Chinese officials signed Memorandum of Understandings for the construction of railway network and implementation of electricity project. The memorandums were signed in the presence of President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. China will help in the reconstruction of railway network from Sher Khan Port to Herat and implementation of the electricity project on Kabul-Kunar River. Khaama
SCO Wants Internal Afghan Dialogue Revived
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) members called for resuming the work of the Afghanistan Contact Group to boost stability in the Asian country through dialogue between parties to the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that it was evident that a military solution to the Afghan conflict had no future. Moscow, like all other SCO members, favored a political solution through agreements between Afghans themselves. Pajhwok
Afghan Conflict Needs Political Solution: US
The Trump Administration said that peace in Afghanistan could be brought through a political solution and not a military one. “The United States sees Afghanistan in eventually a political solution to try to bring peace and stability. Pajhwok
US Drone Crashes in Nangarhar’s Behsud District
A US drone has crashed due to a technical error in the Behsud district of eastern Nangarhar province. The drone went down and crashed in the 11th Weyala. Pajhwok
