Will never recognise Durnd Line as official Pak-Afghan border: Karzai

[Hindustani78]

http://www.khaama.com/pedram-says-his-party-recognizes-durand-line-as-pak-afghan-border-02482

An Afghan lawmaker and the chief executive of the national congress party of Afghanistan Abdul Latif Pedram has said his party recognizes Durand Line as the international border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The statement by Pedram comes in contrast with the former and current Afghan government officials who have long been rejecting to recognize Durand Line as an international border.


“I once again announce that the line is an international border and Afghanistan and Pakistan should respect each other and respect the border of each other and refrain from interfering in internal affairs of each other,” he was quoted as saying in a report by VOA’s Afghanistan service.

This comes as the former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said last month Afghanistan will not recognize Durand Line as a formal border between Afghanistan and Pakistan as he reacted towards Pakistan’s move to close the transit and travel routes between the two countries.

“The Govt of Pakistan has no legal authority to dictate terms on the Durand line.while we wish freedom for the people of #FATA from FCR and other repressive measures, we remind the Govt of #Pakistan that #Afghanistan hasn’t and will not recognize the #Durand line.” Karzai said.

Karzai made the remarks after Pakistan unilaterally closed the transit and travel routes along the line in late February but the routes were opened after the Pakistani Prime Minister issued a decree on 20th March to immediate open the routes.

The Pakistani authorities decided to close the routes following a series of attacks last month which led to the death of scores of people while hundreds of others were wounded.

The attacks resulted into escalation of tensions between the officials of the two countries as the top diplomats were summoned both by Islamabad and Kabul regarding the presence of the alleged terrorists sanctuaries on the soils of the two countries.

Islamabad handed over a list of at least 76 terrorists demanding Kabul to take actions against them which they alleged are involved in a series of attacks using the Afghan soil.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Afghan intelligence operatives foiled a suicide plotted by the notorious Haqqani terrorist network for execution in southeastern Paktika province of Afghanistan.

The National Directorate of Security (NDS) said a suspected suicide bomber was arrested before he manage to carry out attack on the district police commandment of Jani Khel.

According a statement by NDS, the suspect has been identified as Mohammad Yasin who was trained on the otherside of the Durand Line for the attack by the Haqqani network.

The statement further added that Yasin was arrested in Sharana city, the provincial capital of Paktika before he manage to carry out the attack.

According to NDS, Yasin was appointed for the attack by a commander of the Haqqani network identified as Kasu who is based on the other side of the Durand Line.

Haqqani network was formed in the late 1970s by Jalaluddin Haqqani. The group is allied with al-Qaida and the Afghan Taliban and cooperates with other terrorist organizations in the region.

The US Department of State designated the HQN as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on September 7, 2012.
This come as local officials in Paktika said at least twenty nine insurgents of the Taliban group including two senior leaders of the group were killed in a US drone strike in the same district last month.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/solving-the-afghan-riddle/article19729685.ece?homepage=true


The U.S. has clearly identified the root cause of the Afghan problem; India has always been a part of the solution

Afghanistan, counterterrorism and defence ties are expected to be the prime issues on the table during James Mattis’s visit to India next week. The U.S. Defence Secretary’s trip will happen barely a month after President Donald Trump announced the latest U.S. policy on Afghanistan on August 21, a blueprint that has been welcomed in Kabul and criticised in Islamabad.

Mr. Trump’s policy envisages more pressure on Pakistan, no early U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, robust military action on counterterrorism and a greater role for India. It is for the first time that a U.S. President has been publicly so critical of Pakistan. In 2009, President Barack Obama had spoken of Pakistan’s lack of action, but not so strongly and harshly as his successor. Sharp words on Pakistan have been said at different levels by earlier U.S. administrations too. They were also codified in the form of conditions in various assistance laws, including the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Bill. The important issue today is how the U.S. strategy differs from the past in terms of addressing concerns regarding Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan, particularly in view of a shift in Pakistan’s strategic priority towards China.

The situation in Afghanistan continues to be fragile. Though the Taliban has made some gains, it is not a cohesive movement and has divisions within it. At the same time it has to be understood that since 1747, Afghanistan’s territorial borders have remained unchanged unlike its neighbours Pakistan and the Central Asian Republics.

India-Afghanistan ties
Indo-Afghan relations are unique. Just after Independence, on January 4, 1950, India signed a Treaty of Friendship with Afghanistan which also permitted opening of consulates in each other’s country. Interestingly, not standing on protocol, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru signed this agreement with the Afghan Ambassador in India to indicate the importance New Delhi attached to its relations with Kabul. More recently, in October 2011, India was the first country Afghanistan signed a strategic partnership agreement with.

The basic tenets of India’s aims, policy and approach towards Afghanistan in respect of bilateral and regional cooperation remain unchanged. India has always wanted a democratic, stable and strong Afghanistan able to decide its own future.

India has a close strategic partnership with Afghanistan covering a broad spectrum of areas which include political, security, trade and economic cooperation as well as capacity development. India’s assistance in the defence sector has been modest and based on specific requests by the government of Afghanistan. The cumulative level of committed Indian assistance to Afghanistan amounts to $2 billion. New Delhi is always ready for more intensive bilateral relations. It has been at the forefront in respect of assistance for the reconstruction of Afghanistan and can be expected to do more in different sectors. Surveys conducted by various Afghan and foreign news agencies over the years show that the Afghan people ranked Indian assistance as the most suitable because of the positive role India played in the development programme of Afghanistan. Furthermore India is considered as non-threatening with its democratic traditions upheld as a model. The Afghans also appreciate that India had never interfered in their internal affairs.

Speedy augmentation, training and supply of equipment for the Afghan National Security Forces is important to enable Afghanistan to protect its interests and maintain peace in the country. The Afghans want more help, for instance, at present for their air force. India could assist Afghanistan in training as per their requirement and supplying much-needed spare parts and such equipment as is possible without deployment of Indian troops in Afghanistan.

Asia is a region of energy and resources stretching from the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea and Central Asia to Siberia and Russia’s Far East. The energy basket needs to be exploited for the benefit of Afghanistan and the surrounding region. The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline is one example. SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) should help in encouraging regional economic cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbours. Expeditious action on completion of the Chabahar port will help in increasing Afghanistan’s contacts with India and the outside world.

No outside interference
It is essential that there is no outside interference in Afghanistan. To enable this, the infrastructure of terrorism has to be dismantled. It is important to deny sanctuary and support to the Taliban’s Quetta Shura and the Haqqani network, as terrorism and insurgency cannot end without action taken against them. For any effective counterterrorism policy, all major terrorist groups operating in the area should be considered a single group. President Trump has stated in his policy statement that “Pakistan gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror”. The elimination of terror outfits will bring peace to Afghanistan.

Simultaneously, it is also imperative to redouble counter-narcotics efforts as Afghanistan remains the world’s largest producer of opium accounting for 90% of the world’s supply. Success in this field will have a positive effect on its neighbours.

India is in favour of a reconciliation process which has overall Afghan support and is based on internationally accepted redlines. India supports the Afghan quest for peace and reconciliation. Indeed peace and reconciliation were embedded in the very first international compact on Afghanistan, in the text of the Bonn Agreement of December 2001. Renunciation of violence will help this process. For regional security there must be closer involvement of regional powers in international efforts to ensure non-interference and a stable Afghanistan; this also requires involvement of the Central Asian Republics, which border Afghanistan. It is important for India to coordinate its efforts with those of Russia and Iran to ensure success. The U.S. will benefit in helping this to happen.

India-Pakistan relations
Unfair attempts have been made now and then to link the Afghan issue with India-Pakistan relations. There is no connection. A study of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations since 1947 will reveal that their relations have always been thorny and replete with problems except during the brief Taliban era. Even during that period there were differences on issues like the Durand Line. Neither have India-Pakistan relations, good or bad, impacted on Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. India and Afghanistan have never exploited their friendly bilateral relations to harm Pakistan. This is clear from three things: (a) In both the 1965 and 1971 wars, Afghanistan was non-committal and did not support India; (b) On the Kashmir issue, Afghanistan has not publicly supported India; (c) Similarly, India has not entered the debate on the Durand Line.

Some instances in the last three decades also reflect the same viewpoint. Neither India nor India-Pakistan relations were responsible for the situation which prevailed in Afghanistan following the departure of the Soviet troops which threw the country back to medieval times and brought the Taliban to power and Al Qaeda/Osama bin Laden in the region. No extremist group — the Taliban, Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba — is based in India or has any Indian connection. The U.S. operation to kill Osama bin Laden and the recourse to drone attacks in Afghanistan were due to the situation prevailing there, which had nothing to do with India or India-Pakistan relations. Again when Pakistan decided to shift over 100,000 of its security forces from its eastern border with India to its western border with Afghanistan in 2010, India did not exploit the situation. India, in fact, has always been a part of the solution. To blame India-Pakistan relations for the situation in Afghanistan is neither fair nor just. The root cause of the Afghan problem has been clearly stated in President Trump’s policy statement of August 21 and also mentioned in his address to the UN General Assembly on September 19. Now Afghanistan, and the region, await to see how it is implemented.

Satinder K. Lambah is former Special Envoy of the Prime Minister and currently Chairman of Ananta Aspen Centre, an independent, not-for-profit organisation

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.khaama.com/top-pakistani-general-compares-durand-line-fencing-to-berlin-wall-03621


A top commander of the militia forces of Pakistan believes the construction of wall along Durand Line is normal as similar walls were built in Germany and others still exist in Mexico and other parts of the world, ignoring the major challenges could be faced by the residents on the two sides of the line, who have been historically living together and having close relationships.

Col. Muhammad Usman, commander of Pakistan’s Frontier Corps paramilitary force in Chaman has told Reuters that “(A border wall) was there in Germany, it is in Mexico. It is all over the world – why not in Afghanistan and Pakistan?”

“These tribals have to understand that this is Pakistan and that place is Afghanistan,” he added.

According to Reuters, Pakistan is building a fence to prevent militants criss-crossing the porous 2,500 km (1,500 mile) frontier along the disputed colonial-era Durand line drawn up by the British in 1893.

The report by Reuters further adds that officials in Baluchistan are now working on shifting Pakistani citizens in the divided villages to their side of the fence and say security worries override concerns that it will break up communities.

According to the paper, Pakistan plans to build more than 100 new border posts and Islamabad is recruiting in excess of 30,000 soldiers to man them, according to a senior military source.

In the meantime, the justifications provided by the Pakistani authorities regarding the construction of the barriers along the line, comes as the Afghan and US officials are saying that the main sanctuaries of the terrorist groups, including the Taliban and Haqqani network leadership councils are based in Pakistan, who are mainly involved in the ongoing and deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan.

The Trump administration has also started to levy more pressure on Islamabad to eliminate the sanctuaries of the terrorist groups from its oil with the US President Donald Trump announcing late in August that the Pakistan has provided safe havens to terror groups and such moves would not be acceptable anymore.



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http://www.khaama.com/karzai-reiterates-his-stance-regarding-the-durand-line-03631

The former Afghan President Hamid Karzai reiterated his stance regarding the controversial Durand Line separating Afghanistan and Pakistan, insisting that he has never and will never accept the line as the formal border between the two nations.

Speaking during a press conference in Kabul today, Karzai said we want good relations and friendship with Pakistan but the Afghan nation will never accept Durand Line as the formal border.

In other parts of his speech, Karzai said such claims are baseless and are not true that twenty terrorist groups are operating in Afghanistan.

However, he expressed concerns regarding the deployment of ISIS fighters by alien helicopters.

The former Afghan President asked the United States to help and provide information regarding such movements.

This comes as Karzai earlier accused the US forces in Afghanistan for aiding the loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group.

In an interview with the Russia Today and in response to a question whether there was any suspicion that the US was aiding ISIS group, Karzai said “I have more than suspicions.”

However, he said reports regarding the alleged support to ISIS by the US forces are still unconfirmed.

Karzai said he had heard reports, albeit unconfirmed, that the IS was being supplied with helicopters.

The former President further added “How unmarked non-military colour helicopters supply these people, not only in one part of the country but in many regions.”

“And this is a daily occurrence,” he said, claiming that the terror group has been able to spread its tentacles in the country just under the nose of the US forces and the CIA.

 

[pakdefender]

Afghanistan and India dont recognize the Durand line and are using it to create unrest in Pakistan , it is a global security problem
Its via Durrand line that Osama Bin Laden got into Pakistan

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-reacts-at-uk-ambassadors-remarks-regarding-durand-line-03655

The Afghan government officials have reacted at the remarks of the British Ambassador to Afghanistan regarding the Durand Line, insisting that the line has never been a formal border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Officials in the ministry of borders and tribal affairs of Afghanistan called the remarks of Nicholas Peter Kay against the principles of diplomacy.

The deputy minister of borders and tribal affairs Nangialai Qalatwal has told RFE that the Durand Line was never a formal border and will never be, insisting that the stance of the Afghan government is clear in this regard and the remarks of the British Ambassador are incorrect.

According to reports, the British Ambassador to Afghanistan Nicholas Peter Kay had earlier said that the Durand Line is the formal border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

He has reportedly made the remarks during an interview with the BBC, saying that the international community and Britain recognizes Durand Line as the formal border between the two countries.

In his remarks regarding the fencing of the line by Pakistan, the British envoy has said that Pakistan has the right to fence the border.

This comes as the Pakistani military is busy fencing the Durand Line despite the objections of Afghanistan.

The Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani had also reacted regarding the fencing work along the line and said last month that the fencing of the line will not separate the nations residing along the Durand line.

Speaking during a gathering in Pakia province, President Ghani said the love, blood relations, and history cannot be changed by fencing and only some scissors would be enough to remove the barriers.

 

[Areesh]

http://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-reacts-at-uk-ambassadors-remarks-regarding-durand-line-03655

The Afghan government officials have reacted at the remarks of the British Ambassador to Afghanistan regarding the Durand Line, insisting that the line has never been a formal border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Officials in the ministry of borders and tribal affairs of Afghanistan called the remarks of Nicholas Peter Kay against the principles of diplomacy.

The deputy minister of borders and tribal affairs Nangialai Qalatwal has told RFE that the Durand Line was never a formal border and will never be, insisting that the stance of the Afghan government is clear in this regard and the remarks of the British Ambassador are incorrect.

According to reports, the British Ambassador to Afghanistan Nicholas Peter Kay had earlier said that the Durand Line is the formal border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

He has reportedly made the remarks during an interview with the BBC, saying that the international community and Britain recognizes Durand Line as the formal border between the two countries.

In his remarks regarding the fencing of the line by Pakistan, the British envoy has said that Pakistan has the right to fence the border.

This comes as the Pakistani military is busy fencing the Durand Line despite the objections of Afghanistan.

The Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani had also reacted regarding the fencing work along the line and said last month that the fencing of the line will not separate the nations residing along the Durand line.

Speaking during a gathering in Pakia province, President Ghani said the love, blood relations, and history cannot be changed by fencing and only some scissors would be enough to remove the barriers.

Afghans can simply go f*ck themselves.

Durand line is the international border which can only be changed if we need more land from the other side.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.khaama.com/atmar-reacts-at-remarks-by-foreign-diplomats-regarding-durand-line-03783

The national security adviser of Afghanistan Mohammad Hanif Atmar reacted at remarks of the foreign diplomats based in Afghanistan regarding the Durand Line, urging the diplomats to respect historic rights of the country.

The Office of the National Security Council (ONSC) in a statement said reports have emerged regarding the Durand Line through media agencies where the foreign diplomats have offered their views regarding the Durand Line.

Atmar said the Afghan government urges the foreign diplomats to respect the historic rights of Afghanistan and understand the sensitivity of the Afghan people regarding the national and historic values, including Durand Line issue.

He said the foreign diplomats should offer their views by considering the sensitivity of the Afghan nation.

According to reports, the British Ambassador to Afghanistan Nicholas Peter Kay had earlier said that the Durand Line is the formal border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

He has reportedly made the remarks during an interview with the BBC, saying that the international community and Britain recognizes Durand Line as the formal border between the two countries.

In his remarks regarding the fencing of the line by Pakistan, the British envoy has said that Pakistan has the right to fence the border.

**************

 

[Hindustani78]

By Khaama Press - Mon Nov 13 2017, 11:56 am
http://www.khaama.com/pakistani-militants-among-4-killed-in-us-drone-strike-in-nangarhar-03832

At least four militants including Pakistani nationals were killed in a drone strike in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

The provincial government media office in a statement said the militants killed during the airstrike belonged to the ISIS terrorist group.

The statement further added that the airstrike was carried out Mamand Dara area of Achin district and the deaths included two Pakistani nationals.

Some weapons, ammunition, and explosives belonging to the terror group were also destroyed in the airstrike.

The ministry of defense of Afghanistan had eariler said at least two ISIS militants were killed and their hideout was destroyed in an airstrike conducted in Achin district of Nangarhar.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the ISIS loyalists have not commented regarding the report so far.

This comes as the Afghan national defense and security forces have stepped up counter-terrorism operations to suppress the insurgency activities of the militant groups.

The US forces based in Afghanistan also conduct airstrikes on militants hideouts as the terror groups attempt to expand their insurgency.

http://www.khaama.com/suicide-attack-rocks-kandahar-in-south-of-afghanistan-03836

An explosion rocked southern Kandahar province in West of Afghanistan later this afternoon.

Preliminary reports indicate a suicide bomber has detonated his explosives close to a convoy of the foreign forces in Dand district.

Provincial governor’s spokesman Qudratullah Khoshbakht confirmed that a heavy explosion has taken place in Dand district but did not disclose further information regarding the type of the blast and the possible casualties.
A security official in Dand district confirmed that a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle packed with explosives close to a convoy of the foreign forces.
He said there are no reports available regarding the casualties as a result of the explosion.

No individual or group has so far claimed responsibility behind the incident.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.khaama.com/pakistani-sol...-militants-attack-along-the-durand-line-03841

The Pakistani soldiers suffered casualties in the latest attack by the militant groups along the Durand Line, the security authorities said late on Monday.

The Inter Services Public Relations, media wing of the Pakistani military, in a statement confirmed the attack.

The statement further added that two soldiers were killed and four others were wounded in the attack carried out by the militants from the other side of the line from Afghanistan.

According to ISPR, a group of militants from across the border (Kunar province, Afghanistan) attacked a checkpost in Mamond tehsil of Bajaur Agency with heavy weapons.

The soldiers killed in the attack have been identified as Captain Junaid Hafeez and Sepoy Raham and injuring four soldiers.

The Pakistani military officials are saying that the security forces responded to the attack and killed at least 10 militants.

The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility behind the attack.

In a statement released to media, the group claimed that the attack was carried out as the Pakistani troops were busy erecting fences along the line.

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http://www.khaama.com/afghan-army-and-taliban-suffer-heavy-casualties-in-farah-clashes-03848

The Afghan army and Taliban insurgents suffered heavy casualties during separate clashes in Farah province late on Monday night.

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) spokesman Gen. Dawlat Waziri confirmed the incident and said the clashes broke out in the provincial capital and Bala Bolok district.

He said at least twenty Taliban insurgents were killed during the clashes and at least 21 others were wounded.

He said the Afghan armed forces also lost eight soldiers during the clashes and at least three of them sustained injuries.

According to Gen. Waziri, an investigation has been launched in connection to the incident and further information will be released later.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents have not commented regarding the report so far.

Farah is among the relatively volatile provinces in western Afghanistan where the Taliban insurgents and militants belonging to the other insurgent groups are actively operating in a number of its districts.

The militants often carry out insurgency activities in the form of coordinated attacks, suicide blasts, and roadside bombings in different parts of the province.

 

[Hindustani78]

At least twenty two militants were killed or wounded during the clashes in northern Balkh province of Afghanistan, the Afghan army officials said late on Monday.

According to the officials of the 209th Shaheen Corps, the clash took place in the vicinity of Chahar Bolak district of Balkh province between the Afghan armed forces and the Taliban insurgents.

The officials further added that seven militants were killed and five others were wounded during the clashes that took place in the vicinity Salbaroon, Khwajah Roshnayi, and Samochak villages.

**********

At least twenty three militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group and other insurgent groups were killed in separate drone strikes in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

The 201st Silab Corps of the Afghan military said Tuesday that the latest airstrikes were carried out in Achin and Shirzad districts.

A statement by the Silab Corps said the US unmanned aerial vehicles targeted the hideout of the militants in Marki area of Sherzad district on Monday, leaving two militants dead.

The statement further added that the insurgents killed during the air raid have been identified as Osman and Abbas and a vehicle, a PKM machine gun, an rocket launcher and an Ak-47 rifle were also destroyed.

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The Special Operations Forces of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) continue to apply pressure on the Taliban through an aggressive winter campaign in the northern parts of the country.

With the new fighting season is due to kick off in coming months, the size and strength of the Afghan Special Forces are also expected to increase with addition of the new commando forces.

10th Special Operation Kandak Commandos conducted a series of weapons proficiency ranges at Camp Pamir, Kunduz province, Afghanistan, Jan. 13, 2018. Divided into three special operations light infantry companies, the 10th SOK always actively pursues the enemies of Afghanistan with at least one Commando element. The special operators fired company organic weapon systems to include rifles, light and heavy machine guns, RPGs and mortars, according to a report Maj. Tony Mayne of the NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan.

The special operators continue to apply pressure on the Taliban through an aggressive winter campaign in the country’s northern region.

On Dec. 10, 2017, 10th SOK concluded a series of focused offensive operation in Kunduz province resulting in the removal of 101 Taliban fighters from Imam Sahib district. Over the course of five days, the Commandos eliminated 74 Taliban, wounded an additional 27 insurgents, and destroyed 87 defensive fortifications.

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https://www.khaama.com/15-tajikistani-militants-killed-in-afghan-air-force-raids-in-badakhshan-04278

At least fifteen militants hailing from Tajikistan were killed were killed in a series of airstrikes conducted in northeastern Badakhshan province of Afghanistan.

According to the 209th Shaheen Corps of the Afghan Military, the Afghan Air Force carried out a series of airstrikes against the militants hideouts in Jurm district using the A-29 planes.

A statement by the Shaheen Corps said at least fifteen militants were killed and eleven others were wounded in the airstrikes.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents have not commented regarding the report so far.

Badakhshan is among the remote provinces located in the northeastern parts of the country where the anti-government armed militants are actively operating in some of its districts.

*********

The Special Forces of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) have confiscated hundreds of rounds of landmines, ammunition, and explosives from a cache belonging to the Taliban group in southern Helmand province.

The Helmand governor’s office in a statement said the Afghan Special Forces conducted an operation in Sangin district late on Monday night.

The statement further added that three militants were killed and three suspects were arrested during the operation.

The Afghan Special Forces also confiscated 10 mortar rounds, 207 RPG rockets, 150 Improvised Explosive Devices, 50 remote-controlled landmines, 350 different types of ammunition rounds, 20 hand grenades, 320 kgs of explosives, and 234 equipments to be used in landmines.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents have not commented regarding the report so far.

Helmand is among the relatively volatile provinces in southern Afghanistan where the anti-government armed militant groups are actively operating in a number of its districts and often carry out insurgency activities.

In the meantime, the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) personnel are busy conducting counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations to suppress the activities of the militant groups.
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At least six militants were killed or wounded in the latest US drone strike in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, the Afghan military officials said Wednesday.

The airstrike was carried out in the vicinity of Khogyani district targeting a vehicle carrying the anti-government armed militants.

The 201st Silab Corps officials in the East said a vehicle carrying armed militants was targeted in the vicinity of Dandu Nokar Khel area, leaving three militants dead.

The officials further added that three other militants were also wounded in the airstrike and the vehicle was totally destroyed.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban and ISIS insurgents have not commented regarding the report so far.

*************

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.khaama.com/militants-su...one-strikes-in-afghanistan-and-pakistan-04288

At least two people were killed and another individual was wounded in drone strikes along the Durand Line targeting the suspected militants both inside the Afghanistan and Pakistan territories, it has been reported.

The officials in Pakistan’s tribal regions have said a suspected militant was critically wounded after he was targeted in Kurram Agency.

The officials further added that the drones targeted the militant close to a house in Badshah Kot area and the individual wounded in the airstrike has been identified as Khalid and a close relative of an Afghan militant commander.

According to the officials, the US drones also targeted the militants in Khost province of Afghanistan near the Durand Line and as a result two militants were killed.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents have not commented regarding the report so far.

The latest drone strike in the tribal regions of Pakistan close to the Durand Line has been carried out nearly a month after a similar airstrike targeted the Haqqani network commander in Pakistan.

The airstrike late in December last year was carried out in the vicinity of Mata Sangar area located in Kurram Agency in the tribal regions of Pakistan.

Local officials had confirmed that two people were killed in the airstrike which targeted a vehicle as it was traveling in the area.

According to reports a commander of the notorious Haqqani terrorist network identified as Jamil-ud-Din was killed in the airstrike along with another militant.

***************

The Taliban insurgent suffered casualties during the ongoing Pamir-17 operations in northern Kunduz province of Afghanistan as the military officials are saying that hundreds of rounds of Ak-47 ammunition were also confiscated along with an Improvised Explosive Device.

The 209th Shaheen Corps officials said at least five Taliban insurgents were killed and five others were wounded during the operations in the past 24 hours.

The officials further added that the Afghan armed forces also confiscated an Improvised Explosive Device and 300 rounds of Ak-47 ammunition during the operations.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents have not commented regarding the report so far.

The officials also added that two Taliban insurgents were critically wounded during a clash with the security forces in Qaflatoon village in Sayad district of Sar-e-Pul province.

The Pamir-17 operations are underway in the restive parts of the country in the North to suppress the insurgency activities of the militants who are attempting to expand foothold in the key provinces.

In the meantime, the hundreds of the Afghan Special Forces are expected to join the Afghan armed forces in the fight against the militant groups in the restive parts in the North as efforts are underway to launch more offensive operations with the start of the fighting season in coming months.

*************
https://www.khaama.com/suicide-bomber-killed-by-own-explosives-before-reaching-to-his-target-04293
A suicide bomber was killed in an explosion triggered by his own explosives and before reaching to his target in eastern Nangrhar province of Afghanistan.

The provincial government in a statement said the incident took place late on Wednesday evening in the vicinity of Jalalabad city, the provincial capital of Nangarhar.

The statement further added that the suicide bomber’s explosives went off in the 6th police district of the city, leaving himself dead along with another individual.

The suicide bomber was being chased by the security forces to be arrested based on the tip off received by Nangarhar police, the statement said.

According to the governor’s office, the other individual killed in the explosion has been identified as Maghfoor.

*************
https://www.khaama.com/5-senior-al-qaeda-leaders-killed-in-afghan-forces-raid-in-nangarhar-04295
At least five senior leaders of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network were killed in an operation of the Afghan security forces in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

The provincial government media office said Friday that the senior leaders of the Al-Qaeda network were killed in an operation conducted by the Special Forces of the Afghan intelligence directorate.

According to an official statement, the five senior Al-Qaeda network leaders, hailing from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Chechnya, were actively involved in planning and coordinating suicide attacks in the country.

The statement further added that three of those killed hailed from Chechnya, one hailed from Afghanistan, and one of them was a Pakistani national.

At least two others have also been arrested during the operation conducted in Shirzad district of Nangarhar province, the statement added.

The provincial government also added that the Afghan national killed in the operation has been identified as Mullah Sundi who was also famous as Siraj and was actively involved in spreading propaganda in favor of the terrorists.

At least four Ak-47 rifles, a PKM machine gun, a pistol and some ammunition were also confiscated, the statement said, adding that the local residents and security personnel have not suffered any casualties during the operation.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban and Al-Qaeda affiliates have not commented regarding the report so far.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.khaama.com/18-militants-killed-5-wounded-in-kunduz-airstrikes-and-operations-mod-04296

At least eighteen militants were killed during the operations of the Afghan armed forces in northern Kunduz province of Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said Saturday.

According to a statement by MoD, the operations were conducted with the close air support of the Afghan Air Force in Chahar Dara district.

The statement further added that five militants were also wounded and three others were arrested during the same operations.

The Afghan security forces also destroyed a vehicle and seven improvised explosive devices during the operations while some weapons and ammunition were confiscated, MoD said.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents have not commented regarding the report so far.

This comes as the 209th Shaheen Corps officials said Thursday at least five Taliban insurgents were killed and five others were wounded during the operations in the past 24 hours.

The officials further added that the Afghan armed forces also confiscated an Improvised Explosive Device and 300 rounds of Ak-47 ammunition during the operations.

The Pamir-17 operations are underway in the restive parts of the country in the North to suppress the insurgency activities of the militants who are attempting to expand foothold in the key provinces.

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A civilian was killed and another one was wounded in an explosion in Gardez city, the provincial capital of Paktia province.

The incident took place earlier today after a magnetic improvised explosive device planted in a civilian vehicle went off.

Provincial governor’s spokesman Abdullah Hasrat confirmed that one civilian was killed and another civilian was wounded in the explosion which took place around 10 am local time.

He said the civilians were travelling in the vicinity of the 2nd police district of the city when the magnetic bomb planted in their vehicle was detonated.

Hasrat further added that the victim has been identified as Samiullah Ahmadzai who was serving with the directorate for labor, social affairs, and martyrs of Paktia province.

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The insurgents have executed one of their former commanders on charges of having links with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) loyalists in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

The police commandment of Nangarhar in a statement said Saturday that the former Taliban commander was killed in Dur Baba district on Friday.

The statement further added that the ex-Taliban commander identified as Rahmatullah was killed at around 2 pm local time in Aman Kot district.

According to the provincial police commandment, Rahmatullah was accused of having links with the ISIS loyalists and was executed by his ex-comrades.

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[Hindustani78]

https://www.khaama.com/several-killed-in-a-deadly-clash-in-balkh-province-of-afghanistan-04310

Several people were killed in a deadly clash in northern Balkh province of Afghanistan as the Taliban claim that security personnel were killed in an operation of the Red Unit of the group.

However, the local officials are saying that a member of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) forces and 16 public uprising forces were killed during the clashes in Sholgar district.

On the other hand, a security source in Mazar-e-Sharif city said preliminary reports indicate the attack was carried out by a militant who had infiltrated among the uprising and local police forces.

The source further added that the victims were apparently poisoned before the militants stormed their check post and killed at least 17 people.

That a group of the Special Forces of their Red Unit stormed the check post and killed at least 18 policemen.

This comes as seven militants were killed and five others were wounded during the clashes that took place in the vicinity Salbaroon, Khwajah Roshnayi, and Samochak villages during the similar clashes in Chahar Bolak district last week.

Balkh is among the relatively calm provinces in North of Afghanistan where fewer insurgency related incidents have been reported since the fall of the Taliban regime and during the recent years.

But the anti-government armed militant groups are attempting to expand their insurgency in this province as the security situation in certain Northern provinces has started to deteriorate.

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https://www.khaama.com/heavy-clashes-continue-between-taliban-and-isis-in-north-of-afghanistan-04313
Heavy clashes continue between the Taliban insurgents and militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group in Jawzjan province in North of Afghanistan.

The local officials are saying that the clashes started three days back and as a result both sides have suffered casualties.

Provincial governor’s spokesman Mohammad Reza Ghafoori confirmed that a group of Taliban insurgents on Saturday launched a coordinated attack on ISIS hideouts in Qosh Tapa district.

He said at least ten ISIS militants were killed during the clashes and another militant was arrested alive by the Taliban insurgents.

According to Ghafoori, the Taliban militants launched the attack to avenge the killing of their comrades by ISIS insurgents.

Ghafoori also added that there are fears that the violence between the sides will further intensify as clashes continue since the last three days.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the ISIS insurgents have not commented regarding the report so far.

The security situation in Jawzjan province has started to deteriorate sharply during the recent years with the rampant insurgency led by the Taliban.

The loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group have started their operations in some districts of the province as they attempt to expand their foothold in the north.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.khaama.com/key-isis-group-member-killed-in-us-drone-strike-in-east-of-afghanistan-04315

A key member of the Islamic State terror group was killed in an airstrike of the US forces in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

According to the local security officials, the airstrike was carried out by the unmanned aerial vehicles of the US forces targeting the key ISIS member in the vicinity of Haska Mina district.

The provincial police officials said the ISIS member killed in the airstrike was a close relative, father of a ISIS commander Abdul Khaliq, who was involved in major terrorist related activities.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the ISIS insurgents have not commented regarding the report so far.

Nangarhar is among the relatively calm provinces in East of Afghanistan where fewer incidents have been reported since the fall of the Taliban regime.

However, since the year 2014, reports continue to emerge regarding the growing insurgency activities of the ISIS terrorist groups in some remote parts of the province, including Achin.

Earlier on Friday the local officials said, at least five key members of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network were killed during an operation of the Afghan intelligence operatives.

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https://www.khaama.com/attack-on-un-staff-member-in-kabul-04317

A group of armed men have reportedly attacked the UN staff member in Kabul city earlier today amid reports one person has been killed and another individual has been arrested.

According to the security officials, the incident took place in the vicinity of Khair Khana area of the city and a woman who is believed to UN staff member has been abducted.

Kabul police spokesman Bsir Muajhid confirmed that an incident involving hostage taking and murder has been reported from Khair Khana area.

He said an investigation is underway and further details will be released later.

This comes as reports emerged earlier suggesting that a female UN staff member and her child were kidnapped by unknown gunmen as they were on their to the kindergarten.

No individual or group has so far claimed responsibility behind the incident.

This is a developing story and will updated as new information becomes available.

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