Explosion in Western Kabul Leaves 19 Dead, 27 Injured, Says Taliban

Abdul Nafi Takor, the spokesperson of the Taliban's Ministry of Interior, has confirmed the explosion and added that the explosion took place on Friday morning at the Kaj educational center in Police District 13 of Kabul.

The victims of the explosion are from the ethnic Hazara community of Afghanistan who are predominantly Shia and have been the victims of such attacks in the past years as well.

According to residents, the target of the explosion were the students who were present at the center for university entrance preparation exam.

Residents alleged that the Taliban members have prevented relatives of the victims from entering the hospitals where injured and dead bodies have been transferred.

A reporter from Kabul told Afghanistan International that the Taliban did not allow reporters to approach the scene.

Witnesses, too, said that the ambulance service has not been available for timely transfer of victims to the hospitals.

Other Countries Must Accept Afghan Refugees, Says Iran Representative

Sep 29, 2022, 15:44 GMT+1

Zahra Ershadi, Deputy Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations, has asked other countries to accept refugees from Afghanistan. Ershadi has told the UN Security Council meeting that Iran and other neighbours should not feel the burden of accepting Afghan refugees.

Iranian officials have claimed that after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, the number of Afghan immigrants in Iran has reached five million.

Earlier, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian had said that Iran is worried about the current situation regarding migration of Afghans.

In the past year, Iran has asked for support from the United Nations to deal with Afghan refugee issues.

In her speech at the UN Security Council, Ershadi also expressed concern about the emergence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

According to Iranian media reports, this diplomat said that the Taliban should be committed to fighting terrorism, guaranteeing all appropriate steps to support diplomatic and consular missions of Iran.

She emphasised that Afghanistan should no longer become a safe haven for Islamic State-Khurasan and Al-Qaeda members.

150 Afghan Immigrants Released from Pakistani Detention Centers

Sep 29, 2022, 14:56 GMT+1

Several immigrant rights' activists in Pakistan confirmed that around 150 Afghan citizens have been released from Pakistani detention centers. According to these activists, the detained Afghans have been released with the support of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement.

The Afghan Embassy in Islamabad has confirmed the release of these detained Afghans who had been detained due to their illegal stay in Pakistan.

Haji Nazar Khogyaniwal, one of the activists for Afghan refugees in Pakistan, told Afghanistan International, that these citizens will reach Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province from Quetta city in Pakistan on Thursday.

Manzoor Pashteen, the leader of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement in Pakistan (PTM), said that Afghans are going through a very dire situation and that the neighbouring countries should avoid creating problems for Afghan immigrants.

After the fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban in August 2021, hundreds of thousands of Afghan citizens have illegally immigrated to Pakistan and Iran.

Last month, 40 Afghan immigrants were released from Karachi police prison with the cooperation of refugee rights activists and leaders of the PTM.

According to sources who spoke to Afghanistan international, the Afghan embassy in Islamabad, which is under the control of the Taliban, has not cooperated with the release of Afghan citizens from Pakistani police detention.

Taliban Flees Mandol Dist of Nuristan As Armed Residents Protest Local Commander’s Murder

Sep 29, 2022, 13:47 GMT+1

Local sources told Afghanistan International that the Taliban fighters have fled Mandol district in Nuristan province after the protest by residents of the area. The sources added that Mandol residents protested against the killing of a former security officer by the Taliban.

According to AI sources, Bahramuddin Nuristani, the former commander of Mandol Nuristan district, died after being tortured in a Taliban prison in Laghman province.

The Taliban had summoned him to consult about the construction of the Nuristan-Laghman highway, but he was imprisoned and killed by the group.

Nuristani was an influential leader in Mandol district.

According to sources, after Nuristani’s murder, residents of Mandol armed themselves on Wednesday and asked the Taliban to hand over the perpetrators of the murder.

Sources said that due to the resident’s anger, the Taliban district governor and the police commander for Mandol did not return to the district center, and other Taliban members also fled the area.

Relatives of this former soldier said that the Taliban severely tortured him in prison.

World Must Support Formation of Inclusive Government in Afghanistan, Says China

Sep 29, 2022, 11:50 GMT+1

Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that terrorist threats exist in Afghanistan and efforts are needed to improve the situation. Wenbin urged the international community to step in and help form an inclusive government in Afghanistan.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Beijing enjoys close relations with the Taliban and stressed that his country seeks more engagement of the world with the group.

Earlier, Geng Shuang, the Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, addressed the Security Council meeting and said that the international community must engage with the Taliban in a practical way and help the group form an inclusive government.

Despite these statements, the Taliban claim that they have already formed such a government, which they think represents all ethnic groups in Afghanistan.

However, on the contrary, former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, and Abdullah Abdullah, the former chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, have repeatedly asked the Taliban to hold a Loya Jirga and facilitate a national dialogue in Afghanistan.

Tom West, the US special representative for Afghanistan affairs, on Wednesday too emphasised on the formation of a political process and the start of intra-Afghan talks.

West while addressing a meeting at a think-tank in Washington, added that the talks should take place at a level where all Afghans must be represented.

West, who has continuously met with the Taliban and former Afghan government officials in the past year, predicted that Afghanistan will face another civil war.

However, West emphasised that Afghans should not rely on the international community and must find their own solutions.

But the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s view is more focused on international community.

Wenbin said, "The international community should continue to engage with the Afghan interim government and increase humanitarian aid.”

Wenbin also stressed that sanctions should not be used as a tool to pressure the Taliban.

Afghan Women Hold Demonstrations in Kabul in Support of Iranians

Sep 29, 2022, 09:50 GMT+1

Several women gathered in front of the Iranian embassy in Kabul on Thursday and expressed their support for the nationwide uprising of the Iranian people. The placards held by these women read "Women, Life, Freedom", and "Women of Iran and Afghanistan do not accept captivity".

Taliban forces, however, dispersed the rally with aerial firing. According to local sources, around 25 Afghan women had staged the protest. Women protesters carried placards that read, "Iranians have stood up, now is our turn" and "Say no to dictatorship from Kabul to Iran”.

This is the second time when Afghan women have expressed their support for Iranian women’s demonstrations. Earlier, they had supported the Iranian people's protests and said that soon "the rule of brothers, fathers and husbands will end”. These women added that they have suffered the same pain which Iranian women are going through.

Women, life, and freedom is the famous slogan of the popular movement which had started in Iran after the Iranian girl Mehsa Amini had been killed in the custody of the morality police of Iran.

The nationwide uprising against the Islamic Republic regime, which started after the murder of Amini across Iranian cities, continues across the country.

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