Taliban Infiltrated UN-managed Programmes in Afghanistan, Says SIGAR Chief

Mirziyoyev emphasised on strengthening cooperation between Central Asia and the Middle East in the fight against terrorism.

The GCC-Central Asia Summit was held on Wednesday, and attended by leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Qatar, UAE, and some other Arab leaders.

Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia hosted the first GCC-Central Asia summit.

Addressing the summit, Uzbek President asked for the cooperation of the participating countries in curbing extremism, radicalism, and drug trafficking.

Mirziyoyev expressed hope that the outcome of the Jeddah summit will lead to the expansion of relations between Central Asia and Arab countries in the Gulf.

He asked leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Central Asia to actively participate in the strategic project of building the trans-Afghan railway that could connect the countries of the Gulf to Central Asia.

On Tuesday, the representatives of the Taliban, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding on the "Afghan Trans" railway.

Rahmon emphasised that the Taliban should grant the rights and freedom of all ethnic groups as well as women in Afghanistan.

The first meeting of the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and five Central Asian countries including Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan was held in Jeddah on Wednesday.

Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, hosted the GCC-Central Asia Summit.

During the summit, the president of Tajikistan emphasised that "Tajikistan has always been in favour of a peaceful solution in Afghanistan”.

Rahmon added that inclusive governance in Afghanistan will facilitate durable peace in Afghanistan.

The president of Tajikistan said that he supports all diplomatic efforts to form an inclusive government in Afghanistan.

He also asked Arab leaders and Central Asian countries to cooperate in fighting transnational crimes and drug trafficking in the region.

Reportedly, the Conservative chair of the defence select committee is facing a no confidence vote over the tweet storm.

“However well intentioned, reflections of my personal visit could have been better worded. I am sorry for my poor communication. I stand up, speak my mind, try to see the bigger picture and offer solutions, especially on the international stage, as our world turns a dangerous corner. I don't always get it right,” he tweeted.

Earlier, Ellwood had urged the UK to re-engage with the country and reopen its embassy. He had said security in Afghanistan had “vastly improved” since the Taliban returned to power, and suggested the West encourage the uptake of women’s rights “incrementally”.

He praised the appearance of solar panels in Afghanistan and noted that the country's opium trade had "all but disappeared".

The video posted by Ellwood, which even the Taliban welcomed, came as part of a visit to Afghanistan with the Halo Trust, a de-mining organisation.

However, with criticism pouring in from the UK Prime minister Rishi Sunak and even his colleagues on the defence committee and a number of Conservative MPs, Ellwood clarified that during his visit he also saw a very vulnerable economy that will soon collapse without international intervention and turn this country into a failed state, with terrorist camps no doubt returning and triggering mass migration.

“I also saw the increasing restrictions on women and girls. This suggests our current strategy; of shouting from afar, after abruptly abandoning the country in 2021, is not working. My simple call to action was to see our embassy re-open again and pursue a more direct strategy to help the 40 million people that we abandoned,” he stressed.

In the statement, he also wrote that the loss of his brother in a terrorist bombing in Bali, Indonesia, forced him to visit Afghanistan many times over the past decade and understand his country's efforts to combat terrorism.

However, over the past week, Islamabad has announced that Tahreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) enjoys sanctuary and freedom of movement in Afghanistan.

After Pakistan’s vocal criticisms of the Taliban, Durrani arrived in Kabul on Wednesday. His visit to Kabul comes a few days after the recent attacks by militants on Pakistani soldiers in Baluchistan province.

After the attack, the Pakistani army expressed its concern in two separate statements about the safe havens of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan and the participation of Afghan citizens in "terrorist" activities on Pakistani soil.

In a statement, the Pakistani army announced that it has "serious concerns" about the existence of safe havens and the freedom of action of the Pakistani Taliban in Afghanistan.

However, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the Taliban’s foreign ministry spokesperson said on Twitter that Muttaqi conveyed to Pakistan's special representative for Afghanistan affairs that "Afghans will never harm anyone”.

During the meeting with Durrani, the Taliban’s foreign minister also discussed economic relations with Pakistan and expressed hope that the political and economic relations between the group and Pakistan will develop further. Muttaqi stressed that this requires “joint work”.

Muttaqi added that “a good opportunity has come up to strengthen the economy” under the Taliban rule.

The Taliban’s foreign ministry spokesperson said that in response to Muttaqi, Durrani expressed his country’s readiness to develop bilateral political and economic relations and stressed that Islamabad will pay serious attention to completing the construction of the Torkham-Jalalabad highway.

During the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Central Asia Summit in Jeddah, Japarov added that they are committed to fighting against terrorism.

The first summit of the heads of state of the Gulf Cooperation Council and five Central Asian countries including Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan had been held in Jeddah on Wednesday.

The Kyrgyz president addressed the participants and asked the international community not to leave Afghanistan behind in isolation while the country’s citizens continue to suffer.

He added that humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan and full support for projects that help revive the Afghan economy are necessary.

Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia hosted the GCC-Central Asia summit.

Bin Salman addressed the summit and said that he hopes for "new prospects" in the relations between the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the five Central Asia states.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia announced that the Jeddah summit reflects the commitment of the participating countries to strategic cooperation.

In a joint statement, the participating heads of states in the GCC summit stressed on the importance of strengthening political and strategic relations and condemning terrorism.