China To Send In USD 4 Million-Worth of Humanitarian Aid For Afghanistan Quake Victims

Earlier, two days after the deadly Herat earthquake, China had donated 200,000 dollars to the victims of the earthquake.

Chinese media outlets reported on Thursday that the new aid announcement came from the China International Development Cooperation Agency. These new donations will include tents, beds, blankets, winter coats and other items needed by the affected families.

China announced that this aid would be transferred to Afghanistan and will be distributed among the people. Also, more food aid will be given to the earthquake victims.

Five days after the deadly Herat earthquake, more countries have announced their readiness to send aid to Afghanistan. Referring to the humanitarian crisis caused by the earthquake in Herat Province, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies called for immediate international support for the victims.

The federation said that the full extent of the tragedy was still emerging, and urgent international support was needed.

This week, following two earthquakes in western Afghanistan, hundreds of people have been killed and injured, and many villages have been destroyed.

In a statement, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies requested 132 million dollars to respond to the immediate needs of those affected by the earthquake. These immediate needs include food assistance, cash assistance, emergency shelter, household items, emergency health care, psychological support, and clean and sanitary water.

Pak Security Forces Prevent Afghan Nationals From Crossing Border Without Passport & Visa

Oct 12, 2023, 16:34 GMT+1

Sources said that Pakistani security forces have not been allowing Afghan travellers who do not have passports and visas to cross the Chaman border over the last three days.

Previously, Afghan and Pakistani citizens could cross the border using their national identity cards.

Spin Boldak and Chaman border is an important crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, but since the restrictions imposed by Pakistan, thousands of people have been waiting to cross the border on both sides of Afghanistan and Pakistan borders.

Mohammad Rafiq Achikzai, a resident of Chaman city in Pakistan, whose business is setup in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar (Afghanistan), told Afghanistan International, "For many years, people with Afghan and Pakistani IDs have been commuting between tribal areas of Spin Boldak and Chaman."

Mohammad Wali, a Pakistani local elder, said that following a meeting with Baluchistan province authorities three days ago, they declared that cross-border travel on both sides should require a passport.

He stated, "We cannot tolerate this decision of the Pakistani government, the business of thousands of people here is being affected. This is our homeland and we [tribes] do not accept the decision of Pakistan and Afghanistan to travel with passports.”

Pakistan recently announced that it will deport foreign nationals without legal documentation from Pakistan.

Fly Dubai Resume Flights to Afghanistan, Says Taliban

Oct 12, 2023, 15:11 GMT+1

Afghanistan’s consulate in Dubai, controlled by the Taliban, announced that the Fly Dubai airline will resume its flights to Afghanistan from November 15.

Media outlets affiliated to the Taliban also reported that Fly Dubai will have two daily flights to Afghanistan.

Fly Dubai has not yet commented on this matter.

This airline stopped its flights to Afghanistan after the Taliban’s takeover of power in 2021.

The Afghan consulate in Dubai has announced that the airline will resume flights to Afghanistan following the Taliban officials’ efforts.

The consulate hailed the resumption of Fly Dubai flights to Afghanistan as a vital decision for Afghanistan.

Iran Sent 40 Tonnes of Flour To Earthquake-Affected Areas in Herat

Oct 12, 2023, 13:32 GMT+1

Mohammad Reza Rezaei, Governor of Taybad district of Iran, on Thursday announced sending a shipment of 40 tonnes of flour to the earthquake affected areas of Herat province.

Rezaei said that Iran had sent mineral water, food items, clothes and carpets to Herat on Wednesday.

Quoting the governor of Taybad, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) on Thursday, reported that two trucks carrying 2,780 bottles of mineral water, canned goods, blankets, carpets, and clothes were sent to the earthquake victims of Zindajan district of Herat province.

According to the report, these donations were sent to Herat by the people of Taybad, the stallholders of Dogharun border market, the Khorasan Razavi Municipalities Cooperation Organisation, and the Dogharun border market organisation.

The donations have been delivered to the Afghanistan Red Crescent Society under the control of the Taliban.

Following a deadly 6.3 magnitude earthquake occurred in western Afghanistan killing thousands of people, Iran was the first country to send a rescue team to the affected areas.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society sent 50 rescue workers to Afghanistan in the form of 10 operational teams from Khorasan Razavi, South and North Khorasan provinces.

In addition, the relief cargo including 500 relief tents, 1,000 carpets, 4,000 blankets, 500 sets of dishes, 500 10-day food packages along with search and rescue equipment was transferred from Razavi Khorasan to Afghanistan.

Taliban Signs 30-Year-Contract With 3 Qatari Companies For Jabal Siraj Cement

Oct 12, 2023, 12:09 GMT+1

The Taliban’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum signed a 30-year contract with three Qatari companies for the cement project in Jabal Siraj district of Parwan province.

At the signing ceremony of the contract, Shahabuddin Delawar, Taliban’s Minister of Mines and Petroleum, said that more than USD 220 million will be invested in this project.

The contract was signed on Thursday, October 12.

Delawar added that about five thousand people will be directly employed in this project and about 1.5 million tonnes of cement will be produced annually due to the project.

The Jabal Siraj cement factory was founded in 1957. It subsequently changed to a state-owned enterprise and has since operated under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.

Taliban Repress Afghan Girls Extraordinarily, Says US Representative For Afghanistan

Oct 12, 2023, 10:26 GMT+1

On the International Day of the Girl Child, Thomas West, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan, said that Afghan girls are facing the most extraordinary repression in the country.

West urged the international community to listen to the voice of Afghan girls, because a "safe and bright future" for Afghanistan depends on them.

On social media platform X on Thursday, he wrote, "Nowhere else is half a population of middle and high schoolers denied an education."

According to him, this will have an impact on mental health, families, society and the economy of Afghanistan.

Tom West has stated that the Taliban are responsible for oppressing Afghan girls.

He stressed that the international community should continue to support Afghan girls.

Since the Taliban’s takeover of power in 2021, the group has imposed extensive restrictions on Afghan women and girls.

Currently, girls are prohibited from attending schools beyond the sixth grade and they are also barred from higher education.

The United Nations has marked October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child.

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