Pakistan’s FM Meets EU Special Representative for Afghanistan to Discuss Peace in Region

The newspaper noted that despite 27 attacks which occurred in Pakistan in January 2024, the TTP did not claim responsibility for any of them.

The Express Tribune report further highlighted growing differences between the TTP and its breakaway faction, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar has publicly declared its intention to intensify attacks against Pakistani security forces.

The report also mentioned statements from Mehmood Madani, a key figure from the Mohmand tribal area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In an audio file released by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Madani emphasised on the group's readiness to attack its opponents.

The influence of Maulana Fazlur Rahman, leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan, became quite apparent following his visit to Afghanistan and discussions with the Taliban, as reported by the Express Tribune.

The report indicates that the Pakistani Taliban, through mediation by the Afghan Taliban's Haqqani network, have verbally agreed to a ceasefire with Islamabad during the elections.

While Mohammad Khorasani, spokesperson for the Pakistani Taliban, has not publicly addressed this ceasefire, he has not attributed any of the recent attacks in Pakistan to the TTP.

Mujahid said that the United Nations has started a "regular programme" of spreading accusations and rumours against the Taliban.

In a statement on X social media platform, he called the Security Council’s report an "abuse" of the United Nations’ platform and asked its member countries to prevent publication of such reports.

The Taliban spokesperson said that some countries on the Security Council failed in Afghanistan and are now expressing their resentment.

In a recent report, the UN Security Council revealed that the Taliban has maintained its ties with Al-Qaeda and that the terror group has established eight new training camps in Afghanistan. Four al-Qaeda camps have been established in Ghazni, Laghman, Parwan and Uruzgan provinces. Additionally, it has established a weapons depot in Panjshir.

According to Vasilyev, as quoted by Ria Novosti news agency, the situation along the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan remains tense.

He stated that "terrorist and extremist groups" intend to destabilise the borders of CSTO member countries.

Nevertheless, he alleges that Western countries are actively employing methods using armed groups in Central Asia. The Russian official did not explicitly specify any country.

He added that in recent years, addressing terrorism and extremism has become crucial in the operations of the CSTO.

These statements were made at the same time as the UN Security Council reported that al-Qaeda has established eight new training bases and several madrassas in Afghanistan.

Also, the Security Council's report highlights that the Khorasan branch of ISIS remains a significant threat to Afghanistan and the region.

He accused the officials of the Biden administration of lying and said that they do not accept the reality of the targeted killing of former security forces members and other former partners of the US government in Afghanistan.

The Taliban has dismissed reports from international organisations and news agencies regarding the killing and torture of former members of security forces, attributing it to personal enmity.

Mast highlighted multiple reports from international organisations, citing them as evidence confirming the deliberate murder of former security forces members.

The U.S. Congress Foreign Relations Committee recently conducted a meeting focused on investigating the Taliban's retaliatory actions against former Afghan collaborators of the U.S. military. This bipartisan session saw participation from both Republican and Democratic members, as well as veterans who supported these local partners. An Afghan journalist was also present, contributing to the discussions on the ongoing situation in Afghanistan and the plight of those who previously assisted U.S. forces.

During a meeting with Azizov on Wednesday, Mullah Yaqoob stated that "more work needs to be done to strengthen the two countries' borders”.

According to the Taliban's Ministry of Defence, Mullah Yaqoob assured the Uzbek side that they would protect Uzbekistan's "development projects and investments" in Afghanistan.

Uzbekistan perceives the presence of Uzbek militants in northern Afghanistan, such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and the Imam Bukhari Battalion, as a security threat. The country had relations with the Taliban even during the previous government.

Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries hope that the Taliban will control the activities of foreign militant groups inside Afghanistan, a promise the Taliban has repeatedly made to neighbouring countries.

Mullah Yaqoob told Azizov, "We have done a lot of work on the country's borders over the past year and are determined to do more in the future to strengthen our borders."

Like other countries, Uzbekistan has not yet recognised the Taliban. Despite criticising the Taliban for constructing the Qosh Tepa water canal, the country has maintained its trade and political relations with the Taliban.

In 2022, the Taliban announced the construction of the Qosh Tepa canal in northern Afghanistan, worth more than seven billion Afghanis. The construction of this canal has faced considerable criticism and concerns from neighbouring countries, especially Uzbekistan.

The President of Uzbekistan had warned in September that the Taliban were constructing the Qosh Tepa water canal, which could fundamentally alter the water regime and balance in Central Asia.

The Qosh Tepa canal diverts part of the Amu Darya River's water to areas in the northern provinces of Balkh, Jowzjan, and Faryab provinces.