Taliban to Launch Herat-Khaf Railway Services for Commercial Transport Within Two Weeks

He highlighted that the US engagement with the Taliban is primarily centered on human rights issues and the reinstatement of girls' education.

Responding to journalist Marzia Hosseini from Afghanistan International, Patel underscored that any normalisation of relations with the Taliban hinges on their respect for the rights of all Afghan citizens.

This statement coincides with the recent acceptance of the Taliban ambassador's credentials by the President of China. Concurrently, Voice of America's English section reported, while referring to an official document, that the US State Department is contemplating the reactivation of its consular services in Kabul.

Patel affirmed the US’ ongoing commitment to engaging with the Taliban and Afghans abroad while maintaining pressure on the Taliban to change their discriminatory policies.

The US government has notably abstained from official interactions and talks with major Afghan opposition groups, such as the National Resistance Front and the National Resistance Council for Salvation of Afghanistan, over the past two years. This stance persists even as these opposition factions seek international support, including from the US, for their political endeavours against the Taliban regime.

The Taliban are yet to decide on their participation, pending a better understanding of the meeting's agenda and participant lineup, as per the ministry's statement.

During Monday's dialogue, as relayed by the Taliban's Foreign Ministry citing Feridun Sinirlioğlu, there is a consensus on the Taliban's participation in the Doha meeting.

The Doha gathering is designed for thorough engagement with Afghanistan, facilitating an ongoing dialogue process, as highlighted by the UN Special Coordinator.

Muttaqi, in his capacity as the Foreign Minister, emphasised on the redundancy of appointing another UN special representative, given UNAMA's active involvement in Afghanistan.

In the ministry's release, Sinirlioğlu's independent propositions included bolstering diplomatic presences in Kabul, removing sanctions on the Afghan central bank, and launching development and technical assistance for Afghanistan.

The anticipated Doha meeting, set for February 19 and 20, has invited diverse participants to discuss Afghanistan's future.

Despite the Taliban's acknowledgment of an invitation to this meeting, opposition groups have expressed discontent over the UN's lack of consultation with them.

Moreover, an open letter from Afghan women activists to the UN calls for the inclusion of female representatives at the Doha meeting.

The agency stated that drug production continues in underground laboratories within Afghanistan.

Russian news agency TASS, citing the agency on Monday, reported that drugs produced in Afghanistan are being trafficked to Tajikistan and then, to other countries.

According to the report, more than 2.5 tonnes of illegal substances were seized in 2023 in areas of Tajikistan bordering Afghanistan.

TASS added that this amount of drugs constitutes more than half of the total drugs seized in Tajikistan last year.

The report also mentions that Tajikistan has no information on the Taliban's measures against drug production and trafficking. This is despite Taliban officials claiming effective implementation of a ban on drug cultivation and production in Afghanistan.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) had reported a 95% reduction in poppy cultivation and opium production in Afghanistan. However, the UN noted an increase in the production of industrial drugs, especially methamphetamine, in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

Iranian officials have also previously stated that despite the ban on opium and poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, drug production and trafficking from Afghanistan to Iran have not decreased.

The media outlet stated that this operation dealt a "significant blow" to ISIS-Khorasan, which recently claimed responsibility for an attack on a church in Istanbul.

The report notes that "as a result of intelligence efforts, the so-called Istanbul province head of ISIS-Khorasan and terrorists active with him were identified”.

Anadolu News Agency added, "In an operation conducted in collaboration with Istanbul police, the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation arrested 17 suspects, inflicting a major blow to ISIS-Khorasan's recruitment, financing, and logistics activities."

Turkish media have not released information about the identities of the arrested individuals.

Last Sunday, two attackers targeted the Italian Santa Maria Church in Istanbul, resulting in one casualty.

Following the incident, ISIS released a statement claiming responsibility for the attack.

Ali Yerlikaya, Turkiye’s Interior Minister, had previously announced the arrest of two individuals suspected of involvement in the attack. The detainees at that time were identified as citizens of Russia and Tajikistan.

Ali Hosseini was said to be one of the commanders of the Fatemiyoun brigade in eastern Syria.

Published images show him alongside Qasem Soleimani, the dead commander of the Quds forces.

The US military conducted a strike in eastern Syria early on Saturday, targeting militants affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The US stated that this attack was in response to the killing of their soldiers in Jordan.

Last week, three US soldiers were killed in drone attacks by Iran-supported groups in northeastern Jordan.

The Fatemiyoun Brigade, under the supervision of Iran's Quds Force, consists of Afghan migrants in Iran and had been sent to fight in Syria since several years.

The previous Afghan government in 2020 had asked the Islamic Republic of Iran to dissolve the Fatemiyoun brigade. Afghan officials at that time emphasised that the use of Afghan migrants in proxy wars is inconsistent with international laws.

Observers and human rights activists have consistently criticised the Islamic Republic for exploiting the dire residency and living conditions of Afghan refugees in Iran to recruit them to participate in regional conflicts, including in Syria.

Fars News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, published a brief biography of one of the Fatemiyoun members killed in the recent US strike in Syria.

It has been reported that 65-year-old Hamzeh Alavi, originally from Parwan province in Afghanistan, was a veteran member of the Fatemiyoun brigade, killed on Saturday, in Syria.

According to Fars, Alavi had also participated in the Iran-Iraq war while serving in the Iranian military forces.