The National Resistance Front (NRF), under the leadership of Ahmad Massoud, has declared that its forces conducted a successful attack against a Taliban outpost in the Pul-e-Hesar district of Baghlan province.
According to the NRF's statement, the assault, which started at 10:30 PM on Wednesday and concluded by midnight, resulted in the death of one Taliban fighter and left two others wounded.
As of now, there has been no response from the Taliban regarding the NRF's claims.
The NRF further emphasised that their fighters emerged from the encounter without any casualties.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's Foreign Minister, in a discussion with Tomas Niklasson, the European Union's Special Envoy for Afghanistan, highlighted the group's intention for significant involvement in the upcoming Doha meeting.
Muttaqi conveyed that the Doha meeting could signify a positive turn in the relationship between Afghanistan and the international community.
Zia Ahmad, Deputy Spokesperson for the Taliban's Foreign Ministry, outlined that the dialogue covered topics such as Afghanistan's regional collaborations, the imminent Doha meeting about Afghanistan, developmental assistance from the European Union, and consular services for Afghans in Europe.
He shared on the social platform X that the Taliban's Foreign Minister advocates for maintaining friendly relations with all nations globally.
Muttaqi, as per Ahmad, is hopeful that the Doha meeting will mark the commencement of a favorable phase for Afghanistan's global engagements.
The Taliban's Prime Minister Office also reported a meeting between the EU's Special Representative and Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the Taliban's Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, emphasizing the Doha meeting's significance for Afghanistan's international ties.
Citing Niklasson, the office relayed that the UN Special Coordinator for Afghanistan, Feridun Sinirlioğlu's report, underscores Afghanistan's progressive path and the need for the Taliban to represent their stance globally at the UN.
The statement further noted Niklason's mention of upcoming international announcements regarding developmental and humanitarian support for Afghanistan at the Doha meeting, highlighting the EU's focus on security, job opportunities, and peace establishment as paramount.
Abdul Kabir agreed with much of the UN Special Coordinator's report and welcomed initiatives like the functioning of Islamic and Asian banks, starting incomplete projects, and removing sanctions on Afghanistan's banking system.
However, he mentioned that with UNAMA's presence, another special representative for peace is unnecessary, asserting the restoration of full national sovereignty under the Islamic system in Afghanistan.
Additionally, the EU Representative for Afghanistan pledged support in combating drug trafficking and discussed upcoming deliberations on the matter with representatives from five Central Asian countries in Kyrgyzstan.
The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declared that to safeguard the integrity of the imminent general elections, Pakistan will temporarily seal its borders with Afghanistan and Iran.
This closure, detailed in an announcement on X, will halt all cargo and pedestrian movements across these borders on February 8.
Movement through these international borders is scheduled to resume on Friday, February 9, as per the ministry's statement.
Previously, Pakistani customs authorities indicated that the nation's border checkpoints with Afghanistan would shut down for a 24-hour period starting at midnight on Thursday.
The parliamentary elections in Pakistan, set for Thursday, February 8, are being held under the shadow of potential security threats.
This decision to close the northern and western borders of Pakistan was made in the aftermath of two fatal bombings in Balochistan province on Wednesday, which resulted in at least 22 fatalities and numerous injuries.
In response to these security concerns, Balochistan has recently proclaimed a state of emergency to ensure the smooth conduct of the national elections.
Atta Mohammad Noor and Salahuddin Rabbani, leaders of two factions of Jamiat-e-Islami Party, discussed enhancing coordination and consensus in decision-making.
Noor shared details of this meeting on his X social media platform, highlighting the emphasis on strengthening political faction ranks as a crucial strategy for "defeating the common enemy”.
Sources indicate that Atta Mohammad Noor travelled to Ankara, Turkey, to meet Salahuddin Rabbani, a gathering aimed at coordinating efforts among Taliban opponents.
As leaders of separate branches of the Jamiat-e-Islami Party of Afghanistan, Noor and Rabbani, along with several party members, parted ways in March 2021 due to a leadership dispute within the party.
During this timeframe, both Noor and Rabbani considered themselves as the leaders of the primary faction of the Jamiat-e-Islami Party.
Noor stated in a note that their discussions encompassed the political landscape in Afghanistan, and the two sides mutually agreed on the need for coordination among political factions to address the "critical situation”.
Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the Defence Minister for the Taliban, declared during a Kabul meeting that political pressures exerted on the group’s government remain ineffective.
Mujahid suggested that instead, such pressures fortify the bond between the populace and the Taliban.
This statement was made at a symposium organised by the Taliban's Ministry of Borders and Tribal Affairs, focused on "Strengthening the Islamic System and National Unity," held at the Loya Jirga Hall.
Mujahid criticised the opposition’s political leaders, accusing them of exploiting ethnic sentiments to the detriment of national interests.
He urged the Afghan population to reject any individual or group fostering sedition.
Taliban media outlets reported from the meeting and highlighted Mujahid's claim about past efforts to sow discord among Afghans, which he noted had achieved partial success, though specific projects were not mentioned.
Additionally, Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, the Minister of Vice and Virtue, reiterated the Taliban's stance against division, asserting the regime's commitment to unity across ethnic lines. Hanafi also boasted of the Taliban's achievements in eradicating poppy cultivation and addressing drug addiction issues within the country.
Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's Special Representative for Afghanistan says that if necessary, "more than one army of suicide bomber forces" will be deployed from Afghanistan to support Gaza.
The Iranian envoy told state-controlled Ufogh TV that Afghanistan, although geographically distant from Gaza, is considered part of the "Axis of Resistance”.
Iranian government designates the groups it supports, along with others combating the Western coalition and Israel in the region, as the "Axis of Resistance.”
In response to whether he was referring to "the people of Afghanistan" or "Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban," Qomi stated that Afghanistan has been engaged in a 40-year war against the "occupier”, emphasising that this war is not specific to one nation or group.
While Iran supports Hamas and other Palestinian groups against Israel, the Taliban regime has primarily limited itself to issuing statements against "Israel's crimes" and organising small rallies in support of the people of Gaza.