Group Member & Several Land Usurpers Killed In Nangarhar Protests, Says Taliban

Nazari emphasised that this operation will be conducted by army units in collaboration with local people.

The Bakhtar news agency, under Taliban control, has also released a picture of the poppy eradication operation in Badakhshan.

This news comes amidst mass anti-Taliban demonstrations in Darayim and Argo districts. Residents of Badakhshan have reported the deployment of hundreds of Taliban fighters, armed with both light and heavy weaponry, to these districts.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Pakistan foreign ministry's spokesperson, stated that the Taliban should take effective action against terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan instead of making such irresponsible claims.

Recently, Pakistan and the Taliban have exchanged mutual accusations of supporting militant groups.

On Tuesday, the Pakistani army announced that a suicide attack targeting five Chinese engineers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was planned by an Afghan.

However, the Taliban's defence ministry spokesperson, Enayatullah Khwarizmi, in a statement on Wednesday called the Pakistani army's claim as "irresponsible and far from reality," attributing it to the "weakness of Pakistan's security organs”.

In this statement, Khwarizmi for the first time accused the Pakistani government of supporting ISIS, stating that "ISIS has entered Afghanistan from Pakistani soil and has been using Pakistani soil against us”.

However, on Thursday, the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan refuted the Taliban’s claim calling it baseless and irresponsible.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch reiterated Pakistan's position, stating that there is sufficient evidence linking recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan to the presence of quasi-militants in Afghanistan.

She added, "We have found evidence indicating that the attack in Besham [on the Chinese engineers] is linked to terrorists currently living in Afghanistan."

Baloch reiterated the Pakistani army's statements, saying that the planning of this terrorist attack took place in Afghanistan, and the terrorists and their facilitators were controlled from Afghanistan.

She once again urged the Taliban to take effective action against terrorist groups.

Following the increase in insecurity in Pakistan, the country has repeatedly accused the Taliban of harbouring militant groups, while the Taliban has consistently denied these allegations.

Earlier, Pakistan's special representative highlighted a 65% increase in Pakistani Taliban attacks and a 500% increase in suicide attacks in the country, stating that "Afghan citizens" are involved in many of the suicide attacks in Pakistan.

He said that Tajikistan has been combating extremism and terrorism for over 30 years and will continue this fight.

Rahmon visited Moscow to participate in the Victory Day parade, commemorating the 71st anniversary of the former Soviet Union's victory in World War II.

During the sidelines of this ceremony, Putin and Rahmon held a separate meeting on Thursday at the Kremlin, focusing on counterterrorism efforts and bilateral cooperation.

Both leaders reaffirmed their dedication to combatting terrorism.

Russia's special security services detained four Tajik citizens on charges of direct involvement in the shooting at the Crocus Hall on the outskirts of Moscow.

Additionally, several other Tajik citizens have been arrested in Moscow for alleged collaboration with these individuals. The attack, which occurred on March 22nd, resulted in the deaths of at least 144 people.

According to the Kremlin statement released on Friday, Rahmon told Putin, that he has consistently voiced from the United Nations podium his opposition to double standards in combating terrorism and extremism.

Addressing the attack on the Crocus Hall in Moscow, the President of Tajikistan labeled it a "tragedy" and stressed, terrorism has no nationality, religion, or homeland, and it requires collective action from all.

Furthermore, he declared that Tajikistan's intelligence and military services remain actively involved in the fight against terrorism.

In his discussions with Putin, Rahmon characterized Russia as a "strategic partner and ally" of Tajikistan, underscoring that this stance remains steadfast and immutable.

He also discussed cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia, emphasizing the importance of a joint effort in combating global challenges and threats.

Putin also welcomed Rahmon's stance on cooperation with Russia, highlighting that their special services actively collaborate to mitigate threats, as terrorism poses a danger to all nations, including Russia and Tajikistan.

A local source reported to the Pashto section of Afghanistan International that the Taliban had been shooting at ordinary people.

Videos received by Afghanistan International show that the main Jalalabad road has been closed due to the protests, and gunfire could be heard in the area.

The Taliban have not yet commented on these protests. The protests started after the Taliban told residents to leave their homes and land, claiming that the land belongs to the government; however, locals say that they had purchased the land, and the Taliban members are forcibly taking it from them.

The organisation has stated that Afghan children in Pakistan face serious risks including detention, dangers of crossing borders, and deprivation of education.

Figures from the International Organisation for Migration and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Pakistan indicate that over 550,000 Afghans have been expelled to Afghanistan from September of last year to the end of April. During this period, over 31,000 Afghans have been detained in Pakistan.

These organisations warn that Afghan refugees and migrants in Pakistan face multiple risks including detention, exploitation, separation from family, and lack of access to education and healthcare.

The relief agency warns that in a situation where Afghanistan is grappling with the challenge of six million internally displaced persons and human rights violations, the expulsion of Afghan migrants affects the lives of Afghans, especially women and girls.

IOM emphasised that Afghan children, with the continuation of the expulsion program, are left without education and are exposed to the risks of forced labor, trafficking, and exploitation.