Torkham Crossing Reopened After Three-Day Closure
Abdul Jabbar Hekmat, the Taliban’s commissioner for Torkham, has announced that the border crossing was reopened to travellers and trade convoys after a three-day closure.
Abdul Jabbar Hekmat, the Taliban’s commissioner for Torkham, has announced that the border crossing was reopened to travellers and trade convoys after a three-day closure.
The closure, which was due to technical issues, was resolved following discussions between the Taliban members and Pakistani officials.Hekmat confirmed that the gates of the Torkham border crossing were opened early on Monday.
Hamid Karzai, the former Afghan President, and Abdullah Abdullah, the former Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, discussed the third Doha meeting and other topics with UN Under-Secretary-General, Rosemary DiCarlo, on Sunday.
Karzai stated that they emphasised on national understanding to achieve lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan.
In a note on the X social media platform, the former President mentioned that he and Abdullah stressed on the importance of women's education for the country's development.
The two prominent politicians also appreciated the United Nations' assistance towards the flood victims in northern Afghanistan.
DiCarlo visited Kabul to persuade the Taliban to participate in the third Doha meeting. The group has stated that they will only participate if their demands are met.
Sources have told Afghanistan International that the Taliban group has lifted the travel ban on former Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, allowing him to travel abroad.
According to credible sources in Kabul, Karzai will soon travel to Germany for medical treatment.
Recently, sources mentioned that the former president wanted to go to Germany for a minor eye surgery, but the Taliban prevented him from doing so.
Karzai had been denied permission to travel for over a year. His last trip was to the United Kingdom.
In April 2023, he traveled to London, where he met and held discussions with King Charles III.
The Taliban's Foreign Minister, during a meeting with the UN Under-Secretary-General, stated that the group did not find its "ceremonial presence" at the recent Doha meeting beneficial, which is why they did not participate in the second Doha meeting.
Amir Khan Muttaqi mentioned that according to the agenda of the third Doha meeting, a "bilateral cooperation groundwork" will be established.
According to Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), Muttaqi met Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for political and peace-building affairs, on Sunday.
RTA reported that DiCarlo, referring to the third Doha meeting, said that in addition to representatives of member countries and international organisations, representatives from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank would also participate.
Earlier, the main topics of the third Doha meeting had been outlined as "financial and banking issues, drug control, alternative crops for Afghan farmers, and the impacts of climate change”.
Previously, Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) announced readiness for the third Doha meeting focusing on Afghanistan.
Otunbayeva did not provide a specific schedule for the third Doha meeting.
Previously, the Taliban refrained from participating in the second Doha meeting, which was held on February 18-19 last year with the presence of special representatives for Afghanistan from various countries.
The group had requested the UN to ensure that only the Taliban represent Afghanistan at this meeting and had objected to the presence of Afghan civil society representatives.
Regarding Afghanistan's representation at the UN, the Taliban's Foreign Minister told the Under-Secretary-General that "the real representative of Afghanistan at the UN should represent the [Taliban] regime and obstacles in this regard should be removed”.
Currently, the Taliban's efforts to obtain Afghanistan's seat at the UN have failed, and it remains held by the representative of the former government.
The National Resistance Front (NRF) announced on Sunday that it attacked a "Taliban intelligence patrol vehicle near the presidential palace" in Kabul.
The front wrote on X social media platform that one Taliban member was killed and another injured in this attack.
The NRF also published a video of the attack on the Taliban vehicle.
Two local sources told Afghanistan International that they heard a loud explosion in downtown Kabul.
The Taliban has not yet commented on the attack.
The Taliban's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations reported that 18 individuals lost their lives in floods that struck on Saturday night across several districts in Faryab province, including Pashtun Kot, Almar, Qaysar, Belchiragh, Khwaja Sabz Posh, and Dawlat Abad.
The ministry noted that two people were injured and numerous homes were destroyed.
In a press release, the ministry detailed that the floods caused significant financial losses and human casualties. Specifically, the floods destroyed 560 homes, inundated 850 acres of agricultural land, ruined 110 shops, killed 300 livestock, demolished one mobile clinic, and wiped out 2,000 fruit trees.
Local Taliban authorities in Faryab have appealed to aid organizations for immediate assistance to help the flood victims.
The recent spell of rain and ongoing flooding have inflicted considerable financial and human losses across various provinces of Afghanistan.
Latest figures released by the Taliban indicate that, alongside the fatalities in Faryab, the floods in Ghor and Baghlan have collectively claimed over 350 lives. An overall assessment of the nationwide impact of the floods remains incomplete.
