Taliban Lifts Ban on Former President’s Travel, Claim Sources
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.
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.
After five days of intense clashes in Paktia province, Pakistani border forces and the Taliban agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday evening.
Following the ceasefire, the Kharlachi crossing, closed since Monday, 13 May, at the start of the hostilities, will reopen to traders and travellers.
Pakistani news outlet Dawn cited Jalal Bangash, a tribal elder, reporting that the ceasefire was negotiated during a jirga involving local elders, clerics, and officials from both sides. At this meeting, it was resolved to establish a joint peace committee tasked with maintaining stability along the border.
Bangash emphasised that all contentious issues would be resolved amicably. He noted that the agreement, motivated by the hardships experienced by communities on both sides of the border, ensures the swift reopening of the crossing.
The clashes, which initially erupted last Monday in Paktia province, escalated on Friday, spreading to multiple districts. Footage obtained by Afghanistan International shows significant damage to markets and residential properties due to the fighting. The severity of the clashes prompted evacuations in nearby villages and towns.
Local sources attributed the onset of the conflict to the construction of a new checkpoint by Pakistani forces at the border's zero point. Reports from local clinics in Paktia on Friday indicated that the clashes resulted in the deaths of at least five Taliban members and three civilians.
Alexey Overchuk, the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, has revealed that discussions are ongoing between Russian officials and the Taliban concerning the Afghan-Trans railway project.
While specific details of the talks were not disclosed, Overchuk confirmed Moscow's readiness to engage in the project.
Speaking at the Russia-Islamic World Economic Forum in Kazan, he noted that the Afghan-Trans railway project is currently undergoing thorough evaluation. Overchuk underscored Russia's preparedness and capability to contribute to this significant infrastructure venture.
Approximately a week prior, the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry shared news of a meeting in Kabul between Amir Khan Muttaqi, the group’s Foreign Minister, and Ilkhom Makkamov, Uzbekistan's Minister of Transport. During this meeting, it was mentioned that a technical team of engineers had been dispatched to Kabul to assess the Afghan-Trans railway project, with practical implementation expected to commence shortly.
The project, a collaborative initiative among Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan, aims to link Uzbekistan’s railway network with Pakistan’s through Afghanistan.