Kyrgyzstan Bans Sale of Afghan-Made Beverage

In their statement, Xi Jinping and Emomali Rahmon, presidents of China & Tajikistan, expressed support for a government in Afghanistan that includes representatives from all ethnic, religious, and political groups.

They highlighted that an independent, neutral, and united Afghanistan is in the interest of the region.

The Chinese President had traveled to Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, to meet the Tajik President following the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

In their joint statement, the two leaders expressed their desire for a peaceful Afghanistan free from terrorism, war, and drugs, capable of coexisting harmoniously with its neighbouring countries.

Previously, SCO leaders had declared at a meeting in Astana that the formation of an inclusive government is the only path for Afghanistan to achieve peace.

They emphasised that lasting peace in Afghanistan can only be achieved through the establishment of a government that includes representatives from all ethnic and political groups.

Meanwhile, some Russian state media reported following the SCO leaders' meeting that these countries supported the plan to create a "security belt" around Afghanistan. The media noted that this security belt plan was proposed by the President of Tajikistan.

Labour Party candidate Rohullah Yakobi with over 15,000 votes; Liberal Democrats candidate Eraj Rostaqi with over 4,000 votes; and Workers' Party candidate Sirajul Haq Parwani with 723 votes, were all defeated in the latest elections.

According to the election results, Yakobi lost to his Conservative rival by a margin of 880 votes, securing 15,437 votes in his constituency and finishing second. Yakobi, who arrived in the UK as a refugee in 2004, is the first Hazara candidate for the UK Parliament.

In this election, Rostaqi lost to his Labour rival by a margin of over 20,000 votes, securing 4,292 votes in his constituency and finishing fourth.

Meanwhile, Parwani lost to his Conservative rival by a margin of nearly 25,000 votes, securing 723 votes in his constituency and finishing seventh. Parwani stated on his X account that he previously served as the Deputy Spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Charge d'Affaires at the Afghan Embassy in Greece.

While these three Afghan candidates were not elected, nearly 90 representatives from racial minorities residing in the UK were elected to Parliament in this round.

According to the sources, a large number of Taliban forces participated in the searches but did not explain their reasons for doing so.

The sources mentioned that in the Naqqash area of Dasht-e Barchi alone, the Taliban deployed at least 30 vehicles with forces.

So far, several areas in western Kabul have been searched.

Some sources stated that the Taliban have been conducting house-to-house search operations ahead of the month of Muharram and Ashura mourning.

One source told Afghanistan International that the Taliban, upon entering homes, forced residents out and inspected all rooms, cupboards, and boxes without any consideration.

This source added that despite the Taliban conducting the house-to-house search operations with dozens of vehicles, they did not bring any female police officers with them.

Some sources reported that the Taliban checked residents' electronic ID cards, while others said that the Taliban carried out these searches without verifying the residents' identities.

The Taliban have not officially commented on the house search operations in western Kabul.

Over the past three years, the Taliban have repeatedly searched citizens' homes in the capital. Taliban officials have stated that the purpose of these searches is to collect weapons.

Previously, there were reports that Taliban fighters mistreated people and assaulted citizens during house searches.

Javid stated that given the political conditions of Afghanistan, being present there poses financial and safety risks.

In an interview with ILNA News Agency, he said, "Since the Afghan government is very unstable and has not yet been recognised politically in international circles, relations with this country are not organised, and for this reason, the risk of presence in Afghanistan is very high."

Iran’s Secretary of the Association of Exporters of Technical and Engineering Services also noted that the presence of Iranian companies in Afghanistan is less than that of Chinese companies.

Javid explained, "Currently, Chinese companies are more prominent than those from other countries, including Iran and Turkey, in the Afghan contracting market."

According to him, currently, the Afghan contracting market is not economically viable for Iranian engineering companies. However, despite the risks, some companies are still present in the Afghan market.

He emphasised that the Afghan market is not attractive to investors in the contracting sector due to the lack of recognition of the Taliban and the consequent issues with financial and banking transactions.

Fatemi stated that since 2023, about 60,000 Afghans have been expelled from Yazd.

According to him, "this level of expulsion is unprecedented”.

In an interview with Mehr News Agency, the governor of Yazd said that the organisation of Afghans in Iran is contingent on controlling Iran's borders.

Iranian officials have repeatedly emphasised on their determination to continue the plan to deport Afghan migrants from Iran.

Iran detains and deports thousands of people from various parts of Iran to Afghanistan every week.

Despite requests from human rights organisations to stop the deportation process of Afghan migrants, Tehran continues to arrest, deport, and exert pressure on Afghan migrants.