AFF Claims Responsibility For Attack On Taliban Convoy In Takhar

Sani emphasised that Afghanistan is fully prepared to commence practical work on the Afghan-Trans railway project, a key infrastructure initiative aimed at boosting regional connectivity.

Strategic Discussions on Wakhan Corridor and Afghan-Trans Railway

During a meeting with the Chinese ambassador on Saturday, discussions focused on the Wakhan Corridor and the Afghan-Trans project. A statement from the Ministry of Public Works noted that both sides had agreed to continue cooperation and engage in further dialogue regarding the corridor’s development.

The Wakhan Corridor, situated in the Pamir Mountains of Badakhshan, is a strategic passage connecting Afghanistan with China, Tajikistan, and Pakistan. It serves as Afghanistan’s only land link to China’s Xinjiang region.

The Taliban have repeatedly underscored the importance of constructing a road through the Wakhan Corridor to enhance trade and connectivity with China. However, Chinese officials have expressed security concerns, which have so far delayed the project’s implementation.

Progress on Afghan-Trans Railway Project

In addition to discussing the Wakhan Corridor, Sani reaffirmed Afghanistan’s full readiness to proceed with the Afghan-Trans railway project. This initiative involves the construction of a 537-kilometre railway, linking Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. It is regarded as a key corridor for trade and transportation, facilitating the movement of goods between Central Asia, South Asia, Russia, and Europe.

Uzbekistan’s Minister of Transport previously stated that construction on the project is set to begin this year. The Uzbekistan Transport Design and Research Institute has estimated the project’s cost at over $4.6 billion, while Pakistan has projected the cost at $8.2 billion.

He further highlighted that prioritising the energy sector would significantly enhance Turkmenistan’s oil and gas capacity.

TAPI Pipeline: A Major Regional Project

The TAPI pipeline, one of the largest regional energy projects, spans 1,814 kilometres, including 214 kilometres in Turkmenistan, 774 kilometres in Afghanistan, and 826 kilometres in Pakistan.

The pipeline is designed to transport 33 billion cubic metres of gas annually from the Galkynysh field in southern Turkmenistan, passing through the Afghan cities of Herat and Kandahar, as well as Quetta and Multan in Pakistan, before terminating in Fazilka, India.

Progress and Future Prospects

Muhammad Murad Amanov, head of the TAPI project, previously stated that construction is advancing rapidly, with six kilometres of the gas pipeline already completed in Afghanistan.

Practical work on the TAPI project in Afghanistan commenced on 11 September 2024, with the presence of officials from both the Taliban and Turkmenistan.

The Taliban administration claims that Afghanistan will earn $400 million annually from the project, citing it as a key economic initiative for the region.

He stated that the CSTO’s decision to reinforce Tajikistan’s border with Afghanistan stems from concerns over the risk of terrorism spreading into the region.

Speaking on Friday during the fourth meeting of parliamentary committee heads from CSTO member states, Tasmagambetov underscored that the adoption of a targeted interstate programme to strengthen the Tajik-Afghan border reflects a shared understanding among member states regarding potential security threats to Central Asia.

According to a CSTO press release, he highlighted that terrorism, extremism, and drug trafficking primarily originate from Afghan territory and urged closer collaboration among the Parliamentary Assembly of CSTO member states to safeguard regional security.

The CSTO, a regional security alliance, comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan as permanent members.

Afghanistan Remains a Key Concern for CSTO Leadership

On 30 January, Andrey Serdyukov, head of the CSTO Joint Staff, also identified Afghanistan as a significant security threat to the region. He warned that Afghanistan remains the primary source of instability, radical ideology, terrorism, and drug trafficking in Central Asia.

The Taliban administration, however, has consistently denied the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, rejecting such allegations from international bodies and regional security organisations.

According to the findings, Afghans make up the second-largest foreign community in the country, following Iraqis.

The TSI data also indicates that the total number of foreign residents in Türkiye stood at 1,480,547 over the past year, reflecting a decrease of 89,996 compared to 2023.

The report highlights that citizens from Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, Turkmenistan, and Iran are among the most represented foreign nationals in the country.

Notably, Türkiye’s address registration system is only available to individuals with legal residency status, meaning that undocumented refugees are not included in the official counts.

The TSI further reported that Türkiye’s overall population has reached 85,664,944, marking an increase of approximately 292,000 people compared to the previous year.

The session will review a report submitted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, outlining the ongoing dangers posed by the terrorist group.

The Secretary-General’s report, which was distributed to Security Council members on 31 January, highlights that ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) remains a significant threat both inside and outside Afghanistan.

According to the report, ISIS continues to wield considerable propaganda influence and retains access to substantial financial reserves, with its funds in Iraq and Syria alone estimated at approximately $10 million.

The document also references an ISIS suicide attack in Afghanistan, which resulted in the death of Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, the Taliban’s Minister of Refugees. The report suggests that the attack may have been an attempt to challenge the Taliban’s claims of maintaining security in Afghanistan.

Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani was killed on 11 December 2024, in an explosion at the Ministry of Refugees building in Kabul. ISIS later claimed responsibility for the attack.