Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Afghanistan requires humanitarian assistance, adding that a shortage of funds may force the current government in Kabul to turn to drug trafficking.&nbsp;

"According to the UN, today half of Afghans need humanitarian assistance to simply survive. Every third person is deprived of access to food. There is a danger that the lack of funds in the treasury of Afghanistan may push those who control the country today to make money on the sale of drugs and weapons, as it has been happening recently, by the way," Putin told a joint Shanghai Cooperation Organization-Collective Security Treaty Organization summit.

According to a report by Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik International, Vladimir Putin said that "Taliban consider it important to restore infrastructure but it is difficult for them to do it on their own. Moscow supports the convening of an Afghanistan donor conference within the United Nations."

"The Taliban movement, having become practically the sovereign master of the country, has formed its own government, which has assumed responsibility for the future of Afghanistan. This is an interim government, as the Taliban themselves say, and cannot be called truly representative or inclusive. We do not see representatives of other ethnic groups here. But it seems that, of course, it is also necessary to work with him. And as for the recognition [of current Afghan authorities], I think I agree with those who have spoken on this score. We need to agree on our position on this issue, " Putin said.

(With inputs from Sputnik News)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Afghanistan requires humanitarian assistance, adding that a shortage of funds may force the current government in Kabul to turn to drug trafficking.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Afghanistan requires humanitarian assistance, adding that a shortage of funds may force the current government in Kabul to turn to drug trafficking. "According to the UN, today half of Afghans need humanitarian assistance to simply survive. Every third person is deprived of access to food. There is a danger that the lack of funds in the treasury of Afghanistan may push those who control the country today to make money on the sale of drugs and weapons, as it has been happening recently, by the way," Putin told a joint Shanghai Cooperation Organization-Collective Security Treaty Organization summit. According to a report by Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik International, Vladimir Putin said that "Taliban consider it important to restore infrastructure but it is difficult for them to do it on their own. Moscow supports the convening of an Afghanistan donor conference within the United Nations." "The Taliban movement, having become practically the sovereign master of the country, has formed its own government, which has assumed responsibility for the future of Afghanistan. This is an interim government, as the Taliban themselves say, and cannot be called truly representative or inclusive. We do not see representatives of other ethnic groups here. But it seems that, of course, it is also necessary to work with him. And as for the recognition [of current Afghan authorities], I think I agree with those who have spoken on this score. We need to agree on our position on this issue, " Putin said. (With inputs from Sputnik News)

Lack of money may push Afghan authorities to turn to drug trafficking: Putin

Indian nationals were among the over 1,400 fighters of a blacklisted faction of the Islamic State terror group who surrendered to Afghan authorities last year, according to a UN report.

The UN Security Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee in May last year blacklisted Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-K), which is also known as ISIL's South Asia Branch, ISIL Khorasan, Islamic State's Khorasan Province and South Asian Chapter of ISIL.

The 25th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIL (Da'esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities said Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters were able to inflict "severe damage" on the ISIL-K, displacing it from large areas of the Nangarhar province.

"More than 1,400 people surrendered to the Afghan authorities, including dependants of ISIL-K fighters. Most males were Afghan nationals, but there were also foreign nationals from Azerbaijan, Canada, France, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan," the January 2020 report said, without giving a breakup of their numbers.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/despite-defeats-the-islamic-state-remains-unbroken-and-defiant-around-the-world-277491">Despite defeats, the Islamic State remains unbroken and defiant around the world</a>

The impact on ISIL-K numbers may be significant. The group is "now assessed to have approximately 2,500 fighters in Afghanistan, with about 2,100 of them concentrated in the Kunar province", it said.

"There is a covert ISIL-K presence of up to 25 persons in Faryab province, led by former Taliban member Qari Salahuddin," the report said.

The ISIL-K is a branch of the militant Islamist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), active in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

According to the UN report, ISIL-K continues recruitment via the Internet. It also conducts propaganda activities in madrasas and universities in Afghanistan, including in Kabul.

"Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan suffered severe losses and was largely expelled from its Afghan heartland of Nangarhar Province in November 2019, but it has proved resilient in the past and is still assessed to pose a serious threat," it said.

The report said ISIL-K has established informal contact with other terrorist groups, including Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-eIslam.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-resurgence-possible-if-america-leaves-iraq-us-general-276003">Islamic State resurgence possible if America leaves Iraq - US General</a>

Beyond the ISIL core conflict zone, threats from Al-Qaida and ISIL affiliates persist globally, especially in Afghanistan and its "immediate neighbourhood" as well as in parts of Africa and South-East Asia, it said.

Afghanistan continues to be the conflict zone of greatest concern to the UN member states outside the ISIL core area and suffers by some measures the heaviest toll from terrorism of any country in the world.

"Al-Qaida and foreign terrorist fighters aligned with it, under the protection and influence of the Taliban, pose a long-term global threat," the report said.

Al-Qaida remains resilient and increasingly threatening despite the confirmation last September of the death at an unspecified earlier date of its leadership figure Hamza Usama Muhammad Bin Laden, the report said.

It said Al-Qaida is "concerned" about the current focus of the Taliban leadership on peace talks. "Al-Qaida representatives undertook shuttle diplomacy, persuading various factions of the Taliban and field commanders not to support negotiations with the Government of Afghanistan and promising to increase financial support," the report said. 
"If a peace agreement is reached, Al-Qaida intends to develop a new narrative to justify continuing the armed conflict in Afghanistan.

"Relations with the Taliban continue to be close and mutually beneficial, with Al-Qaida supplying resources and training in exchange for protection," it said, adding that this is evidenced by the operation in the Musa Qal'ah district of Helmand province in September in which some members of Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent were killed.

The report said there are an estimated 400 to 600 Al-Qaida fighters in Afghanistan, mainly in the provinces of Khost, Kunar, Nuristan, Paktiya and Zabul.

The Monitoring Team noted that not all foreign terrorist fighters have been included in the available databases and watch lists.

Some Al-Qaida and ISIL fighters, facilitators and new recruits may not have any adverse record or be listed and they, therefore, will not be detected or deterred from travelling during the screening process.

Separately, some Member States assert that in many instances they learned that their nationals had travelled to join the ISIL or Al-Qaida affiliates long after these citizens had left their territory, been arrested or died in combat. In such instances, it is challenging to implement travel restrictions.

The Monitoring Team recommended that the UN member states intensify and accelerate the timely exchange of relevant operational information regarding actions, movements and patterns of movements of terrorists to include foreign militants who are not listed on the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List.

Indian nationals were among the over 1,400 fighters of a blacklisted faction of the Islamic State terror group who surrendered to Afghan authorities last year, according to a UN report.

Indian nationals were among the over 1,400 fighters of a blacklisted faction of the Islamic State terror group who surrendered to Afghan authorities last year, according to a UN report. The UN Security Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee in May last year blacklisted Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-K), which is also known as ISIL's South Asia Branch, ISIL Khorasan, Islamic State's Khorasan Province and South Asian Chapter of ISIL. The 25th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIL (Da'esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities said Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters were able to inflict "severe damage" on the ISIL-K, displacing it from large areas of the Nangarhar province. "More than 1,400 people surrendered to the Afghan authorities, including dependants of ISIL-K fighters. Most males were Afghan nationals, but there were also foreign nationals from Azerbaijan, Canada, France, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan," the January 2020 report said, without giving a breakup of their numbers. Also read: Despite defeats, the Islamic State remains unbroken and defiant around the world The impact on ISIL-K numbers may be significant. The group is "now assessed to have approximately 2,500 fighters in Afghanistan, with about 2,100 of them concentrated in the Kunar province", it said. "There is a covert ISIL-K presence of up to 25 persons in Faryab province, led by former Taliban member Qari Salahuddin," the report said. The ISIL-K is a branch of the militant Islamist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), active in Afghanistan and Pakistan. According to the UN report, ISIL-K continues recruitment via the Internet. It also conducts propaganda activities in madrasas and universities in Afghanistan, including in Kabul. "Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan suffered severe losses and was largely expelled from its Afghan heartland of Nangarhar Province in November 2019, but it has proved resilient in the past and is still assessed to pose a serious threat," it said. The report said ISIL-K has established informal contact with other terrorist groups, including Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-eIslam. Also read: Islamic State resurgence possible if America leaves Iraq - US General Beyond the ISIL core conflict zone, threats from Al-Qaida and ISIL affiliates persist globally, especially in Afghanistan and its "immediate neighbourhood" as well as in parts of Africa and South-East Asia, it said. Afghanistan continues to be the conflict zone of greatest concern to the UN member states outside the ISIL core area and suffers by some measures the heaviest toll from terrorism of any country in the world. "Al-Qaida and foreign terrorist fighters aligned with it, under the protection and influence of the Taliban, pose a long-term global threat," the report said. Al-Qaida remains resilient and increasingly threatening despite the confirmation last September of the death at an unspecified earlier date of its leadership figure Hamza Usama Muhammad Bin Laden, the report said. It said Al-Qaida is "concerned" about the current focus of the Taliban leadership on peace talks. "Al-Qaida representatives undertook shuttle diplomacy, persuading various factions of the Taliban and field commanders not to support negotiations with the Government of Afghanistan and promising to increase financial support," the report said. "If a peace agreement is reached, Al-Qaida intends to develop a new narrative to justify continuing the armed conflict in Afghanistan. "Relations with the Taliban continue to be close and mutually beneficial, with Al-Qaida supplying resources and training in exchange for protection," it said, adding that this is evidenced by the operation in the Musa Qal'ah district of Helmand province in September in which some members of Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent were killed. The report said there are an estimated 400 to 600 Al-Qaida fighters in Afghanistan, mainly in the provinces of Khost, Kunar, Nuristan, Paktiya and Zabul. The Monitoring Team noted that not all foreign terrorist fighters have been included in the available databases and watch lists. Some Al-Qaida and ISIL fighters, facilitators and new recruits may not have any adverse record or be listed and they, therefore, will not be detected or deterred from travelling during the screening process. Separately, some Member States assert that in many instances they learned that their nationals had travelled to join the ISIL or Al-Qaida affiliates long after these citizens had left their territory, been arrested or died in combat. In such instances, it is challenging to implement travel restrictions. The Monitoring Team recommended that the UN member states intensify and accelerate the timely exchange of relevant operational information regarding actions, movements and patterns of movements of terrorists to include foreign militants who are not listed on the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List.

Indians among ISIS-K foreign fighters who surrendered to Afghan authorities: UN report 

Afghan authorities on Saturday announced that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/blast-followed-by-gunfire-reported-in-afghanistan-capital-police-211996">hour-long attack in Kabul</a> was over. They also mentioned that all suicide bombers were killed.

"Operations finished. All suicide bombers killed &amp; more than 2000 civilians staff rescued," the Ministry of Interior said on Twitter.

Earlier today, Afghan central was hit by an explosion followed by gunfire.&nbsp;

The incident took place close to the communications ministry and one of the city's main hotels.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The blast followed several months of relative calm in Kabul, which coincided with talks between US and Taliban officials aimed at opening the way for formal peace negotiations to end more than 17 years of war in Afghanistan.

Afghan authorities on Saturday announced that hour-long attack in Kabul was over. They also mentioned that all suicide bombers were killed. "Operations finished.

Afghan authorities on Saturday announced that hour-long attack in Kabul was over. They also mentioned that all suicide bombers were killed. "Operations finished. All suicide bombers killed & more than 2000 civilians staff rescued," the Ministry of Interior said on Twitter. Earlier today, Afghan central was hit by an explosion followed by gunfire. The incident took place close to the communications ministry and one of the city's main hotels. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. The blast followed several months of relative calm in Kabul, which coincided with talks between US and Taliban officials aimed at opening the way for formal peace negotiations to end more than 17 years of war in Afghanistan.

Kabul attack over, suicide bombers killed: Afghan ministry