The Kashmir issue needs a peaceful resolution in accordance with the UN Security Council to ensure global and regional peace and stability, according to a joint declaration signed here by six countries, including Russia and China.

Speakers from the parliaments of Afghanistan, China, Iran, Russia, Turkey and host Pakistan held a two-day meet in Islamabad, which ended yesterday with the issuance of the joint declaration, Dawn News reported.

&quot;We agreed that for ensuring global and regional peace and stability, the issue of Jammu &amp; Kashmir needs a peaceful resolution by Pakistan and India in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions,&quot; states the declaration signed by top parliamentarians.

The report quoted sources as saying that the Russian delegation had expressed reservations over the inclusion of the Kashmir issue, which was then picked up by Iran and Afghanistan as well.

Iran, sources claimed, had objections over the language of the Kashmir-specific section.

However, the Pakistani side said that since Russia, Iran and Turkey included issues of political interest to them&nbsp;such as the crises in Iraq and Syria, the problems of the Middle East and Al-Quds, and Turkey&#39;s failed coup&nbsp;it would be impossible for Pakistan to leave out the Kashmir issue, the report said.

The report quoted sources as saying that the representatives from Afghanistan proved to be the hardest to convince.

National Assembly media director Mohammad Mohsin Iqbal said there was a difference of opinion among the delegates, which was settled.&nbsp;

Russian delegation had expressed reservations over the inclusion of Kashmir issue, which was then picked up by Iran and Afghanistan

The Kashmir issue needs a peaceful resolution in accordance with the UN Security Council to ensure global and regional peace and stability, according to a joint declaration signed here by six countries, including Russia and China. Speakers from the parliaments of Afghanistan, China, Iran, Russia, Turkey and host Pakistan held a two-day meet in Islamabad, which ended yesterday with the issuance of the joint declaration, Dawn News reported. "We agreed that for ensuring global and regional peace and stability, the issue of Jammu & Kashmir needs a peaceful resolution by Pakistan and India in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions," states the declaration signed by top parliamentarians. The report quoted sources as saying that the Russian delegation had expressed reservations over the inclusion of the Kashmir issue, which was then picked up by Iran and Afghanistan as well. Iran, sources claimed, had objections over the language of the Kashmir-specific section. However, the Pakistani side said that since Russia, Iran and Turkey included issues of political interest to them such as the crises in Iraq and Syria, the problems of the Middle East and Al-Quds, and Turkey's failed coup it would be impossible for Pakistan to leave out the Kashmir issue, the report said. The report quoted sources as saying that the representatives from Afghanistan proved to be the hardest to convince. National Assembly media director Mohammad Mohsin Iqbal said there was a difference of opinion among the delegates, which was settled.

'Kashmir issue needs peaceful resolution in accordance with UNSC'

China and Pakistan will look at extending their $57 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday, part of China&#39;s ambitious Belt and Road plan linking China with Asia, Europe and beyond.

China has tried to position itself as a helpful party to promote talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan, both uneasy neighbours ever since Pakistan`s independence in 1947.

Their ties have been poisoned in recent years by Afghan accusations that Pakistan is supporting Taliban insurgents fighting the US-backed Kabul in order to limit the influence of its old rival, India, in Afghanistan.

Pakistan denies that and says it wants to see a peaceful, stable Afghanistan.

Speaking after the first trilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Wang said China hoped the economic corridor could benefit the whole region and act as an impetus for development.

Afghanistan has urgent need to develop and improve people&#39;s lives and hopes it can join inter-connectivity initiatives, Wang told reporters, as he announced that Pakistan and Afghanistan had agreed to mend their strained relations.

&quot;So China and Pakistan are willing to look at with Afghanistan, on the basis of win-win, mutually beneficial principles, using an appropriate means to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan,&quot; he added.

How that could happen needs the three countries to reach a gradual consensus, tackling easier, smaller projects first, Wang said, without giving details.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said his country and China were &quot;iron brothers&quot;, but did not directly mention the prospect of Afghanistan joining the corridor.

&quot;The successful implementation of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) projects will serve as a model for enhancing connectivity and cooperation through similar projects with neighbouring countries, including Afghanistan, Iran and with central and west Asia,&quot; he said.

India has looked askance at the project as parts of it run through Pakistan-administered Kashmir that India considers its own territory, though Wang said the plan had nothing to do with territorial disputes.

China has sought to bring Kabul and Islamabad together partly due to Chinese fears about the spread of Islamist militancy from Pakistan and Afghanistan to the unrest-prone far western Chinese region of Xinjiang.

As such, China has pushed for Pakistan and Afghanistan to improve their own ties so they can better tackle the violence in their respective countries, and has also tried to broker peace talks with Afghan Taliban militants, to limited effect.

A tentative talks process collapsed in 2015.

Wang said China fully supported peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban and would continue to provide &quot;necessary facilitation&quot;.

The Belt and Road infrastructure drive aim to build a modern-day &quot;Silk Road&quot; connecting China to economies in Southeast and Central Asia by land and the Middle East and Europe by sea.

China has tried to position itself as a helpful party to promote talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan

China and Pakistan will look at extending their $57 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday, part of China's ambitious Belt and Road plan linking China with Asia, Europe and beyond. China has tried to position itself as a helpful party to promote talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan, both uneasy neighbours ever since Pakistan`s independence in 1947. Their ties have been poisoned in recent years by Afghan accusations that Pakistan is supporting Taliban insurgents fighting the US-backed Kabul in order to limit the influence of its old rival, India, in Afghanistan. Pakistan denies that and says it wants to see a peaceful, stable Afghanistan. Speaking after the first trilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Wang said China hoped the economic corridor could benefit the whole region and act as an impetus for development. Afghanistan has urgent need to develop and improve people's lives and hopes it can join inter-connectivity initiatives, Wang told reporters, as he announced that Pakistan and Afghanistan had agreed to mend their strained relations. "So China and Pakistan are willing to look at with Afghanistan, on the basis of win-win, mutually beneficial principles, using an appropriate means to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan," he added. How that could happen needs the three countries to reach a gradual consensus, tackling easier, smaller projects first, Wang said, without giving details. Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said his country and China were "iron brothers", but did not directly mention the prospect of Afghanistan joining the corridor. "The successful implementation of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) projects will serve as a model for enhancing connectivity and cooperation through similar projects with neighbouring countries, including Afghanistan, Iran and with central and west Asia," he said. India has looked askance at the project as parts of it run through Pakistan-administered Kashmir that India considers its own territory, though Wang said the plan had nothing to do with territorial disputes. China has sought to bring Kabul and Islamabad together partly due to Chinese fears about the spread of Islamist militancy from Pakistan and Afghanistan to the unrest-prone far western Chinese region of Xinjiang. As such, China has pushed for Pakistan and Afghanistan to improve their own ties so they can better tackle the violence in their respective countries, and has also tried to broker peace talks with Afghan Taliban militants, to limited effect. A tentative talks process collapsed in 2015. Wang said China fully supported peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban and would continue to provide "necessary facilitation". The Belt and Road infrastructure drive aim to build a modern-day "Silk Road" connecting China to economies in Southeast and Central Asia by land and the Middle East and Europe by sea.

China, Pakistan to look at including Afghanistan in $57 billion economic corridor

Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a compound of Afghanistan&#39;s national intelligence agency in Kabul on Monday, that killed at least six people and wounded two.

The blast comes a week after the group claimed an attack on a training facility of the same agency, the National Directorate for Security, in Kabul that ended when the attackers were killed before causing significant casualties.

In a statement issued through the group&#39;s Amaq news agency, Islamic State said it was also behind Monday&#39;s attack.

In Kabul, security officials said the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber who approached the agency&#39;s entrance on foot before blowing himself up. All the casualties reported were of civilian passersby.

Najib Danish, a spokesman for the interior ministry, said at least five people had been killed and two wounded.

Islamic State&#39;s local affiliate, which first appeared in eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan in early 2015, has become increasingly active and has claimed several recent suicide attacks in Kabul.

It has frequently fought Taliban militants and has been heavily targeted by US air strikes and Special Forces operations in its main stronghold in Nangarhar province.

But there remains considerable uncertainty about how the group operates and the exact nature of its connections with Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The blast comes a week after the group claimed an attack on a training facility of the same agency, the National Directorate for Security, in Kabul.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a compound of Afghanistan's national intelligence agency in Kabul on Monday, that killed at least six people and wounded two. The blast comes a week after the group claimed an attack on a training facility of the same agency, the National Directorate for Security, in Kabul that ended when the attackers were killed before causing significant casualties. In a statement issued through the group's Amaq news agency, Islamic State said it was also behind Monday's attack. In Kabul, security officials said the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber who approached the agency's entrance on foot before blowing himself up. All the casualties reported were of civilian passersby. Najib Danish, a spokesman for the interior ministry, said at least five people had been killed and two wounded. Islamic State's local affiliate, which first appeared in eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan in early 2015, has become increasingly active and has claimed several recent suicide attacks in Kabul. It has frequently fought Taliban militants and has been heavily targeted by US air strikes and Special Forces operations in its main stronghold in Nangarhar province. But there remains considerable uncertainty about how the group operates and the exact nature of its connections with Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Islamic State claims blast at Afghan intelligence agency in Kabul

A suicide bomber struck Kabul Monday morning close to the country&#39;s national intelligence agency -- the National Directorate for Security.&nbsp;

Officials said six people were dead and three wounded.&nbsp;

&quot;Six people were martyred and three others were wounded,&quot; AFP reported interior ministry spokesperson Najib Danish as saying.&nbsp;

The attacker struck as&nbsp;NDS employees were arriving at work.&nbsp;

AFP quoted Danish as saying the six people who died had been in a car when the attacker struck.&nbsp;

&quot;They were hit when they were passing the area in their Toyota sedan vehicle,&quot; Danish said.&nbsp;

He added that the attack had taken place on the main road, not inside the NDS compound, and that authorities were still not certain what the attacker&#39;s intended target had been.&nbsp;

There has as yet been no claim of responsibility for the attack.&nbsp;

Islamic State had however&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/militants-storm-kabul-spy-training-centre-27065" target="_blank">claimed</a> the attack a week ago on an NDS&nbsp;training facility in Kabul. &nbsp;

(This is a developing story)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Officials added that three people had been wounded

A suicide bomber struck Kabul Monday morning close to the country's national intelligence agency -- the National Directorate for Security. Officials said six people were dead and three wounded. "Six people were martyred and three others were wounded," AFP reported interior ministry spokesperson Najib Danish as saying. The attacker struck as NDS employees were arriving at work. AFP quoted Danish as saying the six people who died had been in a car when the attacker struck. "They were hit when they were passing the area in their Toyota sedan vehicle," Danish said. He added that the attack had taken place on the main road, not inside the NDS compound, and that authorities were still not certain what the attacker's intended target had been. There has as yet been no claim of responsibility for the attack. Islamic State had however claimed the attack a week ago on an NDS training facility in Kabul. (This is a developing story)

6 dead after suicide bombing in Kabul near country's national intelligence agency

At least 11 militants belonging to the Islamic State have been killed in an operation led by Afghan security forces in the Nangarhar area.&nbsp;

The operation was carried out in the eastern part of the Nangarhar province on Sunday.&nbsp;

The Tolo News quoted the Public Order Police, as saying in a statement, that the operation was launched in Khogyani district to clear the area.

Media reports further said that four other insurgents&nbsp;got injured and a &#39;heroin factory was also destroyed.&#39;

There have been no comments by the IS yet.&nbsp;

Further details are awaited.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(with inputs from ANI)

Media reports further said that four other insurgents also got injured and a 'heroin factory was also destroyed.'

At least 11 militants belonging to the Islamic State have been killed in an operation led by Afghan security forces in the Nangarhar area. The operation was carried out in the eastern part of the Nangarhar province on Sunday. The Tolo News quoted the Public Order Police, as saying in a statement, that the operation was launched in Khogyani district to clear the area. Media reports further said that four other insurgents got injured and a 'heroin factory was also destroyed.' There have been no comments by the IS yet. Further details are awaited. (with inputs from ANI)

Afghan forces kill 11 IS militants in Nangarhar province

A roadside bomb claimed the lives of at least seven civilians and left three others wounded in Afghanistan&#39;s southern Helmand province, media reports said on Sunday.

Reports further say that&nbsp;women and children were among the victims.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.&nbsp;

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, a mortar attacked a market in the east Logar area, killing three civilians and injured seven others during a battle between Afghan officials and the Taliban.&nbsp;

Taliban is known to have a prominent presence in the area which is slowly increasing.&nbsp;

Officials have said that a thorough investigation is being carried out to find&nbsp;the ones responsible&nbsp;for the attack.&nbsp;

Officials have said that a thorough investigation is being carried out to find out the ones responsible?for the attack

A roadside bomb claimed the lives of at least seven civilians and left three others wounded in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, media reports said on Sunday. Reports further say that women and children were among the victims. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, a mortar attacked a market in the east Logar area, killing three civilians and injured seven others during a battle between Afghan officials and the Taliban. Taliban is known to have a prominent presence in the area which is slowly increasing. Officials have said that a thorough investigation is being carried out to find the ones responsible for the attack.

Afghanistan: At least 7 dead, 3 injured in roadside bomb blast

Foreign ministers from Afghanistan, China and Pakistan are all set to hold talks in Beijing this Tuesday.

The trilateral talks -- to be held on December 26 -- will aim to enhance ties and cooperation among the three states.&nbsp;

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Khawaja Asif will hold in-depth discussions on mutual political trust and reconciliation, developing cooperation and connectivity, security cooperation and counter-terrorism.&nbsp;

The meeting would build consensus, enhance mutual trust and promote Afghanistan-Pakistan-China ties.&nbsp;

&quot;As a common neighbour and friend of Afghanistan and Pakistan, China always supports Afghanistan and Pakistan to live in friendship and achieve common development,&quot; Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, noted.

The three countries agreed to establish the &#39;Foreign Ministers&#39; trilateral dialogue&#39; during the Chinese foreign minister&#39;s visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan earlier in June.

(With inputs from ANI)

Foreign ministers from Afghanistan, China and Pakistan are all set to hold talks in Beijing this Tuesday

Foreign ministers from Afghanistan, China and Pakistan are all set to hold talks in Beijing this Tuesday. The trilateral talks -- to be held on December 26 -- will aim to enhance ties and cooperation among the three states. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Khawaja Asif will hold in-depth discussions on mutual political trust and reconciliation, developing cooperation and connectivity, security cooperation and counter-terrorism. The meeting would build consensus, enhance mutual trust and promote Afghanistan-Pakistan-China ties. "As a common neighbour and friend of Afghanistan and Pakistan, China always supports Afghanistan and Pakistan to live in friendship and achieve common development," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, noted. The three countries agreed to establish the 'Foreign Ministers' trilateral dialogue' during the Chinese foreign minister's visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan earlier in June. (With inputs from ANI)

China-Afghanistan-Pakistan to hold trilateral talks next week

India is Afghanistan&#39;s &quot;most reliable regional partner&quot;, the Pentagon told the US Congress today as it welcomed additional economic, medical, and civic support from New Delhi to the war-torn country.

&quot;India is Afghanistan&#39;s most reliable regional partner and the largest contributor of development assistance in the region,&quot; said the Pentagon in its report to the Congress titled &#39;Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan&#39;.

This assistance includes civil development projects such as the Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam and the Afghan parliament building, the report said.

India provides significant training opportunities for Afghan officers and enlisted personnel and has frequently offered to increase its burden sharing for Afghanistan, it said, adding that approximately 130 Afghans travel to India each year to attend various military and commissioning programmes.

India has also donated limited security assistance, most notably four Mi-35 aircraft, the Pentagon said.

&quot;The new South Asia policy highlighted our relationship with India and called on India to provide more assistance to the international efforts in Afghanistan. The United States welcomes additional Indian economic, medical, and civic support to Afghanistan,&quot; the Pentagon said in its report.

This is the first report of the Pentagon to Congress after President Donald Trump announced his new Afghan and South Asia policy in August.

&quot;Our purpose in Afghanistan remains the same: to prevent Afghanistan from again becoming a safe haven from which terrorist groups can plan and execute attacks on the United States, or our allies and citizens abroad. To accomplish this, we continue to support our Afghan partners and train, advise, and assist its military and government institutions,&quot; it said.

Under the new strategy, the US will continue to support the Afghan government and security forces in the fight against the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria - Khorasan (ISIS-K), and other insurgents and terrorists, to strengthen the Afghan government and prevent reestablishment of terrorist safe havens in Afghanistan.

&quot;A major change from our previous strategy is the shift from a time-based approach to a conditions-based one. This shift underscores the US commitment to the continued development of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF), provided that our Afghan partners satisfy their obligations,&quot; the Pentagon said.

The new strategy does not mean a return to US-led combat operations, instead, the key to success lies in improving ANDSF capabilities and allow them to lead in the fight against the Taliban, it clarified.

&quot;We will continue to work by, with, and through the ANDSF to help them defeat their enemies and to ultimately arrive at a political settlement in Afghanistan,&quot; said the Pentagon.

This assistance includes civil development projects such as the Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam and the Afghan parliament building, the report said

India is Afghanistan's "most reliable regional partner", the Pentagon told the US Congress today as it welcomed additional economic, medical, and civic support from New Delhi to the war-torn country. "India is Afghanistan's most reliable regional partner and the largest contributor of development assistance in the region," said the Pentagon in its report to the Congress titled 'Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan'. This assistance includes civil development projects such as the Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam and the Afghan parliament building, the report said. India provides significant training opportunities for Afghan officers and enlisted personnel and has frequently offered to increase its burden sharing for Afghanistan, it said, adding that approximately 130 Afghans travel to India each year to attend various military and commissioning programmes. India has also donated limited security assistance, most notably four Mi-35 aircraft, the Pentagon said. "The new South Asia policy highlighted our relationship with India and called on India to provide more assistance to the international efforts in Afghanistan. The United States welcomes additional Indian economic, medical, and civic support to Afghanistan," the Pentagon said in its report. This is the first report of the Pentagon to Congress after President Donald Trump announced his new Afghan and South Asia policy in August. "Our purpose in Afghanistan remains the same: to prevent Afghanistan from again becoming a safe haven from which terrorist groups can plan and execute attacks on the United States, or our allies and citizens abroad. To accomplish this, we continue to support our Afghan partners and train, advise, and assist its military and government institutions," it said. Under the new strategy, the US will continue to support the Afghan government and security forces in the fight against the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria - Khorasan (ISIS-K), and other insurgents and terrorists, to strengthen the Afghan government and prevent reestablishment of terrorist safe havens in Afghanistan. "A major change from our previous strategy is the shift from a time-based approach to a conditions-based one. This shift underscores the US commitment to the continued development of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF), provided that our Afghan partners satisfy their obligations," the Pentagon said. The new strategy does not mean a return to US-led combat operations, instead, the key to success lies in improving ANDSF capabilities and allow them to lead in the fight against the Taliban, it clarified. "We will continue to work by, with, and through the ANDSF to help them defeat their enemies and to ultimately arrive at a political settlement in Afghanistan," said the Pentagon.

India is Afghanistan's most reliable regional partner: Pentagon

The Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI) on Tuesday informed that India will host newly-promoted Afghanistan for their first-ever Test match in 2018-2019.

The decision was taken considering the historic relations between the two nations.

As per reports, Afghans were scheduled to take on Australia in their first test in 2019, but India decided to host them first considering the ties two countries share.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
India to host <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a> for their first-ever Test match. The historic match that signifies strong bond that the two nations and their respective cricket Boards share will be held in upcoming home season (2018-19): BCCI <a href="https://t.co/V5sqWwvsPT">pic.twitter.com/V5sqWwvsPT</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/940473055767248896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Earlier this year, Ireland and Afghanistan were given the Test status in June to become the 11th and 12th Test nations respectively in the list.

BCCI, in its latest Future Tours Programme (FTP) announced that Afghanistan, a team that has made rapid strides despite the constant troubles back home, will play its first ever Test against India.&nbsp;

Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi became the first two Afghanistan cricketers to be bought at the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. In fact, leg-spinner Rashid has already established himself as a global star.

The decision was taken considering the historic relations between the two nations.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI) on Tuesday informed that India will host newly-promoted Afghanistan for their first-ever Test match in 2018-2019. The decision was taken considering the historic relations between the two nations. As per reports, Afghans were scheduled to take on Australia in their first test in 2019, but India decided to host them first considering the ties two countries share. India to host #Afghanistan for their first-ever Test match. The historic match that signifies strong bond that the two nations and their respective cricket Boards share will be held in upcoming home season (2018-19): BCCI pic.twitter.com/V5sqWwvsPT — ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2017 × Earlier this year, Ireland and Afghanistan were given the Test status in June to become the 11th and 12th Test nations respectively in the list. BCCI, in its latest Future Tours Programme (FTP) announced that Afghanistan, a team that has made rapid strides despite the constant troubles back home, will play its first ever Test against India. Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi became the first two Afghanistan cricketers to be bought at the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. In fact, leg-spinner Rashid has already established himself as a global star.

India to host Afghanistan in first-ever cricket Test

At least 76&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/search?query=militants">militants</a>&nbsp;belonging to the Taliban insurgent group were killed by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/search?query=Afghan%20National%20Army">Afghan National Army</a>&nbsp;in a five-day&nbsp;military operation in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/search?query=Kunduz%20province">Kunduz province</a>.

Tolo News quoted a spokesman of the corps, Jawed Salim, as saying, in a statement, that dozens of other militants were injured in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/search?query=military%20operation">military operation</a>.

The operation was carried out to clear the insurgent areas, which started five days ago, Salim added.

&quot;An officer was also killed and two commandos were wounded during the operation,&quot; he said.

Taliban hasn&#39;t commented on the incident so far.

An officer and two commandos were also killed

At least 76 militants belonging to the Taliban insurgent group were killed by the Afghan National Army in a five-day military operation in Kunduz province. Tolo News quoted a spokesman of the corps, Jawed Salim, as saying, in a statement, that dozens of other militants were injured in the military operation. The operation was carried out to clear the insurgent areas, which started five days ago, Salim added. "An officer was also killed and two commandos were wounded during the operation," he said. Taliban hasn't commented on the incident so far.

Afghan Army kills 76 Taliban militants in 5-day operation

Pakistan has issued a warning to its citizens working in Afghanistan or willing to travel to the nation, regarding a likely abduction risk.

&quot;Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan are cautioned to exercise extreme vigilance as off-late senior professionals working in different fields have been kidnapped,&quot; reported Khaama Press, citing a travel advisory issued by the ministry of foreign affairs of Pakistan.

The statement adds that Pakistanis either considering employment positions or currently working in Afghanistan must take into consideration their personal safety.

Pakistanis residing in Afghanistan are also advised to register with the embassy online via embassy&#39;s website, the report said.

This comes in the backdrop of a Pakistani engineer allegedly being kidnapped from Afghan&#39;s Nangarhar province and reportedly being recovered by the Pakistani military.

Malik Faiz Ahmad, originally a resident of Rawalpindi, was abducted from Jalalabad-Torkham highway late in August.

'Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan are cautioned to exercise extreme vigilance as off-late senior professionals working in different fields have been kidnapped,' a travel advisory said

Pakistan has issued a warning to its citizens working in Afghanistan or willing to travel to the nation, regarding a likely abduction risk. "Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan are cautioned to exercise extreme vigilance as off-late senior professionals working in different fields have been kidnapped," reported Khaama Press, citing a travel advisory issued by the ministry of foreign affairs of Pakistan. The statement adds that Pakistanis either considering employment positions or currently working in Afghanistan must take into consideration their personal safety. Pakistanis residing in Afghanistan are also advised to register with the embassy online via embassy's website, the report said. This comes in the backdrop of a Pakistani engineer allegedly being kidnapped from Afghan's Nangarhar province and reportedly being recovered by the Pakistani military. Malik Faiz Ahmad, originally a resident of Rawalpindi, was abducted from Jalalabad-Torkham highway late in August.

Pakistan warns citizens of likely abductions in Afghanistan

President Xi Jinping&rsquo;s position before and after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has a very little direct impact on India. Notwithstanding Xi&#39;s boastful speeches to his captive audience&nbsp;at the conference, there is not much change in the stance and drivers steering China &ndash; India relations.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>India is unlikely to join&nbsp;BRI or CPEC, even if he has included it in the Chinese constitution.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=India is unlikely to join?BRI or CPEC, even if he has included it in the Chinese constitution." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

Evidently, there is no appreciable change in the areas of convergence and divergence in the national interest of two countries. India is unlikely to join&nbsp;Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or China&ndash;Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) even if Xi has included these in the Chinese constitution. These initiatives are seen as no worth to India and clearly as violating Indian sovereignty.

Rather, indirect factors may cause a major difference for India. For instance, some of our common neighbours may give in to the more aggressive &lsquo;Purse diplomacy&rsquo; of China or may even get coerced into accepting it. Maldives signing free-trade agreement (FTA) with China, land grabbing efforts of China in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan are few such examples affecting Indian security adversely, which India needs to work on.

With a greater possibility of facing an aggressive, unchecked Xi Jinping, India needs to work on enhancing hard as well as soft power. China&rsquo;s strategic leveraging of water sources by diverting it or flooding it (being upper riparian country) is a new threat to South Asia, which India needs to be prepared for.

When President Trump indicated his enthusiasm to work with India to improve capabilities of Indian military on the sidelines of the&nbsp;ASEAN summit, it has some positive message for India, because no nation has ever become a recognisable power in global history without a strong military. Besides ongoing efforts to strengthen Indian military, we also need to increase the pace of infrastructure development on the borders and Northeastern region.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>India is better located to be the hub of global sea lanes with lesser choke points.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=India is better located to be the hub of global sea lanes with lesser choke points." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

On the diplomatic side, we need to not only &lsquo;Act East&rsquo; but &lsquo;Act West&rsquo; also. India is better located to be the hub of global sea lanes with lesser choke points on either side, and is working towards this capability to provide an alternate model of global connectivity like Asia- Africa Growth Corridor connecting further West.

The inauguration of Chabahar port in Iran, with an opportunity to connect with Afghanistan, CAR, and further West carries the message that determined nations will find its way even if blocked by adversarial designs. If India could stand up to China to protect its strategic choices during Doklam episode, I am sure that it can do the same in future as well, on its own strength. Any leverage we derive from friendly countries/groupings/strategic partnerships/alliances should be treated as a bonus.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

If India could stand up to China to protect its strategic choices during Doklam issue then it can do the same in future as well, on its own strength

President Xi Jinping’s position before and after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has a very little direct impact on India. Notwithstanding Xi's boastful speeches to his captive audience at the conference, there is not much change in the stance and drivers steering China – India relations. India is unlikely to join BRI or CPEC, even if he has included it in the Chinese constitution. × Evidently, there is no appreciable change in the areas of convergence and divergence in the national interest of two countries. India is unlikely to join Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) even if Xi has included these in the Chinese constitution. These initiatives are seen as no worth to India and clearly as violating Indian sovereignty. Rather, indirect factors may cause a major difference for India. For instance, some of our common neighbours may give in to the more aggressive ‘Purse diplomacy’ of China or may even get coerced into accepting it. Maldives signing free-trade agreement (FTA) with China, land grabbing efforts of China in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan are few such examples affecting Indian security adversely, which India needs to work on. With a greater possibility of facing an aggressive, unchecked Xi Jinping, India needs to work on enhancing hard as well as soft power. China’s strategic leveraging of water sources by diverting it or flooding it (being upper riparian country) is a new threat to South Asia, which India needs to be prepared for. When President Trump indicated his enthusiasm to work with India to improve capabilities of Indian military on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, it has some positive message for India, because no nation has ever become a recognisable power in global history without a strong military. Besides ongoing efforts to strengthen Indian military, we also need to increase the pace of infrastructure development on the borders and Northeastern region. India is better located to be the hub of global sea lanes with lesser choke points. × On the diplomatic side, we need to not only ‘Act East’ but ‘Act West’ also. India is better located to be the hub of global sea lanes with lesser choke points on either side, and is working towards this capability to provide an alternate model of global connectivity like Asia- Africa Growth Corridor connecting further West. The inauguration of Chabahar port in Iran, with an opportunity to connect with Afghanistan, CAR, and further West carries the message that determined nations will find its way even if blocked by adversarial designs. If India could stand up to China to protect its strategic choices during Doklam episode, I am sure that it can do the same in future as well, on its own strength. Any leverage we derive from friendly countries/groupings/strategic partnerships/alliances should be treated as a bonus. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: What does Xi's autocratic position mean for India?

An Al Qaeda&nbsp;leader, as well as over 80 other militants, have been killed in a joint operation by Afghan and US officials in Afghanistan, reports say.

The leader, Omar Khetab, famously known as&nbsp;Omar Mansoon was gunned down during the attack, Afghan&#39;s Intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) was reported saying.&nbsp;

As per reports, the death of famous Al&nbsp;Qaeda leader Qari Yasin, who was earlier killed in a US counter-terrorism airstrike, was the man being the 2009 bus attack carrying the Sri Lankan team in Lahore - comes in the backdrop of United States Department of Defense underscoring in a statement, issued in March.&nbsp;

The attack had caused the death of six Pakistani police forces, two civilians and also caused injury to six members of the cricket team.

Previously, Qari Noor Aqa, Taliban&#39;s military commission chief as well as seven other representatives were killed by the Afghan security and in central Maidan Wardak province of Afghanistan.

The leader, Omar Khetab, famously known ass Omar Mansoon was gunned down during the attack

An Al Qaeda leader, as well as over 80 other militants, have been killed in a joint operation by Afghan and US officials in Afghanistan, reports say. The leader, Omar Khetab, famously known as Omar Mansoon was gunned down during the attack, Afghan's Intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) was reported saying. As per reports, the death of famous Al Qaeda leader Qari Yasin, who was earlier killed in a US counter-terrorism airstrike, was the man being the 2009 bus attack carrying the Sri Lankan team in Lahore - comes in the backdrop of United States Department of Defense underscoring in a statement, issued in March. The attack had caused the death of six Pakistani police forces, two civilians and also caused injury to six members of the cricket team. Previously, Qari Noor Aqa, Taliban's military commission chief as well as seven other representatives were killed by the Afghan security and in central Maidan Wardak province of Afghanistan.

Top al Qaeda leader Omar Mansoon killed in US-Afghan joint operation

On December 3, 2017, President of Iran Hassan Rouhani inaugurated the much-awaited Chabahar port. The inauguration follows the successful operationalisation of the port on October 29; which marked a major shift as to how Afghanistan trades with the world and vice versa.&nbsp;

India dispatched first of the six consignments of wheat (India&rsquo;s commitment to send 1.1 million tonnes of wheat) to Afghanistan via Chabahar, Iran bypassing Pakistan. Traditionally, Afghanistan due to its landlocked nature has been dependent upon Pakistan to receive international aid and conduct trade. With the opening of the route via Iran, Afghanistan&#39;s dependence on Pakistan will reduce significantly and it will get access to the seaport, increasing trade volume considerably.

The Chabahar, which is in Iran, is connected to Afghanistan via 635 km road connecting Chabahar to Zahedan and improved the 206 km to Zaranj on its side of the Iran-Afghan border. India as part of its Afghanistan development assistance initiative has constructed 218 km long Zaranj-Delaram highway in western Afghanistan that runs to the Iran border, thus providing much-required sea access.

The passage of India&#39;s first consignment of wheat through Iran&#39;s Chabahar port to Afghanistan recently is significant for several reasons. First, it helps in boosting trade ties between Afghanistan and India which have suffered due to transit issues for Indian goods via Pakistan. Afghanistan has the potential to become a major transit hub for Central Asian goods reaching South Asia and beyond via this port facility. The port access is also expected to encourage domestic trading communities in Afghanistan to utilise this facility.&nbsp;

Second, it alters regional geopolitical calibrations i.e. bringing Iran as a player in Afghanistan&#39;s reconstruction efforts as well as much needed developmental activity in the Sistan and Baluchistan province of southern Iran.&nbsp;

Third, for Iran, the operationalisation comes at a time when the US has been changing its stance on the nuclear deal. The port is also key to INSTC (International North-South Transport Corridor) which provides trade connectivity from Russia to the Persian Gulf via different trades routes.

India, Iran and Afghanistan may have overcome many challenges to make trade and transit through Chabahar port a reality. But challenges remain. First, the location of the port itself i.e. the port is located just 72km away from the Gwadar port of Pakistan which is part of the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Second, the US policy with respect to Iran is changing again, the recent decision by the US to decertify Iran as per the Iran Nuclear Deal or JCPOA has renewed fear of economic sanctions on Iran. However, the US Secretary of State Tillerson on his recent visit to India has assured the Indian government that Chabahar port will be out of the purview of any such decision of the US government.&nbsp;

But the impact of the sanctions on the associated economic activity will have an adverse impact on the economic viability of the port. Third, the port would need more than India-Afghan trade to stay afloat. Several countries, including Japan and South Korea, have expressed interest in the port facility and should be roped in. The materialisation of the INSTC will bring much-needed trade traffic to the port facility and provide access to the Central Asian, East European markets for East Asian economic powerhouses.

In addition, the poor security situation in the Sistan-Baluchistan province where Chabahar is located may raise some concerns as the province has the restive Sunni population in Shia-dominated Iran. The deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, too, could undermine the region&#39;s capacity to tap Chabahar&#39;s full potential.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

With the opening of the route via Iran, Afghanistan's dependence on Pakistan will reduce significantly and it will get access to the seaport, increasing trade volume considerably.

On December 3, 2017, President of Iran Hassan Rouhani inaugurated the much-awaited Chabahar port. The inauguration follows the successful operationalisation of the port on October 29; which marked a major shift as to how Afghanistan trades with the world and vice versa. India dispatched first of the six consignments of wheat (India’s commitment to send 1.1 million tonnes of wheat) to Afghanistan via Chabahar, Iran bypassing Pakistan. Traditionally, Afghanistan due to its landlocked nature has been dependent upon Pakistan to receive international aid and conduct trade. With the opening of the route via Iran, Afghanistan's dependence on Pakistan will reduce significantly and it will get access to the seaport, increasing trade volume considerably. The Chabahar, which is in Iran, is connected to Afghanistan via 635 km road connecting Chabahar to Zahedan and improved the 206 km to Zaranj on its side of the Iran-Afghan border. India as part of its Afghanistan development assistance initiative has constructed 218 km long Zaranj-Delaram highway in western Afghanistan that runs to the Iran border, thus providing much-required sea access. The passage of India's first consignment of wheat through Iran's Chabahar port to Afghanistan recently is significant for several reasons. First, it helps in boosting trade ties between Afghanistan and India which have suffered due to transit issues for Indian goods via Pakistan. Afghanistan has the potential to become a major transit hub for Central Asian goods reaching South Asia and beyond via this port facility. The port access is also expected to encourage domestic trading communities in Afghanistan to utilise this facility. Second, it alters regional geopolitical calibrations i.e. bringing Iran as a player in Afghanistan's reconstruction efforts as well as much needed developmental activity in the Sistan and Baluchistan province of southern Iran. Third, for Iran, the operationalisation comes at a time when the US has been changing its stance on the nuclear deal. The port is also key to INSTC (International North-South Transport Corridor) which provides trade connectivity from Russia to the Persian Gulf via different trades routes. India, Iran and Afghanistan may have overcome many challenges to make trade and transit through Chabahar port a reality. But challenges remain. First, the location of the port itself i.e. the port is located just 72km away from the Gwadar port of Pakistan which is part of the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Second, the US policy with respect to Iran is changing again, the recent decision by the US to decertify Iran as per the Iran Nuclear Deal or JCPOA has renewed fear of economic sanctions on Iran. However, the US Secretary of State Tillerson on his recent visit to India has assured the Indian government that Chabahar port will be out of the purview of any such decision of the US government. But the impact of the sanctions on the associated economic activity will have an adverse impact on the economic viability of the port. Third, the port would need more than India-Afghan trade to stay afloat. Several countries, including Japan and South Korea, have expressed interest in the port facility and should be roped in. The materialisation of the INSTC will bring much-needed trade traffic to the port facility and provide access to the Central Asian, East European markets for East Asian economic powerhouses. In addition, the poor security situation in the Sistan-Baluchistan province where Chabahar is located may raise some concerns as the province has the restive Sunni population in Shia-dominated Iran. The deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, too, could undermine the region's capacity to tap Chabahar's full potential. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: With Chabahar India gains upper hand over Pakistan

The commander of the Taliban&#39;s &quot;special forces&quot; branch, known as the &quot;Red Unit,&quot; was killed last week in Helmand province by Afghan forces, according to Afghanistan&#39;s main intelligence agency.

The National Directorate of Security (NDS) said Mullah Shah Wali, also known as Mullah Naser, was killed in an air operation in Helmand.

The province is a Taliban stronghold in the heartland of Afghanistan&#39;s lucrative drug trade.

Wali became the commander of the Taliban&#39;s &quot;Red Unit&quot; as well as deputy shadow governor of Helmand province three years ago and was directly involved in Taliban offensives, the statement said.&nbsp;

The &quot;Red Unit&quot; is thought to be equipped with advanced weapons, including night vision scopes, 82mm rockets, heavy machine guns and US-made assault rifles, according to the Afghan military.

Wali was killed alongside a suicide bomber and two other Taliban commanders in Helmand&#39;s Musa Qala district, according to the NDS.

The United States has worked hard to build up Afghan air support and attack capabilities since they were found inadequate after most foreign forces withdrew three years ago.

The National Directorate of Security said Mullah Shah Wali, also known as Mullah Naser, was killed in an air operation in Helmand

The commander of the Taliban's "special forces" branch, known as the "Red Unit," was killed last week in Helmand province by Afghan forces, according to Afghanistan's main intelligence agency. The National Directorate of Security (NDS) said Mullah Shah Wali, also known as Mullah Naser, was killed in an air operation in Helmand. The province is a Taliban stronghold in the heartland of Afghanistan's lucrative drug trade. Wali became the commander of the Taliban's "Red Unit" as well as deputy shadow governor of Helmand province three years ago and was directly involved in Taliban offensives, the statement said. The "Red Unit" is thought to be equipped with advanced weapons, including night vision scopes, 82mm rockets, heavy machine guns and US-made assault rifles, according to the Afghan military. Wali was killed alongside a suicide bomber and two other Taliban commanders in Helmand's Musa Qala district, according to the NDS. The United States has worked hard to build up Afghan air support and attack capabilities since they were found inadequate after most foreign forces withdrew three years ago.

Commander of Taliban 'special forces' killed in Afghanistan: Officials

At least six civilians, including a woman and a child, have been killed and 13 others injured after a blast in Jalalabad city of Afghanistan&nbsp;on Sunday afternoon, local officials confirmed.

The incident took place at about 1:30 pm local time in PD1 of Jalalabad city after a suicide motorbike bomber detonated his explosive, a spokesman for the provincial governor Attaullah Khoghyani said.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Six people, including a woman and a child, were killed in a suicide attack in Jalalabad city and 11 others were wounded, local officials confirmed, reports TOLOnews.
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/937267359185641473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&ldquo;The victims have been taken the nearby hospital and the governor has ordered urgent assistance to the victims,&rdquo; Khoghyani said. He did not provide further details.

No group, including the Taliban, have claimed responsibly for the blast yet.

According to reports, 11 others were also injured following the attack.

At least six civilians, including a woman and a child, have been killed and 13 others injured after a blast in Jalalabad city of Afghanistan on Sunday afternoon, local officials confirmed. The incident took place at about 1:30 pm local time in PD1 of Jalalabad city after a suicide motorbike bomber detonated his explosive, a spokesman for the provincial governor Attaullah Khoghyani said. Six people, including a woman and a child, were killed in a suicide attack in Jalalabad city and 11 others were wounded, local officials confirmed, reports TOLOnews. — ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2017 × “The victims have been taken the nearby hospital and the governor has ordered urgent assistance to the victims,” Khoghyani said. He did not provide further details. No group, including the Taliban, have claimed responsibly for the blast yet.

Six including woman, child killed in suicide attack in Afghanistan

The first phase of the Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman was inaugurated on Sunday by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. The port will open&nbsp;a new strategic route connecting Iran, India and Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan, and reflecting growing convergence of interests among the three countries.

The port in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich nation&#39;s southern coast is easily accessible from India&#39;s western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan&#39;s Gwadar Port, which is being developed with Chinese investment and is located at distance of around 80 kms from Chabahar.

An India-Iran-Afghanistan ministerial-level trilateral meeting on Chabahar also took place on the sidelines of the event where the three countries resolved to work towards integrated development of connectivity infrastructure including ports, road and rail networks to open up greater opportunities for regional market access and integration of their economies.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Minister of State (Shipping) Pon Radhakrishnan represented India at the inauguration of the Phase 1 of the Shahid Beheshti Port at Chabahar in Iran <a href="https://t.co/LdR5eFpMfv">pic.twitter.com/LdR5eFpMfv</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/937290760440999936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

The Chabahar port is being considered a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries besides ramping up trade among the three countries in the wake of Pakistan denying transit access to New Delhi.

&quot;The routes of the region should be connected by land, sea and air,&quot; Rouhani said at the inauguration ceremony, according to his office.

India has been closely working with Afghanistan and Iran to create an alternative, reliable access routes for trade.

Under the agreement signed between India and Iran in May last year, India is to equip and operate two berths in Chabahar Port Phase-I with the capital investment of USD 85.21 million and annual revenue expenditure of USD 22.95 million on a 10-year lease.

The MEA, in a statement, said Radhakrishnan also represented India in the second India-Iran-Afghanistan ministerial-level trilateral meeting on Chabahar port in Chabahar today. Iran was represented by its Transport Minister Abbas Akhoundi and Afghanistan by its Trade and Commerce Minister Humayoon Rasaw.

In the meeting, the three countries assessed the progress in the development of the port and reiterated their commitment to complete and operationalise it at the earliest, which they felt would provide alternative access to landlocked Afghanistan to regional and global markets.

A joint statement issued after the meeting said the ministers also deliberated on trilateral pact relating to the mega connectivity project and expressed satisfaction on the completion of the ratification procedures by Afghanistan and India. They welcomed the steps taken by Iran to complete the ratification process.

In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan had inked a pact which entailed establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi- modal transport of goods and passengers across the three nations.

&quot;The ministers discussed the next steps for full implementation of the agreement and moving towards its operationalisation. Towards this endeavour, it was decided to finalise protocols related to transport and transit, ports, customs procedures and consular affairs. It was also decided to convene an expert-level meeting of senior officials of the three countries at the earliest,&quot; the joint statement said.

Reiterating the importance of Chabahar as a hub for regional economic connectivity and their commitment to work towards this objective, the ministers also commended the joint efforts of the three countries in the recent successful transit of wheat from India to Afghanistan through Chabahar.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Rouhani noted that transit is the best communication tool for nations, adding &quot;the routes of the region should be connected on land, sea and air,&quot; according to his office.

(With PTI inputs)&nbsp;

The Chabahar port is being considered a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries

The first phase of the Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman was inaugurated on Sunday by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. The port will open a new strategic route connecting Iran, India and Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan, and reflecting growing convergence of interests among the three countries. The port in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich nation's southern coast is easily accessible from India's western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan's Gwadar Port, which is being developed with Chinese investment and is located at distance of around 80 kms from Chabahar. An India-Iran-Afghanistan ministerial-level trilateral meeting on Chabahar also took place on the sidelines of the event where the three countries resolved to work towards integrated development of connectivity infrastructure including ports, road and rail networks to open up greater opportunities for regional market access and integration of their economies. Minister of State (Shipping) Pon Radhakrishnan represented India at the inauguration of the Phase 1 of the Shahid Beheshti Port at Chabahar in Iran pic.twitter.com/LdR5eFpMfv — ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2017 × The Chabahar port is being considered a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries besides ramping up trade among the three countries in the wake of Pakistan denying transit access to New Delhi. "The routes of the region should be connected by land, sea and air," Rouhani said at the inauguration ceremony, according to his office. India has been closely working with Afghanistan and Iran to create an alternative, reliable access routes for trade. Under the agreement signed between India and Iran in May last year, India is to equip and operate two berths in Chabahar Port Phase-I with the capital investment of USD 85.21 million and annual revenue expenditure of USD 22.95 million on a 10-year lease. The MEA, in a statement, said Radhakrishnan also represented India in the second India-Iran-Afghanistan ministerial-level trilateral meeting on Chabahar port in Chabahar today. Iran was represented by its Transport Minister Abbas Akhoundi and Afghanistan by its Trade and Commerce Minister Humayoon Rasaw. In the meeting, the three countries assessed the progress in the development of the port and reiterated their commitment to complete and operationalise it at the earliest, which they felt would provide alternative access to landlocked Afghanistan to regional and global markets. A joint statement issued after the meeting said the ministers also deliberated on trilateral pact relating to the mega connectivity project and expressed satisfaction on the completion of the ratification procedures by Afghanistan and India. They welcomed the steps taken by Iran to complete the ratification process. In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan had inked a pact which entailed establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi- modal transport of goods and passengers across the three nations. "The ministers discussed the next steps for full implementation of the agreement and moving towards its operationalisation. Towards this endeavour, it was decided to finalise protocols related to transport and transit, ports, customs procedures and consular affairs. It was also decided to convene an expert-level meeting of senior officials of the three countries at the earliest," the joint statement said. Reiterating the importance of Chabahar as a hub for regional economic connectivity and their commitment to work towards this objective, the ministers also commended the joint efforts of the three countries in the recent successful transit of wheat from India to Afghanistan through Chabahar. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Rouhani noted that transit is the best communication tool for nations, adding "the routes of the region should be connected on land, sea and air," according to his office. (With PTI inputs)

Chabahar port inaugurated, allows India to bypass Pakistan on trade route to Afghanistan

As Hafiz Saeed walked free on Wednesday,<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pervez-musharraf-im-lashkars-biggest-supporter-they-like-me-too-25405"> a top US general John Nicholson said</a> he hadn&#39;t seen any &quot;changes implemented&quot; by Pakistan despite Trump administration&#39;s tough line on terror.

&quot;We have been very direct and very clear with the Pakistanis... we have not seen those changes implemented yet,&quot; commanded of US forces in Afghanistan said.

President Trump while unveiling the Afghanistan strategy in August had said Pakistan needed to do more to destroy terrorists haven&#39;s inside the country, declaring it harboured &ldquo;agents of chaos&rdquo;.

With US set to send&nbsp;3,000 additional troops as part of the new Afghanistan strategy, the US general summed the situation saying: &quot;we are on our way to a win.&quot;

The US administration has been especially tough on Pakistan clamping down on the Haqqani Network, but results have been difficult to come about on the ground.

&quot;We are hoping to see those changes, we are hoping to work together with the Pakistanis going forward to eliminate terrorists who are crossing&quot; the border, Nicholson said.

General Nicholson said he believed that senior Taliban leaders were based in Pakistan, while the lower-level leadership was based in Afghanistan.

The US general added that he had seen evidence of relations between Iran and the Taliban in western Afghanistan and was closely tracking it.

The US has tried to give logistic and technical support to the Afghan army, including supplying around 58 armed UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as part of the $1 billion deal to provide 159 helicopters to the Afghan forces until 2024.

The Taliban though has continued its terror campaign in Afghanistan targeting Kabul with suicide attacks and bombing almost every week as the Afghan forces have struggled to maintain peace on the ground.

President Trump while unveiling the Afghanistan strategy in August had said Pakistan needed to do more to destroy terrorists haven's inside the country

As Hafiz Saeed walked free on Wednesday, a top US general John Nicholson said he hadn't seen any "changes implemented" by Pakistan despite Trump administration's tough line on terror. "We have been very direct and very clear with the Pakistanis... we have not seen those changes implemented yet," commanded of US forces in Afghanistan said. President Trump while unveiling the Afghanistan strategy in August had said Pakistan needed to do more to destroy terrorists haven's inside the country, declaring it harboured “agents of chaos”. With US set to send 3,000 additional troops as part of the new Afghanistan strategy, the US general summed the situation saying: "we are on our way to a win." The US administration has been especially tough on Pakistan clamping down on the Haqqani Network, but results have been difficult to come about on the ground. "We are hoping to see those changes, we are hoping to work together with the Pakistanis going forward to eliminate terrorists who are crossing" the border, Nicholson said. General Nicholson said he believed that senior Taliban leaders were based in Pakistan, while the lower-level leadership was based in Afghanistan. The US general added that he had seen evidence of relations between Iran and the Taliban in western Afghanistan and was closely tracking it. The US has tried to give logistic and technical support to the Afghan army, including supplying around 58 armed UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as part of the $1 billion deal to provide 159 helicopters to the Afghan forces until 2024. The Taliban though has continued its terror campaign in Afghanistan targeting Kabul with suicide attacks and bombing almost every week as the Afghan forces have struggled to maintain peace on the ground.

We have been very direct with Pakistan but haven't seen changes implemented: US General Nicholson

Twelve Afghan&nbsp;soldiers have been killed in an attack by Taliban in Nimroz province, reports said.

Afghan news agencies reported district governor of Khashrood in Nimroz said the blast occurred due to a&nbsp;roadside bomb.

No group has taken responsibility for the attack.

A fortnight ago the Islamic State had carried out an attack at Khair Khana near the Lab-e-Jar square in Kabul killing at least eight policemen and 10 civilians.&nbsp;

Developing

Reports said the attack took place in Afghanistan's Nimroz province

Twelve Afghan soldiers have been killed in an attack by Taliban in Nimroz province, reports said. Afghan news agencies reported district governor of Khashrood in Nimroz said the blast occurred due to a roadside bomb. No group has taken responsibility for the attack. A fortnight ago the Islamic State had carried out an attack at Khair Khana near the Lab-e-Jar square in Kabul killing at least eight policemen and 10 civilians. Developing

12 Afghan soldiers killed in attack by Taliban

Islamic State beheaded 15 of its own fighters due to infighting in Afghanistan&#39;s eastern province of Nangarhar, officials said, while a separate suicide attack on Thursday tore into a crowd in the provincial capital, Jalalabad, killing at least eight.

The two incidents underline the insecurity and lawlessness across Afghanistan, where thousands of civilians have been killed or wounded this year, amid unrelenting violence involving militant groups including Islamic State and the Taliban.

In a bloody day for the province, a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing at least eight people at a meeting of supporters of a police commander who was sacked for illegal land grabbing.

There was no claim of responsibility and no immediate indication of who was behind the attack on the crowd in Jalalabad, which had gathered to demand the reinstatement of the commander, who survived the attack.

A spokesman for the Jalalabad hospital confirmed eight people had been killed and 15 wounded.

Nangarhar, on the porous border with Pakistan, has become a stronghold for Islamic State, generally known as Daesh in Afghanistan, which has grown to become one of the country&#39;s most dangerous militant groups since it appeared around the start of 2015.

Attaullah Khogyani, the provincial governor&#39;s spokesman, said the 15 Islamic State fighters were executed after a bout of infighting in the group, which has become notorious for its brutality. The killings occurred in the Surkh Ab bazaar of Achin district.

Further details were not available and there was no confirmation from Islamic State, whose local branch is known as Islamic State in Khorasan, an old name for the area that includes modern Afghanistan.

The Taliban and Islamic State have frequently fought each other in Nangarhar and both have been targeted by sustained US&nbsp;air strikes.

But the exact nature of the relationship between the two groups is little understood. There have been isolated incidents in Afghanistan in which the fighters of both appear to have cooperated.

Afghan intelligence documents reviewed by Reuters this year showed security officials believe Islamic State is present in nine provinces, from Nangarhar and Kunar in the east to Jawzjan, Faryab and Badakhshan in the north and Ghor in the central west.

The fighters were beheaded because of infighting

Islamic State beheaded 15 of its own fighters due to infighting in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, officials said, while a separate suicide attack on Thursday tore into a crowd in the provincial capital, Jalalabad, killing at least eight. The two incidents underline the insecurity and lawlessness across Afghanistan, where thousands of civilians have been killed or wounded this year, amid unrelenting violence involving militant groups including Islamic State and the Taliban. In a bloody day for the province, a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing at least eight people at a meeting of supporters of a police commander who was sacked for illegal land grabbing. There was no claim of responsibility and no immediate indication of who was behind the attack on the crowd in Jalalabad, which had gathered to demand the reinstatement of the commander, who survived the attack. A spokesman for the Jalalabad hospital confirmed eight people had been killed and 15 wounded. Nangarhar, on the porous border with Pakistan, has become a stronghold for Islamic State, generally known as Daesh in Afghanistan, which has grown to become one of the country's most dangerous militant groups since it appeared around the start of 2015. Attaullah Khogyani, the provincial governor's spokesman, said the 15 Islamic State fighters were executed after a bout of infighting in the group, which has become notorious for its brutality. The killings occurred in the Surkh Ab bazaar of Achin district. Further details were not available and there was no confirmation from Islamic State, whose local branch is known as Islamic State in Khorasan, an old name for the area that includes modern Afghanistan. The Taliban and Islamic State have frequently fought each other in Nangarhar and both have been targeted by sustained US air strikes. But the exact nature of the relationship between the two groups is little understood. There have been isolated incidents in Afghanistan in which the fighters of both appear to have cooperated. Afghan intelligence documents reviewed by Reuters this year showed security officials believe Islamic State is present in nine provinces, from Nangarhar and Kunar in the east to Jawzjan, Faryab and Badakhshan in the north and Ghor in the central west.

Islamic State beheads 15 of its own fighters: Afghan officials

Papua New Guinea police sealed off an officially shuttered Australia-run detention camp on Thursday and ordered&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers occupying it to leave as they confiscated food and water the men had stockpiled,&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers told Reuters.

About 380&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers have shut themselves inside the Manus Island Centre for more than three weeks, defying attempts by Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) to close it in a standoff the United Nations described as a &quot;looming humanitarian crisis&quot;.

&quot;They destroyed our food and damaged our accommodation too, they destroyed our water tank,&quot; one&nbsp;asylum-seeker said in a mobile telephone message from the camp.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The asylum&nbsp;seekers said police confiscated the food and water they had stockpiled</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The asylum?seekers said police confiscated the food and water they had stockpiled" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

Many of the men climbed onto rooftops and hid in toilets, he said. Three other&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers gave similar accounts of the police action.

A video shot by Sudanese refugee Abdul Aziz and posted on Facebook showed police using a megaphone to tell the&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers to leave because their stay at the camp, located on land used by the PNG navy, was illegal.

The footage he later posted on Twitter showed men boarding minibusses and buses. Tim Costello, chief advocate at the World Vision Australia aid group, told Reuters by phone from outside the camp that he had seen buses leaving.

Calls to PNG immigration and police were not returned.

The Manus island camp in PNG, and another on the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru, have been the cornerstones of Australia&rsquo;s controversial immigration policy, which has been strongly criticized by the United Nations and rights groups.

Australia opened the camps in a bid to stem a flow of&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers making dangerous voyages by boat to its shores.

Under its &quot;sovereign borders&quot; immigration policy, Australia refuses to land&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers arriving by sea, instead of sending them to the offshore camps.

&#39;We won&#39;t be pressurised&#39;

Witnesses in the camp said officials in army fatigues led away Kurdish journalist Behrouz Boochani, who has been at the camp for four years and regularly posts social media messages on conditions.

Boochani earlier told Reuters by text message that police and immigration officials removed water supplies and the men&#39;s belongings.

Pictures sent via a messaging service showed upturned boxes of food and torn parcels of rice and instant noodles and smashed furniture including broken beds.

PNG&rsquo;s Supreme Court ruled last year that the center, first opened in 2001, breached its laws and fundamental human rights, leading to the decision to close it.

But the&nbsp;asylum&nbsp;seekers say they fear for their safety if moved to a transit center also on the island, and risk being resettled in PNG or another developing nation permanently.

&quot;We don&#39;t want another prison. We want to leave this place, but they need to give a good solution for us,&quot; the first&nbsp;asylum-seeker said.

&quot;We don&#39;t want another prison. We want a third country.&quot;

Most of those in the camp are from Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Syria.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters in Canberra on Thursday that the transit center facilities had food, water, security and medical services.

&quot;They think this is some way they can pressure the Australian government to let them come to Australia. Well, we will not be pressured,&quot; Turnbull said.

The United Nations has urged Australia to accept an offer by New Zealand to take some of the men.

About 380?asylum?seekers have shut themselves inside the Manus Island Centre for more than three weeks

Papua New Guinea police sealed off an officially shuttered Australia-run detention camp on Thursday and ordered asylum seekers occupying it to leave as they confiscated food and water the men had stockpiled, asylum seekers told Reuters. About 380 asylum seekers have shut themselves inside the Manus Island Centre for more than three weeks, defying attempts by Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) to close it in a standoff the United Nations described as a "looming humanitarian crisis". "They destroyed our food and damaged our accommodation too, they destroyed our water tank," one asylum-seeker said in a mobile telephone message from the camp. The asylum seekers said police confiscated the food and water they had stockpiled × Many of the men climbed onto rooftops and hid in toilets, he said. Three other asylum seekers gave similar accounts of the police action. A video shot by Sudanese refugee Abdul Aziz and posted on Facebook showed police using a megaphone to tell the asylum seekers to leave because their stay at the camp, located on land used by the PNG navy, was illegal. The footage he later posted on Twitter showed men boarding minibusses and buses. Tim Costello, chief advocate at the World Vision Australia aid group, told Reuters by phone from outside the camp that he had seen buses leaving. Calls to PNG immigration and police were not returned. The Manus island camp in PNG, and another on the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru, have been the cornerstones of Australia’s controversial immigration policy, which has been strongly criticized by the United Nations and rights groups. Australia opened the camps in a bid to stem a flow of asylum seekers making dangerous voyages by boat to its shores. Under its "sovereign borders" immigration policy, Australia refuses to land asylum seekers arriving by sea, instead of sending them to the offshore camps. 'We won't be pressurised' Witnesses in the camp said officials in army fatigues led away Kurdish journalist Behrouz Boochani, who has been at the camp for four years and regularly posts social media messages on conditions. Boochani earlier told Reuters by text message that police and immigration officials removed water supplies and the men's belongings. Pictures sent via a messaging service showed upturned boxes of food and torn parcels of rice and instant noodles and smashed furniture including broken beds. PNG’s Supreme Court ruled last year that the center, first opened in 2001, breached its laws and fundamental human rights, leading to the decision to close it. But the asylum seekers say they fear for their safety if moved to a transit center also on the island, and risk being resettled in PNG or another developing nation permanently. "We don't want another prison. We want to leave this place, but they need to give a good solution for us," the first asylum-seeker said. "We don't want another prison. We want a third country." Most of those in the camp are from Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Syria. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters in Canberra on Thursday that the transit center facilities had food, water, security and medical services. "They think this is some way they can pressure the Australian government to let them come to Australia. Well, we will not be pressured," Turnbull said. The United Nations has urged Australia to accept an offer by New Zealand to take some of the men.

Papua New Guinea police enter shut Australia-run detention camp, order protesting asylum seekers out

Afghanistan&rsquo;s economy is expected to grow 2.6 per cent this year, up slightly from the previous year despite deteriorating security, the World Bank said in a report on Tuesday.

While the figure is up from 2.2 per cent last year, it does not keep up with the country&rsquo;s population growth of roughly 3 per cent, meaning that gross domestic product per capita continues to decline.

&ldquo;In the next three to four years, there are things that can be done to boost growth to between 4 and 5 per cent,&rdquo; said Shubham Chaudhuri, the World&rsquo;s Bank&rsquo;s Country Director for Afghanistan.

Chaudhuri, presenting a report on Afghanistan&rsquo;s economy at the World Bank&rsquo;s fortified headquarters in Kabul, said that agriculture, mineral attraction, and the country&rsquo;s youth were its biggest assets, as well as its geography as a regional land bridge.

The improved growth outlook will be welcomed by President Ashraf Ghani, whose technocrat government is seen as unstable but appears to be making the reforms that international donors - who provide more than half of Afghanistan&rsquo;s funding - have been seeking.

Parliamentary elections are due to be held next year, with a presidential vote expected in 2019.

Business sentiment is also on the rise, the World Bank said, though it is still lower than in 2014 when most foreign troops withdrew from Afghanistan.

Growth is significantly below the &ldquo;war economy&rdquo; figures of the late 2000s, which saw annual rises averaging nearly 10 per cent, but the World Bank believes it will continue to rise.

The organisation projects 3.2 per cent growth next year, though that assumes no deterioration in the country&rsquo;s security. This appears unlikely given a recent increase in attacks by various militant groups.

One of the major tests for Afghanistan&rsquo;s stability after a U.S.-led invasion ousted the Taliban government a decade and a half ago is its ability to collect taxes.

Tax revenue in the first eight months of the year was 13 per cent higher than the same period last year, the World Bank said.

The country has long been plagued by corruption and tax evasion.

Inflation remains in the single-digits, with consumer prices up 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to September.

While the figure is up from 2.2% last year, it does not keep up with the country?s population growth of roughly 3%, meaning that gross domestic product per capita continues to decline

Afghanistan’s economy is expected to grow 2.6 per cent this year, up slightly from the previous year despite deteriorating security, the World Bank said in a report on Tuesday. While the figure is up from 2.2 per cent last year, it does not keep up with the country’s population growth of roughly 3 per cent, meaning that gross domestic product per capita continues to decline. “In the next three to four years, there are things that can be done to boost growth to between 4 and 5 per cent,” said Shubham Chaudhuri, the World’s Bank’s Country Director for Afghanistan. Chaudhuri, presenting a report on Afghanistan’s economy at the World Bank’s fortified headquarters in Kabul, said that agriculture, mineral attraction, and the country’s youth were its biggest assets, as well as its geography as a regional land bridge. The improved growth outlook will be welcomed by President Ashraf Ghani, whose technocrat government is seen as unstable but appears to be making the reforms that international donors - who provide more than half of Afghanistan’s funding - have been seeking. Parliamentary elections are due to be held next year, with a presidential vote expected in 2019. Business sentiment is also on the rise, the World Bank said, though it is still lower than in 2014 when most foreign troops withdrew from Afghanistan. Growth is significantly below the “war economy” figures of the late 2000s, which saw annual rises averaging nearly 10 per cent, but the World Bank believes it will continue to rise. The organisation projects 3.2 per cent growth next year, though that assumes no deterioration in the country’s security. This appears unlikely given a recent increase in attacks by various militant groups. One of the major tests for Afghanistan’s stability after a U.S.-led invasion ousted the Taliban government a decade and a half ago is its ability to collect taxes. Tax revenue in the first eight months of the year was 13 per cent higher than the same period last year, the World Bank said. The country has long been plagued by corruption and tax evasion. Inflation remains in the single-digits, with consumer prices up 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to September.

Afghanistan's economy on slow rise, to grow 2.6% this year: World Bank

U.S. and Afghan forces have launched joint attacks on Taliban opium factories to try to curb the insurgent group&#39;s economic lifeline, officials from both countries said on Monday.

U.S. Army General John Nicholson showed videos at a press conference of targeted aerial strikes against what he described as Taliban drug factories.

&quot;Last night we conducted strikes in northern Helmand to hit the Taliban where it hurts, in their narcotics financing,&quot; said Nicholson, flanked by Afghan Army Lieutenant General Mohammad Sharif Yaftali.

The southern province of Helmand suffers heavy fighting and is the single-largest producer of opium.

Opium production in Afghanistan reached record highs this year, up 87 percent on last year, the United Nations said last week.

The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said output of opium made from poppy seeds in Afghanistan, the world&rsquo;s main source of heroin, stands at around 9,000 metric tons this year.

UNODC has warned in the past that Kabul&#39;s weakening grip on security was contributing to a collapse in eradication efforts.

Narcotics trafficking

Nearly half of Afghan opium is processed, or refined into morphine or heroin, before it is trafficked out of the country, according to U.S. and Afghan officials.

&quot;We&#39;re determined to tackle criminal economy and narcotics trafficking with full force,&quot; said Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Twitter.

Nicholson said the attacks were part of U.S. President Donald Trump&#39;s new policy towards Afghanistan as he boosts troop numbers.

The four-star general showed one video of an F-22 fighter jet dropping 250-pound bombs on two buildings, emphasising that a nearby third building was left unscathed.

U.S. troops have long been accused of causing unnecessary collateral damage and civilian deaths. The United States says it takes every precaution to avoid civilian casualties.

The United Nations said at least 10 civilians may have been killed by a strike in Kunduz earlier this month, contradicting a U.S. investigation that found no civilian deaths.

'Last night we conducted strikes in northern Helmand to hit the Taliban where it hurts, in their narcotics financing,' US Army General John Nicholson said

U.S. and Afghan forces have launched joint attacks on Taliban opium factories to try to curb the insurgent group's economic lifeline, officials from both countries said on Monday. U.S. Army General John Nicholson showed videos at a press conference of targeted aerial strikes against what he described as Taliban drug factories. "Last night we conducted strikes in northern Helmand to hit the Taliban where it hurts, in their narcotics financing," said Nicholson, flanked by Afghan Army Lieutenant General Mohammad Sharif Yaftali. The southern province of Helmand suffers heavy fighting and is the single-largest producer of opium. Opium production in Afghanistan reached record highs this year, up 87 percent on last year, the United Nations said last week. The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said output of opium made from poppy seeds in Afghanistan, the world’s main source of heroin, stands at around 9,000 metric tons this year. UNODC has warned in the past that Kabul's weakening grip on security was contributing to a collapse in eradication efforts. Narcotics trafficking Nearly half of Afghan opium is processed, or refined into morphine or heroin, before it is trafficked out of the country, according to U.S. and Afghan officials. "We're determined to tackle criminal economy and narcotics trafficking with full force," said Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Twitter. Nicholson said the attacks were part of U.S. President Donald Trump's new policy towards Afghanistan as he boosts troop numbers. The four-star general showed one video of an F-22 fighter jet dropping 250-pound bombs on two buildings, emphasising that a nearby third building was left unscathed. U.S. troops have long been accused of causing unnecessary collateral damage and civilian deaths. The United States says it takes every precaution to avoid civilian casualties. The United Nations said at least 10 civilians may have been killed by a strike in Kunduz earlier this month, contradicting a U.S. investigation that found no civilian deaths.

US, Afghan forces strike opium factories to curb Taliban funds

At least six policemen were killed in an attack at several check posts in Afghanistan&#39;s Farah province on Saturday night, Tolo News reported citing local officials.

Farah police spokesman Aqbal Baheer confirmed the incident saying eight police soldiers were also injured in the incident.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Farah police spokesman Aqbal Baheer confirmed the incident saying eight police soldiers were also injured in the incident

At least six policemen were killed in an attack at several check posts in Afghanistan's Farah province on Saturday night, Tolo News reported citing local officials. Farah police spokesman Aqbal Baheer confirmed the incident saying eight police soldiers were also injured in the incident. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Taliban attack kills six policemen in Afghanistan

The Afghan special forces raided a Taliban prison in southern Helmand province on Sunday and rescued over 30 people, including children, and two policemen.

At least four children under the age of 12 were also among those rescued.

The prisoners were rescued during an operation in the early hours of Sunday morning, Khaama Press&nbsp;quoting Afghan military officials as saying.

A local official has stated that the prisoners&nbsp;were arrested on charges of supporting the government or they&nbsp;were family members of the Afghan army and police.

The Taliban has claimed that the rescued people were criminals of robbery, kidnapping, personal disputes and other crimes and they were awaiting trial.

The reason for the arrest is still being investigated, Reuters quoted Abdul Qadir Bahadurzai, a deputy spokesman for the army&rsquo;s 215th Maiwand military corps as saying.

Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) also rescued at least eleven people from a Taliban prison in Helmand province in May.&nbsp;

(With inputs from news agencies)

The Afghan special forces raided a Taliban prison in southern Helmand province on Sunday and rescued over 30 people, including children, and two policemen

The Afghan special forces raided a Taliban prison in southern Helmand province on Sunday and rescued over 30 people, including children, and two policemen. At least four children under the age of 12 were also among those rescued. The prisoners were rescued during an operation in the early hours of Sunday morning, Khaama Press quoting Afghan military officials as saying. A local official has stated that the prisoners were arrested on charges of supporting the government or they were family members of the Afghan army and police. The Taliban has claimed that the rescued people were criminals of robbery, kidnapping, personal disputes and other crimes and they were awaiting trial. The reason for the arrest is still being investigated, Reuters quoted Abdul Qadir Bahadurzai, a deputy spokesman for the army’s 215th Maiwand military corps as saying. Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) also rescued at least eleven people from a Taliban prison in Helmand province in May. (With inputs from news agencies)

Afghan forces rescue 30 from Taliban-run prison

Afghan opium producers have had a bumper year with output soaring 87 per cent as the area under poppy cultivation hit a record high, the latest annual survey said&nbsp;Wednesday.&nbsp;

The price of opium as it left farms in war-torn Afghanistan this year soared by 55 per cent to almost $1.4 billion, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said, helping to fuel the bloody insurgency.

Rising insecurity, lack of government control and corruption were among the key drivers along with unemployment and lack of education, according to the Afghanistan Opium Survey, jointly compiled by the UNODC and Afghanistan&#39;s counter-narcotics ministry.

Potential opium production from this year&#39;s harvest is estimated at 9,000 tons, up 87 per cent from the 4,800 tons produced last year, boosted by increased cultivation and better yields.

Over the same period the area under poppy cultivation expanded by 63 per cent to a record 328,000 hectares (810,500 acres) -- topping the previous record of 224,000 hectares in 2014 -- with the number of poppy-growing provinces jumping to 24.

Only 10 Afghan provinces are now considered poppy-free.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;The significant levels of opium poppy cultivation and illicit trafficking of opiates will probably further fuel instability, insurgency and increase funding to terrorist groups in Afghanistan,&quot; the report warned.&nbsp;

&quot;More high quality, low-cost heroin will reach consumer markets across the world, with increased consumption and related harms as a likely consequence.&quot;

Strong increases in cultivation were recorded in almost all major poppy-producing provinces, with restive Helmand in the south seeing the biggest rise of 79 per cent.&nbsp;

Around 60 per cent of the opium poppy cultivation took place in the southern provinces where the Taliban has a strong presence and virtually no eradication took place.&nbsp;

Helmand remained the top poppy-cultivating province, accounting for 44 per cent of the total, followed by Kandahar, Badghis, Faryab, Uruzgan, and Nangarhar -- all hotbeds for Taliban or Islamic State activity.&nbsp;

Poppy eradication nearly doubled to 750 hectares in 14 provinces, compared with 355 hectares in seven provinces the previous year.&nbsp;

Yet those efforts were dwarfed by the sheer increase in cultivation.

International donors have spent billions of dollars on counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan over the past decade, including efforts to encourage farmers to switch to other cash crops such as saffron. But those efforts have shown little results.

Addiction levels have also risen sharply -- from almost nothing under the 1996-2001 Taliban regime -- giving rise to a new generation of addicts since the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan.

The price of opium as it left farms in war-torn Afghanistan this year soared by 55% to almost $1.4 billion', said the UN Office on Drugs and Crime

Afghan opium producers have had a bumper year with output soaring 87 per cent as the area under poppy cultivation hit a record high, the latest annual survey said Wednesday. The price of opium as it left farms in war-torn Afghanistan this year soared by 55 per cent to almost $1.4 billion, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said, helping to fuel the bloody insurgency. Rising insecurity, lack of government control and corruption were among the key drivers along with unemployment and lack of education, according to the Afghanistan Opium Survey, jointly compiled by the UNODC and Afghanistan's counter-narcotics ministry. Potential opium production from this year's harvest is estimated at 9,000 tons, up 87 per cent from the 4,800 tons produced last year, boosted by increased cultivation and better yields. Over the same period the area under poppy cultivation expanded by 63 per cent to a record 328,000 hectares (810,500 acres) -- topping the previous record of 224,000 hectares in 2014 -- with the number of poppy-growing provinces jumping to 24. Only 10 Afghan provinces are now considered poppy-free. "The significant levels of opium poppy cultivation and illicit trafficking of opiates will probably further fuel instability, insurgency and increase funding to terrorist groups in Afghanistan," the report warned. "More high quality, low-cost heroin will reach consumer markets across the world, with increased consumption and related harms as a likely consequence." Strong increases in cultivation were recorded in almost all major poppy-producing provinces, with restive Helmand in the south seeing the biggest rise of 79 per cent. Around 60 per cent of the opium poppy cultivation took place in the southern provinces where the Taliban has a strong presence and virtually no eradication took place. Helmand remained the top poppy-cultivating province, accounting for 44 per cent of the total, followed by Kandahar, Badghis, Faryab, Uruzgan, and Nangarhar -- all hotbeds for Taliban or Islamic State activity. Poppy eradication nearly doubled to 750 hectares in 14 provinces, compared with 355 hectares in seven provinces the previous year. Yet those efforts were dwarfed by the sheer increase in cultivation. International donors have spent billions of dollars on counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan over the past decade, including efforts to encourage farmers to switch to other cash crops such as saffron. But those efforts have shown little results. Addiction levels have also risen sharply -- from almost nothing under the 1996-2001 Taliban regime -- giving rise to a new generation of addicts since the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan.

Afghan opium output soars as cultivation hits record high

The Afghan Taliban attacked more than a dozen checkpoints over six hours in the southern province of Kandahar, killing 22 police and wounding 15, officials said on Tuesday, as militants killed eight soldiers in the west in a growing insurgency.

Government forces killed 45 insurgents and wounded 35 and none of the police checkpoints was captured in the overnight attacks, officials said.

&ldquo;Our forces resisted until they received reinforcements and air support,&rdquo; said Zia Durrani, spokesman for Kandahar&rsquo;s police chief. &ldquo;The Taliban were defeated.&rdquo;

The Taliban told reporters by WhatsApp that they killed 43 police and members of a militia and destroyed 13 armoured vehicles.

The insurgents often exaggerate battlefield casualties.

The Taliban, fighting to restore Islamic rule after their 2001 ouster by U.S.-led troops, also attacked Bala Boluk, in the western province of Farah, on Tuesday, killing eight soldiers and wounding three, according to the provincial government.

The government&rsquo;s control or influence over the country has fallen to just under 60 percent, down six percentage points from last year, according to the United States&rsquo; Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

The government?s control or influence over the country has fallen to just under 60 percent, according to the United States? Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

The Afghan Taliban attacked more than a dozen checkpoints over six hours in the southern province of Kandahar, killing 22 police and wounding 15, officials said on Tuesday, as militants killed eight soldiers in the west in a growing insurgency. Government forces killed 45 insurgents and wounded 35 and none of the police checkpoints was captured in the overnight attacks, officials said. “Our forces resisted until they received reinforcements and air support,” said Zia Durrani, spokesman for Kandahar’s police chief. “The Taliban were defeated.” The Taliban told reporters by WhatsApp that they killed 43 police and members of a militia and destroyed 13 armoured vehicles. The insurgents often exaggerate battlefield casualties. The Taliban, fighting to restore Islamic rule after their 2001 ouster by U.S.-led troops, also attacked Bala Boluk, in the western province of Farah, on Tuesday, killing eight soldiers and wounding three, according to the provincial government. The government’s control or influence over the country has fallen to just under 60 percent, down six percentage points from last year, according to the United States’ Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

Taliban attacks checkpoints in Afghanistan, 22 cops killed

&nbsp;Former president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai has accused the United States of colluding with ISIS&nbsp;in his country.

&quot;In my view under the full presence, surveillance, military, political, intelligence, Daesh&nbsp;(Arabic name of the IS)&nbsp;has emerged,&quot; Karzai said in an interview to Al Jazeera.

Karzai said that the US allowed Daeshto flourish inside Afghanistan.

&quot;The Trump administration made IS as an excuse to drop a massive bomb in Afghanistan on April 2017&quot;, he said.

&quot;And the next day, Daesh takes the next district in Afghanistan. That proves to us that there is a hand in it and that hand can be no one else but them in Afghanistan,&quot; the former Afghan leader added.

The US military had dropped a GBU-43, most powerful non-nuclear bomb in the Achin district of Afghanistan&#39;s Nangarhar province in April.

The explosive, also known as the &#39;mother of all bombs&#39;m(MOAB), was designed to minimise the risk to Afghan and US forces conducting clearing operations in the area, the report said.

Meanwhile, in the interview, Karzai also said that he welcomed a recent call by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to investigate war crimes in Afghanistan, including those committed during his tenure in office.

The Trump administration made IS as an excuse to drop a massive bomb in Afghanistan on April 2017

Former president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai has accused the United States of colluding with ISIS in his country. "In my view under the full presence, surveillance, military, political, intelligence, Daesh (Arabic name of the IS) has emerged," Karzai said in an interview to Al Jazeera. Karzai said that the US allowed Daeshto flourish inside Afghanistan. "The Trump administration made IS as an excuse to drop a massive bomb in Afghanistan on April 2017", he said. "And the next day, Daesh takes the next district in Afghanistan. That proves to us that there is a hand in it and that hand can be no one else but them in Afghanistan," the former Afghan leader added. The US military had dropped a GBU-43, most powerful non-nuclear bomb in the Achin district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province in April. The explosive, also known as the 'mother of all bombs'm(MOAB), was designed to minimise the risk to Afghan and US forces conducting clearing operations in the area, the report said. Meanwhile, in the interview, Karzai also said that he welcomed a recent call by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to investigate war crimes in Afghanistan, including those committed during his tenure in office.

US colluded with IS in Afghanistan: Karzai

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said at least 10 civilians may have been killed by an air strike in the northern city of Kunduz last week, despite a US&nbsp;military investigation that found no civilian deaths.

In a series of messages on Twitter, the UN&nbsp;Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said interviews with multiple survivors, medics, elders, and others gave it a strong reason to believe that civilians were among the victims of Saturday&rsquo;s attack.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Credible reports that at least 10 civilians killed in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kunduz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kunduz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a> airstrike 4 Nov, UNAMA initial findings show (1/4)
&mdash; UNAMA News (@UNAMAnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNAMAnews/status/928087187282976768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

The statement contradicts comments from some local and Afghan military officials as well as a US&nbsp;statement on Tuesday which said that an investigation had found no evidence of civilian deaths.

The episode underlines the lack of clarity over reports of civilian casualties, an issue which is likely to become increasingly prominent as the United States steps up air strikes against the Taliban and other insurgent groups.

Captain Tom Gresback, a spokesman for the U.S. military, said the Pentagon still stood by its previous statement that found no civilian deaths.

But he added: &ldquo;U.S. Forces Afghanistan will examine and consider any credible evidence when allegations of civilian casualties are presented. We take all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously and take necessary steps to ensure that we mitigate the loss of civilian life.&rdquo;

On a visit to Kabul in September, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said that commanders would be given greater freedom to use American firepower against the Taliban but that &ldquo;everything humanly possible&rdquo; would be done to avoid civilian casualties.

Former President Hamid Karzai, who clashed bitterly with the United States over the issue in past years, condemned the air strikes but the government of President Ashraf Ghani has so far made no public comment.

Accounts from some local officials and residents indicated that as many as 13 people were killed in air strikes in Chahardara district outside Kunduz city. Some Afghan media have reported much higher figures, without independent confirmation.

Afghan special forces and the local provincial governor say 48 militants were killed but deny any civilians were killed.

In its most recent report, the United Nations said there had been a 52 percent increase in civilian casualties from air strikes in the first nine months of the year to 205 killed and 261 wounded.

The issue has particular resonance in Kunduz because it was there that 42 civilians were killed in a U.S. air strike on a hospital run by medical aid group Medecins sans Frontieres during fighting to regain the city from the Taliban in 2015.

Afghan special forces and the local provincial governor say 48 militants were killed but deny any civilians were killed.

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said at least 10 civilians may have been killed by an air strike in the northern city of Kunduz last week, despite a US military investigation that found no civilian deaths. In a series of messages on Twitter, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said interviews with multiple survivors, medics, elders, and others gave it a strong reason to believe that civilians were among the victims of Saturday’s attack. Credible reports that at least 10 civilians killed in #Kunduz #Afghanistan airstrike 4 Nov, UNAMA initial findings show (1/4) — UNAMA News (@UNAMAnews) November 8, 2017 × The statement contradicts comments from some local and Afghan military officials as well as a US statement on Tuesday which said that an investigation had found no evidence of civilian deaths. The episode underlines the lack of clarity over reports of civilian casualties, an issue which is likely to become increasingly prominent as the United States steps up air strikes against the Taliban and other insurgent groups. Captain Tom Gresback, a spokesman for the U.S. military, said the Pentagon still stood by its previous statement that found no civilian deaths. But he added: “U.S. Forces Afghanistan will examine and consider any credible evidence when allegations of civilian casualties are presented. We take all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously and take necessary steps to ensure that we mitigate the loss of civilian life.” On a visit to Kabul in September, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said that commanders would be given greater freedom to use American firepower against the Taliban but that “everything humanly possible” would be done to avoid civilian casualties. Former President Hamid Karzai, who clashed bitterly with the United States over the issue in past years, condemned the air strikes but the government of President Ashraf Ghani has so far made no public comment. Accounts from some local officials and residents indicated that as many as 13 people were killed in air strikes in Chahardara district outside Kunduz city. Some Afghan media have reported much higher figures, without independent confirmation. Afghan special forces and the local provincial governor say 48 militants were killed but deny any civilians were killed. In its most recent report, the United Nations said there had been a 52 percent increase in civilian casualties from air strikes in the first nine months of the year to 205 killed and 261 wounded. The issue has particular resonance in Kunduz because it was there that 42 civilians were killed in a U.S. air strike on a hospital run by medical aid group Medecins sans Frontieres during fighting to regain the city from the Taliban in 2015.

10 civilians killed in US air strike on Kunduz: UN

&quot;The attack has ended,&quot; journalist Parwiz Sapy told his viewers moments after the attack on an Afghan TV station ended.&nbsp;

Sapy was talking about the TV station that he worked for.&nbsp;

Islamic State activists had attacked Afghanistan&#39;s Shamsad TV station on November 7.&nbsp;

The attackers had posed as policemen.&nbsp;

One security guard died in the attack and 24 people were injured.&nbsp;

Moments after the attack ended, Sapy was on air talking to his viewers.&nbsp;

A news report in Al Jazeera said Sapy appeared very calm as he talked his viewers through the attack. &nbsp;

&quot;Asalamualikum (Peace be upon you) Shamshad TV viewers, all staff members inside the building have been rescued,&quot; Al Jazeera reported Sapy as saying in Pashto.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sapy added that all Shamsad TV journalists were back on duty.&nbsp;

The station reported that at least one attacker had blown himself up at the gate while another ran inside.&nbsp;

Sapy said the Shamsad newsroom had been in the middle of their daily morning meeting when they heard gunfire.

Shamshad TV &nbsp;runs in partnership with BBC and broadcasts a variety of programmes including news and current affairs.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The journalist appeared very calm and presented the news moments after the attack was over

"The attack has ended," journalist Parwiz Sapy told his viewers moments after the attack on an Afghan TV station ended. Sapy was talking about the TV station that he worked for. Islamic State activists had attacked Afghanistan's Shamsad TV station on November 7. The attackers had posed as policemen. One security guard died in the attack and 24 people were injured. Moments after the attack ended, Sapy was on air talking to his viewers. A news report in Al Jazeera said Sapy appeared very calm as he talked his viewers through the attack. "Asalamualikum (Peace be upon you) Shamshad TV viewers, all staff members inside the building have been rescued," Al Jazeera reported Sapy as saying in Pashto. Sapy added that all Shamsad TV journalists were back on duty. The station reported that at least one attacker had blown himself up at the gate while another ran inside. Sapy said the Shamsad newsroom had been in the middle of their daily morning meeting when they heard gunfire. Shamshad TV runs in partnership with BBC and broadcasts a variety of programmes including news and current affairs.

Afghan journalist goes on air moments after attack on his TV station

China today said President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump have reached a consensus on fighting terrorism and upholding peace and stability in South Asia, amid America ramping up pressure on Pakistan to dismantle terror safe havens.

During their talks, Xi and Trump discussed Afghanistan and committed to working toward a peaceful future for the terrorist haven.

&quot;This morning, the two presidents talked and held joint press meeting. I am not aware of the details of the talks. What I know is that the two sides also discussed anti- terrorism issues and upholding peace and stability in South Asia,&quot; Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing.

&quot;They reached consensus in this respect,&quot; she said without elaborating or mentioning whether India&#39;s concerns over terrorism emanating from Pakistan figured in the talks.

To counter terrorism, China and the US as well as other countries share the common interests and the two countries stand ready to work with other parties for stronger anti- terrorism cooperation, she said.

South Asia and Afghanistan figured prominently in today&#39;s talks as both the leaders mentioned it in their briefings.

After the talks, Trump said terrorists are a threat to humanity and that he and Xi will &quot;stop radical Islamic terrorism.&quot;

&quot;In order to create more secure future for all and protect our citizens from extremism and terrorism, President Xi and I also committed to working together for a peaceful future for Afghanistan,&quot; Trump said.

&quot;Terrorists are a threat to all of humanity and we will stop radical Islamic terrorism,&quot; he said.

Trump&#39;s remarks assume significance after he unveiled his new South Asia policy under which the US has warned Pakistan against providing safe harbour to terrorist organisations.

Trump&#39;s South Asia policy giving importance to India and inviting New Delhi to play a bigger role in reconstruction of Afghanistan has also raised eyebrows in Beijing and Islamabad.

Elaborating on the Trump-Xi talks on Afghanistan, Hua said the two sides believe that maintaining the stable and constructive relations between Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries is of great significance to the peace and reconstruction process in Afghanistan.

&quot;They support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconstruction process, call on relevant parties in Afghanistan to achieve extensive and inclusive national reconciliation through political negotiation at an early date and stand ready to play a positive role through such mechanisms as the Quadrilateral Coordination Group of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US,&quot; Hua said in a written response to news agency PTI.

Ahead of Trump&#39;s visit, China conducted an anti-terrorism trilateral meeting with Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hulai conducted the trilateral meeting on November 7 which was attended by top officials of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

China has been trying to bring about peace between Islamabad and Kabul amid scathing criticism from Afghanistan leaders over Pakistan&#39;s support to Taliban by sheltering them.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has made separate visits to the two countries recently and met Pakistan and Afghanistan?s officials after the talks.

Pakistan?s Special Secretary Tasnim Aslam and Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Karzai who took part in the talks called on Wang.

In the meeting, Wang thanked Pakistan and Afghanistan for their support for China in fighting the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and their contribution to the fight against international counter terrorism especially in South Asian region, Hua said.

ETIM is active in the Muslim Uygur majority province of Xinjiang which shared borders with Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Afghanistan.

Xinjiang had been restive for several years over increasing settlements of majority Hans from other provinces of China.

&quot;China stands ready to work with two parties to strengthen our counter-terrorism cooperation to uphold the regional peace and stability,&quot; she said, adding that Pakistan and Afghanistan stated that they stand ready to strengthen cooperation with China in this regard.

During their talks, Xi and Trump discussed Afghanistan and committed to working toward a peaceful future for the terrorist haven.

China today said President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump have reached a consensus on fighting terrorism and upholding peace and stability in South Asia, amid America ramping up pressure on Pakistan to dismantle terror safe havens. During their talks, Xi and Trump discussed Afghanistan and committed to working toward a peaceful future for the terrorist haven. "This morning, the two presidents talked and held joint press meeting. I am not aware of the details of the talks. What I know is that the two sides also discussed anti- terrorism issues and upholding peace and stability in South Asia," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing. "They reached consensus in this respect," she said without elaborating or mentioning whether India's concerns over terrorism emanating from Pakistan figured in the talks. To counter terrorism, China and the US as well as other countries share the common interests and the two countries stand ready to work with other parties for stronger anti- terrorism cooperation, she said. South Asia and Afghanistan figured prominently in today's talks as both the leaders mentioned it in their briefings. After the talks, Trump said terrorists are a threat to humanity and that he and Xi will "stop radical Islamic terrorism." "In order to create more secure future for all and protect our citizens from extremism and terrorism, President Xi and I also committed to working together for a peaceful future for Afghanistan," Trump said. "Terrorists are a threat to all of humanity and we will stop radical Islamic terrorism," he said. Trump's remarks assume significance after he unveiled his new South Asia policy under which the US has warned Pakistan against providing safe harbour to terrorist organisations. Trump's South Asia policy giving importance to India and inviting New Delhi to play a bigger role in reconstruction of Afghanistan has also raised eyebrows in Beijing and Islamabad. Elaborating on the Trump-Xi talks on Afghanistan, Hua said the two sides believe that maintaining the stable and constructive relations between Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries is of great significance to the peace and reconstruction process in Afghanistan. "They support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconstruction process, call on relevant parties in Afghanistan to achieve extensive and inclusive national reconciliation through political negotiation at an early date and stand ready to play a positive role through such mechanisms as the Quadrilateral Coordination Group of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US," Hua said in a written response to news agency PTI. Ahead of Trump's visit, China conducted an anti-terrorism trilateral meeting with Pakistan and Afghanistan. Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hulai conducted the trilateral meeting on November 7 which was attended by top officials of Pakistan and Afghanistan. China has been trying to bring about peace between Islamabad and Kabul amid scathing criticism from Afghanistan leaders over Pakistan's support to Taliban by sheltering them. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has made separate visits to the two countries recently and met Pakistan and Afghanistan?s officials after the talks. Pakistan?s Special Secretary Tasnim Aslam and Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Karzai who took part in the talks called on Wang. In the meeting, Wang thanked Pakistan and Afghanistan for their support for China in fighting the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and their contribution to the fight against international counter terrorism especially in South Asian region, Hua said. ETIM is active in the Muslim Uygur majority province of Xinjiang which shared borders with Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Afghanistan. Xinjiang had been restive for several years over increasing settlements of majority Hans from other provinces of China. "China stands ready to work with two parties to strengthen our counter-terrorism cooperation to uphold the regional peace and stability," she said, adding that Pakistan and Afghanistan stated that they stand ready to strengthen cooperation with China in this regard.

Trump, Xi reach consensus to curb terrorism in South Asia: China

afghanistan-0

Afghanistan, News on Afghanistan, stories on Afghanistan, articles on Afghanistan, Afghanistan stories at Wion, Afghanistan news, Afghanistan latest news

afghanistan 0