Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:XI Issue No:320 Price: Afs.20 www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimeswww.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes SATURDAY . JUNE 24. 2017 -Saratan 03, 1396 HS Russia questions reports of unidentified helicopters sighted in Afghanistan Russia Foreign Ministry has asked Afghan, U.S. and NATO officials to provide a “rational explanation” about reports of unidentified helicopters providing support to KABULi: The new High Peace ISIS-K militants in Afghanistan. “We urged restraint, warned of characterize today’s political Councilinfo-icon (HPC) chief, “We’ve taken note of new the negative consequences for environmentinfo-icon,” he said. Karim Khalili, on Friday asked the reports about unmarked everyone of loss of control, and “The existence of opposition Talibaninfo-icon to play a positive helicopters ferrying the fighters of requested them to give time to is natural in any political scene, role in ending the decades-long ISIS Afghan branch, as well as allow their grievances to be but the amount of mistrust is conflict in Afghanistaninfo-icon. weapons and munitions for them, addressed without violence,” he growing and there is an increasing Khalili, who recently took over as in eastern Afghanistan,” Russia said. resort to uncompromising slogans the HPC chief, told a gathering in Foreign Ministry spokesperson Coupled with intensive efforts and statements which can fuel Kabul that the Taliban were Maria Zakharova told reporters by government and members of the further violent protest. mistaken they could reach power during a press briefing on diplomatic community, he said, the He said fforts at inclusiveness through force. The former second Wednesday. Zakharova also immediate risk of escalation was and building consensus for vice president said it was a positive pointed to the brief capture of Tora defused. political stability were critical and development that the Taliban not Bora, a strategic cave in Pachiragam “I remain concerned, however, the Afghan vision for peace was only denied their involvement in district of Nangarhar, by IS fighters that without changes in governance premised on the fact that a stable recent terrorist attacks in Kabul but on June 14 which was recaptured practices we are likely to face Afghanistan would lead to a stable also condemned them. Khalili said by Afghan security forces during a future crises that might be more and more prosperous region the recent Kabul attacks showed a clearing operation. Zakharova stated,” Silence in this difficult to contain.” “Achieving this vision will require lot of work was required to achieve “Some reports say that shortly case is becoming increasingly Yamamoto said that there have the strong determination of all peace and asked the government before this, unmarked helicopters conspicuous.” been indications since last summer states concerned, particularly of the to intensify the peace process and delivered over 50 armed extremists She further asked Western that Afghanistan’s broad political region and the neighbourhood,” he encourage voices raised for peace. to reinforce the fighters who were media to ask these questions from consensus was fraying. said. He said however that the The HPC chief said politicians, preparing an offensive on Tora the Pentagon, the White House A growing number of political recent series of security incidents parties and influential figures Bora, as well as a container full of and the U.S. State Department. factions, some who were formerly has demonstrated the urgent need through their cooperation should weapons and munitions,” she Immediately there was no part of the National Unity for reforms in the security sector. steer the country out of the current added. IS militants also known as reaction from U.S. officials Government as well as a younger He said Afghanistan was facing bad situation because they had the Daesh is widely active in some regarding the statements made by generation of political forces, have numerous internal challenges in ability to do so. He also said parts of Nangarhar province and Moscow while Afghan ministry of KABUL: Secretary-General’s time when the Islamic State begun to criticise and demand addition to fighting an insurgency protests should be carried out there were reports of the group defense have rejected the report. Special Representative for (Daesh) was attempting to reforms from government, he said. that appears to be gaining ground. according to the Constitution and activities in some other provinces Afghan and U.S. forces have Afghanistaninfo-icon Tadamichi provoke sectarian strife in the “The government, on the other “These include deep rooted they should not be aimed at ousting of the country as well. conducted many counter terrorism Yamamoto has said recent ‘security country through attacks against hand, claims that opposition political tension, the difficulty of the government. “Is there any “It is symptomatic that operations against the IS fighters and political crisis’ in Afghanistan Shia Muslims. groups block important reforms integrating socially and alternative if the current system is neither the Afghan authorities nor in Nangarhar province during the was sparked by a terrorist “During the anti-government and stoke tension by calling for the economically the thousands of collapsed.” He said the enemy the U.S. and NATO military last two years. bombing in Kabul’s centre on 31 demonstrations on June 2, we at government to be replaced.” Afghan refugees who return each wanted to divide the Afghans on contingent officials in Afghanistan Reports of unidentified May. Briefing the United Nations UNAMA conducted extensive “Each side accuses the other day, an economy that is only very ethnic lines. He said the Afghans have offered a rational explanation helicopters landing in Taliban Security Council (UNCS) on outreach to leaders on all sides, should not return to the past and for the increased number of flights controlled areas in Sar-e-Pul and of acting against the national slowly recovering after the instead should learn from the past Wednesday, he said the increasing particularly leaders of political interest. It appears to me international drawdown in 2014, made by unidentified helicopters Ghazni districts of Afghanistan political fault-lines on ethnic basis movements which were because the current situation have also been published during the undeniable that these perceptions and pervasive corruption.” requited harmony and unity. providing support to ISIS fighters were particularly worrying at a considering joining the protests.” have contributed to tensions that (Pajhwok) in many Afghan provinces, last couple of months. (ATN) Police had ‘Impartial body be appointed no arms to probe Kabul incidents’ KABUL : Civil societyinfo-icon bombings ripped through the activists, expressing concern over funeral for a lawmaker’s son who while increasing insecurity in the country, was killed during the protest, killing on Friday asked the government seven people and injuring several clearing to appoint a commission for others. Then a large number of investigation into recent terrorist people erected protest tents in the attacks in Kabul. main square of Kabul to demand protest About three weeks ago on May resignation of top government 31, a massive truck bomb attack officials over their failure to killed and wounded hundreds of protect citizens. Some of the tents camps:MoI people in Kabul, sparking an angry were removed following talks and protest a day later. the last one had to be removed by KABUL: Police had no weapons Three back to back suicide force. (Pajhwok) while removing protest tents in the capital Kabul, where at least one protestor killed, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said on Thursday. A number of people erected Hekmatyar urges Ghani several protest tents in the capital following a deadly attack on May 31 and the killing of a number of to do more for peace protestors in clashes with police KABUL: Hezb-i-Islamiinfo-icon brought to an end if foreign on June 2. Afghanistaninfo-icon leader interference in the country’s affairs Eight of the tents were Gulbadin Hekmatyar on Friday was stopped. “Those who think removed by protestors themselves asked President Ashraf Ghani to the war can be brought to an end a few days ago. One camp in the take more effective steps for peace without a judicious and realities- upscale neighbourhood of Sherpur and choose the path of an intra- based agreement, they are was forcibly cleared by police on Afghan dialogue to end the conflict. mistaken.” Hekmatyar urged Wednesday night. In his message in connection President Ghani to take more The demonstrators claimed with religious festival Eidul Fitr, effective steps towards peace and two of their members were killed which marks the end of the fasting choose the path of an intra-Afghan and four others wounded in month of Ramadaninfo-icon, dialogue for ending the war. He said Afghan forces; firing on Hekmatyar urged political leaders the president should assure the Wednesday night. to agree on a new effective strategy opponents that their all logical However, MoI spokesman for ending the war. demands would be accepted. He Najib Dansih told reporters one He said the idea of reaching said agreeing to peace did not mean protestor was killed 500 meters power with money and weapons a defeat or surrender for any party from the tent while police present from outside should be shunned. to the conflict but it would be a in the area did not carry weapons. Not a single drop of blood should wise and historic step to rescue He said police carried sticks be shed in future power transfer, the nation and the country from and shields while removing the he urged. decades of misfortunes. He said protest tents. A joint delegation of Hekmatyar said they should both the government and the MoI, NDSinfo-icon and the ask all foreign forces to let the opposition should not let the war attorney general office has been Afghans resolve their issues to be prolonged because its victims tasked with investigating the themselves.