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Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:XI Issue No:279 Price: Afs.20 www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimeswww.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes SATURDAY . MAY 13. 2017 -Sawar 23, 1396 HS ‘safe zone’ has been es tablished in the country’s Asouth for those Taliban The security situation in Afghani- who have and will lay down their stan will further deteriorate even arms and join the peace process, if there is a modest increase in U.S. Kandahar Police Chief Gen. Ab- military support for the war-torn dul Raziq said. Raziq said the safe country, the top U.S. intelligence zone will help the Taliban from official said on Thursday, as Pres- Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan and ident Donald Trump's administra- Zabul provinces to live without tion weighs sending more forces worrying about their security af- to Afghanistan. ter they quit violence and join Afghan army units are pulling peace. He added that a number of back, and in some cases have been ABUL : NATO Secretary Germany makes key contributions Taliban members, especially their forced to abandon more scattered General Jens Stoltenberg on all these aspects.” About the commanders who have laid down and rural bases, and the govern- Kand German Chancellor fight against terrorism, Stoltenberg their arms, as well as 10 Taliban ment can claim to control or influ- Angela Merkel have exchanged said NATO had long been active commanders who have returned ence only 57 percent of the coun- views on an upcoming summit of in this area, with its biggest mis- from Pakistan and have embraced try, according to U.S. military es- the alliance on Afghanistan later in sion ongoing in Afghanistan. a normal life, are living at the safe timates from earlier this year. "The the month. At the meeting in Ber- “Training local forces is a key tool zone. The Kandahar police chief intelligence community assesses lin on Thursday, the two leaders against terrorism,” Stoltenberg said they will continue their ef- that the political and security sit- discussed preparations for the said, adding: “We will discuss what forts to provide job opportuni- uation in Afghanistan will almost NATO summit in Brussels on more NATO can do when we meet ties for those Taliban members certainly deteriorate through 2018, May 25. Burden-sharing and the in Brussels on May 25.” A pro- who have joined the peace pro- even with a modest increase in war on terrorism will top the agen- posal to boost NATO forces in cess. “We have provided the en- (the)military assistance by the da. According to a statement on Afghanistan will be on the agenda vironment for those Taliban who United States and its partners," the NATO website, Jens Stolten- of a meeting between the alliance do not want to live under the con- Director of National Intelligence berg thanked Germany for its out- Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg trol of Punjabis [Pakistan’s Pun- Dan Coats said in a Senate hear- jab] and for those who return to standing contributions to the alli- and German Chancellor Angela ing. In February, Army General ance. In 2014, allies agreed to stop Merkel on Thursday. On Wednes- their country and start a peaceful John Nicholson, the U.S. com- life in their districts and provinc- mander in Afghanistan, said he cuts in defence spending and move day, Stoltenberg met British Prime es, regardless of their status. We needs several thousand more in- towards spending two percent of Minister Theresa May, a day af- have established a safe zone for ternational troops to break a stale- GDP on defence within a decade. ter reports suggested NATO had them and they can live there with mate with the Taliban. Reuters re- Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats “Burden sharing is not just about asked Britain for more troops a few their people,” Raziq said. He stat- ported in late April that Trump's money. It is also about modern weeks ago. NATO already has ed that the safe zone is established administration was carrying out a corps level, potentially putting sented with the options yet. Some remains plagued by corruption and capabilities and contributions to some 13,450 troops in Afghani- for the Taliban fighters in the coun- review of Afghanistan and conver- them closer to fighting, a U.S. offi- U.S. officials said they questioned divided by factions loyal to polit- NATO missions and operations. stan. (Pajhwok) try’s south and the precondition sations are revolving around send- cial said. In the same hearing, the the benefit of sending more troops ical strongmen whose armed sup- for living at the zone is to cut off ing between 3,000 and 5,000 U.S. head of the military's Defense In- to Afghanistan because any polit- porters often are motivated by eth- their ties with those Taliban who and coalition troops to Afghani- telligence Agency said the situa- ically palatable number would not nic, family, and regional loyalties. are still fighting against govern- stan. Deliberations include giving tion would worsen unless U.S. be enough to turn the tide, much Coats said that Afghanistan ment forces. “Those Taliban who more authorities to forces on the trainers worked with Afghan sol- less create stability and security. would struggle to decrease its reli- are in Kandahar, Helmand, Uruz- ground and taking more aggressive diers closer to the front line, their To date, more than 2,300 Ameri- ance on the international commu- gan and Zabul [provinces] and action against Taliban fighters. This numbers increased and there was cans have been killed and over nity "until it contains the insur- have ties with smugglers and could allow U.S. advisers to work greater intelligence and surveillance. 17,000 wounded. President Ashraf gency or reaches a peace agreement armed groups, should remove with Afghan troops below the Trump has not been formally pre- Ghani's U.S.-backed government with the Taliban." (REUTERS) their relations with them and em- brace a peaceful life. So far 10 key Taliban members have come here [at the safe zone] and have start- ed a normal life,” he added. Mean- A dozen while, member of Kandahar Pro- vincial Council Attaullah Atta said insurgents the move by Kandahar police will benefit the people and will en- eliminated, 3 courage the Taliban to choose a peaceful life. (ToloNews) wounded: MoD he state minister for reforms paid no respect to martyrs of past currently in battle with group to in security sector, Amrullah 17 years in Afghanistan, was a retake control of the district and KABUL : A dozen militants have Saleh, at a gathering in mistake," said Saleh. Referring to Kunduz-Takhar open the highway to traffic. “The been killed and two others wound- KTapisa province on Friday, criti- Hekmatyar’s recent speech at the conflict is raged, it said Kunduz ed in security incidents over the cized the recent remarks of Hizb- Presidential Palace, Saleh said: “In highway city will collapse and because of past 24 hours, the Ministry of e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmat- the hall that he [Hekmatyar] was that people have left their homes,” Defence said on Friday. The oper- yar and said he had ‘insulted’ Af- speaking, he did not even paused cleared a Kunduz resident said. The Af- ations were conducted in Nangar- ghanistan’s war victims when he for a minute to greet the audiences ghan Defense Ministry; however, har, Kunar, Kapisa, Logar, Kan- made his first speech after 20 years or to confess that the leaders assured Kunduz city will not fall dahar, Uruzgan, Zabul, Herat, at the Presidential Palace one week present at hall had forgiven him of taliban Farah, Kunduz, Faryab, Sar-i Pul, into the hands of the militants. ago. The ceremony remembered and he should thank them [for “The collapse of Sar-e-Pul and Badakhshan and Helmand provinc- he Kunduz-Takhar Highway es. A statement from the ministry Mohammad Aman Mubariz, that]. He [Hekmatyar] did not was cleared of Taliban on Kunduz city will remain only a former head of Kapisa Provincial mention that how many soldiers, dream for the enemies,” said Dep- said Afghan security personnel Friday following heavy conducted the operations to ensure Council’s secretariat, who was who were ensuring his security T uty Spokesman of the Defense killed in a bomb blast a month ago. outside the hall [at the Presiden- clashes between government forc- the safety of the people and drive es and the group’s fighters in past Ministry, Mohammad Radmanish. Saleh said Hekmatyar had hand in tial Palace] were killed by him in It comes as the Afghan forces have fighters from the areas. Backed by eight days, the Northeast Zone artillery and air power, the forces killing of innocent people in past past 17 years.” The state minister Police said in a statement. conducted 19 operations across killed eight Taliban and injured a 17 years, but he did not mention for security reforms said extrem- Mahfoozullah Akbari, spokes- the country, and according to mil- ninth in the Shah Mansoor area of this in his recent speeches. He stat- ist and terrorist groups will not man for the Northeast Zone Po- itary officials, the Islamic State Tirinkot, the capital of central ed that he is not against the peace mercy on anyone and anything in lice, said that Khwaja and Kata- strongholds have been suppressed Uruzgan. In the Manogi district of process, but he opposes the way the country. “Where is it men- Afghan security forces battling the east, Nangarhar in east and Hel- in eastern parts of Afghanistan Hekmatyar was welcomed by gov- tioned in our religion and culture khail police outposts along the insurgents groups mainly the Tal- Kunar province, three insurgents highway were taken out of the mand & Zabul in southwest.

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