Nimroz Airstrike Kills 18 Civilians
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What Does Future Trade Look Like in Light of the Afghanistan- Page 2 | NATIONAL Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement? Page 3 | ECONOMY Why the Taliban agreed Following several months of talks between trade representative from China’s Economic to let more girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the two countries appear poised to ... Growth Projected at Afghanistan go to school 7.9% in 2021 Page 2 | NATIONAL Kabul Herat Nangarhar Balkh 9 / -3 12 / 1 19 / 2 13 / 2 Your Gateway to Afghanistan & the Region Monday, January 11, 2021 Issue No. 901 www.heartofasia.af 10 afs Nimroz Airstrike Kills 18 Govt spokesman Civilians: Local Council Head their hands. Are they Taliban? You killed in Kabul call yourselves Muslims. This is not explosion something done by a Muslim,” said Saleh Mohammad, a relative of the Three people including Zia Wadan, a victims. spokesman for the Public Protection “Seven of them are women and Force were killed and two others others are men and children. One wounded in an explosion in Karte naw of them was a recently married girl area of PD8 of Kabul city around 8:30 AM who was there as a guest along with on Sunday morning, the Kabul police three children who have also been spokesman Tariq Arian confirmed. martyred. There was no Talib in the Kabul police said the incident took place area, neither any Daesh, nor did when Wadan was on his way to the office. anyone have ties with al-Qaeda,” According to Kabul police, one person said Abdul Shakoor, an eyewitness. was injured in the incident. Ahmad, a resident of Khashrod who No group has claimed responsibility for sustained injuries in the airstrike, the blast, but the Interior Ministry in a said he has lost “18 members of his statement blamed the Taliban. family in the incident.” President Ghani also condemned the “We were 15 members in our family. attack and called it “a crime against I was sleeping and did not notice humanity and against Islamic values.” that our house was attacked. When “The increase of violence by the Taliban An airstrike in the western province Relatives of the victims took the airstrikes were conducted by I woke up, I saw that the wall of our shows that the group opposes the spirit of Ghazni on Saturday night left 18 18 bodies to the city of Zaranj, the Afghan forces on Taliban targets in house was damaged and there were of peace and is not committed to peace, people dead, all members of one center of the province, seeking Khashrod district on Saturday night. bullets around me,” Ahmad said. and the group seeks to kill innocent family, said Baz Mohammad Nasir, justice from the government. “The airstrike has affected civilians. The relatives of the victims said people and damage public facilities,” head of the provincial council in the Local officials refrained from Many members of one family, those who are behind the incident Ghani added. province. providing details on the incident, including women and children, have should be punished. The airstrike took place in Munazari but the ANA 215th Corps in a been killed. This is sad,” Nasir said. “We don’t know where to live. The village in Khashrod district, Nasir statement said the reports of However, local government officials government is bombarding our said, adding that the “Taliban civilian casualties in Nimroz will be and security officials have not yet houses, the Taliban is threatening were also targeted but there are no investigated. commented on the airstrike. us. Where should the oppressed reports on their casualties yet.” “The Taliban were targeted in “Eighteen members of my family residents of Khashrod live? Let us Those who have been killed include an airstrike and suffered heavy were martyred. They were found know if there is any place,” said eight children, seven women and casualties,” the statement said. in pieces. Who among them are Mohammad Daud, a resident of the three men, the council chief said. The army corps said that multiple the Taliban members? Look at area. ... P3 Afghan Cricket Team Iran, Afghanistan Trains in UAE for Kabul, Ashgabat agree to expand to hold 14th joint Ireland Matches exhibition in Kabul Afghanistan’s national cricket team regional connectivity, trade Iran and Afghanistan are set to hold began their training on Saturday in Afghanistan and Turkmenistan the 14th edition of joint specialized the United Arab Emirates for the three- have signed two Memorandum exhibition next month. match ODI series against Ireland that of Understandings (MoUs) to Deputy Minister of Industries and kicks off on January 21. enhance foreign ministerial level the head of Trade Promotion Afghanistan will play three One Day interactions and cooperation in Organization of Iran (TPO) Hamid International (ODI) matches against railway sector, a statement from Zadboum made the announcement Ireland on January 21, 24 and 26. the Ministry of Foreign Affair (MoFA) Mohammad Nabi, a star on the national on Saturday, saying that Iran- said on Sunday. cricket team, is “on his way to UAE to Afghanistan specialized exhibition Atmar welcomed his Turkmen join the national team for the Ireland will be held in Kabul on February counterpart Raşit Meredow and series after a match-winning knock in 9-12. his accompanying delegation to BBL,” the Afghanistan Cricket Board The TPO chief referred to Iran’s Kabul, describing Turkmenistan as (ACB) said. $3-billion annual exports to a friendly neighbor and brotherly “Nabi is part of the squad that will take Afghanistan and said the ... P2 country. on Ireland as part of the CWC ODI Super Calling Kabul-Ashgabat ties as transit, political and economic Pleased with brotherly relations League,” it said. excellent and friendly, Atmar said cooperation, and building regional between Kabul and Ashgabat, It’s expected that Rashid Khan and that Mr. Merdow’s visit and the consensus on the Afghan peace The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mujeeb Ur Rahman and other Afghan new agreements signed between process were top priorities of Turkmenistan thanked Mr. Atmar cricket stars who are also playing in the two sides were steps towards Afghanistan’s foreign policy. for the warm and cordial hospitality Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), will further strengthening bilateral He noted that the expansion of of Afghanistan during his visit to join the team. The matches will be play relations. ties among regional countries, Kabul. at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Cricket The Minister of Foreign Affairs especially with Turkmenistan, Mr. Meredow stated that Ashgabat Stadium, ACB said. stated that expanding regional benefited peace and development was committed to cooperating with The series was scheduled to ... P2 connectivity, strengthening trade, in the region. Afghanistan in trade, ... P2 January 11, 2021 Heart of Asia NATIONAL MONDAY 2 [email protected] fb/heart of asia twitter/@heartofasiapost Kabul, Ashgabat... By Monkey Cage transit, commerce, and regional connectivity and considered the success of the Afghan peace talks vital for Why the Taliban agreed to let more achieving those goals. The Turkmen Foreign Minister assured Mr. Atmar of his girls in Afghanistan go to school country’s firm support for the success of the peace In December, the Taliban agreed to allow UNICEF process and the stance of the to open thousands of informal schools in parts of Government of the Islamic Afghanistan controlled by the armed group. The Republic of Afghanistan on Taliban-initiated school talks have been ongoing regional peace and consensus. for the past two years, and originally grew out of The two foreign ministers spoke negotiations over polio vaccination campaigns in detail about the necessary inside Taliban territory. The program will establish preparations to open three community-based classes, reaching as many as projects to be inaugurated by 140,000 children — both boys and girls. the two countries’ leaders in Why would the Taliban — a group known for the the near future. systematic destruction of women’s access to education The meeting was attended — not only agree to but initiate talks on the provision of education? The Taliban continues to fight the by the President’s Chief of government of Afghanistan, and the armed group’s Staff Mohammad Shakir political goal remains unchanged: To reestablish a Kargar, Deputy Foreign strict Islamist system of government, a shift that would Minister Mirwais Nab, Director probably reverse many of the rights granted to women their governance strategies, and how civilians often the Taliban’s formal control of the government of of Afghanistan Railway in the 2004 post-Taliban Constitution. shape rebel governance. In Indonesia, for instance, Afghanistan from 1996-2001, only Pakistan, Saudi Authority Yamma Shams, The group is in negotiations with the Afghan religious leaders pushed GAM — an ethno-nationalist Arabia and the United Arab Emirates formally Deputy Minister of Agriculture government in a bid to end the country’s war. However, group that fought a war to form its own state — to recognized Taliban leadership. Two decades later, Heshmatollah Ghafouri, and the Taliban did not get to the negotiating table adopt an increasingly religious agenda. This change Taliban leadership has encouraged greater openness Head of Afghanistan Petroleum through violence alone. Instead, the group waged a helped the rebel group gain wider support from its toward aid agencies, driven in large part by a hope Authority Seyed Mahbubollah political campaign that required establishing support religious constituency. for political recognition and an improvement in its Rabbani. from Afghan citizens as well as a greater degree of Communities in Afghanistan appear to be leveraging public image. international legitimacy — and both of these goals the Taliban’s need for support and finding new ways to The drawdown of international troops is probably push back on the armed group’s rules.