Eye on the News [email protected] Truthful, Factual and Unbiased Vol:XI Issue No:200 Price: Afs.20 www.afghanistantimes.af www.facebook.com/ afghanistantimeswww.twitter.com/ afghanistantimes SUNDAY . FEBRUARY 19. 2017 -Hoot 01, 1395 HS Karzai terms Pakistan’s shelling as blatant invasion By Farhad Naibkhel gion. “There is no distinction be- kistani troops on Lalpur of Nan- tween terrorist groups, and every garhar province, and other eastern AT News Report KABUL: The Ministry of Defense country should bear in mind that parts of Afghanistan and asked for (MoD) on Saturday, while strongly training, facilitating and support- explanation. These attacks caused KABUL: Hamid Karzai, the condemned the Pakistani shelling in ing militants is a mistake that they the displacement of civilians dur- former president strongly con- eastern provinces of the country, also would burn one day in that ing winter time. Moreover, the demned Pakistan army’s rocket said that all efforts on table to de- flame,” he added. On the other Deputy Foreign Minister showed attack on the eastern areas of the fend the country—if diplomatic hand, the Ministry of Foreign Af- his concern over the arrest of 150 country, calling it against all the channels not beard fruits. Accord- fairs (MoFA) on Saturday sum- Afghans in Islamabad and Rawal- international norms and principle ing to reports, Pakistan army had moned Pakistani ambassador to pindi and also to the closure of and “a blatant invasion” on the fired dozens of artillery shells on register concerns over border shell- Torkham and Chaman Gates Afghan territorial integrity. Sarkano district of Kunar province, ing. In a statement issued by against Afghan commuters and Pakistani army have targeted which resulted at killing of two ci- MoFA, said that Deputy Foreign merchants. Furthermore, Resolute the eastern provinces of Nangar- vilians. The shelling has been start- Minister, Hekmat Khalil Karzai Support Mission in Afghanistan har and Kunar after the suicide ed hours after a deadly explosion summoned Pakistani Ambassador expressed concerns over Paki- bombing in a Sufi shrine in Sindh, ripped in a shrine in Sindh province to Kabul, Abrar Hussain, denounc- stan’s crossing-border shelling, said claiming that the attack was of Pakistan. After the incident Pa- ing rocket attacks in Afghanistan. the both sides must work together planned inside Afghanistan. kistan allegedly claimed that Af- According to statement, “During and de-escalates the tensions. Karzai called Islamabad’s ac- ghanistan was behind the incident the meeting, the Deputy Foreign “Any increasing tension concern cusation that Kabul has hand be- and this issue simmered tension be- Minister expressed his condolence us, it is negative and it is risky,” hind the attack, “baseless”. tween Kabul and Islamabad. “Mil- for the recent suicide attack that Charles Cleveland, a spokesman “Afghanistan has been the itary preparations are in full swing took place at a shrine in Pakistan’s for RS told 1TV. “All sides and first victim of terrorism from the to defend the country, if diplomatic Sindh, in which innocent people every one of us have got to figure beginning until today,” Karzai dialogues failed to stop Pakistan lost their lives.” He furthered, the out and work together so that we was quoted in a statement, as say- border shelling in eastern provinces people of Afghanistan who are the can commonly address terrorism. ing. “What Pakistan is facing to- of Afghanistan,” said Chief of the victims of terrorism can understand “70 percent of IS (in Afghanistan) day is the consequence of its pol- Army Staff, Qadam Shah Shaheem. this pain because they witness such are former TTP members, they icies in the past decades.” He said that Afghan government fre- terrorist and rocket attacks every- stay corss the border, we have killed The former president called quently handed over documents and day masterminded on the other several leaders including top 12 on Pakistan government to have a witness to the Pakistan over pres- side of the line. “The Government ISIS leaders, we have killed the serious and honest cooperation ence of terrorists and their sanctu- of Afghanistan wants Pakistan to leader of PGG who was responsi- Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan expressed concerns over Pakistan’s crossing-border shelling, with Afghanistan and other re- aries in Pakistani soil, thus it is nec- take action against terrorist groups ble for horrible attack in a Pesha- said the both sides must work together and de-escalates the tensions. gional countries in combating ter- essary for Pakistan to hold practi- hidden in that country.” Deputy war school that killed over 150 rorism and extremism, to save cal steps against them in order to Foreign Ministers also denounced people,” the RS spokesman said. about 11 districts of Nangarhar and three and their numbers were in Nangarhar and a few hundred in both Afghanistan and Pakistan improve security situation in the re- the last night rocket attacks of Pa- “Last year, IS were present in now it has been reduced to two or 2,000 and now down t about 700 Kunar,” he added. from the inauspicious phenome- non. Five policemen, ICRC for safe, unconditional release 17 insurgents of abducted staffers killed in clashes AT News Report AT Monitoring Desk KABUL: The International Com- KABUL: Five Public Order Po- mittee of the Red Cross (ICRC) licemen (POP), and 17 insurgents has called for the safe and uncon- were killed in a clash in eastern ditional release of two staff mem- Kunar and western Herat provinc- bers abducted when their convoy es, an official said on Saturday. was ambushed on 8 February in Police Chief Brig. Gen. Juma Gul Himmat told Pajhwok Afghan Jawzjan province, an attack that News that the clash erupted after resulted in the killing of six ICRC militants attacked security forces staff members, the ICRC said in a post in the Khalkham locality of statement on Saturday. “We call Chapi Dari district. Separately, on the abductors’ sense of human- four Taliban insurgents were killed ity and request the immediate, safe and three others wounded in over- ABUL: Former President Hamid Karzai met Saturday with and unconditional release of our night clash in the Chesht-i-Sharif Kazakhstan Ambassador to Kabul Omirtai Bitimov, thanking Astana colleagues and to avoid taking any district of western Herat province, action that could endanger their a statement from 207th Zafar Mil- for granting education scholarships for Afghan students. He asked AT News Report itary Corps said. Security forces lives” said the Head of the ICRC har,” he noted. “Operations against suffered no casualties in the at- for further cooperation from Kazakhstan in this regard. Delegation in Afghanistan, Moni- KABUL: The Afghans army on Daesh will continue and they will tacks. It is worth mentioning that ca Zanarelli. “We do not want the Saturday said that 1,955 fighters be suppressed by Afghan forces last year a senior border police agony and heartache of this trage- loyal to Daesh (Islamic State) ter- in coming years,” he underlined. chief was killed in a bomb explo- dy to deepen.” “We also appeal rorist group had been killed in the Daesh is the cruelest terrorist sion in eastern Kunar province. In to all authorities and armed groups army operations in the past 11 group, and reportedly, its fighters that time, provincial police chief, operating in the area, to do their months of the ongoing Afghan year have recently abducted dozens of Juma Gul Hemmat confirmed that across the country. “This includes women and girls in eastern Nan- rd utmost to secure the safe release the 3 brigade border police Gen. of the two ICRC staff members, some of the leaders of Daesh who garhar and forced them to them (the Wali Jan was killed in an explosion and to avoid taking any action that were killed in different provinces fighters). Daesh fighters are ac- and saying, “a magnetic bomb this year,” Army Chief, Qadam tive in some districts of Nangarhar which was planted in the vehicle could endanger their lives,” he add- Shah Saheem said. He said that ed. The ICRC has been active in province particularly in Kot and of the officer was exploded in the Afghan forces intensified attacks Achin and they are attacking on Dangam district. The Taliban in- Afghanistan for three decades, as- Major concerns over insecurity and be reduced. “Once our first out- dent. The institutions overseeing against all terrorist groups, partic- the civilians. Daesh fighters also surgents frequently use Impro- sisting impartially victims of the ularly Daesh and achieved enough. torched hundreds of houses in vised Explosive Devise (IED) as the lack of budget provisions for line about election polling stations the election process have said conflict with medical care, food the election preparations and pro- is approved, we will prepare the many preparatory tasks remained “The Daesh terrorist group was Nangarhar province in order to cre- the weapon of their choice to tar- assistance, family contacts and the eliminated in Helmand province get the Afghan security forces and cesses remain voters rolls which we are already that have to be concluded before ate fear among people. The securi- dignified handling of human re- after their leader Abdul Raouf Kha- ty forces as well as the US forces the government officials. The Independent Election working on,” he said. the election. mains. It is a neutral, impartial and Commission (IEC) will send its Government has meanwhile “We want the IEC to consid- dem was killed.” He said that the are regularly conducting counter- independent organization whose terrorist group was also eliminat- terrorism operations to root out outline for the holding of Afghani- said the election schedule will be er the situation in detail and plan sole mission is strictly humanitar- Pakistan is bitten stan’s elections to the government announced in one month.