8am: The annual Nowruz gathering has been held in the city of Dushanbe with the participation of a number of poets and cultural figures from Afghanistan, Iran, and Tajikistan. At the gathering, held on Thursday, March 19, several Afghan poets, including Latif Nazemi, Tania Aakafi, and Mozhgan Saghar, along with other cultural figures, participated. Click here to read more (external link).
Buzkashi (file photo)
Ariana: Afghanistan’s national buzkashi team was eliminated from the Kokpar World Championship after losing 4–2 to Uzbekistan in the semifinals on Friday. The defeat prevented the Afghan team from reaching the final, ending their hopes for the tournament title. Click here to read more (external link).
Ariana: Afghanistan’s Chief of Armed Forces, Fasihuddin Fitrat, said in his Eid message that Pakistan’s military regime has violated the ceasefire along the Durand line. According to the Eid message released by the Ministry of Defense, several civilians were killed in attacks carried out by Pakistani forces in border areas. Click here to read more (external link).
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Buzkashi (file photo)
Amu: Afghanistan advanced to the semifinals of an international buzkashi tournament in Kazakhstan after defeating Mongolia 7-0 in the group stage. The team previously defeated Hungary 14-0 and Russia 5-0 in earlier matches. Click here to read more (external link).
BBC: For 18 months, Alia has been waiting in a transit camp in Qatar for her promised resettlement to the US. But now that route appears to have closed for good. Where she and hundreds of other Afghan evacuees will end up next is unknown. Earlier this year, the Trump administration announced it would close the camp by 31 March and that the evacuees would not be taken to the US, plunging hundreds like Alia into fear and uncertainty. Click here to read more (external link).
Ariana: Pakistani military forces fired more than 70 artillery shells into eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province, local officials said, in the latest incident underscoring rising cross Durand Line tensions. Zia-ur-Rahman Spin Ghar, head of information at Kunar’s Department of Information and Culture, said 35 shells struck areas including Dokalam, Barikot and Tsongalai in Narai district. A further 37 shells were reported in parts of Manogai district. Click here to read more (external link).
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AA: Afghanistan announced Wednesday that the moon has been sighted and the Eid al-Fitr holiday to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramada will be observed Thursday. Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the Supreme Court of Afghanistan has officially declared Thursday as the first day of Eid al-Fitr. Click here to read more (external link).
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Afghanistan International: A senior official of Afghanistan’s National Resistance Front said the group has carried out more than 2,000 attacks against the Taliban over the past five years. Abdullah Khenjani, head of the group’s political office, made the remarks Tuesday at a meeting in the Belgian Senate. Khenjani said none of the operations had caused harm to civilians. Click here to read more (external link).