Abdullah supports team formed to negotiate with Taliban
Dr. Abdullah
1TV: Afghan president’s political rival Abdullah Abdullah on Tuesday said that formation of an “inclusive” negotiating team was an “important step” to facilitate intra-Afghan peace talks. In a statement on Facebook, Abdullah said although election-related political crisis remains unresolved, he is committed to not allow peace to be overshadowed by differences. Click here to read more (external link).
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Ghani Appoints Arghandiwal as Acting Finance Minister
Arghandiwal
Tolo News: Following the appointment of Chief of Staff Shakir Kargar on Monday, President Ghani appoints former economy minister and head of Hezb-e-Islami political party Hadi Arghandiwal as acting finance minister. Presidential adviser Waheed Omer in a tweet said the process of appointing new cabinet members will continue, and they will be sent to the parliament for a vote of confidence once all of the cabinet is appointed. Click here to read more (external link).
1TV Afghanistan Dari News – March 30, 2020
Death by Drone: America’s Vicious Legacy in Afghanistan
US MQ-9 Reaper drone (file photo)
FP: As the United States prepares to leave, thousands of killings remain unprobed, and Washington refuses to talk about them. Ordinary Afghans say it has happened to them many times and never—not once—has it made news anywhere outside Afghanistan. Last November, an American Reaper drone targeted a group of villagers in the mountainous area of Afghanistan’s southeastern province of Paktia and killed seven of them. Paktia has long been home to Taliban militants, but local residents say all the victims were civilians, including three women and one child. They had gone to the remote area to graze their cattle and collect wood. Suddenly, they were dead. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghan Health Ministry Increases Testing Capacity for COVID-19
Tolo News: Minister of Public Health Ferozuddin Feroz, at an opening ceremony for a COVID-19 testing center in Kabul on Monday, said the capacity of health facilities in the country will be increased to 1,000 tests a day by the end of this week. Current number of coronavirus cases reported in Afghanistan: 145. Click here to read more (external link).
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At Least 28 Afghan Soldiers Killed In Taliban Attacks, Prisoner Release Postponed
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
March 30, 2020
Militants have killed 28 members of the Afghan security forces, police officials and authorities said on March 30, as the government postponed a release of Taliban prisoners.
Militants stormed the compound of a top police official in the northeastern province of Takhar on March 29, killing 13 police officers and wounding the senior official, a spokesman for the force said.
In the southern province of Zabul, Taliban fighters attacked government security outposts, killing at least 11 soldiers, also on March 29, police said.
Attacks on government security posts in the southern province of Helmand and northern province of Baghlan killed four members of the security forces, officials said.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s National Security Council said the government will not carry out a planned release of 100 Taliban prisoners on March 31.
The Taliban and the United States reached a deal last month allowing the Americans and their allies to withdraw their forces in exchange for Taliban promises on preventing terrorism.
The Taliban eventually accepted also to hold talks with the U.S-backed government, one of the conditions being the gradual release of militants held by Afghan security forces.
“There is no prisoner release happening tomorrow,” National Security Council spokesperson Javid Faisal tweeted on March 29.
According to Faisal, during a video conference on March 29 — the third between the two sides — the Taliban had agreed to send a delegation to Kabul to conduct further discussions with government officials.
The Taliban team was supposed to arrive at Bagram prison to verify the militants’ prisoners, but its arrival was delayed due to technical issues, according to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
With reporting by Reuters, dpa, and tolonews.com
Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.
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Lack of Budget Hinders COVID-19 Response: MoPH
Ferozuddin Feroz
Tolo News: The positive cases of COVID-19 reached 120 in Afghanistan after three people tested positive for the virus on Sunday, said Public Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz, who added that the cases are increasing and that his institution does not have access to the required budget to fight the pandemic. Click here to read more (external link).
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- COVID-19 Causing Reduced Tax Revenues: Finance Ministry
- Rashid Khan, Cricketer, to Help Poor Amid COVID-19
1TV Afghanistan Dari News – March 29, 2020
Indian state chief calls for evacuation of Sikhs from Afghanistan
1TV: The chief minister of an Indian state on Saturday called for evacuation of stranded Sikh families from Afghanistan, following a deadly attack on a temple in Kabul.
“Dear @DrSJaishankar, there are a large number of Sikh families who want to be flown out of Afghanistan. Request you to get them airlifted at the earliest. In this moment of crisis, it’s our bounden duty to help them,” Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on urged foreign minister S Jaishankar on Twitter. Click here to read more (external link).