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Hello Jammu News at 3:05:00 PM 0


New Delhi, Mar 24 :  Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday discussed the evolving situation in the region arising out of the coronavirus outbreak.

In a telephonic conversation, the two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to boost cooperation, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.

Both the leaders exchanged Navroz greetings, noting that the festival symbolises the shared heritage and cultural linkages between the two countries.

"The leaders discussed the evolving situation in the region, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and reaffirmed their commitment to boost cooperation," the statement said.

On Monday, Modi thanked President Ghani for his contribution to the coronavirus emergency fund.

"Thank you Afghanistan, for contributing USD 1 million to the COVID-19 Emergency Fund in solidarity with our South Asian neighbourhood. Tashakkur President Ashraf Ghani," the prime minister had tweeted.

Besides Bangladesh and Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal have contributed to the fund.

Addressing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) leaders and representatives on March 15, Modi had proposed an emergency fund with an initial offer of USD 10 million from India.
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Hello Jammu News at 12:25:00 PM 0


Kandahar (Afghanistan), Oct 17 (AFP) A bomb placed under a sofa killed an Afghan election candidate on Wednesday, officials said, as deadly violence escalates ahead of the October 20 parliamentary ballot.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on Jabar Qahraman, who was running for the southern province of Helmand, a stronghold for the militant group.

Another seven were wounded in the blast, provincial governor spokesman Omar Zhwak told AFP.

Qahraman "was meeting his supporters in his election campaign office" when a bomb under his sofa detonated, Zhwak said.

"We have arrested several people in connection with the blast," he added.

The latest attack takes the number of election candidates killed to at least 10, the majority of them murdered in targeted killings.

Poll-related violence has increased ahead of the long-delayed vote, with hundreds of people killed or wounded in attacks across the country. (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 6:09:00 PM 0

Jalalabad (Afghanistan), Oct 2: At least 13 people were killed in a suicide attack on an Afghan election campaign rally on Tuesday, officials said, in the latest violence ahead of this month's legislative vote.

The attack is the first suicide assault since campaigning officially kicked off last Friday for the parliamentary elections, preparations for which have already been marred by bloody violence.

More than 40 people were wounded when the militant blew himself up among supporters of candidate Abdul Nasir Mohmmand in the Kama district of the eastern province of Nangarhar, provincial governor spokesman Ataullah Khogyani said.

Mohmmand was alive, Khogyani confirmed, but he did not say if the candidate had been hurt in the blast.

Provincial health director Najibullah Kamawal put the death toll slightly higher at 14.

Some of the wounded were in a critical condition, he said.

An AFP reporter saw numerous ambulances delivering bodies and wounded people to a hospital in the provincial capital of Jalalabad.

Sayed Humayun, who had brought his injured cousin to the medical facility, said scores of people had been inside a hall listening to Mohmmand speak when the bomber struck.

"I heard a big explosion," Humayun told AFP.

"For a while I could not see, I thought I was blinded, but later I saw I was surrounded by bodies and people covered in blood." The force of the blast caused the ceiling to collapse on top of the gathering.

"There are still people trapped under the rubble," Malik Zeerak, who was at the rally, told AFP.

No group immediately claimed the attack, but the Islamic State group has taken responsibility for most of the suicide bombings in recent months.

Violence has plagued the run-up to Afghanistan's long-delayed parliamentary vote, which is scheduled for October 20.

Five candidates have been murdered in targeted killings, according to the Independent Election Commission, and there are fears violence will escalate.

There were also numerous attacks on voter registration centres, including a suicide blast at a centre in Kabul that killed dozens.

The latest attack comes amid predictions for Afghan battle deaths to top 20,000 this year -- including civilians and combatants.

That would be the highest number since the start of the conflict in 2001 and make Afghanistan deadlier than Syria.

More than 2,500 candidates will contest the vote, which is seen as a test run for next year's presidential election.

But preparations have been in turmoil for months.

Bureaucratic inefficiency, allegations of industrial-scale fraud and an eleventh-hour pledge for biometric verification of voters threaten to derail the election and any hope of a credible result.

The international community is pushing hard for the vote to happen before November's ministerial meeting in Geneva, which the United Nations says is a "crucial moment" for the Afghan government and its foreign partners to demonstrate progress.

Some 54,000 members of Afghanistan's beleaguered security forces will be responsible for protecting more than 5,000 polling centres on election day.

More than 2,000 polling centres that were supposed to open will be closed for security reasons.

It is a daunting task as the Taliban and IS, which have vowed to disrupt the ballot, ramp up attacks across the country.  (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 3:08:00 PM 0

Abu Dhabi, Sept 22: Experienced Shoaib Malik conjured up a crucial unbeaten 51 under pressure as Pakistan survived a scare from Afghanistan, winning their Super Four match of the Asia Cup by three wickets, here on Friday.

Chasing a competitive 258 to win, Pakistan overhauled the target with just three balls to spare with former captain Malik playing the match-winning knock from 43 balls.

Pakistan required 10 runs from the last over and Malik dispatched pacer Aftab Alam for a six and four after playing a dot ball.

Wickets kept falling for Pakistan with star Afghan spinner Rashid Khan yet again proving his utility with a three-wicket haul but Malik held his nerves to keep one end tight.

Before Malik, Imam-ul-Haq (80) and Babar Azam (60) hit patient half-centuries in a 154-run stand but the slow run rate made it difficult for Pakistan.

Electing to bat, Hashmatullah Shahidi (97) missed out on his maiden ODI hundred by just three runs after skipper Asghar Afghan hit a combative 67 off 56 balls as Afghanistan scored a fighting 257 for six.

Their 94-run partnership and some terrific batting towards the end by the Afghans made it an interesting contest as they scored 87 runs in the last 10 overs.

Pakistan made a shaky start, losing opener Fakhar Zaman in the sixth ball of the innings, bowled by Mujeeb ur Rahman, but after that Azam and Imam taking control of the proceedings, though the run-rate was always shooting up.

At the half-way mark, Pakistan had put on board just 103 for one with required touching going beyond six but they the cushion of nine wickets.

The two batsmen out on 154 runs for the second wicket before the bespectacled Imam was run out in the 34th over. It was Najibullah Zadran's direct hit which found Imam short. His 80-run knock came off 104 balls with four shots to the fence and one over the ropes.

Nine balls later, Rashid Khan had Azam stumped. It was when Pakistan needed exact 100 runs from 15 overs.

Pakistan lost Haris Sohail (13), Sarfraz Ahmad (8), Asif Ali (7) and Mohammad Nawaz (10) with Afghan bowlers fighting hard.

In the end, former captain Malik's experience saw them cross the finish the line.

Earlier, Shahidi needed a boundary off the last ball to complete his century but Hasan Ali denied him the milestone with a incoming yorker which the left-hander could not put away.

With his skipper Asghar, Shahidi shared a match-changing 94-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Shahidi shifted gears with ease after largely remaining patient in his unbeaten and career-best knock which came off 118 balls. He was bowled off a no ball when he was on 76 in the penultimate over.

Five of his seven boundaries came during the last 14 balls of the Afghan innings.

Asghar had joined left-handed Shahidi at the crease after left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz (3/57) removed the top three Afghan batsmen -- Mohammad Shahzad (20), Ihsanullah (10) and Rahmat Shah (36).

In his 67-run knock, Asghar showed both aggression and patience and Shahidi was determined, holding one end tight.

Asghar chose right deliveries to go for big shots, hitting five sixes and two fours.

Shahidi and Asghar were tested by the Pakistan pace duo of Hasan Ali and Usman Khan but they refused to be intimidated by the raw pace.

They were sensible in defending and leaving the balls which moved after pitching outside off stump. They kept the scoreboard ticking with pushing and nudging the ball around.

Breakthrough not coming, Pakistan captain Sarfraz handed the ball back to Nawaz but Asghar creamed off 11 runs from his over, hitting a four and six, to end the long boundary drought.

Both the batsmen completed their half-centuries in the 40th over, bowled by young left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi.

With few overs left, Asghar started hitting each everything thrown at him and was bowled by Afridi after being dropped by Haris Sohail in the 42nd over. (PTI)

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Hello Jammu News at 1:42:00 PM 0

United Nations, Sep 18: In a veiled reference to Pakistan, India has said safe havens in Afghanistan's neighbourhood have for years provided safety for the "dark agendas" of various terror outfits like the Taliban and the LeT.

India also called for crippling the illicit drug trade which provides financial sustenance to these terror outfits.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said at a Security Council debate on Afghanistan Monday that the Taliban, aided by their supporters, continue to pursue military operations perpetrating violence and destruction, like the recent attack in Ghazni, over several parts of Afghanistan.

"These offensives are planned and launched by those who are harboured in safe havens in the neighbourhood of Afghanistan. These sanctuaries have, for years, provided safety for the dark agendas of ideologically and operationally-fused terror networks like the Taliban, Haqqani network, Daesh, Al-Qaeda and its proscribed affiliates such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed," he said.

Akbaruddin further said the agendas of these terror organisations draw financial sustenance not only from extortion and forced levies and taxes, but also benefit significantly from criminal networks operating drug cartels and stealing Afghanistan's natural resources. Citing estimates, he said 60 per cent of the Taliban's revenues are from the drug trade and poppy cultivation is said to be the largest cash crop in Taliban-controlled areas.

He expressed concern that while a Security Council resolution adopted earlier this year to extend the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) does focus on linkages between extremism, terrorism, drug production and illegal exploitation of natural resources of Afghanistan, it falls short of expectations in striving to cripple the Taliban's drug trade.

The Secretary General's current report also fails to address this very key issue in an adequate matter, he said.

He asserted that templates for curbing illicit trade by terrorist networks exist, saying that it is estimated that when targeted, the Islamic State's oil revenue fell over three years by nearly 90 per cent from a monthly high of USD 50 million to just USD 4 million.

However by contrast, the opium produced in Taliban-controlled areas is estimated to account for 85 per cent of global illicit production, valued between USD 1.5 billion to USD 3 billion.

"We feel it is time for this Council to try and replicate the success of the international community against the Islamic State's illicit business in Syria and Iraq by similarly crippling the Taliban's illicit drug trade," Akbaruddin said, adding that hopefully this important subject will be addressed by the Secretary General in his next report as well as by the Council.

He said that during the past few months, the international community has followed with hope and anticipation the various peace efforts and overtures by the Government and people of Afghanistan towards bringing peace to their war-torn country.

"All of us know and believe that there is no military solution to the issue," he said.

Akbaruddin, however, said that the Taliban have rejected the recent calls for a ceasefire by the Afghan Government and the civil society, including various religious leaders.

"In fact, they have treated such overtures with growing disdain and have increased their offensive operations, as the country prepares for parliamentary elections, he said.

He said India is willing to work with all countries in the region and beyond, keeping Afghan priorities at the forefront, so as to bring a lasting solution to the situation.

"Afghans should lead these efforts, not only between governments, but with civil society and business as stakeholders. India stands ready to support Afghanistan in every way we can," he said adding that India's focus remains on the economic pillar of stability and reliable connectivity for the people of Afghanistan.

"We strongly believe that the lack of connectivity directly impacts the economic, security and political situation in Afghanistan and we want to address this crucial issue for the benefit of the Afghan people," he said.

With parliamentary elections one month away and a major ministerial conference planned for November in Geneva, United Nation's Special Representative for Afghanistan Tasamichi Yamamoto briefed the Security Council, noting that "preparations are on track" but that many challenges lie ahead, including increased security concerns.

"It is a time for important decisions in Afghanistan," he said. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 2:42:00 PM 0

Kabul Sep 7: US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis landed in Kabul on Friday for an unannounced visit to war-torn Afghanistan, adding his weight to a flurry of diplomatic efforts to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.

His trip comes a little more than a year after President Donald Trump unveiled a revamped strategy for Afghanistan that saw him commit thousands of additional US forces to the country on an open-ended basis.

Mattis, on his second visit to the country in recent months, will meet with President Ashraf Ghani and the new US commander for American and NATO forces, General Scott Miller.

His arrival in Kabul comes at a sensitive time in the 17-year war.

The grinding conflict has seen little progress by Afghan or US forces against the Taliban, the country's largest militant group.

Afghan and international players have been ratcheting up efforts to hold peace talks with the Taliban, which was toppled from power by US-led forces in 2001.

An unprecedented ceasefire in June followed by talks between US officials and Taliban representatives in Qatar in July fuelled hopes that negotiations could bring an end to the fighting.

But a recent spate of attacks by the Taliban and the smaller but potent Islamic State group that left hundreds of security forces and civilians dead has severely dented that optimism.

A twin bomb attack on a wrestling club in a Shiite neighbourhood of Kabul on Wednesday was just the latest in a long line of devastating assaults, killing at least 26 people and wounding 91.

The attack underscored the challenges facing Afghanistan's beleaguered security forces that have been beset by corruption and low morale.

Trump's strategy, announced in August 2017, increased the US troop presence in the country and now includes a renewed push to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.

But there are fears that Trump is growing frustrated with the pace of progress in the country, spurring US diplomats and other officials to intensify their efforts.

The Taliban have long insisted on direct talks with Washington and refused to negotiate with the Afghan government, which they see as illegitimate.

There is speculation that another meeting between US and Taliban representatives could be held this month.

Mattis arrived in Kabul from Delhi where he and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with their Indian counterparts.

Pompeo also visited Islamabad on Wednesday where he held talks with new premier Imran Khan and other senior officials.

Pompeo said he was "hopeful" of resetting the troubled relationship with Pakistan, a key player in the Afghan conflict.

Miller, who took command of US and NATO forces at a handover ceremony in Kabul on Sunday, replaces General John Nicholson, who rotated out of the role after a more than two-year deployment.

Nicholson told reporters last month that the warring parties now had an "unprecedented" opportunity for peace, and insisted Trump's strategy for the country was working.

But his optimism belied recent setbacks on the battlefield.

The Taliban last month launched an extraordinary attack on the provincial capital of Ghazni -- just a two-hour drive from Kabul.

Militants held large parts of the city for days and Afghan forces needed US air power to push them back. (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 6:10:00 PM 0

Kabul, Sep 6: Insurgents killed 19 security personnel in separate assaults in Afghanistan, officials said Thursday, a day after twin bombings in Kabul killed 21 people, including two local TV reporters.

Another 89 people were wounded in Wednesday's bombings, in a Shiite neighborhood of the capital. The attack bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State group, which has carried out a wave of bombings against minority Shiites in recent years. The Taliban denied responsibility.

Later Wednesday, suspected Taliban insurgents overran a security outpost in the northern Badghis province and then ambushed reinforcements, killing a total of 10 soldiers, according to Jamshid Shahabi, a spokesman for the governor.

In what is being described as an insider attack, a local police official in the northern Takhar province turned his weapon on his colleagues early Thursday, killing all eight. Abdul Khali Aseir, the provincial police spokesman, says the gunman escaped.

Two journalists from Afghanistan's TOLO TV were among those killed in the Kabul bombings. Samim Faramarz and Ramiz Ahmadi were "fearless" reporters who represented what is best in the country, the station said in a posting on Twitter.

"They challenged and pushed boundaries to deliver news to millions daily. . .We are devastated," it said.

The UN envoy to Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, condemned the "callous attack" in Kabul and expressed "deep concern over the heavy price paid by Afghan media, with the killing of journalists in Afghanistan being among the highest in the world."

In April, nine journalists who rushed to the scene of an explosion in Kabul were killed by a second suicide bomber. A 10th journalist was killed the same day, shot in eastern Khost province.

Both the Taliban and IS carry out near-daily attacks in Afghanistan targeting security forces and government officials, but IS also regularly targets Shiites, who it views as apostates.

In the same neighborhood where the twin bombings took place, an Islamic State suicide bomber killed 35 high school graduates last month as they sat for their university entrance exams. The dead were all teenagers. (AP)
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Hello Jammu News at 12:07:00 PM 0


Kabul, Sept 4 (AFP):  The founder of the Haqqani network, one of Afghanistan's most effective and feared militant groups, has died after a long illness, their allies the Afghan Taliban announced Tuesday.
Jalaluddin Haqqani, whose son Sirajuddin Haqqani now heads the brutal group and is also the Taliban's deputy leader, died "after a long battle with illness", the Taliban said in a statement.

Jalaluddin "was from among the great distinguished Jihadi personalities of this era," the Taliban said in the English version of its statement posted on Twitter.

He was an Afghan mujahideen commander fighting the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s with the help of the US and Pakistan.

Jalaluddin gained notoriety for his organisation and bravery, garnering attention from the CIA and a personal visit from US congressman Charlie Wilson.

A fluent Arabic speaker, Jalaluddin also fostered close ties with Arab jihadists including Osama Bin Laden who flocked to the region during the war. Later, Jalaluddin became a minister in the Taliban regime. AFP
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Hello Jammu News at 6:01:00 PM 0

Beijing, Aug 29: China today dismissed reports that it is setting up a military base in Afghanistan in a narrow corridor connecting the two countries near Xinjiang to prevent infiltration of Uygur militants into the volatile province.

According to a report in the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, China has started building a training camp for Afghan troops in Wakhan corridor a project Beijing is fully funding.

Once the camp is completed, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is likely to send hundreds of military personnel at least one battalion strong to Afghanistan's isolated Wakhan, the Post report said.

When asked about the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, "After checking with relevant departments, it has been found that this report is not true."

Asked whether China is funding Afghanistan to setup the base, Hua said "if setting up military base is not true what comes next is also not true".

The Chinese military had denied a similar report in January this year.

The Wakhan corridor is a narrow strip of inhospitable and barely accessible land extending about 350km from the northern Afghan province of Badakhshan to China's Muslim region of Xinjiang, where Chinese authorities have carried out sweeping crackdowns on the Uygur ethnic minority group in recent months.

Uygurs are agitating against large scale settlements of majority Han from other parts of China.

China is battling militants of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a separatist outfit who reportedly used the corridor as well as the routes through the adjacent Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to infiltrate in Xinjiang.

China has been periodically putting pressure on Pakistan to crackdown on ETIM training bases in its tribal areas.

Reports in the official media here in the past said China and Afghanistan border troops jointly patrolled the PoK part of the border to prevent infiltration.

China which looks to spread its influence far and wide has already set up a base at Djibouti in the Horn of Africa in the Indian Ocean. Beijing says it is a logistics base aimed at providing resting facilities to its naval troops taking part in the anti-piracy operations.

China is also developing a strategic port at Gwadar in Pakistan which will provide it access to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Also China has acquired the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka for 90 years. The Sri Lankan government insists that it is purely for civilian purposes and no military activities will be permitted. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 2:13:00 PM 0

Kabul, Aug 11: Both Taliban and government forces claimed they were in control of the eastern Afghan city of Ghazni today, after insurgents stormed the provincial capital, triggering fierce fighting.

Afghan officials said they were in control of Ghazni late yesterday with authorities in Kabul saying security forces were conducting a clearance operation targeting Taliban fighters who had taken up positions in residential homes.

But information about who controlled the city was difficult to confirm with power and mobile services cut to the area after the Taliban destroyed a telecommunications tower, according to Ghazni MP Shah Gul Rezaye.

"The central government in Kabul said the situation in Ghazni was under their control, but we managed to contact officials in Ghazni who said that fighting was underway in areas surrounding Ghazni," said the parliamentarian.

Rezaye said additional reinforcements had been rushed to Ghazni late yesterday, after US forces deployed attack helicopters and launched at least one drone strike to push back the Taliban fighters.

The Taliban, however, claimed victory saying their fighters were now in control of Ghazni after routing Afghan forces.

"Last night, our mujahideen have completely conquered a battalion in Ghazni, seizing weapons and ammunition and four pickup trucks," said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a message to journalists today.

"Our mujahideen are protecting the city of Ghazni." The insurgents frequently exaggerate their battlefield gains and downplay losses incurred during clashes.

Ghazni -- less than two hours by road from Kabul -- has been under increasing danger from massing Taliban fighters for months with reports suggesting insurgents had already infiltrated the city.

The attack, which began late Thursday, was the latest attempt by the Taliban to seize an urban centre and comes as pressure mounts on the insurgents to enter peace talks with the government to end the nearly 17-year-old war. (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 5:13:00 PM 0

Jalalabad, Jul 31: Gunmen stormed a government building after multiple explosions in a continuing attack in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad today, an official said.

At least two blasts were heard before the attackers entered the compound of the refugees and repatriation department, said provincial governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani.

Several international organisations are also in the vicinity.

Before the attack began representatives of foreign donors and organisations were meeting department employees inside the building, Khogyani said.

Khogyani said a "large number" of employees had been rescued but it was not clear how many people were still inside.

"I saw a black Corolla car drop three armed men at the gate of the refugees and repatriation department," a witness told AFP.

"One of the men blew himself up at the gate and two others entered the building." An AFP reporter could hear gunfire as security forces swarmed into the area. (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 4:50:00 PM 0

Jalalabad, Jul 31: Gunmen stormed a government building after multiple explosions in an ongoing attack in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad today, an official said.

At least two explosions were heard before the attackers entered the refugees and repatriation department compound, provincial governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani said. Several international organisations are also in the vicinity. (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 1:30:00 PM 0

Herat, Jul 31: A roadside bomb hit a Kabul-bound passenger bus in western Afghanistan today, killing at least eight people and wounding around 40, mostly women and children, officials said.

"It was a bomb planted by the Taliban to hit security forces but unfortunately it got a passenger bus," Farah provincial police spokesman Muhibullah Muhib told AFP.

There was no immediate confirmation that the Taliban was responsible for the blast, but Afghanistan's largest militant group is very active in the province.

The explosion happened as the bus travelled through Bala Baluk district of Farah at 4:30 am (0000 GMT), provincial governor spokesman Naser Mehri told AFP.

Photos posted on social media purportedly of the bus showed the vehicle's blackened shell and dozens of Afghan men standing at the scene.

Civilians have borne the brunt of the 17-year conflict and improvised explosive devices, such as remotely detonated or pressure-plate bombs, are one of the main causes of casualties.

Such IEDs caused 877 civilian casualties in the first half of 2018 -- 232 deaths and 645 wounded -- accounting for 17 percent of overall casualties.

The Taliban has a heavy presence in Farah. It launched a major attempt to take over the provincial capital in May, triggering intense fighting with US and Afghan forces.

After a day-long battle, they forced the Taliban fighters to the outskirts of the city. (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 5:08:00 PM 0

Kabul, Jul 28: Militants attacked a midwife training centre in eastern Afghanistan today, officials said, in the latest violence in the war-torn country.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province. It was not clear if there were any casualties.

A witness near the scene told AFP he could hear sporadic gunfire, suggesting the attack may be ongoing.

Several midwives have been rescued, provincial governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani said.

Provincial health department spokesman Inamullah Miakhil confirmed its midwife centre had been attacked.

A witness in a nearby department told AFP he heard several explosions and then saw three gunmen enter the lane where the midwife centre is located.

Jalalabad has been the scene of several attacks in recent months that have killed dozens.

Most of the attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group. (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 12:10:00 PM 0

Washington, Jul 17: Contrary to the general impression, Hindus and Sikhs are original residents of Afghanistan, the Afghan Ambassador to the US has said, as his embassy here held a memorial service for the members of the minority communities killed recently in a terrorist attack in Jalalabad.

At least 19 people were killed on July 1 when a suicide bomber targeted a convoy of Sikhs and Hindus on their way to meet Afghanistan's president in Jalalabad. 18 Hindus and Sikhs were killed in the attack claimed by the Islamic State.

"This occasion is one that brings us together to recognise a community that has deep roots in Afghanistan," Afghanistan Ambassador to the US Hamdullah Mohib said at the memorial service held at his embassy in Washington DC on Sunday.

"For many, they often think of the minority Hindus and Sikhs as migrants from India. But in reality, the Hindus and Sikhs of Afghanistan are the original residents of this country," the top Afghan diplomat here said.

Sena Lund, president of the New York-based Afghan Hindu association, read out the names of the 18 slain leaders.

Asha Kapoor of the local Asamai Hindu Mandir recited a speech in Dari, the official language of Afghanistan, to commemorate the victims.

In his brief remarks, Puneet Kundal, the deputy chief of mission at the Indian embassy here, condoled of the loss of lives in the "dreadful violence".

"The very fact that you are organising this event here today is a representation of the sentiments that the government of Afghanistan feels for these communities," Kundal said.

Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu lawmaker in the US Congress, in a statement read on the occasion said that this brutal attack was yet another example of the fear, bigotry and hatred that sadly exists in the world.

"During the Taliban regime, Hindus and Sikhs were forced to wear yellow patches to identify themselves in public, furthering extreme prejudice, and eventually forcing many to seek asylum in India," she said.

"These fear tactics and attacks attempt to divide us, but we cannot give into this hate. We must confront hatred with love, fear with understanding and darkness with light. We must continue to stand up to bigotry and hatred in Afghanistan, here at home and around the world," Gabbard said.

Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback said the loss of these community leaders was a terrible blow, not only to Afghanistan, but also to the international community.

"The Sikh and Hindu communities have a long and distinguished heritage and this horrific attack will not diminish that. Our office will continue to monitor the conditions faced by religious minorities in Afghanistan. I stand with you and will work toward an Afghanistan that is peaceful and secure for all its people," he said.

Sounds of sacred traditional Sikh hymns, sung by leaders of the local Washington gurdwara and National Sikh Campaign, as well as verses from the Bhagavad Gita, recited by Pandit Ram Kumar Shastri of Silver Spring, Maryland's Asamai Mandir, filled the air.

A packed hall of mourners from the Hindu and Sikh communities sat alongside officials from the Afghan embassy, Indian embassy, and US State Department facing a mural depicting the ancient relics of the Buddhas of Bamiyan.

"We at the Hindu American Foundation pledge to be with you every step of the way as Hindus and Sikhs seek full enfranchisement in Afghan society," said Jay Kansara of the Hindu American Foundation, which helped organise the event by the Afghan Hindu Association. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 5:06:00 PM 0

Kabul, Jul 12: At least 10 people were killed and hundreds of homes destroyed in a remote area of northeastern Afghanistan after melting snow triggered a landslide, officials said today.

A mountain lake in Panjshir, a province known for its snowcapped peaks north of Kabul, overflowed and sent water and mud cascading over Peshghor village, Omar Mohammadi, spokesman for the disaster management ministry, told AFP.

Villagers using shovels and other tools were desperately searching for survivors in the mud and debris as rescue teams were deployed to the area, Mohammadi said.

"We have deployed everything at hand to help the people," he said. "Some people are missing." Disasters such as avalanches and flash floods often hit in mountainous areas of Afghanistan as snow melts in the spring and summer.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who is in Brussels for the NATO summit, said he was "deeply saddened" by the latest natural disaster.

"A number of people have lost their lives" in the landslide, Ghani said in a statement.

He ordered "relevant authorities to provide urgent assistance to the affected people".

The landslide comes as the country is in the grip of a nearly 17-year war between Afghan security forces and the Taliban.  (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 2:01:00 PM 0

Jalalabad, Jul 11: Militants raided a government building in eastern Afghanistan today, officials said, setting off explosions in an ongoing attack.

At least five people have been wounded in the attack in Jalalabad, Nangarhar provincial governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told AFP, in the second assault in the city in as many days.

Security forces were battling to clear the militants from the compound, Khogyani said, but it was not clear how many gunmen were inside.

"I can confirm an armed attack on a branch of the education department," Khogyani said.

"Two big explosions have been reported from the site so far." Jalalabad health director Najibullah Kamawal confirmed five wounded had been brought to hospital so far.

A suicide attack in the same city yesterday killed at least 12 people and ignited a nearby petrol station, with witnesses describing screaming victims "swallowed" by flames.

The bomber was targeting Afghan security forces when he blew himself up. Ten civilians were among the dead.

The Islamic State group claimed that attack via its Amaq propaganda agency -- the latest carried out by the extremists in restive Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan.

IS has claimed a series of high-casualty suicide bomb attacks in the province in recent weeks, as US and Afghan forces continue offensive operations against the group.

While the Taliban is Afghanistan's largest militant group, IS has a relatively small but potent presence, mainly in the north and east of the country.

Today's attack comes a day after President Ashraf Ghani flew to Brussels to attend a NATO summit where he will be hoping to get a greater commitment from members to the nearly 17-year conflict.

It also coincides with the start of a university entrance exam for more than 16,000 students in the city, but it was not clear if the two events were linked.

The attack comes exactly a month after militants raided the education department in Jalalabad.

In that incident a suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance to the department, triggering a fierce battle between gunmen and security forces.

At least 10 people were wounded after terrified employees jumped out of the windows.

A recent ceasefire between Afghan security forces and the Taliban during the Islamic holiday Eid had raised hopes that an end to hostilities in the war-weary country was possible.

Since then, however, the Taliban has returned to the battlefield and IS, which was not involved in the truce, has continued to carry out deadly attacks.
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Hello Jammu News at 3:46:00 PM 0

Jalalabad, Jul 10: A suicide attacker blew himself up near an Afghan security forces vehicle today, killing at least 10 people, mostly civilians, officials said, in the latest deadly violence to rock the country.

The explosion in the eastern city of Jalalabad also left at least four people wounded and set a nearby petrol station alight, provincial governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told.

Eight civilians were among the dead, Khogyani added.

Some of the victims were brought to hospital with severe burns, health director Najibullah Kamawal said, confirming the casualty toll.

"I saw a big ball of fire that threw people away. The people were burning," Esmatullah, who witnessed the incident, told AFP.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack in restive Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan.

The Islamic State group has claimed a series of high-casualty suicide attacks in the province in recent weeks, as US and Afghan forces continue offensive operations against the group.

While the Taliban is Afghanistan's largest militant group, IS has a relatively small but potent presence mainly in the east and north of the country.

Today's attack comes a day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed "hope" for peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban, during an unannounced visit to Kabul.

Pompeo's first trip to Afghanistan since he was sworn in as America's top diplomat in April came amid renewed optimism for peace in the war-weary country following last month's unprecedented ceasefire by the Taliban and Kabul during Eid.

"An element of the progress is the capacity that we now have to believe that there is now hope," Pompeo told a joint press conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

"Many of the Taliban now see that they can't win on the ground militarily. That's very deeply connected to President Trump's strategy," he said, referring to Trump's much-vaunted South Asia policy announced last August.

The ceasefire did not extend to the IS franchise in Afghanistan, which first emerged in the country in 2014 and established a stronghold in Nangarhar before spreading north.

The most recent attack in Jalalabad on July 1 saw 19 people killed and 21 wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus.

The group had been waiting to meet Ghani when the bomber struck.

That came after two separate suicide attacks in Nangarhar during the ceasefire that were also claimed by IS. (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 12:45:00 PM 0
Washington, Jul 5 (AP) The United States is calling for "sustained and decisive steps" by Pakistan to bring Taliban leaders to the negotiating table with the Afghan government.

The militant group has resumed attacks after respecting a brief cease-fire last month.

The top diplomat for South Asia, Alice Wells, has just returned from talks with leaders in both countries.

She met Pakistan's powerful army chief Tuesday. She welcomed positive steps by Pakistan and Afghanistan to improve ties, but said Pakistan needs to take political initiatives to help drive an Afghan peace process.

She urged Pakistan to expel Taliban leaders and press them to negotiate with Kabul. Wells spoke to reporters in Washington today.

The Trump administration suspended security assistance to Pakistan in January over its failure to crackdown on Afghan Taliban on its soil. (AP)
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Hello Jammu News at 1:54:00 PM 0

Kabul, Jun 30: Afghan security forces resumed offensive operations today after President Ashraf Ghani declared an end to the government's unilateral ceasefire with the Taliban.

Ghani said the ceasefire, which lasted 18 days after it was extended once and overlapped with the Taliban's unilateral three-day truce for Eid, had been "98 percent successful".

"The ceasefire is over. The Afghan security and defence forces are allowed to restart their military operations," Ghani told reporters.

The three days of no fighting were unprecedented in the nearly 17-year conflict and triggered jubilant scenes across the war-weary country.

Taliban fighters and security forces spontaneously celebrated the holiday that caps the holy month of Ramadan, hugging each other and taking selfies.

The militants were also mobbed by relieved civilians, who have borne the brunt of the war, raising hopes of a renewed push for peace talks.

Ghani said the ceasefire had shown that the majority of the insurgents wanted peace and it was the "Taliban's turn to give a positive response".

"I am ready to extend the ceasefire anytime when the Taliban are ready," he said at a press conference.

But the sight of its fighters openly mingling with security forces and civilians over Eid appeared to alarm the Taliban's leaders, who on Sunday ordered their men back to their posts.

The Taliban vowed Tuesday to continue their bloody fight against the government and their foreign backers, brushing aside rising civilian casualties.

The insurgents returned to the battlefield last week after refusing a government request to extend their ceasefire, launching attacks across the country that have seen scores killed or injured.

The renewed violence has poured cold water on hopes the truce would provide a clear path to peace talks, with the Taliban refusing to bow to pressure to lay down their arms until foreign forces withdraw from Afghanistan.

The truces did not extend to the Islamic State group, which has a relatively small but potent presence in Afghanistan, and launched two deadly attacks on ceasefire revellers during Eid. (AFP)
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