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2
Sar-I-Pul Villages Fall to Taliban
however, said that security
forces would regain control
of the areas soon.
Abdullah Ansari, the town’s
administrative chief said,
militants
had
captured
Mirzawalang valley of the
district. He said the valley
was strategically important
because it connect with kohistanat district.
He warned if the area was
not purged of insurgents
they would soon capture the
district centre. Insurgents
had already captured 14 villages in the Suzma Qila district. (Pajhwok)
SAR-I-PUL CITY - Taliban have captured parts of
Sayyad district in northern
Sar-i-Pul province, and the
ensuing firefight left one
policeman and an assailant
dead, an official said on Saturday.
Police Chief Maj. Gen. Noor
Habib Gulbahari told Pajhwok Afghan News rebels
mounted attack when security forces were offering Jumah prayers.
He said insurgents had captured the Aqsvi village and
blocked logistic supply route
to Kohistanat district. He,
17 Policemen Killed in Taliban Attack
LASHKARGAH - Heavy
clashes between the Afghan
National Police (ANP) forces
and Taliban have left about
17 policemen dead in Musa
Qala district of southern Helmand, officials said.
The fighting broke Friday
night when a number of
armed insurgents stormed
several police posts, leaving another two policemen
injured, said Omar Zowak,
a spokesman for Helmand’s
governor.
He added the death toll was
likely on the rise.
Reports suggest about 10 Taliban insurgents were also
killed in the clashes. (Tolonews)
Foreign Fighters’ Influx Irks Qaisar
District Residents
MAIMANA - Officials in
Qaisar district of northern
Faryab province on Saturday
said unprecedented influx of
foreign militants, including
Pakistani and Uzbeks, have
led to insecurity in the area.
Abdul Jamil Seddiqi, the
town’s administrative chief,
told Pajhwok Afghan News
16 Pakistani and Uzbek fighters and 15 Taliban command-
ers from Kandahar province,
have arrived to Khwaja-Kenti
and Shakh-Qaisar localities
staging attacks against gov-
ernment forces. “The district
will fall to Taliban soon if the
government did not pay heed
to bolster security of the district,” he warned.
Seddiqi said hundreds of
Taliban fighters led by the
two groups of commanders
planned to start offensive in
different parts of the district.
Ahmad Farhad, Qaisar people’s...(More on P4)...(18)
22 Militants Killed in Paktika Midnight Clash
KABUL/SHARANA - Three
Afghan soldiers were injured
in a bomb attack on their vehicle in the capital Kabul and
22 militants were killed during a clash with local police
in southeastern Paktika province, officials said on Friday.
The blast in Kabul took place
in the Darul Aman area in the
limits of the sixth police dis-
trict on Friday afternoon injuring four Afghan National
Army personnel, a security
official said on the condition
of anonymity. Eyewitnesses
also confirmed the blast.
Hikmatullah, an eyewitness,
said a number of people were
injured in the blast that took
place on the Darual Aman
road. In Paktika, 22 militants
were killed and another 10
were injured during a clash
that began Thursday midnight in the Omni district,
said Nisar Ahmad Abdulrahimzai, the provincial police
chief. He said hundreds of
armed militants stormed the
Afghan Local Police posts
in Spina village, killing two
ALP ...(More on P4)...(19)
49 Insurgents Killed in
ANSF Military Operations
KABUL - At least 49 insurgents have been killed in a
series of coordinated operations over the past 24 hours
by the Afghan National
Security Forces (ANSF), the
Ministry of Interior (MoI)
said in a statement on Saturday. Thirty other insurgents were injured during
the operations.
The operations were conducted in Kapisa, Takhar,
Kunduz, Kandahar, Oruzgan, Ghazni, Paktiya and
Paktika provinces, the
statement said.
“During the same 24 hour
period, Afghan National
Police discovered and de-
fused a roadside bomb
placed by enemies of Afghanistan for destructive
activity in the Nad Ali district of southern Helmand
province,” it said.
The MoI, however, did not
comment on whether any
security force members
were injured during the operations. (Tolonews)
More Than 300 Kilograms
of Hashish Seized
KABUL - Security forces
have seized more than
300 kilograms of hashish in northern Baghlan
province, officials said on
Saturday.
According to security
officials police from the
anti-narcotics department
of the police headquarters of Baghlan stopped a
vehicle in Mal Khan area
in the northern part of
Salang high way.
Colonel Abdul Rashid
Bashir, acting police chief
of Baghlan province said
that police recovered
309 kilograms of hashish
from this truck.
He said the the vehicle
was heading from Tala
wa Barfak District of
Baghlan province to capital Kabul.
(KP)
HRW, Afghan Journos Condemn
Pajhwok Office Attack
KABUL - Human Rights Watch
and Afghan journalist bodies on
Saturday strongly condemned
Wednesday’s night bomb blast
at the Pajhwok Afghan News regional office in eastern Nangarhar
province.
The bomb which was fixed to the
office’s entrance gate went off at
about 8pm on Wednesday, injuring four guests at the nearby office
of the American broadcaster Voice
of America radio in Jalalabad, the
provincial capital.
The Pajhwok staff members were
not present at the office at the time
of the blast, which destroyed the
office equipment.
The influential New York-based
human rights watchdog in a statement said Afghan journalists faced
numerous threats, which had
recently increased. The Human
Rights Watch said some government officials, militia groups, powerful warlords and radical groups
had been killing and harassing
journalists since 2002.
Referring the bomb attack on the
Pajhwok office, the watchdog said
it was the latest attack against media outlets in Afghanistan, where
such attacks were on the increase.
Meanwhile,
the
Afghanistan
Council of Journalists condemned
the bomb blast at the Pajhwok bureau office and called it an attack
on the freedom of expression and
violation of human rights of common people.
The council issued a statement that
said attacks on media organizations had lately increased, raising
concerns about the freedom of
speech....(More on P4)...(20)
Turkish Troops Taliban’s Shadow
Rescue Afghan Governor Gunned
Migrants
Down
ANKARA - Soldiers discover 41
people, including six children,
trapped in a valley in eastern Turkey
Turkish troops have rescued a
group of Afghan people trapped in
a valley in the east of the country.
Soldiers launched a rescue operation in Van province on Saturday
after a group of people was seen
crossing the Turkey-Iran border
illegally. Troops found 41 people,
including six children, in the valley
located the Baskale district. After
being rescued, the group were provided with food and fresh clothing.
The Afghan citizens are to be deported after a health check in nearby Baskale State Hospital.
(Agencies)
KABUL - A Taliban’s designated
governor for eastern Nangarhar
province was gunned down in
Peshawar, the capital city of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province
of Pakistan, an official said on
Saturday.
Maulvi Mir Ahmad Gul was
shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Spina Wari area, Rahmatullah Nabil, director general of
National Directorate of Security
(NDS) wrote on his wall on Facebook.
Nabil further added that Maulvi
Gul was involved in plotting and
killing of hundreds of Afghans.
Taliban have not commented on
the incident as of yet.
(Pajhwok)
Taliban Attack Police Posts
QALAT - Taliban insurgents attacked two police check posts in southern
Zabul province early Saturday and clashed with security forces, local
officials said.
The attack took place about 07:30 am local time in Shenkai district of the
province after a Taliban group attacked the check posts, a spokesman for
Provincial Police Chief Ahmad Fawad Askari said.
“Two Taliban insurgents were killed in the attack and one of them who
was injured has been arrested by the police,” he said. “The other insurgents have escaped.”
He said the clashes continued for almost two hours but there were no
police casualties.
The Taliban has not yet commented on the incident. (Tolonews)
Outlook Horoscope
Aries (Mar. 22-Apr.20)
Change is in the air, but you can’t judge
which direction the wind is blowing. You
may be excited with anticipation as you map
out your schedule for the near future, only
to be drawn back into old fears. Your memories could
bring up unexpected anger that prevents you from
swiftly processing your emotions. Don’t be so judgmental if you aren’t living up to your own expectations.
Cancer (June 21-July 20)
You like the idea of being part of a tightlyknit family, but you can do without all the
day-to-day dramas that seem to be part of
the package. However, you haven’t necessarily failed if you think you’re falling short
of your goals. Looking back to gauge your success only
leads to self-doubt. Live in the present moment while
fully experiencing the intensity of your current feelings.
Leo (July 21-Aug. 21)
Taurus (Apr.21-May 20)
Enjoy the relaxed pace while you can because
circumstances will likely grow more complex
as the day unfolds. Being pressured to respond doesn’t necessarily make you feel good
and others may encounter the brunt of your
frustration instead of your support. Thankfully, you
don’t have to play the role of the spoiler if you keep communication channels open from the beginning.
You may appear highly energetic and overly
enthusiastic today, but your inner world could
be less cheery than anyone realizes. You know
you must continue to push forward, which is
why you are wearing a smile and trying to assume a positive attitude. Even though it might seem as
if you can’t shake your current disillusionment, you do
have the power to snap yourself out of your malaise.
Virgo (Aug. 22-Sep 22 )
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
You instinctively know that you must take
decisive action today, but there seems to
be too many choices vying for your attention. You may worry that you might miss
a significant opportunity because you are
so caught up in current events while the Moon is busy
raising a ruckus in your sign. Don’t give up just because
it seems like others are trying to prevent you from following your guiding light.
Your high ideals and unrealized dreams
can only motivate you so far; you also must
connect with the mundane side of your life.
Anything that helps you keep your feet on
the ground should be actively pursued now
especially practices that blend a spiritual perspective with
physical movement, e.g martial arts or yoga. Committing
to a concrete discipline can be part of a larger plan that
distracts you from obsessing about unfulfilled fantasies.
Across
Libra (Sep 23-Oct. 22)
One of your primary roads to personal
growth is through your continuing exploration of relationships. However, your current
analysis could lead you to the disappointing
conclusion that your present state of affairs is quite different than your idealistic dreams. Stop the self-criticism
before you sink into uncertainty, since judging yourself
harshly only limits your potential at this time.
Scorpio (Oct.23-Nov.22)
You might have a sneaking suspicion today
that you’ve been shortchanged and something important is missing in your life. Unfortunately, this reflection of residual childhood longings isn’t just a passing whim. In
fact, somber Saturn is retrograding back into your sign to
remind you that there’s still work to be done balancing
your current trajectory with your earlier expectations.
Sagittarius (Nov.23-Dec.20)
Friends and family may be the current
source of drama that begs for your involvement. Nevertheless, it’s probably best to
observe the unfolding circumstances from
a comfortable distance if they don’t directly concern you. Unnecessarily worrying about matters
peripheral to your main priorities only stresses you out
now. You could even complicate the situation today by
adding your two cents before anyone asks.
Yesterday’s Solution
1. An object, 6. Unwanted email, 10. Movie, 14. Equestrian, 15. Urgent request, 16.
Hodgepodge, 17. Snow house, 18. Rabbit, 19. Break in friendly relations, 20. A remarkable development, 22. Spouse, 23. Filly’s mother, 24. Among, 26. Astrological
transition point, 30. Small portable bed, 31. Father, 32. Largest continent, 33. Snake
sound, 35. Expire, 39. Sequoia, 41. Rude, 43. Inclination, 44. Wise one, 46. Not short,
47. What we sleep on, 49. Hotel, 50. Countercurrent, 51. Scant, 54. Be worthy of, 56.
Novice, 57. Plastic wrap, 63. Stink, 64. Train track, 65. Product of bees, 66. Skin disease, 67. Feudal worker, 68. Gall, 69. 365 days, 70. Gave the once-over, 71. Legions. active, arctic, bladder,
bridge, cancel, chance,
Down
clear, cots, cream, crisp,
1. Journey, 2. Not low, 3. Doing nothing, 4. A noble gas, 5. Spouse-to-be, 6. Elliptical damper, depend, disputorbs, 7. Venus and the Earth, 8. Relating to aircraft, 9. An unnaturally frenzied woman, ed, factor, fend, field, flick,
10. Extremely impressive, 11. Homeric epic, 12. Elevators (British), 13. Sacred song, 21. freeze, gadget, highlight,
Markedly masculine, 25. Shopping center, 26. A heavy open wagon, 27. End ___, 28. hurry, jaded, lumber, need,
On the left or right, 29. A type of lender, 34. Communicated silently (British spelling), negativepapa, peace, play36. Goad, 37. Transmit, 38. Jittery, 40. Poems, 42. Slowly, in music, 45. A company that er, poise, rare, rear, sale, seflies, 48. Edict, 51. Roam, 52. Portion, 53. Rink, 55. Ancient unit of dry measure, 58. Not cure, spoon, strong, tender,
terse, victor, virus, yield.
difficult, 59. Vagabond, 60. Rectum, 61. Where a bird lives, 62. Visual organs.
Capricorn (Dec.21-Jan19)
No matter how much you have accomplished so far in your life, you still may fall
short of your own unattainable ambitions.
Nevertheless, you can’t travel your individual road to
happiness until you understand what motivates you
to be successful. Unquestionably, you can learn a lot
about yourself by reexamining your personal history
from time to time.
Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb.18)
Last night’s discouraging dream may still linger on your mind after you wake up today.
Unfortunately, it’s no easy task to untangle the
symbolic meaning of this otherworldly message from your subconscious. Forget about
explaining your feelings to anyone else now. Instead,
head back into the uncomfortable shadows and let the
strange images wash over you without any fear.
Pisces (Feb.19-Mar.20)
Everywhere you look you can’t help but
see that so many people are dissatisfied
with lives. Your deep compassion for their
failures may also be the source of your
current disillusionment. However, your
dreams are so vivid now that their clarity reminds
you of the stark difference between your imagination
and reality. But don’t waste time analyzing everything
that’s wrong with your world.
3
The Demands of
Better Living
In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Kind
By Dilawar Sherzai
June 14, 2015
Minorities’ Equal
Rights Unrecognized
E
very human command equal respect and fair treatment based on sacred
bond humanity grants and democracy ascertains this provision. The division of man being on variant grounds be that, religious, sectarian or ethnic,
never meant to serve their exodus or butchery. A pluralistic society pleads variant
ethnic and religious groups living together with harmony and bond of fraternity.
The critics to pluralism work to diminish this harmony by eliminating others and
seek to produce a society in which a single version of religious interpretation ruling without the plights of minorities kept in contemplation.
Democracy protects and promotes of human rights -it guarantees equal rights to
all citizens irrespective of their cast, sect and religion. Nonetheless, in this piece of
land, there are several prejudicial and discriminatory cases reported with religious
minorities being subjected to ill-treatment, fundamental rights suspended and
are coerced to migration, leading to impairment of universally accepted system
of governance. One of the greatest outcomes of democracy is the protection and
promotion of human rights. Afghanistan’s constitutions contain large number of
Islamic provisions. It is good trend the constitution should owe such provisions
that make Muslims practice Islamic teachings. Though, such provisions do not
find application on religious minorities, yet the stately religion cast more or less
impacts on minorities. It is mostly recommended that state should not interfere
in religious affair of its masses –given that modern states do not owe a religion.
In substitution it should facilitate every citizen practice his religion with absolute
freedom. Consequently, the dream of a real democracy melted away amid hazy
cloud of frustration.
Formerly a report surfaced that highlighted the sufferings of minorities Sikhs and
Hindus in particular. It was cautioned that Afghanistan’s once-thriving Sikh community is dwindling fast as many choose to leave the country of their birth to
escape what they say is growing intolerance and discrimination. Once boasting as
many as 100,000 members in the 1990s, Afghanistan’s Sikh population, according
to community leaders, has dwindled to an estimated 2,500. The reason for the
exodus: endemic societal discrimination in the majority Muslim country and the
illegal seizure of Sikh homes, businesses, houses of worship and even cemeteries.
Hindus in Afghanistan are undergoing through a similar anguish. The main problem the religious minorities are passing through is social discrimination. The Madrasas in particular and schools in general are supplied with syllabus that contains
prejudicial contents –it certainly poisoned the mindset of upcoming generation.
Having read derogatory remarks against religious minorities, the intolerance begotten is not unexpected. This discriminatory attitude observed is not only witnessed in streets but also in institutions and public offices. Being subdued by such
discriminations many Sikhs and Hindus were either forced to sell their land or had
it openly seized by armed warlords. This very stance has led to a blow in social
isolation of these minorities.
Community figures and analysts believe that intolerance for non-Muslims has
grown as constant violence and upheaval has made Afghans wary of those they
perceive as outsiders - both native Sikhs and Hindus are widely regarded as foreigners, more readily identified as Indians and Pakistanis. If social biases and religious discrimination continue unchecked, it not only tarnishes the image of Afghanistan but also harms our image as pluralistic society.
Misery does not end here but the attempt in 2013 by former president Hamid
Karzai to reserve parliamentary seats for Sikhs and Hindus was rejected by
lawmakers who feared other minorities would make demands. Following that
a delegation of minorities set a sitting with former president, letting him know
their concerns and problems. The minority leaders presented their demands and
briefed him on problems facing the two communities. They urged the president to
help the minorities regain their properties and religious sites usurped by powerful
individuals. They were assured with guarantees to execute some changes –nonetheless without making ground fertile for this harmonious change the change can
not be met.
It was later seen the president came up with immediate but surprising rejection
of single minority reserved parliamentary seat for Sikh and Hindu communities.
However, subsequent to several mass demonstration registered by minorities
made the president to reverse his decision. We should learn it; inhabiting in state
the minorities equally own the right to free exercise of ballot and choosing a legitimate candidate who could efficiently represent them in the state. In modern
democracies this very value is enshrined in constitution –contrarily our constitution is based on unfound and irrational doctrines that hardly find application in
modern states. It is very right time we have to make decisions to pursue rational
discourse by constituting laws that grant the citizens equal importance or law that
discriminates at them.
It worth noting that the prevalent notorious detrimental state can not be reversed
unless laws confirmatory to safeguarding human rights are formulated and implemented indiscriminately. In doing so we can only safe our unyielding face and
let the world believe we support and promote every citizen equally found and
treated before the law.
A
society that suffers from the difficulties of obliviousness and
deprivation cannot have the dreams of affluence and progress
and it does not have the right, either. Although we keep on
chatting about affluence and advancement but do not comprehend
that only the nations that have touched a particular landmark in
awareness and economic strength can have such dreams; or else, endeavoring for such dreams is nothing but daydreaming.
We, as a nation, are standing on such a stage of ignorance and hunger
that the dream of stability and order itself has become a daydream.
And for our plight we are worthy of sympathy and criticism and
even an excuse, as we have been witnessing few decades of social,
political and economic instability and at the same time conflict and
wars. Now, the time that we have to mend our all losses seems to be
very short and in this short time we have to make up for all the blunders that we have committed.
Though this excuse seems to be valid, we cannot get rid of our responsibilities and have to react as responsible citizens of the country. Yes,
this excuse would suffice if in earning the losses that we experienced
in the past decades, there had not been our own share; however, that
is not the case. In the meanwhile, the role of certain strata in the past
tragic phase of history has been very controversial and negative. Unfortunately, they have continued the same in the present as well.
Though there have been certain strata who have been involved negatively in the mentioned phase of history, the role of the ruling elite
has been the most dominant one. This particular stratum has been
involved mostly in pursuing its own self centered incentives instead
of pursuing the interests of the people as a whole. The rich people
have been basically busy in accumulating wealth in whatever way
possible. They have, in this particular capability, achieved great milestones and since the installation of the so-called democratic political
setup and the inflow of the aid money, they have had more opportunities to do so, while the condition of the poor people has remained
the same. They have shown great miracles to the people – they have
been able to build great building and grow large amount of money
over night on the completely barren lands. And, they have been able
to do so because of the misuse of their authority and unlimited power
of their positions.
If discussed seriously, such people have given great loss to the nation. They have installed a system, wherein the people only value
money and they run after wealth. There is no respect for the true social values and ethics. The materialistic gains have become the motive
of the life of all the people; however, only they themselves have been
able to gain them. For them, it does not matter where the nation
stands; the important thing for them is where they themselves
have reached. Progress and development have different meanings for them – they think competing with each other by building
new designs of houses and buying the latest models of cars is the
real progress and development.
The question at this crucial moment is whether the country can go
ahead with such a setup, wherein most of the people of the country suffer from hunger and poverty while only few families have
all the luxuries of life? Is it just that almost all the people of the
country went through era of instability and chaos and mostly the
common people gave sacrifices and their whole lives were influenced negatively by socio-political and economic circumstances,
yet they remain the most unprivileged stratum? Is it really ethical
that by gaining authority the ruling elite has gotten the license
of having all the privileges they want and it, at the same time,
remains unaccountable?
It is really important to consider all the questions thoroughly and
try to find out their true answers. The sort of negative practices
and thinking mentioned above have become a part of daily life
and soon they will become a part of our nature; therefore, it is necessary to understand them and take action against them before
they are able to become irreversible. Unfortunately, the common
people are so ignorant that they do not even realize that they are
being dodged and their rights are being violated. They are kept
in dark and instead of demanding for light they have started to
make compromises in order to live in the darkness.
It is the demand of better living and higher thinking that the intellectuals in our society must rise to the occasion and strive to let
the people know the evils of ignorance they have and must suggest economic reforms and clear changes in the socio-political setup. They have to start a comprehensive movement against ignorance, hunger and poverty. They have to demand for better living
standard for the common people; the country does not need large
bungalows and latest model cars; it requires schools, colleges, institutions, hospitals, productive farms and efficient industries.
Moreover, People have to be made vigilant and they need to understand what their basic rights are and what the government is
responsible for giving them. Asking for their rights is not something wrong and the government is responsible to facilitate them
their due rights. They have to start thinking in a different way
and, at the same time, start acting differently; otherwise, the pitiable plight will continue indefinitely.
Dilawar Sherzai is the permanent writer of the Daily Outlook
Afghanistan. He can be reached at [email protected]
Talents not Supported by
Afghan Education System
By Bismillah Alizada and
Mahmood Mohammadi
S
hortly after September 11, 2001, the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate
of Afghanistan collapsed under the heavy attacks of American B52s, and the NATO-led International Security Assistance
Forces (ISAF) invaded the country to establish a so-called democratic government. Since then Afghanistan has experienced many
changes, especially in its education system, yet it has a long way to
go to standardize its curriculum to global standards, to professionally implement it in schools and universities, and to see a change.
The education system, completely undermined by protracted conflict over three decades, has improved significantly in the last 14
years but only quantitatively. While during the Taliban regime
(1996-2001) fewer than one million children (none girls) attended
schools, this number has been soaring since 2001--today, almost ten
million students (almost 38 percent of which girls (UNICEF 2011))
attend schools and universities around the country.
With the presence of international community, public schools, most
of which closed during Taliban, were reopened around the country with a new curriculum, replacing the Taliban curricula that had
been confined to Sharia and the necessity for Jihad. Under Karzai’s
administration, fuelled by the high demand for limited public school
places, private schools started their activities, going through explosive growth in numbers and gaining more students than public
schools in offering a relatively quality education. Marefat School is
one of these private schools.
First established in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, in 1994, Marefat High
School started its activities with 500 USD, 38 Students and five teachers in Pol-e Khushk, one of the poorest, most deprived, and most
war-torn areas in West of Kabul, in 2002. Since then, Marefat has had
significant achievements. Now Marefat has approximately 3,600
students, 130 teachers, a two-storey traditional adobe building and a
four-storey modern complex, and one million USD annual budget.
On a cloudy Saturday, I sat with a seven grader at Marefat who
has recently written a story, a fabulous one ever written by a seven
grader. Khalil Ghulami, 14, a reticent, deep, studious and reserved
seven grader at Marefat High School, Kabul, has recently written
a 49-page storybook, titled The Wonderful World, and has printed
just one copy of it with 1300 Afs (22 USD) paid by her mother, Zakia,
35, who runs a beauty parlour to help her husband, a shopkeeper,
to make a living for their family of seven members, five of whom
attending schools.
Khalil’s The Wonderful World, is an imaginative account of the adventures of two characters who jeopardize their lives to establish
peace and equality in this imaginary world by killing the many cruel
and tyrant ruling characters. In the story, Khalil symbolically depicts
the quest and dream of a post-war generation for peace, keenly and
thoughtfully.
Khalil is supported by his parents who want him to realize his
dreams and to work on what he loves. That very support has helped
Chief:
him improve. “My parents, especially my mother, has always
instructed, supported and encouraged me”, says Khalil with a
smile on his face. With that support and encouragement, Khalil
has come a long way since his childhood when he “didn’t know,
or knew too less about the world and about what way [he] would
take.” “The first piece I wrote was a short story—I decided not
to give it to anyone. Then I wrote two other ones, The Crafty
Fox and the Wise Wolf and The Four Princes and the Dragon. I
wrote The Wonderful World, the fourth one, last winter.”
Beside his school lessons and reading, Khalil is interested in
learning English. He has been attending English classes since
last winter at in a private Institute of English Language. Dreaming to become a well-known storywriter and novelist in the future, Khalil tries to learn English professionally so he can read
fictions and novels in English to open a window to a completely
new world and to pursue his higher education abroad.
At Marefat, a private school whose students enjoy a better environment of learning, teachers with better credentials and a
relatively quality curriculum, however, Khalil’s work has not
been paid heed at, or encouraged at least as an extraordinary
work of a seven grader should be. When Khalil started attending Marefat in the fifth grade, he found that is was better than
his previous public school. The teachers were encouraging
and his classmates well-disciplined. When Khalil decided to
write The Wonderful World, he was sure his teachers and fellow students would be impressed However, to his disappointment, more than a month after he circulated it, “only a few
classmates who are close friends, and only two-three teachers
have read the book”. His Dari Literature teacher reviewed it
for revision at Khalil’s request. Marefat is one of the very few
schools that encourage and support their pupils. But writing,
a core skill in today’s education, is not included in the school
curriculum at all and only occasionally, for fun or for special
events like International Teachers’ or Mothers’ Day, teachers
assign students to write some pieces—but never academic,
and they are never checked or revised.
Khalil represents a generation desperate to access quality education. In spite of hundreds of millions of dollars donated by
international community and international organizations to
improve access to quality education, it remains wholly inadequate. Prospects for the future do not, unfortunately, seem
promising because there is neither the budget for the necessary investment in the education system, nor apparently the
will to undertake the massive necessary reforms.
Tomorrow Khalil’s generation will be faced with tougher
challenges but the present system fails to provide them with
necessary skills and knowledge. Khalil and his generation are
walking on the uneven uphill path to future, not provided
with quality education, the dire need for such a challenging
future awaiting them.
Bismellah Alizada and Mahmood Mohammadi are students in
Kabul University
June 14, 2015
Page 4
(1) Taliban Suffered ...
Yamgan, Khastak and Juram
districts of Badakhshan province but were defeated by Afghan forces, he said.
“Threats from militants this year
were increased because they had
big dangerous plans as compared to last year, but now we
see that all their plans and aims
have failed,” Aman claimed.
He added that Nawa district
of Ghazni province, Baghran
and Disho districts of Helmand
province and Khak Afghan district of Zabul province were currently under Taliban’s control.
More areas were still under militants’ sways but key areas were
purged of rebels, he added.
“We have clear plans to fight
insurgents. We also have a special plan for protection of people
during the month of Ramadan,
but we will continue fighting rebels if they continue their activities,” he said.
Afghanistan’s Ulama Council
has asked both Taliban and government to ceasefire during the
holy month of Ramadan.
Deputy MoD spokesman Brig.
Gen. Dawlat Mohammad Waziri
said that militants should shun
violence and join peace process.
“Whenever militants come to a
ceasefire, we also resort to truce
welcome them,” he said. (Pajhwok)
(2) WJ Again Asks...
government leaders should be
summoned to parliament to explain the inordinate delay,” he
remarked.
Bashardost said he had prepared a document to summon
leaders of unity government to
parliament. He said the lawmakers who have not made any secret deals with the government
would sign the document.
Article 69 of the constitution
states: “The president shall be
responsible to the nation as well
as house of the people in accordance with the provisions of this
article. Accusations of crimes
against humanity, national treason as well as crime against the
president shall be demanded by
one third of all members of the
house of people. If this demand
is approved by two thirds of
house of people, the house shall
convene the Loya Jirga within
one month.”
Other members of parliament,
however, were of the opinion
that until holding of next elections their work would be legal.
Obaidullah Ramin, Baghlan
lawmaker, asked member of the
house to give government a oneweek deadline about elections
date.
Shukria Barekzai, another MP,
said the house should not give
permission to government leaders or Supreme Court to take decision about MPs or to translate
laws as they desired.
She added the president also did
not start his work on a date that
was specified by the constitution.
Other members of the lower
house also insisted that their
work would be legal beyond
June 22. Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi,
the house speaker, said: “The
current members of the house
have completed nine legislative
terms. One more term is remaining.”
Ibrahimi once again urged the
government to specify date for
holding parliamentary elections.
(Pajhwok)
(3) MoI Fully Prepared
currently printed on papers.
The data entry and storage system would become fully computerized with the launch of the
project for the distribution of the
electronic ID cards.
According to the officials, the
electronic ID cards would also
be used to issue driving license
and for voting during the elections.
The distribution of electronic
identity cards project was estimated to cost at least $120 million nearly three years ago.
The Ministry of Interior officials
said earlier in February 2013
that 2,400 people were hired for
the project.
The officials also added that the
number would be increased to
3,000 employees once the the
distribution of electronic ID
cards starts across the country.
(KP)
(4) MPs Express...
Another Lawmaker Obaidullah Barakzai said: “Since 44
days, three districts including
Khas Uruzgan, Tagab, Gizab
and Chora were surrounded by
heavily-armed Taliban.”
He said threats posed by rebels
had been discussed with the
security officials several times
but no action could be taken to
ward-off threats.
Barakzai accused government
for having no proper strategy to
counter Daesh. He warned six
months earlier that Islamic State
(IS) was establishing its network
in the country.
He said insurgents could capture more districts and provinces if the situation remained the
same.
Abdul Wadud Paiman, a lawmaker from Kunduz province,
said law and order had been
deteriorated and people would
stage uprising if government
did not take immediate step to
improve situation.
He said no improvement had
been made to improve security,
economy and tackle rampant
unemployment.
Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi
also expressed concerns over
worsening law and order situation in the country and asked
security officials to improve security across the country. (Pajhwok)
(5) ‘Talk Peace...
ganisations to broadcast benefits
and virtues of the holy month of
Ramadan and avoid every kind
of vulgar scenes during the fasting month.
The ulema council said peace
was the Almighty God’s divine
order and was preached by the
Prophet Mohammad (peace be
upon him) and remained the
fundamental requirement and
a matter of survival of the Afghanistan Muslims.
The ulema council called on all
religious leaders, tribal elders,
mujahideen and civil society
groups to join hands with the
Afghan forces who were defenders of Afghanistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and
independence.
President Ghani thanked the Afghanistan Ulema Council members. As the heirs of the Prophet,
the scholars had always defended the national and Islamic values and had rescued the masses
from heading to darkness and
guided them on the right path.
The president urged the scholars to explain the importance
of peace in Islam through their
sermons and continued efforts
and invite people to the peace
process.
The president said everyone
who was Afghan and who recognised Afghanistan should
appear for talks to strengthen
peace.
Ghani said he was hopeful jobs
would be created for the Afghans with implementation of
economic development projects
in major cities. (Pajhwok)
(6) Dozens of...
visit the patients and get their
blood sample to identify reason
behind the incident. (Pajhwok)
(7) Dozens of Herat ...
Jami told journalists. The deputy governor said a gas shop near
the school could possibly be the
cause.
The education director said they
were concerned about security
of educational institutions and
demanded immediate action to
address such concerns.
Shukria, one of the students, a
9th grader, said they suddenly
started falling unconscious and
felt suffocation due to a gas
smell.
Three similar incidents occurred
last week in central province
Bamyan province, with scores of
girl students ending up in hospital after suddenly falling ill.
Such incidents have taken place
in the past as well, but the government has been unable to prevent them from happening.
In May 2012, more than 120 girls
and three teachers were admitted to a hospital in Takhar province after a suspected poison attack. (Pajhwok)
(8) Lawmakers Stress..
cultivation and established
peace in Kama and Goshti districts. He demanded basics projects should be commenced in
the districts.
A number of religious leaders
announced support to governor
and demanded special attention
to develop education, health
and agricultural sectors. They
also demanded drive against
corruption.
The governor praised efforts of
local people for ensuring security and stability in the area and
said: “I am appointed to serve
people and use all my efforts to
resolve issues of the people.”
The governor showed his determination to define clear policies
for solving the issues and problems of the people with support
and guidance of local elders.
Faridoon Momand, a lawmaker,
said: “Administrative corruption has reached to its peak and
the menace needs to be tackled
urgently.” (Pajhwok)
(9) Daikundi Female ...
opment projects.
Sadiqi Neilizada said Daikundi
needed roads, hospitals, airports
and former governor Shafiq had
made several achievements in
the area.
But Governor Masuma Muradi
said she would discharge her
duties with zeal and enthusiasm
to further develop the province.
(Pajhwok)
(10) New Governors ...
Mohammad Iqbal told participants of the ceremony he expected the new governor to focus on
introducing good governance.
“We are ready to cooperate with
him in this regard.”
Also on Saturday, Parwan Governor Eng. Asim was introduced
to provincial government officials at a gathering in Charikar.
Second Deputy Chief Executive
Mohammad Mohaqiq, Yama, exgovernor Basir Salangi, Justice
Minister Abdul Basir Anwar and
others were present.
Mohaqiq praised Asim as an experienced and professional individual, who had been appointed
by the president on merit. He
hoped the governor would demonstrate complete integrity in
discharging his obligations.
Eng. Asim thanked the president for reposing trust in him.
He pledged sincere efforts at
maintaining security in the important province in consultation with the people, promoting
reconciliation and ensuring Parwan’s reconstruction.
In his remarks, Basir Salangi
enumerated the achievements of
his government. The outgoing
governor said his administration had implemented reconstruction projects worth $480
million over the past six years.
(Pajhwok)
(11) Nimroz School...
laboratories for scientific experiments.
Sardar Mohammad, head of the
local council, said earlier 20 percent students preferred not to
attend schools due to absence of
class rooms and building.
Zarghona, a student of 6th class,
said: “We had to study in a boys’
schools and it was very difficult
for us to continue our study.”
According to Hikmat, as many
as 85,000 students were being imparted education in 140
schools in Nimroz, with 40 percent of schools were without
buildings. (Pajhwok)
(12) Minister of Interior
Ulomi said that already 200
women have completed a training program in Turkey and have
returned to work at the ministry. In addition another 400 are
expected to leave soon and they
too will return to work at the
MoI.
On corruption, he said that he
is committed to rooting out this
scourge and that currently the
ministry is investigating over 50
cases of graft and already seven
police officers have been dismissed.
He said that apart from his 100Day plan, he has a five-year
strategy and that in line with
this he will bring in experts to
work in the ministry.
But, in the past 100 days, the
police force has launched successful operations in the country
that has resulted in the arrest of
at least 132 insurgents, he noted.
Ulomi says he is also focusing
on securing the highways but
voiced concern at the mounting
casualty toll among police officers.
According to him, he has recently carried out seven trips to
provinces to meet with police
and hear their concerns.
A major problem facing Ulomi however is that regarding
drugs. He said his ministry is
concerned about this especially as drugs remains a revenue
source for insurgents. He said
he was also tasked with the job
of curbing opium cultivation.
On this note he stated that tons
of opium, along with a number
of smugglers have recently been
arrested. He said police have
also made inroads into arresting
dealers who distribute drugs on
the streets.
He said a recent move in Kabul
proved highly successful and a
number of arrests were made in
an anti-drug operation.
Previously poor relations were
experienced between the different security forces, but, said
Ulomi, today his ministry shares
better ties with the military and
with the NDS.
In terms of improving security
at key installations, Ulomi said
he hoped to be able to provide
better security measures at various government projects as well
as to mines.
He also said that preventing the
infiltration of insurgents into
the security forces was also a
priority.
The responsibility of air force
operations has meanwhile been
handed over to the ministry of
defense, he said.
Olomi states another area of priority is to secure the borders of
Afghanistan. (Tolonews)
(13) Netflix Picks...
the film a “satirical comedy.”
SEAL qualification training
(SQT) students take aim during
a 36-round shooting test ranging
from 100, 200 and 300 yards at
Camp Pendleton.
Brad Pitt has already been chosen to play Stanley McChrystal, the disgraced military general who was fired by President
Obama after being featured in
a Rolling Stone Magazine article penned by the late Hastings.
(Hastings was killed in a car accident in 2013.)
In “The Operators,” Hastings
recounted his experiences embedded with military leadership set in the backdrop of
America’s doomed war in Afghanistan. During on-the-record
interviews, McChrystal spoke
disparagingly about President
Obama as commander-in-chief
while enjoying drunken R & R
with other military leaders in
Parisian restaurants.
Hastings’s article, “The Runaway General, in which Hastings first reported on the general’s criticisms in Rolling
Stone, prompted Obama to call
McChrystal back to Washington
where he fired him on the spot.
“The conduct represented in
the recently published article
does not meet the standard that
should be met by – set by a commanding general,” Obama said
when he announced McChrystal’s departure. “It undermines
the civilian control of the military that is at the core of our
democratic system.”
Frank Rich calls the book “an
impressive feat of journalism
by a Washington outsider who
seemed to know more about
what was going on in Washington than most insiders did.”
(Agencies)
(14) Farkhunda’s ...
Quran. The vicious attack
shocked the world after images
and video footage spread across
the Internet. This past week, an
Appeals Court in Kabul upheld
a previous ruling by the Primary
Court and ordered 37 defendants out of the 49 charged be released.
“We want justice, the court
should inform us about every
decision, and we are waiting
to see whether justice is implemented for Farkhunda’s murder
or not,” Farkhunda’s father Mohammad Nadir said on Friday.
One of the chief grievances of
Farkhunda’s family is that they
have been left largely out of the
dark when it comes to the judicial process. “They do not value
us, as Farkhunda’s parents, the
court at least should inform us
about its decision,” Farkhunda’s
mother said.
Meanwhile, civil society activists have rallied behind Farkhunda’s parents, echoing their
frustrations with the way the
case has been handled by the
courts. “The Supreme Court
does not have the authority to
make a decision in secret, and
any decision that could damage
justice should be avoided,” activist Humaira Qaderi said.
The Kabul Primary Court,
which handed down the original decision to release the 37
defendants, has maintained the
ruling was made based on Ar-
ticle 262 of the Criminal Law.
(Tolonews)
(15) Nine Abducted ...
under the Taliban’s control,” he
added.
However, police sources rejected the claims by the ALP members and said they had been released due to joint efforts by the
provincial authorities.
“We had not ignored their
plight,”
a
spokesman
for
Baghlan Police Chief Jawed Besharat said. “We had continued
efforts to get them released as
soon as possible.”
Baghlan is among the most unsafe provinces in Afghanistan
and has long experienced constant attacks by the Taliban.
Scattered fighting is ongoing
and has been so for about two
months – since the launch of
the Taliban’s summer offensive
which started in April.
Earlier this week TOLOnews
reporter Sharif Amiry reported
from the front lines of the battle
in Baghlan and said that it was
local civilians who had suffering the greatest loss due to the
conflict.
The Zekr Khail area of central
Baghlan is said to be the stronghold of the Taliban in the province.
Abdullah, a resident in the Zekr
Khail area, was warned by Taliban militants 15 days ago that
his home would be re-appropriated for the group’s purposes.
He says 20 rockets have landed
around his house and all of his
belongings have been destroyed.
“All I had in my life was destroyed by war,” Abdullah said.
“We have suffered many losses
and so far, no one has come to
help us,” he added.
It is currently the harvest season
in Baghlan, a time when farmers around the province make
a large amount of their revenue
for the year. However, with violence and instability as rife as it
is at the moment, it is unlikely
the harvest will be as successful
as it normally is.
Throughout villages in the Zekr
Khail area of the province, battle wounds are common. “It was
night, I prayed and wanted to go
from one room to another, but
mortars came and a piece hit my
side and my leg,” one wounded
resident named Delawar recounted.
Although the Afghan forces have
been able to push the insurgents
back somewhat, local residents
still feel the pain of conflict and
have demanded the central government clear the province completely. (Tolonews)
(16) 1,400 Kunduz ...
promised them land plots years
back but it only remained on the
papers.
He said majority of the teachers
did not have their own houses
and lived in rented houses with
a lot of challenges.
According to officials, at least
2,000 land plots would also be
distributed to teachers in Kunduz City in the near future and
the process would be extended
to other districts.
It is pertinent to mention that
hundreds of teachers in Kabul
and other provinces have gone
on strike, asking for residential
plots and salary increment. They
accuse the president for not honoring his promises. (Pajhwok)
(17) Complicated ...
council member, said no major
work has been done in reconstruction sector.
He added there was no major
project for them to monitor. Sapai said majority of the residents
were satisfied with the work of
the council.
Abdul Saboor, a resident of
Kohdaman, expressed satisfaction with the provincial council
members.
The council’s major achievement was that they have ended
animosities among some tribes,
he added. (Pajhwok)
(18) Foreign Fighters’..
council head, said: “People are
tired of government’s inability
to control spiraling insecurity.
They have failed in ensuring security, justice and eradication of
corruption.”
He claimed 90% of Qaisar district, including four bazaars and
localities like Sar Asiab, Arzlek,
Kohe and Chehlgazai were under Taliban control.
But security officials said Taliban did not enjoy any base in the
district, adding that only some
far-flung areas were under mili-
tants’ control.
According to army officials, two
weeks back, nine rebels, including one commander and two Uzbek fighters were killed in the
district in clashes with security
forces. (Pajhwok)
(19) 22 Militants...
men and injuring two others.
The rebels suffered heavy casualties in retaliatory fire, the police chief said.
But a security official, who declined to be named, said six ALP
men were killed and four others
were wounded in the clash.
The clash was the third between
armed militants and ALP personnel in the area. Both the sides
had suffered casualties in the
previous fights.
There was no word from the
Taliban about the incident. (Pajhwok)
(20) HRW...
The journalists urged the unity
government and security forces
to arrest the perpetrators behind
the incident and bring them to
justice.
The council also called on all
parties to the conflict to avoid
targeting journalists during
their operations.
Meanwhile, the Kabul Press Cub
also condemned the attack on
the Pajhwok office and said it
was an attack on the freedom of
expression.
In a statement, the Kabul Press
Club said Pajhwok Afghan News
agency was among the outlets
which provided timely information to the people about events
taking place across the country.
The press club urged the government to prevent attacks on
journalists and media offices
and punish those involved in accordance with the law.
The governor of central Maidan
Wardak province, Hayatullah
Hayat, also condemned the attack.
In a statement, the new governor
said Pajhwok Afghan News carried out its activities within the
ambit of the media law and he
strongly condemned the attack
on Pajhwok office. (Pajhwok)
(21) US House...
America people,” Democratic
House Leader Nancy Pelosi said
in a speech that drew handshakes and hugs from unionbacked Democrats who have
labored for months to reject
Obama’s request for “fast track”
authority in trade talks.
Obama drew applause when he
walked into the meeting with
Democrats, but sharp words after he left and few if any conversions for his efforts.
The president’s hastily arranged
visit to Congress marked a lastminute bid to stave off a stinging defeat at the hands of his
own party.
His visit relegated much of the
debate on the House floor to the
status of a sideshow. (AP)
(22) Putin Meets...
tive talks,” Putin’s spokesman
said that the leaders could discuss the TurkStream pipeline to
supply Russian gas to Turkey,
whose construction is set to begin at the end of this month.
The leaders were also set to discuss the situation in Syria, Dmitry Peskov said.
“They will need to compare
notes and exchange opinions on
the complex situation in regional affairs -- that’s the situation in
Syria, for sure.”
Putin was accompanied by energy minister Alexander Novak,
foreign minister Sergei Lavrov,
nuclear energy agency chief
Sergei Kiriyenko and the chief
of Gazprom state energy giant
Alexei Miller, the Kremlin website said. (AFP)
(23) UN Chief...
officials and civil society representatives.
At a Saturday briefing with
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, Ban
asked for concrete steps to
improve the country’s rights
record, including allowing independent observers to visit
prisons. (AFP)
(24) Australia...
bott has declined to comment,
citing operational security.
“Under Australian’s push-back
policy we have been consistently saying they are on a slippery
slope,” Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Armanatha
Nasir told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference. (Reuters)
5
US House Rejects Obama
on Trade Authority
WASHINGTON - The U.S.
House of Representatives sidetracked a high-profile White
House-backed trade bill, a
blow to a pending Asian trade
deal and a humiliating defeat
for President Barack Obama
inflicted by members of his
own party. The 302-126 vote
Friday leaves the trade legislation in perilous limbo and
came a few hours after Obama
journeyed to Congress to deliver a last-minute personal
plea to fellow Democrats. The
measure would allow him to
negotiate global trade deals,
including one with 11 Asian
nations near completion, that
Putin Meets Erdogan for
Closed-Door Talks
MOSCOW - Russian
President Vladimir Putin
on Saturday met Turkish
counterpart Recep Tayyip
Erdogan for talks expected
to touch on energy issues
and the Syria crisis.
The two leaders met a day
after attending the opening
ceremony of the inaugural
European Games, hosted
by Azerbaijan and tainted
by controversy over the
ex-Soviet country’s rights
record. Speaking ahead of
their closed-door talks, Er-
dogan, a close ally of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, remarked to Putin on
the absence of EU leaders
from the Games in Baku.
“It’s called the European
Games but there aren’t actually any leaders of EU
member states here,” Erdogan was quoted as saying by Turkish news agencies. “Turkey, a candidate
for EU entry, represented
the whole European Union,” a smiling Putin said
in televised comments
before the pair held what
Turkish media said was an
hour and a half meeting.
Ahead of what he said
would be “very substan
...(More on P4)...(22)
UN Chief Warns Worsening
Rights Situation in CA
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki-moon on Saturday
warned of a worsening rights
situation across Central Asia
(CA), as he ended a visit to
energy-rich Central Asia in exSoviet Turkmenistan. Ban said
he “heard concerns about the
deterioration of some aspects of
human rights -– a shrinking of
democratic space”, during his
first trip to the region in five
years. Speaking to students at
an international university in
the capital Ashgabat as he re-
ceived an honorary degree, he
said crackdowns on rights could
be triggered by “perceived security threats – in particular, rising
concerns about terrorism and
violent extremism”. Ban warned
however that governments may
use such threats “as a pretext
to clamp down on civil society,
minorities and human rights defenders.” He said that the failure
to respect human rights, promote
participation in politics and create equal opportunities “creates
gaps... The wider the gaps, the
greater the openings for vio-
lent extremists.” “I see this
phenomenon on the rise in
the region and it troubles me
greatly,” he said, adding that
“democracy in Central Asia
can work.” On Friday, Ban
had been in Uzbekistan, where
he urged President Islam Karimov to end the practice of
forced labour on its cotton
plantations and the mistreatment of prisoners in his country. Previously in Tajikistan,
Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan,
Ban also met with government
...(More on P4)...(23)
Syrian Kurds Push Deeper into IS Stronghold
BEIRUT - The Syrian Kurdish
YPG militia said it began an advance towards an Islamic Stateheld town at the Turkish border
on Saturday, thrusting deeper
into the jihadists’ stronghold of
Raqqa province in a campaign
backed by U.S.-led air strikes.
Redur Xelil, the YPG spokesman,
told Reuters the YPG and smaller
Syrian Arab rebel groups fighting
alongside it had begun the move
towards Tel Abyad after encircling the Islamic State-held town
of Suluk 20 km (12 miles) to the
southeast.
The advance raises the prospect
of a battle at the Turkish border
between the well-organized YPG
militia and Islamic State. Tel
Abyad is important to Islamic State
as the nearest border town to its de
facto capital of Raqqa city.
Fighting near the border has already
forced more than 13,000 people to
cross into Turkey from Syria. Some
1,500 more are waiting to cross.
Turkish soldiers sprayed water and
fired into the air when some of them
approached the border fence on
Saturday, a security source said.
The YPG has made a determined
push into Raqqa province from
neighboring Hasaka where, with
the help of the U.S.-led alliance, it
has driven Islamic State from wide
areas of territory since early May.
(Reuters)
Australia Stoops to ‘New Low’ if Boat
Payment Confirmed: Indonesia
JAKARTA - Australia
would have stooped to
a “new low” if reports
that its navy paid peoplesmugglers bound for Australia thousands of dollars
to turn back their boat are
true, an Indonesian government official said on
Saturday. Australia has
vowed to stop asylumseekers reaching its shores,
turning boats back to In-
donesia when it can and
sending asylum-seekers
to camps in impoverished
Papua New Guinea and
Nauru for long-term detention. A boat captain
and two crew members
arrested this week on suspicion of human trafficking told Indonesian police
Australian authorities had
paid each of them A$5,000
($3,860) to turn back their
vessel with 65 migrants
on board. The passengers,
including children and a
pregnant woman, were
from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Australian Foreign Minister Julie
Bishop and Immigration
Minister Peter Dutton have
both denied reports of payment to the smugglers but
Prime Minister Tony Ab
...(More on P4)...(24)
U.S., Allies Conduct 15 Air Strikes in
Syria And Iraq: Military
WASHINGTON - U.S.
and coalition forces conducted 12 air strikes targeting Islamic State in Iraq
on Friday and three strikes
against the militant group
in Syria, mostly focusing
on urban areas, the U.S.
military said on Saturday.
“The coalition continues
to strike Daesh (Islamic
State) terrorists in com-
plex and congested urban terrain in Iraq and
Syria,”” Brigadier General
Thomas Weidley, chief
of staff for the Combined
Joint Task Force, said in a
statement. All the Syrian
strikes took place near the
town of Kobani near the
Turkish border, hitting
tactical units and destroying a fighting position, the
military said. The strikes
conducted in Iraq were
spread out near Baghdad, Al Huwayjah, Baiji,
Makhmur, Mosul, Sinjar
and Tal Afar, where they
hit tactical units, firing positions and a staging area.
They also destroyed vehicles, fuel tankers, weapons
and a structure, the military added. (Reuters)
Saudi-Led Air
Strikes Hit Yemen
Rebels
SANAA - Warplanes
from the Saudi-led coalition struck Saturday rebel positions in Yemen as
warring parties from the
impoverished nation prepared for UN-sponsored
Swiss talks, witnesses
said.
Air raids targeted Shiite
Huthi rebels in the central
province of Dhamar, as
well as air defence positions of allied troops loyal
to former president Ali
Abdullah Saleh, witnesses said.
Rebel positions in their
northern Saada stronghold were also hit, they
added.
A wave of intensive overnight air strikes targeted
arms depots around the
capital and residences
of people close to Saleh,
including his brother’s
home, south of Sanaa,
witnesses said. (AFP)
Congress could approve or
reject but not change. The
debate and vote are certain
to reverberate in next year’s
presidential election. Most
Republican contenders favor
the trade bill. Among Democrats, Hillary Clinton is uncommitted, despite calls by
rivals to take a position. Business groups generally favor
the measure. But strong opposition by organized labor
carries at least an implicit
threat to the re-election of any
Democrat who votes in the
bill’s favor. “Slow down the
fast track to get a better deal
for the ...(More on P4)...(21)
U.S. Military Advisers
Arrive in Iraq, 57 Killed in
Car Bombs
BAGHDAD - Up to 80
U.S. military advisers
arrived in Iraq’s western province of Anbar
to train Iraqi forces and
Sunni tribal fighters on
Saturday, while suicide
car bombs and an airstrike against the Islamic
State (IS) militants killed
a total of 57 people across
the country, a provincial official and security
sources said.
Eid Ammash, a member
of Anbar’s provincial
council, told reporters
that the first batch of 80
U.S. advisers to train the
Iraqi forces and tribal
fighters have arrived in
Habbaniyah airbase.
“Those advisers will
train the security forces
and tribal fighters and
provide logistical support and military plans to
them during the battles
of the cities of Ramadi
and Fallujah to liberate
them from the control of
the terrorist organization
Daash (IS group),” Am-
mash said.
Ammash’s
comments
came three days after the
White House announced
that U.S. President Barack Obama authorized
the deployment of up
to 450 more American
troops to Iraq to train
and assist the Iraqi forces
and Sunni tribal fighters
battling the IS extremist
group.
In Iraq’s northern central
province of Salahudin,
three suicide bombers
rammed their explosiveladen cars into checkpoints and military base
in the village of Hijaj in
south of the oil refinery
town of Baiji, a provincial security source told
Xinhua on condition of
anonymity.
The blasts killed a total
of nine policemen and
members of allied Shiite
militias, known as Hashd
Shaabi, or Popular Mobilization, and wounded at
least 20 others, the source
said. (Xinhua)
Ukraine, Russia Protest over
Attacks on Each other’s
Diplomatic Missions
MOSCOW - Ukraine
protested to Russia on
Saturday after mobs vandalized its embassy in
Moscow and its consulate
in Rostov-on-Don overnight, a day after Russia
made a similar protest to
Ukraine over damage to
the Russian consulate in
Kharkiv.
The attacks on the diplomatic missions highlight
the continuing tensions
between the two countries, as fighting rages between pro-Russian rebels
and government forces
in the Donbass region of
eastern Ukraine, despite a
four-month-old ceasefire.
Russian media reported
earlier on Saturday that
around 100 people had
thrown eggs at Ukraine’s
Moscow embassy and
that attackers had broken
windows with bricks and
baseball bats at Kiev’s
consulate in Rostov-onDon in southern Russia.
RIA news agency quoted
the Ukrainian consul in
Rostov as saying that the
consulate may need to be
closed for several days as
many windows had been
broken and office equipment damaged.
“We demand from the
Russian authorities an immediate comprehensive
investigation, strict punishment of those responsible and compensation
for material damage,” the
Ukrainian statement said.
(Reuters)
New York Rally
Launches Clinton’s
Bid for White House
NEW YORK - Ardent
supporters streamed into
a manicured New York
park Saturday to watch
Hillary Clinton lay out
her bid to become America’s first woman president and her vision for
the future. Thousands
poured onto Roosevelt Island, a tiny sliver of land
in the East River between
Manhattan and Queens,
where
black
clouds
threatening rain did little
to dampen the enthusiasm of devoted fans.
Clinton, the 67-year-old
former secretary of state,
New York senator and
first lady is expected to
be joined by husband Bill
and daughter Chelsea in
the family’s first joint appearance of the campaign.
In her hotly anticipated
speech, she is expected
to draw heavily on her
mother’s disadvantaged
background to convince
voters that she understands their problems and
promises to fight for the
middle classes.
Her team sees the rally,
on home turf in a state
where Clinton was senator for eight years, as a
chance to turn the tables
on flagging opinion polls
and position her as the
champion of America’s
squeezed middle class.
“Everyone deserves a
chance to live up to his
or her God-given potential. That’s the dream we
share. That’s the fight
we must wage,” said the
67-year-old former secretary of state in a video
released Friday. (AFP)
International
Neighbour News
Iran Brings Home
Body of Top General
Killed in Syria
DUBAI - Iran is bringing home the body of
a top-ranking military
officer killed in April in
southern Syria, Iranian
news agencies reported, at least the second
senior Iranian to die
there this year while
supporting Damascus
in the war.
Hadi Kajbaf, a major
general in the elite Islamic
Revolutionary
Guards Corps (IRGC),
was killed near the rebel-held town of Busr
al-Harir, about 100
km (60 miles) south of
Damascus, the IRGClinked Tasnim agency
reported late on Friday.
Three other Iranians
were killed alongside
Kajbaf including a midranking Shi’ite Muslim
cleric, the semi-official
Fars news agency re-
ported.
Iranian military and financial support have
been crucial to helping
President Bashar alAssad survive the war,
now in its fifth year.
The conflict is a focal
point for Shi’ite Islamist Iran’s power struggle
with Sunni Saudi Arabia,
which supports the insurgents battling to topple Assad.
Kajbaf held the highest rank used in Iran’s
armed forces, making
him more senior than an
IRGC brigadier general
who was killed in January by an Israeli missile
strike in Syrian territory
near the Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights, along
with a number of fighters from the Lebanese
Shi’ite Hezbollah group.
(Reuters)
Pak Forces “Kill 2,763
Terrorists” in N. Waziristan
Offensive: Army
ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan army said Saturday that the security
forces had “killed 2,763
terrorists” in a major
offensive launched one
year ago. During the operation launched on June
15, 2014, a total of “347
officers and soldiers
embraced martyrdom,”
military spokesman Major General Asim Bajwa
said. The offensive codenamed
“Zarb-e-Azb”
was started after a rare
peace dialogue with
the
Tehrik-e-Taliban
Pakistan collapsed due
to an increase in terrorist attacks. Giving details of the operation,
the spokesman said as
many as 837 hideouts of
the militants had been
destroyed and 253 tons
of explosives recovered
during the one year of
the operation. “Significant achievements have
been made in FATA
(Federally Administered
Tribal Areas) especially
in North Waziristan
and Khyber agencies.
Terrorists’ communication, infrastructure and
sanctuaries have largely
been cleared,” he said.
The spokesman said
18,087 weapons including machine-guns, light
machine guns, sniper
rifles, rocket launchers,
and AK-47s were seized
from terrorist hideouts in
North Waziristan alone.
As many as 9,000 intelligence based operations
were carried out, apprehending thousands
of terrorists and their
abettors in other areas
of Pakistan. A total of
218 hard core terrorists
were killed in the cities,
Bajwa said. The army
said earlier that the security forces havd cleared
over 90 percent of the
area, including the main
towns of Miranshah and
Mir Ali since the launch
of the operation and the
militants have now confided to only a few pockets near the Afghan border. (Xinhua)
BISHKEK
crossborder
Implementation progress of a project for improvement
of border services in
Central Asia was discussed at a meeting of
the Customs Service of
Tajikistan with representatives of the Asian
Development Bank in
Dushanbe. The sides
thus discussed the
progress of the project
worth 11.2 million U.S.
dollars to strengthen
the borders, which has
been begun in 2014 and
is being implemented
in three phases. It is expected to be completed
in 2018.
First stage envisages
construction of a Guliston border checkpoint in Isfara district
on the border with
Kyrgyzstan, as well as
the purchase of equipment.
The next phase involves
institutional
and technical support,
establishment of a national one-stop shop
system in Tajikistan
and purchase of the required machinery. The
last stage of the project
is the management of
the project steering
group. (AKIpress)
Construction Progress of
Checkpoint on Tajik-Kyrgyz
Border Considered
China, S. Korea Eye All-round
Practical Cooperation
SEOUL - Visiting Chinese top legislator
Zhang Dejiang met
here Thursday with
South Korean President Park Geun-hye,
with both sides pledging to further expand
their all-round practical cooperation.
China-South Korea relations are currently
at an all-time high as
the leaders of the two
countries have made
a successful exchange
of visits and reached
important consensus,
Zhang, chairman of the
Standing Committee of
the National People’s
Congress (NPC), said
during the meeting.
The two countries
have enhanced political trust, increased
trade and economic
cooperation and deepened people-to-people
exchanges, he said,
adding that the twoway trade reached
nearly 300 billion U.S.
dollars in 2014 and the
number of personnel
exchanges between the
two countries exceeded 10 million.
The China-South Korea free trade agreement (FTA) officially
signed on June 1 will
also bring broader
prospects for bilateral
cooperation,
Zhang
said. (Xinhua)