Afghanistan News February 12, 2006

February 12, 2006

Nepal seeks release of 2 Nepalis abducted in Afghanistan
www.chinaview.cn 2006-02-12 19:27:44
KATHMANDU, Feb. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- The Nepali Foreign Ministry has asked the Royal Nepalese Embassy at Islamabad to initiate efforts for the release of two Nepalis kidnapped from Afghan Capital Kabul, an official at the ministry said Sunday.

Talking to reporters here on Sunday, spokesperson at the Foreign Ministry Shankar Das Bairagi said that they have urged the Afghan government to initiate efforts for the release of abducted Nepalis.

Royal Nepalese Embassy in Pakistan is coordinating with the Afghan government for their release, as Nepal does not have its embassy in Kabul, he said.

Two Nepalis were kidnapped in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Saturday, according to reports.

The identities of the two were not immediately known, but reports quoted a police official as saying that they were snatched while walking along a road in a central part of the city where some aid agencies have offices.

Some Nepalis work for security companies in Afghanistan and are also employed for guarding foreign embassies in Kabul.

Two Nepalese kidnapped in Afghan capital Kabul
Sun Feb 12, 3:45 AM ET
KABUL (AFP) - Two Nepalese citizens have been kidnapped in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, the government said.

"Police and detective organisations are investigating to locate the kidnappers and release the two Nepalese citizens who were kidnapped yesterday morning (Saturday) in Kabul," the interior ministry told AFP on Sunday.

"Police are trying to win their release," it said.

News reports Saturday said the men were employed by a private security company, but it could not be confirmed. The ministry however denied this, describing them as "ordinary workers" with an organisation.

Other reports said they worked with a nongovernmental group and were snatched at gunpoint on their way to work.

There have been warnings in the city for expatriates to take extra precautions with tensions running high after cartoons were published in mostly European newspapers insulting the Prophet Mohammed.

Some protests against the cartoons in Kabul and other Afghan cities have turned violent with clashes leaving 11 people dead.

In May last year Italian aid worker Clementina Cantoni was snatched from her car at gunpoint in the centre of Kabul and held for 24 days.

Her kidnappers were from a notorious criminal gang which set her free after a ransom was paid. The gang leader was in December sentenced to death for separate murder cases.

Musharraf confirms 'al-Qaeda' hit
Saturday, 11 February 2006 BBC News
Pakistan's president has confirmed that "a close relative" of al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a US air strike in Pakistan last month.

Pervez Musharraf also confirmed for the first time that Zawahiri had been expected to be at the house targeted by the US, a military spokesman says.

President Musharraf added that another wanted militant was among five foreigners killed in the bombing.

Eighteen local people died in the raid, sparking widespread anger.

"Five foreigners were killed in the US attack," Gen Musharraf told tribal leaders in north-western Pakistan, the Associated Press news agency reports.

"One of them was a close relative of Ayman al-Zawahri and the other man was wanted by the US and had a US$5 million (4.19 million euro) reward on his head."

He did not name the foreigners who had died in the attack.

Shortly after the raid, unconfirmed intelligence reports said three high-ranking al-Qaeda members were among those killed in the raid on a village in the Bajaur Agency region on the border with Afghanistan.

They named Egyptian bomb expert Midhat Mursi - information on whose whereabouts carries a $5m US bounty.

They also named Abdul Rehman al-Misri al-Maghribi, the son-in-law of Zawahiri and reputed head of the al-Qaeda's media operations.

The third person named was Abu Obaidah al-Misri, al-Qaeda's head of operations in Kunar province, just over the border in eastern Afghanistan.

US officials have refused to comment on the attack.

Border village

When news of the attack first emerged, there were reports that Ayman al-Zawahiri had been killed.

He has eluded capture since the US overthrew the Taleban in Afghanistan in 2001 - despite a $25m bounty on his head.

Osama Bin Laden's second-in-command is regarded as the ideological brains behind the al-Qaeda network.

The Egyptian has also become its most visible spokesperson, issuing a number of video and audio tapes.

The raid took place in the village of Damadola in the Bajaur tribal area, about 7km (4.5 miles) from the Afghan border.

Jets - or in some accounts a Predator drone - reportedly fired missiles at a particular housing compound in the village.

Reporters who reached Damadola spoke of three houses hundreds of metres apart that had been destroyed.

The US has about 20,000 troops in Afghanistan, but Pakistan does not officially allow them to operate across the border.

Afghan MPs take stock of Herat violence
Makia Monir
KABUL, Feb 11 (Pajhwok Afghan News): Expressing grave concern over the Shia-Sunni clash in Herat, the upper house Saturday observed it was against the teachings of Islam and should not be repeated.

The MPs deliberated on the violence in the western province on the occasion of 10th Moharram and prayed for the souls of those died in the Thursday clashes.

They hoped the government-appointed delegation led by Water and Energy Minister Ismail Khan would bring peace to the province.

The House, in a statement at the close of the day, urged upon both the Shia and Sunni sects to promote religious harmony and not let enemies get a chance to put a rift among them.

A committee was constituted to review the whole episode and point out people responsible for the violence so as to award them punishment.

Sweden to get charge of PRT in northern provinces
Ahmad Naim Qadriri
MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Feb 11 (Pajhwok Afghan News): The Sweden forces would get command of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) in four northern provinces in the next one month.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, in charge of the Swedish-led PRT Lieutenant Colonel Tommy Johnson disclosed work was underway on construction of an ISAF base, which would be culminated in the coming month.

He said cost of the construction work had been estimated over five million US dollars. He added their forces would take charge of PRTs in Balkh, Samangan, Jawzjan and Sar-i-Pul provinces.

Colonel Tommy further said about 200 Swedish soldiers would be stationed in the new base, which was being constructed under the supervision of three Swedish and some Afghan engineers.

Referring to attacks on ISAF in the province, he said some previous incidents had intensified the need for strict security measures on part of the peacekeepers as well as the Afghan forces.
At least three Swedish soldiers were killed when a roadside bomb hit their vehicle in the Shadian desert of the province. Several other attacks were also registered on foreign forces in the past few months.

Canadian troops will improve the lives of Afghans and finally join the war on terror, says Rondi Adamson
Feb. 12, 2006. 01:00 AM Toronto Star, Canada
Throughout February, Canadian troops will be leaving for Afghanistan. The number of Canadian troops in that part of the world will increase to 2,000.

Canadian forces will be part of a multinational combat force participating in what one could unceremoniously, but truthfully, refer to as "Taliban killing." No more self-congratulatory claims of "But Canadians are peacekeepers," for us.

And we should be proud of that.

Now, if you don't believe that the current war — what I call the War on Islamofascism — is anything other than a fabrication/exaggeration of a jingoist administration in Washington, D.C., or if you believe Canada is not threatened in said war, then you won't be proud.

But I would then suggest you are delusional. For not only is this war real, we are threatened, as are all Western democracies. Osama bin Laden has put Canada on his "hit list," and he is a man who keeps his word.

And if he doesn't convince you, keep in mind that his particularly deadly strain of Islamist fundamentalism afflicts many the world over and brought homegrown bloodshed to the United Kingdom last summer.

The invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 destroyed the comfortable base once provided Al Qaeda and its ilk. By hunting down intransigent Taliban, Canadian troops will be helping improve the lives of Afghans, and helping sustain and increase stability in a part of the world many dismissed as beyond repair five years ago.

A recent BBC poll found that Afghans (and Iraqis) were among the most optimistic in the world when it came to their economic futures. Creating this kind of hope and opportunity for people increases our security and the security of other free nations.

But it does involve violence. Freedom doesn't come without a cost. As much as Canadians would love to cling to the cherished myth of the peacekeeper, the fact remains that you cannot keep peace without first making it. And often, you can't make it without fighting. What pride can we take in leaving that to others?

We refused to help in Iraq. And we have brought our cowering skills to new heights with our "reaction" to the Danish cartoon controversy — another battle in the same war. At the time of this writing, only two Canadian newspapers (one, a student newspaper) have reprinted the cartoons. And Peter MacKay's mealy-mouthed drivel (courageously supporting, and not supporting, freedom of expression) on Wednesday was shameful.

Speaking two weeks ago in Montreal, Major-General Ed Fitch of the Canadian Forces said Canadians are "sleepwalking" in the face of terrorism both in and outside Canada.

He added that Canadians were "generally unaware" of what was going on and that our apathy is our enemies' "greatest delight."

At least in Afghanistan, we can proudly say we are playing a relevant and meaningful role defending democratic principles. A role for which we should never apologize.

Fruit Exports Earn Millions for Afghanistan
Pajhwok 02/10/2006
KANDAHAR CITY - The export of both dry and fresh fruit in the year past by Kandahar has earned over US$17 million for the war-torn country, officials said on Thursday.
Director of the Provincial Chamber of Commerce Abdul Raziq Rafiq said they had exported 21,000 tons of raisin, figs, walnut and 16 tons of fresh fruit including pomegranates, grapes and melons to foreign countries.

Local traders sent these fruits to Ukraine, Bangladesh, Germany, South Korea, Singapore, India, Pakistan, Japan and Saudi Arabia via Ariana airlines company planes, he said.

He said it was a big achievement for the war-torn central Asian country, adding "the fruits could replace poppy crops if they had similar yield and market in future." Despite such market for fresh and dry fruits a number of people had still turned to growing poppy in the region because of apprehension over a low market for the fruits.

However the farmers who had got good crop and market intend to cultivate fruit instead of poppy in future. Ghulam Darwish, one of such farmers who cashed in on the good market and quality yield, said "I want to plant other saplings and grow another orchard though currently I have two gardens of grapes over three acres of land."

Another farmer Abdul Malik, while working in his grapes garden in Bagh-e-Pul, lying in 3km west of this southern city, said he was delighted with the last year's grapes produce.

Agriculture analyst Said Salih Muhammad Wijdan believes that gardening could be a good alternative for poppy and urged growers to focus on growing more fruits.
On one hand export has brought good income to country, but on the other hand people have expressed deep concern over rising fruit prices at home.

Tila Muhammad, a fruit seller, said the price of pomegranate had doubled as comparing with the last year. "I don't remember that I have sold 7 kilos of pomegranate for more than 120 afghanis but this year I sold it for more than 250 afghanis," he added.

The unexpected hike in demand for Afghan fruit in foreign markets has increased the ratio of food storage in the province. Admin of the Provincial Chambers of Commerce Faridullah Habib said they had set up fruit storages in Shurandam district of the province with the help of India. The godowns could store more than 500 tons of fresh fruit, he contended.

He said there was another similar storage in Panjwaie district that could house 44,000 tons of fruit. The government appointed a committee last year to prepare a draft to remove taxes from dry and fresh fruit exports.

Export of nine items to Kabul declines
ISLAMABAD – The Dawn, Feb 10: The export of nine major commodities mostly industrial goods — electronic, sanitary wares, steel products, paints and construction materials — to Afghanistan registered a decline during the first six months (July-Dec) of 2005-06 over the same period last year.

Official data available with Dawn showed that the export of cement, ghee, pulses, milk products and medicines grew during the period under review.

The data obtained from Customs Collectorates of Peshawar and Quetta indicated a 7.09 per cent growth in overall export to Kabul at Rs30.601 billion during the period under review as against Rs28.575 billion the same period last year.

It was believed that Indian products were penetrating in the Afghanistan market owing to their better quality and cheaper prices as compared to Pakistani goods. Moreover, the Indian officials posted in Afghanistan were also promoting their products by giving more facilitation to their exporters.

The government had changed procedures for claiming of refunds in the Trade Policy 2005-06 which were creating problems for genuine exporters to Afghanistan.

Product wise detail showed that the export of construction materials to Afghanistan declined by 19.97 per cent to Rs530.461 million during the July-Dec period as against Rs662.876 million the same period last year.

Similarly, the export of paints and varnishes to Kabul fell by 51.7 per cent to Rs433.531 million as against Rs898.648 million of last year; export of mild steel products declined by 11.6 per cent to Rs1706.147 million as against Rs1,904.919 million the same period of the last year.

The export of sanitary wares dipped by 64 per cent to Rs13.154 million during the period as against Rs36.608 million of last year; export of electronic goods declined by 86.96 per cent to Rs11.859 million as against Rs90.962 million over the same period of the last year.

Among the food group, the export of rice declined by 22.26 per cent to Rs945.471 million as against Rs1,216.229 million over the same period last year; fruits and vegetables declined by 27.73 per cent to Rs360.856 million as against Rs499.341 million the same period of the last year.

The export of sugar plunged by 54.6 per cent to Rs763.192 million during the period under review as against Rs1,682.677 million the same period last year; wheat flour/wheat by 25.59 per cent to Rs2.497 billion as against Rs3.356 billion over the same period a year ago.

The export of ghee increased by 2 per cent to Rs2.597 billion during July-Dec as against Rs2.546 billion over the same period the last year; cement by 47 per cent to Rs2.224 billion against Rs1.512 billion; medicines by 48.95 per cent to Rs383.406 million against Rs257.390 million during the same period last year.

The export of the electrical goods to Afghanistan increased by 88.4 per cent to Rs882.086 million against Rs101.920 million; grains and pulses by 1,282.2 per cent to Rs442.910 million against Rs32.043 million during the same period of the last year.