NEW YORK, 17 September 2021, (TON): A UN envoy has met Afghanistan's new interior minister who was for years was one of the world's most wanted militants and is now part of a government trying to head off a humanitarian crisis.

Suhail Shaheen, a Taliban spokesman, said in a statement on Twitter “the meeting between Deborah Lyons, head of the UN mission in Afghanistan, and Sirajuddin Haqqani focused on humanitarian assistance.

He said "Haqqani stressed that UN personnel can conduct their work without any hurdle and deliver vital aid to the Afghan people.”

Afghanistan was already facing chronic poverty and drought but the situation has deteriorated since the Taliban took over last month with the disruption of aid, the departure of tens of thousands of people including government and aid workers and the collapse of much economic activity.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told an international aid conference this week that Afghans were facing "perhaps their most perilous hour".

The UN mission in Afghanistan said that in the Wednesday meeting Lyons had stressed the "absolute necessity for all UN and humanitarian personnel in Afghanistan to be able to work without intimidation or obstruction to deliver vital aid and conduct work for Afghan people".

NAYPYITAW, 17 September 2021, (TON): An official from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) said that the group attacked a column of Myanmar army soldiers in Tanai in Kachin State morning as they tried to advance towards the Kachin forces’ position.

Colonel Naw Bu, the KIA's information officer, confirmed that the KIA planted landmines to stop the junta troops who were marching northwest from Ta Ron village in Tanai Township to Shin Bway Yang (Shingbwiyang) town at around 6:30am.

He said “it was a defensive fight because the junta’s army was moving towards the KIA troops, the number of casualties was not known as further information from the ground had not been made available.

A local man from Ta Hket village, around one mile from the scene of the attack, told media that residents could hear multiple weapons being fired. 

He said “along with the sound of landmines exploding, we heard six artillery shots, and the sound of small arms was constant.”

Around 100 junta soldiers have been stationed in the 500-household Ta Ron—located more than 40 miles northwest of Tanai—since early September, according to the KIA’s Col Naw Bu, who added that the troops have been occupying a monastery and school in the village.

DHAKA, 17 September 2021, (TON): French media reported that French defence electronics manufacturer Thales will supply two long range radar systems known as the GM400.”

French defence equipment manufacturer Thales has reportedly sold two long range air defence radar systems to the Bangladesh Army to enhance its battlefield surveillance network.

According to media “the French defence electronics manufacturer signed a contract with Bangladesh to supply two high-performance long range radar systems known as the Ground Master 400 (GM400), which have an instrument range exceeding 500km.”

The GM400 is designed to protect strategic areas or forces deployed in external territories, allowing for the detection of air threats in the battle space.

The 3D AESA radar can improve situational awareness by building an accurate, up to date Recognized-Air-Picture under challenging battlefield conditions.

Thales claims the GM400, with its update rate of 6 seconds and an elevation coverage of up to 40 degrees, can continuously scan the airspace simultaneously, detecting all types of high, medium and low altitude targets.

DHAKA, 17 September 2021, (TON): Spain has expressed its interest in providing financial assistance to the shipbuilding sector of Bangladesh.

A press release said “Spanish Ambassador Francisco De Asis Benitez Salas expressed his country's interest in this regard as he met State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury at the latter's office at the secretariat.

The envoy said “Spain is keen to invest in the collection of river-cleaning vessels to prevent river pollution and clean up garbage.”

During the meeting, they also discussed issues of mutual interest between the two countries.

The state minister said that Spain has experience in the shipbuilding and maritime sectors. The government has collected dredgers for the purpose of digging 10,000 kilometres of waterways.

He added that Spain's assistance will be available in the collection of state-of-the-art copper and hopper dredgers.

Bangladesh and Spain will take part in the elections in the C and B categories of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) respectively.

NAYPYITAW, 17 September 2021, (TON): Locals found the bodies of five more villagers killed in Magway Region’s Gangaw Township this week, presumably by junta troops who have been occupying this area of northwestern Myanmar since September 9.

At least three of the bodies showed signs of torture, according to eyewitnesses. Oo Thu, age 30, and Maung Shwe, 50, were found on Monday just south of their home village of Hmwae Lal, 50km from Gangaw town. Their bodies were bruised and they had been shot in the stomach.

Another body of a 30-year-old man with an intellectual disability was found on Tuesday and had been visibly mutilated, according to a local. He was also from Hmwae Lal.

The local said “there was a knife wound on his neck. It appears that they slit his throat. We are assuming that they stabbed him first, cut off his private parts and ultimately slit his throat.”

The three villagers went missing on September 11 when the junta soldiers who occupied Hmwae Lal that day arrested them, the local said. The troops moved on to station themselves in other villages the following day.

The bodies of two men in their 20s from Yae Shin, 15km from Hmwae Lal—were also found on Tuesday afternoon in the forest outside their village. They were identified as Naing Lin Tun and Phoe Phyu, who had gone missing while returning to Yae Shin from Gangaw on September 12.

NAYPYITAW, 17 September 2021, (TON): An aid worker said that the entire 900-strong population of Lungler village in Chin State’s Thantlang Township is sheltering along the Indian border after residents fled their homes last week ahead of an attack by resistance forces against a military outpost.

The displaced include elderly people and children and are in urgent need of supplies, said Aung, who is helping the villagers and asked to be referred to by one name for security reasons.

He said while talking to media “we need a lot of help we’re in need of both food and medicine.”

The villagers fled a few days before a coalition of fighters from the Chin National Army (CNA) and the Chinland Defence Force (CDF) raided a junta outpost just outside Lungler, killing 12 soldiers and seizing weapons before burning the base down.

Some made their way to other villages on motorcycles and others went on foot, the aid worker said.

He added that around 800 are staying in monasteries and farms on the Myanmar side of the border, in villages including Ralpel and Zaantlang, while another 140 have made their way to Mizoram in India.

An Indian official told local media last week that there are now over 700 refugees from Chin staying in Mizoram’s Hnahthial district.

KABUL, 16 September 2021, (TON): The civil aviation ministry of Afghanistan has requested Pakistan to allow two of its airlines, Ariana Afghan Airlines and Kam Air to begin commercial flight operations to the neighbouring country.

In a letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, sent by the Ministry of Aviation and Transport of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), it requested Pakistani authorities to permit air operations of two national carriers of Afghanistan on the basis of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries.

The Afghan ministry said “its two carriers aimed to commence their scheduled flights and requested the CAA to facilitate the process.”

The letter also recalled that the Kabul Airport was damaged by American troops before their withdrawal, however, “By technical assistance of our Qatar Brother, the Airport became operational once again and a notice to airmen (Notam) in this regard issued on 6 September 2021.”

Qatar had a day ago warned it would not take responsibility for Kabul airport without "clear" agreements with all involved, including the Taliban, about its operations, according to media.

TRIPOLI, 16 September 2021, (TON): The Libyan National Army (LNA) of eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar clashed with Chadian rebel forces in the south of Libya on Tuesday and Wednesday, both sides said.

The fighting underscores the risk of further instability in the Sahel region, where an array of groups operate across borders and where fighting has created space for rebel organizations.

Statements from the LNA, which holds most of eastern and southern Libya, said “it was engaged in military operations against what it called terrorist groups and the Chadian opposition.”

The rebel group Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) said via social media that its positions on the frontier had been attacked by Haftar’s forces, fighting alongside what it said were Sudanese mercenaries and French troops.

The LNA said “it had carried out air strikes and was conducting aerial patrols. FACT said French air strikes had hit its positions.”

The French army said “it had no forces on the ground or in the air in that area.”

Researcher said “FACT had been based in Libya and fought alongside the LNA during periods of Libya’s civil war, receiving heavy arms from Haftar.”

LONDON, 16 September 2021, (TON): British Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed a new-look cabinet to revamp his Brexiteer government after controversies over Afghanistan and taxes, demoting his under-fire foreign secretary.

Dominic Raab was moved to the lesser role of justice secretary but will retain the title of deputy prime minister, Downing Street confirmed.

The former lawyer, who deputised for Johnson when he has faced sustained criticism for his handling of the Afghan crisis.

He was replaced by International Trade Secretary Liz Truss, who has brokered a series of deals since Britain's full exit from the European Union in January.

She became only the second female foreign secretary in British history.

Among the other leading offices of state, finance minister Rishi Sunak - who has overseen big-spending economic support during the pandemic - and hardline interior minister Priti Patel both retained their roles.

Gaffe-prone Education Secretary Gavin Williamson meanwhile was sacked, tweeting that it had been a "privilege" to serve in his role since 2019 when Johnson took office on a vow to "get Brexit done".

ISLAMABAD, 16 September 2021, (TON): The military's media wing said “seven soldiers of the Pakistan Army embraced martyrdom and five terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation in the Asman Manza area of South Waziristan.”

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in a statement, said that the operation was launched on intelligence about the presence of terrorists in the area.

ISPR said "during intense exchange of fire, 5 terrorists were killed and 7 soldiers embraced shahadat.”

The security forces cordoned off the area and began a search operation "to eliminate any other terrorists" found in the area, the statement added.