KABUL, 31 January 2022, (TON): The UN chief and the Iranian foreign minister have supported efforts to form an inclusive government in Afghanistan.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian discussed the latest regional situation with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

In a phone conversation, Iran media reported that the diplomats conferred on Afghanistan, with Guterres stressing the representation of Afghan parties and tribes in the new administration,

The news report said the secretary-general underlined respect for the rights of the Afghan people from all walks of life, including children and women.

For his part, Amirabdollahian stressed the need for paying special attention to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the situation of refugees.

KABUL, 31 January 2022, (TON): The Islamic Emirate says that the practical work of the TAPI project will begin in the near future and all the preliminary work has been prepared for its implementation.

Bilal Karimi, the deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said that work on the security and financial sectors of the project has been partially completed and that practical work on the project will begin as the weather warms up.

He said “the TAPI project should be implemented in a good way, and the Islamic Emirate is well prepared for its financial part. From our side, its technical and logistical problems have been solved.”

Economists said that the implementation of the TAPI project will provide job opportunities for around 12,000 people in Afghanistan.

Mansour Hedayat, an economist said “the TAPI project is one of the biggest projects in the whole region, we are very sorry that we have not been able to start this project in the last few years. We all know that it has great benefits for the people of Afghanistan.”

NEW DELHI, 31 January 2022, (TON): Police said “Indian troops on Sunday claimed to kill five fighters, reportedly including a top commander from the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group, in stepped-up anti-militancy operations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).”

Kashmir Police chief Vijay Kumar told media “the fighters were killed in two separate overnight operations by Indian troops south of Srinagar.”

Kumar allegedly claimed “we had launched two separate operations on the basis of inputs about the presence of militants in these areas last night. Five militants, including JeM commander, Zahid Wani, and a Pakistani national, Kafeel, were killed in these two operations.”

Kumar said “a police officer was shot to death by fighters outside his residence Saturday evening in the south of Srinagar.”

In January, 21 fighters have been killed across IIOJK, according to police.

Last year, the region witnessed a wave of civilian killings, with fighters seemingly targeting non-Kashmiris, including migrant workers, and members of the minority Hindu and Sikh communities in the Muslim-majority valley.

DHAKA, 31 January 2022, (TON): Another 718 more Rohingyas left the Cox’s Bazar camps for Noakhali’s Bhashan Char in the tenth phase of relocation. 

A total of 13 buses carrying the refugees departed from the transit point at Ukhiya Degree College around 1pm for Chittagong, said Refugee Relief and Repatriation Additional Commissioner (RRRC) Md Shamsuddoha.

He added “they are expected to reach Bhashan Char by Monday.”

He further said several other Rohingyas have also agreed to move to Bhashan Char.

“A relocation process is in progress for them.”

Representative of the RRRC and Bhashan Char Camp In-Charge (CIC) Jahirul Islam said “some Rohingyas have been sent to Bhashan Char, and some more are expected to come. So, we can’t say for sure how many people will arrive. However, we have made preparations to set them up at the centres.”

On January 5, a total of 705 Rohingyas were relocated to Bhashan Char in the ninth phase.

DHAKA, 31 January 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said “the government believes that international organizations would not take individuals' letters or instigation into their consideration as Dhaka is sending facts-based briefings to them.”

"They (individuals) might keep writing. It's being written at an individual level. We believe those organizations won't take this into their consideration," he told reporters, apparently referring to excitement among a particular group of people following the sanctions imposed on RAB and some individuals.

Dr Momen talked to reporters after attending the inaugural ceremony of 16th National Wushu Championship as the chief guest at Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium, Mirpur.

He hoped that various types of instigations by some individuals will not work and the existing relations with those organizations will remain unhurt.

The foreign minister said the government has also sent such fact-based briefings to Bangladesh missions abroad to share those with relevant departments upholding Bangladesh's actual situation.

He said while responding to a question "we're having meetings continuously and we take whatever decisions we need to take through discussion.”

WASHINGTON, 30 January 2022, (TON): The United States plans to reroute $67 million of military assistance for Lebanon’s armed forces to support members of the military as the country grapples with financial meltdown.

According to a notification sent to Congress, the State Department intends to change the content of previously appropriated foreign military funding for Lebanon to include livelihood support for members of the Lebanese military, citing economic turmoil as well as social unrest.

The notification to Congress, said “livelihood support for (armed forces) members will strengthen their operational readiness, mitigate absenteeism, and thus enable LAF members to continue fulfilling key security functions needed to stave off a further decline in stability.”

Washington is the biggest foreign aid donor to Lebanon. US officials had pledged additional support in October.

The news was praised in Washington.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said in a statement “it is in the United States’ national security interest to help these servicemen make ends meet and continue supporting the Lebanese people, and I’m really glad to see the administration putting our security assistance dollars to Lebanon toward that goal.”

KYIV, 30 January 2022, (TON): Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said “it was important to stay “vigilant and firm” during negotiations with Moscow amid rising fears of a Russian invasion.”

The Kremlin has deployed over 100,000 troops and heavy armor along Ukraine’s borders, according to the West, which fears that the Kremlin will stage an incursion.

The Ukrainian foreign ministry said “during a phone conversation with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, Kuleba thanked Paris for the decision not to evacuate the families of its diplomatic staff in Kyiv.”

The ministry’s statement said “the sides stressed the importance of being vigilant and firm in contacts with the Russian side.”

Both Kuleba and Le Drian underlined the need to “refrain from steps that could fuel anxiety” in Ukrainian society and undermine the financial stability of the post-Soviet country, according to the statement.

Le Drian is expected to visit Ukraine together with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock on February 7-8.

MOSCOW, 30 January 2022, (TON): Defense Minister Tibor Benke said “hungary considers it inappropriate in the current situation to deploy additional NATO forces on its territory.”

According to him, the situation around Ukraine does not pose an immediate danger to Hungary, because the country does not need additional NATO forces.

The minister also noted that, according to the Hungarian army, the redeployment of Russian troops along the border with Ukraine does not indicate that Russia wants to attack Ukraine.

CNN reported Wednesday, citing unnamed US officials, that the US and a number of its allies are discussing the possibility of deploying several thousand more troops on NATO’s eastern flank.

According to them, among the countries that are considering the possibility of deploying additional forces of NATO partners on their territory are Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

PARIS, 30 January 2022, (TON): France is ready, if necessary, to send several hundred French troops to Romania as part of a possible expansion of the NATO mission.

French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly announced this on Saturday on the radio station France Inter.

Parly said “we are ready to deploy our military in Romania – a country bordering Ukraine – with the appropriate decision of NATO.”

She specified “we are talking about several hundred soldiers.”

The head of the French defense department recalled that on Thursday she visited Bucharest to discuss this issue. On the same day, a group of experts from the French Ministry of the Armed Forces arrived in Romania to assess the possible expansion of the NATO mission in this country.

She said “we discussed this issue sending the military with our Romanian partners.”

Parley added “in the near future we should have a meeting with NATO members on this matter.”

The Minister noted the concern of Paris with the situation around Ukraine and stressed the need to de-escalate tensions.

TEHRAN, 30 January 2022, (TON): Iran’s Foreign Ministry “condemned a rocket attack against Baghdad airport that took place the previous day as an act that seeks to destabilize Iraq.”

Six rockets were fired at the Iraqi capital’s airport, causing damage to one runway and two civilian planes but no casualties. It was the latest in a string of attacks that the US blames on Iran-linked armed groups. The attack was not immediately claimed.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement “Iran condemns “the targeting of Baghdad airport” in an attack that aims to destabilize Iraq.”

He added “such suspicious actions have created insecurity and unrest in Iraq, paving the way for the ill-wishers and the insurgents, and affecting the government’s services to the Iraqi citizens.”

The rockets fell around civil installations at the airport, damaging an out-of-service Boeing 767 belonging to state-owned Iraqi Airways.