JERUSALEM, 02 July 2021, (TON): Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has announced a deal for Jewish settlers to leave an illegal outpost in the occupied West Bank by Friday, with a possibility of returning.

Settlers had built the Eviatar outpost near Nablus over recent weeks in defiance of both international and Israeli law, sparking fierce protests from Palestinians in neighbouring villages.

Bennett, who previously led a key settler lobbying group, on late Wednesday released details of the deal, which calls for Eviatar’s inhabitants to leave by 4:00 pm Friday (1300 GMT).

A letter outlining the terms of the previously reported arrangement confirmed that the settler’s homes will remain at the site and the Israeli army ,which has occupied the West Bank since 1967, will establish a presence in the area.

The letter said “following the evacuation, the defence ministry “will perform a process of land survey on the site as quickly as possible” to determine whether it can be labelled Israeli state land.

The letter added “if the study declares it to be Israeli land, a religious institution will be allowed to be built and accompanying residential quarters for it and for the yeshiva staff’s families.

All Jewish settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal by most of the international community.

ISLAMABAD, 02 July 2021, (TON): President Arif Alvi said “India is still playing the role of a spoiler and trying to derail efforts for peace in Afghanistan.”

In an interview with a private TV channel, he accused New Delhi of trying to foment distrust between Islamabad and Kabul.

He added “India, throughout history, has acted as a spoiler, trying to damage relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan because it wants Afghanistan to be an irritant for Pakistan.”

President Alvi also urged Afghanistan’s National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib to refrain from spewing allegations and inflammatory statements against Pakistan.

President said “such behaviour is inappropriate and he (Mohib) must exercise caution and restraint.”

He further added that Kabul has a propensity to blame Pakistan or the US for its own failures.

“Pakistan hosts over 3.5 million Afghan refugees, which we consider our religious and moral duty. They [Afghan leaders] should keep this generosity in mind before making statements against us.”

KABUL, 02 July 2021, (TON): Most European troops have already pulled out of Afghanistan, quietly withdrawing months before the U.S.-led mission was officially expected to end — part of an anticlimactic close to the “forever war” that risks leaving the country on the brink of civil war.

Germany and Italy declared their missions in Afghanistan over on Wednesday and Poland’s last troops returned home, bringing their deployments to a low-key end nearly 20 years after the first Western soldiers were deployed there.

Announcements from several countries analyzed by The Associated Press show that a majority of European troops has now left with little ceremony — a stark contrast to the dramatic and public show of force and unity when NATO allies lined up to back the U.S. invasion to rid the country of al-Qaida after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

In the ensuing decades, the war went from one mission to another. Former U.S. President George W. Bush’s administration shied away from nation-building and the United Nations advocated a light footprint. But with the passing years, NATO and U.S. troops took on greater roles developing Afghanistan’s National Security and Defense Forces and training police. At the war’s peak, the U.S. and NATO military numbers surpassed 150,000.

NATO agreed in April to withdraw its roughly 7,000 non-American forces from Afghanistan to match U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to pull all American troops from the country, starting May 1.

Biden set a Sept. 11 deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. But more recently, American officials have said that pullout would most likely be completed by July 4 — and many allies have moved to wrap up their own presence by then as well.

NATO declined to give an update Wednesday on how many nations still have troops in its Resolute Support mission. But an analysis of 19 governments’ announcements shows that more than 4,800 of the non-American forces have left.

The U.S. has refused to give troop figures, but when Biden announced the final pullout, between 2,500 and 3,500 troops were deployed. As of February, a total of some 832,000 American troops had served in Afghanistan, while about 25,100 Defense Department civilians had also served there.

The U.S. has also refused to give a clear date for a final withdrawal.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday only that the U.S. withdrawal remains “on the timeline that the president announced ... which is to get our troops out of Afghanistan, while having a remaining diplomatic presence on the ground, by September.”

Germany announced the end of its nearly 20-year deployment in a statement and a series of tweets from the defense minister late Tuesday, shortly after the last plane carrying its troops had left Afghan airspace.

Three transport aircraft landed at the Wunstorf air base in northern Germany on Wednesday afternoon. The troops, wearing masks, lined up on the tarmac for a brief ceremony, but the military dispensed with a bigger reception because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We have worked long and hard to stand here today,” said Brig. Gen. Ansgar Meyer, the last commander of the German contingent. “As your commander, I can say for you: ‘Mission accomplished.’ You have fulfilled your task.”

But the top American general in Afghanistan gave a sobering assessment Tuesday, warning about the recent rapid loss of districts to the Taliban and cautioning the country could descend into civil war.

The German pullout came amid a spate of withdrawals by European nations. Poland’s last departing troops were greeted Wednesday by Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak. Some 33,000 Polish troops have served in Afghanistan over the past 20 years.

The last Italian troops from Italy’s base in Herat arrived at the military airport in Pisa late Tuesday. Italy officially declared its mission in Afghanistan over in a statement Wednesday, with Defense Minister Lorenzo Guerini paying tribute to the 53 Italians who died and 723 who were injured over the past two decades.

Going forward, Guerini said Italy’s commitment to Afghanistan would remain, “beginning with the strengthening of development cooperation and support for Afghan institutions.”

Georgia’s last troops returned home Monday, while Romania brought home its remaining 140 troops Saturday, when Norway also pulled out. Troops from Denmark, Estonia and the Netherlands also returned home last week. Spain withdrew its last troops on May 13, Sweden on May 25, and Belgium on June 14. The small contingents deployed by Portugal, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Finland, Albania, North Macedonia and Luxembourg have left as well.

The pullout is nearing its end as security in Afghanistan worsens. Since May 1, when the withdrawal began, the Taliban have overrun district after district, including along major transportation routes. Many have fallen after Afghan soldiers surrendered, often convinced to leave their posts by elders. But elsewhere there have been bitter military battles, with Afghan troops sometimes losing when their positions could not be resupplied.

The U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Austen S. Miller, meanwhile, expressed concern about the resurrection of militias, which were deployed to help the beleaguered national security forces but have a brutal reputation for widespread killing.

“A civil war is certainly a path that can be visualized if this continues on the trajectory it’s on right now, that should be of concern to the world,” he said.

At a ceremony last week to mark the official end of the Dutch deployment, Dutch Defense Minister Ank Bijleveld-Schouten underscored the uncertain outlook.

“We see reports of the rise of the Taliban, growing violence, also in areas where we were stationed,” she said. “A lot has been achieved but we must be realistic: The results are not irreversible.”

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This story has been updated to correct that Italian troops arrived home late Tuesday, not Wednesday.

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Gannon reported from Kabul, Afghanistan. Associated Press writers Nicole Winfield in Rome; Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands; Robert Burns in Washington and reporters from around Europe contributed to this report.

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NEW DELHI, 02 July 2021, (TON):  India and Pakistan exchanged lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in their custody.

India handed over lists of 271 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 74 fishermen in India’s custody to Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 51 civilian prisoners and 558 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or are believed-to-be Indians, read a Ministry of External Affairs press release.

The list was exchanged in keeping with the provisions of the 2008 Agreement under which such lists are exchanged every year on 1st January and 1st July.

India has called for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, missing Indian defense personnel and fishermen along with their boats, from Pakistan’s custody.

Pakistan was asked to expedite the release and repatriation of one Indian civilian prisoner and 295 Indian fishermen to India whose nationality has been confirmed and conveyed to Pakistan, read MEA release.

It has also been asked to provide immediate consular access to 194 fishermen and 17 civilian prisoners who are in Pakistan’s custody and are believed to be Indian.

India also requested Pakistan to expedite the grant of visas to the members of the medical experts’ team and facilitate their visit to Pakistan to assess the mental condition of believed-to-be Indian prisoners of unsound mind, lodged in different jails of Pakistan. It was also proposed to organize an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan, read the release.

ISLAMABAD, 02 July 2021, (TON): The country's top security officials including ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed briefed parliamentarians on matters related to the Kashmir dispute, the Afghan peace process and other crucial issues.

According to a statement issued by the Information Ministry “a special in-camera session of Parliamentary Defence Committee on National Security was held at the Parliament House in Islamabad with Speaker Asad Qaiser in chair.”

The high-level huddle is being attended by Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and other parliamentary leaders.

The official communiqué read “the director-general ISI comprehensively briefed the members on internal and external national security paradigm in the ever evolving geo-political and strategic environment, particularly the Kashmir issue and the current situation in Afghanistan.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza and chief military spokesperson Major General Babar Iftikhar were also present during the briefing.

The participants were apprised that Pakistan would welcome the true representative government of the Afghan people and would continue to play its positive role in peace efforts in the war-torn country.

The security officials told “the meeting that Pakistan's land is not being used in the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan. They also expressed hope that Afghanistan’s soil will not be used against Pakistan.

The lawmakers expressed satisfaction over the briefing and wished for peace, development and prosperity in Afghanistan. They also appreciated the efforts of the COAS and the ISI chief in identifying various challenges and providing clarity on the issues confronted by Pakistan through a detailed and informative briefing.

The opposition members have been complaining that the elected representatives have been kept in the dark about Pakistan’s policy with regard to Afghanistan which faces an uncertain future and is potentially heading towards another civil war. Bilawal during his budget speech raised the issue and demanded a briefing from the relevant authorities on the Afghan situation.

ADDIS ABABA, 01 July 2021, (TON): Tigrayan rebels vowed to hunt down Ethiopian and Eritrean troops on the run around the regional capital, Mekelle, after taking full control of the city in a sharp reversal of eight months of war.

People in Mekelle said “the incoming Tigrayan fighters were greeted with cheers. There were similar scenes on video footage from the northern town of Shire, where residents said government-allied Eritrean forces pulled out and Tigrayan forces re-entered.”

The Ethiopian government declared a unilateral ceasefire on Monday after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s (TPLF) territorial gains.

However, Getachew Reda, a TPLF spokesman, said that the ceasefire was a joke and hundreds had been killed in fighting near the border with the Afar region, information that could not be independently verified.

Getachew told media “rebel forces would not stop fighting until the entire region was liberated.”

The aim of the Tigrayan forces is to push back to make sure that every inch of Tigray is in their control.

TEHRAN, 01 July 2021, (TON): The Iranian armed forces have launched a large-scale military exercise in an area of the Caspian Sea of around 77,000 square kilometers (48,000 square miles), testing naval and airborne units as well as electronic warfare systems.

The naval and airborne units of the Iranian armed forces began their Amaniyat-e Paydar (Sustainable Security) 1400 naval drill, which saw the participation of several units, including fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and naval drones.

According to local media, the exercises test the interoperability of Iranian hardware and the use of missile launchers and electronic warfare systems in simulated wargames.

The armed forces will simulate both offensive and defensive scenarios, testing their capacity to protect the country’s territorial waters and maintain transportation lines.

Iran occupies approximately 20% of the Caspian Sea, which it shares with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan.

It has carried out several drills, some of them naval, over the past year, both putting new defense technologies to the test and showing the world its military might.

KABUL, 01 July 2021, (TON):  The Taliban has taken control of more than 80 districts in the two months since launching its offensive against the Afghan government after President Joe Biden announced the US would withdraw its forces from the country by September.

In many cases, Afghan security forces have turned over district centers, abandoned military bases, surrendered to the Taliban and handed over their weapons, vehicles and other war material without a fight. The Taliban’s multi-year strategy of gaining influence in rural districts to then pressure the population centers is paying dividends.

According to an ongoing assessment by FDD’s Long War Journal “prior to the Taliban offensive, which began in earnest on May 1, the date that the US government originally committed to completing its withdraw under the Doha agreement, the Taliban controlled 73 of Afghanistan’s 407 districts, and contested 210.”

The Biden administration moved the withdraw date to Sept. 11, 2021, the 20-year anniversary of Al Qaeda’s attack on American soil, which it plotted and executed largely from Afghanistan.

The Taliban began to seize territory once the May 1 deadline expired, and as of June 29, 2021, now controls 157 districts. Much of the Taliban gains are in the north, and that has put multiple provincial capitals under threat. Taliban fighters have entered the cities of Kunduz and Pul-i-Khumri and are on the outskirts of Mazar-i-Sharif and Taloqan. Other provincial capitals, such as Maimana and Faizabad, are under direct Taliban threat.

The Taliban has largely gained ground in districts that were previously contested. The number of contested districts dropped from 210 on May 1 to 157 today. However, at least 10 districts flipped entirely from government controlled to Taliban controlled without ever being labeled as contested.

ISLAMABAD, 01 July 2021, (TON): British Deputy Speaker  of the House of Commons, Dame Eleanor Laing, thanked Pakistani doctors and nurses for their services during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Conservative MP and deputy speaker of the House of Commons said last year, due to a full lockdown, has been difficult for everyone but there are also those who excelled with their service of humanity, and by saving the lives of others.

She was speaking at an event to celebrate the election victory of Councilor Syed Saqlain Raza from the Chigwell Ward Epping on the Conservative seat.

He said "when you look at the National Health Service (NHS) there is a very large proportion of Pakistani doctors and nurses who have worked hard to look after the vulnerable and to save lives.”

"I am saying thank you to the whole community".

She said that the success of Councilor Syed Saqlain Raza, on a traditional Tory seat, was a celebration of the integration of Pakistani communities in the UK.

"I know it has been a very difficult time in Pakistan and this awful virus is taking its toll as it has done here in Britain. I hope we will be able to visit Pakistan soon once we are able to travel. Pakistan is a fascinating country and I would like to see it.

She added “Conservative Friends of Pakistan have been a source of enormous support for us in Epping Forest. We have won a great many seats with help from Pakistanis.”

MOSCOW, 01 July 2021, (TON): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Russia highly appreciates Turkey’s position on the development of military-technical cooperation, including Ankara’s intention to use the first regiment of the S -400 air defense system to ensure its defense capability.

Lavrov said “we highly appreciated the principled position of Turkey on the development of military-technical cooperation, including the intention of our Turkish friends to use the first regiment of the S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system to ensure their own defense capability.”

Lavrov said that the Russian Federation is satisfied with its interaction with Turkey on the Montr-eux Convention; during the negotiations with the Tur-kish Foreign Minister, it w-as fixed that the plans to b-uild the Istanbul Canal wo-uld not affect the parameters of the presence of fore-ign navies in the Black Sea.

Lavrov further said “we are satisfied with the interaction with our Turkish friends, colleagues on the implementation of the Montreux Convention. Today, during the talks, we fixed that in no way the plans for the construction of the Istanbul canal will affect the parameters of the presence of foreign navies in the Black Sea.”