Sunday, April 21, 2013
Kabul (BNA) During an operation in Balkh district, Balkh province, yesterday, Afghan and coalition security forces killed two insurgents while searching for a senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader.
The IMU leader is believed to have a long history of planning attacks against civilians and Afghan and coalition forces. 
The leader is accused to have coordinated a failed attack against a public gathering, specifically targeting the Balkh provincial governor and other government officials with suicide bombers. 
He is known to conduct coordinated operations between IMU and Taliban networks, and has extensive experience facilitating the movement of improvised explosive devices throughout the area.  An assessment is still ongoing to determine additional details of the operation.
In other news throughout Afghanistan:
The Afghan and coalition security force arrested one insurgent during an operation in search of a senior Taliban leader in Kandahar district, Kandahar province, today.
The leader is believed to have operational control over a group of insurgents responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He is suspected to be a key insurgent facilitator in the area, procuring and distributing weapons and other military supplies.
The Afghan and coalition security force arrested four insurgents during an operation in search of a Taliban leader in Kandahar district, Kandahar province, today. The leader is believed to manage a network of insurgents throughout the province, and gathering intelligence to use against Afghan and coalition forces.
He has also participated in executions of Afghan officials, assisted in the facilitation of weapons to local insurgents, and directly associated with Abdullah Wakil, the former Taliban leader for Panjwa’i district. Wakil was killed during an Afghan and coalition operation on March 31.
During an operation in search of a senior Taliban leader in Khugyani district, Nangarhar province, today, Afghan and coalition security forces arrested three insurgents. The leader is believed to be responsible assassinations against government officials, facilitated movement of money, distributed weapons and insurgent fighters, and conducted multiple attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout the local area. 
T. Rateb
 

Sunday, April 21, 2013
Kabul (BNA) Afghan National Army Commandos of the 6th Special Operations Kandak detained a Taliban leader and killed two insurgents while conducting a large scale clearing operation in Sarobi district, Kabul province.
The 6th Special Operations Kandak (SOK) conducted the operation to disrupt insurgent activity in Uzbeen valley.
As the Commandos searched near Bozakhel village, insurgents attacked the patrol with small arms fire.  The 6th SOK returned fire, killing two insurgents and detaining three insurgents, including detaining Juma Gul, a local Taliban leader. 
Gul is responsible for orchestrating multiple attacks against Afghan and Coalition Forces in the area. 
“Our Commando missions have led to the capture of many high ranking Taliban leaders and insurgents throughout eastern Afghanistan,” said Afghan National Army Special Operations Commander, Brigadier General Karim. “As Commandos, we are more than willing to go into the district and clear the area of the enemy.”
The Commandos are an elite group that conducts high-risk operations in remote areas known to be enemy strongholds.  These counterinsurgency missions assist national and local police in their efforts to increases in security, governance, and development. 
“The district cannot depend solely on Commando and Coalition Forces for security,” said Karim. “It is important that national and local police forces take the necessary steps to promote and increase security for the people living in this area.”
The Commandos transferred custody of Juma Gul to the National Directorate of Security.
T. Rateb
 

Sunday, April 21, 2013
Kabul (BNA) Afghan National Army Commandos of the 1st Special Operations Kandak conducted a large scale clearing operation in which they detained 12 insurgents and recovered a weapons cache in Bati Kot District, Nangarhar Province.
The Commandos are an elite group that conducts high-risk counterinsurgency operations in remote areas known to be enemy strongholds. During this operation, they entered Bati Kot District in search of key Taliban commanders.
Insurgents attempted to attack the Commandos as they conducted a search of a local village. The Commandos effectively engaged the insurgents, foiling their ambush. Unable to launch a successful attack, the enemy fighters retreated from the area.
After the engagement, the Commandos recovered a weapons cache consisting of 40 AK47s and 10 machine guns. The 1st SOK also detained 12 insurgents.
“I appreciate the Commando’s continuous and dedicated efforts to enable stability in our district.  Each time, their operations make it easier for our police to secure the districts more effectively and help increase the security of the entire province,” said Nangarhar Provincial Governor Gul Agha Sherzai. “Now that Commando operations have driven the insurgents from our villages, it is important that we maintain this security. Afghanistan has to be strong like a mountain, especially against the enemies in this region if we want peace.”

The insurgents are in the custody of the National Directorate of Security.
 

Sunday April 21, 2013
Kabul (BNA) Global Fund and the Ministry of Public Health inked agreement yesterday under which the latter provides a grant of 20 million US dollars.
BNA reports after inking the agreement, the minister for public health Dr. Saraya Dalil said that contribution will be invested in improving health services and reducing tuberculosis and AIDS.
She also noted that 28 nursing schools will also be constructed in the 28 provinces.
The director of central Asia of the Global Fund also spoke after inking the agreement, saying the agency would continue to support the ministry for public health.
 

Sunday, April 21, 2013
Kabul (BNA)  The second round of vaccination campaign against polio launched across the country yesterday, Doctor Ghulam Farooq the head of vaccination program in the World Health Organization (WHO said. 
Addressing a press conference here he added that the campaign against crippling disease of children was launched in Kabul, Parwan, Panjshir, Kapisa, Logar, Wardak, Diakundi and Bamyan provinces during which 1.9 million children under five will be given immunity doses. 
Since 2013 one case of polio has been registered in Nangarhar, he added. 
Doctor Sediqi said that more than 10690 supervisors, 1500 monitors and 11480 volunteers 564 propagandists are involved in the essential campaign.  If any child missed the polio drop can approach the nearest clinic within week, the official further said.
 

Sunday, April 14, 2013
Kabul (BNA) Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) yesterday held health retreat conference for two days, discussing activities carried out during last decade, achievements, health priorities, and investment on health sector of Afghanistan.
The conference was attended by representatives of International health partners for Afghanistan, such as World Bank (WB), Europe Union (EU), United States Agency for International development (USAID), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and other international partners and donors.
Addressing the conference Dr. Suraya Dalil, Minister of Public Health said,” today we held retreat conference, while in cooperation with our international partners, we have got significant achievements in health sector of Afghanistan during last ten years.
Dr. Dalil further said, around 60 percent of the Afghan population has access to basic health services.
This means that families in Afghanistan by walking an hour distance receive basic health services from a health center wherein care for childhood illnesses, care before delivery, during delivery and after childbirth, implementation of immunization programs, essential drugs and treatment of common disaster are provided.
Today in Afghanistan out of every 10 newborns, only one dies before the age of five, while ten years ago, every four children were born, one of them died before reaching the age of five.
Likewise one in three births occur by help of skilled, trained and qualified birth attendants and 60 percent of mothers during their pregnancy at least once go to doctor, Dr. Dalil added.
The Minister of Public Health stated “ten years ago, every 27 minutes a women died due to complication of pregnancy and child birth, but now a mothers dies very two hours in one parts of the country”.
Dr. Dalil while emphasizing on serious fighting against corruption said that the readership of MoPH was committed to fight seriously against corruption and she as the minister of public health assures to the international community, donors and especially to the people of Afghanistan that her is responsible and countable for very dollar comes into the country’s health sector.
Meanwhile in conference, the minister of public health signed long-term partnership protocol with representatives of Europe Union and World Bank.
Likewise a numbers of other participants spoke in the conference, called the investment on the health sector of Afghanistan so important and emphasized on their long-term commitment with Afghan government, particularly in its health sector.
 

Sunday, April 14, 2013
Kabul (BNA) The vice president Mohammad Karim Khalili in meeting with the deputy and the special envoy of UN Secretary General, Mark Boden here yesterday called for coordination between government bodied and UN agencies in assisting the affected people in the country, saying ensuring coordination can reduce the danger of natural disaster and helps Afghans to adequately assume security, political and economic responsibility beyond 2014, press office of presidential palace said yesterday.
Both the UN officials described Afghanistan as the most vulnerable country in term of natural disaster and shared with the vice president the experiences of other countries in dealing with natural disaster.
Khalili in the meeting which was also attended by the general director of the Authority to Manage Natural Disaster, emphasized for harmony between international aid agencies and the government bodies.
The vice president also briefed the delegation on the government’s planning on how to tackle the emergences arisen out of natural disaster in the country.
 

Sunday, April 14, 2013
Kabul (BNA) President Hamid Karzai in his message on the occasion of festival to mark Ghazni as the capital of world Islamic culture termed the event as a matter of pride for the people of Afghanistan.
In the message, the president noted that Ghazni in fourth and fifth century HQ was a city with hustle and bustle with having poets, scholar and Sufis.
Great poets, scholars, literates and cultural figures had emerged in Ghazni and left behind valuable works.
Due to its high places in the field of knowledge and culture and its contribution in this regard.
Ghazni has been named as the cultural capital of Islam, the president said in his message, adding we are proud of such asset and would continue to introduce it to the coming generations.
The president also thanked the ministry for information and culture, Ghazni’s local administration, ISECO and all those played a role in holding Ghazni festival.
Besides welcoming the guests in the festival, the president also wished success for the organizers of the historic event.
 

Sunday April 14, 2013
Kabul (BNA) The vice president Mohammad Karim Khalili received a delegation of people from Khost province here yesterday.
BNA reports Headed by parliamentarian Arifullah Pashtun of Khost and some local officials, the delegation demanded the construction of Khost-Gerdiz road and putting in bid the building of Khost airport, besides launching development projects including industrial parks, water and power upgrading Khost status from third rank province.
In his speech, the vice president noted that part of the problems of Khost province can be solved through the economic committee of the minister’s council, saying he would take the remaining with the president to find solution.
 

Sunday April 14, 2013
Kabul (BNA) Minister of Information and Culture of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Dr. Sayed Makhdoom Raheen and Minister of Culture and Guidance of the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr. Mohammad Hussaini met in Kabul the other day and discussed on cultural cooperation between the two countries.
BNA reports that Dr. Raheen and Dr. Hussaini who is visiting Afghanistan, during their meetings evaluated the methods of these cooperation.
According to another report while he was accompanying by deputy minister for cultural affairs Musadiq Khalili, General Director of BNA and a number of other related in charges of the ministry of information and culture, minister of culture and guidance of Iran visited different parts of national museum.