https://arab.news/bd7cq

KABUL: An explosion outside the Russian Embassy in Kabul killed at least six people, including two staff from the diplomatic mission, and injured several others, police in the Afghan capital said on Monday.

The blast went off at around 11 a.m. as the attacker was shot dead by security forces approaching the entrance of the embassy’s consular section, in one of the first such attacks since the Taliban took power last year.

“A suicide bomber wanted to detonate himself in the crowd near the Russian Embassy,” Khalid Zadran, the Taliban’s Kabul police spokesperson, said in a statement.

“But before reaching his goal, the security forces targeted him, which caused the explosion.”

Police have since cleared the area and launched a “comprehensive investigation,” into the attack. At least four civilians and two embassy staff were killed in the blast, Zadran has confirmed.

The explosion occurred as dozens of people were lining up in front of the embassy, according to eyewitnesses’ accounts.

“I just reached the area when I heard a very powerful sound of explosion,” Abdul Ghafar, a high school student in Kabul, told Arab News.

“I saw several bodies on the street,” he said, adding that he had seen at least 20 killed and injured at the scene.

A boy who was wounded after a suicide bomber detonated explosives near the entrance of the Russian embassy, is treated inside a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, September 5, 2022. (REUTERS)

Mohammad Javed, who was working at a shop located near the embassy when the blast happened, said there had been around 60 people queuing near the mission.

“For a few moments there was just smoke, and then we saw several bodies on the ground,” Javed told Arab News.

The Russian Foreign Ministry, which confirmed the killing of at least two of their employees in Kabul, said officials from Moscow are “in close contact with Afghanistan’s security services” following Monday’s attacks.

Russia is one of the few countries which have maintained an embassy in Kabul after the Taliban returned to power over a year ago.

During the US-led occupation of Afghanistan, bombings targeting foreign missions had occurred several times in Kabul, leading to embassies and hotels fortifying their properties with razor wire and blast walls.

But the incidents have decreased dramatically since last year, as Afghanistan has seen improved security across the country, although several attacks — some claimed by the Daesh — have taken place targeting the Taliban and public places, including mosques.

No group has claimed responsibility for Monday’s blast as of publication time.

The Afghan Foreign Ministry in a statement said it “strongly condemns” the incident, as it expressed condolences to the Russian government and people, as well as families of the victims.

“Our security agencies have started a comprehensive investigation regarding the incident and will take serious steps for the security of the embassy so that such potential threats do not hinder the work of the embassy,” Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson of the Afghan foreign ministry, said.

BRUSEELS: The European Commission on Friday urged EU member states to reassess the terms on which they grant visas to Russian travelers and to root out applicants that pose a security threat. “We should not be naive, Putin’s aim is to destroy the EU and he would like to attack us where we are weakest,” warned EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson. She told a news conference in Nuijamaa near Finland’s border with Russia, that Moscow was responsible for an unprovoked war in Ukraine and warned that civilians could act as spies, saboteurs or provocateurs. She alleged that some Russian travelers had sought to harass and humiliate Ukrainian refugees, who have been granted protected status within the EU. “We can not exclude that people are coming with the aim to provoke, to try to get some social unrest, or to provoke violence or riots or things like that or to try to use propaganda,” she said. On Friday, the EU formally suspended a 2007 visa facilitation pact that had made it easier and cheaper for Russians to travel to Europe, but stopped short of the full travel ban demanded by some member states. Johansson said the new rules would still allow passage to vetted dissidents, journalists and humanitarian cases, but that applications for simple tourist and business visas should be “reassessed.” The Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania — which border Russia — have already toughened their own visa rules, but Johansson said she expected them to follow the EU guidelines. Just under a million Russians already hold visas for the EU’s Schengen travel area, and the commissioner said member states should also reassess these existing travel documents.

LONDON: The sultan of Brunei is now the world’s longest-serving monarch following the death on Thursday of Elizabeth II, who was the queen of the UK and 15 other Commonwealth realms. Hassanal Bolkiah, who ascended to the throne in 1967, has reigned for 54 years and 339 days. His reign is four years longer than that of Danish Queen Margrethe II, who is now the world’s second-longest reigning monarch. Before her sudden passing on Thursday, Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-serving monarch in the world. Her platinum jubilee — marking 70 years since her coronation — was celebrated in June. Bolkiah was reportedly good friends with the queen, with the sultanate and Britain enjoying a close relationship marked by several ceremonial associations. Members of the Brunei royal family hold several honorary positions in the British Armed Forces. Bolkiah was knighted by the queen, an honor that was also bestowed upon his father, and the pair met on serval occasions in both London and Brunei’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan.

DUBAI: Germany’s difficulties in getting European partners to sign bilateral agreements on sharing gas in case of an emergency predate the current situation, the economy ministry said on Friday in response to a report outlining the problems. “There has been an obligation to conclude solidarity contracts since 2018,” a ministry spokesperson said. “The negotiations and willingness to conclude them was very difficult” even before Germany’s current coalition government took power in December 2021, the spokesperson told Reuters. With Russia reducing its gas exports to Europe’s biggest economy, Germany has already agreed such pacts with Denmark, Czech Republic and Austria, aiming to avoid panic if a supply crisis strikes and reduce the risk countries would hoard fuel. In July, the economy ministry said Germany had been working intensively and for a long time on further agreements with other nearby states such as Poland and Italy. Welt newspaper reported on Thursday, citing an economy ministry report to German lawmakers, that these talks were proving to be more difficult than expected, Welt reported. “Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Poland are evading the constructive negotiations and conclusion of the bilateral solidarity agreements with us,” the report said. European Union members agreed in July to free up fuel to share around in a supply crisis, but it was up to individual countries to sort out how that sharing will happen in practice. The ministry said the Italian government could only re-engage in talks after the parliamentary election due at the end of September. It was not foreseeable when Berlin could sign a trilateral agreement with Switzerland and Italy, the report said. According to the report, Germany’s neighbors were reluctant to sign due to disagreements over compensation Berlin would have to pay to its companies for expropriating their gas to offer to neighbors.

NEW DELHI: New Delhi is seeking to enhance its strategic partnership with Riyadh and cooperation on international platforms, the Indian government said on Friday, ahead of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s first official trip to Saudi Arabia.

Jaishankar is scheduled to arrive in the Kingdom on Saturday for a three-day visit, during which he will co-chair with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan the inaugural ministerial meeting of the Committee on Political, Security, Social and Cultural Cooperation under the framework of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that the ministers would “undertake a comprehensive review” of the bilateral relationship.

“During the visit, EAM will also meet other Saudi dignitaries, as well as Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council H.E. Dr. Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajjraf. Both sides will review the bilateral relations and discuss ways to enhance them,” the ministry said.

“Both sides will also discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest including their cooperation at the UN, G20 and GCC.”

Jaishankar will meet representatives of the 3.5 million Indian expats living and working in the Kingdom.

Saudi-Indian ties reached new highs when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited New Delhi in February 2019. In October that year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Riyadh at the invitation of King Salman, and the Strategic Partnership Council was established.

The India-Saudi strategic partnership is focused on four areas: Political issues, security, socio-cultural relations and defense corporation.

“India and Saudi Arabia in the last few years exponentially strengthened their bilateral relations in various fields — be it political contacts, cooperation in the fight against COVID-19, at multilateral forums as well, whether it is the United Nations or the G20, which Saudi Arabia was heading in 2020,” Muddassir Quamar, a fellow at the Institute of Defense Studies and Analyzes in New Delhi, told Arab News.

Jaishankar’s visit is likely to further strengthen ties.

“Given the kind of regional and international developments we are witnessing today and given the fact that both India and Saudi Arabia are very important actors — regional and international actors — this is a very important visit from all these perspectives,” Qamar said.

The trip is also expected to help the leaderships of the two countries establish ways to proceed with investment projects.

“We have a strategic partnership between India and Saudi Arabia and there is a council also, and this council supervises various committees — economic, political, cultural. It supervises bilateral relations in various arenas: Investment, economic partnerships, counterterrorism, and also many other fields,” Prof. Zikrur Rahman, founding director of the India-Arab Cultural Center, who as a diplomat had served in several Middle Eastern countries, told Arab News.

“This is an important visit which will give an idea to the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as the leadership of India, about how to proceed further regarding big investments and also opportunities for the new projects, which are being launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

LONDON: An Afghan boy has been reunited with his twin brother in Britain after enduring a year of being stranded in France.

Obaidullah Jabarkhyl, 11, was separated from his parents and siblings during the evacuation from Afghanistan after the Taliban took over in August 2021.

The young boy then spent a year living in fear in Strasbourg, a French city on the German border, while the Home Office processed his asylum application.

Obaidullah’s wait finally came to an end on Wednesday after he arrived at London’s St. Pancras train station, the Metro newspaper reported.

His twin brother, Irfanullah, greeted him at the station in Britain’s capital, where he had been living with their UK-based family.

Arriving at the Eurostar train station, Obaidullah said: “I’m tired but happy.

“I’m most looking forward to learning English at school and meeting new friends here.”

His cousin, Qamar, criticized the government delays that kept families separated.

Qamar added that the family’s case being widely reported along with the support of MP Bob Blackman led to action being taken.

The 28-year-old British citizen and engineer told the Metro: “As soon as the news went viral the Home Office managed to make a contact on Monday.

“They promised back in March or February to take swift action and they didn’t.

“We are still thankful for the way they helped but I think they should help others because there are many other Afghans in the same situation, little kids living away from home.”

Qamar said that Obaidullah was ready to “put it all behind him” and live a new life in Britain.

“When he arrived on the train Irfanullah cried for him, it was very emotional,” he said.

“He says he still doesn’t believe he’s arrived in the UK. He’s so excited to be here and he wants to put it all behind him now.

“When he left Afghanistan he told me he didn’t feel any happiness for escaping the Taliban regime because he’d left his family behind.

“Coming here was the first time he realized. He was upset that his parents are left behind and he may never see them again.”

The family’s lawyer, Nick O’Loughlan, welcomed the Home Office’s intervention to recover the Afghan boy, but warned that family reunion delays are increasing.

“Home Office guidance states that decisions in family reunion applications should be made within 12 weeks,” O’Loughlan said.

“However, we are routinely seeing these applications take up to a year, often with no reason at all being offered as justification.

“The long delays we are seeing can be extremely damaging to the mental health of applicants, particularly to those who are vulnerable and are left stranded without their family members.

“I hope that the Home Office will acknowledge this and take steps to ensure that their service standards are upheld.”

A Home Office spokesperson did not respond to this criticism, but told the Metro: “Obaidullah Jabar Khil has arrived safely in the UK and reunited with his family.

“We have worked closely with the local authority and social services throughout, who will continue to support Obaidullah and his family.

“During Operation Pitting, we evacuated 15,000 people from Kabul and we continue to do all we can to secure safe passage and enable British nationals and eligible Afghans to leave the country.”