ISLAMABAD: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed a senior Pakistani military official, Major General Zia Ur Rehman as the force commander for a mission in Western Sahara, a statement released on Thursday read.
Major General Rehman succeeds Major General Xiaojun Wang of China, whose tour of duty ended on February 17. “The Secretary General is grateful to Major General Wang for his exemplary service and contribution to the work of MINURSO [Mission for the organization of a Referendum in Western Sahara],” it added.
Major General Rehman has 30 years of experience in national and international military leadership, including as the commander of the military formations on operations and, at the staff and war college levels.
According to the UN Information Center, Major General Rehman
has also served as the Senior National Representative in the United States Central Command Headquarters (CENTCOM), in Florida, from 2015 to 2016.
“Most recently, Major General Rehman served as the Commander of an Infantry Brigade from 2016 to 2017 and of an Infantry Division from 2017,” the statement read.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan is leading the way in terms of contributing troops for the UN’s peacekeeping missions. Thus far, it has provided “over 200,000 troops in 46 peacekeeping missions since the 1960s, with 156 of our bravest giving the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of peace.”
Pakistani general appointed force commander of UN mission in Western Sahara
Pakistani general appointed force commander of UN mission in Western Sahara
- Zia ur Rehman to succeed Xiaojun Wang of China
- Islamabad has provided more than 200,000 troops for 46 peacekeeping initiatives since the 1960s, Foreign Office says
Pakistan, Afghanistan border clashes kill 5, officials say
- Afghanistan and Pakistan trade blame for “unprovoked firing” along Chaman-Spin Boldak border
- Exchange takes place nearly a week after a fresh round of peace talks between neighbors failed
KABUL: Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged heavy fire along their border late on Friday, officials from both countries said, killing at least five people amid heightened tensions following failed peace talks last weekend.
Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistani forces launched attacks in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province.
His deputy Hamdullah Fitra told Reuters that shelling by Pakistan killed five people, including a Taliban member.
A spokesman for Pakistan’s prime minister said Afghan forces carried out “unprovoked firing” along the Chaman border.
“Pakistan remains fully alert and committed to ensuring its territorial integrity and the safety of our citizens,” spokesman Mosharraf Zaidi said in a statement.
The exchange came nearly a week after a new round of peace talks between the South Asian neighbors ended without a breakthrough, although both sides agreed to continue their fragile ceasefire.
The talks in Saudi Arabia last weekend were the latest in a series of meetings hosted by Qatar, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia to cool tensions following deadly border clashes in October.
At the heart of the dispute, Islamabad says Afghan-based militants have carried out recent attacks in Pakistan, including suicide bombings involving Afghan nationals. Kabul denied the charge, saying it could not be held responsible for security inside Pakistan.
Dozens were killed in October’s clashes, the worst violence on the border since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 2021.
