KABUL: Counterterrorism officials from the United States, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asian countries have drawn a roadmap to jointly address threats and speed up intelligence sharing, the Afghan national security agency said on Thursday.
The officials met in Kabul earlier this week for the two-day "Regional Conference on Campaign Against Terrorism," which had representatives from the US, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and five Central Asian countries, and delegates from Azerbaijan, the Directorate of National Security (NDS) said in a statement.
No representatives from Afghanistan's major neighbors — India, Iran, China and Russia — were present during the meeting.
"A roadmap for preclusion of joint threats from terroristic activities was drawn ... and an agreement was reached on identifying joint security threats and taking measures against their annihilation, speeding up exchange of information among the services," the NDS said.
"Participants of this meeting focused on joint threats of terrorism on national, regional and international level."
The meeting comes as Taliban attacks are on the rise in the country and Kabul is putting pressure on the new US administration to renegotiate last year's Washington-Taliban deal to withdraw all NATO troops from Afghanistan by the end of April.
Under the accord signed in Doha, Qatar, in February, the Taliban pledged to cut ties with all militant groups, including Al-Qaeda. Authorities in Kabul, as well as NATO and US officials have in recent months repeatedly said that the group had not fulfilled the pledge.
"We wanted to show to our neighbors that Afghanistan is on the frontline of war on terrorism and that if you do not side with us in this campaign, you will also face similar threats like us," a security source told Arab News on condition of anonymity, as he is not authorized to speak to the media.
"They welcomed our views and such meetings will be held in future too," the source said.
Wahidullah Ghazikhail of the Afghan Centre for Strategic Studies and Research (ACSSR) said the meeting of counterterrorism and intelligence officials in Kabul was a "good step and should have been made long time ago."
"Government officials say that 22 foreign groups from regional countries operate here so you need to involve and exchange information with those countries whose nationals fight here," he told Arab News.
"Afghanistan has been a victim of terrorism and these countries should know that if Afghanistan is secure, safe and stable, they will also benefit from it as our country serves as a bridge between South and Central Asia."
US, Pakistani, Afghan counterterrorism officials draw joint strategy on addressing threats
US, Pakistani, Afghan counterterrorism officials draw joint strategy on addressing threats
- Officials met in Kabul earlier this week for the two-day "Regional Conference on Campaign Against Terrorism"
- No representatives from Afghanistan's major neighbors — India, Iran, China and Russia — were present during the meeting
Pakistan Navy tests missile, loitering munitions and unmanned vessel at Arabian Sea
- The exercise reflects growing focus on air defense and autonomous systems in modern warfare
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s navy conducted live firing of a surface-to-air missile, tested loitering munitions and carried out open-sea trials of an unmanned surface vessel during a major exercise in the North Arabian Sea on Saturday, highlighting a growing focus on air defense and unmanned warfare amid evolving regional security dynamics.
The exercise, which demonstrated both conventional and autonomous capabilities, comes at a time when Pakistan is increasingly emphasizing advanced technology and multi-domain operations following last year’s four-day conflict with nuclear-armed India, which reinforced the importance of air defense, surveillance and precision strike systems.
“Pakistan Navy demonstrated its operational readiness and combat preparedness through a comprehensive exercise in the North Arabian Sea, showcasing both conventional and unmanned capabilities, as per dictates of evolving naval warfare,” the Navy’s Directorate General Public Relations said in a statement.
“The exercise included the successful live firing of LY-80(N) Surface to Air Missile (SAM) from Vertical Launching System at extended range, validating the long-range capabilities of Pakistan Navy’s modern air defense systems,” it added. “LY-80(N) SAM successfully engaged and neutralized an aerial target, demonstrating Pakistan Navy’s robust air defense capabilities.”
The statement said the exercise also featured the successful engagement of surface targets using a loitering munition, which it said demonstrated the navy’s precision strike capability.
“Successful open-sea trials of Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) were also conducted, marking a significant leap in autonomous naval technology,” it continued. “The trials validated the platform’s ability to combine high-speed performance with mission-critical durability.”
Pakistan’s armed forces routinely hold large-scale exercises to enhance operational readiness, but recent drills have placed greater emphasis on emerging technologies, reflecting lessons drawn from modern conflicts.
Key capabilities demonstrated during the exercise included extreme maneuverability, precision navigation and weather resilience.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf commended officers and men of the Pakistan Navy for their professionalism and operational competence, reiterating the navy’s resolve to ensure the seaward defense of the country and safeguard its maritime interests.
