Roughly three million people have contact with drugs in Afghanistan

The Minister of Public Health says that roughly three million people have contact with drugs in Afghanistan.

Firuzodin Firoz who was summoned by the Lower House of Parliament or Wolesi Jirga on Monday said 1.5 million people are drug addicted while the remaining 1.5 million are in a way involved in drugs.

Firoz said that there are 115 treatment centers for drug addicts across the country and that 27 of them are in capital Kabul.

At least 80 percent of Kabul’s drug addicts have received treatment in these centers but most of them have resortd to drugs.

“45,000 drug addicts are being treated every year all over the country but 60 percent of them returned to drugs,” he said.

Easy access to drugs and lack of job opportunities are the main reasons behind the increase in the number of drug addicts, Firoz said.

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US F-16 fighter jet struck by Taliban militants in Paktia province

The anti-government armed militants in southeastern Afghanistan managed to open fire on an advanced US fighter jet, forcing it to jettison its fuel tanks and munitions before returning to base, it has been reported.

The incident took place six days ago in the relatively Paktia province where anti-government armed militants belonging to Taliban and Haqqani network are actively operating in a number of its districts.

According to the military officials cited in a report by AFP, “The pilot jettisoned two fuel tanks and three munitions before safely returning to base. The pilot received no injuries and safely returned to base.”

The F-16 fighter jet was flying over Syed Karam district when it came under the enemy fire with photographs shared on social media purportedly showing a group of insurgents standing near the fuel tanks and munitions of the aircraft.

The photographs were first shared on Twitter late on Tuesday night, indicating two ‘drop-tanks’ and air-to-ground missile with two other bombs.

The Taliban group claimed a fighter jet was shot down by the group’s fighters but the coalition forces rejected the report as baseless.

The incident took place a day after a NATO helicopter crashed in capital Kabul leaving five personnel of the Resolute Support mission dead.

It also followed a day after an aircraft of the Afghan National Army crashed in central Bamyan province of Afghanistan.

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Five associates of Taliban’s shadow governor for Takhar arrested

The National Directorate of Security – Afghanistan’s intelligence agency has arrested five associates of  Qari Aminullah, Taliban’s shadow governor for northeastern Takhar province.

A statement released by NDS on Monday states that the five terrorists were rounded up during two separate raids from Dasht-e-Qala area of Khwaja Ghar District.

The statement identifies them as Abdul Razaq alias Askar S/O Haji Karim Shah, Khadimullah S/O Mohammad Rasoul, Mohammad Rasoul S/O Nik Mohammad, Mohammad Taib alias Ashiqullah S/O Khalid and Samiullah alias Khanjar original residents of Kundoz province.

The press release further states that the arrested group was killing imminent figures, planting landmines and torching schools.

NDS statements usually do not contain exact date of the achievements but they come after recent activities.

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About Afghanistan

Afghanistan, in southwestern Asia, bounded on the north by Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan; on the east by China and the part of the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir controlled by Pakistan; on the south by Pakistan; and on the west by Iran. Afghanistan was a monarchy from 1747 to 1973, when the king was overthrown by military officers and the country was proclaimed a republic; the republic dissolved in 1992 as the country erupted in civil war. Afghanistan lies across ancient trade and invasion routes from central Asia into India. This position has been the greatest influence on its history because the invaders often settled there. Today the population includes many different ethnic groups. Most of the present borders of the country were drawn up in the 19th century, when Afghanistan became a buffer state, or neutral zone, between Russia and British India. Kabul is the capital and largest city.

Ahmad Shah Durani also known as (Ahmad Shah Baba) is the founder of today's Afghanistan. Pir Sabir Shah, the spiritual guide of the time, showered his praise for the young Ahmad Shah by declaring him Dar-e-Durran (pearl of the pearls) not because that he was a military giant but for his humanity a definite quality of a statesman. He was the King of Afghanistan from 1747-1772 AD.

Agreement on Provisional Arrangements in Afghanistan Pending the Re-establishment of Permanent Government Institutions Click Here ("Bonn Agreement", December 5, 2001) Key Data Region: Asia Area Total: 647,500 km2 Area Land: 647,500 km2 Coast Line: 0 km (Landlocked) km Capital: Kabul Climate: Dry to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers Languages: Pashto, Pashtu or Pukhto number of Speakers in Afghanistan approximately 14 million and Dari (Farsi) is spoken by almost every ethnic division, they are Indo-European languages and are the major two languages spoken in Afghanistan; other Indo-European, Indo-Aryan languages, such as Balochi, Pashayi and Eastern Farsi, are also spoken; Turkic and Altaic languages, such as Uzbek and Turkmen, are present; Tajiki is also used. Currency: Afghani Holiday: Independence Day, 19 August Boundaries Pakistan: 2,430km Tajikistan: 1,206km Iran: 936km Turkmenistan: 744km Uzbekistan: 137km China: 76km Ethnic Divisions Pashtun 52% Tajiks 21% Hazara 9% Baloch 7% Uzbek 6% Turkmen 2% Qizilbash 1% Other 1% Religions Sunni Muslim 88% Shi`a Muslim 11% Other (including Zoroastrian, Jewish, Hindu, Baha'i and Christian) 1%

Get From: afghanistans.com

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