Hussain meets Saudi FM
Islamabad: Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain met Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al Faisal yesterday and discussed relations and issues of common interest. Prince Saud arrived in Islamabad on a two-day visit.
US pushes for deal with Kabul
Kabul: US officials have said the security agreement between Kabul and Washington should be signed within the coming weeks if a contingent of US troops was to remain in Afghanistan beyond 2014.
White House spokesman Jay Carney warned that the US might completely withdraw from Afghanistan, unless a deal was reached to keep upwards of 8,000 troops inside the country.
“Our position continues to be that if we cannot conclude an agreement promptly, then we will be forced to initiate planning for a post-2014 future in which there would be no US or Nato troop presence in Afghanistan,” carney said.
This comes as Afghan President Hamid Karzai set new conditions for the signing of the agreement despite its approval by Loya Jirga, according to Afghan online newspaper Khaama Press. Karzai also ignored the deadline set by Washington for the signing of the agreement by the end of 2013, after protracted negotiations that have strained relations.
16 rebels killed in Afghan raids
Kabul: At least 16 militants were killed and 15 others were injured during coordination military operations by Afghan national security forces across the country. The interior ministry of Afghanistan following a statement, said the operations were jointly conducted by Afghan army, Afghan police and Afghan intelligence – National Directorate of Security (NDS) operatives during the past 24 hours.
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