China blames US for crisis in Afghanistan

Pakistani newspaper says Beijing believes Washington ‘dumped the war’ on Afghan people by deciding to pull all its troops out

BEIJING/KABUL: China has reacted sharply over the unfolding chaos in Afghanistan, blaming the US for allowing the security situation to deteriorate by deciding to “dump the war” on the Afghan people through its move to pull out all its troops from the country.

“The US disregards its responsibilities and duties and withdraws troops from Afghanistan hastily, dumping the mess and war on the Afghan people and countries in the region,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, according to a report in the Pakistan-based News International.

“The US, as the original culprit of the Afghan issue, bears unavoidable responsibility for the current situation in Afghanistan,” Wang said.

The publication also reported that Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi is set to discuss the Afghan security situation with counterparts from Russia, India, Pakistan and several Central Asian countries at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation next week.

Anti-missile system set up at Kabul airport

Afghan authorities said on Sunday they have installed an antimissile system at Kabul airport to counter incoming rockets, as the Taliban pressed on with a blistering offensive across the country. Washington and its allies are due to end their military mission in Afghanistan at the end of next month, even as the insurgents say they now control 85% of the country.

“The newly installed air defence system has been operational in Kabul since 2am on Sunday,” the country’s interior ministry said. “The system has proven useful in the world in repelling rocket and missile attacks.”

Afghan security forces spokesman Ajmal Omar Shinwari said the system was given by “our foreign friends”. “It has complicated technology. Our foreign friends are operating it while we are trying to build the capacity to use it,” he said. The Taliban have been regularly launching rockets at government forces across Afghanistan.

Pakistan said it is well prepared to deal with the spillover effect it may face in case of a civil war in Afghanistan, the country’s Army spokesman said, insisting that Islamabad is only a facilitator of the Afghan peace process, not a guarantor.

“Pakistan is only a facilitator of the Afghan peace process, not a guarantor,” Babar Iftikhar told ARY News on Saturday night. “Pakistan has no favourites among the Afghan stakeholders. The Afghans have to choose their leadership.”

He said Pakistan was well aware of the spillover effect it may face in case of a civil war in Afghanistan and measures had been taken to deal with it.

He also said the security on the border was tight. More than 90% of the 2,611km border has been fenced. Pakistan is “very well prepared” and the current border security mechanism was “much better”, he said. The spokesperson said there was fear of a fresh wave of Afghan refugees heading towards Pakistan.