Afghan Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani called on a UN delegation to recognize the new government formed by the Taliban movement after taking control of the country, while the central bank announced that it had confiscated more than $12 million from former officials.
Haqqani met in the Afghan capital, Kabul, Giles Michoud, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the United Nations envoy to Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons.
Haqqani called on the UN delegation to take practical steps to recognize the new Afghan government, end the blacklist, lift all sanctions, and implement the Doha Agreement. Haqqani also stressed that the Taliban want a relationship of mutual respect with all countries of the world.
For his part, the United Nations delegation currently visiting Kabul confirmed the continuation of providing aid to Afghanistan.
During their meeting with the Acting Minister of Rural Development, Mullah Muhammad Yunus Akhundzadeh, the delegation promised to resume work on the stalled projects funded by the United Nations in Afghanistan.
Iran resumes flights
Commercial flights between Iran and Afghanistan resumed yesterday, Wednesday, after a month of suspension, according to the Iranian news agency, "Fars".
The agency said that Mahan Air transported passengers from Mashhad Airport (northeastern Iran) to Kabul Airport, the first flight of its kind between the two countries since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan on August 15.
In another context, the acting commander of the Afghan army, Qari Fasihuddin, said that consultations are underway to form a new Afghan army, whose mission is to protect Afghanistan only.
Fasih Al-Din added that the Taliban movement has started consultations with former officials to form a strong and organized army, and stressed that no one will be allowed to destabilize security and stability in Afghanistan under any pretext.
On the other hand, the traffic police in Afghanistan began expanding the scope of its operations, after hundreds of its members returned to service.
The police chief told Al-Jazeera that about 1,300 elements joined their units in Kabul and are now carrying out their work as usual, and explained that the new government has appointed an official in the traffic police who belongs to the Taliban, and his role is limited to supervising the work.
In another context, the Central Bank of Afghanistan - controlled by the Taliban - said that it had confiscated about $ 12.4 million in cash and gold from former government officials yesterday, Wednesday, including Amrullah Saleh, the former vice president.
The central bank said in a statement that the money and gold were kept in the homes of officials without knowing the purpose of this.
Regionally, a joint statement called on member states of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization to prevent any threats emanating from Afghanistan.
The statement said that the organization will provide Tajikistan with the necessary military and technical assistance, if the situation on its border with Afghanistan deteriorates.