In a first, Afghanistan builds domestic train engine

KABUL: Afghanistan has built a domestic railway engine for the first time and soon will operate trains in the country, the Afghan interim government spokesperson said.

Takin on social media site X, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the country’s National Development Company has manufactured train for the first time.

The spokesperson also shared a video showing a railway engine carrying three bogies.

“The National Development Corporation of Afghanistan built a train for the first time. We will soon have locally-made trains after the ongoing construction of railway tracks,” he said.

The development came days after a high-level delegation from Kazakhstan, led by the Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister, visited Kabul to discuss cooperation in various sectors including railways.

According to the Afghan media, several agreements were made to enhance bilateral trade and cooperation between both the country.

As per the agreement, Kazakhstan will assist in digitising Afghanistan’s mining and agricultural systems and will also train Afghan railway personnel. The Kazakh deputy minister also conveyed his country’s willingness to invest in Afghanistan’s railway infrastructure.