KABUL, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov jointly inaugurated the Imamnazar (Turkmenistan) and Aqina (Afghanistan) railway between the two countries on Monday to mark the start of the new transit line, local media reported.
Addressing after the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Ghani thanked Turkmenistan for its support and said with this new railway, gas and fuel will be transported to Afghanistan, Tolo television channel said in its news bulletin.
The next step after Aqena, president Ghani said is the connection of the northern Mazar-e-Sharif city and then the western Herat to the world's railway network.
Speaking on the occasion, Turkmenistan's president said the new line had international value and that Afghanistan has an important role in connecting Central Asia to South Asia.
Turkmen president also added that Turkmenistan will continue with joint social and economic projects with Afghanistan and that once the TAPI (Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India) gas pipeline project is implemented, thousands of jobs will be created.
