About 600 Afghan security force members who crossed the border into Tajikistan while retreating from Taliban fighters last week have been flown home on four flights since late Tuesday. RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported Wednesday that the last flight carrying 130 Afghan servicemen left the Kulob airport on Wednesday morning. Tajik authorities have not said how many Afghan servicemen remain in […]

Ross Wilson, Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Kabul, said Wednesday that the Taliban offensive violates the human rights of Afghans amid a surge in Taliban attacks across the country. Wilson stated that the Taliban offensive is bringing hardship to communities across Afghanistan which is already grappling with drought, poverty, and COVID-19. “It violates Afghans’ human rights and provokes […]

Россия окажет поддержку Таджикистану в рамках договора ОДКБ из-за ситуации на границе с Афганистаном. Об этом Владимир Путин заявил своему коллеге Эмомали Рахмону. Афганские правительственные войска за последние дни потерпели серию болезненных поражений от отрядов запрещенного в России движения «Талибан». В результате регулярные части вынуждены были отступить на территорию соседних Таджикистана и Узбекистана. Обозреватель “Ъ” Максим Юсин опасается, что после […]

Russia’s Consulate in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif has temporarily closed due to security concerns in Balkh province, Russian Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said on Monday. Speaking to Russia’s TASS news agency, Kabulov said: “The situation is unstable, the Afghan troops have surrendered too many districts. Naturally, that triggers anxiety. So, many consulates [of other countries in Mazar-e-Sharif] […]

The U.S. left Afghanistan’s Bagram Airfield after nearly 20 years by shutting off the electricity and slipping away in the night without notifying the base’s new Afghan commander, who discovered the Americans’ departure more than two hours after they left, Afghan military officials said, the Associated Press reported. The U.S. announced Friday it had completely vacated its biggest airfield in […]

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said he would discuss with his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin on Wednesday a plan for Turkey to operate and guard Kabul’s Hamid Karzai airport after the NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan, adding there was no final decision yet. Ankara has offered to run and guard the airport after NATO’s withdrawal, and has been in talks with […]

President Ashraf Ghani has accused the Taliban and Pakistan of perpetuating the “bloodshed and destruction” in Afghanistan. Addressing a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Ghani stated that the Taliban have chosen to fight instead of making peace and that “we will stand up against them.” “The people of Afghanistan should be alert, upon the announcement of the US’ withdrawal I called […]

The New York Times on Sunday wrote that US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in a meeting with the current commander of US and NATO forces Gen. Austin Miller, Joint Chiefs Chaiman Gen. Mark A. Milley and Centcom head Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. discussed Afghanistan and specifically ways to buffer the impact of the US pullout on the Afghan […]

Former President Hamid Karzai says China can play an important role in helping Afghanistan secure its future, especially in improving its ties with Pakistan. “China plays a very important role, a significant role in improving the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and in making sure that a synchronized relationship is established between the two countries,” Karzai said in an interview […]

Though there has been no formal announcement about Jaishankar’s visit, he is expected to be in Moscow later this week. The rapidly deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and several upcoming high-level meetings, including the annual India-Russia Summit, are expected to top the agenda when external affairs minister S Jaishankar visits Moscow this week. Russia sees India as an important player for […]