The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said Sunday the Taliban had planned to carry out a car bombing at a security checkpoint in the Panjwai district of Kandahar province on Saturday night but their plan was thwarted by special forces. According to the MoD, commandos were able to stop the attack in time. This comes amid reports Sunday that at least […]
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Miller confirms withdrawal process in Afghanistan is underway
US-Forces commander in Afghanistan General Austin Scott Miller said Sunday the evacuation of some bases has already started in Afghanistan. “We will turn over the bases primarily to the Ministry of Defense and other Afghan forces,” Miller told reporters in a press conference in Kabul on Sunday, adding that: “The notification day will be the first of May but at […]
Read more ›20 Taliban killed in own explosion: Officials
A powerful explosion at a suspected Taliban ammunition depot in Herat has killed 20 insurgents, local officials confirmed. Officials said the incident took place Sunday in the village of Marabad in the Pashtun Zarghun district. Herat Governor Wahid Qatali confirmed the incident and said the explosion happened while the Taliban were building suicide vests. The explosion is believed to have […]
Read more ›Biden’s decision on Afghanistan raises Guantanamo questions
US President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan is raising questions about what, if any, effect that will have on the future of the Guantanamo Bay detention center. According to The Hill, at least two prisoners who have been challenging their detention have already updated their complaints to include Biden’s withdrawal as a reason they should be […]
Read more ›CIA head said to have made unannounced trip to Afghanistan
CIA Director William Burns made a recent unannounced visit to Kabul, a senior politician and a well-placed public figure told The Associated Press, as concerns mount about Afghanistan’s capability to fight terrorism once the U.S. has withdrawn its remaining troops by summer. Separately, a senior former Afghan security official deeply familiar with the country’s counterterrorism program said two of six […]
Read more ›Pentagon Sending B-52s, Carrier to Guard Afghanistan Withdrawal
Two B-52 long-range bombers arrived in the region around Afghanistan Friday to bolster security as the U.S. prepares to withdraw all 2,500 troops from the country by September, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
Read more ›U.S. general concerned about capability of Afghan national security forces
The head of U.S. forces in the Middle East said on Thursday that he was concerned about the ability of the Afghan security forces to hold territory after the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the country in the coming months. President Joe Biden announced last week that the United States will withdraw its remaining 2,500 troops from Afghanistan by […]
Read more ›US aircraft carrier in Gulf likely to help cover US troop withdrawal
U.S. commanders have asked for the deployment of an aircraft carrier to help protect US and NATO troops as they withdraw from Afghanistan, two senior Defense officials told NBC News. According to NBC, with fighter squadrons at the ready, an aircraft carrier in the region could provide additional cover in case U.S. and other NATO forces come under fire as […]
Read more ›US troops begin packing up gear ahead of withdrawal
The U.S. military has begun shipping equipment and winding down contracts with local service providers ahead of the May 1 start of the final phase of its military pullout from Afghanistan, a U.S. Defense Department official said Thursday, The Associated Press reported. Currently, 2,500 U.S. soldiers and about 7,000 NATO forces are still in Afghanistan. In February last year, the […]
Read more ›Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan FMs to discuss Afghan peace process
Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan, Turkey, and Pakistan will hold a trilateral meeting to discuss the Afghan peace process in Istanbul on Friday. Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar will discuss the latest development in the peace process with his Pakistani and Turkish counterparts, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Mevlut Cavusoglu. The Ministry said that the Trilateral Meeting would play a “significant role” […]
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