Osama’s involvement in 9/11 was never proven, say Taliban
WASHINGTON: A Taliban spokesman has said that there was no justification for the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 as Osama bin Laden’s involvement in the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were never proven. Zabihullah Mujahid made the claim during an interview with NBC Nightly News on Wednesday, less than two weeks after the Taliban […]
Blast outside Kabul Airport, US says attack might be caused by suicide bomber
An explosion outside Kabul’s airport amid a huge evacuation effort from Afghanistan appeared to be caused by a suicide bomb, U.S. officials said on Thursday, citing an initial report and cautioning that it could change. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby confirmed in a Twitter post that there had been an explosion outside the airport in […]
NATO Chief Condemns Kabul Airport Suicide Bombings
NATO chief has condemned the twin suicide bombings at the Kabul airport as a “horrific terrorist attack” that targeted desperate Afghans trying to leave the country and the alliance’s efforts to evacuate them from Afghanistan. Jens Stoltenberg said on Twitter after the explosions on Thursday: “I strongly condemn the horrific terrorist attack outside #Kabul airport. […]
Turkish troops leave Kabul, abandoning hopes for airport
ANKARA: Turkey said on Wednesday it had started pulling troops out of Afghanistan, apparently abandoning plans to help secure Kabul’s strategic airport. The Taliban have asked Turkey for technical help to run Kabul airport after the departure of foreign forces but insist that Ankara’s military also withdraw fully by the end-August deadline, two Turkish officials […]
Biden keeps to Kabul Aug 31 deadline despite criticism
Washington:US President Joe Biden has declared that he is sticking to his August 31 deadline for completing a risky airlift of Americans, endangered Afghans and others seeking to escape Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The decision defies allied leaders who want to give the evacuation more time, and opens Biden to criticism that he caved to Taliban deadline […]
Iran resumes fuel exports to Afghanistan after Taliban request
LONDON: Iran resumed fuel exports to Afghanistan a few days ago following a request from the new Afghan government, which feels empowered by the US withdrawal to buy the sanctioned nation’s oil more openly, an Iranian official said. The price of gasoline in Afghanistan reached $900 per tonne as many Afghans drove out of cities, […]
WHO seeks experts’ help in probe into Covid origin
GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a call for experts to join a new advisory group its forming, in part to address the agency’s fraught attempts to investigate how the coronavirus pandemic started. In a statement on Friday, the UN health agency said the new scientific group would provide the WHO with an […]
Taliban urge people to leave Kabul airport after 12 killed since Sunday
At least 12 people have been killed in and around the airport in Kabul, Taliban and Nato officials said, since the Taliban seized the city on Sunday, triggering a rush of fearful people trying to leave. The deaths were caused either by gunshots or in stampedes, the Taliban official said on Thursday, and he urged people […]
Johnson accused of complacency over Afghanistan retreat
LONDON: In a packed, emotional session of parliament, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced accusations on Wednesday from lawmakers across the political spectrum of needlessly abandoning Afghanistan to the whims of the Taliban and of undermining Britain’s position in the world. The members of parliament were recalled from their summer break to attend the emergency […]
Evacuations from Afghanistan gather momentum as Taliban promise peace
More than 2,200 diplomats and other civilians have been evacuated from Afghanistan on military flights, a Western security official told Reuters on Wednesday, as efforts gathered pace to get people out after the Taliban seized the capital. The Taliban have said they want peace, will not take revenge against old enemies and would respect the […]
