Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty June 1, 2021 NATO’s foreign and defense ministers are meeting on June 1 to plan the bloc’s first summit with U.S. President Joe Biden and discuss the winding down of the operation in Afghanistan after two decades of war. The ministers are discussing a statement being drafted for the June 14
Ariana: The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Fatou Bensouda and her team met a high-level delegation from Afghanistan, including Foreign Minister Haneef Atmar, in a bid to achieve justice for the Afghan people by holding perpetrators of “atrocity crimes” accountable. Click here to read more (external link).
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty April 29, 2021 U.S. and NATO troops have started to withdraw from Afghanistan, the White House and several alliance officials said on April 29, amid a reported surge in Taliban attacks. U.S. President Joe Biden earlier this month announced the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan by September 11, four months
Press TV April 25, 2021 The top US military commander in Afghanistan says the handing over of military bases and equipment to the Afghan forces has begun as Washington prepares to withdraw the remaining US forces from the country by September 11. General Scott Miller, who has been commanding the US forces and the western NATO
1TV: Afghan authorities have asked NATO to hand over air traffic control tower of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority said on Monday it sent a letter to NATO saying it would be glad to take over air traffic control at the airport by May 1. Click here to read more
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty April 14, 2021 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says it is time for the United States and its NATO allies to withdraw from Afghanistan as U.S. President Joe Biden prepares to announce the withdrawal of U.S. troops by September 11 — 20 years to the day after the Al-Qaeda attacks
Michael Hughes: NATO defense chiefs at their upcoming ministerial are expected to approve a plan to keep troops in Afghanistan beyond the May Doha agreement deadline due to the Taliban’s alleged failure to divorce al-Qaeda and the need to support intra-Afghan talks. However, the irony is the decision will ensure a nearly dead peace process
Tolo News: The survey conducted by Pajhwok Afghan News shows that the Afghan government controls 46 percent of the territory. A Taliban spokesman has claimed in this survey that they control or have influence over 70 percent of the country’s territory, but a spokesman for the Interior Affairs Ministry has said that the Taliban does
Reuters: International troops plan to stay in Afghanistan beyond the May deadline envisaged by the insurgent Taliban’s deal with the United States, four senior NATO officials said, a move that could escalate tensions with the Taliban demanding full withdrawal. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News: US and NATO’s Resolute Support forces commander in Afghanistan Gen. Scott Miller on Sunday said that he “has orders to reduce the US military presence to 2,500” and that “part of this is in line with US-Taliban agreement.” He said that the troop reduction will be done “in accordance with conditions.” Click here