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US aircraft carrier in Gulf likely to help cover US troop withdrawal

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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 they withdraw.

The request, reports NBC, underscores concerns at the Pentagon that the Taliban may choose to launch attacks on NATO troops as they pull out.

The U.S. Naval Institute’s USNI News meanwhile reported the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group’s current stop in the Middle East could be extended to help cover the withdrawal of foreign troops.

Citing two defense officials, USNI said Thursday that USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, Carrier Air Wing 3 and IKE’s escorts were operating in the North Arabian Sea to support the ongoing anti-ISIS Operation Inherent Resolve.

The officials said CENTCOM commander General Kenneth McKenzie has sent a request to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for the strike group to remain in the area instead of continuing on with its planned operations in other regions.

While US President Joe Biden has set a September 11 date as deadline for the complete withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, it is unclear how long a strike group would be required to be in the region or if it would be asked to extend beyond the typical six-month deployment length, USNI reported.

A statement from a Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, responding to a Wednesday story from The New York Times on a carrier deploying to the Middle East, would not confirm details of assets involved in the withdrawal.

But, Kirby said in the statement: “We will do everything possible to protect our troops.”

On Thursday McKenzie meanwhile assured US lawmakers in testimony to the US Senate Armed Services Committee that the U.S. would be able to adequately cover the withdrawal in case Taliban forces attacked.

“We’re prepared if the Taliban wanted to take shots at us. Today, after [May 1], or any time during the withdrawal,” McKenzie told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“Yes, we will bring additional resources in [to the region] in order to protect the force as it comes out. That’s normal in any kind of disengagement operation, and I don’t want to go into the detail of those operations right now, but we will have additional capabilities and I’m confident that we and our coalition partners will be able to extract ourselves.”

According to USNI, the Eisenhower Strike Group has been in the Middle East since early April, after a Suez Canal transit that was delayed due to the canal blockage by merchant ship Ever Given.

USNI News reports that IKE was set to return to the Mediterranean Sea later in the deployment, but those plans will likely be set aside.

When the strike group deployed, the Navy gave hints it would participate more with NATO forces rather than maintain the constant presence in the Middle East, USNI reported.

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Juma Khan Fateh surrenders to IEA forces in Badakhshan

According to the sources, Fateh’s remaining associates are expected to be disarmed, while IEA forces are set to establish full control over the area.

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Juma Khan Fateh and his forces have surrendered to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) in Nusay district of Badakhshan province following several days of pressure and encirclement, security sources told Ariana News.

Sources said increasing pressure on Fateh’s group left them with no option but to surrender. Fateh and his fighters reportedly laid down their weapons at positions held by IEA forces in Nusay.

Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, the IEA’s Army Chief of Staff, had travelled to Nusay to oversee the situation and the operation against Fateh’s group.

According to the sources, Fateh’s remaining associates are expected to be disarmed, while IEA forces are set to establish full control over the area.

The reported surrender marks the latest development in the security situation in Nusay, although further details about the terms of the surrender and the number of fighters involved were not immediately available.

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Afghanistan Supreme Court says rights of almost 119,000 women addressed over five years

The courts also handled 8,904 cases related to women’s maintenance and other associated rights, according to Hamza.

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Afghanistan’s Supreme Court says the country’s courts have addressed the legal and Sharia-based rights of 118,869 women over the past five years.

Mansoor Ahmad Hamza, deputy spokesman for the Supreme Court, said the cases covered a range of issues, including inheritance, property, maintenance, documentation and other legal matters.

Hamza said courts handled 12,976 cases involving women’s inheritance and property rights during the five-year period. Another 9,021 inheritance-related cases were registered for information gathering and review.

He added that 18,750 cases involving the registration, verification and certification of women’s property and related documents were addressed, while 22,703 cases concerned the processing of inheritance and property documents.

The courts also handled 8,904 cases related to women’s maintenance and other associated rights, according to Hamza.

He said inheritance, property, dowry, maintenance and other rights granted to women under Islamic Sharia are recognized as established rights, and that courts are required to examine such cases carefully and impartially in accordance with Sharia and applicable laws.

Hamza added that judicial proceedings involving women’s rights will continue, with the aim of ensuring that eligible individuals receive their legal and religious rights and preventing those rights from being denied or lost.

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China’s special envoy for Afghanistan visits Türkiye, Pakistan and Afghanistan

According to China’s Foreign Ministry, Yue held consultations in Türkiye with Cihad Erginay, Director General for South Asia at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, discussing issues of mutual interest.

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China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Affairs Yue Xiaoyong visited Türkiye, Pakistan and Afghanistan from July 30 to August 8, 2026, as Beijing continues diplomatic engagement on regional issues.

According to China’s Foreign Ministry, Yue held consultations in Türkiye with Cihad Erginay, Director General for South Asia at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, discussing issues of mutual interest.

During his visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Yue also held talks with officials from both countries on ways to improve and develop relations between Kabul and Islamabad.

China did not provide further details about the discussions.

The visit comes as relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan remain strained by ongoing security and political tensions, with both sides facing challenges in their bilateral ties.

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