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US troops withdrawal now 50 percent complete: CENTCOM chief

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The US has completed about half of its withdrawal from Afghanistan and remains on track to meet the September 11 deadline to leave, US General Frank McKenzie said on Monday.

The head of the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said the coming months would be critical for Afghanistan’s future and urged the Afghan government and the Taliban to resume stalled peace talks in Doha.

“We’ve completed about half of the entire retrograde process and we will meet the September deadline to complete the full withdrawal from Afghanistan,” McKenzie said in a call with Middle East-based reporters, the UAE’s The National reported.

“We are on pace and it is continuing very smoothly,” he added.

He said the US would maintain an embassy in Kabul for as long as the Afghan government wanted it there, repeating the Pentagon’s vow to continue supporting the Afghan security forces and to conduct counter-terrorism operations from “over the horizon.”

McKenzie said it was “critical” the Afghan Republic and the Taliban resume peace talks.

“As we pull out, there needs to be something political that’s left in place,” he said.

“The government of Afghanistan is willing to do that. I am not sure the Taliban [are] willing to do that. Now is the time, and unfortunately, time is now becoming very short.”

McKenzie also raised the issue of Iran on Monday and said its “destabilising” activity was the biggest threat to Middle East security.

“Our posture in the region has had a deterrent effect on Iran and made it more difficult for them to deny attribution for their malign activities,” McKenzie said.

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Haqqani attends graduation ceremony of over 400 students in Ghazni

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Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior Affairs says Sirajuddin Haqqani attended a graduation ceremony for more than 400 students of Noor-ul-Madaris Madrasa in Ghazni province.

The ministry said graduates from various departments of the madrasa received their graduation certificates at the ceremony.

According to the ministry, Haqqani highlighted the importance of education, good conduct and personal reform, while praising the contributions of religious scholars and clerics to the country’s academic and jihad-related efforts, as well as its reconstruction.

He also called on people to follow the teachings and example of religious scholars and predecessors and uphold their moral values and good conduct.

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India makes visas mandatory for Afghan Hindus and Sikhs to continue their stay

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India has made it mandatory for Afghan Hindus and Sikhs who entered the country without valid travel documents to obtain visas to continue their stay.

The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs amended the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025, through a notification issued on Wednesday, The Hindu reported.

Under the amendment, Afghan Hindus and Sikhs who entered India on or before December 31, 2024, must obtain an appropriate category of visa to remain in the country.

The provision applies to those who entered India without valid travel documents or whose documents have since expired after seeking shelter due to religious persecution or fear of persecution.

The amendment retains an earlier exemption introduced on September 2, 2025, which allowed members of six non-Muslim communities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh to enter India without valid passports or visas. However, the latest notification requires them to obtain an appropriate visa after entering the country to continue their stay.

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Afghanistan has potential to generate 220 GW of solar power: UNDP

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Afghanistan has the potential to generate up to 220 gigawatts of electricity from solar energy, yet it spends more than $280 million annually on electricity imports, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says.

In a post on social media platform X on Thursday, UNDP said tapping into the country’s solar energy potential could reduce its reliance on imported electricity and expand public access to clean and sustainable energy.

According to the agency, more than 80 percent of Afghanistan’s electricity needs are currently met through imports, despite the country’s estimated solar power generation potential of up to 220 gigawatts.

Afghanistan imports most of its electricity from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. Despite having considerable solar, wind and hydropower resources, the country has remained heavily dependent on foreign electricity supplies.

UNDP said that since 2021, its projects have helped more than 5.5 million people in Afghanistan gain access to clean energy.

The agency stressed the need for greater investment and cooperation among relevant institutions to harness Afghanistan’s solar energy potential and expand sustainable domestic electricity generation.

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