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Talks held with IEA over release of American prisoners: Miller
The US Department of State says it has held talks with the Islamic Emirate about the release of US citizens imprisoned in Afghanistan.
Speaking at a press conference in Washington, the US Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller said that Thomas West, the country’s special representative for Afghanistan, spoke with a representative of the Islamic Emirate about the issue this week.
“I want to say that the security of American citizens is our priority, not only in this conversation but also in previous conversations, we emphasized the freedom of American citizens in Afghanistan. We discussed this issue with the leaders of the Taliban [Islamic Emirate] and insisted,” said Miller.
However, Miller did not reveal the identities of the American prisoners nor why they had been arrested.
Washington has alluded to Americans being held in Afghan prisons in the past few months but has not said how many or who they are.
Meanwhile, the spokesman of the IEA Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed Americans were in prison in the country but he also failed to provide details.
“This issue is not very accurate so far, the number and what are their issues have a security dimension and judicial bodies will decide in this direction. So far, no progress has been made and we do not have more details,” said Mujahid.
It is not yet clear how long these American citizens have been held in Afghan prisons, but the Islamic Emirate has said that the cases of these prisoners are being investigated by the judiciary.
An Afghan man has pleaded guilty to sexual communication with a child in the United Kingdom. Najeebullah Arab appeared before a court in Oxford on May 8 and admitted to the offence, which took place in Grove in May 2024.
The 40-year-old had initially denied the charge and was expected to stand trial later this year. Court records stated that he made inappropriate comments to the child, including remarks about her appearance and requests to spend time alone with her.
Earlier this year, Arab also pleaded guilty to several other offences. These included one count of sexual assault linked to an incident in Grove on January 21.
He additionally admitted to charges of sexual assault, rape and kidnapping involving another woman on January 27. The court previously heard that he dragged a woman from an alleyway into a field during the incident.
Following the earlier hearings in March, a small group of protesters gathered outside the court building carrying flags and banners. Police officials praised the victims for coming forward and said the case reflected the strength of the evidence collected by investigators.
Arab is due to be sentenced for all offences on June 19. The court has ordered a pre-sentence report to assess whether he poses a danger to the public, while the judge ruled that he remain in custody until sentencing.
Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan says the National Archives digitized hundreds of historical documents, manuscripts and books during the 1404 solar year as part of efforts to preserve the country’s cultural and historical heritage.
According to the ministry, the National Archives digitized 741 books, 232 manuscripts, 358 decrees and one genealogy document over the past year.
The ministry also said that 830 books, 60 manuscripts and four decrees were restored and rebound during the same period.
In addition, 32 new manuscripts were handed over to the National Archives, further enriching the country’s collection of historical records.
Afghan officials have repeatedly stressed the importance of preserving historical documents and manuscripts, many of which date back several centuries and reflect the country’s rich cultural legacy.
Two people have been killed amid protests against a poppy eradication campaign in northeastern Badakhshan province, local officials said.
Authorities said counter-narcotics forces were deployed on Friday to Atan Jalo area of Argo district to destroy poppy fields. Clashes erupted after a number of farmers and residents reportedly attempted to block the operation.
Officials said a child was killed during Friday’s unrest, while another person died on Saturday as protests and tensions continued in the area.
According to local authorities, demonstrators also temporarily blocked the Kishm–Faizabad highway, disrupting traffic for several hours before it was reopened following coordinated efforts by security officials, religious scholars, and community elders.
Officials blamed “drug traffickers and criminal groups” for inciting the unrest and said security forces have since regained control of the area.
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