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US House approves Republicans’ resolution condemning Biden and Harris over Afghanistan withdrawal
Democrats on Wednesday faulted House Republicans for rushing the resolution to the House floor and criticized it as an attempt to further politicize blame for the withdrawal.
House Republicans on Wednesday voted to condemn President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, capping their work in Washington with legislation that carried no legal weight but drove a political point ahead of the November elections.
The resolution passed 219 – 194 with 10 Democrats and all Republicans voting in favor. It condemned Biden, Harris and other officials in the administration for “decision-making and execution failures throughout the withdrawal from Afghanistan” as well as blamed them for the deaths of 13 U.S. service members who were killed by a suicide bomber at Kabul’s airport during the final days of the evacuation, the Associated Press reported.
On the campaign trail, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who as president negotiated the withdrawal deal with the Taliban, has repeatedly blamed Harris for the chaotic and deadly evacuation while she was serving as Biden’s vice president. Harris, now the Democratic candidate for president, has shot back that Trump is to blame for his role in the deal and that she agrees with Biden’s decision to end America’s longest war.
Republicans have used their House majority to make Trump’s case in recent weeks, releasing a report that mostly blamed Biden. On Tuesday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee also advanced contempt of Congress charges against Secretary of State Antony Blinken following a contentious back-and-forth with the Cabinet secretary over an appearance to testify on the withdrawal.
“Three years ago, the world witnessed one of the most devastating policy disasters in American history. The Biden-Harris administration withdrew all U.S. forces from Afghanistan with no plan, no care and no remorse,” Rep. Michael McCaul, the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said on the House floor Wednesday.
“As a result, 13 brave U.S. servicemembers and over 170 Afghan civilians were murdered and 45 U.S. servicemembers and countless others were injured,” added McCaul, a Texas Republican.
Most assessments have concluded Trump and Biden share blame for the collapse that concluded the 20-year war, which saw Taliban fighters take over Afghanistan again before the last American troops even flew out of the Kabul airport. Over 2,000 U.S. troops were killed in Afghanistan.The reviews, including the 18-month House investigation led by House Republicans, have not pinpointed any instance where Harris had a particular impact on decision-making on the withdrawal.
The main U.S. government watchdog for the war points to Trump’s 2020 deal with the the Islamic Emirate to withdraw all U.S. forces and military contractors as “the single most important factor” in the collapse of U.S.-allied Afghan security forces and the Islamic Emirate takeover. Biden’s April 2021 announcement that he would proceed with the withdrawal set in motion by Trump was the second-biggest factor, the watchdog said.
Democrats on Wednesday faulted House Republicans for rushing the resolution to the House floor and criticized it as an attempt to further politicize blame for the withdrawal.
“Republicans are trying desperately to clean up a candidate, a candidate that truly has a flawed record — Trump’s record — on this withdrawal,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
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Afghan border minister holds phone talks with Iran’s deputy foreign minister
Noorullah Noori, Afghanistan’s Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, held a phone conversation with Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, to discuss bilateral border cooperation.
According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening border collaboration, with a particular focus on the ongoing renovation and updating of border markers. They also agreed to accelerate joint technical and legal meetings to enhance coordination.
As part of the agreement, the next meeting of senior border officials from Afghanistan and Iran is scheduled to take place in Iran in 1405 (2026–2027).
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OIC Kabul mission chief meets German envoy to discuss Afghanistan situation
The Director General of the OIC Mission in Kabul, Mohammed Saeed Alayyash, met on Sunday with Rolf Dieter Reinhard, Head of the German Liaison Office for Afghanistan in Doha and Acting Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy in Afghanistan.
During the discussion, both sides exchanged views on the latest developments in Afghanistan. They focused on the security situation, as well as the humanitarian and economic conditions faced by the Afghan people.
The two officials also reviewed recent political developments and broader challenges in the country, highlighting the need for continued international engagement and support.
The meeting emphasized the importance of ongoing cooperation and coordination between the OIC Mission and the German side in addressing Afghanistan’s challenges and in supporting efforts to promote stability and improve the humanitarian situation.
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Pakistan president claims situation in Afghanistan is ‘similar to or worse than pre-9/11’’
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has warned that the presence of militant groups in the region poses risks to global peace, and repeated Islamabad’s concerns regarding what it describes as the activities of “terrorist organisations operating from Afghanistan.”
Zardari made the remarks in a statement issued Sunday, as he thanked world leaders for expressing solidarity with Pakistan following the recent attack on an imambargah in Islamabad, which left dozens dead and many others wounded. The incident was claimed by Daesh militant group.
According to the statement from the President’s Secretariat, Zardari said Pakistan remains committed to combating terrorism and stressed that no single country can address the threat alone.
“Pakistan has long maintained that terrorism cannot be confronted by a single country in isolation,” he was quoted as saying.
Citing Pakistan’s experience, he said in the statement that whenever “terrorist groups are allowed space, facilitation or impunity beyond national borders, the consequences are borne by innocent civilians all over the world.”
Zardari further claimed that the situation in Afghanistan under the Islamic Emirate authorities has created conditions “similar to or worse than pre-9/11,” and said this has influenced security developments across the region. IEA has repeatedly rejected such allegations, insisting that Afghan soil is not used against any country.
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