A U.S. federal court has ordered the State Department to process travel documents for the spouses and children of several Afghan asylees, ruling that the Trump administration’s travel restrictions cannot be used to prevent them from reuniting with their families in the United States.

U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga directed the State Department to issue travel documents within 15 days for the families of five Afghan plaintiffs whose relatives had already received approval to enter the United States. The court also ordered the department to reassess the eligibility of other family members without applying the travel ban and to provide regular updates until the reunifications are completed.

The lawsuit, filed in Virginia, was brought by a group of Afghan refugees who had supported U.S. forces during the war in Afghanistan. They argued that the administration’s travel restrictions unlawfully blocked their spouses and children from joining them, despite existing legal protections for asylees and refugees.

The ruling comes amid ongoing legal challenges to U.S. travel restrictions affecting Afghan nationals. The State Department had not indicated by Monday whether it would appeal the decision.

Advocates for the plaintiffs welcomed the decision, saying many Afghan families have spent years separated after fleeing Afghanistan and that some relatives remain stranded in third countries or have been forced to return to Afghanistan while awaiting permission to travel.

Christina Markus Lassen, Denmark’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and the Security Council president for August, said on Monday that this month marks five years since the Islamic Emirate’s takeover of Afghanistan and that the UNSC presidency will seek to highlight the consequences of this event.

Speaking at a briefing, she described the anniversary as a “rather grim” milestone and said the Council presidency wants to draw attention to the consequences of the IEA’s takeover over the past five years.

Lassen noted that the Security Council’s focus will be on the impact the IEA’s rule has had on the Afghan population, particularly on women and girls.

The Islamic Emirate returned to power in Afghanistan on August 15, 2021.

Pakistan’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, says he held talks with China’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, on regional security and the latest developments related to Afghanistan.

In a post on X on Monday, Sadiq said he welcomed the Chinese envoy and his delegation to Islamabad for what he described as “productive discussions” on regional security issues.

According to Sadiq, the two sides exchanged views on the threats posed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which he claimed are operating from Afghan territory.

He added that Pakistan and China agreed to strengthen bilateral coordination and deepen cooperation to counter terrorist threats and promote regional peace, security, and stability.

The meeting comes amid continued concerns by Islamabad and Beijing over militant groups they say are using Afghan soil, an allegation that the Afghan authorities have repeatedly denied, insisting they do not allow Afghanistan’s territory to be used against any other country.