Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned an alleged drone attack on Mecca, calling any threat to the Two Holy Cities an “unforgivable crime.”

“Any action against the Two Holy Cities that threatens the security and sanctity of these sacred sites is an unforgivable crime,” Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the ministry, said.

He stressed that the Two Holy Cities are sacred and highly respected sites shared by the Muslim world, and that their security and sanctity must be protected from conflicts, violence and military actions.

Balkhi also warned that any threat to the holy sites could deeply anger Muslims and contribute to further instability in the region.

Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday before ​it entered prohibited airspace over the holy city, said ‌a spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition fighting Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis.

A Houthi military source denied the group posed any threat to Mecca or other holy sites, in comments ​carried by the ​Houthi-run SABA news ⁠agency on Tuesday.

Quetta Commissioner Zeeshan Lashari has directed relevant departments to strengthen coordination to ensure the effective repatriation of Afghan refugees from Balochistan to Afghanistan.

A meeting chaired by Lashari reviewed administrative arrangements and measures related to the return of Afghan refugees.

Officials told the meeting that around 800,000 Afghan refugees in Balochistan have already been repatriated to Afghanistan, while more than 350,000 others have returned voluntarily.

According to the briefing, approximately 23,000 Afghan refugees remain in Quetta, with relevant departments continuing efforts to facilitate their repatriation.

The meeting also discussed the issue of Afghan refugees who return to Afghanistan but later attempt to re-enter Pakistan. Officials agreed to seek guidance from the Home Department on how such cases should be handled.

Lashari directed authorities to improve coordination among relevant institutions and ensure that the repatriation process is carried out effectively.

He also instructed officials to take action in accordance with applicable laws and government policy against those who attempt to re-enter Pakistan after returning to Afghanistan.

An Afghan man convicted in the United States of providing material support to ISIS-K has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in a case linked to the deadly 2021 bombing at Kabul airport.

A federal jury in Virginia convicted Mohammad Sharifullah in April of providing material support to ISIS-K. However, jurors could not reach a unanimous decision on whether he was responsible for deaths resulting from the August 26, 2021, attack at Abbey Gate.

The bombing, carried out by a suicide attacker during the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan, killed 13 US soldiers and around 160 Afghans, according to US authorities.

US prosecutors said Sharifullah’s role included scouting a route to the airport ahead of the attack. However, his lawyers argued that he was never convicted of directly participating in the bombing and that prosecutors had failed to establish a direct link between him and the attack.

Sharifullah, 28, did not testify during the trial and declined to address the court before sentencing. US District Judge Anthony Trenga imposed the maximum 20-year sentence for the conviction.

Prosecutors also accused Sharifullah of involvement in other attacks, including the 2024 attack on a concert hall in Moscow. His defense team disputed the allegations and said statements he made during FBI questioning were unreliable.

The case stems from the chaotic US military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. The Abbey Gate bombing was claimed by ISIS-K.

A US Central Command review previously identified the suicide bomber as Abdul Rahman al-Logari, an ISIS member who had been released from an Afghan prison before the attack.