A U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) review has identified errors in 40% of the asylum files examined under the Biden-era Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) programme, raising concerns about gaps in the screening and adjudication process.

According to a DHS statement, the department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviewed the programme between March 2024 and January 2025 after concerns that accelerated processing requirements could limit the ability of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to conduct comprehensive reviews.

The review found that USCIS missed opportunities in some cases to link aliases provided by applicants with other information that could potentially have affected their eligibility for asylum, DHS said.

Operation Allies Welcome was established under the Biden administration following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Under the Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022, USCIS was required to interview OAW asylum applicants within 45 days of filing.

Following a 2023 lawsuit against DHS, a settlement required USCIS to adjudicate 90% of OAW asylum applications within 150 days.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin criticized the programme, saying established asylum-screening procedures had not been followed and arguing that the identified errors could create security risks.

The DHS statement cited several cases involving Afghan nationals admitted to the United States through OAW who were later arrested or charged.

These included an Afghan national arrested in November 2025 on federal charges of threatening to kill Americans; an individual identified by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as an ISIS-K member who was arrested in December 2025; and another Afghan national arrested in March 2026 who had previously been convicted of indecent exposure involving a minor.

DHS said the findings demonstrate the need for stronger screening procedures in asylum processing.

The reported 40% error rate refers to errors identified in the asylum files reviewed by the OIG. It does not mean that 40% of the applicants were members of terrorist groups or had criminal records.

The findings and security concerns cited in the statement are those of DHS and its interpretation of the OIG review.

Afghanistan and Tajikistan have discussed increasing electricity imports and expanding cooperation in the energy sector, including plans for a new 500-kilovolt transmission line.

The discussions took place during a meeting between Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) CEO Abdul Haq Hamkar and Muhammad Umar Asuzoda, chairman of Tajikistan’s state electricity company Barq Tajik.

The two sides discussed increasing the volume of electricity supplied by Tajikistan to Afghanistan, expanding transmission infrastructure and improving the quality and voltage of electricity.

They also discussed electricity tariffs, investment opportunities, technical training and longer-term cooperation in the energy sector.

Tajik officials briefed the Afghan delegation on plans to construct a 500kV electricity transmission line and expressed readiness to consider Afghanistan’s request for increased electricity supplies.

The two sides agreed that their technical and commercial teams would continue negotiations and work toward practical outcomes on the issues discussed.

DABS said it remains committed to maintaining strong relations with Tajikistan, adding that greater energy cooperation, increased electricity exchanges and practical infrastructure projects could benefit people in both countries.

A woman has been rescued in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province after allegedly spending 14 years confined inside a home, according to local officials.

The woman was discovered in the Kupka area of Garmser district during a joint security operation based on intelligence information, Helmand governor’s spokesperson Mohammad Qasim Riyaz told Ariana News.

Riyaz said security forces found the woman restrained with chains inside the house.

She was rescued from the property and taken to hospital for medical treatment.

Four people have been arrested in connection with the case, including the woman’s father and three brothers, according to the official.

Local authorities said an investigation is underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the woman’s alleged confinement and the events that led to her being held for so many years.

Officials said that once the investigation is completed, the case will be handed over to the relevant authorities for legal action.

The authorities have not disclosed further details about the woman’s condition or the circumstances of her alleged confinement. However, the woman appears in a video as being extremely frail.