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Karzai says goodbye with a final jibe at U.S
Outgoing Afghan President Hamid Karzai said goodbye to government officials and used his farewell speech to take a parting shot at the United States, accusing Washington of waging a war against Taliban insurgents for its own ends.
“This is not our war, it is a foreigners’ war — it is based on their goals,” Karzai told government officials as he bid them goodbye at the presidential palace in Kabul.
The only president Afghanistan has known since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion said the United States wanted war in Afghanistan “because of its own interests.”
He has often criticized the US military campaign that has struggled to defeat the Islamist insurgency that engulfed the country.
“My advice to the next government is to be very careful with America and the West. We can be friends with them, but we want equal benefits,” Karzai added.
Karzai’s relationship with Washington plunged to a new low last year when he decided not to sign a bilateral security agreement (BSA) to allow some US troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond this year on a training and support mission.
Karzai, 56, has said he will live as an ordinary citizen in Kabul with his family when he retires, and will offer advice to the government only if asked.
The European Union has announced €25 million in assistance to the World Food Programme’s Afghanistan office.
According to the EU, the aid will be used to develop climate-resilient projects and strengthen local food systems in Afghanistan.
It will also help create employment opportunities for women and youth, as well as support school nutrition programs.
The EU added that this cooperation will continue to expand opportunities that improve the lives of Afghans.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate has denied reports claiming that Afghan dual citizens living abroad are now required to obtain an Afghan visa when returning to their home country.
Zia Ahmad Takal, the ministry’s head of public relations, said in a statement that no new decision has been made in this regard.
According to him, Afghans who travel to Afghanistan with a foreign passport, as before, do not need to obtain a visa if they present proof of their Afghan identity, and they may enter the country without a visa.
The Panjshir Media Office announced on Thursday that nearly 20,000 young people from the province have been employed across government and security institutions over the past two years, as part of efforts to expand job opportunities.
According to the statement, youths from Panjshir have joined the Islamic Emirate Army, the National Police, civilian departments within and outside the emirate’s structures, as well as the province’s rapidly growing mining sector.
The recruitment drive follows instructions from the leader of the Islamic Emirate, who—after a request from Panjshir officials during a governors’ conference in Kandahar—ordered the provincial governor to compile a list of eligible youths for placement in other provinces.
The media office said that in the current year alone, more than 1,000 Panjshir youths have been recruited into the National Police, while another 600 have joined the Islamic Army. Additionally, over 1,000 others have secured positions in civilian institutions, including domestic and international organizations, due to efforts by Governor Mohammad Agha Hakim.
Panjshir’s mining industry has also become a major source of employment. With new extraction and processing operations launched under Islamic Emirate directives, nearly 15,000 youths have been hired in areas ranging from mining to the trade of precious and semi-precious stones—marking the first time such large-scale opportunities have been available in the sector.
Officials added that thousands more young people are working on construction and development projects across the province.
Residents of Panjshir expressed appreciation for the increased attention from the Islamic Emirate’s leadership, saying many of their sons are now employed in security and civilian roles, particularly at checkpoints—something they believe has strengthened trust between the community and the government.
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