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Defense Secretary Austin reaffirms US commitment to Afghanistan

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The US has reiterated its commitment to continuing to provide critical security assistance to the Afghan forces amid escalating Taliban violence in the country.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin in a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Washington stated: “The United States remains committed to continuing to provide critical security assistance to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).”

This comes as the US speeds up its withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan, aimed at ending the country’s longest war.

“We will make the transition or new relationship with Afghanistan and the Afghan forces one that continues to help you meet your responsibilities to your citizens,” Austin told Ghani.

“We remain partners with the Afghan government and the Afghan military and we will continue to work toward our common goals in new and different ways,” he stressed.

President Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, Vice President Amrullah Saleh, National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib, and a number of Afghan officials are visiting Washington in an official invitation by US President Joe Biden.

Ghani has met with a number of US officials including US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday.

“The decision of President Biden has been a strategic decision,” Ghani told reporters during his visit to the US Capitol. 

“We respect that decision in dealing with the new chapter of our friendship, our strategic relationship and our people to people relationship and government to government relationship,” Ghani said. 

Ghani emphasized for the need of US assistance to the Afghan government and the people of Afghanistan after withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan.

“I looking very much forward to discussion of detail in your assistance today in the humanitarian area for the people of Afghanistan who are facing the challenges of COVID-19 the third wave, a drought, and displacement because of the brutal attacks of the Taliban will be essential,” Ghani said.

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Over 2.13 million Afghan refugees repatriated from Pakistan

Officials say over 150,000 individuals were returned from Punjab alone, where enforcement efforts are being led by the Punjab Home Department’s Foreign National Security Cell.

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More than 2.13 million Afghan nationals have been repatriated from Pakistan to Afghanistan as part of an ongoing campaign targeting undocumented foreign residents, according to Pakistani authorities cited by local media.

Officials say over 150,000 individuals were returned from Punjab alone, where enforcement efforts are being led by the Punjab Home Department’s Foreign National Security Cell. The campaign includes inspections of thousands of residential areas and hundreds of markets, resulting in numerous detentions and legal cases against Afghan nationals found without valid documentation.

The repatriation process comes amid heightened tensions along key border crossings between the two countries. Hundreds of migrants have recently been sent back via the Chaman crossing, particularly during disruptions at other transit points.

The Torkham crossing—a major gateway for cross-border movement—has faced repeated closures. Although it briefly reopened, local officials in Nangarhar Province report that it was shut again after only a few hours. Authorities in Pakistan have not provided a clear explanation for the latest closure.

According to Sediqullah Quraishi, head of Nangarhar’s Information Department, the crossing was opened temporarily on Thursday before being closed again without official clarification.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Afghan migrants remain in temporary holding centers across Punjab, where they are undergoing registration and processing ahead of their return to Afghanistan. The large-scale repatriation effort continues to raise humanitarian and logistical concerns, particularly as border access remains unpredictable.

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Human Rights Watch calls Pakistani airstrike on Kabul rehab center ‘unlawful’

Patricia Gossman, senior associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said available evidence suggests the strike hit a well-known civilian medical facility.

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Human Rights Watch has condemned a recent Pakistani airstrike on a rehabilitation facility in Kabul, calling it “unlawful” and warning it could amount to a war crime.

The strike, which reportedly took place on March 16, targeted the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Center, located within the former Camp Phoenix complex in eastern Kabul. According to international agencies, at least 143 people were killed and more than 250 others injured, most of them patients undergoing treatment.

Patricia Gossman, senior associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said available evidence suggests the strike hit a well-known civilian medical facility.

“The available evidence indicates that the Pakistani airstrike against a well-known Kabul medical facility killing dozens of patients was unlawful,” she said, adding that authorities must determine why the site was targeted and who should be held accountable.

An employee of the center told the organization that three buildings were struck, including a dining hall, a residential building housing hundreds of patients, and a guard post. At the time of the attack, more than 1,000 patients were reportedly at the facility, many gathered to break their fast during Ramadan.

Human Rights Watch said satellite imagery and visual evidence show extensive destruction across the compound, with multiple structures either destroyed or severely damaged. The organization added that it found no indication the facility was being used for military purposes.

Under international humanitarian law, medical facilities are afforded special protection. The group stressed that attacks failing to distinguish between civilian and military targets, or those causing disproportionate civilian harm, may constitute serious violations of the laws of war.

Human Rights Watch has called on Pakistan to carry out a prompt, impartial investigation and ensure accountability if violations are confirmed.

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Torkham crossing closes again hours after brief reopening

Officials say the reason for the sudden closure has not been clearly communicated by authorities in Pakistan.

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Torkham closed

The key border crossing at Torkham crossing has once again been shut down, just hours after it was temporarily reopened, according to local officials in Nangarhar province.

Sediqullah Quraishi, head of information at the provincial Department of Information and Culture, said that on Thursday the Pakistani side allowed the crossing to open briefly to Afghan migrants. However, the crossing was closed again shortly afterward, leaving many travelers stranded.

Officials say the reason for the sudden closure has not been clearly communicated by authorities in Pakistan.

The Torkham crossing serves as one of the most important transit points between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Its repeated closures have caused significant disruption, particularly for migrants, traders, and families who rely on cross-border movement.

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