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Islamic Emirate says it will never hand over Bagram air base to the US
Mujahid also addressed the recent 48-hour nationwide internet shutdown that crippled banking, travel, and communications across the country. He said the government had not been informed of the cause.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has ruled out any possibility of handing over Bagram air base to the United States, rejecting calls by US President Donald Trump to “take back” the facility that once served as the centerpiece of America’s military presence in Afghanistan.
In an exclusive interview with Sky News, IEA chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said: “Afghans will never allow their land to be handed over to anyone under any circumstances.”
Mujahid also confirmed that the Islamic Emirate government has held talks with US officials about reopening the Afghan embassy in Washington and the US embassy in Kabul — a rare sign of diplomatic engagement despite strained relations.
“We have discussed this matter and we wish to see the embassies reopened both in Kabul and in Washington,” Mujahid told Sky News Asia.
Four years after regaining power, the IEA remains largely unrecognized internationally, with only Russia having formally acknowledged the government. Mujahid, however, claimed that several other countries “privately recognize” the Islamic Emirate’s leadership.
“It is not only Russia that has openly recognized the Islamic Emirate. There are several other countries that have extended recognition, though not publicly,” he said.
The IEA continues to face mounting criticism for its restrictions on women and girls and when asked whether secondary schools for girls would reopen, Mujahid declined to commit: “I cannot make any promises in this regard,” he said, adding that any decision would depend on “Islamic scholars deliberating in accordance with Sharia.”
Mujahid also addressed the recent 48-hour nationwide internet shutdown that crippled banking, travel, and communications across the country. He said the government had not been informed of the cause.
Human rights activists condemned the blackout as an act of censorship that further isolates Afghans, especially women who rely on online education.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan continues to face severe humanitarian and economic crises, compounded by drought and sharp reductions in international aid. UNICEF estimates that 90% of Afghan children under five live in food poverty.
Despite this, Mujahid maintained that the country is showing “visible signs of recovery,” claiming Afghanistan now enjoys “relative peace and stability under a unified government.”
He dismissed criticism that IEA policies have worsened hunger, saying: “Men remain the primary providers in the vast majority of households,” and the country has “a sufficient number of female doctors.”
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Islamic Emirate’s army now self-sufficient, says chief of army staff
Mohammad Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, says that over the past four years, the army forces of the Islamic Emirate have shown no hesitation in defending and protecting Afghanistan, and that today the country’s army is standing on its own feet.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense, Fitrat made these remarks at a meeting with media representatives, political analysts, and a number of government officials aimed at coordination and strengthening cooperation. He added: “Nations that cannot stand on their own feet and rely on others, even if they grow, will not be capable of achieving real progress.”
Fitrat also expressed appreciation for the role of the media in ensuring security and in supporting the country’s defense forces, stating: “We and you, as citizens of this land, must put our hands together and build the country together, take pride in our forces, and strive with all our strength for the country’s development. We have created an army that defends honor, territorial integrity, and the borders of the country, and serves as the guardian of our freedom.”
He emphasized that the Islamic Emirate is working to establish an army equipped with modern weapons so that it can defend the country’s territory under all circumstances.
He stated that the country’s army has proven to the people that anyone who looks at this land with ill intent will face a firm and courageous response, and that it has also been made clear to neighboring countries that any aggression against Afghanistan will be met with a response several times stronger.
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Afghan health minister attends second WHO summit in India
Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate, participated in the second World Health Organization meeting on traditional medicine during his official visit to India.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Public Health said that the meeting was held in India with the participation of representatives from around 100 countries, health ministers from 23 countries, professional experts from various nations, and officials from different departments of the World Health Organization.
During the meeting, discussions were held on the standardization of traditional medicine, training of individuals active in this field, recognition of traditional medicine as an established reality, and the sharing of countries’ experiences in this area.
The ministry stated that the purpose of participating in the conference was to standardize traditional medicine in Afghanistan, adding that for several decades this sector has been practiced in a non-standard manner and without a defined curriculum or clear principles.
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Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan boost trade and digital finance ties
Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives.
Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Abdul Salam Hanafi, has met with a high-level Kyrgyz delegation led by Minister of Economy and Commerce Bakhyt Sydykov to discuss expanding bilateral trade and strengthening cooperation in digital financial services.
During the meeting, Hanafi reaffirmed Afghanistan’s readiness to deepen ties with Kyrgyzstan, stressing the importance of developing electronic administration systems and modern banking channels to facilitate trade and financial transactions between the two countries.
Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives. He also pointed to potential cooperation in areas such as the printing of securities and the development of electronic payment systems.
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