Latest News
Mike Pence says Trump would not have withdrawn troops from Afghanistan
Former US Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday he believes former President Donald Trump would have kept a “couple thousand American forces” in Afghanistan despite striking a deal with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
The US State Department released a report Friday faulting both the presidential administrations of Donald Trump and Joe Biden for the botched withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in August 2021.
The department’s “After Action Review” report stated the Trump administration had an “insufficient senior level consideration of worst-case scenarios,” listed Trump’s desire to end a military presence and alleged there was “no plan or effort to help at risk Afghans” nor a plan on “how to keep diplomats in Kabul after withdrawal.”
Pence said in an interview with CBS he does not believe the Trump administration bears any responsibility for the debacle.
“It was made very clear, I was in the room when President Trump told the leader of the Taliban (IEA)— he said, ‘Look, you’re gonna have to cooperate with the Afghan government. You don’t harbor terrorists and you don’t harm any American soldiers.’ We went 18 months without a single American casualty until the day at that Kabul airport, we lost thirteen brave American service members.”
“The blame for what happened here falls squarely on the current commander-in-chief. And under our administration, I promise you, that while it was the intention of the former president to pull all troops out, when the Taliban (IEA) broke the deal and moved into Mazar-e-Sharif and Joe Biden did nothing, that set in motion the catastrophe that became Afghanistan and the heartbreaking end to 20 years of conflict,” the former vice president said.
Pence was asked if the Trump administration would have kept the troops on the ground despite striking the deal.
“Well, look, candidly it was all my belief that it would be prudent to keep a couple thousand of American forces there to support our efforts against terrorists both in Afghanistan and in the region and I think we ultimately would’ve done that, just as the president announced we were— the former president announced we were out of Syria,” he answered.
The State Department report also found the Biden administration did not know who was in charge of coordinating the department’s role in the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Ariana Afghan Airlines has ranked seventh among 45 airlines in Central Asia in Skytrax’s 2026 rankings.
Company officials say Ariana Afghan ranked eighth on the list in 2025, but moved up one place this year following improvements in service quality and the expansion of its operations.
According to the officials, in 2026 the airline met criteria including service quality, flight safety, professional cabin crew, and experience in the aviation sector, placing it among the top 10 airlines in Central Asia.
Skytrax is an international organization that evaluates and ranks the quality of services in the aviation industry and airlines, assessing and ranking carriers annually based on specific criteria.
Latest News
Silk Road highway in Wakhan corridor now reaches the China border
The road is expected to be officially opened for use in the near future, potentially improving connectivity through the remote Wakhan Corridor.
The construction of the Silk Road Highway in Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor has been fully completed after five years of work, officials in Badakhshan province said.
Amanullah Chehra, head of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in Badakhshan, said the 121.13-kilometre road begins in the Barghil area and stretches to Bzai Gonbad near the Chinese border.
According to officials, the road is between 7 and 10 metres wide and includes three major bridges, each measuring approximately 20 to 22 metres in length. Numerous smaller drainage structures have also been built along the route to facilitate the flow of water.
The road is expected to be officially opened for use in the near future, potentially improving connectivity through the remote Wakhan Corridor.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, met on Wednesday with Bruno Lemarquis, UNAMA’s Deputy Head for Humanitarian Affairs, to discuss the situation of Afghan returnees and humanitarian assistance.
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said Lemarquis briefed the minister on assessments conducted by UN agencies during visits to several provinces to identify the needs of returnee families.
Lemarquis said joint cooperation between UN agencies and the Islamic Emirate is needed to support and resettle returnees. He added that UN agencies are currently assisting thousands of families and called for the expansion of humanitarian assistance.
He also said the international community should pay greater attention to the needs of Afghans, adding that UNAMA is ready to cooperate in addressing challenges facing returnees.
Abdul Kabir welcomed UNAMA’s support and thanked the United Nations for its assistance to Afghans. He said various government institutions have been tasked with addressing returnees’ needs.
The minister also called on aid organizations to continue supporting returnee families, saying a program to resettle thousands of internally displaced families is also underway.
Kabir further said the necessary facilities have been provided for UN agencies to operate and that the Islamic Emirate welcomes UNAMA’s humanitarian cooperation.
Ariana Afghan Airlines ranks seventh among 45 Central Asian airlines
Silk Road highway in Wakhan corridor now reaches the China border
Refugees minister, UNAMA deputy discuss challenges facing returnees
OIC Contact Group reaffirms support for Afghan people
UK Afghanistan war crimes inquiry faces delay over 97 million newly identified documents
Saudi energy group signs major Afghanistan deals covering gas exploration and pipeline plans
ATN secures exclusive rights to broadcast T20I series in India across Afghanistan
China evacuates thousands as Typhoon Narra brings torrential rain
Trump floats idea of renaming Atlantic or Pacific Ocean
US hits Egyptian bank branches with Iran sanctions as war marks six months
Tahawol: Reactions to Pakistan’s attacks on Afghanistan discussed
Saar: Uncertain fate of Afghanistan’s seat at UN discussed
Tahawol: Uncertain future of Afghanistan’s permanent UN seat
Saar: Pakistan military strikes Afghan provinces discussed
Tahawol: Impact of middle East war on Afghanistan
-
World4 days agoUS and Denmark reach deal on Greenland, Trump says
-
Sport2 days agoAfghanistan to face Japan and Nepal in Asian Games cricket group stage
-
Latest News3 days agoPakistan says Kohat attackers had roots in Afghanistan
-
Latest News4 days agoAfghanistan condemns mosque attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
-
Latest News3 days agoOIC to hold Afghanistan Contact Group meeting on sidelines of UN General Assembly
-
Latest News4 days agoAfghan official meets Iranian oil minister to discuss energy cooperation
-
Regional3 days agoFlames, smoke seen near Riyadh airport; Houthis claim attacks on Saudi capital
-
Sport5 days agoACL: Sarsabz Yashlar edge Istiqlal Kabul 2–1