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Milley discussed Putin offer to use Russian bases to monitor Afghanistan: report

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US General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed an offer from Russian President Vladimir Putin to use Russia's military bases in Central Asia to respond to emerging terrorist threats in Afghanistan, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Milley brought up the offer last week during a meeting with Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, the Journal reported, citing U.S officials. This was reportedly done at the request of President Biden's National Security Council staff.

The idea of hosting US military personnel on Russian bases was first brought up by Putin on June 16 in Geneva, the Journal reported. National Security Council staffers had asked Milley to gain clarification on whether this was a legitimate offer or simply a debating point.

The officials told the Journal that Gerasimov was evasive when it came to committing to the offer.

The Hill has reached out to the Joint Chiefs of Staff for comment. When contacted by the Journal, the Kremlin declined to comment.

Since its withdrawal from Afghanistan, the US has relied on bases in the Persian Gulf region to monitor the country, leaving hundreds of miles between U.S. personnel and potential targets. During the Geneva summit, Putin voiced his opposition to American efforts to negotiate military access in Central Asian governments, instead bringing up Russian military bases as an alternative.

A White House official told the Journal that the U.S. would not be asking for Russia's permission to place forces closer to Afghanistan, though they would seek to better understand the Russian president's stance.

“We will pursue our own policies based on our own objectives,” said the Biden official. “The reality is Russia is an element of the equation in the region and so we are engaging with them.”

This report on Milley's discussion with his Russian counterpart comes as he is set to face what will likely be a harsh grilling from lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Milley and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are expected to face tough questioning during a Senate hearing on Tuesday focusing on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Some GOP lawmakers have called for Milley's resignation and have also attacked him for allegations made about him in a recent book by journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa. The book, "Peril," cites sources claiming Milley sought to limit former President Trump's military capabilities following the deadly January 6 Capitol attack.

“I think he's going to get a grilling like he's never seen before. And if he takes the bait and gets argumentative and defensive, it's going to be a big problem," a defense official told The Hill.

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Pakistan’s ex-PM Khan says terrorism cannot be eliminated without dialogue with Afghanistan

He said that a large number of policemen in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been killed in the fight against terrorism and if terrorism is not controlled, the economy will come to a standstill.

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Pakistan's jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan, said on Friday that terrorism cannot be eliminated without having dialogue with the authorities in Afghanistan.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Khan expressed his support for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapour's proposal for a direct dialogue with Kabul.

“Ali Amin is absolutely right,” Imran Khan stated. “They should be beseeching him to go and talk to Afghanistan for the sake of God."

A day earlier, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif criticized Gandapur's plan to talk to Kabul, saying it was a direct attack on the federal government.

When questioned about the possibility of a province directly engaging with another country when a federal government and the Foreign Office were already in place, Imran Khan replied: "Forget the Foreign Office, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been the most affected by terrorism.”

He said that a large number of policemen in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been killed in the fight against terrorism and if terrorism is not controlled, the economy will come to a standstill.

Khan urged the government to lend a hand to anyone attempting to eradicate the menace of terrorism.

"If someone is trying to end terrorism, cooperate with them," he stated, dismissing the perception that Gandapur’s intentions were anti-state. "Ali Amin is speaking in the favour of the country, not against it."

Clarifying Gandapur’s stance, he pointed out, "Ali Amin spoke about going but didn’t say he was leaving immediately, — he didn’t even fix a time." Khan concluded his talk by saying, "What wrong has Ali Amin said?"

Gandapur announced on Wednesday that he would send a delegation to Afghanistan to resolve bilateral issues.

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Pakistan removes special envoy over clash on Afghan policy

He believed Pakistan needed to manage its terrorism problem domestically.

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Pakistan's Special Representative on Afgha­nistan, Asif Durrani, has been removed from his position due to differences over Afgha­nistan policy, local newspaper Dawn reported.

Durrani was relieved of his duties last Tuesday.

Durrani was appointed in May 2023 with the expectation that he would resolve the stalemate in Islamabad-Kabul relations, particularly regarding TTP. Despite initiatives and goodwill gestures, the deadlock persisted.

Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have turned sour due to attacks in Pakistan. Pakistani officials claim that the attacks are organized in Afghanistan, but the Islamic Emirate denies the claims, saying that Afghanistan is not responsible for Pakistan's "security failure".

Though Durrani advocated for a ‘one document’ regime for Afghan visitors, he opposed mass deportations of undocumented Afghans, arguing it would reflect badly on Pakistan’s border controls and harden the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) stance. He suggested a low-key approach to addressing the issue of illegal Afghans.

He believed Pakistan needed to manage its terrorism problem domestically.

His predecessor, Moham­­mad Sadiq, had also resigned from the position.

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Construction of largest terminal in Herat kicks off

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The Ministry of Transport and Aviation says the construction of the country's largest terminal has begun in Herat province. The terminal worth more than $20 million is being built by the private sector and the government.

In the opening ceremony of this terminal, the local officials of Herat called on traders and investors to invest in the country for economic growth and job opportunities.

This terminal will be built in a large set with all the required parts.

It will be built on 1,000 acres of land near Khwaja Abdullah Ansari International Airport, employing 4,000 people.

“This national project will be built on nearly one acre of state land. About 1.8 billion afghanis have been invested in this project,” said Hamidullah Akhundzada, acting minister of Transport and Aviation.

Construction of the terminal costs 20,500,000 US dollars, 70 percent of which is paid by the private sector and 30 percent by the Islamic Emirate.

“This project is one of the most crucial projects for Herat province, especially the western zone,” said Habibullah Samadi, project manager of the terminal.

Noor Ahmad Islam Jar, the governor of Herat, also assured about the availability of investment opportunities in this province and asked investors and businessmen to invest in Afghanistan to improve the economic situation and provide work opportunities.

The passenger terminal of Herat is now located in the north of the city, where the movement of large passenger cars from the central roads of Herat city has always caused disorder and traffic accidents.

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