Connect with us

Latest News

Pentagon admits Kabul drone strike was ‘tragic mistake’

Published

on

(Last Updated On: September 18, 2021)

A drone strike in Kabul last month killed as many as 10 civilians, including seven children, the US military said on Friday, apologizing for what it called a “tragic mistake”.

The Pentagon had said the August 29 strike targeted an Islamic State (ISIS-K) suicide bomber who posed an imminent threat to U.S.-led troops at the airport as they completed the last stages of their withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Even as reports of civilian casualties emerged, the top U.S. general had described the attack as “righteous”, Reuters reported.

The head of U.S. Central Command, Marine Corps General Frank McKenzie, said that at the time he had been confident it averted an imminent threat to the forces at the airport.

“Our investigation now concludes that the strike was a tragic mistake,” McKenzie told reporters.

He said he now believed it unlikely that those killed were members of the local Islamic State affiliate, ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), or posed a threat to U.S. troops. The Pentagon was considering reparations, McKenzie said.

In a statement, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the drone strike had killed a Mr. Ahmadi who worked for a non-profit called Nutrition and Education International.

“We now know that there was no connection between Mr. Ahmadi and ISIS-Khorasan, that his activities on that day were completely harmless and not at all related to the imminent threat we believed we faced,” Austin said in the statement.

“We apologize, and we will endeavor to learn from this horrible mistake.”

Latest News

Japan pledges emergency aid to Afghanistan’s flood victims

Published

on

(Last Updated On: May 16, 2024)

The Japanese Embassy in Afghanistan announced Thursday it will provide emergency relief to flood-hit people in northern Afghanistan.

According to a statement issued by the embassy, relief will be provided through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in cooperation with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS).

This relief includes tents, blankets and other essential items.

According to the statement, “Japan has decided to provide emergency assistance to Afghanistan to support people affected by the flood. We will always stand by the people of Afghanistan.”

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has meanwhile reported that 8,975 homes were destroyed or damaged by floods in Baghlan, Badakhshan, and Takhar provinces following heavy rains.

Russia also pledged help if needed, while the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) appealed to Islamic countries and aid organizations to step in to help the flood victims.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan visits India

Published

on

(Last Updated On: May 16, 2024)

Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov held talks with India’s external affairs minister JP Singh to discuss the situation in the country.

Kabulov met with Singh during a visit to India.

In a post on X, India’s external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “India and Russia held bilateral consultations on Afghanistan today in New Delhi.

“Amb. Zamir Kabulov, Special Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan, and JP Singh, Joint Secretary (PAI) discussed the current situation in Afghanistan and emphasized on the need to provide development assistance for the welfare of the Afghan people,” he said.

An official at the Russian embassy said Kabulov held talks with Singh under the framework of India-Russia foreign ministerial consultations on Afghanistan.

New Delhi has been pitching for providing unimpeded humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to address the humanitarian crisis in the country.

In June 2022, India re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul by deploying a technical team in its embassy in the Afghan capital.

The Islamic Emirate says that due to the diplomatic efforts of the IEA, a good spirit of cooperation has been formed in the region towards Afghanistan, and the countries have understood that stable security and stability in Afghanistan is in the interest of all countries.

Continue Reading

Latest News

China invites IEA deputy PM to Trans-Himalayan Forum

Published

on

(Last Updated On: May 16, 2024)

Zhao Xing, the Chinese Ambassador to Kabul, has invited political deputy prime minister Mawlavi Abdul Kabir to participate in the upcoming Trans-Himalayan Forum meeting.

The Chinese envoy said at a meeting Wednesday with Kabir that Beijing supports the Islamic Emirate in terms of attending international meetings, especially UN Security Council meetings.

Zhao also said China was committed to cooperating with the Islamic Emirate.

Kabir in turn expressed his gratitude for China’s support and cooperation across numerous sectors and said that as a responsible government, the Islamic Emirate is bound by commitments made and tries to play an active role in regional issues and the stability and development of the region.

Kabir also acknowledged China’s support of the Islamic Emirate and said Beijing’s cooperation can bring about positive changes and economic growth in the country.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2022 Ariana News. All rights reserved!