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‘Significant risk’ terrorist groups will seek to rebuild: CIA director

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(Last Updated On: April 14, 2021)

Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns said Wednesday there is a “significant risk” that terrorist groups will seek to rebuild after U.S. troops withdraw and that not having troops in Afghanistan would diminish the agency’s ability to gather intelligence in the country.

Addressing a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Burns said: “Our ability to keep that thread in Afghanistan in check, from either al-Qaeda or ISIS in Afghanistan, has benefited greatly from the presence of US and coalition militaries on the ground and in the air fueled by intelligence provided by the CIA and our other intelligence partners.

“When the time comes for the US military to withdraw, the US government’s ability to collect and act on threats will diminish. That’s simply a fact,” Burns said.

“So all of that, to be honest, means that there is a significant risk once the US military and the coalition militaries withdraw.”

US President Joe Biden is expected to officially announce Wednesday that American troops will withdraw from Afghanistan by September 11.

Burns said that while military groups “remain intent on recovering the ability to attack U.S. targets…after years of sustained counterterrorism pressure, the reality is that neither of them have that capacity today.”

CIA Burns told lawmakers there is a “significant risk” that terrorist groups in Afghanistan will seek to rebuild after U.S. troops withdraw from Afghanistan later this year.

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Media Violation Commission bans two TV channels

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(Last Updated On: April 16, 2024)

The Media Violations Commission has ordered Noor and Barya TV channels to stop broadcasting and to appear in court, state-run Bakhtar News Agency reported on Tuesday.

ّIt is said that the decision against the channels was taken for “not observing the principles of journalism.”

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Hekmatyar slams US for ‘occupying’ Afghanistan’s airspace

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(Last Updated On: April 16, 2024)

Former Jihadi leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has criticized the United States for patrolling Afghanistan’s airspace with drones.

Hekmatyar said in a speech Tuesday that any form of American presence in Afghanistan is unacceptable.

“Afghanistan’s airspace is under occupation. Expressing this issue is our religious responsibility. We have sacrificed the most for freedom. We do not accept any presence of America. We do not accept any kind of foreign rule,” he said.

Hekmatyar also stated that there is a possibility of American troops entering the country again.

“[Former] President Trump’s national security advisor says that their departure was a mistake and that they should return. This is not an ordinary issue. The possibility that they will make a mistake again and return to Afghanistan is very strong,” he said.

The Islamic Emirate has not commented so far on Hekmatyar’s remarks, but it has confirmed sightings of drones over Afghanistan.

“It is required that the respected officials of the caretaker government give explanations on this matter and respond to the concerns of the Afghan people in this matter, because important and great national issues are important for every Afghan citizen and if there is a problem, it will be a cause of concern for everyone,” said Fazl-ul-Hadi Wazin, a university lecturer.

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Uzbek and Qatari leaders discuss Trans-Afghan Railway project

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(Last Updated On: April 16, 2024)

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Monday met with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for talks on a number of issues including the Trans-Afghan Railway project.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral trade issues, strengthening of relations and regional matters, including the escalating situation in the Middle East.

In October 2023, Uzbekistan Railways JSC presented the Trans-Afghan Railway project to Qatar’s Ministry of Transport.

Subsequently, deliberations were held on Qatar’s involvement in the project’s execution.

In February 2021, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan signed a roadmap for the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway construction.

The envisioned transport corridor, estimated at approximately $5 billion, aims to connect Europe, Russia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Southeast Asian nations, boasting a transit capacity of up to 20 million tons of cargo.

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