Mujahir Farahi, Deputy Minister of Publications at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information and Culture, says establishing a clear and consistent writing system for Pashto and Dari is essential.

He made the remarks at the closing ceremony of a scientific and cultural workshop on the “Revision and Standardization of Pashto and Dari Orthography” held at the National Museum in Kabul.

The workshop was organized by the Supreme Council of Languages under the ministry’s Deputy Ministry of Arts and Culture. University professors, researchers, linguists, writers and representatives from the Ministries of Education and Higher Education and the Academy of Sciences attended the event.

Farahi said languages have different dialects and writing practices, and developing a consistent orthographic system could help reduce differences in written language.

He added that such academic gatherings provide an opportunity for professors, researchers and linguists to exchange views and contribute to the development of the languages.

Sheikh Abdul Rahman Tayebi, Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, also stressed the importance of preserving and strengthening Afghanistan’s languages, culture and literature.

Meanwhile, professors and members of the Supreme Council of Languages said the proposed standardization of Pashto and Dari orthography was developed and finalized with the participation of academics, researchers and linguists.

They said implementing the proposal could reduce spelling differences, improve consistency in writing and promote more standardized use of Pashto and Dari in education, academia, culture and the media.

The US Department of War says an ongoing investigation into the deadly 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul has uncovered previously undiscovered classified documents that are now being examined by a special review panel.

Sean Parnell, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of War, announced the development in a social media post marking the fifth anniversary of the bombing at Abbey Gate of Kabul’s then-Hamid Karzai International Airport.

The attack killed 13 US service members and approximately 170 Afghan civilians.

According to Parnell, his team recently recovered highly relevant classified documents that should have been disclosed but were found stored in safes and hidden in places where they would not be easily discovered.

He said that after the documents were recovered and reviewed by the special panel, it became clear why someone may have attempted to conceal them. However, Parnell said he would not prematurely reveal the contents of the classified material.

“I’m not going to give you a convenient version of the truth, nor will I give you a rushed one,” Parnell said, stressing that investigators would follow the evidence wherever it leads and would not accept incomplete answers.

The special review panel was established last year, when Secretary of War Pete Hegseth appointed Parnell to lead the investigation. Hegseth said the review was being conducted on behalf of the American people and the families of those killed in the attack.

The panel’s work follows a supplemental review by US Central Command in April 2024, which upheld the findings of the military’s original investigation and concluded that the attack could not have been prevented at the tactical level.

While Parnell did not provide a timeline for completing the review, he pledged that the investigation would be thorough and would provide the full picture of how and why decisions surrounding the attack were made.

“The American people and the families who sacrificed everything are owed the full picture,” he said, promising to continue the investigation until it is completed.

Five years after the deadly Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport, the Pentagon has upgraded the military awards of three retired US Marines, recognizing their actions as acts of combat valor during and in the aftermath of the attack.

Retired Gunnery Sergeant Jonathan Eby and retired Lance Corporal Jordan Houston were each awarded the Bronze Star Medal with the valor device. Retired Corporal Michael Gretzon received an upgraded Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, also with the valor device.

The three Marines were stationed at Abbey Gate on August 26, 2021, when an ISIS suicide bomber detonated an explosive device near the entrance to Kabul airport.

Amid the chaos that followed, the Marines helped wounded personnel and continued managing the crowd of evacuees despite the ongoing danger.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who attended the award ceremony, described their actions as an example of the “pinnacle of combat heroism.”

According to the award citations, Eby took command after the blast after several members of his unit were killed or wounded. He helped reorganize the remaining forces, restore security and evacuate injured personnel.

Houston, who was wounded and affected by the blast, pulled several injured Marines to safety. Gretzon remained in an exposed position to control the crowd and help facilitate the evacuation of those who were more seriously wounded.

The Abbey Gate attack, which was claimed by ISIS, killed 13 US service members and about 170 Afghan civilians.

Meanwhile, a Pentagon review of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan remains underway. Officials have said the investigation is expected to be completed by the end of this year.