Latest News
U.S. efforts in Afghanistan a tactical success, but strategic failure: Milley
US Army General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called U.S. efforts in Afghanistan a “tactical success, but a strategic failure.”
The Afghan government and military fell to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) faster than anyone expected, and that was the failure, he said.
But the noncombatant evacuation operation managed to get more than 124,000 people out of Kabul, as the IEA entered the Afghan capital. The effort involved thousands of service members from around the world, Milley said as cited by the US Department of Defense.
Air Force Major General Corey J. Martin discussed the operation last week with the Defense Writers Group. The keys to the evacuation operation were connectivity and planning, he said.
Planning for the noncombatant evacuation operation began in April, immediately after President Joe Biden said the U.S. effort in Afghanistan would end, the DOD reported. “It started with planning, even though the timing of this event was not known,” Martin said.
Members of U.S. Transportation Command integrated with representatives of the U.S. Central Command and the Joint Staff to plan and execute the retrograde operation of U.S. forces and equipment from Afghanistan, he said.
In August, the IEA offensive against the former Afghan government intensified and provinces were taken. Martin said the speed of the collapse was “a bit of a surprise,” but the Transcom planners were not starting from scratch when the need for evacuation became apparent.
Army Gen. Stephen R. Lyons, the commander of U.S. Transportation Command, had another ace up his sleeve in preparing for the possible operation, Martin said. “General Lyons, as the commander of Transportation Command, has standing authorities that allow for rapid and agile repositioning of mobility forces,” Martin told the reporters.
It allows the command to direct the operational movement of C-17s or KC-135 aircraft quicker, he said.
The speed was needed as the dissolution of the former Afghan forces necessitated the transport of U.S. combat forces to secure the Kabul airport.
The command had to get 6,000 service members and their supplies to the country quickly.
The aircraft and personnel to maintain and fuel them were already in place, and it “allowed the operational movement to be ready to take combat forces, literally almost overnight to Hamid Karzai International (airport) in the face of the advancing Taliban (IEA) to secure that airfield, and allowed for the movement of evacuees out, and then the redeployment of the combat forces,” Martin said.
Connectivity among the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff and the U.S. combatant commands was paramount. Martin said there were constant communications with higher headquarters and with U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command and U.S. Northern Command.
In addition, there were nationals from many allied and partner countries in Kabul. Martin said at least 30 nations cooperated with the effort, which required constant communications with State Department colleagues, Homeland Security and more.
Martin said the Global Operations Center at Scott Air Force Base, in the U.S. was the “heartbeat” of the command with all elements represented. “At the action officer level, there was integration with Department of State personnel, Customs and Border Patrol, and the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration],” he said.
The overall effort was mammoth and complex, Martin said. It is more than the gray Globemaster C-17s. It was the personnel maintaining the aircraft. It was the refuelers — in the air and on the ground. It was the combat troops on the ground and the airmen who took over the air traffic control in Afghanistan for the operation. It was State Department personnel processing the evacuees.
It was the Air Force and Navy air combat patrols over Kabul, and the service members at intermediate bases in the Middle East and Europe. It was the service members and agency partners in the United States. It was the companies and crews of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet. It was intelligence professionals funneling information to the command.
All these people combined to make the noncombatant evacuation operation from Afghanistan a “tactical success,” Martin said.
Transcom is already looking at the experiences in this effort to see what can be done better, the general said.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Vice and Virtue says it has prevented several cases of forced and underage marriage in the past five months, as UNICEF calls for urgent action to protect girls and end child marriage.
Ministry spokesperson Saif-ul-Islam Khyber said the cases included attempts to prevent the marriages of two girls, aged six and eight, in Helmand and Nangarhar provinces. He attributed child marriage partly to a lack of awareness and harmful traditional practices, urging the public to report forced marriages to authorities.
In a statement marking the International Day of the Girl 2026, UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale called for greater investment in girls’ education, healthcare and protection.
According to Afghanistan’s Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2022–23, 28.7% of women aged 20 to 24 were married before turning 18, with the proportion reaching one in two girls in some areas.
UNICEF warned that child marriage can disrupt education, limit future opportunities and expose girls to violence, early pregnancy and childbirth-related complications.
The agency urged the authorities to reopen schools to girls beyond Grade 6, describing continued access to education as one of the most effective ways to prevent child marriage. It also called for stronger protection services, support for vulnerable families and access to essential healthcare.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also called for an end to child marriage, warning that the practice threatens millions of girls’ education, health and safety.
UNICEF said coordinated action by families, communities, authorities and international partners is essential to ensure Afghan girls can learn, grow and shape their own futures.
UN special rapporteur Richard Bennett says Pakistani airstrikes that kill Afghan civilians may constitute war crimes, calling for independent investigations and accountability.
In an interview with the BBC, Bennett said the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) had documented civilian casualties in the cross-Durand Line violence between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with women and children among those killed.
Bennett said this is a very serious issue, noting that the consequences of the conflict disproportionately affect society’s most marginalized and disadvantaged people.
He also cited a March airstrike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, saying that, according to figures attributed to UNAMA, 269 people were killed. The victims were men undergoing treatment and rehabilitation for drug addiction, he added.
Bennett called for full and independent investigations into the incidents, saying victims and their families deserved justice and accountability.
He said he had raised the issue with the UN Human Rights Council, which has yet to establish a dedicated mechanism to investigate the attacks. However, he pointed to an independent investigative mechanism established a year earlier that could potentially examine the incidents.
Bennett also called on the ICC to consider investigating the alleged attacks, noting that the court already has an ongoing investigation into the situation in Afghanistan. While the decision rests with the court, he said he hoped it would examine the incidents closely.
His remarks come amid mounting concerns over cross-Durand Line violence and its toll on Afghan civilians.
In early October, UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the UN mission had documented more than 1,100 civilian casualties in Afghanistan resulting from cross-Durand Line violence in 2026.
The United Nations has called for de-escalation and respect for international law, stressing that civilians must be protected from the effects of armed conflict.
Latest News
IEA condemn attacks on Saudi airports amid rising regional tensions
It urged all parties involved to refrain from violence, prevent further escalation and take necessary measures to protect civilians.
The Islamic Emirate’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed concern over recent attacks on Riyadh and other airports in Saudi Arabia, describing the reported civilian casualties as deeply regrettable.
In a statement issued on Monday, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the ministry, said that any attack threatening the lives and safety of civilians is condemnable.
The ministry warned that escalating violence and the widening scope of the conflict could jeopardize the security and stability of the entire region.
It urged all parties involved to refrain from violence, prevent further escalation and take necessary measures to protect civilians.
According to Saudi officials, one person was killed and 12 others injured in Saturday’s attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Tahawol: Kabul’s criticism of Islamabad’s policy toward Afghanistan
Saar: Pakistan deploying army in KP
Afghanistan face daunting 479-run chase against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi Test
Afghanistan reports efforts to prevent child marriage as UNICEF urges action
Afghanistan U19 begin Asia Cup Preparations with Oman tour
EU and FAO launch €5m programme to strengthen Afghanistan’s agrifood sector
Cricket Bonanza: Afghanistan set for packed international schedule
Houthi advance in Yemen puts U.S. in a new bind
New warnings reignite debate over AI threat to humanity
UN warns of mounting humanitarian and human rights pressures in Afghanistan
Tahawol: Kabul’s criticism of Islamabad’s policy toward Afghanistan
Saar: Pakistan deploying army in KP
Tahawol: EU appointing new envoy for Afghanistan
Saar: Pakistan’s political, security and economic crises
Saar: Ongoing expulsion of Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan discussed
-
Regional4 days agoTrump says US will not attack Iran before midterm elections in November
-
Business5 days agoRussia-Afghanistan trade surges 150% in first seven months of 2026
-
Latest News3 days agoPakistan issues new directives for Afghan medical students and doctors
-
World5 days agoDenmark says Russia has conducted sabotage attacks against its defense firms
-
World4 days agoWitkoff, Kushner to meet Ukrainians for talks on the war, says US source
-
Sport5 days agoArman FC defeat Istiqlal Kabul 3-2 in thrilling comeback
-
Latest News3 days agoIranian lawmaker praises Afghanistan’s support, accuses Pakistan of ‘hypocrisy’
-
Regional5 days agoSyria weighs military aid for Saudi Arabia amid Yemen war: Reuters