Joe Kent, Director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), told a congressional committee that two thousand Afghans evacuated to the United States in 2021 are believed to have links to terrorist organizations.

Kent said these individuals are part of a group of 88,000 Afghans who entered the United States under the “Operation Allies Welcome” program following the collapse of the former Afghan government. According to him, these evacuees “were not properly vetted,” and the screening process was insufficient.

He also referred to the recent attack in Washington, D.C., in which an Afghan evacuee shot two National Guard soldiers, killing one and injuring the other. Kent said the attacker had also arrived in the United States through the Afghan evacuation effort.

The NCTC director added that U.S. security agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, are jointly investigating the two thousand Afghans identified as having suspected links to terrorist organizations. He said that in addition to Afghans, U.S. authorities have also identified 16,000 people from other countries who entered the United States despite having “possible ties” to terrorist groups.

These claims come as debates continue in Washington over how the Afghan evacuation was managed and the security implications that followed.

Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has announced that Tehran will host a regional meeting on Afghanistan next week.

Referring to Iran’s ongoing consultations with neighboring countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, aimed at promoting peace and stability in the region, he said: “The Islamic Republic of Iran attaches fundamental importance to security and stability in our neighboring environment, and in this regard, spares no effort to reduce tensions among regional countries and to strengthen mutual understanding.”

He described the upcoming meeting as the result of consultations held at various levels with neighboring countries and other regional actors, expressing hope that this initiative will play an effective role in enhancing regional cohesion and easing tensions.

According to Baqaei, the regional meeting will take place next week in Tehran, hosted by Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and will be attended by special representatives for Afghan affairs from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia.

The European Union has announced €25 million in assistance to the World Food Programme’s Afghanistan office.

According to the EU, the aid will be used to develop climate-resilient projects and strengthen local food systems in Afghanistan.

It will also help create employment opportunities for women and youth, as well as support school nutrition programs.

The EU added that this cooperation will continue to expand opportunities that improve the lives of Afghans.