Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has stated that “the majority of those killed in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were innocent civilians.”

Speaking to CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Saturday during the Newsmaker Interview at the Doha Forum, al-Sharaa said: “In every war in the region—whether in Iraq or Afghanistan—we saw that most of the casualties were civilians, yet many of them were labeled as terrorists. The real criminals are those who call others terrorists.”

He also commented on the situation in Syria, asserting that the Assad regime has killed more than one million people over the past 14 years and that nearly 250,000 individuals remain missing. According to al-Sharaa, the prolonged conflict has displaced more than 14 million Syrians.

He added that the difficult experiences of regional wars over the past 25 years have led people to “better understand the true meaning of the word ‘terrorist’ and who truly deserves such a label.”

Western forces fought in Afghanistan for two decades under the banner of counter-terrorism, a period during which tens of thousands of civilians were killed.

Meanwhile, four years after the Islamic Emirate’s return to power, the international community continues to express concern about potential terrorist threats from Afghan territory, while the Islamic Emirate maintains that Afghan soil will not be used to threaten any country.

The European Union has issued a renewed alert that Afghan women are becoming increasingly vulnerable amid migration, internal displacement, and ongoing return efforts, calling for swift measures to uphold their rights and dignity.

In a statement released during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, the EU emphasized that combating violence against women and ensuring their safety in times of crisis remains a core priority.

The EU mission in Afghanistan noted that women—particularly those living in remote or conflict-affected regions—face elevated threats of exploitation, abuse, and limited access to essential services.

“Ending violence, preserving dignity, and supporting women in times of crisis are central to our efforts. We prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable women in all our humanitarian and protection programs,” the statement said.

The EU reiterated its commitment to increasing support for Afghan women in dire circumstances, including improved access to protection services, legal aid, and emergency assistance.

As humanitarian needs continue to grow nationwide, the EU urged all parties to ensure Afghan women receive timely support and can live free from violence and discrimination.

It has now been three months since Afghanistan’s authorities imposed a nationwide ban preventing Afghan women staff and contractors from entering United Nations premises — a restriction the UN says continues to endanger critical humanitarian operations.

Despite being unable to access UN offices for 91 days, Afghan women personnel have continued their work remotely and within communities, delivering essential assistance to millions of people. Their efforts have supported families affected by recent earthquakes in eastern and northern Afghanistan, helped thousands of returnees arriving from Pakistan and Iran, and ensured vulnerable communities continue to receive food, clean water, healthcare, shelter, livelihood support, and climate-resilience assistance.

The UN warns that the longer the restrictions persist, the greater the threat to life-saving services across the country.

“Afghan women are indispensable to the United Nations’ work in Afghanistan,” the statement said, noting that women staff are essential to safely reaching Afghan women and girls and providing culturally appropriate support. “Assistance must be delivered by women, to women.”

The UN reiterated its strong opposition to the ban, calling it a violation of the organisation’s founding principles on equality and human rights, and stressing that it undermines its ability to fulfil its mandate in Afghanistan.

In response to the ongoing restrictions, UN agencies, funds and programmes have implemented additional interim operational adjustments and continue to evaluate feasible ways to sustain their principled humanitarian activities.

The United Nations again urged the Islamic Emirate to reverse the ban and ensure the safe, unrestricted access of Afghan women staff and contractors to UN offices and field locations — a necessary step, it said, to ensure aid reaches the women and girls who need it most.