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US defense chief Hegseth downplays NATO allies’ role in Afghanistan war
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday appeared to minimize the contributions of America’s NATO allies during the war in Afghanistan. His comments echoed a recurring message from the White House and President Donald Trump: that NATO member nations must bolster their defense spending to meet alliance commitments.
Speaking before the US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Hegseth recalled a remark often made by U.S. troops during his own service in Afghanistan. Referring to the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) patch worn by coalition soldiers, he said it was jokingly interpreted by many U.S. soldiers as “I saw Americans fighting.”
“Ultimately it was a lotta flags. Lotta flags. [But it] was not a lot of on-the-ground capability,” Hegseth continued in disparaging the NATO troops. “You’re not a real coalition, you’re not a real alliance, unless you have real defense capability, and real armies that can bring those to bear.”
His comments sparked immediate criticism from Senator Chris Coons, who pointed to the significant sacrifices made by NATO allies after 9/11, when the alliance invoked Article 5 for the first time. Coons emphasized that countries like Denmark, despite their small populations, endured high per-capita casualties — second only to the U.S.
“Let’s just make clear for the record that our military partners in Afghanistan included many who served and died,” Coons said.
Hegseth pushed back, saying his remarks weren’t meant to disregard those sacrifices.
“Don’t try and make it look like I don’t care about the investments of our partners,” said the secretary. “Of course I do. I recognize that there were lives lost from other countries. But the bulk of the effort was Americans.”
Over the two-decade war in Afghanistan, 31 other countries joined the U.S.-led effort. The U.S. suffered 2,461 military deaths, with the UK next highest at 457. Other NATO allies also lost personnel in combat and non-combat incidents.
Sadin Ayyıldız, the new head of Turkey’s diplomatic mission in Kabul, met in an introductory visit with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate, to discuss the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.
During the meeting, Ayyıldız described relations between Afghanistan and Turkey as positive and emphasized the expansion of cooperation in economic and health fields, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
Muttaqi also wished Ayyildiz success, described Turkey as a close friend of Afghanistan, and assessed bilateral relations as being on a path of progress.
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Afghan, Indonesian sports officials discuss expanding cooperation
Indonesian officials said the deputy minister plans to visit Afghanistan in the future to further advance cooperation.
Ahmadullah Wasiq, head of Afghanistan’s National Olympic and Physical Education Committee, met Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Taufiq Hidayat, during an official visit to Indonesia held alongside the Asian Cup competitions.
The talks focused on strengthening sports cooperation, including improving access for Afghan athletes living in Indonesia to local leagues and training camps.
Hidayat described the meeting as a positive step toward closer sporting ties and stressed the need for continued engagement.
Afghanistan’s ambassador to Indonesia, Saadullah Baloch, also attended the meeting, highlighting the role of sports diplomacy in bilateral relations. Indonesian officials said the deputy minister plans to visit Afghanistan in the future to further advance cooperation.
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UNAMA: Afghanistan ranks among highest for explosive ordnance casualties
UNAMA stressed that greater awareness and coordinated action are essential to saving lives and improving safety across Afghanistan.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has warned that Afghanistan is the world’s third most affected country in terms of casualties from explosive ordnance, with landmines and unexploded remnants of war still widespread.
UNAMA said children account for around 80 percent of victims, many of whom are injured or killed while playing near unexploded devices.
The mission reaffirmed its support for funding NGOs involved in mine clearance and community awareness, noting that these groups work daily to remove deadly remnants of conflict and educate communities about the risks.
UNAMA stressed that greater awareness and coordinated action are essential to saving lives and improving safety across Afghanistan.
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