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US may increase troop numbers before full withdrawal: Pentagon

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Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Friday there could be an increase in the number of troops in Afghanistan in order to complete a safe withdrawal of all foreign forces by September 11.

Addressing a press conference Friday, Kirby said: “It is not out of the realm the possibility that for a short period of time, there will have to be some additional enabling capabilities added to Afghanistan, to help effect a safe, orderly, and deliberately planned drawdown of everybody by the president’s deadline, early September.”

Kirby did not however elaborate on the nature of the increase in US troops. “I can’t speak today with exactly what that would look like, how many, when they would be going in. But as we transitioned out of Iraq, of course, it’s logical to assume that you may need some logistics help, maybe some engineering help.”

“You may have to add some force protection capabilities, temporarily, just to make sure that the drawdown goes in a safe, orderly, and effective way. Again, we’ll know more as we get closer, but that would not be out of the realm of possibility,” Kirby said.

Responding to a question, Kirby said that the Department of Defense is still working out what the future bilateral security relationship is going to be with Afghanistan.

“We’re going to transition to a bilateral relationship, a military relationship that’s more akin to the kinds of relationships we have with other countries,” he said.

“It will not include a US military footprint on the ground in Afghanistan with the exception of what’s going to be required to support the diplomatic mission there. All that’s still being worked out. So, I can’t speak with specificity today about what contract support the Afghan security forces are going to need going forward,” he said.

The United States, he said, will maintain counterterrorism capabilities to continue to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a launching pad for terrorist attacks on the US.

“We have a vast range of capabilities available to us and we’re not going to speak to the details of exactly how we’re going to maintain those capabilities and utilise those capabilities,” he said.

On Wednesday US President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that a full withdrawal of troops would start from May 1 and end by September 11 – the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attack on the United States.

The Taliban did not however welcome the decision and said on Thursday the US was in breach of its agreement with the group, signed in February last year that called for full withdrawal by May 1.

Responding to the announcement, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid threatened retaliation and said on Twitter: “If the agreement is breached and foreign forces fail to exit our country on the specified date, problems will certainly be compounded and those (who) failed to comply with the agreement will be held liable.”

Kirby meanwhile acknowledged the danger and responded with a warning.

“We’ve seen their threats, and it would be imprudent for us not to take those threats seriously,” Kirby said.

“It would also be imprudent for the Taliban to not take seriously what the president and what (Defense) Secretary (Lloyd) Austin both made clear, that any attack on our drawdown, on our forces or our allies and partners as they draw down, will be met very forcefully.”

Kirby also insisted that even though American forces will be leaving, “it doesn’t mean that we’re walking away from our Afghan partners.”

U.S. officials have promised to continue paying the salaries of Afghan security force members and to financially support the Afghan Air Force.

Kirby said that going forward, the U.S. will continue to support the Afghan military.

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Over 2.13 million Afghan refugees repatriated from Pakistan

Officials say over 150,000 individuals were returned from Punjab alone, where enforcement efforts are being led by the Punjab Home Department’s Foreign National Security Cell.

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More than 2.13 million Afghan nationals have been repatriated from Pakistan to Afghanistan as part of an ongoing campaign targeting undocumented foreign residents, according to Pakistani authorities cited by local media.

Officials say over 150,000 individuals were returned from Punjab alone, where enforcement efforts are being led by the Punjab Home Department’s Foreign National Security Cell. The campaign includes inspections of thousands of residential areas and hundreds of markets, resulting in numerous detentions and legal cases against Afghan nationals found without valid documentation.

The repatriation process comes amid heightened tensions along key border crossings between the two countries. Hundreds of migrants have recently been sent back via the Chaman crossing, particularly during disruptions at other transit points.

The Torkham crossing—a major gateway for cross-border movement—has faced repeated closures. Although it briefly reopened, local officials in Nangarhar Province report that it was shut again after only a few hours. Authorities in Pakistan have not provided a clear explanation for the latest closure.

According to Sediqullah Quraishi, head of Nangarhar’s Information Department, the crossing was opened temporarily on Thursday before being closed again without official clarification.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Afghan migrants remain in temporary holding centers across Punjab, where they are undergoing registration and processing ahead of their return to Afghanistan. The large-scale repatriation effort continues to raise humanitarian and logistical concerns, particularly as border access remains unpredictable.

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Human Rights Watch calls Pakistani airstrike on Kabul rehab center ‘unlawful’

Patricia Gossman, senior associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said available evidence suggests the strike hit a well-known civilian medical facility.

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Human Rights Watch has condemned a recent Pakistani airstrike on a rehabilitation facility in Kabul, calling it “unlawful” and warning it could amount to a war crime.

The strike, which reportedly took place on March 16, targeted the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Center, located within the former Camp Phoenix complex in eastern Kabul. According to international agencies, at least 143 people were killed and more than 250 others injured, most of them patients undergoing treatment.

Patricia Gossman, senior associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said available evidence suggests the strike hit a well-known civilian medical facility.

“The available evidence indicates that the Pakistani airstrike against a well-known Kabul medical facility killing dozens of patients was unlawful,” she said, adding that authorities must determine why the site was targeted and who should be held accountable.

An employee of the center told the organization that three buildings were struck, including a dining hall, a residential building housing hundreds of patients, and a guard post. At the time of the attack, more than 1,000 patients were reportedly at the facility, many gathered to break their fast during Ramadan.

Human Rights Watch said satellite imagery and visual evidence show extensive destruction across the compound, with multiple structures either destroyed or severely damaged. The organization added that it found no indication the facility was being used for military purposes.

Under international humanitarian law, medical facilities are afforded special protection. The group stressed that attacks failing to distinguish between civilian and military targets, or those causing disproportionate civilian harm, may constitute serious violations of the laws of war.

Human Rights Watch has called on Pakistan to carry out a prompt, impartial investigation and ensure accountability if violations are confirmed.

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Torkham crossing closes again hours after brief reopening

Officials say the reason for the sudden closure has not been clearly communicated by authorities in Pakistan.

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Torkham closed

The key border crossing at Torkham crossing has once again been shut down, just hours after it was temporarily reopened, according to local officials in Nangarhar province.

Sediqullah Quraishi, head of information at the provincial Department of Information and Culture, said that on Thursday the Pakistani side allowed the crossing to open briefly to Afghan migrants. However, the crossing was closed again shortly afterward, leaving many travelers stranded.

Officials say the reason for the sudden closure has not been clearly communicated by authorities in Pakistan.

The Torkham crossing serves as one of the most important transit points between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Its repeated closures have caused significant disruption, particularly for migrants, traders, and families who rely on cross-border movement.

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