Latest News
US must be held accountable for past actions: Islamic Emirate official
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has condemned the U.S. drone attack that killed 10 Afghan civilians last month and urged the United States to take responsibility for their past “killings and oppression” in the country.
Zabihullah Mujahid, deputy minister of culture and information of the Islamic Emirate’s interim government, talked with the China Media Group on Sunday and said: “This is not the only offence that the U.S. has committed. It’s been 20 years that they have martyred civilians in Afghanistan.”
“They have attacked the homes of civilians several times, and their latest carelessness and persecution of the people of Afghanistan led to the loss of 10 family members, including children, women, and elderly individuals, after an airstrike on a residential area,” he said.
“The U.S. must be held accountable for their past actions and cooperate with the people of Afghanistan as compensation for the killings and oppression in the country,” he said
Mujahid also commented on the six-month extension of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) which was adopted on Friday.
“We’re optimistic about the extension of UNAMA activities, because it’s a body of the UN and an international organization. Afghanistan must remain as an incandescent attention point of the international community, and the world should stay with us,” he said.
He reiterated the country’s willingness to have good relations with the international community.
“The international community is supposed to have good relations with us, and we also want affirmative relations with the world in the framework of our national interests, and we will coordinate humanitarian assistance with the UNAMA, and will cooperate in the areas of human rights issues,” he said.
“We call upon them to not extend their mission, but take effective steps in order to raise the voices of the Afghan people and assist the Afghans, and also, the UN must play a positive role politically with Afghans,” he added.
The Security Council on Friday adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the UNAMA for six months, until March 17, 2022.
Resolution 2596, which won the unanimous support of the 15-member council, stressed the critical importance of a continued presence of the UNAMA and other UN agencies, funds and programs across Afghanistan.
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan has announced scholarship opportunities for Afghan students under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for the 2027 academic year.
According to the embassy, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan is offering scholarships for graduate-level study at Japanese universities under the research student category, including both regular and non-regular students.
Interested and eligible applicants can download the application guidelines and forms from the official Study in Japan website and are advised to carefully review all requirements before applying.
Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and have prepared all required documents must submit their applications by 25 May 2026. The embassy said late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.
The first screening process will include a written examination in Kabul on 18 June 2026, followed by interviews scheduled for July 2026 (date to be confirmed).
The Embassy of Japan noted that the Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan will assist in collecting applications and facilitating written examinations, but will not be involved in the selection process.
It further emphasized that the selection will be conducted independently by the embassy and the Japanese government, based on academic merit, quality of application documents, and performance in written and interview examinations, without consideration of religious, linguistic, or ethnic background.
The scholarship program is fully funded and free of charge. The embassy warned applicants to remain cautious against scams, stressing that no financial contributions are required at any stage of the application process.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, has launched the distribution of more than 1,000 residential land plots for returning migrants in Logar province.
During a visit to Logar, Hanafi inaugurated a new township and said the initiative aims to support Afghan returnees by providing them with housing opportunities and improving settlement conditions.
He called for speeding up the process of distributing residential plots designated for migrants, stressing the importance of timely implementation.
“We inaugurated this township today, which includes more than 1,000 plots. These plots will be distributed to migrants. In addition, other townships will also be constructed soon,” he said.
Hanafi also noted that over the past three years, more than five million Afghan migrants have returned from neighboring countries, adding that efforts are underway to provide them with essential services and support their reintegration.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, has urged the Afghan authorities to take concrete action against militant threats that Islamabad says originate from Afghan soil.
Speaking at an event at the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul marking the first anniversary of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos against India, Nizamani reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining “brotherly ties” with Afghanistan.
The ambassador also highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts in reducing tensions between Iran and the United States, saying Islamabad’s initiatives reflected its commitment to regional and global peace.
During the ceremony, Nizamani reaffirmed Pakistan’s determination to defend itself against any aggression.
“Pakistan’s desire for peace must never be mistaken for weakness,” the ambassador said, calling for heightened vigilance against regional threats.
Pakistani officials have consistently claimed that militants use Afghan soil to attack Pakistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has denied this claim and said that Afghanistan is not responsible for Pakistan’s security failures.
Japan announces MEXT scholarships for Afghan students for 2027 academic year
New township to provide over 1,000 land plots for returnees in Logar
Ariana Afghan Airlines lowers cargo rates on Kabul–Delhi route to boost exports
Pakistan ambassador urges Afghan authorities to act against militant threats
Afghanistan signs $20 million contract for gold mining in Kunduz
Bayat Power extends gas supply deal with Afghan Gas
New Afghanistan-China transport corridor launched via Turkmenistan
Afghanistan’s new cricket head coach Richard Pybus arrives in Kabul
Afghanistan moves toward self-sufficiency in car battery production
Germany to launch online visa system for Afghan study and work applicants in Pakistan
Tahawol: Afghanistan and Uzbekistan’s growing economic ties discussed
Saar: Afghanistan’s relations with the world discussed
Tahawol: Discussion on unknown fate of Middle East crisis
Saar: Problems and challenges of Afghan refugees in the world discussed
Tawsia: Discussion on Afghanistan’s economic path and position
-
Business3 days agoNew Afghanistan-China transport corridor launched via Turkmenistan
-
Sport2 days agoCanada to host opening ceremony for FIFA World Cup 2026 in Toronto
-
Business5 days agoUzbekistan launches new cargo corridor linking China and Afghanistan
-
Latest News2 days agoSAARC failure pushes Pakistan toward trilateral ties with Afghanistan, China, Bangladesh: Dar
-
Science & Technology3 days agoJames Webb Telescope captures clearest-ever view of exoplanet’s surface
-
Regional4 days agoUS and Iran closing in on one-page memo to end war, Axios reports
-
Sport2 days agoAfghanistan rises 7 places to 21st in FIFA Futsal World Rankings
-
Sport2 days agoLos Angeles to welcome the world with historic FIFA World Cup 2026 opening event