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US officials debunk UNSC report on growth of terrorist groups in Afghanistan
US officials have dismissed the recent UN Security Council Sanctions Committee report on terrorist groups including al-Qaeda and ISIS in Afghanistan and said their intelligence does not match that issued by the UN.
Speaking to VOA, a number of American officials said they have not seen evidence that confirms the findings of the United Nations.
The Analysis and Monitoring Group of the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee said in its recent report that terrorist groups in Afghanistan have more freedom of action compared to the past and terrorist threats are increasing in Afghanistan and the region.
But one American official told Voice of America on condition of anonymity that this information “does not match the analysis of our intelligence community.”
The United Nations report also stated that al-Qaeda and ISIS have also established training camps in different provinces of Afghanistan.
According to United Nations assessments, there are 30 to 60 high-ranking officials of al-Qaeda in the provinces of Kandahar, Helmand, Kunar and Kabul, and a total of about 400 fighters of this group and 1,600 members of their families are present in various training camps in Afghanistan.
The report also stated the Khorasan branch of ISIS has 4,000 to 6,000 members in Afghanistan and has camps and shelters in at least 13 provinces of Afghanistan.
A senior American official spoke more frankly about this and told VOA: “The estimates about the number of members of al-Qaeda and ISIS in the United Nations report are irregular and scattered compared to the information of the American intelligence community and the estimates of our partners and allies.”
The official also said that according to U.S. assessments, fewer than 12 major al-Qaeda members are currently in Afghanistan, and that no major al-Qaeda leader is in Afghanistan after the U.S. killed the group’s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul.
He said that al-Qaeda has not revived its presence in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal in August 2021, and that the organization does not appear to have established training camps in Afghanistan.
The United States has also denied information from some members of the United Nations that Saif al-Adel, also called Ibrahim al-Madani, the leader of al-Qaeda, left his base in Iran and visited Afghanistan in 2022. At least one member of the United Nations has said that Saif al-Adel is currently based in Afghanistan.
This American official said that the Khorasan branch of ISIS has not been able to achieve its goal of attacking the United States in the past two years.
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
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Afghanistan’s new cricket head coach Richard Pybus arrives in Kabul
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