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US-Taliban deal ‘not solidly negotiated’ and still under review: Biden
US President Joe Biden has said it will be tough to meet the May 1 troop withdrawal deadline but that he has not yet made the decision as to when troops will leave.
In an interview with ABC news on Wednesday night, Biden said he is still reviewing the agreement sealed between his predecessor Donaly Trump and the Taliban in February last year.
“I’m in the process of making that decision now as to when they’ll leave,” Biden said.
“The fact is that, that was not a very solidly negotiated deal that the president – the former president – worked out. And so we’re in consultation with our allies as well as the government, and that decision’s going to be – it’s in process now.”
Biden said it would be “tough” for all service members to leave by May 1.
“It could happen,” he said, “but it is tough.”
Currently Washington official reports there are 2,500 US troops in the country but last week New York Times reported there are at least 3,500 US soldiers in Afghanistan.
That’s 1,000 more than Washington has disclosed.
The NYT reported the “cloudy accounting” around troops numbers results from some Special Forces units having been put “off the books”.
According to a senior US official, the presence of some temporary and transitioning units also accounted for the additional troops.
A second official told NYT that these troops include Joint Special Operations Command units, some of them elite Army Rangers, who work under both the Pentagon and the CIA while deployed to Afghanistan.
Having more troops in a country than the Defense Department officially acknowledges is common practice, NYT reported.
According to the report, the United States often details military troops to the CIA or other agencies, declares that information “classified” and refuses to publicly acknowledge their presence.
The General Examination Authority held a ceremony in Kabul on Sunday to honor the top ten achievers of the 2026 Kankor university entrance examination, which was attended by several senior officials of the Islamic Emirate.
Speaking at the event, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, head of the General Examination Authority, said it has consistently worked to ensure a transparent examination process and uphold fairness by awarding candidates based on merit. He added that Afghanistan requires both modern and religious education systems.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, Administrative Deputy Prime Minister, said the Islamic Emirate has utilized available resources to support the development of education and higher learning. He called on students to remain committed to contributing to the country’s reconstruction and future development.
Around 117,000 candidates took part in the 2026 Kankor examination, with more than 74,000 gaining admission to higher education institutions across the country.
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OIC, Muslim World League discuss support for Afghanistan on sidelines of Islamabad conference
Senior officials from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Muslim World League (MWL) have discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and support Afghanistan amid ongoing humanitarian and development challenges.
The meeting between OIC Assistant Secretary-General Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet and MWL Secretary-General Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa was held on Saturday on the sidelines of the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, which began on Sunday in Islamabad with the participation of delegates from 57 OIC member states.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed prospects for expanding bilateral cooperation and agreed to launch several joint programs aimed at serving Islamic causes and broadening areas of joint work.
They also exchanged views on recent developments in Afghanistan, discussing ways to support the Afghan people in overcoming humanitarian and development challenges. Both sides emphasized the importance of coordinated Islamic and international efforts to provide necessary assistance and sustain relief and humanitarian initiatives.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Ambassador Bakheet conveyed the OIC’s appreciation for the Muslim World League’s efforts, under the leadership of Al-Issa, in promoting moderation and balance and serving the causes of the Muslim Ummah.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has expressed its condolences following the death of Qatar’s former Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who died at the age of 74, extending sympathies to the Qatari government, the family and the people of Qatar.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Islamic Emirate said it received the news of Sheikh Hamad’s death “with utmost sorrow and grief,” adding the Quranic phrase: “Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return.”
The statement conveyed condolences to the Government of the State of Qatar, the family of the late Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the “fraternal Qatari people” over the loss.
The Islamic Emirate also prayed for Allah to grant the former emir His boundless mercy, admit him to the highest level of Paradise, and bestow patience and abundant reward upon his family and loved ones.
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani served as emir of Qatar from 1995 until 2013. He was widely credited with transforming Qatar into a major regional and global player through rapid modernization, economic development and an increasingly active foreign policy before voluntarily handing power to his son, the current Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in 2013.
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