Kandahar Governor Mullah Mohammad Shirin Akhund has called on Turkey to expand its support for healthcare, agriculture and development projects in Afghanistan, particularly in Kandahar, during a meeting with Turkey’s ambassador to Afghanistan.

According to a statement from the Kandahar governor’s office, Sadin Ayyıldız, Chargé d’Affaires of the Turkish Embassy in Kabul, and his delegation met with Akhund during an official visit to the province on Saturday.

The governor thanked Turkey for its longstanding support for Afghanistan and described the country as a close friend with shared religious, cultural and historical ties. He expressed hope for stronger bilateral relations and broader cooperation between the two countries.

Akhund requested that Turkey increase its assistance by building clinics in districts and remote areas, supplying medicines and medical equipment, and helping equip Mirwais Regional Hospital and the Aino Mina 350-bed Hospital.

He also called for training programs for Afghan doctors and other healthcare workers, greater cooperation in agriculture and livestock through the sharing of Turkish expertise, faster visa processing for Afghan patients and businesspeople, and support for schools, religious schools, clinics and clean water supply networks in settlements for newly returned Afghan refugees.

The governor said these sectors represent some of Kandahar’s most pressing needs.

The statement added that Ayyıldız praised Afghanistan’s security situation, reconstruction efforts and other developments, saying Turkey has long sought to stand alongside the Afghan people and support them in areas of need. He also expressed hope for Afghanistan’s continued development.

The race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is shaping up to be one of the tournament’s most compelling storylines, with Argentina captain Lionel Messi and France star Kylian Mbappe locked together at the top of the scoring charts on seven goals each after the opening Round of 16 matches.

Mbappe drew level with Messi after scoring the decisive goal in France’s 1-0 victory over Paraguay, ensuring the battle between the two global superstars remains finely poised heading into the quarter-finals.

Close behind the leading pair are England captain Harry Kane and Norway striker Erling Haaland, who have each scored five goals and remain in contention with their Round of 16 matches still to be played. Brazil’s Vinicius Junior and France winger Ousmane Dembele are among the chasing pack on four goals, while several other players could yet force their way into the race as the knockout rounds continue.

With every remaining match carrying enormous significance, the Golden Boot contest is expected to intensify over the coming week. Messi will have the chance to move ahead when Argentina face Egypt, while Mbappe has already secured his place in the quarter-finals. Kane, Haaland and Vinicius Jr. will all look to close the gap in their respective Round of 16 fixtures, ensuring the race for the tournament’s top scorer remains wide open.

Sweden has spent more than eight million kronor (about $820,000) on a voluntary return programme encouraging Afghan migrants to return to Afghanistan, but no participants have taken up the offer since the initiative began in 2025, according to Sweden’s Aftonbladet.

The programme, known as “Zindagi Taza” (“New Life”), is run by the international organisation Seefar and funded by the Swedish government. It aims to reach around 2,000 Afghans living in Sweden and encourage 200 of them to return voluntarily to Afghanistan.

With only two months remaining before the project concludes, no one has returned through the programme.

Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell said it was too early to judge the initiative’s effectiveness.

“I think we should wait until the end of the project before we evaluate it,” Forssell told Aftonbladet.

The campaign targets Afghan nationals who have been unable to be deported from Sweden. According to Forssell, one of the programme’s objectives is to reduce the number of migrants who remain in the country without legal status by encouraging voluntary return rather than forcing people underground.