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Defense Secretary Austin reaffirms US commitment to Afghanistan
The US has reiterated its commitment to continuing to provide critical security assistance to the Afghan forces amid escalating Taliban violence in the country.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin in a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Washington stated: “The United States remains committed to continuing to provide critical security assistance to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).”
This comes as the US speeds up its withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan, aimed at ending the country’s longest war.
“We will make the transition or new relationship with Afghanistan and the Afghan forces one that continues to help you meet your responsibilities to your citizens,” Austin told Ghani.
“We remain partners with the Afghan government and the Afghan military and we will continue to work toward our common goals in new and different ways,” he stressed.
President Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, Vice President Amrullah Saleh, National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib, and a number of Afghan officials are visiting Washington in an official invitation by US President Joe Biden.
Ghani has met with a number of US officials including US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday.
“The decision of President Biden has been a strategic decision,” Ghani told reporters during his visit to the US Capitol.
“We respect that decision in dealing with the new chapter of our friendship, our strategic relationship and our people to people relationship and government to government relationship,” Ghani said.
Ghani emphasized for the need of US assistance to the Afghan government and the people of Afghanistan after withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan.
"I looking very much forward to discussion of detail in your assistance today in the humanitarian area for the people of Afghanistan who are facing the challenges of COVID-19 the third wave, a drought, and displacement because of the brutal attacks of the Taliban will be essential," Ghani said.
Eleven people have been killed in a shooting at a shrine in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan province, local sources said on Friday.
The incident took place at 9 pm on Thursday at the shrine of Sayed Padsha Jan in Shahr-e-Kuhna of Nahrin district.
A local resident said the dead were residents of Nahrin district and wanted to spend the night at the shrine.
Asadullah Mustafa Hashemi, the provincial information and culture director, confirmed the incident but did not provide details on how it happened or the number of casualties.
Provincial police spokesman said they had not received any information about the incident yet.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Serdar Muhammetdurdiyev on Thursday met with Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan announced.
During the meeting, the sides discussed priority vectors of strategic interstate cooperation built on a long-term, mutually beneficial basis, as well as exchanged views on the implementation of previously reached agreements.
It was noted that personal contacts between the leaders of the two countries play a key role in intensifying the interstate dialogue, which give a strong impulse to further development and expansion of Turkmen-Chinese ties.
It was emphasized that Turkmenistan considers multilateral international platforms for maintaining stability in Afghanistan as an important factor in promoting sustainable improvement of socio-economic state of the neighboring country. The sides exchanged views on the preparations to the 5th meeting of Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan's Neighboring States to be held in Turkmenistan.
The interlocutors reaffirmed that Turkmenistan and China will continue to provide all-round support for the economic restoration of Afghanistan.
The U.S. House Of Representatives has passed a legislation on evacuation of Afghans who assisted Americans during the 20-year war in Afghanistan.
“The passage of the CARE Authorization Act of 2024 further underscores the commitment made by the U.S. government to safeguard those who served shoulder-to-shoulder with our personnel during the twenty-year mission in Afghanistan,” Congresswoman Dina Titus said in a statement.
“The State Department has made it clear: There is no deadline for the crucial job of protecting Afghan allies. By authorizing the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts at the State Department, we can more effectively relocate and resettle those who have qualified to immigrate to the U.S. as a result of their service to this country.”
In 2022 the State Department established a specialized office called the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) to streamline and coordinate the ongoing relocation and resettlement process for eligible Afghans from Afghanistan and Pakistan to the United States.
The CARE Authorization Act of 2024 will formally authorize the CARE office at the State Department for three years and grant important authorities to advance its mission. These include an extension of authorities to enter into personal services contracts as well as measures to streamline the transfer of funds to and from other agencies involved in the Afghan relocation mission.
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