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Afghans to testify in Australian ex-soldier’s case
An Australian court on Thursday said it will allow four Afghans to give evidence via video link in a defamation case filed by a former Australian soldier accused of being involved in killing civilians in Afghanistan, Anadolu News Agency reported.
The ruling came in a defamation case filed by Ben Roberts-Smith, a special forces veteran, against Australian media outlets for publishing a series of articles which he contends “disgraced the Australian Army.”
The media outlets alleged that Roberts-Smith was involved in unlawful killings in Afghanistan.
Anadolu reported the Afghans will give evidence about the alleged murder of a man in 2012 when the trial starts in Sydney in June.
Last year, Australian authorities made public the findings of a probe into at least 39 incidents of civilian killings committed by special forces in Afghanistan.
Anadolu reported that the Brereton Report, commissioned by the inspector-general of the Australian Defense Force, found “credible information” that Australian soldiers murdered civilians and prisoners in Afghanistan.
According to the report, 25 current or former personnel were involved in serious crimes, either carrying out the offenses themselves or being “accessories.”
General Angus Campbell, chief of the Australian Defense Force, apologized to Afghans over the killings and Prime Minister Scott Morrison promised the perpetrators would face action.
However, citing Australian media reports, Anadolu reported last month that the military was planning to discharge soldiers involved in war crimes in Afghanistan on “medical grounds.”
According to the Sydney-based Daily Telegraph, a group of special forces soldiers facing dismissal due to the investigation was told that they can be discharged on medical grounds and will not be sacked.
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IEA expresses concern over US plan to transfer Afghan migrants to Pakistan
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has expressed serious concern over reports that the United States plans to transfer some Afghan migrants to Pakistan, urging Washington to act responsibly and cautiously.
In a statement, the ministry said it had received reports that the US intends to send Afghan nationals who have so far been unable to obtain legal residency documents in the United States to Pakistan.
The ministry said the Islamic Emirate considers the protection of the rights of all Afghan citizens its responsibility and stressed that Afghans, wherever they are in the world, should be treated in accordance with applicable laws, accepted principles and respect for human dignity.
It called on the United States to ensure that any decisions or actions concerning Afghan nationals are taken through clear bilateral understanding, necessary coordination and with due consideration for their rights and legitimate requests.
The ministry also said third countries should not make deals over the fate of another country’s citizens in exchange for temporary benefits or other considerations at the expense of human dignity, individual rights and accepted humanitarian standards.
The statement added that the Islamic Emirate remains committed to constructive engagement and cooperation to facilitate the safe, dignified and voluntary return of Afghan citizens.
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Trump claims he could have won Afghanistan war in three weeks
US President Donald Trump has claimed that he could have won the war in Afghanistan within three weeks, criticising previous American presidents for failing to pursue victory during the country’s longest military conflict.
Speaking at a midterm election campaign rally in Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday, Trump said successive US administrations had failed to fight wars with the clear objective of winning.
“Afghanistan, years and years. Then, we never fight to win. We don’t fight to win. We fight to tie,” Trump said, referring to the US military involvement in Afghanistan.
He claimed he could have brought the war to an end within a few weeks, saying: “I could have won that war in three weeks.”
Trump also made a similar claim about the Vietnam War, saying he could have won it in one week.
The United States launched its military campaign in Afghanistan in October 2001, following the September 11 attacks. The conflict continued for nearly 20 years before US forces completed their withdrawal in August 2021.
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Journalists continue to pay a heavy price for telling the truth: Guterres
UN Secretary-General António Guterres says journalists around the world continue to pay a heavy price for telling the truth, calling for justice and accountability for crimes committed against media workers.
In a message marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2, Guterres warned that targeting journalists and silencing their reporting deprives the public of access to information and makes everyone a victim.
“When journalists are targeted and their reporting is extinguished, it makes victims of us all,” he said, stressing the need for justice.
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