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Biden marks 10th anniversary of Osama bin Laden raid
Marking the 10th anniversary of the raid on al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, US President Joe Biden said on Sunday night that the event was a moment he will never forget.
He also acknowledged the intelligence community who tracked him down and the skill of US forces who conducted the raid.
In a statement issued by the White House, Biden said: “Ten years ago, I joined (former) President Obama and members of our national security team, crowded into the Situation Room to watch as our military delivered long-awaited justice to Osama bin Laden.
“It is a moment I will never forget – the intelligence professionals who had painstakingly tracked him down; the clarity and conviction of President Obama in making the call; the courage and skill of our team on the ground. It had been almost ten years since our nation was attacked on 9/11 and we went to war in Afghanistan, pursuing al-Qaeda and its leaders.
“We followed bin Laden to the gates of hell – and we got him. We kept the promise to all those who lost loved ones on 9/11: that we would never forget those we had lost, and that the United States will never waver in our commitment to prevent another attack on our homeland and to keep the American people safe,” Biden said.
He went on to state that now, as a result of those efforts, an end to America’s longest war and the full withdrawal of troops is in sight.
He also said al-Qaeda has largely been wiped out in Afghanistan.
“But the United States will remain vigilant about the threat from terrorist groups that have metastasized around the world. We will continue to monitor and disrupt any threat to us that emerges from Afghanistan. And we will work to counter terrorist threats to our homeland and our interests in cooperation with allies and partners around the world.”
He also said: “I want to give my enduring thanks to the service members who executed the raid at great personal risk and the public servants across our government who made our mission a success ten years ago. We will continue to honor all the brave women and men, our military, our intelligence and counterterrorism professionals, and so many others, who continue their extraordinary work to keep the American people safe today. They give their best to our country, and we owe them an incredible debt of gratitude.”
Bin Laden, the founder and first leader of al-Qaeda, was killed in Pakistan on May 2, 2011, shortly after 1 am, by United States Navy SEALs.
The operation, code-named Operation Neptune Spear, was carried out in a CIA-led operation with Joint Special Operations Command.
The operation ended a nearly 10-year search for bin Laden, following his role in the September 11 attacks on the United States.
The raid on bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, was launched from Afghanistan and US military officials said that after the raid US forces took the body of bin Laden to Afghanistan for identification, then buried it at sea within 24 hours of his death in accordance with Islamic tradition.
Al-Qaeda confirmed the death on May 6 with posts made on militant websites, vowing to avenge the killing.
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IEA condemns Pakistan’s airstrikes in several Afghan provinces
In a statement released on Friday, Mujahid said the strikes took place in multiple locations, including Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia and Paktika provinces, as well as other areas.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), has strongly condemned recent airstrikes that he says were carried out by Pakistan Armed Forces in several provinces of Afghanistan, describing the attacks as a “clear act of aggression” that caused civilian casualties.
In a statement released on Friday, Mujahid said the strikes took place in multiple locations, including Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia and Paktika provinces, as well as other areas.
According to the spokesman, some of the airstrikes struck residential houses, resulting in the deaths of civilians, including women and children. Other strikes reportedly hit areas that were uninhabited.
Mujahid said the timing of the attacks — during the final days of the holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of Eid al-Fitr — showed that those responsible “do not adhere to humanitarian principles or moral values.”
“The Islamic Emirate strongly condemns this crime and clear aggression in the strongest terms, and this cruelty will not go unanswered,” Mujahid said.
He also claimed that one of the airstrikes targeted a fuel storage facility belonging to Kam Air near Kandahar International Airport. According to Mujahid, the facility supplied fuel to civilian airlines as well as aircraft operated by the United Nations.
Mujahid further alleged that in a previous similar incident, another fuel depot owned by an Afghan trader, Haji Khanzada, was also targeted.
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Herat governor urges UN to prioritize Afghan domestic products in food purchases
Noor Ahmad Islamjar, the governor of Herat, has urged the United Nations to give priority to domestic Afghan products when procuring food and essential goods.
According to a statement from the Herat governor’s office, Islamjar met with Indrika Ratwatte, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan, and Arafat Jamal, Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Afghanistan.
During the meeting, the governor praised the UN’s cooperation and described the support provided during the first wave of returning migrants as a significant success. He emphasized that the local administration is fully prepared to address the needs of any potential new wave of migrants.
Islamjar also stressed the importance of international support in expanding foreign markets for Afghan agricultural and industrial products, and called for easing banking restrictions, facilitating visa issuance, and improving online services for the private sector and local traders.
In response, Indrika Ratwatte welcomed the governor’s proposals and assured that the UN would strive to source necessary goods from Afghan domestic products in the future, while continuing its cooperation with the local administration across various sectors.
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Four civilians killed in Khost overnight in Pakistani military attacks
Hamdullah Fetrat, Deputy Spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, reported on Thursday that four civilians were killed overnight in Khost province during artillery and mortar shelling by the Pakistani military.
The attacks occurred around 4:00 a.m. in Alishir-Trezi district.
The victims were members of a nomadic family, including a man, a woman, and two children. Three additional children were injured in the strikes.
The Pakistani military also carried out attacks in Kunar province last night. While no casualties were reported there, several homes and private properties were damaged.
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