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Contradictory reports emerge over Black Hawk ‘crash’

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Conflicting reports have emerged around the apparent Afghan National Army Black Hawk helicopter crash in Helmand province on Wednesday night.

According to the Ministry of Defense, the helicopter made an emergency landing in Nahr-e-Saraj district in the province after experiencing technical problems.

The MoD said in a statement no casualties had been reported but an investigation will be carried out.

However, Attullah Afghan, the head of the Helmand provincial council, said on Wednesday night that the ANA helicopter had crashed.

He said three people on board had died and four were injured.

The Taliban meanwhile claimed that it shot down an ANA Black Hawk over Helmand province - leaving four dead.

According to the Taliban, the helicopter had been preparing to carry out an airstrike when it was targeted.

This comes after an incident last month when the forces of a local militia commander, Alipour, shot down an Afghan Air Force helicopter in Maidan Wardak province.

Nine security personnel, including two pilots and four special forces members, were killed in the incident, according to the Ministry of Defense.

Fawad Aman, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry, said that based on their investigation and evidence, the Afghan Air Force helicopter “was attacked by Alipour’s militia in Behsud district.”

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Weakened Iran could pursue nuclear weapon, White House’s Sullivan says

Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities, including missile factories and air defenses, have reduced Tehran’s conventional military capabilities, Sullivan told CNN.

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The Biden administration is concerned that a weakened Iran could build a nuclear weapon, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday, adding that he was briefing President-elect Donald Trump's team on the risk, Reuters reported.

Iran has suffered setbacks to its regional influence after Israel's assaults on its allies, Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah, followed by the fall of Iran-aligned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities, including missile factories and air defenses, have reduced Tehran's conventional military capabilities, Sullivan told CNN.

"It's no wonder there are voices (in Iran) saying, 'Hey, maybe we need to go for a nuclear weapon right now ... Maybe we have to revisit our nuclear doctrine'," Sullivan said.

Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful, but it has expanded uranium enrichment since Trump, in his 2017-2021 presidential term, pulled out of a deal between Tehran and world powers that put restrictions on Iran's nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief, read the report.

Sullivan said that there was a risk that Iran might abandon its promise not to build nuclear weapons.

"It's a risk we are trying to be vigilant about now. It's a risk that I'm personally briefing the incoming team on," Sullivan said, adding that he had also consulted with U.S. ally Israel.

Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, could return to his hardline Iran policy by stepping up sanctions on Iran's oil industry.

Sullivan said Trump would have an opportunity to pursue diplomacy with Tehran, given Iran's "weakened state."

"Maybe he can come around this time, with the situation Iran finds itself in, and actually deliver a nuclear deal that curbs Iran's nuclear ambitions for the long term," he said.

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Saudi Arabia reopens embassy in Afghanistan

In November 2021, Saudi Arabia said it was resuming consular services in Afghanistan. It also provides humanitarian aid in the country through its KSRelief organisation.

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Saudi Arabia has resumed its diplomatic operations in Kabul, reopening its embassy on Sunday.

"Based on the desire of the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to provide all services to the brotherly Afghan people, it has been decided to resume the activities of the mission of the Kingdom in Kabul starting on December 22," the embassy posted on social media site X.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi recently met with Saudi representatives, expressing a desire to expand bilateral relations. Saudi officials reaffirmed their commitment to providing humanitarian aid and strengthening collaboration in various fields.

In November 2021, Saudi Arabia said it was resuming consular services in Afghanistan. It also provides humanitarian aid in the country through its KSRelief organisation.

Saudi Arabia was one of only three countries, the others being Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, that recognised the first IEA government which came to power in 1996 and was overthrown by the United States invasion of 2001.

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Human traffickers should be sentenced to 1 to 3 years in prison: IEA leader

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The Leader of the Islamic Emirate has issued a decree instructing the Ministry of Interior Affairs to prevent human trafficking and to arrest and refer culprits to military courts.

The decree containing six articles says that that military courts should sentence human traffickers to one year in prison for the first time, two years if repeated for the second time and three years if repeated for the third time.

The ministries of Hajj, information, telecommunications, borders, propagation of virtue, as well as religious scholars are asked to inform the public about the dangers and adverse consequences of travelling through smuggling routes.

The decree comes as the rate of migration has increased following the political change in Afghanistan in 2021.

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