Murat Dikmen, Consul General of Turkey in Mazar-i-Sharif, on Tuesday met with Abdullah Sarhadi, Governor of Jowzjan province, to discuss ongoing cooperation and future development initiatives in the region.

During the meeting, Dikmen highlighted Turkey’s contributions in education, healthcare, and sustainable development in Jowzjan, emphasizing the continuation and expansion of these efforts to improve service quality for residents, the provincial governor’s office said in a statement.

Sarhadi welcomed Turkey’s support, underlining the need for enhanced healthcare services, provision of ambulances, medical equipment, and access to clean drinking water, while calling for development projects to be implemented fairly and transparently.

Dikmen assured the governor that all proposals would be coordinated with Turkish authorities and confirmed Turkey’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation in the province.

He announced the imminent launch of a major $150–$200 million investment, including the establishment of a cement factory, which is expected to boost economic growth and create new job opportunities for the local population.

In October 2024, the Islamic Emirate signed a multi-million dollar contract with Turkish 77 Company for a new cement factory in the Yatim Taq area of Jawzjan Province in northern Afghanistan.

Turkish 77 Company will invest $163 million in the factory, which will have a daily output of 3,000 tons of cement once completed.

Diplomats from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states have held preparatory consultations ahead of a planned visit by the OIC Ministerial Contact Group to Kabul.

The technical-level meeting focused on coordinating efforts and finalizing the agenda for the mission to Afghanistan, Delovoy Kazakhstan newspaper reported on Tuesday.

During the discussions, participants stressed the importance of a coordinated and unified approach among member states to ensure the effectiveness and practical outcomes of the visit.

The agenda was designed to cover key political, humanitarian, and economic issues central to international engagement with Afghanistan.

The meeting marked an important step in organizing the visit, addressing logistical, organizational, and technical matters, and aligning the priorities of participating countries.

The OIC Ministerial Contact Group on Afghanistan was established according to a resolution at the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC Member States in Istanbul in June 2025.

The group’s mandate is to coordinate member states’ efforts, promote cooperation, and ensure consistent engagement on Afghanistan-related issues, including political dialogue, humanitarian assistance, and economic support.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says it has arrested an Afghan national convicted of attempted murder in Rochester, New York.

According to ICE, officers arrested Waheed Allah Mohammad, 39, on Jan. 1. After stabbing his 19-year-old sister, he was convicted in New York in 2009 of first-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault and sentenced to 10 years in prison and five years of supervision. 

ICE said Mohammad entered the United States legally in 2004, but his conviction violated the terms of his legal status. An immigration judge ordered his deportation in 2012.

ICE said Mohammad will remain in custody pending his removal from the United States.