The press office of Herat’s governor announced in a statement on Friday that officials from the contracting company of the Khaf-Herat railway project have confirmed the first phase of the fourth section of the railway will be completed within the next six months. 

The contracting company’s representatives discussed the progress with Noor Ahmad Islamjar, the Governor of Herat. During the meeting, the governor expressed appreciation for the company’s efforts to complete the first phase of the fourth section and assured them of the local administration’s full cooperation in providing necessary facilities to expedite the project’s implementation,” the statement read.

The Khaf-Herat railway is one of Afghanistan’s major infrastructure projects, aimed at facilitating transportation and strengthening trade relations between Afghanistan and regional countries.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Thursday warned of the “severe” humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

“More than half of the population, that’s 23 million human beings, are in need of humanitarian assistance in the country.

“This number is one of the highest globally, second only to Sudan, where 30 million people currently require aid and require protection,” Dujarric told reporters.

Food insecurity and malnutrition remain “stubbornly high” in Afghanistan during the first quarter of 2025, he said, adding nearly 15 million people, one in every three Afghans, will experience high levels of acute food insecurity.

“Nearly 3.5 million children under the age of 5, and more than 1 million pregnant and breast-feeding women are expected to become acutely malnourished,” Dujarric said.

Pakistan on Thursday endorsed a United States plan to recover military equipment left behind in Afghanistan, citing security concerns over its use by terrorist groups.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, speaking at a weekly media briefing, said Pakistan supports the idea of the US reclaiming its weapons but dismissed claims that Islamabad was actively facilitating such actions, according to Dawn newspaper.

“The assertion of Pakistan supporting any US action in this regard is too speculative. This is not what we have said. This is a matter between Afghanistan and the US,” he said.

“USA left its weapons there. We have supported the idea that the US can try to get its weapons back. Our concern is that those weapons have been found being used by terrorists in their operations inside Pakistan. We have flagged it,” he said.

He maintained that if Washington could retrieve the equipment, it “would be helpful for the overall regional security environment”.

The remarks come days after Pakistan extradited Mohammad Sharifullah, a Daesh operative, to the US.

Sharifullah was wanted for his role in planning the Aug 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Kabul’s Abbey Gate during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

President Donald Trump, in a March 4 address to Congress, had hailed Pakistan’s cooperation in securing Sharifullah’s extradition. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz later discussed the issue with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who backed the US plan to reclaim its weapons from Afghanistan.

“He (Mr Dar) appreciated President Trump’s announcement to withdraw the US military equipment left behind in Afghanistan,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.

The Islamic Emirate considers the US military equipment left behind in Afghanistan as spoils of war, saying that it will not be returned.

The Islamic Emirate has also dismissed concerns that such equipment will be used against the security of other countries.