US Department of Defense (DOD) spokesman Sean Parnell said the Trump administration has an “obligation” to hold senior officials involved in the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan accountable. 

Addressing a press briefing on Monday, Parnell was asked whether the DOD would be firing or disciplining any remaining leadership directly involved in the withdrawal. 

“We’re in the process of figuring out what that investigation will look like,” Parnell stated. 

He said he had served in the military in Afghanistan and detailed how former President Joe Biden’s withdrawal had “horrified” him.

“I was horrified, in a lot of ways,” he said. 

“You think about how much time, and blood and treasure and American life that was lost in Afghanistan over 20 years, you think about that for a second — I’m 43 years old, and this country was at war in Afghanistan for 20 years.” 

“Almost half of my life, this country was at war in Afghanistan,” he said. 

“We bled the ground red in Afghanistan,” he said. “I watched my men do extraordinary things in support of a grateful nation and in support of a mission there, and to watch Afghanistan be surrendered in the way that it was, [it] was extremely difficult.”

“Will those people be held accountable?” Parnell continued. “I think we have an obligation both to the American people and to the warfighters who fought in Afghanistan to hold the leadership accountable in some way.” 

“Now, we don’t know what that looks like right now to hold the leadership of the Afghanistan withdrawal accountable,” he said. 

“If you have a private that loses a sensitive item, that loses night-vision goggles, and loses a weapon, you can bet that private’s going to be held accountable. The same and equal standards must apply to senior military leaders.”

Former Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCOS) Gen. Mark Milley was involved in planning the withdrawal. His security clearance was revoked by US President Donald Trump in January.

The second round of talks between Afghan and Pakistani jirga members to reopen Torkham border crossing reportedly ended on a “positive note” on Monday when Afghanistan’s delegation asked for a recess in order to get approval from higher authorities on Pakistan’s conditions. 

Pakistan media reported that the meeting lasted for about two hours and was held at the Customs Offices on the Afghan side of the border. 

Sources among the Pakistani delegation told Dawn that a detailed discussion was held between the two sides over the issue of construction of a controversial post, very close to the border at Zero Point on the Afghan side.

The Afghan side, they said, was told that any work by them regarding any change in the existing structure, close to the Zero Point border crossing, would be met with a stern response from Pakistan, Dawn reported.

Afghanistan however reportedly insists that the border be reopened without any conditions. However, Pakistan also wants the ‘no work on checkpost’ clause linked to a six-month ceasefire.

“We expressed our desire for a halt to hostilities between the two neighbouring countries with the Afghan side giving a firm assurance about permanently abiding by the agreed border protocols,” the sources said.

Torkham crossing was closed almost a month ago when Pakistan border officials opposed the reconstruction and renovation of a security check post on the Afghan side. 

Torkham, a key border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the Khyber District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, remained closed for the 25th day on Tuesday amid rising concerns among traders of both countries who have suffered enormous losses due to the closure. 

The crossing was closed on February 21 after escalation of tensions between the border forces on both sides. During subsequent exchanges of fire, three Afghan soldiers died while eight Pakistani paramilitary troops also sustained injuries.

Customs sources have said trade suspension is causing an estimated daily loss of $3 million in bilateral trade adding that over the first 20 days, approximately $60 million in trade was lost.

Torkham Border Crossing facilitates the daily movement of around 10,000 people to Afghanistan and is a key trade route between the two countries. Over 5,000 trucks, including those carrying perishable goods, are currently stranded, causing heavy financial losses.

Marking Afghanistan’s National Journalists Day on Monday, journalists around the country raised concerns over the lack of access to information and the media restrictions they face.

One journalist, Heela Mohmand, said: “In addition to the fact that restrictions have increased, there are other problems. Women should be attended to. Many sisters and mothers are journalists, and they are facing many problems. I am also unemployed.”

Meena Habib, another journalist, said: “Some have lost their income and many have great problems due to the lack of access to information. We journalists still cannot obtain accurate information. Many spokespersons refuse to provide information to women. In many cases, when they find out that a woman is calling them, they don’t answer.”

Media advocacy groups consider the right to access accurate and timely information important in the field of reporting. These groups also called better working conditions for journalists in the country.

“This year, compared to last year, the number of female journalists has increased. Currently, 745 female journalists are working in the media. Last year, their number was 601,” said Hujjatullah Mujaddidi, head of the Afghan Independent Journalists Union.

The Ministry of Information and Culture emphasized that the current situation is favorable for the media and that the ministry is committed to supporting the media in various areas. The ministry also called on the media to continue their activities based on Islamic principles and national values.

Khubaib Ghufran, spokesman for the Ministry of Information and Culture, said: “Since the Ministry of Information and Culture is a support authority for journalists and the media, it ensures that it supports the country’s journalists in any area they face problems and in case they need anything, whether in the field of access to information or in the field of financial support to address their problems, for which work is underway to create a mechanism. Similarly, if journalists have a complaint, it will be addressed by the Media Violations Commission.”

Currently, 470 media outlets are operating in the country, including 84 television stations, 273 radio stations, 57 news agencies, and 52 print media outlets. 745 female journalists work in these media outlets.