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Pentagon says no decision yet on troops withdrawal from Afghanistan

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Pentagon says that Washington is ready to “orderly” pullout forces from Afghanistan if US President Joe Biden decides to withdraw.

Under the US-Taliban agreement, which was signed last year in Doha, foreign troops should leave Afghanistan by May 1 “if the Taliban meets certain conditions.” 

Pentagon said that there are currently almost 10,000 foreign troops - including 2,500 US soldiers - in Afghanistan.

Addressing the reporters on Tuesday, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby stated that US has not completed its review over troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Kirby emphasized that no decision has been made yet.

Kirby noted that if the president decides to withdraw, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is confident that Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command, and Army Gen. Austin Miller, the commander of NATO's Resolute Support Mission and U.S. Forces — Afghanistan, "will get it done in a safe, orderly and effective way."

Kirby told reporters that one of the reasons Secretary Austin went to Afghanistan “to meet with Afghan and US leaders was to listen to them, their concerns and see the situation for himself.”

He noted that Austin was in Kabul not to deliver a message to President Ashraf Ghani, but “to listen and learn.”

"It will inform his participation in the review that's ongoing... And it will certainly inform the advice, whatever advice that might be, that he will give to President Biden," Kirby said.

Kirby restated: "We all want to see a responsible end to this war that is sustainable, and it's based on a negotiated political settlement. That's what we're all driving to."

This comes as US State Secretary Antony Blinken stated Tuesday NATO Allies and partners remain firmly committed to Afghanistan’s long-term security and stability through the Resolute Support training mission.

“We will ensure that Afghan soil is never again used to launch an attack on America or her allies,” he said.

“As stated at the NATO Defense Ministerial, the U.S. and our NATO Allies and partners are pushing for a responsible end to the war in Afghanistan. As Allies we must remain unified: we went in together, we will adjust together, and when the time is right, we will leave together,” Blinken tweeted.

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Iran’s envoy meets UNAMA deputy, stresses cooperation with Afghanistan

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Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's ambassador and special representative for Afghanistan met late Thursday with Georgette Gagnon, UNAMA’s deputy special political envoy for Kabul and they stressed the increase of cooperation with Afghanistan, the embassy said in a statement.

In this meeting, Qomi told Gagnon that Iran would support any initiative taken by the international community for Afghanistan.

In the meeting of Georgette Gagnon with Mr. Kazemi, the issue of narcotics and the presence of the private sector in Afghanistan were discussed, and Iran supports any constructive initiative of the international community for Afghanistan,” according to the statement.

Experts, meanwhile, believe the solutions of the United Nations to cooperate with Afghanistan's neighboring countries in consolidating stability and security can solve key issues such as terrorism and immigration.

Some experts consider strengthening Iran's partnership and cooperation with the UN for greater stability in Afghanistan is important and necessary.

However, Iran has not yet recognized the caretaker government of Afghanistan and has repeatedly emphasized the establishment of a comprehensive government in the country.

Over the past three years, Iran has established good relations with the Islamic Emirate, and trade between the two countries has increased.

Meanwhile, Tehran has previously opposed the appointment of a special representative for Afghanistan by the United Nations.

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Ten people killed in Baghlan attack

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Ten people were killed by unknown individuals in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan province on Thursday night, police said on Friday.

The incident happened as the victims were doing Zikr at a mosque in Shahr-e-Kuhna of Nahrin district, police said in a statement.

The statement said that they used to regularly go to mosques and monasteries at night after returning from work.

Abdul Ghayoor Khadim, a provincial police official, said that several people were arrested in connection with the incident, adding that an investigation was launched.

 

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Chinese, Turkmen officials meet to discuss Afghanistan

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Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Serdar Muhammetdurdiyev on Thursday met with Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan announced.

During the meeting, the sides discussed priority vectors of strategic interstate cooperation built on a long-term, mutually beneficial basis, as well as exchanged views on the implementation of previously reached agreements.

It was noted that personal contacts between the leaders of the two countries play a key role in intensifying the interstate dialogue, which give a strong impulse to further development and expansion of Turkmen-Chinese ties.

It was emphasized that Turkmenistan considers multilateral international platforms for maintaining stability in Afghanistan as an important factor in promoting sustainable improvement of socio-economic state of the neighboring country. The sides exchanged views on the preparations to the 5th meeting of Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan's Neighboring States to be held in Turkmenistan.

The interlocutors reaffirmed that Turkmenistan and China will continue to provide all-round support for the economic restoration of Afghanistan.

 
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