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Saudi crown prince tells Biden US made ‘mistake’ in Afghanistan: Saudi official
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pointed to American abuse in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan as he told President Joe Biden Friday that the US made “mistakes” too.
This was in response to Biden’s comments to MBS - as the crown prince is called - on the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
“The United States also made a number of mistakes like the incident of Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and others,” the crown prince told Biden, a Saudi official told Reuters.
In the early part of the Iraq War, detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison were tortured by U.S. forces, with 11 Americans convicted of crimes related to the scandal.
While MBS reportedly spoke to Biden about shared values - he also said pushing those values on other countries could backfire.
“However trying to impose those values by force could have the opposite effect as it happened in Iraq and Afghanistan where the U.S. was unsuccessful,” the statement from the Saudi official to Reuters said.
Biden oversaw a chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan, after a 20-year military involvement.
After his meeting with MBS, Biden told reporters that he brought up Khashoggi's killing first thing.
“In respect to the murder of Khashoggi, I raised it at the top of the meeting, making it clear what I thought of it at the time, and what I think of it now,” Biden said.
“I was straightforward and direct ... I made my view crystal clear,” he said.
Biden did not mention that MBS brought up the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, as a Saudi official claimed.
During Biden's remarks to MBS and other Arab leaders Saturday, the president conceded the US hasn't had a perfect track record.
“No country gets it right all the time - even most of the time - including the United States,” Biden said.
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G7 envoys urge national dialogue for lasting stability in Afghanistan
Special Representatives of the Group of Seven (G7), including the European Union, have emphasized the importance of a national dialogue for achieving long-term stability in Afghanistan.
Following a meeting on Afghanistan in Geneva, Switzerland, G7 special envoys issued a joint statement calling for the restoration of women's rights and urging the Islamic Emirate to fight terrorism.
The statement reads: "Achieving sustainable peace and stability requires credible governance that represents all segments of Afghan society."
The representatives also expressed concern over the IEA’s decision to ban girls from attending medical institutes, warning that it will have devastating consequences for the citizens, particularly mothers and their infants.
The statement described this ban as unacceptable and called on the Afghan authorities to lift it immediately.
Earlier, countries and international organizations had called for the removal of restrictions on the education and employment of women and girls, emphasizing the need for a national dialogue.
In response to these concerns, IEA has repeatedly stated that it will not allow interference in the internal affairs of the country.
The G7 special envoys also expressed their concern about the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul and the surrounding region, warning that terrorism remains a serious threat to Afghanistan's security. They confirmed the actions of the IEA against Daesh but stressed the need for more decisive measures.
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Afghanistan’s bright future lies in educating girls: Karzai
Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan, says the demand of Afghan girls for the reopening of schools and universities is their fundamental right and adds that Afghanistan cannot have a bright future without ensuring access to education for girls.
In a statement on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Karzai said: "The demand and voice of our country’s girls for education and knowledge is a rightful one and crucial for a prosperous Afghanistan."
He further emphasized, "Empowering the youth—both girls and boys—is the only way to achieve self-reliance, break the cycle of poverty, and drive the development and prosperity of society."
Karzai underscored that education is vital for Afghanistan’s growth and development, expressing hope that the doors of schools and universities for girls will be reopened as soon as possible.
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IEA to set up special courts to address pensions
Mawlawi Hebatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), has issued a decree to establish special courts to address pensions, Bakhtar news agency reported on Saturday.
According to the decree, the courts must confirm and process pensions in accordance with Sharia and law.
Pensioners have repeatedly voiced concern over delay in payment, saying that their financial challenges are growing.
Earlier this year, IEA's supreme leader banned money being deducted from salaries of government employees for pensions.
He also requested information on the tenure of employees and the total amount deducted from salaries for pensions.
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