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US Rejects ICC ‘War Crimes’ Probe of Troops in Afghanistan
An International Criminal Court investigation of possible war crimes by U.S. forces in Afghanistan is not “warranted or appropriate,” the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday after prosecutors in The Hague found initial grounds for such a probe. Reuters reported.
According to Reuters, State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said the United States was not a party to the Rome Statute that created the International Criminal Court in The Hague and had not consented to ICC jurisdiction. She also said Washington had a robust justice system able to deal with such complaints.
“The United States is deeply committed to complying with the law of war,” Trudeau told reporters at a news briefing. “We do not believe that an ICC examination or investigation with respect to actions of U.S. personnel in relation to the situation in Afghanistan is warranted or appropriate.”
Her comments came a day after prosecutors at the International Criminal Court said in a report that there was a “reasonable basis to believe” that U.S. forces had tortured at least 61 prisoners in Afghanistan and another 27 at CIA detention facilities elsewhere in 2003 and 2004.
The United States occupied Afghanistan in 2001 as it went after al Qaeda leaders behind the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington. Crimes also may have been committed at U.S. Central Intelligence Agency facilities in Poland, Lithuania and Romania, where some people captured in Afghanistan were taken, prosecutors said.
The U.S. Justice Department between 2009 and 2012 investigated CIA mistreatment of detainees, including a full criminal investigation into two deaths in U.S. custody, but ultimately decided against prosecuting anyone.
Some U.S. military personnel have been prosecuted for murder and other crimes in Afghanistan.
However, the Afghan parliament gives ICC the permission to review all domestic and foreign cases in the territory of the country.
“All of the nation have witnessed the security forces and NATO’s bombings and arbitrary killings,” said Abdul Qader Zazay, representative of Kabul.
“Americans’ records in Afghanistan and Iraq indicate that there is the possibility that these cases are true,” said Jafar Mahdawi, representative of Kabul in parliament.
The ICC was established in 1998 to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity. Trudeau noted the United States has “engaged with the ICC and we’ve supported ICC investigations and prosecution of cases that we believe advance our values in accordance with U.S. law.”
Reuters
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Iran to host regional meeting on Afghanistan next week
Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has announced that Tehran will host a regional meeting on Afghanistan next week.
Referring to Iran’s ongoing consultations with neighboring countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, aimed at promoting peace and stability in the region, he said: “The Islamic Republic of Iran attaches fundamental importance to security and stability in our neighboring environment, and in this regard, spares no effort to reduce tensions among regional countries and to strengthen mutual understanding.”
He described the upcoming meeting as the result of consultations held at various levels with neighboring countries and other regional actors, expressing hope that this initiative will play an effective role in enhancing regional cohesion and easing tensions.
According to Baqaei, the regional meeting will take place next week in Tehran, hosted by Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and will be attended by special representatives for Afghan affairs from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia.
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EU pledges €25 million to support WFP programs in Afghanistan
The European Union has announced €25 million in assistance to the World Food Programme’s Afghanistan office.
According to the EU, the aid will be used to develop climate-resilient projects and strengthen local food systems in Afghanistan.
It will also help create employment opportunities for women and youth, as well as support school nutrition programs.
The EU added that this cooperation will continue to expand opportunities that improve the lives of Afghans.
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Dual-citizen Afghans don’t need a visa to enter the country: Foreign Ministry
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate has denied reports claiming that Afghan dual citizens living abroad are now required to obtain an Afghan visa when returning to their home country.
Zia Ahmad Takal, the ministry’s head of public relations, said in a statement that no new decision has been made in this regard.
According to him, Afghans who travel to Afghanistan with a foreign passport, as before, do not need to obtain a visa if they present proof of their Afghan identity, and they may enter the country without a visa.
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