A joint summit with the member states of Shanghai Cooperation and Collective Security Treaty Organization has kicked off in Tajikistan.

SCO & SCTO Summit kicks off in Dushanbe

Belarus defence ministry has said that Russia has sent Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets for patrolling its border.

The two ex-Soviet nations are going to&nbsp;form a joint military training centre and&nbsp;fly joint missions.

The announcement comes a day ahead of a crucial summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

The two countries will also conduct military drills after two days. The European Union and NATO have already criticised the decision.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/direct-attack-european-union-accuses-belarus-of-using-migrants-as-political-weapon-406693">Also read |&nbsp;'Direct attack': European Union accuses Belarus of using migrants as political weapon</a>

Belarus has been increasingly isolated after Lukashenko's crackdown on protesters and the Ryanair fiasco in which a flight was diverted on an alleged bomb threat.

It has been at loggerheads with the West and has turned to traditional ally Russia for diplomatic and financial support.

Earlier, Minsk had said that Moscow ill provide it a huge military consignment including aircrafts, helicopters, and air defence systems.

Stopping short of a full merger, Belarus and Russia have signed a union agreement that calls for close political, economical, and military ties.

The Belarusian economy has been buttressed by Russia with cheap energy supplies and loans but ties between the two countries have often strained with Lukashenko scolding Moscow for trying to force him to relinquish control over prized economic assets and eventually abandon his country's independence.

Russia considers Belarus to be a buffer for security on its western flank against the European Union and NATO.

Belarus defence ministry has said that Russia has sent Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets for patrolling its border. The two ex-Soviet nations are going to form a joint military training centre and fly joint missions.

Belarus defence ministry has said that Russia has sent Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets for patrolling its border. The two ex-Soviet nations are going to form a joint military training centre and fly joint missions. The announcement comes a day ahead of a crucial summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. The two countries will also conduct military drills after two days. The European Union and NATO have already criticised the decision. Also read | 'Direct attack': European Union accuses Belarus of using migrants as political weapon Belarus has been increasingly isolated after Lukashenko's crackdown on protesters and the Ryanair fiasco in which a flight was diverted on an alleged bomb threat. It has been at loggerheads with the West and has turned to traditional ally Russia for diplomatic and financial support. Earlier, Minsk had said that Moscow ill provide it a huge military consignment including aircrafts, helicopters, and air defence systems. Stopping short of a full merger, Belarus and Russia have signed a union agreement that calls for close political, economical, and military ties. The Belarusian economy has been buttressed by Russia with cheap energy supplies and loans but ties between the two countries have often strained with Lukashenko scolding Moscow for trying to force him to relinquish control over prized economic assets and eventually abandon his country's independence. Russia considers Belarus to be a buffer for security on its western flank against the European Union and NATO.

Russia sends Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets to Belarus border ahead of Putin-Lukasenko summit

Over two decades, the United States and its allies spent hundreds of millions of dollars building databases for the Afghan people. The nobly stated goal: Promote law and order and government accountability and modernize a war-ravaged land.

But in the Taliban's lightning seizure of power, most of that digital apparatus,&nbsp;including biometrics for verifying identities,&nbsp;apparently fell into the Taliban hands. Built with few data-protection safeguards, it risks becoming the high-tech jackboots of a surveillance state. As the Taliban get their governing feet, there are worries it will be used for social control and to punish perceived foes.

Putting such data to work constructively boosting education, empowering women, battling corruption&nbsp;requires democratic stability, and these systems were not architected for the prospect of defeat.

"It is a terrible irony,"&nbsp;said Frank Pasquale, Brooklyn Law School scholar of surveillance technologies. "It's a real object lesson in The road to hell is paved with good intentions.'"

Since Kabul fell August&nbsp;15, indications have emerged that government data may have been used in Taliban efforts to identify and intimidate Afghans who worked with the US&nbsp;Forces.

People are getting ominous and threatening phone calls, texts and WhatsApp messages, said Neesha Suarez, constituent services director for Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, an Iraq War veteran whose office is trying to help stranded Afghans who worked with the U.S. Find a way out.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-open-fire-to-disperse-demonstrators-who-chant-anti-pakistan-slogans-in-kabul-411312">Taliban open fire to disperse demonstrators who chant anti-Pakistan slogans in Kabul</a>

A 27-year-old US&nbsp;Contractor in Kabul told The Associated Press he and co-workers who developed a US-funded database used to manage army and police payrolls got phone calls summoning them to the Defense Ministry. He is in hiding, changing his location daily, he said, asking not to be identified for his safety.

In victory, the Taliban's leaders say they are not interested in retribution. Restoring international aid and getting foreign-held assets unfrozen are a priority. There are few signs of the draconian restrictions "especially on women"&nbsp;they imposed when they ruled from 1996 to 2001. There are also no indications that Afghans who worked with Americans have been systematically persecuted.

Ali Karimi, a University of Pennsylvania scholar, is among Afghans unready to trust the Taliban. He worries the databases will give rigid fundamentalist theocrats, known during their insurgency for ruthlessly killing enemy collaborators, "the same capability as an average US&nbsp;Government agency when it comes to surveillance and interception.? The Taliban are on notice that the world will be watching how they wield the data.

Watch

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://13.235.153.162/videos/taliban-and-china-representatives-meet-in-kabul-discuss-bilateral-issues-411311/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"All Afghans and their international partners have an obligation together to ensure sensitive government data only be used for development purposes&nbsp;and not for policing or social control by the Taliban or to serve other governments in the region, said Nader Nadery," a peace negotiator and head of the civil service commission in the former government.

Uncertain for the moment is the fate of one of the most sensitive databases, the one used to pay soldiers and police.

The Afghan Personnel and Pay System has data on more than 700,000 security forces members dating back 40 years, said a senior security official from the fallen government. Its more than 40 data fields include birth dates, phone numbers, fathers' and grandfathers' names, fingerprints and iris and face scans, said two Afghan contractors who worked on it, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

Only authorized users can access that system, so if the Taliban can't find one, they can be expected to try to hack it, said the former official, who asked not to be identified for fear of the safety of relatives in Kabul. He expected Pakistan's ISI intelligence service, long the Taliban's patron, to render technical assistance. US&nbsp;Analysts expect Chinese, Russian and Iranian intelligence also to offer such services.

Originally conceived to fight payroll fraud, that system was supposed to interface eventually with a powerful database at the Defense and Interior ministries modelled on one the Pentagon created in 2004 to achieve identity "dominance"&nbsp;by collecting fingerprints and iris and face scans in combat areas.

But the homegrown Afghanistan Automated Biometric Identification Database grew from a tool to vet army and police recruits for loyalty to contain 8.5 million records, including on government foes and the civilian population. When Kabul fell it was being upgraded, along with a similar database in Iraq, under a $75 million contract signed in 2018. 
US&nbsp;Officials say it was secured before the Taliban could access it.

Before the US&nbsp;pullout, the entire database was erased with military-grade data-wiping software, said William Graves, chief engineer at the Pentagon's biometrics project management office.

Similarly, 20 years of data collected from telecommunications and internet intercepts since 2001 by Afghanistan's intelligence agency were wiped clean, said the former Afghan security official.

Among crucial databases that remained are the Afghanistan Financial Management Information System, which held extensive details on foreign contractors, and an Economy Ministry database that compiled all international development and aid agency funding sources, the former security official said.

Then there is the data with iris scans and fingerprints for about 9 million Afghans&nbsp;controlled by the National Statistics and Information Agency. A biometric scan has been required in recent years to obtain a passport or a driver's license and to take a civil service or university entrance exam.

Western aid organizations led by the World Bank, one of the funders, praised the data's utility for empowering women, especially in registering land ownership and obtaining bank loans. The agency was working to create electronic national IDs, known as e-Tazkira, in an unfinished project somewhat modelled on India's biometrically enabled Aadhaar national ID.

"That's the treasure chest,"&nbsp;said a Western election assistance official, speaking on condition of anonymity so as not to jeopardize future missions.

"It is unclear whether voter registration databases&nbsp;records on more than 8 million Afghan"&nbsp;are in Taliban hands, the official said. Full printouts were made during the 2019 presidential elections, though the biometric records used then for anti-fraud voter verification were retained by the German technology provider. After the 2018 parliamentary elections, 5,000 portable biometric handhelds used for verification went inexplicably missing.

Yet another database the Taliban inherit contains iris and face scans and fingerprints on 420,000 government employees&nbsp;another anti-fraud measure&nbsp;which Nadery oversaw as civil service commissioner. It was eventually to have been merged with the e-Tazkira database, he said.

On August&nbsp;3, a government website touted the digital accomplishments of President Ashraf Ghani, who would soon flee into exile, saying biometric information on all civil servants, from every corner of the country" would allow them to them to be linked "under one umbrella"&nbsp;with banks and cellphone carriers for electronic payment. U.N. Agencies have also collected biometrics on Afghans for food distribution and refugee tracking.

The central agglomeration of such personal data is exactly what worries the 37 digital civil liberties groups who signed an Aug. 25 letter calling for the urgent shutdown and erasure, where possible, of Afghanistan's digital identity tool,&nbsp;among other measures. The letter said authoritarian regimes have exploited such data to target vulnerable people&nbsp;and digitized, searchable databases amplify the risks. Disputes over including ethnicity and religion in the e-Tazkira database&nbsp;for fear it could put digital bullseyes on minorities, as China has done in repressing its ethnic Uyghurs&nbsp;delayed its creation for most of a decade.

John Woodward, a Boston University professor and former CIA officer who pioneered the Pentagon's biometric collection, is worried about intelligence agencies hostile to the United States getting access to the data troves.

"ISI (Pakistani intelligence) would be interested to know who worked for the Americans,"&nbsp;said Woodward, and China, Russia and Iran have their own agendas. Their agents certainly have the technical chops to break into password-protected databases.

Over two decades, the United States and its allies spent hundreds of millions of dollars building databases for the Afghan people. The nobly stated goal: Promote law and order and government accountability and modernize a war-ravaged land.

Over two decades, the United States and its allies spent hundreds of millions of dollars building databases for the Afghan people. The nobly stated goal: Promote law and order and government accountability and modernize a war-ravaged land. But in the Taliban's lightning seizure of power, most of that digital apparatus, including biometrics for verifying identities, apparently fell into the Taliban hands. Built with few data-protection safeguards, it risks becoming the high-tech jackboots of a surveillance state. As the Taliban get their governing feet, there are worries it will be used for social control and to punish perceived foes. Putting such data to work constructively boosting education, empowering women, battling corruption requires democratic stability, and these systems were not architected for the prospect of defeat. "It is a terrible irony," said Frank Pasquale, Brooklyn Law School scholar of surveillance technologies. "It's a real object lesson in The road to hell is paved with good intentions.'" Since Kabul fell August 15, indications have emerged that government data may have been used in Taliban efforts to identify and intimidate Afghans who worked with the US Forces. People are getting ominous and threatening phone calls, texts and WhatsApp messages, said Neesha Suarez, constituent services director for Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, an Iraq War veteran whose office is trying to help stranded Afghans who worked with the U.S. Find a way out. Also read | Taliban open fire to disperse demonstrators who chant anti-Pakistan slogans in Kabul A 27-year-old US Contractor in Kabul told The Associated Press he and co-workers who developed a US-funded database used to manage army and police payrolls got phone calls summoning them to the Defense Ministry. He is in hiding, changing his location daily, he said, asking not to be identified for his safety. In victory, the Taliban's leaders say they are not interested in retribution. Restoring international aid and getting foreign-held assets unfrozen are a priority. There are few signs of the draconian restrictions "especially on women" they imposed when they ruled from 1996 to 2001. There are also no indications that Afghans who worked with Americans have been systematically persecuted. Ali Karimi, a University of Pennsylvania scholar, is among Afghans unready to trust the Taliban. He worries the databases will give rigid fundamentalist theocrats, known during their insurgency for ruthlessly killing enemy collaborators, "the same capability as an average US Government agency when it comes to surveillance and interception.? The Taliban are on notice that the world will be watching how they wield the data. Watch "All Afghans and their international partners have an obligation together to ensure sensitive government data only be used for development purposes and not for policing or social control by the Taliban or to serve other governments in the region, said Nader Nadery," a peace negotiator and head of the civil service commission in the former government. Uncertain for the moment is the fate of one of the most sensitive databases, the one used to pay soldiers and police. The Afghan Personnel and Pay System has data on more than 700,000 security forces members dating back 40 years, said a senior security official from the fallen government. Its more than 40 data fields include birth dates, phone numbers, fathers' and grandfathers' names, fingerprints and iris and face scans, said two Afghan contractors who worked on it, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. Only authorized users can access that system, so if the Taliban can't find one, they can be expected to try to hack it, said the former official, who asked not to be identified for fear of the safety of relatives in Kabul. He expected Pakistan's ISI intelligence service, long the Taliban's patron, to render technical assistance. US Analysts expect Chinese, Russian and Iranian intelligence also to offer such services. Originally conceived to fight payroll fraud, that system was supposed to interface eventually with a powerful database at the Defense and Interior ministries modelled on one the Pentagon created in 2004 to achieve identity "dominance" by collecting fingerprints and iris and face scans in combat areas. But the homegrown Afghanistan Automated Biometric Identification Database grew from a tool to vet army and police recruits for loyalty to contain 8.5 million records, including on government foes and the civilian population. When Kabul fell it was being upgraded, along with a similar database in Iraq, under a $75 million contract signed in 2018. US Officials say it was secured before the Taliban could access it. Before the US pullout, the entire database was erased with military-grade data-wiping software, said William Graves, chief engineer at the Pentagon's biometrics project management office. Similarly, 20 years of data collected from telecommunications and internet intercepts since 2001 by Afghanistan's intelligence agency were wiped clean, said the former Afghan security official. Among crucial databases that remained are the Afghanistan Financial Management Information System, which held extensive details on foreign contractors, and an Economy Ministry database that compiled all international development and aid agency funding sources, the former security official said. Then there is the data with iris scans and fingerprints for about 9 million Afghans controlled by the National Statistics and Information Agency. A biometric scan has been required in recent years to obtain a passport or a driver's license and to take a civil service or university entrance exam. Western aid organizations led by the World Bank, one of the funders, praised the data's utility for empowering women, especially in registering land ownership and obtaining bank loans. The agency was working to create electronic national IDs, known as e-Tazkira, in an unfinished project somewhat modelled on India's biometrically enabled Aadhaar national ID. "That's the treasure chest," said a Western election assistance official, speaking on condition of anonymity so as not to jeopardize future missions. "It is unclear whether voter registration databases records on more than 8 million Afghan" are in Taliban hands, the official said. Full printouts were made during the 2019 presidential elections, though the biometric records used then for anti-fraud voter verification were retained by the German technology provider. After the 2018 parliamentary elections, 5,000 portable biometric handhelds used for verification went inexplicably missing. Yet another database the Taliban inherit contains iris and face scans and fingerprints on 420,000 government employees another anti-fraud measure which Nadery oversaw as civil service commissioner. It was eventually to have been merged with the e-Tazkira database, he said. On August 3, a government website touted the digital accomplishments of President Ashraf Ghani, who would soon flee into exile, saying biometric information on all civil servants, from every corner of the country" would allow them to them to be linked "under one umbrella" with banks and cellphone carriers for electronic payment. U.N. Agencies have also collected biometrics on Afghans for food distribution and refugee tracking. The central agglomeration of such personal data is exactly what worries the 37 digital civil liberties groups who signed an Aug. 25 letter calling for the urgent shutdown and erasure, where possible, of Afghanistan's digital identity tool, among other measures. The letter said authoritarian regimes have exploited such data to target vulnerable people and digitized, searchable databases amplify the risks. Disputes over including ethnicity and religion in the e-Tazkira database for fear it could put digital bullseyes on minorities, as China has done in repressing its ethnic Uyghurs delayed its creation for most of a decade. John Woodward, a Boston University professor and former CIA officer who pioneered the Pentagon's biometric collection, is worried about intelligence agencies hostile to the United States getting access to the data troves. "ISI (Pakistani intelligence) would be interested to know who worked for the Americans," said Woodward, and China, Russia and Iran have their own agendas. Their agents certainly have the technical chops to break into password-protected databases.

US-built databases a potential tool of Taliban repression

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has warned that the militants could join migrants fleeing Afghanistan, adding on to security threats for Europe and the US after the American withdrawal from Kabul earlier this week.

Stefano Pontecorvo, NATO’s senior civilian representative to Afghanistan, in an interview, said, "We have put in place measures to avoid that, but in big numbers it’s a risk".

The European Union is eager to stem migration from Afghanistan and has cited the potential security threat.&nbsp;

As of now, about 500,000 people have been displaced in Afghanistan this year.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-pm-suga-to-back-vaccine-minister-kono-in-ldp-leadership-race-410605">Also read |&nbsp;Japan PM Suga to back vaccine minister Kono in LDP leadership race</a>

However, there has not been evidence of people entering neighbouring countries, nor has there been significant movement toward the bloc, according to an EU diplomatic note seen by Bloomberg.&nbsp;

While NATO could be involved in assisting with the ISIS-K threat, Pontecorvo conceded that the role of the alliance will be subject to “a lot of soul searching and questions” after the chaotic withdrawal of Western forces.&nbsp;

“NATO is pretty rock-solid but there are a lot of lessons that can be learned.”

EU member states have also raised similar concerns about the risk of Afghanistan becoming a harbour for terrorist groups under the Taliban. 
&nbsp;

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has warned that the militants could join migrants fleeing Afghanistan, adding on to security threats for Europe and the US after the American withdrawal from Kabul earlier this week.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has warned that the militants could join migrants fleeing Afghanistan, adding on to security threats for Europe and the US after the American withdrawal from Kabul earlier this week. Stefano Pontecorvo, NATO’s senior civilian representative to Afghanistan, in an interview, said, "We have put in place measures to avoid that, but in big numbers it’s a risk". The European Union is eager to stem migration from Afghanistan and has cited the potential security threat. As of now, about 500,000 people have been displaced in Afghanistan this year. Also read | Japan PM Suga to back vaccine minister Kono in LDP leadership race However, there has not been evidence of people entering neighbouring countries, nor has there been significant movement toward the bloc, according to an EU diplomatic note seen by Bloomberg. While NATO could be involved in assisting with the ISIS-K threat, Pontecorvo conceded that the role of the alliance will be subject to “a lot of soul searching and questions” after the chaotic withdrawal of Western forces. “NATO is pretty rock-solid but there are a lot of lessons that can be learned.” EU member states have also raised similar concerns about the risk of Afghanistan becoming a harbour for terrorist groups under the Taliban.

Militants may use Afghan chaos to infiltrate US, EU: NATO

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg says that Kabul airport must be kept open and vows not to forget Afghans left behind after America's exit. He also said that NATO will analyse what went wrong in Afghanistan.

NATO chief vows not to leave Afghanistan behind, says 'will assess what went wrong'

The Taliban forces sealed off the Kabul airport to most Afghans hoping for evacuation on Sunday.&nbsp;

The development&nbsp;comes as the US and its allies began winding down the chaotic airlift that will end two decades of military engagement in Afghanistan.

The western leaders acknowledged that their withdrawal would mean leaving behind some of their citizens and many locals who helped them over the years.

Also, they vowed to try to continue working with the Taliban to allow local allies to leave after President Joe Biden’s Tuesday’s deadline to withdraw from the country.

The US planned to keep its flights going until the deadline, even after most of its allies had finished their evacuation flights.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-killed-two-high-profile-isis-targets-in-afghanistan-drone-strike-pentagon-409060">Also read |&nbsp;US killed two 'high profile' ISIS targets in Afghanistan drone strike: Pentagon</a>

US said that 113,500 people had been evacuated since August 14, the day before the Taliban claimed Kabul.

Biden has also warned that commanders had told him another attack was “highly likely in the next 24-36 hours,” and the US embassy issued a new warning early Sunday for all Americans to avoid the airport area entirely.

However, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to “shift heaven and earth” to get more of those at risk from the Taliban to Britain by other means.

Britain’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, said that it was "time to close this phase of the operation now."&nbsp;

“But we haven’t forgotten the people who still need to leave,” he said. “We’ll continue to do everything we can to help them. Nor have we forgotten the brave, decent people of Afghanistan. They deserve to live in peace and security.”

While the flow of planes slowed, others arrived in locales around the world carrying Afghans who managed to secure places on the last evacuation flights, including in the Washington area, Philadelphia, Madrid, and Birmingham, England.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed on Saturday that the group’s forces were holding some positions within the airport and were ready to peacefully take control of it as American forces flew out.&nbsp;

However, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby denied the claim.

The Taliban forces sealed off the Kabul airport to most Afghans hoping for evacuation on Sunday. The development comes as the US and its allies began winding down the chaotic airlift that will end two decades of military engagement in Afghanistan.

The Taliban forces sealed off the Kabul airport to most Afghans hoping for evacuation on Sunday. The development comes as the US and its allies began winding down the chaotic airlift that will end two decades of military engagement in Afghanistan. The western leaders acknowledged that their withdrawal would mean leaving behind some of their citizens and many locals who helped them over the years. Also, they vowed to try to continue working with the Taliban to allow local allies to leave after President Joe Biden’s Tuesday’s deadline to withdraw from the country. The US planned to keep its flights going until the deadline, even after most of its allies had finished their evacuation flights. Also read | US killed two 'high profile' ISIS targets in Afghanistan drone strike: Pentagon US said that 113,500 people had been evacuated since August 14, the day before the Taliban claimed Kabul. Biden has also warned that commanders had told him another attack was “highly likely in the next 24-36 hours,” and the US embassy issued a new warning early Sunday for all Americans to avoid the airport area entirely. However, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to “shift heaven and earth” to get more of those at risk from the Taliban to Britain by other means. Britain’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, said that it was "time to close this phase of the operation now." “But we haven’t forgotten the people who still need to leave,” he said. “We’ll continue to do everything we can to help them. Nor have we forgotten the brave, decent people of Afghanistan. They deserve to live in peace and security.” While the flow of planes slowed, others arrived in locales around the world carrying Afghans who managed to secure places on the last evacuation flights, including in the Washington area, Philadelphia, Madrid, and Birmingham, England. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed on Saturday that the group’s forces were holding some positions within the airport and were ready to peacefully take control of it as American forces flew out. However, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby denied the claim.

Taliban guard Kabul airport as NATO troops leave Afghanistan

A NATO official has said at least 20 people have lost their lives at Kabul airport during the evacuation process that began after the Taliban militants seized control of the capital city last week.

“The crisis outside the Kabul airport is unfortunate. Our focus is to evacuate all foreigners as soon as we can,” Reuters quoted the official, who didn’t wish to be named.

Large swathes of crowd have been gathering at the airport for the last one week in a last-ditched effort to fly out of the country amid fears of the return of stringent Sharia law the Taliban used to enforce when it was in power two decades ago.

Several western countries, including US, UK, had to suspend the evacuation process in the face of worsening security situation at the Taliban airport.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ashraf-ghanis-brother-pledges-allegiance-to-taliban-report-407612">Also read |&nbsp;Ashraf Ghani's brother pledges allegiance to Taliban: Report</a>

“Our forces are maintaining strict distance from outer areas of the Kabul airport to prevent any clashes with the Taliban,” the NATO official added.

On Saturday, the United States and Germany told their citizens in Afghanistan to avoid travelling to Kabul airport, citing security risks.

Army major general William Taylor told a Pentagon briefing on Saturday that 5,800 US troops remain at the airport and that the facility “remains secure”. Taylor said some gates into the airport were temporarily closed and reopened over the past day to facilitate a safe influx of evacuees.

Australia ran four flights into Kabul on Saturday night, evacuating more than 300 people, including Australians, Afghan visa holders, New Zealanders, US and British citizens, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

&nbsp;

A NATO official has said at least 20 people have lost their lives at Kabul airport during the evacuation process that began after the Taliban militants seized control of the capital city last week.

A NATO official has said at least 20 people have lost their lives at Kabul airport during the evacuation process that began after the Taliban militants seized control of the capital city last week. “The crisis outside the Kabul airport is unfortunate. Our focus is to evacuate all foreigners as soon as we can,” Reuters quoted the official, who didn’t wish to be named. Large swathes of crowd have been gathering at the airport for the last one week in a last-ditched effort to fly out of the country amid fears of the return of stringent Sharia law the Taliban used to enforce when it was in power two decades ago. Several western countries, including US, UK, had to suspend the evacuation process in the face of worsening security situation at the Taliban airport. Also read | Ashraf Ghani's brother pledges allegiance to Taliban: Report “Our forces are maintaining strict distance from outer areas of the Kabul airport to prevent any clashes with the Taliban,” the NATO official added. On Saturday, the United States and Germany told their citizens in Afghanistan to avoid travelling to Kabul airport, citing security risks. Army major general William Taylor told a Pentagon briefing on Saturday that 5,800 US troops remain at the airport and that the facility “remains secure”. Taylor said some gates into the airport were temporarily closed and reopened over the past day to facilitate a safe influx of evacuees. Australia ran four flights into Kabul on Saturday night, evacuating more than 300 people, including Australians, Afghan visa holders, New Zealanders, US and British citizens, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

At least 20 died in a week during evacuation at Kabul airport: NATO official

The US and NATO military invaded Afghanistan 20 years ago. The most mighty force on the planet aimed to expel both the Taliban and Al-Qaeda from the country. It turns out that it was just a daydream. 20 years on the humiliating departure of the US forces has come as a massive morale boost to terrorists all over the world.

Will Afghanistan become a safe haven for terror?

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg briefs media after a meeting of the Alliance's ambassadors over the Afghanistan situation since the Taliban takeover.

NATO ministers meet on Afghanistan situation, Secretary General briefs media

NATO forces say that more than 18,000 people have been evacuated so far from Kabul airport since the Taliban took over Afghanistan. WION tells you what is happening on the ground.

NATO says over 18,000 evacuated from Kabul airport since Taliban takeover

Taliban fighters have escalated search for Afghans who worked for US and NATO forces. A UN report has stated this. The UN report has been documented by UN threat assessment consultants which say the group has priority lists of individuals it wants to arrest.

Taliban fighters escalate search for workers of US, NATO forces

After working in Afghanistan for 9 years with NATO and the USA, the Afghan cameraman Salim Zalmi landed in the United States in 2018 escaping the Taliban's escalating threats to the family. WION brings you Zalmi's journey to the US.

Afghan cameraman Salim Zalmi's road to settling in US

Four Chinese nationals have been charged for targeting dozens of companies, universities and government agencies in the United States and abroad. This action comes right in the heels of the United States and its allies publicly accusing China of a global cyber espionage campaign.

4 Chinese nationals charged for hacking US companies

More than a dozen foreign diplomatic missions and the NATO representative in Afghanistan have urged the Taliban to halt their military offensives just hours after the rival Afghan sides failed to agree on a ceasefire at a peace meeting in Doha.

Diplomatic missions and NATO in Afghanistan call for ceasefire with Taliban

The Biden administration and Western allies blamed China for a massive hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software and accused Beijing of working with criminal hackers in ransomware attacks and other cyber operations.

US & allies condemn China for malicious cyber activity

Signaling that the U.S.-European alliance remained strong after the tension of the Trump era, President Joe Biden and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany on Thursday stressed their shared values, even as both acknowledged differences on a major Russian pipeline and how best to approach China.

During meetings at the White House, Biden’s agenda included several of his most pressing geopolitical priorities, such as restraining Chinese influence, curbing Russian aggression and waiving intellectual property restrictions on coronavirus vaccine manufacturers.

While there were no apparent breakthroughs, the visit was a way to show a unified front after President Donald Trump’s hostile exchanges with Merkel over NATO contributions, trade and multilateralism badly frayed relations. The meeting also comes before the chancellor’s term ends and a new German government will be sworn in after elections on Sept. 26.

“Good friends can disagree,” said Biden, who appeared alongside Merkel at a news conference in the East Room after the meeting.

For the most part, the trip appeared to be a triumph of the personal over policy. Biden joked that Merkel, who has worked with four U.S. presidents, “knows the Oval Office as well as I do.” The chancellor referred to the president as “dear Joe” several times as she extolled their friendly relationship, which has endured since his time in the Senate.

But the warmth could not cloak the fact that neither leader had shifted from their most substantive areas of disagreement.

Biden said he broached the contentious issue of the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a natural gas conduit being built between Germany and Russia that is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The president and his predecessors have assailed the project as little more than a coercive tool against Ukraine and other allies.

“We’ve come to different assessments,” Merkel said of the project.

Biden said the two had agreed that they were “united in our conviction that Russia should not be able to use energy as a weapon.”

The president waived congressional sanctions this year on the Russian company building the pipeline and its German chief executive, effectively conceding that an effort to halt the project was not worth the expected cost to U.S.-German relations.

Merkel kept her comments nonspecific on countering China, whose influence Biden believes poses an existential threat to American democracy.

“There is a lot of common understanding that China in many areas is our competitor,” the chancellor said, careful not to run afoul of Germany’s largest trading partner. She added that “trade with China needs to rest on the assumption that we have a level playing field.”

The two leaders also signaled that they remained apart on their approach to containing the pandemic. Merkel did not commit to the lifting of patents for coronavirus vaccines, and Biden did not raise the issue in front of reporters. Merkel said she had asked the president if his administration would end a travel ban against Europeans, but he did not commit to ending it.

“I did raise the issue,” the chancellor said, “and got the same answer that the president gave you: The COVID team is evaluating the matter.”

Still, the leaders repeatedly emphasized their one-on-one relationship in their public appearances, a sharp divergence from Merkel’s chilly and stilted interactions with Trump, who maligned her as “captive to Russia.” When asked to compare Biden’s leadership style with his predecessor’s, the chancellor was characteristically restrained, emphasizing that she and Biden had a “very friendly exchange.”

“We are not only partners and allies,” Merkel said, “but we are very close friends.”

The president began the event by offering his condolences to Germans for the loss of life and property caused by recent floods. He went on to thank the chancellor for “an exemplary life of groundbreaking service to Germany.”

Biden was asked to confront cases of diplomatic turmoil closer to home, including protests in Cuba and unrest after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse of Haiti. He told a reporter that beyond dispatching Marines to guard the U.S. Embassy there, he was not considering sending U.S. troops.

Addressing a wave of demonstrations across Cuba, Biden accused its government of being a “failed state” that was “repressing their citizens” and said he would not end rules against payments Americans can make to their Cuban relatives because he could not be sure that the government would not take them.

“I would not do that now,” he said, “because the fact is, it is highly likely that the regime would confiscate those remittances, or big chunks.”

The president grew testy when he was asked about his top domestic economic priorities. When asked if he was confident that a $3.5 trillion budget framework drawn up by Democrats would be enough to pass with every Democratic senator on board, Biden chastised the news media as preemptively suggesting that the plan, along with negotiations over an infrastructure deal, was headed for failure.

“I am supremely confident that everything is going to work out perfectly,” he said dryly. “I have watched and listened to the press declare my initiative dead at least 10 times so far. I don’t think it is dead. I think it is still alive.”

Aside from more thorny policy issues, Merkel’s visit was a diplomatic victory lap of sorts before her term expires. She started her day with a cheese soufflé breakfast with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Later in the day, the chancellor received an honorary doctorate from Johns Hopkins University, adding to her collection of degrees from Harvard and Stanford. Once she arrived at the White House, Merkel and the president exchanged compliments in the Oval Office.

Though the exchange was not overly warm, it was leagues more collegial than Merkel’s past meetings in the Oval Office. When she asked Trump in 2017, “Do you want to have a handshake?” Trump apparently did not.

Just as Merkel spent years responding mildly to Trump, she has not always been overeager to accept Biden’s entreaties that the U.S.-German relationship had been restored to a sense of normalcy. During the virtual Munich Security Conference held this year, she said of the U.S. relationship that “our interests will not always converge.”

By the time of the news conference on Thursday, Biden and Merkel seemed more interested in continuing her farewell party than discussing what divided them.

After the news conference, they attended dinner with longtime allies, including Hillary Clinton. Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, the House minority leader, was also scheduled to attend after a trip earlier in the day to see Trump at his golf club in New Jersey.

After the two leaders fielded questions, Biden steered Merkel away from reporters.

“If we don’t leave right now,” he told her, “we are going to miss dinner.”

Signaling that the U.S.-European alliance remained strong after the tension of the Trump era, President Joe Biden and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany on Thursday stressed their shared values, even as both acknowledged differences on a major Russian pipeline and how best to approach China.

Signaling that the U.S.-European alliance remained strong after the tension of the Trump era, President Joe Biden and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany on Thursday stressed their shared values, even as both acknowledged differences on a major Russian pipeline and how best to approach China. During meetings at the White House, Biden’s agenda included several of his most pressing geopolitical priorities, such as restraining Chinese influence, curbing Russian aggression and waiving intellectual property restrictions on coronavirus vaccine manufacturers. While there were no apparent breakthroughs, the visit was a way to show a unified front after President Donald Trump’s hostile exchanges with Merkel over NATO contributions, trade and multilateralism badly frayed relations. The meeting also comes before the chancellor’s term ends and a new German government will be sworn in after elections on Sept. 26. “Good friends can disagree,” said Biden, who appeared alongside Merkel at a news conference in the East Room after the meeting. For the most part, the trip appeared to be a triumph of the personal over policy. Biden joked that Merkel, who has worked with four U.S. presidents, “knows the Oval Office as well as I do.” The chancellor referred to the president as “dear Joe” several times as she extolled their friendly relationship, which has endured since his time in the Senate. But the warmth could not cloak the fact that neither leader had shifted from their most substantive areas of disagreement. Biden said he broached the contentious issue of the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a natural gas conduit being built between Germany and Russia that is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The president and his predecessors have assailed the project as little more than a coercive tool against Ukraine and other allies. “We’ve come to different assessments,” Merkel said of the project. Biden said the two had agreed that they were “united in our conviction that Russia should not be able to use energy as a weapon.” The president waived congressional sanctions this year on the Russian company building the pipeline and its German chief executive, effectively conceding that an effort to halt the project was not worth the expected cost to U.S.-German relations. Merkel kept her comments nonspecific on countering China, whose influence Biden believes poses an existential threat to American democracy. “There is a lot of common understanding that China in many areas is our competitor,” the chancellor said, careful not to run afoul of Germany’s largest trading partner. She added that “trade with China needs to rest on the assumption that we have a level playing field.” The two leaders also signaled that they remained apart on their approach to containing the pandemic. Merkel did not commit to the lifting of patents for coronavirus vaccines, and Biden did not raise the issue in front of reporters. Merkel said she had asked the president if his administration would end a travel ban against Europeans, but he did not commit to ending it. “I did raise the issue,” the chancellor said, “and got the same answer that the president gave you: The COVID team is evaluating the matter.” Still, the leaders repeatedly emphasized their one-on-one relationship in their public appearances, a sharp divergence from Merkel’s chilly and stilted interactions with Trump, who maligned her as “captive to Russia.” When asked to compare Biden’s leadership style with his predecessor’s, the chancellor was characteristically restrained, emphasizing that she and Biden had a “very friendly exchange.” “We are not only partners and allies,” Merkel said, “but we are very close friends.” The president began the event by offering his condolences to Germans for the loss of life and property caused by recent floods. He went on to thank the chancellor for “an exemplary life of groundbreaking service to Germany.” Biden was asked to confront cases of diplomatic turmoil closer to home, including protests in Cuba and unrest after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse of Haiti. He told a reporter that beyond dispatching Marines to guard the U.S. Embassy there, he was not considering sending U.S. troops. Addressing a wave of demonstrations across Cuba, Biden accused its government of being a “failed state” that was “repressing their citizens” and said he would not end rules against payments Americans can make to their Cuban relatives because he could not be sure that the government would not take them. “I would not do that now,” he said, “because the fact is, it is highly likely that the regime would confiscate those remittances, or big chunks.” The president grew testy when he was asked about his top domestic economic priorities. When asked if he was confident that a $3.5 trillion budget framework drawn up by Democrats would be enough to pass with every Democratic senator on board, Biden chastised the news media as preemptively suggesting that the plan, along with negotiations over an infrastructure deal, was headed for failure. “I am supremely confident that everything is going to work out perfectly,” he said dryly. “I have watched and listened to the press declare my initiative dead at least 10 times so far. I don’t think it is dead. I think it is still alive.” Aside from more thorny policy issues, Merkel’s visit was a diplomatic victory lap of sorts before her term expires. She started her day with a cheese soufflé breakfast with Vice President Kamala Harris. Later in the day, the chancellor received an honorary doctorate from Johns Hopkins University, adding to her collection of degrees from Harvard and Stanford. Once she arrived at the White House, Merkel and the president exchanged compliments in the Oval Office. Though the exchange was not overly warm, it was leagues more collegial than Merkel’s past meetings in the Oval Office. When she asked Trump in 2017, “Do you want to have a handshake?” Trump apparently did not. Just as Merkel spent years responding mildly to Trump, she has not always been overeager to accept Biden’s entreaties that the U.S.-German relationship had been restored to a sense of normalcy. During the virtual Munich Security Conference held this year, she said of the U.S. relationship that “our interests will not always converge.” By the time of the news conference on Thursday, Biden and Merkel seemed more interested in continuing her farewell party than discussing what divided them. After the news conference, they attended dinner with longtime allies, including Hillary Clinton. Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, the House minority leader, was also scheduled to attend after a trip earlier in the day to see Trump at his golf club in New Jersey. After the two leaders fielded questions, Biden steered Merkel away from reporters. “If we don’t leave right now,” he told her, “we are going to miss dinner.”

Acknowledging disagreements, Biden and Merkel signal warmer US-German ties

Russia's&nbsp;defence ministry said two Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets escorted a US Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft over the Black Sea.

Russian agencies said it was a US Navy aircraft. The ministry added&nbsp;it did not violate Russia's border.

Russian fighters had earlier practised bombing enemy planes during an exercise in the Black Sea amid NATO drills in the area.&nbsp;

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-says-dropped-bombs-in-the-path-of-british-destroyer-uk-denies-claim-393654/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The exercise was undertaken against "simulated enemy ships" with Sukhoi Su-30SM, &nbsp;Sukhoi Su-24M bombers, Sukhoi Su-34 and Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets taking part in the operation.

NATO, Ukraine and other countries had jointly conducted large scale drills in the Black Sea named Sea Breeze with 30 ships and 40 aircraft taking part in the operation.

US missile destroyer USS Ross and the US Marine Corps also took part in the sea drills. Russia hit out against "the scale and aggressiveness" of the drill, asserting that it "hardly contribute to security in the Black Sea region".

Russia's relations with the West have been tense with the navy engaging&nbsp;Britain's HMS Defender&nbsp;as it fired&nbsp;a warning shot at it in June.

Britain said the ship was passing through Ukrainian territorial waters. Later, British and Dutch warships passed through the Bosphorus Strait amid tensions with Russia.

Netherlands' defence minister had earlier accused Russian jets of harassing a Dutch navy frigate in the Black Sea. 
&nbsp; 
Tensions between Russia and Western nations have been boiling ever since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Russia claims waters around the Crimean peninsula as its own, however, it is not recognised by most countries.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Russia's defence ministry said two Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets escorted a US Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft over the Black Sea. Russian agencies said it was a US Navy aircraft.

Russia's defence ministry said two Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets escorted a US Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft over the Black Sea. Russian agencies said it was a US Navy aircraft. The ministry added it did not violate Russia's border. Russian fighters had earlier practised bombing enemy planes during an exercise in the Black Sea amid NATO drills in the area. Watch: The exercise was undertaken against "simulated enemy ships" with Sukhoi Su-30SM, Sukhoi Su-24M bombers, Sukhoi Su-34 and Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets taking part in the operation. NATO, Ukraine and other countries had jointly conducted large scale drills in the Black Sea named Sea Breeze with 30 ships and 40 aircraft taking part in the operation. US missile destroyer USS Ross and the US Marine Corps also took part in the sea drills. Russia hit out against "the scale and aggressiveness" of the drill, asserting that it "hardly contribute to security in the Black Sea region". Russia's relations with the West have been tense with the navy engaging Britain's HMS Defender as it fired a warning shot at it in June. Britain said the ship was passing through Ukrainian territorial waters. Later, British and Dutch warships passed through the Bosphorus Strait amid tensions with Russia. Netherlands' defence minister had earlier accused Russian jets of harassing a Dutch navy frigate in the Black Sea. Tensions between Russia and Western nations have been boiling ever since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Russia claims waters around the Crimean peninsula as its own, however, it is not recognised by most countries. (With inputs from Agencies)

Russian fighter jets escort US Naval aircraft over Black Sea

While speaking exclusively to WION on the issue of withdrawal from Afghanistan, NATO Parliamentary Assembly Vice President Marietta Giannakou said that NATO will continue to stand with the people of Afghanistan. She also added that "we need to avoid the security vacuum in the country because it would jeopardise the progress made so far".

Exclusive: NATO Parliamentary Assembly VP says will continue to stand with people of Afghanistan

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky visited the US Navy destroyer Ross, which is participating in the international naval exercises Sea Breeze– 2021. While issuing a warning to Russia, Zelensky said that the joint military drill shows Ukraine's unity in confronting military threats with NATO partners.

Ukraine's President Zelensky slams Russian aggression during his visit to US warship

As American troops left their main military base in Afghanistan on Friday, marking a symbolic end to the longest war in U.S history, locals living in the shadow of the base and in nearby Kabul were left ruing the past and bracing for what comes next.

Violence has been raging throughout Afghanistan in the weeks since President Joe Biden announced troops would withdraw unconditionally by Sept. 11.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-fighting-rages-as-us-forces-seek-exit-by-end-august-395583">Afghanistan: Fighting rages as US forces seek exit by end August</a>

With peace talks in Qatar stuttering, and roughly a quarter of the country's districts having fallen to the Taliban in recent weeks according to one study, many are concerned that chaos looms.

Malek Mir, a mechanic in Bagram who saw the Soviet Army and then the Americans come and go, said he was left with a deep sense of sadness at the futility of a foreign presence.

"They came with bombing the Taliban and got rid of their regime - but now they have left when the Taliban are so empowered that they will take over any time soon," he said.

"What was the point of all the destruction, killing and misery they brought us? I wish they had never come."

More than 3,500 foreign troops have been killed in a two-decade war, which has claimed over 100,000 civilians since 2009 alone, according to United Nations records.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/afghanistan-as-us-withdraws-taliban-gains-ground-395719/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Some, however, say the presence of foreign troops distorted Afghanistan's economy and that it is time for the country to stand on its own.

"The Americans leave a legacy of failure, they've failed in containing the Taliban or corruption," said Sayed Naqibullah, a shop owner in Bagram. "A small percentage of Afghans got so rich, while the vast majority still live with extreme poverty.

"In a way, we're happy they've gone ... We're Afghans and we'll find our way."

In the nearby capital, the news was a fresh reminder of the growing panic that has been gripping many parts of Afghan society, particularly in urban areas, since Biden announced the withdrawal in April.

"All the people are worried that if foreign forces leave Afghanistan, the Taliban will take over. Then what will we do?" asked Zumarai Wafa, a Kabul shopkeeper.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/islamic-system-only-way-to-afghan-peace-taliban-392753">'Islamic system' only way to Afghan peace: Taliban</a>

Wafa and others described a slump in business and signs of many urban residents trying to flee the country, with hundreds lined up outside embassies seeking visas.

Medical student Muzhda, 22, who asked to be identified by only one name for security reasons, said her family had decided to leave the country because of the deterioration in security.

She said she wondered what future awaited women if the Taliban came back to power and restricted access to education for women, as they did during their previous time in power.

The Taliban say they have changed and that they will make provisions for women's rights in line with cultural traditions and religious rules.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/afghanistan-fears-of-the-taliban-taking-over-afghan-395714/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Still, Muzhda said she feels bereft and let down by the American departure.

"The withdrawal of foreign troops in the current situation is irrational," she said. "It is now clear that the Americans came here for their own purposes, not to help and cooperate with Afghanistan."

"I'm very sad and disappointed, I had many dreams that will not come true."

As American troops left their main military base in Afghanistan on Friday, marking a symbolic end to the longest war in U.S history, locals living in the shadow of the base and in nearby Kabul were left ruing the past and bracing for what comes next.

As American troops left their main military base in Afghanistan on Friday, marking a symbolic end to the longest war in U.S history, locals living in the shadow of the base and in nearby Kabul were left ruing the past and bracing for what comes next. Violence has been raging throughout Afghanistan in the weeks since President Joe Biden announced troops would withdraw unconditionally by Sept. 11. Also read | Afghanistan: Fighting rages as US forces seek exit by end August With peace talks in Qatar stuttering, and roughly a quarter of the country's districts having fallen to the Taliban in recent weeks according to one study, many are concerned that chaos looms. Malek Mir, a mechanic in Bagram who saw the Soviet Army and then the Americans come and go, said he was left with a deep sense of sadness at the futility of a foreign presence. "They came with bombing the Taliban and got rid of their regime - but now they have left when the Taliban are so empowered that they will take over any time soon," he said. "What was the point of all the destruction, killing and misery they brought us? I wish they had never come." More than 3,500 foreign troops have been killed in a two-decade war, which has claimed over 100,000 civilians since 2009 alone, according to United Nations records. Some, however, say the presence of foreign troops distorted Afghanistan's economy and that it is time for the country to stand on its own. "The Americans leave a legacy of failure, they've failed in containing the Taliban or corruption," said Sayed Naqibullah, a shop owner in Bagram. "A small percentage of Afghans got so rich, while the vast majority still live with extreme poverty. "In a way, we're happy they've gone ... We're Afghans and we'll find our way." In the nearby capital, the news was a fresh reminder of the growing panic that has been gripping many parts of Afghan society, particularly in urban areas, since Biden announced the withdrawal in April. "All the people are worried that if foreign forces leave Afghanistan, the Taliban will take over. Then what will we do?" asked Zumarai Wafa, a Kabul shopkeeper. Also read | 'Islamic system' only way to Afghan peace: Taliban Wafa and others described a slump in business and signs of many urban residents trying to flee the country, with hundreds lined up outside embassies seeking visas. Medical student Muzhda, 22, who asked to be identified by only one name for security reasons, said her family had decided to leave the country because of the deterioration in security. She said she wondered what future awaited women if the Taliban came back to power and restricted access to education for women, as they did during their previous time in power. The Taliban say they have changed and that they will make provisions for women's rights in line with cultural traditions and religious rules. Still, Muzhda said she feels bereft and let down by the American departure. "The withdrawal of foreign troops in the current situation is irrational," she said. "It is now clear that the Americans came here for their own purposes, not to help and cooperate with Afghanistan." "I'm very sad and disappointed, I had many dreams that will not come true."

'What was the point?' Afghans rue decades of war as US quits Bagram

The United States has added Turkey and&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;to a list of countries that are implicated in the use of child soldiers over the past year.

It is the first time a&nbsp;NATO ally for the first time in such the Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) <a href="https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TIP_Report_Final_20210701.pdf">list</a>, in a move that is likely to further complicate the already fraught ties between Ankara and Washington. The&nbsp;designation could lead to strict sanctions on military assistance and listed countries’ participation in peacekeeping programmes.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-quits-treaty-to-prevent-violence-against-women-395134" hreflang="en">Turkey quits treaty to prevent violence against women</a>

The US&nbsp;State Department determined in its 2021 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) that&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;was providing "tangible support" to the Sultan Murad division in Syria, a faction of Syrian opposition that Ankara has long, supported and a group that Washington said recruited and used child soldiers.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Afghans continued to both voluntarily return and be deported from Iran and Pakistan, and traffickers abroad reportedly forced some Afghans into labor prior to their return or deportation.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/prime-minister-imran-khan-says-pakistan-under-pressure-from-west-394841/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In a briefing call with reporters, a senior State Department official also made a reference to the use of child soldiers in Libya, saying Washington was hoping to work with Ankara on the issue to address it.

"With respect to&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;in particular...this is the first time a NATO member has been listed in the child soldier prevention act list," the State Department official said. "As a respected regional leader and member of NATO,&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;has the opportunity to address this issue -- the recruitment and use of child soldiers in Syria and Libya," she said.

Turkey&nbsp;has carried out three cross-border operations in Syria against the so-called Islamic State, as well as US-backed Kurdish militia and has frequently used factions of armed Syrian fighters on top of its own forces.

Some of these groups have been accused by human rights groups and the United Nations of indiscriminately attacking civilians and carrying out kidnappings and lootings. The United Nations had asked Ankara to rein in these Syrian rebels while&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;rejected the allegations, calling them 'baseless'.

Turkey, through proxies and its own armed forces, has also been involved in the Libyan conflict. Ankara's support has helped the Tripoli-based government reverse a 14-month assault from eastern forces backed by Egypt and Russia.

Governments placed on this list are subject to restrictions, according to the State Department report, on certain security assistance and commercial licensing of military equipment, absent a presidential waiver.

It was not immediately clear whether any restrictions would automatically apply to&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;and the move raised questions whether it could derail Ankara's ongoing negotiations with Washington on&nbsp;Turkey's bid to run Afghanistan's Kabul airport once US&nbsp;completes its pullout of its troops.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said the two things won't likely be linked. "When it comes to trafficking in persons, I would not want to link the report today with the constructive discussions we're engaging in with&nbsp;Turkey, in the context of Afghanistan or any other area of shared interest," he said in a briefing.

Turkey&nbsp;has offered to guard and run Hamid Karzai airport after NATO's withdrawal and has been holding talks with the United States on logistic and financial support for the mission.

The mission could be a potential area of cooperation between Ankara and its allies amid strained ties, as the security of the airport is crucial for the operation of diplomatic missions out of Afghanistan after the withdrawal.

To carry out this task, Ankara has sought various financial and operational support, and President Joe Biden, in a meeting last month with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had said that US&nbsp;support would be forthcoming, Biden's national security advisor Jake Sullivan had said.

Price described&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;as a "very constructive and very helpful partner" when it comes to Afghanistan and added that Washington could have more to say on the implications.

"As you know there is a potential for waivers that would come down from the president but that will happen, if it does, in the coming months," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States has added Turkey and Pakistan to a list of countries that are implicated in the use of child soldiers over the past year. It is the first time a NATO ally for the first time in such the Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) list, in a move that is likely to further complicate the already fraught ties between Ankara and Washington.

The United States has added Turkey and Pakistan to a list of countries that are implicated in the use of child soldiers over the past year. It is the first time a NATO ally for the first time in such the Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) list, in a move that is likely to further complicate the already fraught ties between Ankara and Washington. The designation could lead to strict sanctions on military assistance and listed countries’ participation in peacekeeping programmes. Also read| Turkey quits treaty to prevent violence against women The US State Department determined in its 2021 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) that Turkey was providing "tangible support" to the Sultan Murad division in Syria, a faction of Syrian opposition that Ankara has long, supported and a group that Washington said recruited and used child soldiers. Meanwhile, Afghans continued to both voluntarily return and be deported from Iran and Pakistan, and traffickers abroad reportedly forced some Afghans into labor prior to their return or deportation. In a briefing call with reporters, a senior State Department official also made a reference to the use of child soldiers in Libya, saying Washington was hoping to work with Ankara on the issue to address it. "With respect to Turkey in particular...this is the first time a NATO member has been listed in the child soldier prevention act list," the State Department official said. "As a respected regional leader and member of NATO, Turkey has the opportunity to address this issue -- the recruitment and use of child soldiers in Syria and Libya," she said. Turkey has carried out three cross-border operations in Syria against the so-called Islamic State, as well as US-backed Kurdish militia and has frequently used factions of armed Syrian fighters on top of its own forces. Some of these groups have been accused by human rights groups and the United Nations of indiscriminately attacking civilians and carrying out kidnappings and lootings. The United Nations had asked Ankara to rein in these Syrian rebels while Turkey rejected the allegations, calling them 'baseless'. Turkey, through proxies and its own armed forces, has also been involved in the Libyan conflict. Ankara's support has helped the Tripoli-based government reverse a 14-month assault from eastern forces backed by Egypt and Russia. Governments placed on this list are subject to restrictions, according to the State Department report, on certain security assistance and commercial licensing of military equipment, absent a presidential waiver. It was not immediately clear whether any restrictions would automatically apply to Turkey and the move raised questions whether it could derail Ankara's ongoing negotiations with Washington on Turkey's bid to run Afghanistan's Kabul airport once US completes its pullout of its troops. State Department spokesman Ned Price said the two things won't likely be linked. "When it comes to trafficking in persons, I would not want to link the report today with the constructive discussions we're engaging in with Turkey, in the context of Afghanistan or any other area of shared interest," he said in a briefing. Turkey has offered to guard and run Hamid Karzai airport after NATO's withdrawal and has been holding talks with the United States on logistic and financial support for the mission. The mission could be a potential area of cooperation between Ankara and its allies amid strained ties, as the security of the airport is crucial for the operation of diplomatic missions out of Afghanistan after the withdrawal. To carry out this task, Ankara has sought various financial and operational support, and President Joe Biden, in a meeting last month with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had said that US support would be forthcoming, Biden's national security advisor Jake Sullivan had said. Price described Turkey as a "very constructive and very helpful partner" when it comes to Afghanistan and added that Washington could have more to say on the implications. "As you know there is a potential for waivers that would come down from the president but that will happen, if it does, in the coming months," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

US adds Pakistan, Turkey to list of countries implicated in use of child soldiers

NATO countries and Ukraine have begun the largest Black Sea war games in decades. The 'Sea Breeze' military drills are aimed at deterring Russian aggression in the region. How will Moscow react?

Gravitas: NATO's biggest Black Sea exercise in decades

Gun in hand, 55-year-old Dost Mohammad Salangi recites poetry as he leads a small group of men to a look-out post high in the rugged hills of Parwan province, north of the Afghan capital Kabul.

Heavily bearded and wearing a traditional circular pakol hat to keep off the sun, he has a warning for the Islamist militant Taliban movement, which has increased attacks on Afghan forces and claimed more territory as foreign troops withdraw.

"If they impose war on us, oppress us and encroach on women and people's property, even our seven-year-old children will be armed and will stand against them," he told Reuters.

Salangi is one of hundreds of former "mujahideen" fighters and civilians who have felt compelled to take up arms to help the army repel a growing Taliban insurgency.

The group's ascendancy on the ground comes as the last US-led international forces prepare to leave after two decades of fighting that ended with no clear victory for either side.

"We have to protect our country ... now there is no choice as the foreign forces abandon us," said Farid Mohammed, a young student who joined a local anti-Taliban leader from Parwan.

He was speaking as the German military concluded the withdrawal of the second largest contingent of foreign troops after the United States with around 150,000 soldiers deployed over the past two decades, many of them serving more than one tour in the country.

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden and NATO said in mid-April they would pull out the roughly 10,000 foreign troops still in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;by September&nbsp;11, the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York that prompted the mission.

The United Nations envoy for&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;said this week the Taliban had taken more than 50 of 370 districts and was positioned to control provincial capitals as the country looked increasingly unstable as foreign military support ended.

Armed mainly with old assault rifles, pistols and grenade launchers, men like Salangi and Mohammed have joined local shopkeepers and traders as part of a loosely-formed Public Uprising Force trying to reclaim some of those areas.

Ajmal Omar Shinwari, a spokesman for the Afghan defence and security forces, said Afghans keen to take up arms against the Taliban were being absorbed intro the structure of territorial army forces.

But some political analysts warn of the growing risk of a return to civil war as more groups took up arms.

Faced with rising violence, President Ashraf Ghani visited Washington in June to meet Biden, who pledged U.S. support to&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;but said Afghans must decide their own future.

Talks to try and find a political settlement in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;have stalled, although the head of the Afghan peace council has said they should not be abandoned despite the surge in Taliban attacks.

Gun in hand, 55-year-old Dost Mohammad Salangi recites poetry as he leads a small group of men to a look-out post high in the rugged hills of Parwan province, north of the Afghan capital Kabul.

Gun in hand, 55-year-old Dost Mohammad Salangi recites poetry as he leads a small group of men to a look-out post high in the rugged hills of Parwan province, north of the Afghan capital Kabul. Heavily bearded and wearing a traditional circular pakol hat to keep off the sun, he has a warning for the Islamist militant Taliban movement, which has increased attacks on Afghan forces and claimed more territory as foreign troops withdraw. "If they impose war on us, oppress us and encroach on women and people's property, even our seven-year-old children will be armed and will stand against them," he told Reuters. Salangi is one of hundreds of former "mujahideen" fighters and civilians who have felt compelled to take up arms to help the army repel a growing Taliban insurgency. The group's ascendancy on the ground comes as the last US-led international forces prepare to leave after two decades of fighting that ended with no clear victory for either side. "We have to protect our country ... now there is no choice as the foreign forces abandon us," said Farid Mohammed, a young student who joined a local anti-Taliban leader from Parwan. He was speaking as the German military concluded the withdrawal of the second largest contingent of foreign troops after the United States with around 150,000 soldiers deployed over the past two decades, many of them serving more than one tour in the country. US President Joe Biden and NATO said in mid-April they would pull out the roughly 10,000 foreign troops still in Afghanistan by September 11, the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York that prompted the mission. The United Nations envoy for Afghanistan said this week the Taliban had taken more than 50 of 370 districts and was positioned to control provincial capitals as the country looked increasingly unstable as foreign military support ended. Armed mainly with old assault rifles, pistols and grenade launchers, men like Salangi and Mohammed have joined local shopkeepers and traders as part of a loosely-formed Public Uprising Force trying to reclaim some of those areas. Ajmal Omar Shinwari, a spokesman for the Afghan defence and security forces, said Afghans keen to take up arms against the Taliban were being absorbed intro the structure of territorial army forces. But some political analysts warn of the growing risk of a return to civil war as more groups took up arms. Faced with rising violence, President Ashraf Ghani visited Washington in June to meet Biden, who pledged U.S. support to Afghanistan but said Afghans must decide their own future. Talks to try and find a political settlement in Afghanistan have stalled, although the head of the Afghan peace council has said they should not be abandoned despite the surge in Taliban attacks.

Afghan civilians take up arms as US-led forces leave

Russia has warned Britain against&nbsp;unacceptable ''provocation''&nbsp;in the Black Sea after&nbsp;it&nbsp;fired warning shots at a British navy destroyer for&nbsp;violating the country's territorial waters,&nbsp;but the UK denied the incident had occurred.

Incidents involving Western aircraft and ships are not uncommon at&nbsp;Russia's borders, especially during heightened tensions with Washington, Brussels and London, but rarely result in open fire.

Britain said Russia was sowing inaccuracies and disputed Russia's account, saying no warning shots had been fired and that no bombs had been dropped in the path of the Royal Navy destroyer Defender.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told reporters during a visit to Singapore: "No shots were fired at HMS Defender."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-denies-russia-claim-warning-shots-fired-at-warship-out-of-crimea-waters-393624/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The Royal Navy ship was conducting innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters. We were doing so in accordance with international law and the Russian characterisation is predictably inaccurate."

Russia's foreign ministry summoned ambassador Deborah Bronnert to deliver a "tough demarche" - diplomatic jargon for a telling off - and spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused London of "barefaced lies".

"We believe it was a deliberate and premeditated provocation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of the incident, in which Moscow said it fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of the British destroyer.

"In the event of a repeat of unacceptable provocative action - if those actions go too far, no options can be ruled out in terms of legally defending Russia's borders," Peskov told reporters.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday slammed&nbsp;Russia's "aggressive and provocative policy" in the Black Sea region, describing it on Twitter as a "constant threat" to Kiev and its allies.&nbsp;

At the height of tensions over Ukraine this spring after&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;built up troops on its border and in Crimea, Moscow stepped up military exercises in the Black Sea and Washington warned it would send two warships.

Those ships were never dispatched, as&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;pulled back its forces and the tensions eased.

The Black Sea, which Russia uses to project its power in the Mediterranean, has for centuries been a flashpoint between Russia and its competitors such as Turkey, France, Britain, and the United States.

Russia seized and annexed the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and considers areas around its coast to be Russian waters. Western countries deem the Crimea to be part of Ukraine and reject Russia's claim to the seas around it.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia has warned Britain against unacceptable ''provocation'' in the Black Sea after it fired warning shots at a British navy destroyer for violating the country's territorial waters, but the UK denied the incident had occurred.

Russia has warned Britain against unacceptable ''provocation'' in the Black Sea after it fired warning shots at a British navy destroyer for violating the country's territorial waters, but the UK denied the incident had occurred. Incidents involving Western aircraft and ships are not uncommon at Russia's borders, especially during heightened tensions with Washington, Brussels and London, but rarely result in open fire. Britain said Russia was sowing inaccuracies and disputed Russia's account, saying no warning shots had been fired and that no bombs had been dropped in the path of the Royal Navy destroyer Defender. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told reporters during a visit to Singapore: "No shots were fired at HMS Defender." "The Royal Navy ship was conducting innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters. We were doing so in accordance with international law and the Russian characterisation is predictably inaccurate." Russia's foreign ministry summoned ambassador Deborah Bronnert to deliver a "tough demarche" - diplomatic jargon for a telling off - and spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused London of "barefaced lies". "We believe it was a deliberate and premeditated provocation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of the incident, in which Moscow said it fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of the British destroyer. "In the event of a repeat of unacceptable provocative action - if those actions go too far, no options can be ruled out in terms of legally defending Russia's borders," Peskov told reporters. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday slammed Russia's "aggressive and provocative policy" in the Black Sea region, describing it on Twitter as a "constant threat" to Kiev and its allies. At the height of tensions over Ukraine this spring after Russia built up troops on its border and in Crimea, Moscow stepped up military exercises in the Black Sea and Washington warned it would send two warships. Those ships were never dispatched, as Russia pulled back its forces and the tensions eased. The Black Sea, which Russia uses to project its power in the Mediterranean, has for centuries been a flashpoint between Russia and its competitors such as Turkey, France, Britain, and the United States. Russia seized and annexed the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and considers areas around its coast to be Russian waters. Western countries deem the Crimea to be part of Ukraine and reject Russia's claim to the seas around it. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia warns Britain against unacceptable 'provocation' in Black Sea

nato

Nato, News on Nato, stories on Nato, articles on Nato, Nato stories at Wion, Nato news, Nato latest news