Four Afghan girl guitarists escaped the Taliban. Will they be forced back?

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Islamabad, Pakistan – On a pleasant February afternoon in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, the sound of strumming guitars fills a small bedroom in a two-storey home that houses tenants from neighbouring Afghanistan.

A flight of slippery marble stairs leads to the room on the first floor, where the bright rays of the sun enter through the window and bounce off the musical instruments, which belong to four young guitarists.

Yasemin and Uzra are sisters, as are Zakiya and Shukriya. This is where Yasemin and Uzra are now living with their family.

The bedroom is where the girls spend hours at a stretch practicing and jamming from Saturday to Thursday. Friday is their weekly day off.

On the day Al Jazeera visits, the girls are busy tuning their guitars. They tease one another as they strum squeaky, off-key chords in between.

Dressed in a grey sweatshirt, her head covered with a black scarf, Yasemin is the group’s lead guitarist and a fan of Blues legend BB King and Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour. “I really want to see and produce music with him,” says Yasemin on her dream to meet Gilmour, before crooning a track by King.

As she tunes her sturdy wooden guitar with her dependable red pick, Yasemin turns towards her bandmates and guides them in adjusting theirs.

The girls learned to play the guitar at Miraculous Love Kids, a music school for children in Kabul set up in 2016 by Lanny Cordola, a rock musician from California. The girls, whose first language is Dari, also learned to speak basic English from Cordola in Kabul, where they attended regular school as well.

Their world was turned upside down when the Taliban re-took power on August 15, 2021, after 20 years. The girls were afraid to step outside their homes following a spate of restrictions imposed on women. Cordola, who left Kabul for Islamabad the day the Taliban returned to power, began hatching plans to pluck his students and their families out of Afghanistan so the girls could continue to pursue their music dreams.

After months of lobbying donors for funding and negotiating with agents who promised to help the families escape, Cordola finally managed to get seven of his students out, to Islamabad, in April 2022. Even as he continued to teach them there, Cordola worked towards eventually resettling them and their families in the United States, which had announced a programme to take in Afghan allies and refugees who wanted to flee Taliban rule.

Three of the seven girls were relocated to the US over the past few months. Yasemin, Zakia, Shukriya and Uzra – and their families – were supposed to fly on February 5.

“It felt like we had everything in place. They [the US government] did all their medical tests, vetting, screening and interviews. We had the date,” says Cordola.

Then Donald Trump took office.

Almost immediately, Trump issued a series of executive orders, including one that suspended all refugee programmes for 90 days. “Now, it is all new again,” Cordola says, adding that the “devastating” move has postponed the relocation plans “indefinitely”.

But things would get even worse.

On March 7, the Pakistani government announced its own plans to deport all Afghan nationals, even those with proper documentation, back to their country by June 30.

For those Afghan refugees hoping to relocate to a Western country – like Yasemin, Zakia, Shukriya and Uzra – the deadline to leave Pakistan is even more imminent: Islamabad has said it will begin deporting them on April 1.

‘Girl with a guitar’

To gather at Yasemin and Uzra’s house for practice, Cordola picks Zakia and Shukirya up in a van from their home a few blocks away.

“We practise for about three to four hours,” says Cordola.

In a floral lilac dress and a white headscarf, Zakia’s slender fingers hit the chords on her guitar, which bears her initial, Z. She taps her feet to match the rhythm – Chris Martin of Coldplay is her favourite musician.

Her younger sister, Shukriya, sporting a double braid with two strands of hair resting on her rosy cheeks, is fond of American musician Dave Matthews, but also has a soft spot for South Korean band BTS and its singer, RM.

“RM is my favourite. I like his dancing and rapping… it’s beautiful,” says Shukriya, as her teacher, Cordola, shakes his head in disbelief – and gentle disapproval.

Uzra, Yasemin’s younger sister, wears a lime-coloured sport watch on her left wrist, a sequinned teddy bear sweatshirt and black, patterned trousers, as she grips her smaller guitar. She struggles to climb on to the chair, then breaks into soft, husky vocals. “She is a normal seven-year-old in a lot of ways. But when she is in the studio, she is very, very focused. I can’t joke with her when she is in there,” says Cordola about his youngest student.

Then Cordola joins them in the jam session, strumming his black guitar. The girls nod in tandem and break into “Girl with a Guitar”, their own original, instrumental song.

Practice ends at 1pm, and the girls go about the rest of their day – having lunch, praying, helping their mothers with chores and spending time with their families.

Uzra, Yasemin says, is friends with the neighbours’ child, and always finds ways to step out of the house to play with her. Almost on cue, the little guitarist dashes out of the room.

Turning ‘Unstoppable’

On days when the girls manage to find some leisure time for themselves while the sun is still out, they and their siblings visit Islamabad’s parks and amusement spaces with their teacher.

The green F-9 Park is also a favourite. There, Zakia sits on its fresh, dewy grass while Uzra enjoys swaying to and fro on the swings. Shukriya is dreaming of visiting a nearby food street, where she’s hoping for a treat – pani puri, soup, ice cream and the classic samosa. Yasemin says she’s a fan of rice and loves eating daal chawal (lentils with rice). To Zakia, chicken biryani and pani puri are the best food that Pakistan has to offer.

But music is what makes the girls happiest – and is what made it possible for them to connect with multiple Grammy-nominated Australian singer and songwriter Sia.

After they recorded a rendition of her female empowerment anthem, Unstoppable, in 2024, the Aussie vocalist sent the girls a special message praising their talent.

“Thank you so much for singing ‘Unstoppable’ and for your support. I love you so much. I love you so much. I really feel for what you’re going through,” she said in a video message to the girls.

The video of Sia’s track is shot with the girls singing against the backdrop of lush green parks and atop the Shakarparian Hills. The music was recorded at the studio of Pakistani record producer Sarmad Ghafoor, a friend of Cordola’s. The song was released on March 18.

At the time they recorded the song, three girls from Cordola’s Kabul school who have now moved to the US were also with Yasemin, Zakia, Shukriya and Uzra in Islamabad.

When Sia reacted to their performance in a video message for them, the girls couldn’t believe it.

“She is someone who didn’t need to make a video for us, but she did. She is a really kind and inspirational woman,” says Yasemin. “She spoke with her heart and gave us a lot of hope. Sometimes we lose hope and think that we won’t be able to do what we want to do in life. But her powerful words really inspired and motivated us.”

Selling candy to strumming a guitar

Nothing about Yasemin’s life today resembles what it did seven years ago, when she first met Cordola.

At his school, Cordola “wanted to focus on girls’ education and rights”, he says. “It’s education through the arts.” He convinced the parents of several children who worked on the streets, especially those of girls, to allow them at his music school.

He first met Yasemin at a park where she sold candy and chewing gum, while her father washed cars nearby.

“I was 11 years old when I first met Mr Lanny in 2017,” Yasemin recalls. “I first saw Mr Lanny in the park with a lot of children. At the time, I did not talk to him because I was very shy and also afraid of seeing people gathered in one place. The fear of an explosion in such a space was always in my mind.”

Eventually, Cordola reached out to her through another girl, gave her 150 Afghanis ($2.11) and asked her to visit the music school with her father. “I was hesitant at first, but a friend named Yalda was already going to the school, so I went to Miraculous with her. When I held the guitar for the first time there, it felt zabardast (awesome),” she recalls.

Yasemin’s father initially didn’t want her to join the music school, worried about how it would be viewed in the conservative Afghan society. “But later when he got familiar with Mr Lanny, he agreed to it,” she says.

Cordola recalls that Yasemin’s father gave in when he learned that his daughter would not need to work in the park any more. “I gave a monthly stipend to the children who did well at the school,” he says.

Fauzia, Yasemin and Uzra’s mother, was happy when her daughter began studying music. “I felt good because [through the guitar] she [Yasemin] wanted to depend on herself for her future. Now, I feel proud that she is not only doing this for herself but also for those who need support.”

She was nicknamed Jellybean by Cordola after being confused with another girl with the same name at the Kabul school. “When Mr Lanny called our name ‘Yasemin’, both of us would respond to him. This caused a lot of confusion,” she chuckles.

In the same neighbourhood in which Yasemin and her father worked, Zakia and her father used to sell sunflower seeds. Cordola gave Zakia a visiting card and told her to visit the music school with her father, 52-year-old Muhammad Sabir.

“The next day, I went there with my father to Miraculous. There, I saw the guitars and other girls playing it. I really liked it. Initially, my mother didn’t allow me because she was sceptical and scared about Mr Lanny. But I insisted on trying my luck. After I went there, I began practising the guitar and drawing, and never went back to the hill to work again,” says Zakia.

Shukriya, who first visited the school with her elder sibling out of curiosity, was so fascinated by the guitars that she too soon joined Cordola’s growing class.

Their father, Cordola recalls, was excited at the idea of sending his daughters to his music school. “Zakia’s father was smiling when I first met him. He asked, ‘Can we come now?’ But I told him to come the next day. He came the next day and said, ‘this is great.’”

A tall Sabir smiles as he recalls that time. Sitting at his residence in Islamabad, he says he was “happy for the children and supported them to play the guitar”.

“I liked music myself before I even met Mr Lanny,” says Sabir. “When the opportunity came, I didn’t want my daughters to lose it. It was for their better future.”

It all changed with the Taliban’s return.

Suddenly, the girls were afraid to leave their homes following a spate of restrictions imposed on women. “When the situation in Afghanistan worsened, I told the girls not to use it (the guitar). The Taliban don’t allow music and consider it haram (forbidden). I hid Shukriya’s small guitar and broke Zakia’s because it was bigger,” says Sabir.

Yasemin recalls one time when she stepped out to go to the bazaar.

“I wasn’t wearing a mask and the Taliban pointed a gun at me asking me to wear it right there and then,” she says, referring to a face veil. “It was really hard, especially for women in Afghanistan.”

Cordola, meanwhile, worked with donors to raise money to get passports made for the families of his students, and to hire guides to bring them to the border – and then across into Pakistan.

After many false starts, the seven girls and their families finally made it to Pakistan in April 2022. Today, Cordola funds their rent, expenses – and the girls’ guitars – through donations.

But all of those efforts now appear at risk.

In recent years, Pakistan has stepped up its deportation of Afghan refugees – some of whom have spent most or all of their lives in Pakistan.

Pakistan deported 842,429 Afghan refugees, per the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), between September 2023 and February 2025.

According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about 40,000 Afghans in Pakistan await resettlement after “almost 80,000” were welcomed by different countries. At least 10,000 to 15,000 among the refugees still in Pakistan were cleared for resettlement in the US, according to #AfghanEvac, a coalition of US veterans and advocacy groups, before Trump blocked their move.

Philippa Candler, the country representative of the UNHCR, in a statement said: “Forced return to Afghanistan could place some people at increased risk. We urge Pakistan to continue to provide safety to Afghans at risk, irrespective of their documentation status.”

Shawn VanDiver, who heads #AfghanEvac, stresses the need for the US government to fulfil its promises. “Our national commitments cannot be conditional and temporary. Countries around the world are never going to trust the word of the US if our presidents can’t be counted on to carry out the commitments they have made,” he says. “This is just outrageous.”

He also has an appeal to the government of Pakistan.

“The 90-day mark [when Trump’s pause on refugee resettlement ends] is around April, so we would like Pakistan to give them [Afghans] a little bit of extra time. We hope they will but we haven’t gotten any positive indications through action, only words. All the action we’re seeing is negative,” says VanDiver.

“If nothing changes these people [Afghans] are in real trouble.”

Asmat Ullah Shah, the Pakistan government’s chief commissioner for Afghan refugees in Islamabad, says Afghan nationals awaiting resettlement hold no legal status as per Pakistani law.

But, he insists, authorities have not taken any action against them because embassies and international organisations have committed to moving them to other countries.

“When problems began to increase, affecting Pakistan’s security, a timeframe was set for these embassies to fulfil their commitments and ensure resettlement. But, some have evaded their promises,” he says.

While a court has given relief until the end of June to some Afghan refugees in Pakistan, that doesn’t cover the four guitarist girls and their families, who don’t have the documentation needed for that temporary reprieve.

Saeed Husain, a founding member of the Joint Action Committee for Refugees (JAC-R), an advocacy platform for Afghan refugees in Pakistan, blames the crisis on Western countries that had promised to take in Afghan refugees but haven’t processed applications of those still in limbo in countries like Pakistan.

“Their lives have been on pause for the last four years. They haven’t been able to get an education or find jobs,” he says, adding that Pakistan’s move to now send these refugees “back to Afghanistan is essentially giving them a death sentence”.

A letter to Trump

When they learned about Trump’s pause on refugee entries, and then Pakistan’s plans to deport Afghans, the girls say they couldn’t believe the news.

“We had been disappointed many times after getting hopes of going abroad. We’d be waiting to hear good news, but would then find out that it can’t happen,” Yasemin says. “But the recent news was still very shocking to us.”

The girls and their families know that going back to Afghanistan would likely mean giving up on music for good.

Zakia says she wants to become a professional guitarist. She’s still sad about her father breaking her earlier guitar out of fear it would be found by the Taliban. “That night was very hard for me. I cried a lot,” she says. But after arriving in Pakistan, all the girls received new guitars from their teacher.

Meanwhile, Shukriya misses going to the music school back home. “I miss the time in Kabul when we played together, talked (to our friends) after practice and ate together,” she says, recalling what she knows she won’t be able to relive if she were to return to Kabul now.

But Cordola and the girls refuse to give up.

The teacher has been reaching out to musicians and people with contacts in the US government to make the relocation possible.

“I am sending out messages to people who can perhaps contact the upper echelons in the American government. The girls have collaborated with some of the most well-known musicians in the US and UK. We are not looking for extra favours, but to get them opportunities,” he says.

Cordola says he has also written an open letter to Trump on behalf of the young musicians, urging the US president to allow them into the country.

In his letter, the musician wrote that if the girls are denied the chance to resettle to the US, they will be deported back to Afghanistan, where they will be at risk of being subjected to “imprisonment, and even punishment by death”.

“They are ready to assimilate and contribute. They are not there to take. They want to be a part of the American dream,” he says. “We are willing to go and play a little concert for President Trump if he would be interested.”

The girls, Cordola adds, could also be relocated to other countries that are “willing to welcome them and provide legal and safe residence”, adding that a leading advocate for female Afghan musicians is interested in relocating them to Northern Ireland’s Belfast, a UNESCO-recognised city for its music.

Most of all, the girls just want to stay together – in whichever part of the world will have them.

“When I’m out of here, it is my dream for all the girls to come together and stand strong on our feet. I can’t do it alone. When all of us girls come together with Mr Lanny at the same place, we will do something,” says Yasemin.

Fauzia, Yasemin and Uzra’s mother, says she is grateful to Pakistan for hosting them. But she knows that the family’s future hinges on Western governments giving them sanctuary soon. “Our lives were at risk in Afghanistan and even in Pakistan there is no peace. Whether it is the US or any other government, we request help for those whose lives are in danger,” she says.

Until then, the girls have their guitars, their music and their dreams to live with.

“Whenever I’m sad, I hold my guitar and forget all of the sadness,” says Yasemin. “It has changed my life.”

Source: Al Jazeera
Four Afghan girl guitarists escaped the Taliban. Will they be forced back?
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‘They Will Label Us as Spies’: The Afghan Students Abandoned by America

 

Students at the American University of Afghanistan in Qatar fear having to return to their Taliban-ruled homeland after aid and visa cutoffs by the Trump administration.

When she finds it hard to focus, Nilab jots down her worries on slips of paper and pins them to her wall, a strategy she picked up in a seminar on mental health at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul.

She makes a mental note to deal with the issues at a scheduled time and then gets back to studying. That kept her sane when the U.S.-backed Afghan government was overthrown in 2021, when the Taliban made it illegal for women to receive an education and when she left in July 2023 to study at the university’s campus-in-exile in Qatar.

Now, in Nilab’s dorm room in Doha, the little notes are stacking up. The Trump administration’s shutdown of foreign aid and refugee admissions has left her terrified that she will be forced to return to Afghanistan.

There, she would be alone and deprived of any rights as a woman. Her hard-earned American-style education would be all but worthless.

She imagines the worst. “How can girls go back to Afghanistan?” said Nilab, 30, who asked that only her first name be used to protect her identity. “What will happen to us? Rape, forced marriage and death.”

On Jan. 20, just as Nilab was planning her final project for her cybersecurity degree, President Trump signed an executive order suspending refugee resettlement. The U.S. government had promised refugee status for her and her classmates, but Nilab’s hopes of rejoining her family, who received asylum in the United States after the Taliban took over, were shattered.

A month later, her university lost most of its funding when Mr. Trump dismantled American foreign aid programs, to reorient spending in line with the administration’s foreign policy goals. Funding was partly restored on March 16, the university’s leadership said, but only enough to operate into June. If the university closes, students will lose their housing, cafeteria meal plans and Qatari student visas.

A third thunderbolt came on March 15, with word that Mr. Trump was considering putting Afghanistan on a list of countries whose citizens would be barred from entering the United States. Nilab does not know when she will ever see her family again, much less resettle with them.

As she and other Afghan students find their lives thrown into chaos, they are caught between the infinite possibilities promised by a university education and a crushing sense that there are no doors left to open.

“I thought this long journey was finished,” she said. “I was wrong.”

With midterms approaching, Nilab has little time for her concerns. She has a presentation on arrays and algorithms due soon.

So she writes down her fears and pins them to her bulletin board.

The American University of Afghanistan was established in 2006 as a coed liberal arts college, with instruction in English. It was designed to educate the next generation of Afghan leaders and innovators, imbued with Western ideals of justice, freedom and democracy. Students called their campus “Little America.”

The U.S. government has invested more than $100 million in the university, and until last month, funding from the United States Agency for International Development, or U.S.A.I.D., covered more than half of its operating costs.

(The agency has also provided scholarships for more than 100 Afghan women — including Nilab’s sister — to study at universities in Oman and Qatar, among them the American University, and those students face a similar budget freeze.)

When the American military hastily withdrew from the country in August 2021 and the Taliban returned to power, the American University was an obvious target. Militants rampaged through its buildings, scrawling graffiti that derided students as “U.S.-trained infidel spies” and “wolves in sheep’s skin.”

Administrators worked to get more than 1,000 students out of the country as quickly as possible. Nearly 700 were evacuated to sister universities in Iraq, Kyrgyzstan and the United States.

The government of Qatar agreed to host a temporary campus-in-exile. One hundred students arrived for the term starting in August 2022, and another 100 — Nilab’s group — landed a year later.

Most of the students eventually left for the United States on so-called Priority 1 visas. When Mr. Trump took office in January, the remaining 35 were waiting for

They now wander the near-empty halls of their temporary campus in a stunned daze, not knowing what will happen next.

“We thought all our traumas were finally coming to an end, so we could start to breathe again,” said Waheeda Babakarkhail, 23, a programmer who dreams of working as a white hat hacker, testing computer programs for security flaws.

“I had accepted that I couldn’t stay in Afghanistan,” she said, “but now even the future I thought I would have has been lost.”

Aspirations have been derailed across the campus. Abbas Ahmadzai, 24, a business major, had a job in event management lined up in New York. Faisel Popalzai, 23, was hoping to get a job at Microsoft. He developed an A.I.-assisted computer program that can identify potentially fraudulent financial transactions. The app, called Hawks.Ai, won the Microsoft Hackathon last year in Doha.

If pathways to the United States are cut, Mr. Popalzai said, the country will lose a valuable investment: “our minds, paid for by the American people.”

If the university is forced to close in June, the students face an alarming prospect.

They will lose their student visas and their right to stay in Qatar within weeks. If they cannot find a Qatari employer to sponsor them, or obtain a job or scholarship offer in another country, they will have to return to Afghanistan.

They are keenly aware that “the way we were educated is in contradiction to everything the Taliban represent,” said Hashmatullah Rahimi, 24, a business major. “We were taught to speak freely, to be independent. Not a single person in the Taliban government wants that.”

The university’s administrators say there has been no documented persecution of its graduates since the Taliban takeover. But students fear they would be viewed as a threat.

“If we go back,” Mr. Popalzai said, “they will label us as spies, sent to infect Afghans against the Taliban with our American ideology.”

For female students, the risks are obvious. The Taliban have banned education for women and girls after sixth grade and barred women from most forms of employment. They cannot travel without a male relative, they are required to cover their faces outside the home, and their voices must not be heard in public.

“Maybe we won’t be killed if we go back,” said Rawina Amiri, 24, a business major who dreams of becoming a professional volleyball player.

“Does that mean we should accept having our rights violated?” she added. “We have the right to learn, to contribute, to work. Do people in the United States expect us to give up those rights because the Americans promised us a visa, then changed their mind?”

What has really thrown Nilab for a loop is the potential for Afghans to be included in a travel ban.

She has not seen her parents and younger siblings since they moved to Northern Virginia. They were granted asylum because her parents had worked for the U.S. government in Afghanistan. But because she was an adult, she was not eligible to join them.

Nilab tries to hold on to hope, relying on the coping skills she picked up as a freshman four years ago. She is applying for scholarships in Europe even as she studies for her exams.

“The Quran says that when one door is shut, another opens,” she said. “But if you don’t knock, the doors won’t open.”

‘They Will Label Us as Spies’: The Afghan Students Abandoned by America
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US denies entry to Canadian citizens born in Afghanistan and Iran

Canadian citizens born in Afghanistan and Iran are facing U.S. entry bans due to stricter border policies under Trump’s administration.

According to the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, some Canadian citizens born in Iran and Afghanistan have faced denial of entry to the United States after undergoing intense questioning at the border. This development is linked to the stricter immigration policies introduced by the Trump administration.

Immigration lawyers and consultants have voiced concerns over these incidents, urging the Canadian government to issue a travel advisory. They warn that Canadian citizens may face not only entry bans but also the cancellation of visas, Nexus cards, and potential detentions or deportations when attempting to enter the U.S.

The increased scrutiny at the U.S. border comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20, which enforces tighter examination of foreign nationals. Although official statistics on the number of Canadian citizens denied entry are not yet available, lawyers confirmed that the frequency of these incidents has risen since the executive order was signed.

According to the The New York Times and Reuters reported, cited their sources, that the Trump administration is considering expanding travel restrictions on citizens from several countries, including Iran. If this policy is implemented, citizens from specific countries could be entirely banned from entering the United States.

A proposed list prepared by U.S. diplomatic and security officials divides countries into three categories based on the severity of the travel restrictions. The “Red List” includes 11 countries, such as Iran, Afghanistan, and Syria, whose citizens could face a complete ban from entering the U.S.

Countries on the “Orange List,” such as Belarus, Eritrea, and Russia, would face severe travel restrictions, though entry would not be fully prohibited. For citizens from these countries, obtaining visas or other permits might become more difficult, and a personal interview would likely be required.

The “Yellow List” consists of 22 countries, including Angola, Mali, and Zimbabwe. These nations will be given 60 days to address any deficiencies in their travel documentation and procedures. If the issues are not corrected, these countries may be moved to the “Red” or “Orange” categories.

Legal experts such as Melissa Bibel and Yamina Ansari have confirmed that even Canadian residents, whether temporary or permanent, are not immune to these restrictions. Both lawyers stress that Canadian travelers, particularly those with ties to the countries listed, should be aware of the potential consequences when attempting to enter the U.S.

The heightened border scrutiny between Canada and the U.S. is a significant development for travelers, particularly those with origins in specific countries like Iran and Afghanistan. Canadian citizens and residents may now face more challenges when crossing the U.S. border, making it crucial to stay informed about the latest restrictions and travel advisories.

US denies entry to Canadian citizens born in Afghanistan and Iran
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US Military equipment left in Afghanistan will not be returned: Abdul Qahar Balkhi

Abdul Qahar Balkhi stated that the military equipment left by the US in Afghanistan will not be returned under any circumstances.

The spokesperson of the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, responded to recent comments by US President Donald Trump regarding military equipment left behind in Afghanistan. Balkhi stated that the remaining US weapons in Afghanistan now belong to the Taliban and will not be returned. He also emphasized that the Taliban would be open to American companies investing in Afghanistan’s mineral wealth.

Balkhi suggested that for improved relations, the US could invest in Afghanistan’s untapped mineral resources. He reiterated that the country’s rich natural wealth is open to American investment. This statement comes amidst ongoing tensions surrounding the US military’s withdrawal and the equipment left behind.

President Trump, in a meeting on March 28, criticized President Biden for allocating billions of dollars worth of military equipment to Afghanistan. He also expressed anger over seeing the Taliban’s military parade using US weapons. Trump hinted that the US may demand the return of these military assets, though stated that the equipment may be outdated.

The Taliban, on the other hand, views the leftover US military equipment as war spoils and insists that they will not return them.

US concerns over Taliban access to US-made weapons have led to regional security fears, especially about the potential use of these weapons by groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Despite these concerns, Taliban officials have stated that they do not need US cooperation to fight ISIS, further complicating the relationship between the two sides.

The Taliban’s stance on US military equipment and their willingness to engage in economic cooperation over Afghanistan’s mineral wealth represents a shift in their approach to foreign relations.

Meanwhile, the US remains focused on security concerns, the Taliban’s offer to engage economically could provide a new avenue for future dialogue. This developing situation underscores the complex and evolving nature of US-Taliban relations.

US Military equipment left in Afghanistan will not be returned: Abdul Qahar Balkhi
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American Citizen Faye Hall Released by Islamic Emirate

The former US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation has announced that an American citizen imprisoned in Afghanistan Faye Hall has been released by the Islamic Emirate.

This American citizen, named Faye Hall, is now under the supervision of the United States’ Qatari allies in Kabul, according to Zalmay Khalilzad.

Faye Hall, released American citizen: “Mr. President, I voted for you twice. I’m so glad you’re in the office. It’s the new era and in this situation, I’m glad you’re the president. And thank you for bringing me home. And I’ve never been so proud to be an American citizen.”

Yesterday, Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, announced the release of this American prisoner and added that he is currently with the US’s Qatari friends in Kabul and will soon return home.

Saleem Paigir, political analyst, said: “The Islamic Emirate should strive to make decisions regarding their prisoners. I believe the Americans will also take steps toward Afghanistan.”

Edrees Mohammadi Zazai, political analyst, said: “The embassy’s operations will not begin just with the release of this prisoner, but there is hope that such policies by the Islamic Emirate may prompt the US to find points of engagement in its future policies.”

Although the Islamic Emirate has yet to comment on this American’s release, earlier two American citizens named Ryan Corbett and George Glezmann were also released by the Islamic Emirate as a gesture of “goodwill” toward the United States.

American Citizen Faye Hall Released by Islamic Emirate
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Rubio: US to Resume Life-Saving Aid Programs Worldwide

The Ministry of Economy also emphasized the importance of continued humanitarian aid in supporting Afghanistan’s economic stability.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently reaffirmed America’s commitment to continue providing critical and urgent assistance to countries around the world.

Rubio also criticized the current approach of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), promising that future aid will be delivered in a more efficient and transparent manner.

He said: “We are reorienting our foreign assistance programs to align directly with what is best for the United States and our citizens.  We are continuing essential lifesaving programs and making strategic investments that strengthen our partners and our own country.”

This comes as the 90-day suspension of US foreign aid—imposed by the US President—nears its end, with less than 20 days remaining. The suspension impacted aid delivery worldwide, including in Afghanistan.

The halt in aid has affected the operations of some humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan. Experts have criticized former President Trump’s economic policies as impractical.

Mohammad Asif Stanikzai, an economic analyst, commented: “If humanitarian aid, especially in developmental and operational sectors, resumes, it could accelerate Afghanistan’s economic progress and strengthen the internal strategies already in place.”

Taj Mohammad Talash, another economic expert, said: “Third-world countries suffer greatly from such aid suspensions and aggressive economic policies, as they directly impact their economies in a negative way.”

The Ministry of Economy of the Islamic Emirate also emphasized the importance of continued humanitarian aid in supporting Afghanistan’s economic stability and empowering its people.

Abdul Rahman Habib, spokesperson for the ministry, said: “Transitioning from humanitarian to developmental aid is a vital process for the survival and self-reliance of a crisis-affected society. We call on all organizations and countries to continue their assistance for economic stability and public empowerment.”

Previously, organizations such as the Norwegian Refugee Council and Save the Children, among others, stated they had been forced to suspend parts of their operations in Afghanistan due to funding shortfalls.

Rubio: US to Resume Life-Saving Aid Programs Worldwide
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One Day to Deadline: Afghan Refugees Plead for More Time in Pakistan

A number of refugees who have lived in Pakistan for over four decades are once again appealing to the government to extend their stay.

Only one day remains until the deadline set by Pakistan for the expulsion of Afghan refugees from the country.

A number of refugees who have lived in Pakistan for over four decades are once again appealing to the government to extend their stay.

Zabit Khan, a refugee who has lived in Islamabad for nearly forty years, says he has established a business over the years, and expulsion from Pakistan could seriously disrupt his life.

Zabit Khan, Afghan refugee in Pakistan: “Give us time because we cannot suddenly relocate our business. We’ve worked here for forty years or more and have built relationships with people. This will cause us problems.”

However, the Pakistani government has declared that only holders of immigration visas will be allowed to live in the country.

The Afghan Embassy in Islamabad also stated that efforts are underway to facilitate visas for Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan.

Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, acting ambassador of the Islamic Emirate in Islamabad, said regarding visa facilitation efforts: “We are easing the visa process so that Afghans are not forced to live illegally in Pakistan.”

Meanwhile, the Afghan refugee representative in Pakistan has also urged the government to halt the deportation process.

Shaheen Zakhil, a representative of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, said: “The Pakistani government must reconsider its decision because Afghans are facing many difficulties here, and their economic situation is also poor.”

Additionally, the prime minister of the Islamic Emirate, in his Eid message, called on neighboring countries not to forcibly deport Afghan refugees.

Abdul Wasi Khadem, the chief of staff of the prime minister’s office, said: “We ask countries hosting Afghan refugees to provide them with facilities instead of forcibly deporting them.”

This comes as Pakistan has set March 31 as the final deadline for Afghan refugees — including holders of ACC and PoR cards — to leave the country, particularly from Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

One Day to Deadline: Afghan Refugees Plead for More Time in Pakistan
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UN official backs call for FIFA action on gender oppression in Afghanistan

Al Jazeera

Afghanistan’s national women’s football team have received support from a United Nations special rapporteur as they urge athletes worldwide to stand in solidarity as they fight their exclusion from World Cup qualifying competitions since the Taliban takeover in 2021.

Many players from the team fled the country at the time because they feared persecution.

The women’s team has since been unable to compete internationally because FIFA rules require recognition by a national federation, and the Taliban-controlled Afghan Football Federation bans women from playing.

The Taliban says it respects women’s rights in accordance with its interpretation of Islamic law and local customs and that internal matters should be addressed locally.

At a news briefing hosted by the Sports & Rights Alliance on Tuesday, Afghan national team captain Mursal Sadat highlighted the importance of global unity in the fight for gender equality in sport.

“If there is one thing that I would request from the athletes all around the world, it would be it is time that we unite together. And it’s time that women support other women,” she said.

Sadat added that even a short video posted by athletes on social media would be a sign of solidarity against gender-based violence taking place in Afghanistan.

Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on Afghanistan, said on Wednesday that he stood with Afghan women footballers in their call for FIFA to take action.

“I support the call by Sports & Rights Alliance for FIFA to take a strong stand against systematic gender oppression and ensure that Afghan women footballers in exile, who are barred from playing in Afghanistan, can return to international competition,” Bennett wrote on X.

National team founder and former captain Khalida Popal said the players are not fighting against global football’s governing body but rather seeking collaboration.

“Our platform is sport – together with everyone, with the media, with individuals, with organisations and with governing bodies and including FIFA because we are not fighting against FIFA or any other organisation,” Popal said.

“We want to work together to find the best solutions as using Afghanistan as an example to make sure the other countries, the other nations don’t face what we have faced.”

In 2020, Afghanistan had 25 contracted women football players, most of whom now live in Australia.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies
UN official backs call for FIFA action on gender oppression in Afghanistan
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Over 170 Afghan citizens transferred from Islamabad to Germany on special flight

Over 170 Afghan citizens, including women and children, were transferred from Islamabad to Germany on a special flight for resettlement.

A total of 174 Afghan citizens, particularly those at high risk, have been transferred to Germany in a flight that landed in Hanover Airport on March 28. These individuals had previously received resettlement promises from Germany.

The group of 174 Afghan citizens comprises 82 women and 92 men, with 74 individuals under the age of 18. Additionally, nine children under the age of two were also part of the group, highlighting the vulnerable nature of those resettled.

A spokesperson for Germany’s Ministry of the Interior confirmed that all individuals were thoroughly vetted for security concerns before their flight. The spokesperson emphasized that security was the highest priority in the selection process to ensure the safety of the resettled individuals.

The German resettlement program is designed for Afghan citizens who had worked for the Afghan military or German organizations before the Taliban’s rise to power. These individuals were given priority due to their association with German interests during the previous Afghan government.

In addition to this recent transfer, Germany had previously resettled 132 Afghan refugees from Pakistan on March 5. The ongoing resettlement efforts are part of Germany’s broader initiative to support Afghan citizens facing persecution.

Germany’s resettlement program continues to prioritize the safety of Afghan citizens who were at high risk due to their work with foreign entities. The careful security checks and attention to vulnerable groups, such as women and children, reflect Germany’s commitment to humanitarian aid.

The efforts also highlight the continuing global responsibility to support refugees, especially in light of the instability and risks Afghan citizens face under Taliban rule. As countries like Germany take action, international cooperation remains crucial for ensuring the safety and dignity of displaced individuals.

Over 170 Afghan citizens transferred from Islamabad to Germany on special flight
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Analyst Calls Trump’s Approach to Afghanistan ‘Pragmatic’

Kugelman referred to several indicators of a shift in US policy compared to 2021.

Michael Kugelman a director of the Wilson Center research institute in Washington wrote that former US President Donald Trump is taking a pragmatic approach toward the current authorities in Afghanistan.

The director at the Wilson Center also said that Afghan officials are trying to take advantage of this opportunity to propose more dialogue with Washington and advance their own goals.

Kugelman referred to several indicators of a shift in US policy compared to 2021, including the removal of the bounty for the capture of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the acting minister of interior, the visit of an American delegation to Kabul; and the release of George Glezmann, suggesting these reflect a significant policy change by Washington toward the Islamic Emirate.

“The Trump administration’s new tack can be attributed to its transactionalism. Its limited objectives in Afghanistan include the release of remaining captive US citizens and the return of US-made weapons. There are other things that the White House may want later, such as assistance on counterterrorism,” he stated.

“If the Islamic Emirate fulfills the conditions and agreements required by the US, then unexpectedly, the United States may recognize the Islamic Emirate of the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan,” stated Wais Naser, a political analyst.

“The US has interests in Afghanistan, and we have our own interests there. Relations must be clearly defined, and decisions should be based on that framework,” stated Moeen Gul Samakni, a political analyst.

At the same time, the Independent reported, quoting experts familiar with the situation in Afghanistan, that Zalmay Khalilzad could potentially return as a mediator between Donald Trump and the current government in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, recently told Al Arabiya News that the caretaker government in Afghanistan considers the chapter of war with the US to be closed and is in favor of establishing good relations with Washington.

He called on the US to reopen its embassy in Kabul to rebuild trust and restore relations between the two capitals.

Analyst Calls Trump’s Approach to Afghanistan ‘Pragmatic’
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