Afghanistan

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U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, left, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg participate in a joint press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Friday, June 26, 2020. U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper is at NATO to follow-up on a broad range of issues raised during last week's NATO defense ministerial. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, Pool)

Pentagon chief seeks to reassure NATO over US troop plans

By LORNE COOK - Associated Press

FILE - In this Aug. 19, 2019, file photo, a man waves an Afghan national flag during Independence Day celebrations in Kabul, Afghanistan. Washington’s watchdog warns, Thursday, June 25, 2020, that “systemic” corruption within the Afghan government is weakening its bargaining position in future peace negotiations with the Taliban, even as the insurgent group's political spokesman says the group was ready with its agenda for talks. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File)

US watchdog: Afghan gov’t weakened ahead of Taliban talks

By KATHY GANNON - Associated Press

In this Aug. 19, 2019, photo, a man waves an Afghan national flag during Independence Day celebrations in Kabul, Afghanistan. Taliban fighters attacked an army checkpoint in eastern Afghanistan, killing 14 military personnel, the Defense Ministry said Friday, May 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) **FILE**

Top Afghan official says peace still possible with Taliban despite claims of spike in violence

By Guy Taylor - The Washington Times

FILE - In this May 12, 2020, file photo, Afghan security officers stand in front of a maternity hospital, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The United Nations on Sunday, June 21, 2020 released a special report expressing concerns over what it called recent “deliberate attacks” against healthcare workers and facilities in Afghanistan during the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, File)

UN says Afghan health workers facing deliberate attacks

By RAHIM FAIEZ - Associated Press

Pakistani military: 2 soldiers killed in militant attack

Associated Press

In this March 2, 2017, file photo, Tucker Carlson, host of &quot;Tucker Carlson Tonight,&quot; poses for photos in a Fox News Channel studio, in New York. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

Tucker Carlson compares dismantling Confederate monuments to destroying ancient religious statues

By Andrew Blake - The Washington Times

Brian Moller, MSF head of programs of Afghanistan, speaks during an interview to the Associated press in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, June 16, 2020. The Geneva-based international health organization Medicins Sans Frontieres MSF– also known as Doctors Without Borders Tuesday closed its operations in the Afghan capital Kabul after a horrific attack on its maternity hospital in May. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

MSF closes Kabul program after May maternity hospital attack

By RAHIM FAIEZ - Associated Press

A man walks past a painting on a wall with writing in the Dari Language reading &quot;We cannot breath&quot; during a protest themed Killings of Afghans in Iran in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, June 15, 2020. The violent deaths of Afghan refugees inside Iran has sparked an uproar despite denials from Tehran. (AP Photo/ Rahmat Gul)

Afghans allege Iran police involved in attacks on refugees

By RAHIM FAIEZ and TAMEEM AKHGAR - Associated Press

U.S. Central Command Commander Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie speaks, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, at a joint press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington on the Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi raid. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Gen. Kenneth McKenzie fears Taliban won’t live up to peace deal

By Lauren Toms - The Washington Times

FILE - In this March 27, 2018 file photo, Afghanistan's cricket players stand for the national anthem, during celebrations following their defeat of West Indies in the final of the 2019 World Cup qualification tournament in Kabul, Afghanistan. The national cricket team is beginning a month-long training camp, even as the coronavirus is spreading widely across Afghanistan and an international aid organization warns it was on the brink of a humanitarian crisis. The Afghanistan Cricket Board announced the start of the training camp for its 22 players a day after the government laid out new guidelines to tackle the spread of the virus. Cricket is the most popular sport in Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Afghan cricket team starts training despite virus fears

By RAHIM FAIEZ - Associated Press

FILE - In this Feb. 29, 2020 file photo, U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, left, and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban group's top political leader shake hands after signing a peace agreement between Taliban and U.S. officials in Doha, Qatar. An Afghan official said Thursday, May 14, 2020, that a suicide attack in eastern Afghanistan targeted a military compound but was detonated before it reached the compound killing several civilians and wounding tens of others. The Taliban took responsibility for the bombing calling it retaliation for statements Tuesday by President Ashraf Ghani blaming Taliban for a brutal attack on a maternity hospital that killed tens of people, an attack that the Taliban were quick to condemn. (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed, File)

UN report: Afghan Taliban still maintain ties with al-Qaida

By KATHY GANNON - Associated Press

FILE - In this April 20, 2020, photo, daily-wage workers wear protective face mask to help curb the spread of the coronavirus in Kabul, Afghanistan. A prominent international aid organization warned Tuesday, June 2, 2020 that Afghanistan is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster because the government is unable to test at least 80% of possible coronavirus cases. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, File)

Group: Lack of virus tests pushes Afghanistan toward crisis

By RAHIM FAIEZ - Associated Press

Afghan police arrive at the site of a bombing in a mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, June 2, 2020. Tariq Arian, spokesman for the Afghan interior ministry says the the attack has taken place inside the compound of Wazir Akber Khan Mosque on the Tuesday evening. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Afghan official: Kabul mosque bombed, 2 dead, 2 wounded

By RAHIM FAIEZ - Associated Press

Security personnel arrive near the site of an attack near the Bagram Air Base In Parwan province of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. A powerful suicide bombing Wednesday targeted an under-construction medical facility near the Bagram Air Base, the main American base north of the capital Kabul, the U.S. military said. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Afghan man serves four years out of 20 for killing two American military officers

By Mike Glenn - The Washington Times

In this March 9, 2020, file photo, Washington's peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad attends the inauguration ceremony for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, File) **FILE**

U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad sees signs peace deal taking hold in Afghanistan

By Guy Taylor - The Washington Times

In this Aug. 19, 2019, photo, a man waves an Afghan national flag during Independence Day celebrations in Kabul, Afghanistan. Taliban fighters attacked an army checkpoint in eastern Afghanistan, killing 14 military personnel, the Defense Ministry said Friday, May 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) **FILE**

Afghan government says Taliban attack on checkpoint kills 14

By TAMEEM AKHGAR - Associated Press

Security forces stand guard during the first day of Eid al-Fitr during a lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, May 24, 2020. The Taliban and Afghanistan's president announced late Saturday a three-day cease-fire ahead of a major Islamic holiday that begins Sunday to mark the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

U.S. troop drawdown in Afghanistan ahead of schedule: Report

By Lauren Toms - The Washington Times

In this May, 6, 2020, photo, beggars sleep on the side of the road in Kabul, Afghanistan, where there have been an increase in the number of beggars during the city lockdown for the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Rahim Faiez)

VIRUS DIARY: `Father, why don’t they stay home like we do?’

By RAHIM FAIEZ - Associated Press

Afghan Taliban prisoners are released from Bagram Prison in Parwan province, Afghanistan, Tuesday, May 26, 2020.The Afghan government freed hundreds of prisoners, its single largest prisoner release since the U.S. and the Taliban signed a peace deal earlier this year that spells out an exchange of detainees between the warring sides. (AP Photo/ Rahmat Gul)

Afghanistan peace talks see life with Taliban prisoner release

By Guy Taylor - The Washington Times

In this March 9, 2020, file photo, Washington's peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad attends the inauguration ceremony for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, File) **FILE**

Taliban, Ghani declare three-day cease fire for Eid holiday

By KATHY GANNON - Associated Press