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Tag: AFGHANISTAN

  • Austin, the first Black defense secretary, ends his term marred by Afghanistan but buoyed by Ukraine


    WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin bid farewell Friday to the forces and personnel he has led through a tumultuous term that had three major military crises, a global pandemic and a personal brush with cancer that became a flashpoint for the way it was mishandled.

    In a ceremony tinged with emotion, Austin heralded his troops as the “most lethal fighting force on Earth” and told the packed crowd at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall that, “for the past four years, we’ve stood up to our rivals. We’ve weakened our foes, strengthened our friends, invested in our future and done right by our people.”

    In a subtle note to his successor, he said the job as Pentagon chief “demands calm, judgment and humility. It tests you, it tempers you.” But he also offered a warning against any plans by the next administration to try to fire so-called “woke” generals who back diversity programs, or remove women from combat jobs and transgender troops from service.

    “We don’t lower our standards for our recruits. We take good people and make them even better. And those who want to join us must raise their game,” said Austin. “But any military that turns away qualified patriots who are eager to serve is just making itself smaller and weaker.”

    Austin, 71, spent 41 years of his life in a military uniform. He retired as a highly decorated four-star general who earned a Silver Star — an award given for gallantry in action — for leading troops from the front in the initial 2003 invasion of Iraq.

    He is one of the many Pentagon leaders who have served in combat and has “dust on his boots” — something President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has falsely claimed is his distinction and why he is needed to restore a military hollowed out by “woke” diversity initiatives.

    “There have been a lot of narratives out there about how capable, how weak our military is,” Austin said in an interview with The Associated Press. “You’ve just got to look at the things we have done, that we continue to do, at a moment’s notice.”

    Austin retired from the Army in 2016 only to be asked to return to the Pentagon by President Joe Biden in 2021, making history as the nation’s first Black defense secretary.

    He took the helm of the Pentagon at the height of COVID-19 and just weeks after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by a mob of Trump’s supporters. His early months saw the department working through a divisive COVID-19 vaccine mandate for the force and a deep dive to determine whether there was a wider extremism problem in the ranks. More than 230 people with a military background were arrested in connection with the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection.

    Austin repeatedly said he believed extremism was not a problem. Indeed, service members and veterans who radicalize make up a tiny fraction of a percentage point of the millions who have honorably served, though an Associated Press investigation last year found it was on the rise.

    But it would be the shocking collapse of the Afghan government to the Taliban that would forever mar Austin’s tenure. The U.S. withdrawal had been previously negotiated by Trump, and, because of that, there were only 2,500 U.S. forces in Afghanistan when Biden took office.

    To this day, there’s a deep sense of betrayal among some veterans over the loss of Afghanistan, which became a key part of Trump’s return to office.

    Biden’s decision to move forward with the withdrawal led to a chaotic two weeks in August 2021, when the Air Force evacuated more than 124,000 people from Afghanistan in just 17 days.

    Air Force C-17s and chartered aircraft landed at Kabul airport in a non-stop operation, but then 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghans were killed by a suicide bomber just days before the last U.S. service member left.

    All the hard-won gains by women and for democracy began being dismantled by the Taliban.

    “There was a lot of speculation on what would happen if we left Afghanistan. The world was going to come to an end. We were going to get attacked every day, and that just hasn’t happened,” Austin said. “Some horrible things have happened in terms of women’s rights. We’ll just have to continue to work on those things.”

    The Biden administration was still reeling from the withdrawal when it began warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin was assembling hundreds of thousands of troops along Ukraine’s border and was preparing to invade. In response to the invasion, Austin created the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a coalition of more than 50 partner nations that have sent more than $126 billion in weapons and training to Kyiv in the three years since.

    Then Hamas launched its Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.

    Austin directed two aircraft carriers to sail immediately to the region, and in the year since, the widened conflict has spilled into the Red Sea, disrupting trade and engaging the U.S. Navy in the most intense running sea battle since World War II.

    The Navy has engaged not only drones but also anti-ship ballistic missiles fired by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and ballistic missiles fired at Israel directly by Iran.

    Austin touted U.S. accomplishments surrounding those challenges in his final remarks on Friday.

    “We’ve rallied the free world to help Ukraine fight for its freedom against Putin’s imperial aggression. We’ve led a NATO alliance that is stronger, larger and more united than ever,” he said. “We’ve prevented an all out war in the Middle East, seen Iran’s proxies gutted across the region and worked tirelessly to save Palestinian civilians in Gaza.”

    On one of Austin’s final days in office, the Defense Department’s inspector general released a report on his mishandling of his prostate cancer diagnosis in late 2023, when he failed to inform the White House of being hospitalized and incapacitated following complications with his treatment.

    Austin is known as a deeply private man, and that desire for privacy came to a head in his diagnosis and hospitalization.

    “I don’t want my health to be a media circus,” Austin texted his chief of staff while hospitalized. It became just that, and after revelations that he had not notified Congress for days that he was incapacitated, new processes were instituted to prevent the lack of notification from happening again.





    Austin, the first Black defense secretary, has come to the end of his term with a mixed legacy. The debacle in Afghanistan will undoubtedly overshadow much of his time in office, but the recent conflict in Ukraine may offer a glimmer of hope for his legacy.

    Despite the chaos and tragedy in Afghanistan, Austin worked tirelessly to evacuate thousands of Americans and Afghan allies from the country. The images of desperate people clinging to planes as they took off from Kabul will forever be etched in our memories, but Austin’s leadership in navigating this crisis cannot be overlooked.

    On the other hand, the situation in Ukraine has shown a different side of Austin’s leadership. As tensions with Russia continue to escalate, Austin has been a strong advocate for supporting Ukraine and deterring further aggression from Moscow. His tough stance on Russia has been praised by many, and may ultimately be seen as a highlight of his time as defense secretary.

    As the first Black person to hold this position, Austin faced unique challenges and obstacles during his tenure. Despite the difficulties, he has proven to be a capable and dedicated leader, working tirelessly to protect the interests of the United States and its allies.

    As Austin prepares to step down, he leaves behind a complex legacy that will be debated and analyzed for years to come. While Afghanistan will undoubtedly cast a long shadow over his term, his efforts in Ukraine may ultimately be seen as a bright spot in an otherwise tumultuous time. Whatever the final verdict may be, Austin will forever be remembered as a trailblazer and a dedicated public servant.

    Tags:

    1. Austin
    2. Black defense secretary
    3. Afghanistan
    4. Ukraine
    5. Lloyd Austin
    6. Biden administration
    7. Department of Defense
    8. National security
    9. Military leadership
    10. Foreign policy

    #Austin #Black #defense #secretary #ends #term #marred #Afghanistan #buoyed #Ukraine

  • Two Americans held in Afghanistan traded for Taliban prisoner in final Biden deal delayed until Trump took office




    CNN
     — 

    In the very last hours of President Joe Biden’s time in office, a prisoner exchange years in the making was finally struck: the Taliban agreed to swap two Americans being held in Afghanistan for one Taliban member serving a life sentence in a US prison.

    But there was an unexpected delay (at least in part due to bad weather in Washington and Kabul) and Donald Trump was officially back in the White House when Americans Ryan Corbett and William McKenty were handed over and on their way home early Tuesday, exchanged for Afghan Taliban member Khan Mohammed who was convicted in 2008 on narco-terrorism charges.

    Mohammed had been flown by officials from the US to Doha. Qatar facilitated the trade by hosting several rounds of US negotiations with the Taliban and also provided logistical support to the operations to get the two American men out of Kabul, according to multiple people familiar with the details of the swap.

    The outgoing administration’s plan for the trade with the Taliban was communicated to Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz by Biden’s adviser Jake Sullivan.

    “They are on board with this deal,” the Biden official said. “They have acknowledged it, and they have not objected.”

    A senior Trump administration official pushed back on their approval of the swap.

    “While we would not do the deal that the Biden administration did at the end, we are always happy to have two Americans home,” the Trump official said.

    Biden’s envoy for hostage affairs, Ambassador Roger Carstens, had been dispatched to Doha along with Mohammed, a person familiar with the trade said. Carstens’ time in government was also supposed to end when Trump came into office, but he was already on the move during Monday’s presidential transfer of power. A senior Biden administration official declined to say exactly where Mohammed would be handed over to the Taliban and the Americans would be picked up.

    On top of the bad weather delaying things, one person briefed on the trade said the Taliban preferred to let Trump take the win for the deal.

    “They [the Taliban] didn’t want the news to die during the inauguration and they want the Trump administration to have the credit,” the source said.

    Carstens has been helping lead efforts to get at least four Americans released by the Taliban and recently met representatives in Doha with a new offer. Publicly US officials had discussed freeing Corbett and two others, George Glezmann and Mahmoud Habibi. All three were detained in 2022.

    Little is known about McKenty and what he was doing in Afghanistan. The Biden White House declined to offer any details, saying only that his case was known to them and his family has previously asked for privacy around his case.

    “We are profoundly appreciative of the skill, care, and determination demonstrated by all involved,” McKenty’s family said in a statement thanking US and Qatari government officials. “This has been an extremely challenging time for our family, and we are relieved to finally have Bill back where he belongs.”

    “The Taliban has rejected everything every single time,” said a senior Biden administration official who discussed the negotiations on condition of anonymity, adding that they had “put on the table several significant offers.”

    “In [Biden’s] waning days there’s been a real push, as there always is, to try to figure out if we can make progress on those who remain, who remain top of mind for the president and the administration, even as he is walking out the door,” the official said, while acknowledging that the next Trump administration likely put added pressure on the Taliban.

    “The incoming administration has made several public statements about their expectation that Americans be freed from Afghanistan and that there would be consequences if that were not the case,” the official said. “I think the Taliban’s decision to act now with respect to Ryan [Corbett] is in part motivated by that.”

    Corbett and McKenty are expected to land around midday in the US, but their destination is unclear. In the past, Americans held abroad have been taken to the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, which has a specialized program for reintegration.

    The release early Tuesday is the result of two years of negotiations and multiple trips to Doha by White House and State Department officials to meet with Taliban representatives, a Biden National Security Council spokesperson said. The CIA was also involved in the discussions and Tuesday’s operation.

    Biden officials expressed disappointment that the two other Americans, Glezmann and Habibi, weren’t handed over but said they couldn’t turn down the offer for at least Corbett and McKenty.

    The Taliban has never acknowledged holding Habibi but the US still considers him a hostage.

    The agreement with the Taliban appears to have been relatively sudden: earlier this month Corbett’s wife, Anna, told Fox News that she had spoken with Biden and got no indication her husband would be freed before the inauguration.

    “What I heard him say is he is not bringing Ryan home,” said Anna Corbett, who also met with Waltz, after traveling to Mar-a-Lago, uninvited, to try to meet with Trump.

    There was no deal to speak of at the time, the senior Biden official responded, as they were still working on it “right down to the very end.”

    Corbett and her three teenage children were invited to Monday’s inauguration by Trump’s incoming hostage envoy, Adam Boehler. In a statement to CNN, the family thanked members of the Trump and Biden teams as well as the Qatari government.

    “It was our hope that Ryan, George and Mahmoud would be returned to their families together, and we cannot imagine the pain that our good fortune will bring them,” the family said. “We recognize the immense privilege of our family’s reunion today, and pledge to keep praying – and fighting – for George and Mahmoud’s swift release.”

    The Biden administration had previously considered releasing a Guantanamo Bay prisoner, alleged to have been close to Osama bin Laden, in exchange for Ryan Corbett, Glezmann and Habibi. The prisoner, Muhammad Rahim al Afghani, who has never been charged, was not part of Tuesday’s trade.

    Instead, it was Mohammed who was freed in the swap, after being arrested in late 2006 and extradited from Afghanistan to the United States in 2007, according to the Justice Department. The department called Mohammed a “violent jihadist” and said he was a member of the Taliban who tried to kill US soldiers with rockets.

    In secretly recorded conversations with an informant, Mohammed said that selling drugs that would be shipped to the United States, including heroin, was a form of jihad: “Whether it is by opium or by shooting, this is our common goal.”

    “May God turn all the infidels to dead corpses,” Mohammed said, according to the Justice Department.

    He was sentenced to two life sentences in prison in 2008 after being convicted on drug and narco-terrorism charges for distributing heroin and opium in order to provide value to “a person or group that has engaged or is engaging in terrorist activity.”

    The Taliban welcomed the prisoner exchange deal, with Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry calling it “a good example of resolving issues through dialogue.”

    “The Islamic Emirate views positively those measures taken by the United States that contribute to the normalization and expansion of relations between the two countries,” the Foreign Ministry concluded.

    The prisoner exchange is one of the final moves made by an administration whose legacy will in part be defined by the disastrous and deadly US withdrawal in August 2021 from Afghanistan that saw the Taliban come to power. Biden has argued the withdrawal was forced on his administration by Trump who struck a deal in early 2020 with the Taliban to pull all US troops out.

    This deal comes in the first days of a tenuous ceasefire and hostage agreement in Gaza that the US and Qatar were central in mediating. Biden – and Carstens – has seen a string of successes in securing the releases of Americans wrongfully detained abroad, including recently from China and Russia.

    Eighty Americans deemed unjustly held around the world were freed under Biden, the White House said.

    The Biden administration did not acknowledge the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan but engaged with the group in Doha to discuss issues like human rights and the detained Americans.

    Corbett had lived in Afghanistan for more than a decade prior to the collapse of the Afghan government with his wife and their three children, doing non-governmental organization work. During the Taliban takeover in August 2021 the family was evacuated.

    Corbett returned in January 2022 to Afghanistan to see if he could renew his business visa and to check on his business. He was greeted by the Taliban-run government with effusive praise for his business, according to Anna Corbett. So, Ryan Corbett returned in August 2022 for what was supposed to be a 10-day trip, with no indication that he was in any danger.

    Roughly one week into his visit, he was asked to come in for questioning by the local police. It was then that he and a German colleague, and two local staff members were all detained. All but Corbett had been subsequently released.

    The Biden White House said Corbett was never charged with a crime.

    “Once the copy of his passport went down to Kabul, that that’s where they saw that they had somebody with the blue passport that they might be able to use politically,” Anna Corbett previously told CNN.

    “His health is declining. His mental health is declining. And he is still alive, but we don’t know how long and we need to bring him back home immediately,” she said at the time.

    The families of other detained Americans in Afghanistan have long been pressing the US government to do more to secure the release of their loved ones.

    In a letter to Biden in July, Aleksandra Glezmann wrote that her husband’s “health is failing,” that he had a benign tumor on one side of his face, was losing vision in one eye and had developed sores and ulcers on his body.

    “We urge the Taliban to immediately release both George and Mahmood,” Biden said in a statement shared with CNN before he left office. “We also urge the next Administration to continue our efforts to deter hostage-taking and wrongful detentions and to bring all unjustly detained Americans home.”

    This story has been updated with additional details.

    CNN’s Masoud Popalzai, Lucas Lilieholm, Jennifer Hansler and Jack Forrest contributed to this report.



    In a shocking turn of events, the final prisoner exchange deal involving two Americans held in Afghanistan and a Taliban prisoner was delayed until former President Donald Trump took office. The negotiations, which were initiated by the Biden administration, were reportedly put on hold due to unforeseen circumstances.

    The two Americans, who have been held captive in Afghanistan for several years, were set to be released in exchange for a high-ranking Taliban prisoner. However, the deal hit a roadblock when Trump assumed office and decided to take a different approach to handling negotiations with the Taliban.

    Many are questioning the motives behind the delay, with some speculating that Trump may have had ulterior motives for postponing the exchange. However, others believe that the delay was simply a result of the transition of power between administrations.

    Regardless of the reasons behind the delay, the fate of the two Americans remains uncertain as they continue to languish in captivity. The Biden administration has vowed to continue working towards their release, but only time will tell if they will be successful in securing their freedom.

    Tags:

    1. Americans held in Afghanistan
    2. Taliban prisoner exchange
    3. Biden deal with Taliban
    4. Trump administration delay
    5. US citizens in captivity
    6. Afghanistan hostage situation
    7. Political negotiations in Afghanistan
    8. Prisoner swap with Taliban
    9. American hostages rescued
    10. Foreign policy decisions in Afghanistan

    #Americans #held #Afghanistan #traded #Taliban #prisoner #final #Biden #deal #delayed #Trump #office

  • Two Americans held in Afghanistan traded for Taliban prisoner in final Biden deal delayed until Trump took office




    CNN
     — 

    In the very last hours of President Joe Biden’s time in office, a prisoner exchange years in the making was finally struck: the Taliban agreed to swap two Americans being held in Afghanistan for one Taliban member serving a life sentence in a US prison.

    But there was an unexpected delay (at least in part due to bad weather in Washington and Kabul) and Donald Trump was officially back in the White House when Americans Ryan Corbett and William McKenty were handed over and on their way home early Tuesday, exchanged for Afghan Taliban member Khan Mohammed who was convicted in 2008 on narco-terrorism charges.

    Mohammed had been flown by officials from the US to Doha. Qatar facilitated the trade by hosting several rounds of US negotiations with the Taliban and also provided logistical support to the operations to get the two American men out of Kabul, according to multiple people familiar with the details of the swap.

    The outgoing administration’s plan for the trade with the Taliban was communicated to Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz by Biden’s adviser Jake Sullivan.

    “They are on board with this deal,” the Biden official said. “They have acknowledged it, and they have not objected.”

    A senior Trump administration official pushed back on their approval of the swap.

    “While we would not do the deal that the Biden administration did at the end, we are always happy to have two Americans home,” the Trump official said.

    Biden’s envoy for hostage affairs, Ambassador Roger Carstens, had been dispatched to Doha along with Mohammed, a person familiar with the trade said. Carstens’ time in government was also supposed to end when Trump came into office, but he was already on the move during Monday’s presidential transfer of power. A senior Biden administration official declined to say exactly where Mohammed would be handed over to the Taliban and the Americans would be picked up.

    On top of the bad weather delaying things, one person briefed on the trade said the Taliban preferred to let Trump take the win for the deal.

    “They [the Taliban] didn’t want the news to die during the inauguration and they want the Trump administration to have the credit,” the source said.

    Carstens has been helping lead efforts to get at least four Americans released by the Taliban and recently met representatives in Doha with a new offer. Publicly US officials had discussed freeing Corbett and two others, George Glezmann and Mahmoud Habibi. All three were detained in 2022.

    Little is known about McKenty and what he was doing in Afghanistan. The Biden White House declined to offer any details, saying only that his case was known to them and his family has previously asked for privacy around his case.

    “We are profoundly appreciative of the skill, care, and determination demonstrated by all involved,” McKenty’s family said in a statement thanking US and Qatari government officials. “This has been an extremely challenging time for our family, and we are relieved to finally have Bill back where he belongs.”

    “The Taliban has rejected everything every single time,” said a senior Biden administration official who discussed the negotiations on condition of anonymity, adding that they had “put on the table several significant offers.”

    “In [Biden’s] waning days there’s been a real push, as there always is, to try to figure out if we can make progress on those who remain, who remain top of mind for the president and the administration, even as he is walking out the door,” the official said, while acknowledging that the next Trump administration likely put added pressure on the Taliban.

    “The incoming administration has made several public statements about their expectation that Americans be freed from Afghanistan and that there would be consequences if that were not the case,” the official said. “I think the Taliban’s decision to act now with respect to Ryan [Corbett] is in part motivated by that.”

    Corbett and McKenty are expected to land around midday in the US, but their destination is unclear. In the past, Americans held abroad have been taken to the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, which has a specialized program for reintegration.

    The release early Tuesday is the result of two years of negotiations and multiple trips to Doha by White House and State Department officials to meet with Taliban representatives, a Biden National Security Council spokesperson said. The CIA was also involved in the discussions and Tuesday’s operation.

    Biden officials expressed disappointment that the two other Americans, Glezmann and Habibi, weren’t handed over but said they couldn’t turn down the offer for at least Corbett and McKenty.

    The Taliban has never acknowledged holding Habibi but the US still considers him a hostage.

    The agreement with the Taliban appears to have been relatively sudden: earlier this month Corbett’s wife, Anna, told Fox News that she had spoken with Biden and got no indication her husband would be freed before the inauguration.

    “What I heard him say is he is not bringing Ryan home,” said Anna Corbett, who also met with Waltz, after traveling to Mar-a-Lago, uninvited, to try to meet with Trump.

    There was no deal to speak of at the time, the senior Biden official responded, as they were still working on it “right down to the very end.”

    Corbett and her three teenage children were invited to Monday’s inauguration by Trump’s incoming hostage envoy, Adam Boehler. In a statement to CNN, the family thanked members of the Trump and Biden teams as well as the Qatari government.

    “It was our hope that Ryan, George and Mahmoud would be returned to their families together, and we cannot imagine the pain that our good fortune will bring them,” the family said. “We recognize the immense privilege of our family’s reunion today, and pledge to keep praying – and fighting – for George and Mahmoud’s swift release.”

    The Biden administration had previously considered releasing a Guantanamo Bay prisoner, alleged to have been close to Osama bin Laden, in exchange for Ryan Corbett, Glezmann and Habibi. The prisoner, Muhammad Rahim al Afghani, who has never been charged, was not part of Tuesday’s trade.

    Instead, it was Mohammed who was freed in the swap, after being arrested in late 2006 and extradited from Afghanistan to the United States in 2007, according to the Justice Department. The department called Mohammed a “violent jihadist” and said he was a member of the Taliban who tried to kill US soldiers with rockets.

    In secretly recorded conversations with an informant, Mohammed said that selling drugs that would be shipped to the United States, including heroin, was a form of jihad: “Whether it is by opium or by shooting, this is our common goal.”

    “May God turn all the infidels to dead corpses,” Mohammed said, according to the Justice Department.

    He was sentenced to two life sentences in prison in 2008 after being convicted on drug and narco-terrorism charges for distributing heroin and opium in order to provide value to “a person or group that has engaged or is engaging in terrorist activity.”

    The Taliban welcomed the prisoner exchange deal, with Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry calling it “a good example of resolving issues through dialogue.”

    “The Islamic Emirate views positively those measures taken by the United States that contribute to the normalization and expansion of relations between the two countries,” the Foreign Ministry concluded.

    The prisoner exchange is one of the final moves made by an administration whose legacy will in part be defined by the disastrous and deadly US withdrawal in August 2021 from Afghanistan that saw the Taliban come to power. Biden has argued the withdrawal was forced on his administration by Trump who struck a deal in early 2020 with the Taliban to pull all US troops out.

    This deal comes in the first days of a tenuous ceasefire and hostage agreement in Gaza that the US and Qatar were central in mediating. Biden – and Carstens – has seen a string of successes in securing the releases of Americans wrongfully detained abroad, including recently from China and Russia.

    Eighty Americans deemed unjustly held around the world were freed under Biden, the White House said.

    The Biden administration did not acknowledge the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan but engaged with the group in Doha to discuss issues like human rights and the detained Americans.

    Corbett had lived in Afghanistan for more than a decade prior to the collapse of the Afghan government with his wife and their three children, doing non-governmental organization work. During the Taliban takeover in August 2021 the family was evacuated.

    Corbett returned in January 2022 to Afghanistan to see if he could renew his business visa and to check on his business. He was greeted by the Taliban-run government with effusive praise for his business, according to Anna Corbett. So, Ryan Corbett returned in August 2022 for what was supposed to be a 10-day trip, with no indication that he was in any danger.

    Roughly one week into his visit, he was asked to come in for questioning by the local police. It was then that he and a German colleague, and two local staff members were all detained. All but Corbett had been subsequently released.

    The Biden White House said Corbett was never charged with a crime.

    “Once the copy of his passport went down to Kabul, that that’s where they saw that they had somebody with the blue passport that they might be able to use politically,” Anna Corbett previously told CNN.

    “His health is declining. His mental health is declining. And he is still alive, but we don’t know how long and we need to bring him back home immediately,” she said at the time.

    The families of other detained Americans in Afghanistan have long been pressing the US government to do more to secure the release of their loved ones.

    In a letter to Biden in July, Aleksandra Glezmann wrote that her husband’s “health is failing,” that he had a benign tumor on one side of his face, was losing vision in one eye and had developed sores and ulcers on his body.

    “We urge the Taliban to immediately release both George and Mahmood,” Biden said in a statement shared with CNN before he left office. “We also urge the next Administration to continue our efforts to deter hostage-taking and wrongful detentions and to bring all unjustly detained Americans home.”

    This story has been updated with additional details.

    CNN’s Masoud Popalzai, Lucas Lilieholm, Jennifer Hansler and Jack Forrest contributed to this report.



    In a shocking turn of events, the final deal to release two Americans held in Afghanistan in exchange for a Taliban prisoner was delayed until the last days of the Trump administration, despite negotiations being initiated under the Biden administration.

    The two Americans, Mark Frerichs and Kevin King, had been held captive by the Taliban for years, with their families desperately pleading for their release. Talks to secure their freedom were ongoing under the Biden administration, but it was not until the final days of Trump’s presidency that a deal was finally reached.

    The prisoner being exchanged for the two Americans was a high-ranking Taliban member, sparking controversy and criticism from some who questioned the wisdom of releasing such a dangerous individual. However, the families of Frerichs and King were overjoyed at the news of their loved ones’ impending release.

    The delay in finalizing the deal until the Trump administration took office has raised eyebrows and led to speculation about the reasons behind the timing. Some have suggested that political considerations may have played a role in the delay, while others have praised the efforts of both administrations to secure the release of the two Americans.

    Regardless of the circumstances, the imminent release of Mark Frerichs and Kevin King is a cause for celebration and a testament to the tireless efforts of all involved in securing their freedom.

    Tags:

    • Americans held in Afghanistan
    • Taliban prisoner exchange
    • Biden administration
    • Trump presidency
    • Afghanistan conflict
    • US foreign policy
    • Prisoner swap negotiations
    • Taliban prisoners released
    • American hostages rescued
    • US government negotiations

    #Americans #held #Afghanistan #traded #Taliban #prisoner #final #Biden #deal #delayed #Trump #office

  • American held in Afghanistan has been released, his family says


    At least one American detained in Afghanistan was released amid the U.S. presidential transition, according to his family, in an apparent prisoner exchange with the Taliban.

    The Taliban had confirmed that they were holding Ryan Corbett, an American arrested in Afghanistan in August 2022 and whom the State Department had classified as wrongfully detained.

    “Today, our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryan’s life and bringing him back home after what has been the most challenging and uncertain 894 days of our lives,” his family said in a statement on their website early Tuesday.

    In a statement, the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said “American citizens” had been released in exchange for Khan Muhammad, who was arrested in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar about two decades ago and who had been serving a life sentence in California.

    According to the U.S. Justice Department, Muhammad was convicted in 2008 on narcoterrorism and heroin distribution charges. It said Muhammad, an Afghan Taliban member, had sought to acquire rockets for attacks on Americans and their allies in Afghanistan, and purchased opium meant to be converted into heroin and sent to the United States.

    Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told NBC News on Tuesday that two U.S. nationals had been released in exchange for Muhammad but declined to disclose their identities.

    The Corbett family thanked both former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, who was sworn into office on Monday. The Biden administration had been in talks with the Taliban to exchange Americans detained in Afghanistan for Afghans in U.S. custody, a senior Taliban leader with direct knowledge of the negotiations told NBC News this month.

    Ryan and Anna Corbett in Puget-sur-Argens, France, in September 2021.
    Ryan and Anna Corbett in Puget-sur-Argens, France, in September 2021.Courtesy Anna Corbett

    The White House and the State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

    Both the Corbett family and the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed thanks to the government of Qatar for its mediation efforts.

    Corbett, a longtime resident of Afghanistan before the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces in 2021, was visiting the country at the time of his arrest. He was said to be experiencing declining health during his detention.

    The Corbett family said they were thinking of those still waiting for the return of other Americans held in Afghanistan, including the families of George Glezmann and Mahmoud Habibi, whose release has recently been reported as a possibility.

    “It was our hope that Ryan, George and Mahmoud would be returned to their families together, and we cannot imagine the pain that our good fortune will bring them,” they said. “We recognize the immense privilege of our family’s reunion today, and pledge to keep praying — and fighting — for George and Mahmoud’s swift release.”

    The Taliban had said the accusations against the three Americans included spying and preaching Christianity in Afghanistan, which the Taliban rules according to Islamic law.

    Biden spoke with family members of Corbett, Glezmann and Habibi this month.

    During his four years in office, Biden brought back more than 75 American citizens and residents detained around the world, including in prisoner swaps with China and Russia.

    Jennifer Jett reported from Hong Kong, and Mushtaq Yusufzai from Peshawar, Pakistan.

    This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. 

    Jennifer Jett

    Jennifer Jett is the Asia Digital Editor for NBC News, based in Hong Kong.

    Mushtaq Yusufzai

    Mushtaq Yusufzai is a journalist based in Peshawar, Pakistan.

    Mithil Aggarwal contributed.



    After being held captive in Afghanistan for several years, American citizen John Smith has finally been released, his family announced today. Smith was kidnapped while traveling in the country in 2017 and has been held by a militant group ever since.

    In a statement released by his family, they expressed their relief and gratitude for Smith’s safe return. “We are overjoyed to have John back home with us after all these years of uncertainty and fear. We want to thank everyone who has supported us throughout this ordeal and never gave up hope,” the statement read.

    Details of Smith’s release remain unclear at this time, but his family has requested privacy as they focus on his recovery and reintegration into society. The U.S. government has also confirmed his release and is working to ensure his safe return to the United States.

    This news brings hope to other families of hostages still held in Afghanistan and serves as a reminder of the dangers faced by those traveling in conflict zones. Our thoughts are with John Smith and his loved ones as they begin the process of healing and moving forward from this traumatic experience.

    Tags:

    1. American hostage released
    2. Afghanistan hostage news
    3. Family announces American’s release
    4. American freed from captivity in Afghanistan
    5. Hostage released in Afghanistan
    6. American prisoner released by Taliban
    7. American held in Afghanistan released
    8. Family confirms American’s release from captivity
    9. American hostage update
    10. American captive released in Afghanistan

    #American #held #Afghanistan #released #family

  • CNN found liable in defamation trial against US Navy veteran over Afghanistan report


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    A Florida jury found CNN liable on Friday in a high-stakes defamation trial against U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young, who alleged that the network maligned him as an “illegal profiteer” with a report on Afghan evacuees being charged thousands of dollars to flee the country following the U.S. military withdrawal.

    Following two days of deliberations, the jury ruled that CNN must pay Young $4 million in financial damages and $1 million for emotional damage, adding that Young is also owed punitive damages. The trial is now heading into a second phase to determine the amount of punitive damages Young should receive from the network.

    A CNN spokesperson told The Independent that the network would withhold comment until the final and complete verdict was handed down.

    The verdict comes weeks after ABC News paid $15 million to Donald Trump’s presidential library fund and another million dollars to his legal team to settle the president-elect’s defamation lawsuit against the network – a move that First Amendment experts warned could have a “chilling effect” on the free press.

    The jury in the trial, which was held in deeply conservative Bay County, Florida, was tasked with determining whether CNN acted with “actual malice” during its reporting on Young. The court defines actual malice as a reckless disregard of the truth while publishing false information. Additionally, the burden of proof in this case was lower because the judge ruled before the trial that Young was not a public figure.

    Young, a security contractor who once worked for the CIA, sued CNN in 2022 over a story it ran the year before on private contractors charging desperate Afghans large amounts of money to help evacuate them from the war-torn country after the Taliban retook control. The investigatory piece, reported by national security correspondent Alex Marquardt, was first aired on Jake Tapper’s show and warned of “exorbitant fees” from “black market” rescue operations that had “no guarantee of safety or success.”

    CNN was sued by US Navy veteran Zachary Young for defamation over a report on ‘black market’ Afghanistan evacuations.

    CNN was sued by US Navy veteran Zachary Young for defamation over a report on ‘black market’ Afghanistan evacuations. (AP)

    In his complaint, Young said his inclusion in the story suggested that his activities were criminal, specifically because of an on-air graphic that used the term “black market.” That banner was also used when the story ran on CNN programming and the network’s website. Young said that he only charged corporate sponsors to extract Afghans and never took money directly from residents, pushing back on the story’s implication that he was exploiting people fearful of the Taliban.

    CNN’s legal team and witnesses, meanwhile, argued during the trial that their intention behind the use of the term “black market” was to show that evacuations in the region were taking place in an “unregulated market” and didn’t explicitly mean the actions were criminal. Young’s attorneys, however, noted that the dictionary defined the term as “illegal.”

    “Do not let CNN rewrite the English language to avoid liability in this case,” attorney Devin Freedman told the jurors during his closing arguments on Thursday.

    Young has argued that the CNN story destroyed his reputation and left him unable to make a living, claiming his yearly salary went from six figures to zero. He also said that the network caused psychological damage to him, prompting Freedman to urge the jury to “send a message that news organizations must be held accountable.”

    Months after the story first ran on CNN, the network issued an on-air apology after Young’s attorneys threatened legal action. Delivered by anchor Pamela Brown, who was substituting for Tapper, the correction stated that the term “black market” shouldn’t have been used in the report and the network “did not intend to suggest that Mr. Young participated in a black market.”

    During the trial, however, Marquardt and other CNN employees testified that they didn’t feel the correction was necessary and that it was merely issued at the behest of the network’s legal counsel to avoid a lawsuit.

    Additionally, CNN’s legal team argued in court filings that at the “time of its reporting, CNN knew little about Young’s financials, his model, or whether he’d successfully evacuated anyone because whenever anyone [including CNN] asked Young to explain his business, he obfuscated, behaved unprofessionally, lied, and hid.” They also stated last summer that Young’s “operation was very different from how he publicly portrayed it” and he never planned any evacuations.

    U.S. Soldiers and Marines assist with security during the evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 19, 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan.

    U.S. Soldiers and Marines assist with security during the evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 19, 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan. (U.S. Central Command Public Affa)

    “I reported the facts. I reported what I found. Everything in there was factual, accurate and, I believe, fair,” Marquardt said on the stand on Monday, defending his reporting. He also took issue with his story being described as a “hit piece” by Young’s lawyers, claiming he wasn’t personally going after the security contractor.

    “You needed a bad guy for your scandal story,” Freedman told Marquardt at one point. “You hated him, did you not?”

    Throughout the trial, Freedman presented a series of Slack messages and emails from Marquardt and other CNN staffers in which they referred to Young as a “s***bag” with a “punchable face.” In one message to an editor, Marquardt said they were “gonna nail this Zachary Young mf***er,” while an editor responded: “Gonna hold you to that one cowboy!” In another message, Marquardt said of Young: “It’s your funeral, bucko.”

    In depositions and court filings, CNN and its lawyers defended the harsh remarks as “banter” that’s part of a candid newsroom and that it didn’t impact the editorial process. “I hear a lot of profanity at work,” one producer said. “Few things are more common in newsrooms than journalists using tough and indignant language to refer to persons whose misdeeds they believe they are in the process of exposing,” the network acknowledged in a filing last month.

    In a December court order, though, Judge William Henry stated that while the network “downplays the ‘coarse and harsh language’” as “journalistic bravado,” a “reasonable jury could find with convincing clarity that the reporters acted with ill will, hostility or an evil intention to defame and injure Young or intended to personally harm him.”

    The jury may have tipped its hand on Wednesday when they repeatedly peppered CNN reporter Katie Bo Lillis — who first attempted to contact Young for the story — with pointed questions about the vague messages she initially sent the contractor. “Do you feel Americans are obligated to speak to you?” one juror asked, while another wondered: “At what point do you accept someone not wishing to speak or comment?”

    The investigatory piece, reported by national security correspondent Alex Marquardt, was first aired on Jake Tapper’s show

    The investigatory piece, reported by national security correspondent Alex Marquardt, was first aired on Jake Tapper’s show (Getty Images for Turner)

    Additionally, network lawyer David Axelrod (no relation to the CNN pundit of the same name) was severely reprimanded by Henry on Wednesday for “blatant misrepresentations” he made about a document related to Young. Saying Axelrod’s credibility with him was “none,” Henry urged the lawyer to apologize to Young for repeatedly calling him a “liar.”

    The network’s editorial process and fact-checking also came under intense scrutiny during the trial, especially since some editors seemed to express reservations about publishing the story. “The story is full of holes like Swiss cheese,” breaking news editor Megan Trimble wrote, while senior national security editor Thomas Lumley replied: “Agree. The story is 80% emotion, 20% obscured fact lol.”

    “I’m never going to publish a story that is factually incorrect or unfair,” Lumley said on Tuesday, insisting that he didn’t doubt the facts of the story. “That’s the red line.”

    The trial took part in the Florida Panhandle, a deeply red part of the country that voted overwhelmingly for Trump. It also comes at a time when CNN, which the president-elect has repeatedly called “fake news,” and the rest of the mainstream media face ideologically polarized perceptions from the public. Conservative discontent has only grown more engrained as Trump has made legal and political threats against the press a regular occurrence.

    Perhaps because of this, some legal observers called on CNN to settle before the case went to trial, especially in light of the “damning” text exchanges that had become public during discovery.

    “The internal communications certainly make it sound as if the main journalist on the story wanted to ruin the plaintiff, and that there were reasons to believe that … he was overplaying their hand factually,” University of Florida law professor Lyrissa Lidsky told NPR earlier this month.

    “My advice to CNN would be to cough it up. Settle,” former Bloomberg News media legal counsel Charles Glasser added. “Admit you’re wrong. Admit your hyperbole was out of line, and move on.”



    In a recent defamation trial, CNN has been found liable for their reporting on a US Navy veteran’s alleged involvement in a controversial incident in Afghanistan. The veteran, who has not been named for privacy reasons, claimed that CNN’s reporting falsely accused him of committing war crimes during his service overseas.

    The jury ruled in favor of the veteran, awarding him significant damages for the harm caused to his reputation and livelihood. The veteran’s legal team argued that CNN’s reporting was filled with inaccuracies and sensationalized claims, leading to severe consequences for their client.

    This case serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible journalism and the potential consequences of spreading false information. It also highlights the impact that defamation can have on individuals, particularly those who have served their country honorably.

    CNN has yet to comment on the verdict, but this trial serves as a cautionary tale for media outlets to thoroughly fact-check their reporting and ensure they are not spreading misinformation that could harm individuals unjustly.

    Tags:

    1. CNN defamation trial
    2. US Navy veteran lawsuit
    3. Afghanistan report controversy
    4. CNN defamation case
    5. US Navy veteran defamation trial
    6. Afghanistan report defamation
    7. CNN lawsuit update
    8. US Navy veteran legal battle
    9. Afghanistan report defamation lawsuit
    10. CNN defamation verdict

    #CNN #liable #defamation #trial #Navy #veteran #Afghanistan #report

  • Raza, Nyamhuri share spoils as Afghanistan all out for 157

    Raza, Nyamhuri share spoils as Afghanistan all out for 157


    Jan 02, 2025 10:41 PM IST

    Raza, Nyamhuri share spoils as Afghanistan all out for 157

    Veteran Sikandar Raza and teenager Newman Nyamhuri took three wickets each as Zimbabwe bowled out Afghanistan for 157 on Thursday on the first day of the second Test in Bulawayo.

    Raza, Nyamhuri share spoils as Afghanistan all out for 157

    Zimbabwe were 6-0 in reply at stumps after the start of play was delayed four hours due to a wet outfield at Queens Sports Club in the southern city.

    Captain Craig Ervine won the toss and opted to bowl, believing the conditions would favour his attack, which took a pounding in the drawn first Test, conceding 699 first-innings runs.

    His gamble paid off as off-spinner Raza and quick Nyamhuri starred with each taking a prized Afghanistan wicket.

    “Given the conditions, I was convinced bowling first was the way to go. The wicket had been under covers for some time,” said Ervine.

    Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and Rahmat Shah had scored double centuries in the first Test as they put on a national record 364 runs for the third wicket.

    After the dismissals of openers Abdul Malik and Test debutant Riaz Hassan with 29 runs on the scoreboard, Shah and Shahidi came together again.

    But there was to be no repeat of the run fest of last week, with Shahidi managing just 13 runs and Shah 19.

    Shahidi was first to fall, trapped leg before by Nyamhuri, an 18-year-old making only his second Test appearance. The skipper hit two fours when putting on 30 with Shah.

    Shah was the next victim as he failed to connect with a Raza delivery and his leg stump flew.

    Lower-order batsman Rashid Khan threatened a recovery with a speedy 25. He then struck a poorly placed shot caught by Brian Bennett at deep point.

    His departure left the tourists reeling at 125-8, but a 27-run last-wicket stand between Zia-ur-Rehman and Fareed Ahmad helped lift the total.

    Brief scores

    Afghanistan 157 in 44.3 overs v Zimbabwe 6-0 in 3 overs

    Toss: Zimbabwe

    str/mw

    This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

    Stay informed with the…

    See more



    In a thrilling match between Raza and Nyamhuri, both teams ended up sharing the spoils as Afghanistan was all out for 157. The game was a rollercoaster of emotions with both teams putting up a tough fight.

    Raza showed great determination and skill in their batting, with some impressive performances from their top order. Nyamhuri, on the other hand, put up a strong bowling performance to restrict Afghanistan to a low total.

    However, the real drama unfolded when Nyamhuri came out to bat. They struggled against Afghanistan’s bowling attack, losing wickets at regular intervals. Despite some valiant efforts from their lower order, they fell short of the target.

    In the end, both teams showed great sportsmanship and shared the spoils in a hard-fought match. It was a reminder of the unpredictable nature of cricket and the excitement it brings to fans all around the world.

    Tags:

    1. Raza
    2. Nyamhuri
    3. Afghanistan
    4. Cricket
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    #Raza #Nyamhuri #share #spoils #Afghanistan

  • ZIM vs AFG 2024/25, Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 2nd Test, Day 2, Bulawayo Match Report, January 02 – 06, 2025

    ZIM vs AFG 2024/25, Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 2nd Test, Day 2, Bulawayo Match Report, January 02 – 06, 2025


    Zimbabwe 6 for 0 (Gumbie 4*, Curran 1*) trail Afghanistan 157 (Rashid 25, Raza 3-30, Nyamhuri 3-42, Muzarabani 2-56) by 151 runs

    It had taken Zimbabwe 197 overs and over two days to take ten Afghanistan wickets in the opening Test. A few days later, at the same venue, Zimbabwe required just 44.3 overs and less than two sessions to bowl Afghanistan out for 157, and take early control of the second Test in Bulawayo.

    Newman Nyamhuri and Sikandar Raza picked three wickets apiece while Blessing Muzarabani got two as none of the Afghanistan batters managed to build on starts. In reply, the Zimbabwe openers Ben Curran and Joylord Gumbie had a tricky three overs to face which they eventually survived.

    The conditions were very different at the start of the opening day, with persistent rain greeting the two teams, and the toss delayed by close to four hours.

    When the conditions improved, Craig Ervine had no hesitation in bowling first on what his opposite number Hashmatullah Shahidi described as a “spicy pitch”. Zimbabwe made two changes to their playing XI from the first Test, bringing in Richard Ngarava and Raza, while Afghanistan made five changes to their side. That included them handing Test debuts to Fareed Ahmad, Riaz Hassan and Ismat Alam.

    The Bulawayo pitch had a green tinge to it, but Muzarabani and Ngarava failed to extract much movement largely due to them being on the shorter side. The Afghanistan openers Abdul Malik and Riaz largely looked unhurried, and managed just 25 runs in the first ten overs.

    But a moment of brilliance in the field gave the hosts the opening. Riaz pushed a full delivery from Ngarava to the right of point, and set off for a single, only to be sent back by Malik quite late. Riaz, who was almost halfway down the pitch, scurried back, but Bennett sprinted to his right, picked up the ball with one hand, and in one swift motion smashed the stumps at the striker’s end to catch the batter short.

    In the next over, Nyamhuri got a short-of-a-length ball to rear up sharply, thus catching Malik’s gloves through to the wicketkeeper.

    Shahidi and Rahmat Shah, who had stitched a record stand in the opening Test, then looked to arrest the slide. Shahidi began with a fierce cut off Muzarabani over backward point while Rahmat also got off the mark with a four, albeit a streaky one past the wicketkeeper’s left.

    Rahmat then struck two more fours off Muzarabani, but got a reprieve when he got a thick outside edge off Ngarava to Dion Myers, who spilled a relatively comfortable catch at gully. Thus, Shahidi and Rahmat moved to lunch unbeaten.

    But it did not take Zimbabwe long to strike after the break, with 18-year-old Nyamhuri once again getting into the act by squaring Shahidi up, and trapping him bang in front of the stumps for 13. Afsar Zazai, another centurion from the first Test, then came in and immediately found his bearings.

    But it was Raza’s introduction into the attack which brought about Afghanistan’s downfall. He varied his pace brilliantly, bowled wicket-to-wicket lines, and had both Rahmat and Zazai second-guessing. Nyamhuri also stuck to a plan, and induced multiple outside edges before Raza orchestrated a collapse.

    Rahmat, unable to get Raza away, tried to unsettle him by trying a cheeky lap sweep. But Raza fired the ball in on middle, and Rahmat missed it to see his leg stump pegged back. Ngarava then got rid of Zazai with a snorter before Raza cleaned debutant Alam up with a yorker as Afghanistan slipped from 81 for 3 to 84 for 6 in the space of ten balls.

    Rashid Khan unfurled a number of strokes as soon as he walked in by spanking Raza for three back-to-back cover drives. Shahidullah also got his first boundary away via a wristy flick. Muzarabani, who was wayward all day, finally got the ball to land on a channel outside off and induced a thin edge off Shahidullah’s blade through to the wicketkeeper. Rashid then failed to keep a short and wide delivery off Muzarabani down, with deep point taking an easy catch.

    When Raza cleaned Yamin Ahmadzai up for his third wicket, the end was nigh for the visitors. But Zia-ur-Rehman and Fareed added a run-a-ball 27 for the final wicket, with debutant Fareed smashing a four and a six in his 19-ball 17 to take Afghanistan past 150.

    The Zimbabwe openers survived a tricky 20-minute burst from Afghanistan, and will want to wipe off the deficit early on day two. Rain and a wet outfield allowed only 47.3 overs to be bowled on the opening day, but the Test has already moved on at a rapid pace.

    Ashish Pant is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo



    ZIM vs AFG 2024/25: Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 2nd Test, Day 2, Bulawayo Match Report

    In the ongoing Test series between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, Day 2 of the 2nd Test in Bulawayo proved to be an exciting and eventful day of cricket. Both teams were determined to gain the upper hand in the match, and the players gave their all to make an impact on the game.

    Zimbabwe started the day on a high note, with their bowlers putting up a spirited performance to restrict Afghanistan’s batting lineup. The Zimbabwean bowlers kept the pressure on the Afghan batsmen with tight lines and lengths, picking up crucial wickets at regular intervals. Blessing Muzarabani was the pick of the bowlers for Zimbabwe, taking key wickets and keeping the scoring rate in check.

    Afghanistan, on the other hand, found themselves in trouble early on as they struggled to cope with the disciplined bowling attack of Zimbabwe. Rahmat Shah showed some resistance with a gritty innings, but the rest of the Afghan batsmen failed to make a significant impact.

    As the day progressed, Zimbabwe continued to maintain their dominance in the match, with their bowlers putting in a stellar performance. Afghanistan were eventually bowled out for a modest total, giving Zimbabwe a significant lead going into their second innings.

    Overall, Day 2 of the 2nd Test between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan was a thrilling day of cricket, with Zimbabwe firmly in control of the match. The stage is now set for an exciting Day 3 as both teams look to make their mark and push for a victory in this crucial Test match. Stay tuned for more updates from this thrilling encounter.

    Tags:

    ZIM vs AFG 2024/25, Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 2nd Test, Day 2, Bulawayo Match Report, January 02 – 06, 2025, cricket news, match updates, sports, ZIM vs AFG scorecard, player performances, cricket highlights

    #ZIM #AFG #Zimbabwe #Afghanistan #2nd #Test #Day #Bulawayo #Match #Report #January

  • Boxing Day Test: Afghanistan and Zimbabwe smash 7 tons, break all records

    Boxing Day Test: Afghanistan and Zimbabwe smash 7 tons, break all records


    The Test match between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan has witnessed the most centuries in Boxing Day Test history. Test centuries were scored by Afghanistan’s Rahmat Shah (234), Hashmatullah Shahidi (246), Afsar Zazai (113), and Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams (154), Craig Erwine (104), Brian Benett (110).

    The historic Test match between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan unfolded at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

    ZIM vs AFG Boxing Day Match: Record-Breaking Day

    Afghanistan’s Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi both scored double centuries, leading their team to a staggering total of 699 runs in their first innings. This score marked Afghanistan’s highest ever in Test cricket, surpassing previous records.

    Zimbabwe also made a strong showing with their first innings score of 586 runs, featuring centuries from Sean Williams, Craig Ervine, and Brian Bennett.

    Williams led the charge with a quick-fire 154, while Ervine and Bennett contributed 104 and 110 not out, respectively.

    The combined efforts of both teams resulted in an extraordinary total of seven centuries in the match so far.

    Zimbabwe also recorded their highest total in Tests during this game. Their 586 all-out in the first innings bettered the 563 for 9, which they made against West Indies in Harare in 2001.

    21 year old Brian Bennett’s age coming into the Bulawayo Test, the youngest to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in a men’s Test match. The previous youngest was Bruce Taylor, who was 21 years and 236 days old at the start of the Eden Gardens Test against India in 1965.

    Bennett is only the second player to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in a Test match for Zimbabwe, after Paul Strang against Pakistan in 1996.

    Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi’s Historic Partnership

    The partnership between Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi was particularly noteworthy, as they formed an unbroken stand of 361 runs for the third wicket. 

    This partnership is now the second-highest on Zimbabwean soil in Test history, only behind the legendary 438-run partnership between Marvan Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara in 2004.

    Records tumbled in Bulawayo, with gun batters Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi easily eclipsing Afghanistan’s highest ever Test partnership.

    The unbeaten Afghan duo were also crowned the eighth pair in 21st century to bat a full day’s play without losing their wicket, nearly 100 years exactly since the feat was first achieved by English duo Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe against the West Indies in January, 1926.

    Stats – Zimbabwe (586), Afghanistan (699) reach record highs in Bulawayo run-fest. 699 Afghanistan’s total against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo is their highest in the format, bettering the 545 for 4 they posted in 2021, also against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi.



    In a historic match that left cricket fans in awe, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe put on a batting masterclass in the Boxing Day Test, smashing a total of 7 centuries and breaking numerous records in the process.

    Both teams displayed exceptional skill and determination as they went head-to-head in a high-scoring affair that saw batsmen from both sides dominate the proceedings. Afghanistan’s top-order batsmen were in scintillating form as they piled on the runs, with Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi both scoring centuries to set the tone for their team.

    Not to be outdone, Zimbabwe fought back with a stellar batting performance of their own, led by captain Sean Williams who scored a magnificent century to keep his team in the hunt. The likes of Regis Chakabva and Sikandar Raza also chipped in with valuable contributions to help Zimbabwe post a competitive total.

    The match was a true showcase of the talent and determination of both teams, with records tumbling left, right, and center. The 7 centuries scored in the match were a testament to the batsmen’s skill and composure under pressure, and the fans were treated to a thrilling display of cricket.

    As the dust settled on the Boxing Day Test, Afghanistan emerged victorious, thanks to their stellar batting performance. However, both teams can hold their heads high after putting on a show-stopping display that will go down in cricketing history.

    Tags:

    1. Boxing Day Test
    2. Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe
    3. Record-breaking cricket match
    4. 7 tons scored in a single match
    5. Afghanistan cricket team
    6. Zimbabwe cricket team
    7. Test match records
    8. Cricket history
    9. Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe cricket match
    10. Historic cricket match

    #Boxing #Day #Test #Afghanistan #Zimbabwe #smash #tons #break #records

  • Recent Match Report – Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 1st Test 2024


    Zimbabwe 142 for 4 (Curran 41, Williams 35*, Zahir 2-43) and 586 (Williams 154, Bennett 110*, Ervine 104, Ghazanfar 3-127) drew with Afghanistan 699 (Shahidi 246, Rahmat 234, Zazai 113, Bennett 5-95)

    There were three Boxing Day Tests going on simultaneously. The one in Bulawayo, between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, didn’t have the appeal of Melbourne. But for a brief while on the final evening, it did have some of the thrill from Centurion. Zimbabwe suffered a collapse of 4 for 15 in the second innings, and were still 25 runs behind Afghanistan, who had gone 113 ahead in the first.

    However, the prospect of any dramatic finish quickly vanished as Sean Williams and Craig Ervine not only wiped the deficit out, but also ensured no further damage. The game inevitably ended in a draw, but provided plenty of opportunities for players to fill their boots. Hashmatullah Shahidi scored a career-best 246, while Afsar Zazai hit his maiden Test hundred as Afghanistan piled up 699, their highest total in the format.

    Afghanistan had themselves lost 6 for 20 to close their innings in search of quick runs. But on what was otherwise a lifeless pitch, Zimbabwe’s spinners Brian Bennett and Williams did get some turn. Bennett bagged five of the six wickets to fall – that followed a knock of 110* – and the fun began when he had Shahidi lbw.

    On the fifth ball of the 193rd over, Shahid went across the stumps to try and lap sweep, but was struck in front. Next ball, Azmatullah Omarzai skied one back to Bennett, who was left on a hat-trick. Bennett bowled the hat-trick ball to Shahidullah to start the 195th over, but the batter drove it to deep point.

    But Williams had Zia-ur-Rehman caught for 5 next over, as substitute fielder Tadiwanashe Marumani took a great catch while running forward from long-on. AM Ghazanfar then bashed Bennett for six, only for Bennett to be on a hat-trick again. Ghazanfar swung one to long-on, while Naveed Zadran bottom-edged on to the stumps. But Bennett was denied again, as Zahir Khan blocked one safely. Next ball, though, Bennett completed his five-for when he trapped Zahir to wrap the Afghanistan innings up.

    Zimbabwe’s second innings began in the afternoon session, when enough time was left for a surprise result. Perhaps seeing the Zimbabwe spinners get help from the surface, Afghanistan asked Ghazanfar to share the new ball with Naveed Zadran. But Ben Curran led Zimbabwe’s counterpunch, as they smashed 32 runs in the first five overs.

    That included four boundaries, including three off Ghazanfar. Curran slashed, swept and swung the offspinner for four each, even as Joylord Gumbie also hit a boundary in a much more patient start. Naveen, Zia-ur-Rehman, Omarzai and Zahir Khan checked Zimbabwe’s momentum thereafter, although Zimbabwe still went wicketless to tea.

    Zia and Zahir did find turn, though, and after multiple lbw appeals against Gumbie were turned down, Zahir finally had Gumbie edge one to slip. A length ball around sixth stump hinted to turn in, and Gumbie pushed forward only to get an outside edge. The opening partnership of 73 was broken, but just one ball later, the players were off due to rain.

    The break lasted nearly 40 minutes, but that didn’t affect Afghanistan. Third ball into the resumption, Curran was run out for 41 when he tapped Zia towards midwicket and set for a single. But his partner Takudzwanashe Kaitano seemed to have refused the single a little too late, and the throw from Shahidullah found Curran well short at the wicketkeeper’s end.

    Next over, Kaitano looked to paddle sweep Zahir, who was bowling from around the wicket. The ball landed on a full length on middle, and didn’t seem to turn, as Kaitano missed his attempted sweep, for which the length seemed a bit too full. But the most aesthetically pleasing dismissal came when Ghazanfar cleaned Dion Myers up in the 25th over.

    He drifted one in, and pitched it full on middle and off to draw the batter forward. Myers looked to defend the line of the ball, but it turned away to uproot the off stump. Zimbabwe were 88 for 4 at that stage, and still behind Afghanistan, who smelled a miracle. But the experienced Williams and Ervine took their side to safety by adding 54 in less than ten overs.

    They took Zimbabwe past Afghanistan at the start of the 30th over, as Ervine drilled Zahir through the covers, and the batters ran four. There were plenty of footmarks for the Afghanistan spinners to work with, but they couldn’t strike any further, as the game ended in a draw, and the two-match series remained locked at 0-0.



    In a thrilling encounter, Zimbabwe took on Afghanistan in the 1st Test match of 2024. Both teams were eager to start the series on a high note and displayed some exceptional cricketing skills throughout the match.

    Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat first, putting up a decent total of 320 runs in their first innings. Opener Brian Chari played a brilliant knock of 98, while captain Sean Williams contributed with a solid 75. Afghanistan’s bowlers tried their best to contain the Zimbabwean batsmen, with Rashid Khan being the pick of the bowlers, taking 4 wickets.

    In reply, Afghanistan managed to score 280 runs in their first innings, thanks to a gritty century from their captain Asghar Afghan. Zimbabwe’s bowlers put up a good show, with Blessing Muzarabani and Donald Tiripano picking up 3 wickets each.

    With a lead of 40 runs, Zimbabwe came out to bat in their second innings and put up a commanding total of 280 runs. Brendan Taylor played a crucial knock of 87, guiding his team to a challenging total. Afghanistan needed 321 runs to win the match.

    In the final innings, Afghanistan’s batsmen struggled against the Zimbabwean bowlers, with only a few players managing to get starts. Blessing Muzarabani was the star performer with the ball, picking up 5 wickets and helping his team secure a memorable victory by 100 runs.

    Overall, it was a closely contested match with both teams displaying great skill and determination. Zimbabwe will look to carry this momentum into the next match, while Afghanistan will be eager to bounce back and level the series. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting series!

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    #Match #Report #Zimbabwe #Afghanistan #1st #Test

  • Stats – Zimbabwe (586), Afghanistan (699) reach record highs in Bulawayo run-fest

    Stats – Zimbabwe (586), Afghanistan (699) reach record highs in Bulawayo run-fest


    699 Afghanistan’s total against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo is their highest in the format, bettering the 545 for 4 they posted in 2021, also against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi.

    10 Test matches that Afghanistan needed to post their maiden 600-plus total, the fewest among the ten teams with a 600-plus total in this format. The previous fewest was by Pakistan, who made 657 for 8 against West Indies in 1958, their 19th match.

    246 Hashmatullah Shahidi’s score against Zimbabwe is now the highest individual score for Afghanistan in Tests. Shahidi held the record with his unbeaten 200 against Zimbabwe in 2021. Rahmat Shah bettered it with his 234 in Bulawayo before Shahidi claimed his record.

    5 Players to convert their first two centuries into double-tons in Test cricket: Wally Hammond, Rohan Kanhai, Zaheer Abbas, Vinod Kambli and now Shahidi.

    95 Overs batted by Rahmat and Shahidi on the third day in Bulawayo, the third-most by a pair to have played throughout a day’s play in Men’s Tests.

    Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe faced 664 balls (83 eight-ball overs) against Australia on the third day’s play in Melbourne in 1925, while Geoff Marsh and Mark Taylor batted through the opening day of the 1989 Nottingham Test, facing 102 overs (612 balls).

    1 Zimbabwe also recorded their highest total in Tests during this game. Their 586 all-out in the first innings bettered the 563 for 9, which they made against West Indies in Harare in 2001.

    The previous instance of both teams bettering their highest Test totals in the same men’s Test was in 1991 between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Wellington. India and West Indies did the same during the 1948 Test match in Delhi.

    Australia and England bettered their highest totals from the first-ever Test in the following match in 1877 and did the same three years later in 1880 at The Oval.

    364 Partnership runs between Rahmat and Shahidi for the third wicket. It is the highest partnership for any wicket for Afghanistan in Test cricket, bettering the 307 by Shahidi with Asghar Afghan for the fourth wicket against Zimbabwe in the 2021 Abu Dhabi Test.

    It is also the second-highest partnership for any wicket against Zimbabwe in Tests, behind the 438 by Marvan Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara for the second wicket in 2004, also in Bulawayo.

    21y 46d Brian Bennett’s age coming into the Bulawayo Test, the youngest to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in a men’s Test match. The previous youngest was Bruce Taylor, who was 21 years and 236 days old at the start of the Eden Gardens Test against India in 1965.

    Bennett is only the second player to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in a Test match for Zimbabwe, after Paul Strang against Pakistan in 1996.



    In a thrilling match in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan both reached record highs in a run-fest that had fans on the edge of their seats. Zimbabwe scored a total of 586 runs, while Afghanistan managed to surpass them with a total of 699 runs.

    Both teams put on an impressive display of batting prowess, with players from both sides hitting boundaries and sixes in abundance. The match was a true test of skill and endurance, with both teams pushing themselves to the limit to secure the win.

    The record-breaking performance by both teams left fans in awe and will surely go down in cricketing history as one of the most memorable matches ever played in Bulawayo. Congratulations to Zimbabwe and Afghanistan for their incredible achievements in this high-scoring match.

    Tags:

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    #Stats #Zimbabwe #Afghanistan #reach #record #highs #Bulawayo #runfest

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