Monday, February 23, 2026

Taliban Promises ‘Full Support’ to Iran in War With U.S.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Taliban declared it is willing to offer “full support” to Iran in the event of an American attack, according to remarks by its spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban regime, Iranian officials, and the Trump administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Comments were made on Sunday during an interview with Radio Iran and shared on social media.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The people of Afghanistan will offer various forms of solidarity and support to their Iranian brothers.” – Zabihullah Mujahid.

🎯IMPACT: The Taliban’s remarks signal a potential alignment with Iran amidst ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions and nuclear negotiations.

IN FULL

The Taliban government in Afghanistan has said it would back Iran in the event of a war with the U.S., underscoring deepening ties between Kabul and Tehran amid renewed tensions with Washington. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Sunday that the group is prepared to offer “full support” to Iran if the United States launches an attack. Speaking in an interview with Radio Iran, Mujahid added, “The people of Afghanistan will offer various forms of solidarity and support to their Iranian brothers.” He later shared the remarks on social media.

The statement comes as officials linked to President Donald J. Trump engage in preliminary talks with Tehran over sanctions relief and Iran’s nuclear program. Discussions reportedly began in February through Omani intermediaries. Iran has been under intensified economic pressure since the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found it in violation of international nuclear obligations, triggering the reimposition of “snapback” sanctions.

Taliban Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob said separately that Afghanistan “poses no threat to any party” but would cooperate with Iran if necessary to counter American action.

Iran and the Taliban have had a fraught history, including disputes over water rights along the Helmand River and tensions related to Afghan refugees in Iran. In 1998, the two sides nearly went to war after Iranian diplomats were killed in Mazar-i-Sharif. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, however, relations have shifted toward pragmatic engagement, with diplomatic contacts and expanding cross-border trade.

The Taliban’s military capabilities have grown significantly since the U.S. withdrawal, with reports indicating that American weapons left behind in 2021 by the former Biden regime now form a core part of the group’s arsenal. Additional reporting has alleged that at least $239 million in U.S. aid reached Taliban-controlled Afghanistan due to vetting failures.

Tensions between the United States and Iran have risen in recent weeks. Americans have been warned to leave Iran as the risk of conflict increases, while analysts say Iran’s leadership fears U.S. strikes could embolden domestic protest movements. Trump has emphasized urgency in reaching an agreement, stating, “We have to make a deal, otherwise it’s going to be very traumatic—very traumatic.”

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Afghan Convicted for Kidnap and Repeated Rape of 12-Year-Old.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: An Afghan asylum seeker was found guilty of abducting and raping a 12-year-old girl in a targeted attack in Nuneaton, England.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Afghan national Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, was convicted of multiple offences. His co-defendant, Mohammad Kabir, was acquitted of all charges.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred last summer in Nuneaton. The trial took place at Warwick Crown Court.

💬KEY QUOTE: “He will plainly receive a substantial custodial sentence which will automatically make him liable for deportation at its conclusion.” – Judge Kristina Montgomery KC

🎯IMPACT: The case sparked protests and calls for more transparency from public figures regarding the immigration status of offenders.

IN FULL

Ahmad Mulakhil, a 23-year-old Afghan asylum seeker, has been convicted of multiple serious offences following a targeted attack on a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, England, last summer. A jury at Warwick Crown Court found him guilty of rape, two counts of sexual assault, child abduction, and taking an indecent video of the child. He had also admitted to an additional rape charge before the trial began.

Mulakhil arrived in Britain around four months before the attack after submitting an immigration application that referred to unspecified “problems” in Afghanistan. Although the jury was not told how he entered the country, it later emerged that he had arrived illegally on a small boat.

His co-defendant, Mohammad Kabir, also an Afghan asylum seeker, was cleared of all charges, including intentional strangulation, attempted child abduction, and committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence. Kabir denied any wrongdoing, telling the court that he “never touched the victim and had no sexual intentions toward her.” He claimed to be 22, while court records listed his age as 24.

Remanding Mulakhil in custody ahead of sentencing, Judge Kristina Montgomery KC said, “He will plainly receive a substantial custodial sentence which will automatically make him liable for deportation at its conclusion.” This does not mean he definitely will be deported, however, with many foreign sex offenders in Britain able to use human rights laws to stay in the country.

The convictions drew sharp reactions from senior political figures. Reform Paarty leader Nigel Farage and Warwickshire County Council leader George Finch accused authorities of a “cover-up” over how details of the case were handled publicly. Farage renewed calls for police to routinely disclose the immigration status of criminal suspects, something that is not standard practice despite being permitted under current guidance “if deemed necessary for legitimate policing purposes.”

The case has added to wider debate following other recent reports involving Afghan nationals in the United Kingdom and the United States, including prosecutions for serious sexual offences, fatal stabbings, and alleged terror threats.

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Biden Let in 36,000 Afghan Refugees Without IDs, Including at Least 50 Terrorists.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A Senate hearing revealed that tens of thousands of Afghan refugees lacked key identification when entering the United States under a Joe Biden-era parole program.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Deputy Inspector General Craig Adelman, Republican and Democratic lawmakers, and so-called Afghan refugees.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The hearing took place on January 14, 2026, before the Senate Border Security and Immigration and Crime and Counterterrorism subcommittees.

💬KEY QUOTE: “There was missing information from the [Operation Allies Welcome] population, including first, last names, and date of birth… There was about 11,000 to 12,000 that did not know their date of birth.” — Craig Adelman

🎯IMPACT: Concerns have been raised about the safety and security of Americans due to flaws in the vetting process for Afghan refugees.

IN FULL

The Deputy Inspector General (IG) for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told members of the U.S. Senate this week that thousands of Afghan evacuees were admitted to the United States without essential identification documents as part of the Biden government’s Operation Allies Welcome initiative. Craig Adelman, who serves as the deputy IG, stated that around 36,000 of these Afghans arrived without any form of identification, and between 11,000 and 12,000 claimed they could not even supply their date of birth.

Operation Allies Welcome began in 2021 and was designed to resettle Afghans who were believed to be allies of the U.S. after the American military pullout from Afghanistan. However, former President Joe Biden’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan resulted in a concerning number of alleged refugees entering the United States with little to no federal vetting, subsequently raising serious national security concerns.

“There was missing information from the [Operation Allies Welcome] population, including first, last names, and date of birth,” Adelman said on Wednesday, continuing, “There was about 11,000 to 12,000 that did not know their date of birth.”

Concerningly, Adelman told senators that his office found no evidence that the former Biden government conducted any systematic interviews or mental health screenings of refugees before allowing them into the United States. On November 26, 2025, an Afghan national who entered the United States under Biden’s special immigrant visa program (SIV) shot two National Guard soldiers near the White House, killing one.

Just days before, another Afghan national, who entered the country under Operation Allies Welcome, was arrested and federally charged with transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce. The incidents prompted the Trump administration to begin “actively re-examining” all Afghan nationals who entered the United States under former President Biden.

The hearing also saw lawmakers reveal that the former Biden government allowed at least 50 confirmed or suspected terrorists into the country.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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U.S. Weapons Abandoned by Biden Are Now the ‘Core’ of Taliban’s Military Machine: Report.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The former Biden government left billions in military equipment in Afghanistan, now forming the “core” of the Taliban military.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. government, the Taliban, and the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Following the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Despite nearly $90 billion in U.S. appropriations for security-sector assistance, Afghan security forces ultimately collapsed quickly without a sustained U.S. military presence.” – Acting SIGAR Gene Aloise

🎯IMPACT: Billions in U.S. taxpayer-funded military equipment are now in Taliban hands.

IN FULL

The office overseeing U.S. reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan has released a final forensic audit concluding that billions of dollars in American weaponry and military infrastructure, left behind after the 2021 U.S. withdrawal, now form the “core” of the Taliban’s military force.

The audit, by the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR), finds that U.S.-supplied weapons, vehicles, aircraft, and other equipment worth at least $7.1 billion ended up in Taliban hands. These were provided over two decades of war and reconstruction, spanning four U.S. administrations after the 2001 invasion triggered by the 9/11 attacks.

According to SIGAR, the U.S. had poured roughly $144.7 billion into Afghanistan between 2002 and mid-2021. Some of those funds went toward building roads, schools, and infrastructure. However, the bulk of this spending, nearly $90 billion, was devoted to security assistance: equipping and sustaining the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) with weapons, vehicles, training, pay, bases, and other support.

Between 2002 and 2021, the U.S. gave the ANDSF hundreds of thousands of weapons, tens of thousands of vehicles, and more than 160 aircraft. Pentagon records from late July 2021, about two weeks before the Taliban seized Kabul, showed the Afghan Air Force had 162 U.S.-supplied aircraft, 131 of them functional.

As U.S. forces withdrew in August 2021 amid a botched evacuation by then-President Joe Biden, the ANDSF collapsed almost immediately. SIGAR’s 2025 report points out that after two decades and massive investment, Afghan forces were never able to operate independently.

With the U.S. withdrawal, morale collapsed, bases were abandoned, and the Taliban easily absorbed the leftover arsenal. Any remaining equipment, facilities, or stockpiles evidently fell under Taliban control—a major bone of contention for President Donald J. Trump, who believes strongly that the equipment should have been evacuated.

Even after the Taliban takeover, the U.S. continued sending humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan, millions more dollars, some of which reportedly benefited the Taliban-controlled government.

In light of these findings, SIGAR will cease operations in January 2026, per the conditions of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

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FBI Investigates National Guard Shooter’s Links to Islamist ‘Army of Darkness’ Group.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly carried out a Thanksgiving eve ambush in Washington, D.C., resulting in the death of one National Guard member and the critical injury of another. It is now being probed as to whether the Tablighi Jamaat network was involved in Lakanwal’s radicalization.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rahmanullah Lakanwal, victims Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe, and investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ambush occurred on Thanksgiving eve near the White House; Lakanwal had been living in Bellingham, Washington.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We believe he was radicalized since he’s been here in this country.” – Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem

🎯IMPACT: Federal investigators are now examining Lakanwal’s ties to Tablighi Jamaat and his activities in the U.S. to determine the extent of radicalization and involvement in extremist networks.

IN FULL

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are now investigating whether Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the Afghan national accused of carrying out a deadly ambush on National Guard service members near the White House, was radicalized by the global Islamic missionary movement Tablighi Jamaat. Lakanwal, who entered the United States in September 2021 on a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) after serving ten years in the Afghan army alongside U.S. Special Forces in Kandahar, made a cryptic phone call to his estranged wife shortly before the attack in which he mentioned being “with Tablighis,” a reference to the Tablighi Jamaat movement.

Despite Tablighi Jamaat’s having publicly denounced Islamist terrorism, the group has been linked by counterterrorism experts to extremist ideologies. DHS Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated, “We believe he was radicalized since he’s been here in this country.” Lakanwal’s Thanksgiving Eve attack resulted in the death of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and left 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe critically injured.

The National Pulse reported in March that Tablighi Jamaat established a new headquarters in Garland, Texas. The network—also known as the ‘Army of Darkness’—has set up operations inside the Masjid Yaseen mosque in Garland, which now serves as its American nerve center, following its relocation from Louisiana.

Lakanwal’s brother, Ismail Khosti, expressed shame over the incident, describing it as “a wrong action” and calling for the truth to be uncovered. Khosti, a former company commander in Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security, highlighted the irony of his brother’s actions, given their shared history of fighting against Islamist groups like the Taliban.

Investigators are also examining Lakanwal’s life in the U.S., including his reported struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and isolation. Emails from a volunteer caseworker revealed a pattern of erratic behavior, including “manic” road trips and periods of disappearance. These details have raised questions about whether his activities were linked to Tablighi Jamaat’s missionary efforts, which often involve small-group trips to mosques and communities.

Image by Spirit of Eagle.

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Trump Considers Expanding Travel Ban to 32 Countries.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration is considering expanding its travel ban to include 32 additional countries.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement is expected soon, following the D.C. shooting last week.

🎯IMPACT: The current travel ban applies to 19 nations, with immigration applications from these countries already halted.

IN FULL

The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to expand its travel bans to include as many as 32 additional countries, according to sources. The push comes shortly after a recent shooting in Washington, D.C., in which two members of the National Guard were shot, one fatally. Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal has been charged for the attack and has pleaded not guilty.

In June 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed a proclamation banning or restricting travel for citizens of 19 countries, citing national security concerns, including terrorism links, high visa overstay rates, unreliable identity documentation, and a lack of government cooperation with U.S. authorities. Under that order, 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen, are subject to full entry bans; seven others, including Cuba, Venezuela, and Laos, face partial restrictions.

According to a State Department cable, the proposed expansion under current consideration could add dozens more nations to the list of “countries of concern.” Officials argue the additional restrictions are needed because some countries “lack a competent or cooperative government authority to produce reliable identity documents,” or have histories of visa overstays, producing national security threats, or inadequate cooperation in repatriating citizens ordered removed from the U.S.

Government officials have said they expect to publish the updated list soon.

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Another Afghan ‘Refugee’ Faces Federal Charges for Alleged Terror Threat Before DC Guard Attack.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: An Afghan national who entered the U.S. during the former Biden government’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal has been federally charged with planning to attack civilians, including threats to “build a bomb” and “conduct a suicide attack.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas office, among others.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Alokozay, residing in Fort Worth, Texas, was charged at the state level last week and federally on Tuesday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “He explicitly stated that he came here in order to kill American citizens,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.

🎯IMPACT: The case highlights concerns over the Biden government’s vetting process for evacuees and the potential threats to public safety.

IN FULL

Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, 30, who arrived in the U.S. during the former Biden government’s Operation Allies Welcome—conducted as part of its shambolic withdrawal from Afghanistan—has been federally charged with transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce. Alokozay, residing in Fort Worth, Texas, allegedly threatened to “build a bomb,” “conduct a suicide attack,” and kill Americans, according to U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.

Raybould stated that Alokozay posted a video to social media in which he was seen “angrily gesturing and speaking Dari” while discussing plans with others. The video also referenced the use of a type of cooking oil container commonly utilized by the Taliban to construct improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Afghanistan. Alokozay reportedly admitted he came to the U.S. with the intent to kill the people on the call and carry out a suicide attack on Americans.

Alokozay entered the U.S. in 2021 as a lawful permanent resident under the Biden government’s resettlement program following the evacuation of U.S. forces and supposed allies from Kabul. Concerns over vetting procedures have been raised, particularly after another Afghan evacuee, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, attacked two West Virginia National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C, killing one and leaving the other in critical condition.

Attorney General Pam Bondi criticized the Biden government’s vetting process, stating, “The public safety threat created by the Biden administration’s vetting breakdown cannot be overstated.” She added that the Department of Justice (DOJ) would continue working with federal and state partners to address these threats. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office head, R. Joseph Rothrock, credited public reports of the video for enabling authorities to act swiftly in apprehending Alokozay.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent Mazzurco is prosecuting the case, and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force remains involved in the investigation.

Image via the Department of Justice.

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Trump Admin Reexamining Biden’s Afghan Migrants After DC Shooting.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration is “actively re-examining” Afghan nationals who entered the U.S. during Joe Biden’s presidency after one of them allegedly shot two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, President Donald J. Trump, and Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on December 1 during a White House press briefing, following the shootings in Washington, D.C., last week.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Any individual who threatens our national security or our citizenry will be subject to removal,” said Leavitt.

🎯IMPACT: The review could see thousands of Afghans lose their current status or even face deportation if they are found to be inadequately vetted or a threat to the public.

IN FULL

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Monday that the Trump administration is “actively re-examining” all Afghan nationals who entered the United States under former President Joe Biden, a decision prompted by a deadly shooting in Washington, D.C., involving a recently arrived Afghan national.

Leavitt pointed to the case of 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, accused of shooting two National Guardsmen, one of whom has died, as the immediate reason for the renewed scrutiny. “Any individual who threatens our national security or our citizenry will be subject to removal,” she said during the press briefing.

Leavitt also reiterated that President Donald J. Trump has “permanently paused the migration of foreign nationals from Third World countries that pose a very high risk to the United States.” Leavitt went on to fault previous administrations for what she described as “self-destructive immigration policies,” saying they admitted migrants who “outright hate our country and have no interest in assimilating into our culture.”

The D.C. shooting has revived political debate over the large influx of Afghan asylum seekers who arrived in the United States after the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. Thousands were brought in under expedited resettlement programs, with many temporarily placed in facilities across the country, including a Virginia conference center situated in a residential neighborhood near two public schools. The scale and speed of the relocation efforts sparked criticism from opponents who questioned the adequacy of vetting procedures and raised concerns about the Afghans’ long-term integration.

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Afghan Migrant Admits to Raping 12-Year-Old.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: An Afghan migrant pleaded guilty to raping a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, England.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, and co-defendant Mohammad Kabir, 23, both Afghan nationals.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The guilty plea was entered at Warwick Crown Court on October 20. The attack occurred on July 22 in Nuneaton.

🎯IMPACT: The case has sparked protests in Nuneaton, with anti-immigration demonstrators and counter-protesters clashing in August.

IN FULL

A 23-year-old Afghan national, Ahmad Mulakhil, has admitted to raping a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, England, entering a guilty plea at Warwick Crown Court. The attack took place on July 22.

Mulakhil had previously denied the allegation but ultimately changed his plea to guilty on a single count of rape of a child under 13. His co-defendant, 23-year-old Mohammad Kabir, who is also an Afghan, remains in custody alongside Mulakhil. Kabir denies charges of attempting to kidnap a child, assisting and abetting the rape of a child under 13, and intentional strangulation.

The case has attracted widespread attention, with anti-immigration protests breaking out outside Nuneaton Town Hall in August. Demonstrators opposed to mass immigration waved English and British flags while chanting “Stop the boats,” in reference to the tens of thousands of illegal immigrants who have been crossing the English Channel from France, and “We want our country back.” Counter-protesters from ‘Stand Up to Racism’ were also present, carrying signs reading “Stop the far-right.”

Afghans have the highest rate of sexual offense convictions of any nationality in Britain, at 59 per 100,000 people. This compares to a conviction rate of six per 100,000 people for British citizens.

Image by Metro Centric.

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Nearly One Million People Victimized by Migrants from Top Refugee Countries.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: An analysis of police crime statistics in Germany shows nearly one million victims of crimes committed by foreign suspects from key refugee-origin countries.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The populist, anti-mass migration Alternative for Germany (AfD) parliamentary group initiated the analysis of Police Crime Statistics (PKS) data.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The data covers the period from 2015 to 2024 in Germany.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The number of victims is increasing – in parallel with the number of refugees.” – Focus Magazine

🎯IMPACT: The report highlights the significant rise in crime victims in Germany directly linked to the migrant crisis of 2015-16 and subsequent chain migration.

IN FULL

From 2015 to 2024, roughly 426,000 Germans fell victim to offenses carried out by suspects originating from ten key refugee-sending nations. In that timeframe, about 512,000 non-Germans were also victimized by migrants from this same group. This examination of Police Crime Statistics (PKS) comes from a parliamentary query submitted by the populist, anti-mass migration Alternative for Germany (AfD) parliamentary group.

The AfD selected ten nations for scrutiny, namely Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Morocco, Algeria, Iran, Nigeria, Somalia, Pakistan, and Georgia, as they have contributed significant refugee populations to Germany. Through PKS data, nationals of these countries have been tallied against victims of crime.

Victim numbers have surged markedly since 2015, aligning with the influx of people from these ten countries into Germany. The fewest cases were reported in 2020 and 2021, mirroring the broader decline in crime rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Syrians boast the most victims, with 35,668, followed by Afghanistan, with 72,190. All have over 10,000.

In terms of particular crimes, the data indicates that, for instance, Algerian nationals are accused of robbery 12,685 percent more frequently than Germans, with similarly elevated rates for Georgians (3,846 percent higher), Libyans (3,641 percent higher), and Tunisians (3,132 percent higher).

Image by Markus Spiske.

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