The Latest: Syrian Kurdish leader likens US move to genocide

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Latest on the United States and Syria (all times local): 4 a.m. Tuesday A leader of Syrian Kurdish forces who have been attacked by Turkey says President Donald Trump's withdrawal of U.S. troops from northern Syria was "akin to genocide." Ilham Ahmed also tells reporters that...

US may now keep some troops in Syria to guard oilfields

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The U.S. may leave some forces in Syria to secure oilfields and make sure they don't fall into the hands of a resurgent Islamic State, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Monday, even though President Donald Trump has insisted he is pulling troops out of the country and getting out...

US may now keep some troops in Syria to guard oil fields

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Even as American forces make a hasty and chaotic withdrawal from northeastern Syria, the U.S. is considering leaving some troops behind to secure oil fields in the region and make sure they don't fall into the hands of a resurgent Islamic State, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said...

US Defense Secretary says troops to stay near Syria's eastern oilfields during US pullout which will take weeks

Nancy Pelosi meets top officials in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani has met with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a group of American lawmakers in an unannounced visit to the country. The Afghan government's statement says that Ghani thanked Sunday the delegation for the U.S.'s continued financial and...

US defense chief in Afghanistan for firsthand look at war

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Mark Esper sought a firsthand assessment Sunday of the U.S. military's future role in America's longest war as he made his initial visit to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief. Stalled peace talks with the Taliban and unrelenting attacks by the insurgent group and Islamic State...

Pelosi leads congressional delegation in Afghanistan visit

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has led a congressional delegation on a visit to Afghanistan. Her office said in a statement Sunday night the bipartisan delegation met with top Afghan leaders, civil society representatives and U.S. military chiefs and troops serving there. Pelosi says the...

Mark Esper arrives in Kabul on his first trip to Afghanistan as US defense secretary

Official: Preliminary Afghan election results delayed

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan official says the planned announcement of preliminary results of last month's presidential election has been delayed. Aziz Ibrahimi, spokesman for the Independent Election Commission, says Saturday that reasons for the delay include problems with the transparency of the...

Afghan village buries its dead after mosque bombing kills 66

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Hundreds of villagers attended the funerals held Saturday in eastern Afghanistan for the victims of a deadly bomb that killed 66 people during prayers at a local mosque. Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province, said that the explosion also wounded 36...