KABUL, Afghanistan: A US commander on Wednesday apologized for leaflets dropped in Afghanistan that were deemed offensive to Islam.
The leaflets dropped Monday night, which encouraged Afghans to cooperate with security forces, included an image of a dog carrying the Taliban flag, said Shah Wali Shahid, the deputy governor of Parwan province, north of Kabul. The flag has Islamic verses inscribed on it, and dogs are seen as unclean in much of the Muslim world.
“Local people are very upset with this incident, and they want the perpetrators brought to justice,” Shahid said, adding that demonstrations were expected across the province.
Maj. Gen. James Linder apologized, acknowledging in a statement that “the design of the leaflets mistakenly contained an image highly offensive to both Muslims and the religion of Islam.” He offered his “sincerest apologies for this error.”
Throughout the 16-year Afghan war, US forces have struggled to convince ordinary Afghans to help them defeat the Taliban. Afghanistan is a deeply conservative country, and alleged blasphemy has sparked riots.
Elsewhere in Afghanistan, two civilians were killed by a roadside bomb in the eastern Laghman province on Wednesday, according to Sarhadi Zwak, the spokesman for the provincial governor. No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but Taliban insurgents are active in the province.
US apologizes for Afghanistan leaflets that offended Muslims
US apologizes for Afghanistan leaflets that offended Muslims
KSrelief’s 2026 aid plan will support 12 million people worldwide
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief launched its 2026 plan for humanitarian and relief operations in a ceremony on Wednesday that also honored its major donors and partners.
Advisor to the Royal Court and Supervisor General of KSrelief, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts to deliver humanitarian relief on a global scale and thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their support.
The results could be seen in the UN Financial Tracking Service rankings, he said, where the Kingdom is placed second globally and first in the Arab world among donor countries providing humanitarian aid in 2025.
Outlining the organization’s plans for 2026, Al-Rabeeah said the first goal was based on the operational and human projects plan, which includes 113 projects across 44 countries in partnership with 11 Saudi non-profit organizations. This is set to benefit over 12 million people at a cost of SR400 million.
He also launched the 2026 volunteer programs plan, which includes 309 programs in 42 countries at a cost of SR200 million.
The ceremony also marked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ 2026 gift of dates, targeting more than 13 million beneficiaries in 73 countries, with a total weight of 17,868 tons and a cost of SR123 million.
It concluded with the signing of Memorandums of Understanding with local associations to strengthen cooperation in humanitarian, relief and development efforts, enhance sustainability, and improve the efficiency of aid delivery to vulnerable communities worldwide.
Among the guests were representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, several embassies and businesses.
Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji emphasized the Kingdom’s global position on humanitarian matters, saying: “The Kingdom is constantly working to stand for those in need. The Kingdom’s direction is based on the importance of finding fundamental solutions to humanitarian crises, particularly in light of the escalation of humanitarian crises in recent years.”
He highlighted the Kingdom’s commitment to finding solutions, saying Saudi aid has exceeded SR537 billion to 173 countries; in 2025, the country’s aid efforts exceeded $2 billion.
Djibouti ambassador Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama also took to the stage to applaud the center’s contributions around the world.
