US forces overseeing the evacuation have been forced into closer security cooperation with the Taliban to prevent any repeat of the suicide bombing that killed scores of civilians crowded around one of the airport’s main access gates and 13 American troops.

The attack was claimed by a regional Islamic State chapter (ISIS-K), and the Pentagon said it had killed two “high profile” targets and wounded another from the jihadist group with a drone strike in eastern Afghanistan.

No civilians were hurt in the attack Major General Hank Taylor told a news conference in Washington.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby they were “ISIS-K planners and facilitators”, adding: “The fact that two of these individuals are no longer walking on the face of the Earth, that’s a good thing.”

With the airlift window narrowing sharply ahead of an August 31 deadline, more than 5,000 people remained inside Kabul airport awaiting evacuation on Saturday.

Gone are the crowds of thousands around the airport’s perimeter, hoping to be let through and allowed onto a plane.

Now, the Taliban have sealed off roads leading to the airport and are only letting sanctioned buses pass.

“We have lists from the Americans… if your name is on the list, you can come through,” one Taliban official told AFP near the civilian passenger terminal.

The carnage of Thursday’s suicide attack injected further stress and tension into a situation already fraught with panic and despair for those wanting to leave and high risk for the US forces tasked with securing the operation.

On Saturday, two senior health officials from the former Afghan administration told AFP the death toll from the blast had topped 100, including the 13 Americans.

Some media have put the toll as high as 170.

The bombing followed a chorus of warnings about an imminent threat and, as people gathered outside the airport Saturday, the United States issued a fresh alert for its citizens to leave areas around the main gates “immediately”.

In recent years, the Islamic State’s Afghanistan-Pakistan chapter has been responsible for some of the deadliest attacks in those countries — massacring civilians at mosques, shrines, public squares and even hospitals.

‘Future attempts’

At the White House, President Joe Biden’s press secretary Jen Psaki said US national security experts consider another attack is “likely” and the next few days will be “the most dangerous period to date”.

Taliban spokesman Bilal Karimi tweeted that the group’s fighters had already moved into parts of the military side of Kabul airport, but the Pentagon stressed that US forces retained control over the gates and airlift operations.

Heavily armed Taliban fighters were seen throughout the grounds and auxiliary buildings of the airport complex on Saturday, while US marines peered at them from the passenger terminal roof.

After a 20-year war, the foes were within open sight of each other, separated by just 30 metres (yards), and holding fire.

Racing to meet the Tuesday withdrawal deadline has required close cooperation with the Taliban on evacuee movements and the IS threat.

The head of US forces at Hamid Karzai International, Rear Admiral Peter Vasely, is in constant contact with the Taliban official overseeing security around the airport.

And with the Taliban poised to take over when the last US plane leaves, discussions have begun on resuming normal flight operations.

Turkish officials have held initial talks with the Taliban in Kabul about helping get the airport back up and running.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Taliban offer was for them to oversee security at the airport, while Ankara runs logistical operations.

Refugee exodus

Under enormous criticism at home and abroad for his handling of the Afghan crisis and the US military withdrawal, Biden has pledged to stick to the airlift deadline and punish those responsible for the suicide blast.

About 112,000 people have been flown out of the country since August 14, the day before the Taliban swept to power, according to the US government.

On Saturday Taliban fighters escorted a steady stream of Afghans from buses to the main passenger terminal, handing them over to US troops for evacuation.

Many Western allies have announced an end to their airlifts, with some admitting that at-risk Afghans eligible for evacuation had been left behind.

The United Nations said it was bracing for a “worst-case scenario” of up to half a million more refugees from Afghanistan by the end of 2021.

The Taliban have promised a softer brand of rule compared with their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, which ended when the United States invaded Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

But many Afghans fear a repeat of their brutal interpretation of Islamic law, as well as reprisals against those working with foreign militaries, Western missions or the previous US-backed government.

Women’s role in society has been one of the biggest concerns, after they were banned from work and education and confined to their homes during the group’s previous rule.

Taliban official Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the former deputy chief negotiator of peace talks in Doha, said Friday that women have “an innate right” to work.

“They can work, they can study, they can take part in politics and they can do business,” he told a press conference.

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The partnership aims to enable 242,724 young Nigerian women and men to build skills and secure dignified and fulfilling work opportunities in the agrifood value chain over the next 5 years.

Young Africa Works, developed in consultation with young people, policymakers, educators, and entrepreneurs, is Mastercard Foundation’s strategy that will enable 30 million young people in Africa, to access dignified and fulfilling work over the next 10 years. In Nigeria, Young Africa Works aims to see 10 million young Nigerians, the majority young women, in work opportunities by 2030.

“Agriculture is at the heart of Africa’s economic transformation.  It will profoundly define the future of work. Work is all around us especially in agriculture (production, processing, financing, packaging and marketing).  We’re focusing on agriculture in Nigeria because we see these opportunities and we will work with partners like IITA to make them visible to young people,” said Chidinma Lawanson, Nigeria Country Head at Mastercard Foundation.

The  IITA project focuses on building innovative and inclusive agrifood systems for young people between the ages of 15 and 35  and  will  support them to secure employment or self-employment through entrepreneurship across three Nigerian states, Kaduna, Kano, and Lagos, over the next five years.

The project will leverage and scale existing IITA youth initiatives including the Start Them Early Program (STEP). STEP is a mechanism that improves agricultural instruction in secondary schools in a manner that better directs career paths toward modern agriculture and agribusiness. Partnerships with the Commissions of Education in each of the focus states will lead to a massive out-scaling of the STEP program.

In collaboration with the Enterprise Development Centre’s online learning platform, the digital STEP program, delivered through Young Africa Works, is expected to revolutionize agriculture teaching in public institutions of education across Nigeria. The program will also scale access to vocational education for marginalized young people.

The project will be implemented with several partners and the state governments. Youth-sensitive loan and agribusiness support programs will be developed with financial institutions that recognize the specialized needs of young people, especially young women, as agricultural borrowers. The program will aim to reduce the risks associated with young people obtaining credit for agricultural investment purposes.

“Our partners are well positioned to provide the training, placement, and agribusiness support services required in the three target states of Nigeria. This optimal mix of partners will ensure that the project approaches reflect the special attention that the Young Africa Works strategy places on young women.  The project will apply special approaches to empower young women in Northern Nigeria while considering cultural sensitivities,” said Evelyn Ohanwusi, Training Coordinator, Young Africa Works-IITA.

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The actor’s death was confirmed by the Abeokuta chapter of Theatre Arts and Movie Practitioners Association of Nigeria, TAMPAN.

A statement on Thursday confirming his death, announced plans by the actor’s family to bury him immediately; according to his wishes.

The statement reads: “We are saddened to announce the untimely death of our beloved colleague Hon. Alfred Rotimi Popoola aka Ilu Venture. After brief sickness; yesterday 27th Feb., 2019.

“There will be a short memorial service at St Jude Cathedral, Church, Iberekodo, Abeokuta.

In order to give him last respect we planned to join the family at Lantoro Mortuary by 10am tomorrow from where we will move to the church.

“May his soul rest in peace! Ilu oooo digba ooo se,” the terse statement read.

Rotimi’s death is coming barely 24 days after the death of another colleague in the Yoruba arm of Nollywood, Funmilayo Ogunsola aka Ijewuru, died early February.

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But, the group in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Mr Bolarinwa Aliu, a copy obtained by Mega Icon Magazine said the governor is suffering from what it called mouth diarrhea.

The group emphasized that Lanlehin is someone whose family history is well known, even beyond Ibadan, his hometown.

According to the group, “though we wouldn’t have loved to join Issue with outgoing Governor Abiola Ajimobi because in the recent tirade is not unknown to those of us in the political circle. However, we will like to educate Ajimobi on how not derail politically.

“The governor’s vituperation, to us, is a failed attempt to sell the candidacy of Adelabu to the unsuspecting members of the public. The Adelabu that we know cannot be packaged in a positive ways to the public. Rather than tell the whole world what the ruling party has done to better the lot of the people of the state in close to 8 years, the governor was running his mouth, an act which is unbecoming of someone leaving office after two terms in office.

“While Lanlehin’s father, late Chief Samuel Owoola Lanlehin, was a distinguished Nigerian and a close ally of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, during his lifetime, Adelabu’s grandfather, the late Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu, on whose ‘records’ Adelabu hinges his campaign, was everything retrogressive.

“Apart from Africa in Ebullition, we doubt if the young Adelabu and his principal, Ajimobi, have read books written by people about the late Penkelemesi. Despite his brilliance in school, the late Penkelemesi, for selfish political reasons, was against late Awolowo’s free education policy, especially in Ibadan. He mobilized Ibadan people against Awolowo.

“We wonder how a shameless Ajimobi will go further to say that those who are contesting with Adelabu corruptly enriched themselves. We wouldn’t want to say the governor doesn’t think before he talks because of the exalted position he holds.

The Adelabu he promotes is someone who made all his wealth through public service. This is someone who despite the civil service rules, flaunts wealth without caution. In a saner democracy, we know what would have happened,” the statement stressed.

The group further advised Governor Ajimobi to start perfecting his papers as “numerous petitions which bother on alleged financial recklessless await him at the anti-graft coming commissions.”

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Jackson Adebayo, publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, confirmed his death to TheCable on Monday.

“The lawmaker died at the Federal Medical Center, Ido Ekiti, early this morning.”

He said details of the deceased’s burial will be released later in the day.

Adedeji, a member of the PDP, was attacked while traveling along Ikere-Akure road.

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