KABUL – A senior Taliban official who publicly condemned the group’s ban on education for girls and women has reportedly fled Afghanistan amid fears of arrest. Sher Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban’s political deputy at the foreign ministry, had urged the group’s leadership in January to reopen schools for girls, stating …

KABUL – The Taliban has warned that military equipment left behind by the United States in Afghanistan is now their rightful possession and will be used to defend against any efforts to reclaim it. The statement, issued late Monday by Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, marks the first official response from …

KABUL – A member of the Taliban’s security forces opened fire at the United Nations’ largest compound in Kabul, killing one person and injuring another, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said Monday. The incident occurred on Sunday. The victim was a Taliban security force member stationed outside the …

KABUL – Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have signed business agreements worth $4.5 million, strengthening trade ties between the neighboring nations, Trend reports. The deals were finalized during trade meetings in Kabul, attended by Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, Mawlawi Ahmadullah Zahid. An Uzbek delegation, including government officials and private …

KABUL – Pakistan has warned that Afghan refugees awaiting resettlement in third countries will be deported unless their cases are expedited, officials said Monday. Around 20,000 Afghans remain stranded in Pakistan after former U.S. President Donald Trump suspended refugee programs last month. Many had been approved for U.S. relocation due …

KABUL – Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) has announced the suspension of its mine clearance activities in Afghanistan following a directive from the U.S. State Department halting funding under an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump. This move could significantly disrupt demining operations in Afghanistan and other affected regions. …

KABUL – After a disruptive pause in Afghanistan’s polio vaccination program in 2024, the Taliban government has reinstated the immunization campaign but with new restrictions that could jeopardize the health of children. In late October 2024, the Taliban resumed vaccinating children under five, yet limited vaccine distribution to mosques and …

KABUL – The Taliban is pushing forward with an ambitious plan to transform Afghanistan’s remote northeast into a major global trade corridor by building a highway through the rugged Wakhan Corridor, linking the Afghan heartland directly to China. The project aims to bypass Pakistan, significantly reduce travel times between Central …

by Elenoire Laudieri European analyst of international affairs AT Kabul: Three years after the end of U.S. and Nato military occupation, Afghanistan is receiving little if any attention in the West. It is believed that since the return of the Taliban government, the country has fallen into social and political …

KABUL – In a major policy shift, the Indian government has announced a substantial increase in financial aid to Afghanistan for the year 2025-26. Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, will receive ₹100 crore in grants—double the ₹50 crore allocated in 2024-25. This is part of India’s broader strategy to enhance foreign …