Afghanistan Times

KABUL – The U.S. State Department has acknowledged ongoing engagements with the Taliban, framing them as necessary to further American national interests. Matthew Miller, the department’s spokesman, said during a Tuesday press briefing that such interactions are pragmatic and sometimes involve groups the United States officially designates as terrorists. “We …

KABUL – The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has projected that 22.9 million people in Afghanistan will require humanitarian aid in 2025, a slight decrease from the 23.7 million estimated for the current year. However, this reduction does not signal an improvement in living conditions, as …

KABUL – A United States court has sentenced Haji Abdul Satar Abdul Manaf, an Afghan national and Taliban agent, to 30 years in prison for orchestrating a heroin trafficking operation aimed at funding terrorist activities. Manaf was convicted in August 2024 after a two-week trial, during which a jury found …

KABUL – Russia’s parliament has passed a law enabling courts to lift bans on designated terrorist groups, signaling an effort to normalize ties with Afghanistan’s Taliban government and Syria’s new leadership. The State Duma, the lower house, approved the legislation on Tuesday, allowing courts to remove organizations from Russia’s banned …

KABUL – Japan has pledged $27.5 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, aiming to address the dire food insecurity and malnutrition gripping the country. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Japanese Embassy in Kabul, following urgent appeals from the World Food Programme (WFP). “Pleased to announce that @JapanGov …

KABUL – The Taliban-run National Examination Authority announced on Tuesday that the final medical competency exam for newly graduated doctors will proceed without the participation of women. The exam, known as the “medical licensing competency test,” is scheduled for December 28 and will only include male candidates, according to a …

KABUL – Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), Afghanistan’s national power utility, has announced the full restoration of electricity imports from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. This development follows the resolution of technical issues and storm-induced disruptions that had temporarily plunged several provinces into darkness, Kun.uz reported. The power supply was initially interrupted …

KABUL – The World Food Program (WFP) has raised alarms about the worsening humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, where a harsh winter is compounding the struggles of millions already living in dire conditions. Families across the country are being forced to make heart-wrenching choices between feeding their children and keeping them …

KABUL – The Taliban announced on Sunday a new initiative to curb customs and traditions they deem “undesirable” or “contrary to Sharia law,” continuing their campaign to impose strict social controls in Afghanistan. The directive, issued by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, was finalized during a joint meeting of multiple ministries. …

KABUL – Women in rural Afghanistan are grappling with an acute shortage of female doctors and healthcare facilities, a crisis that has heightened maternal mortality and left countless women without essential medical care. In remote villages, the lack of specialized doctors and functioning medical centers has created dire conditions. Women …