Afghanistan International: Local sources say the Taliban has strengthened its military presence in Panjshir by setting up new security checkpoints and tightening night-time movement restrictions. In recent weeks, two videos have been published showing activities by Taliban opponents in Panjshir. On 25 May, the Afghanistan Green Trend, a group affiliated with former Vice President Amrullah Saleh said it had targeted a vehicle carrying Taliban forces in Panjshir’s Abdullah Khel valley. Reports by international human rights organisations show that residents of Panjshir have repeatedly faced arbitrary arrests, torture, ill-treatment, movement restrictions and collective punishments in recent years. Click here to read more (external link).
As rifts continue, Taliban seek to remove key commander in Badakhshan
Amu: Taliban are seeking to replace Juma Khan Fateh, one of their powerful commanders in the northeastern province of Badakhshan, following a deepening dispute between him and the Taliban leadership, local sources told Amu on Thursday. Fateh is also the Taliban’s deputy governor in Zabul province in the south of the country. Ahead of this position, he was Taliban’s district governor in Nusai district of Badakhshan. In late 2024, he was appointed by Taliban leader to lead the commission that handled the campaign against poppy cultivation in the province. Although he has been shifted to another duty in Zabul, but he has kept his influence in Badakhshan, sources said. Click here to read more (external link).
Belgium receives visa applications from five members of Taliban delegation ahead of EU talks: Report
Amu: Belgium has received visa applications from five members of a Taliban delegation invited to Brussels for talks on migration and deportations, a spokesperson for the Belgian foreign ministry said on Wednesday, as quoted by Reuters. The spokesperson said the applications are undergoing security screening and that it remains unclear when Belgium will be able to issue the visas. He could not confirm when the meeting would take place. The European Commission last month invited Taliban officials to Brussels to discuss the return and readmission of Afghan nationals who do not have the right to remain in the European Union, despite warnings from human rights organizations that such engagement could legitimize the Taliban and endanger Afghans. Click here to read more (external link).
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Tolo News in Dari – June 18, 2026
Caught Between Poverty and Neglect: Afghanistan’s Retirees Await Pensions That Never Arrive
8am: Several retirees are complaining about the Taliban’s failure to pay their pension benefits. They say nearly five years have passed without them receiving their pensions, and that they are living in difficult economic conditions. These retirees regard their pensions as a legal right earned through years of service and are demanding payment. Meanwhile, several economic experts warn that each retiree is, on average, the breadwinner for a large family of seven to ten members, and that the continuation of this situation could deepen poverty and trigger a humanitarian catastrophe among the society’s vulnerable groups. Gul Ahmad (pseudonym), one of the retirees who served in government for about 30 years, says that since the Taliban takeover, he has not received his pension and is enduring dire economic conditions. Click here to read more (external link).
India defeat Afghanistan by 170 runs to take ODI series lead
Amu: India defeated Afghanistan by 170 runs in the second one-day international on Wednesday, securing the three-match series after posting a commanding total of 402. Chasing 403 for victory, Afghanistan were bowled out for 232 despite a fighting 79 from Rahmat Shah, who recorded his 33rd half-century in ODI cricket. The third and final ODI is scheduled to be played on Saturday in Chennai, where Afghanistan will seek to avoid a series sweep. Click here to read more (external link).
Detention & Enforcement Campaign Against Women Will Continue in Herat, Says Taliban
Afghanistan International: The Taliban’s security chief for the Herat police command, Najibullah Ali, has announced that the group will continue detaining women in the province over alleged violations of its dress code. Ali also confirmed that the Taliban have so far detained more than 19 women for failing to comply with the group’s interpretation of hijab, although unofficial figures from local sources suggest the number of detainees is significantly higher. Click here to read more (external link).
WHO reports two new polio cases in Afghanistan
Ariana: Afghanistan has recorded two new cases of wild poliovirus, bringing the country’s total for 2026 to six, according to the latest polio surveillance bulletin issued by the World Health Organization’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office. The newly confirmed cases were reported in Nari district of Kunar province and Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand province, with symptom onset dates of April 14 and May 7, respectively. The Kunar case was identified through testing of a close contact after the initial case tested negative for the virus. Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan remain the only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus remains endemic. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – June 17, 2026
Afghan national pleads not guilty in deadly National Guard shooting near White House
Rahmanullah Lakanwal
Ariana: An Afghan national accused of carrying out a deadly shooting attack on members of the U.S. National Guard near the White House has pleaded not guilty to all charges in a federal court. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 30, appeared before a U.S. District Court on Tuesday following the unsealing of a 17-count federal superseding indictment. Prosecutors allege that Lakanwal killed West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and seriously wounded Guardsman Andrew Wolfe in an ambush-style attack in Washington, D.C., in November 2025. The case has drawn significant attention in the United States due to the attack’s proximity to the White House and Lakanwal’s previous work with U.S. government entities in Afghanistan. Click here to read more (external link).