Afghanistan International: The attacks were reported in Badakhshan, Kunduz, Baghlan, Kabul, Faryab, Ghor, Herat, Kandahar and Helmand. The Afghanistan Freedom Front, the United Front of Afghanistan and the National Resistance Front have separately claimed responsibility for attacks in different parts of the country. Click here to read more (external link).
More
8am: Five years after the Taliban’s takeover, members of the Ismaili community in Badakhshan say they are facing a wave of religious, educational and social restrictions. According to the findings of this report, at least 10 jamaat khanas (Ismaili prayer and community centers) belonging to Ismailis have been closed in several districts of this province, more than 340 Ismaili children in five districts of Darwaz have been sent to Taliban religious schools, and at least seven cases of forced religious conversion have been documented among members of this community. Ismaili residents of Badakhshan also speak of pressure to convert, security threats, restrictions on cultural activities, and rising migration of families to neighboring countries and to Kabul. Click here to read more (external link).
Amu: Afghanistan defeated Ireland by 92 runs in the second One-Day International on Friday, with Rashid Khan claiming six wickets to lead a dominant all-round performance and give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Afghanistan will look to extend their advantage when the teams meet in the third ODI as the five-match series continues in Northern Ireland. Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban militants (file photo)
Afghanistan International: The recent attack by the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), in which its forces took control of parts of Zebak district in Badakhshan, has challenged the perception of the Taliban as an invincible military force. The operation followed the temporary seizure of Yaftal district on 17 July 2026 by Sepaheyan-e-Maihan (“Soldiers of the Motherland”), a newly emerged local armed group. For the first time in almost five years since the Taliban returned to power, an opposition group—in this case, the AFF—not only captured territory from the Taliban but also held it while successfully repelling multiple. Click here to read more (external link).
More
Mid East Eye: Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have ordered prosecutors to open a standalone investigation into allegations of gender persecution by the Taliban, separating it from the court’s long-running Afghanistan war crimes probe that covered US nationals, Middle East Eye can reveal. Since February 2025, the US has imposed retaliatory financial and visa sanctions on court officials in connection with the Afghanistan and Palestine investigations, citing efforts to prosecute nationals or allies of the US. Click here to read more (external link).
8am: Several residents of Marmul district in Balkh province say that the Taliban have been raiding people’s homes for several nights, creating fear and terror among the district’s residents. According to Marmul residents, the Taliban had previously demanded that they turn off the lights installed outside their homes; however, now the owners of homes that do not have generators are facing harassment from the Taliban. These residents emphasize that the Taliban have demanded that people install generators, but many residents have neither electricity nor the ability to pay for the purchase and installation of a generator. Nevertheless, some residents claim that following the Taliban raids, one woman suffered a miscarriage out of fear, and another elderly woman fell ill from the intensity of her fear and is now bedridden. According to some women, many of the men in their families are absent from home during this season, and the Taliban’s raids on homes have caused a sharp increase in fear and anxiety among women. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: Local sources told Afghanistan International that the Taliban’s opposition fighters seized a Taliban outpost in Deh Salah of Andarab district on Wednesday night seizing weapons and equipment following a rocket attack and clash. According to the information received, the outpost, about two kilometres from the centre of Deh Salah district in the Andarab valley, was attacked at around 10:20 pm on Wednesday. Sources said a clash followed the rocket attack, with gunfire and explosions heard in the area. Click here to read more (external link).
Related