Taliban fighters (file photo)

8am: The latest report from the U.S. State Department on human trafficking in Afghanistan paints a grim and alarming picture of the Taliban’s conduct. The report reveals that the Taliban have not only failed to prevent the recruitment of children into their military ranks but that recurring incidents of bacha bazi (sexual exploitation of boys) and sexual slavery have been committed by members of the group. Former Afghan security personnel who fled to neighboring countries are now also at risk of being exploited for military purposes in proxy wars, including the war in Ukraine. Other key findings of the report include sexual exploitation and forced labor of migrants, lack of effective international support, and rising abuse of vulnerable groups such as women, children, and ethnic minorities. Click here to read more (external link).