Ariana: The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has closed 12 media outlets – both public and private – in seven provinces this year, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has said. Eleven television stations and one radio station have been forced to completely cease their activities, while three radio stations were closed temporarily before they were allowed
8am: The assassination of Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, the Taliban’s Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, signals that the power struggle between Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Supreme Leader of the Taliban, and Sirajuddin Haqqani, the group’s Minister of Interior and the head of the Haqqani Network, has entered a new phase. This phase seems unlikely to be confined
Afghanistan International: After the assassination of Taliban leader Khalil Haqqani, Abdul Ahad Talib, commander of his special forces; Mullah Shirin, the governor of Kandahar, and Yousuf Wafa, the governor of Balkh, have been asked to pay attention to their security. Reliable sources in Kandahar told Afghanistan International that the Taliban leader has asked them to
Ariana: Afghanistan defeated Zimbabwe by 232 runs in the second ODI on Thursday to secure a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. This was the second match of the ODI series between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. The first was abandoned due to rain. The third and final game of the series will be played on Saturday.
Tolo News: Following two deadly traffic accidents in Ghazni province, 52 people have died, and 70 others have been injured. Local officials in Ghazni report that the first incident occurred at 10 PM last night in the Shahbaz area of Ghazni city, and the second incident took place half an hour later in the Nani
Khaama: Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the leader of Syria, recently stated in an interview that he believes in women’s freedom and education and will not let Syria become like Afghanistan. In his interview with BBC World Service on Wednesday, December 18, Jolani emphasized that Syria differs from Afghanistan, where women’s education is heavily restricted. He clarified
Afghanistan International: A US State Department spokesperson said that Washington has the ability to engage with “designated terrorist groups” to advance US interests. Matthew Miller said that the US has engaged with various groups, including the Taliban and Tahrir al-Sham, to advance its interests. Click here to read more (external link).
The Diplomat: The fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad marks a turning point not only for Syria but also for Islamist movements worldwide. For the Taliban, this moment is bittersweet. While the collapse of a rival regime offers a symbolic victory, the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) poses a direct ideological and strategic challenge.