By Mustafa Sarwar Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty April 16, 2026 As US President Donald Trump says the war in Iran could be over “very soon” and Pakistani mediators in Tehran to meet with officials, another nearby conflict has been drawing Beijing’s attention. Since late February, fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan has intensified, with Islamabad declaring an
Amu: China said on Wednesday that Taliban and Pakistani representatives had agreed to work toward an early easing of tensions following the end of a week of talks in the western Chinese city of Urumqi. The discussions, held from April 1 to 7 and hosted by Beijing, brought together officials from diplomatic, defense and security
Afghanistan International: Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said a delegation of senior officials has travelled to Urumqi, China, for talks with the Afghan Taliban. Tahir Andrabi said the delegation is in Urumqi to explore a “sustainable solution” to stop cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan. Speaking at a weekly briefing on Thursday, Andrabi said the talks between Pakistan and
By Daud Khattak Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty March 13, 2026 Fresh Pakistani jet and drone strikes targeting Kabul and the Kandahar, Paktika, and Paktia provinces in Afghanistan have cast a shadow over China’s shuttle-diplomacy efforts to restore peace between Pakistan and the Taliban. There has been no official confirmation from the Pakistani government, but Taliban authorities
8am: After seizing control of Afghanistan and accelerating the extraction of mineral resources, the Taliban awarded contracts for the large gold mines of Badakhshan and Takhar to Chinese companies. Concerns had previously been raised that the Taliban were looting the country’s natural wealth. Click here to read more (external link).
eurasianet: A attack earlier this year by the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) on a Chinese restaurant in a supposedly secure district in the Afghan capital, Kabul, is a setback for the Taliban regime. Not only was it an embarrassment to the regime as it laid bare its limited capacity to provide foolproof security
Tolo News: Leaders of two major religious parties in Pakistan have called for a review of the country’s policies toward Afghanistan and for improving ties between Kabul and Islamabad. Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (JUI-F), said during a joint press conference with Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, that Russian and Chinese investment
By Freshta Shikhany Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty January 28, 2026 The bombing earlier this month on a Chinese hotel restaurant in Kabul, claimed by a regional affiliate of the Islamic State extremist group, has raised new questions about the its operations in Taliban-run Afghanistan and what analysts say is an emerging campaign targeting Chinese citizens. The January
Afghanistan International: In a statement published by ISIS’s Amaq News Agency, the group said a suicide bomber entered a Chinese restaurant in Shahr-e Naw and detonated explosives among Chinese nationals and their guards. The statement said Chinese nationals were targeted over what the group described as China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims. Taliban officials said the
Khaama: A powerful explosion struck a hotel in Kabul’s Shahr-e-Naw district, killing several people and injuring others, officials said. An explosion struck a hotel area in central Kabul on Monday, causing casualties, as witnesses said Chinese nationals were the main target. Click here to read more (external link).