Amu: Residents and shopkeepers in Herat say prices for food and other basic goods have risen sharply following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which have disrupted trade flows into western Afghanistan. Herat, which relies heavily on imports through the Islam Qala border crossing with Iran, has felt the effects quickly, residents said. Many consumer
FT: Over the past year, Iran and Pakistan have sent an estimated 3mn Afghans back after decades and sometimes lifetimes in exile, according to the UN, 150,000 alone in the past six weeks. Afghanistan’s population is up 12 per cent from 40mn in 2023, when Islamabad and Tehran began mass deportations. More are to come.
Amu: As Ramadan begins, rising food prices across Afghanistan are fueling fresh anxiety among families already strained by economic hardship, particularly in the country’s southern provinces. Residents say the cost of basic staples has climbed sharply in recent weeks, making it increasingly difficult to prepare meals for the holy month, when families traditionally gather at
Afghanistan International: The Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has approved the deployment of 1,000 fighters to protect gold mining operations in Badakhshan province, according to the Taliban-appointed governor. In recent months, clashes have occurred between local residents and Taliban-linked mining companies in the province. Click here to read more (externa link).
Ariana: According to UNHCR’s representative in Afghanistan, Arafat Jamal, 5.4 million Afghans have returned since October 2023, the vast majority from Pakistan and Iran. Speaking to reporters in Geneva via video link from Kabul, he said the pace of returns is overwhelming. “This is massive, and the speed and scale of these returns has pushed
Amu: Local Taliban officials said they have identified a new deposit of semi-precious green garnet stone in the central province of Panjshir, marking the first reported discovery of the mineral in the area. Mohammad Qasim Amiri, the Taliban’s head of mines and petroleum in Panjshir, said the deposit was located in Ab Dara village in
Afghanistan International: Three months after the Taliban ordered a halt to pharmaceutical trade with Pakistan, medicine prices in Kabul have risen by as much as 40 precent, according to pharmacy owners and market sources. Formal medicine imports have largely stopped, and many drugs are now entering the market through smuggling routes. Click here to read
Afghanistan International: In the video, the girl says she was compelled to work in order to protect and support her sisters. The phenomenon of girls dressing as boys was also common during the Taliban’s first period of rule in Afghanistan. Afghan filmmaker Siddiq Barmak later portrayed this reality in the film Osama, which tells the
8am: Several citizens of Afghanistan are complaining about the quality of telecommunications services. They say that since the Taliban takeover, the quality and ease of access to telecommunications services, especially the internet, have declined in an unprecedented manner. According to them, poor service quality and frequent call disruptions have created serious problems in their daily
8am: The Taliban’s claims of economic self-sufficiency and reduced narcotics production are superficial, short-term achievements designed to preserve the power of the ruling elite. In contrast, the people of Afghanistan face polluted villages, generations of illness, widespread poverty, suppression of women, and destruction of prospects for sustainable development. Click here to read more (external link).