By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi January 11, 2026 A deadly confrontation at a gold mine in northern Afghanistan has cast new light on the Taliban’s push to expand gold extraction, raising questions about the largely unregulated operations and their foreign — mostly Chinese — backing. The latest incident comes as the Interior Ministry of the Taliban
Khaama: Around 2.4 million Afghan migrants returning from neighboring countries struggle with unemployment, inadequate shelter, and limited access to essential services, IOM says. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that only 11 percent of returning Afghan migrants have jobs, leaving the majority without income. Click here to read more (external link).
Ariana: Pakistan has emerged as the country most affected by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s return to power in 2021, according to a new report by the International Crisis Group (ICG), as cited by Pakistani daily Dawn. The Brussels-based independent think tank warns that relations between Kabul and Islamabad have sharply deteriorated, raising the risk
8am: Many citizens speak openly about the growing spread of unemployment and the Taliban’s failure to address it. They say the lack of job opportunities has made daily life harder than at any other time they can remember. According to them, anyone with a broker or personal ties to Taliban members can quickly secure a
Amu: Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesman for the Taliban-run interior ministry, said three local residents and one employee of a mining company were killed in fighting in Chah Ab district. Five others were wounded, he said. Qani said the Taliban deputy governor for Takhar had travelled to the area to investigate the incident. Mining operations at
Khaama: Ariana Airlines has purchased two aircraft engines from Turkey and Serbia worth $4.7 million, aiming to strengthen operations and install them on Boeing 737 and Airbus 310. The acquisition signals an effort by Ariana to stabilise operations and maintain regular services amid broader economic and regulatory challenges. Click here to read more (external link).
8am: Residents of the Samti area in Chah Ab District of Takhar Province rose in protest, armed with stones and sticks, against Taliban-affiliated companies they accused of plundering gold mines and destroying their water wells. Sources identify the companies as belonging to Haji Mohib and Haji Ruhullah Ruhani from Kandahar Province. They are described as
Afghanistan International: Protesters in northern Afghanistan set fire to gold mining equipment linked to the Taliban after clashes with security forces and company personnel escalated in Takhar province, local sources said. The violence followed confrontations in the Samti area of Chah Ab district, where residents have opposed what they describe as unregulated gold mining by
8am: Several residents of Rawza village, located near the historic Rawza of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, say the Taliban seized land in the same area without following legal steps or acknowledging ownership documents. They describe the area as one of the most densely populated residential zones of Ghazni city, home to more than 5,000 people
Amu: Public employees in Afghanistan say unpaid salaries are pushing many into severe financial difficulty as winter temperatures drop and the cost of food and healthcare rises. Employees said wages for the months of Qaws and Jadi (November and December) remain unpaid, despite payroll documents and financial reports having been submitted to the finance ministry