February 7, 2021 By RFE/RL’s Turkmen Service A delegation of the Afghan Taliban has visited Turkmenistan for talks with the Turkmen Foreign Ministry focusing in part on security issues surrounding the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural-gas pipeline project. Ashgabat announced the visit on February 6, saying the Taliban delegation was headed by Mullah Abdul Gani Baradar. Turkmen Deputy
Tolo News: Hundreds of poor and displaced people have sold their vital organs for a small price in the western province of Herat. Confirmed figures show that over 1,000 kidneys have been traded in Herat over the last five years. Over 100 of such people who have sold their kidneys are living in the Se
Ariana: The European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said on Wednesday half of Afghans need humanitarian aid but rising violence is preventing deliveries. “Increasing violence and conflict is the main cause for the humanitarian need in this country,” he said. “We very much hope and call for an immediate, unconditional and comprehensive ceasefire.” Click
Tolo News: The Ministry of Public Health on Tuesday reported 53 new positive cases of COVID-19 out of 1,888 samples tested in the last 24 hours. The ministry says the cumulative total of known COVID-19 cases is 55,174, the total number of reported deaths is 2,406, and the total number of recoveries is 47,798. Click
Tolo News: Afghan artifacts, including the Bactrian gold collection, will be sent abroad for display, said acting minister of information and culture, Mohammad Tahir Zuhair on Thursday. This comes as Mir Rahman Rahmani, the Afghan parliament speaker. on Wednesday warned that the ancient Bactrian gold, the most precious reserve of the country, would not be
Ariana: The Presidential Palace (ARG) on Wednesday called for calm and for MPs in the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) to act and speak responsibly about national issues after they called for the country’s treasure, the Bactrian Hoard, to be sent abroad for safekeeping. The total collection is estimated to be worth around $13
Ariana: Amrullah Saleh, First Vice President has rejected the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction’s (SIGAR) report over the smuggling of cash from the Hamid Karzai International Airport. In his daily 6:30 am meeting, Saleh stated: “However a massive amount of foreign currency does exit Afghanistan’s porous land borders by cross-border networks. Click here to
Tolo News: The US Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) in a report published on Jan. 14 says that since the collapse of the Taliban regime in 2001, cash smuggling out of Afghanistan’s international air and land ports has been a concern for the Afghan government, the United States, and the international community. This latest
Tolo News: Officials at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul rejected the claim by Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who said anonymous planes are involved in the illegal transfer of gold and money at the airport. Addressing a gathering on Friday, Hekmatyar said some “anonymous” planes land and take off “repeatedly” at the Hamid Karzai International
Tolo News: Residents in the western province of Herat on Thursday accused President Ashraf Ghani of failing to deliver on promises he made to the people in the province. Residents said that Ghani’s trips to Herat have been symbolic and nothing was done in terms of development or increasing socio-economic prosperity. Click here to read