Afghanistan International: Nearly 84,000 people have been directly or indirectly affected by the recent earthquake in Afghanistan, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said Thursday. The organisation reported that 98 percent of homes in quake-hit areas were either completely destroyed or severely damaged. Taliban officials said the quake in Kunar province
By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi September 4, 2025 The death toll from a massive earthquake in Afghanistan last week has nearly doubled to 2,205 as rescue workers manage to access the remote mountainous area devastated by the disaster. Hamdullah Fitrat, a spokesman for the Taliban-led government who gave the updated casualty figures on September 4, said deliveries of first
8am: Since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021, the group’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has signed more than 205 mining contracts with domestic and foreign companies. These agreements cover the extraction of copper, gold, coal, chromite, oil, and gas across various provinces. A review of documents and reports reveals that many of
By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi September 2, 2025 GHAZI ABAD VILLAGE, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan — More than 1,400 people are reported dead and thousands of others injured as aid workers continue to battle to get to a remote mountainous region of Afghanistan following a devastating earthquake that flattened villages. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban government’s chief spokesman, said on September
By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi and Ray Furlong September 1, 2025 Aid workers are racing to a remote area of Afghanistan with emergency, food, and medical supplies following an earthquake that flattened villages and killed hundreds of people. Taliban authorities have reported at least 800 people were killed and 2,500 injured after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake
8am: Local sources in Badakhshan province reveal the existence of an extensive and organized network for the plunder of gold mines and other natural resources by influential figures affiliated with the Taliban. According to sources, this process is carried out systematically using force, corruption, and collusion with some Taliban leaders. Sources also report the involvement
The Diplomat: What might feel like an adventurous trip to an underexplored country can turn out to be an unintentional investment in the oppression of the Afghan people. A growing number of social media influencers are visiting Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and showcasing the country as a hidden travel gem. Their videos highlight scenic mountains, busy markets,
Amu: Taliban have shut down shops in parts of Khost province that sell items for women, including beauty products and other personal necessities, local sources said. The closures were carried out Tuesday by the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Gurbaz district and other areas, according to shopkeepers and
8am: Sources in Kabul report an increase in financial corruption in the Taliban municipality’s procurement projects and say that the transparency process in awarding these projects to companies is practically being violated. These sources also emphasize that the conditions stated in the tender documents have been illegally changed, and arbitrary modifications have been applied to
Afghanistan International: The Taliban say they have confiscated more than 1,400 acres of land in Logar province, classifying it as state property. No independent body exists in Afghanistan to hear complaints from citizens who allege the Taliban are forcibly seizing private property under the guise of land reclamation. Click here to read more (external link).