By RFE/RL September 21, 2025 US President Donald Trump threatened Afghanistan with unspecified “bad things” if it doesn’t turn Bagram Airfield back to the United States, an action previously rejected by the country’s Taliban rulers. Afghan Taliban officials pushed back, saying a deal was “not possible,” and called on the United States to abide by prior
Tolo News: The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources, reported that Trump’s unexpected announcement that he seeks to reclaim the Bagram base may be part of a broader diplomatic effort to normalize relations with the Islamic Emirate. The newspaper also wrote that these talks, led by Adam Boehler, the U.S.’s special envoy for hostage affairs,
8am: Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Peace, has recently lashed out at Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the leader of Hezb-e-Islami Afghanistan, calling him the “Butcher of Kabul” in a post shared in Persian, Pashto, and English on X. Hekmatyar, for his part, had previously described Khalilzad as the “invisible president of Afghanistan.” Khalilzad’s latest
By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi September 19, 2025 President Donald Trump said the United States is attempting to get Bagram Airfield back from Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, citing the extremist group’s need for US help and the facility’s proximity to China’s nuclear assets. “We’re trying to get it back, by the way, that could be a little breaking
Afghanistan International: Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada is reportedly angry with Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar for meeting a US delegation without his approval and without the presence of his trusted aides, sources told Afghanistan International. The sources said Akhundzada insists that his loyal representatives must attend all meetings between Taliban officials and foreign envoys.
Afghanistan International: Mohammad Naseem Haqqani, head of the Taliban-appointed Sheikh Zayed University in Khost, has declared that waging jihad against Pakistan is an individual obligation. The cleric labelled the Pakistani government as “puppets” and its laws as influenced by “Jews and Christians.” Haqqani’s comments follow sharp criticism from Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, head of
Asia Plus – Tajikistan: Ahmad Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) and son of the legendary Ahmad Shah Massoud, says Tajikistan has never been a supporter of war or violence in Afghanistan. In a recent interview with Iran’s Iraf television network, Ahmad Massoud spoke candidly about his current activities, the Taliban’s
Amu: Mullah Shirin, the Taliban governor of Kandahar, has become one of the most powerful figures within the Taliban, wielding influence that in some cases surpasses the authority of their chief minister, multiple sources told Amu TV. Six sources familiar with the matter said Shirin plays a central role in major decisions, often recommending ministerial
Afghanistan International: The Taliban have expelled Harish Kumar, a senior Indian diplomat, accusing him of meeting opponents of the group and attempting to organise them, sources told Afghanistan International. According to the sources, Kumar had met with anti-Taliban leaders during visits to Delhi and Qatar, where discussions were held about convening a meeting in Islamabad.
8am: Twenty-four years ago, on September 9, 2001, Afghanistan lost one of its most renowned political and military figures. Born in the shadow of the Hindu Kush Mountains, Ahmad Shah Massoud began his struggle as a guerrilla fighter against the Soviet Red Army and, over time, emerged as one of the leading commanders of the