8am: The question is this: Was Ghani’s flight from the country and his surrender of power to the Taliban and the Haqqani Network not an act of national treason? Without question, it was. Click here to read more (external link).
By Kian Sharifi and Omid Marzban Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty August 16, 2025 The Taliban’s four-year quest for legitimacy received a major boost last month when Russia became the first country to formally recognize the group’s rule in Afghanistan. While the Kremlin’s decision is largely symbolic, it could still yield strategic benefits for Moscow. Recognition
Afghanistan International: Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has ordered the removal of the “acting” designation from all positions in the group’s administration, marking the fourth anniversary of its return to power. In a statement released Friday, Akhundzada directed ministers and officials to stop using the term when referring to the Taliban government. Since the cabinet was
Ariana: Fasihuddin Fitrat, Afghanistan’s Chief of Army Staff, has stated that the Islamic Emirate will not engage in any form of negotiation regarding Bagram Airfield – with any country, including the United States. In an interview with a local media outlet, Fitrat emphasized that the presence of even a single foreign soldier anywhere on Afghan
Afghanistan International: Ismail Khan, an Afghan leader, has said in a message marking the fourth anniversary of the fall of Herat to the Taliban that the group’s actions over the past four years demonstrate the “legitimacy of the resistance” by its opponents. Ismail Khan described the fall of Herat as the result of “complex conspiracies
Amu: Former Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar said the United States and the Taliban deliberately ignored binding obligations in the 2020 Doha Agreement, arguing that the collapse of Afghanistan’s republic was a preventable disaster. Speaking at an online Global Refugees Organization event ahead of the Taliban’s fourth anniversary in power, Atmar said only one of
Amu: Haqqani told Radio Hurriyat that one day before the fall of Nimroz province in August 2021, Akhundzada met with Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and Taliban Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid to discuss the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s provinces. According to Haqqani, Taliban leaders wanted to take Kabul through negotiations to preserve the government’s
Khaama: Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said at a press conference that the process of upgrading relations has been completed, and the Taliban representative in Islamabad now enjoys ambassador-level protocol. He added that presenting credentials from the Taliban’s ambassador to Pakistan’s president is not necessary. Click here to read more (external link). More
Afghanistan International: Abdul Latif Mansoor, the Taliban’s Minister of Energy and Water, accused Pakistan of opposing any form of stable central authority in Afghanistan, whether under the Taliban, Mujahideen, or even Communists. Speaking in an interview with Shamshad TV on Thursday, Mansoor said: “Some of our neighbours, especially Pakistan, do not want a government in
Khaama: Bagram Airfield, once the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan, has reemerged in global debate. Its strategic location near China and Central Asia fuels speculation about potential U.S.–China competition over influence and control. Afghan observers suggest that if the Taliban were to permit foreign use of Bagram, they might prefer U.S. involvement over China’s,