Ariana: He said the recent meeting of the US delegation with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the new Syrian ruler, in Damascus was a positive step. “Not that prematurely engaging doesn’t have risks,” Khalilzad said. “But I think there is an element of timing, of shaping things.” He added that Syria is “more strategically important” to the United
Afghanistan International: In response to Pakistan’s airstrikes on Paktika, Taliban’s intelligence agency spokesman Jawad Sargar said that Punjab has been separated from other parts of Pakistan and now the possibility of Pakistan’s disintegration is stronger than ever. Sargar said that the Pakistani army has no incentive to fight and that the Taliban should seize the
8am: Ashraf Ghani was just another passport holder who had spent most of his life in the West and was married to a Christian woman from Lebanon. Despite spending his childhood in Kabul, he was alien to Afghanistan and its people. His obvious mistakes in performing namaz (Prayer) and reciting Farsi poems became subjects of
By Abubakar Siddique Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty December 25, 2024 Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers were quick to congratulate fellow Islamists from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) on toppling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government. As the HTS fighters seized the capital, Damascus, on December 8, the Taliban said it hoped that the group would “lay the foundations of a sovereign
Tolo News: Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special envoy for Afghan peace, referred to the US removal of the bounty on Ahmed al-Sharaa [Jolani], the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and asked: “Are the Taliban paying attention?” Click here to read more (external link).
Michael Hughes: The terrorists now ruling post-Assad Syria have publicly vowed to abandon their extremist ways in a bid to secure funding and legitimacy from the international community – in addition to the easing of sanctions. The statements sound eerily similar to those that emanated from Taliban 2.0 as the radical movement recaptured Kabul. Which
The Diplomat: The fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad marks a turning point not only for Syria but also for Islamist movements worldwide. For the Taliban, this moment is bittersweet. While the collapse of a rival regime offers a symbolic victory, the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) poses a direct ideological and strategic challenge.
Amu: The Afghanistan National Liberty Party, led by Rahmatullah Nabil, the former chief of the National Directorate of Security, announced on Monday that it would not be joining the recently formed political coalition known as the National Assembly for the Salvation of Afghanistan. In a statement, the party cited differences in “political paths and approaches
8am: Over the past three years, numerous reports have highlighted tensions between Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban Supreme Leader, and Sirajuddin Haqqani, the group’s Interior Minister. Recently, Hasht-e Subh Daily obtained information indicating that Akhundzada summoned several local Taliban commanders from various provinces and warned them about their loyalty to Haqqani. Akhundzada reportedly told some of
Afghanistan International: Tim Burchett, a pro-Trump representative in the US Congress, told Afghanistan International that he had invited Ahmad Massoud, the leader of the National Resistance Front (NRF), to visit Washington and discuss Afghanistan. “I also invite the leaders of other groups opposed to the Taliban,” he added. Burchett had previously invited Amrullah Saleh, the