8am: In an unexpected move, Tim Burchett, a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, has invited Amrullah Saleh, the former first vice president of Afghanistan under Ashraf Ghani’s administration, to visit Washington. This invitation has caused a stir in Afghan media. Burchett stated that he extended the invitation to discuss Afghanistan and its
Ariana: Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani has said that religion should not be monopolized and the ruler should not impose his views on others. Speaking at a madrassa in Kabul, Haqqani emphasized that the religious duty must be performed correctly and that the Islamic system should not distance people from religion but rather bring them
Afghanistan International: Zia-ul-Haq Amarkhil, the former governor of Nangarhar, has accused the Taliban regime of marginalising the Afghan people and ignoring their voices. Amarkhil asserted that neglecting public demands has created a significant divide between the populace and the ruling authorities. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: With these changes, it seems that Hibatullah is trying to expand and consolidate his influence. One-third of these appointments have been made in Afghanistan’s southern provinces. Hibatullah has appointed and replaced dozens of people, including ministers, deputies, and commanders of the Taliban’s army. Many of these appointments are made not on the basis
Afghanistan International: Lutfullah Sadat, Afghanistan’s consul in Bonn, announced that he was submitting his resignation due to “restrictions and demands of the host country”. In early November, sources told Afghanistan International that Germany had asked Afghan diplomats to either engage with the Taliban or end their work. The sources also confirmed that other countries have
Michael Hughes: The Taliban stroked President Donald Trump’s ego with a love letter that directly led to the administration’s decision to accelerate negotiations, strike the Doha deal, and withdraw forces from Afghanistan, ending a 20-year conflict. However, the Trump 2.0 administration is dangerous because the man does not need to get re-elected. Trump does not
Afghanistan International: Abdullah Khanjani, the political head of the National Resistance Front (NRF) of Afghanistan, has begun a series of meetings with key leaders of groups opposing the Taliban. Khanjani met a number of politicians, including Abdul Rashid Dostum, Mohammad Mohaqiq, Rasul Sayyaf, and Atta Mohammad Noor, in Türkiye. Click here to read more (external
8am: This order is seen as another step toward consolidating power in Akhundzada’s hands in Kandahar. Many observers view it as an indication of growing distrust between Akhundzada and senior Taliban officials in Kabul. Previously, some Taliban leaders, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, have openly defied Akhundzada’s bans on photography and filming, disregarding their “Amir’s” directives. Click
Amu: Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. special envoy for Afghan reconciliation, expressed optimism that Donald Trump’s potential return to the presidency presents an opportunity to fully enact the Doha Agreement, a deal aimed at facilitating a peaceful resolution in Afghanistan. “With Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency, there is an opportunity for full implementation of
8am: Following the Taliban’s extensive restrictions on photography and filming, tensions between the group’s two main factions have heightened, visibly playing out across media and social networks. In response to the photography ban on living beings, virtual teams associated with the Haqqani network have circulated images and videos of Sirajuddin Haqqani, whom they call the