Khaama: Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ronald Neumann says he can envision the United States reopening its embassy in Kabul under Taliban rule, but only if the Taliban make concrete policy changes; particularly on women’s rights, as part of a gradual, reciprocal engagement process. Neumann, who served as U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan from 2005 to
Afghanistan International: As the Taliban complete five years in power this August, two confident predictions made in the autumn of 2021 have both aged badly. The first was that the movement, unable to govern, would fracture within a season. The second, its mirror image, was that whoever governed Afghanistan would eventually be disciplined by the
RFE/RL: A visit by officials from Afghanistan’s unrecognized Taliban government to Moldova has triggered a political storm in the small Eastern European country. Three officials from the Taliban’s Agriculture Ministry arrived in Chisinau on August 3 for a dayslong visit after they were granted visas. Click here to read more (external link).
Amu: The overthrow of Afghanistan’s monarchy in 1973 ushered in the country’s first republic and reshaped its political trajectory, a legacy that remains contested more than five decades later. Afghanistan on Friday marked the 53rd anniversary of the July 17, 1973, coup that ended the country’s centuries-old monarchy and established its first republic under Mohammad
Khaama: Abdul Zahir Qadeer, a former Afghan general and first deputy speaker of the country’s lower house of parliament, has been extradited from Kenya to the United States to face federal charges over an alleged scheme to traffic large quantities of heroin and methamphetamine and supply military-grade weapons, U.S. prosecutors said. He is the son
Afghanistan International: Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai has welcomed the finalisation of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran aimed at ending the conflict and resolving disputes through negotiations. He said the agreement would benefit both sides, the region and the wider world. In a message posted on X, Karzai also expressed
By Daud Khattak Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty June 8, 2026 With billions of dollars invested in Pakistan and rising concern about instability in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, China has intensified diplomatic outreach to encourage Kabul and Islamabad to resolve disputes through dialogue. Beijing’s special envoy for Afghan affairs, Yue Xiaoyong, visited Kabul, Doha, and Islamabad last month to
Amu: Afghanistan’s embassy in Kuwait has come under Taliban control following the departure of the country’s ambassador, according to diplomatic sources familiar with the matter. It was not immediately clear whether Kuwait has formally accepted the change or recognized Taliban-appointed diplomats at the mission. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: Pakistani business newspaper Business Recorder reported that the closure of border crossings with Afghanistan in recent months has dealt a heavy blow to Pakistan’s trade, costing the country nearly $850 million in exports and transit revenues. The continued closure of Pakistan’s border crossings with Afghanistan, combined with rising regional tensions and the Middle
Amu: More than 80 Afghan and international civil society organizations and human rights groups have called on the European Union not to host Taliban representatives in Brussels, warning that any official engagement could contribute to the normalization and implicit recognition of the Taliban rule. In an open letter addressed to EU institutions, member states and