8am: For more than four years, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls. Alongside these measures, they have also closed criminal and sexual assault cases in ways that favor the accused and harm the victims, often by forcing women into marriage. Click here to read more (external link).
Ariana: Pakistan has emerged as the country most affected by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s return to power in 2021, according to a new report by the International Crisis Group (ICG), as cited by Pakistani daily Dawn. The Brussels-based independent think tank warns that relations between Kabul and Islamabad have sharply deteriorated, raising the risk
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: New photos from Afghanistan show a Taliban law banning images of people and animals is now being enforced across most of the country, resulting in seafood censored from menus, blacked-out museum displays, and covered mannequins. Click here to view photos (external link).
Small Wars Journal: Four years after the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan’s regime faces deepening economic collapse, ethnic alienation, and persistent internal and external pressures. The United States now possesses an ideal opportunity to subvert Taliban rule and deny Afghanistan’s further usage as a terrorist safe haven. While the past quarter-century has seen overt investment
8am: Many citizens speak openly about the growing spread of unemployment and the Taliban’s failure to address it. They say the lack of job opportunities has made daily life harder than at any other time they can remember. According to them, anyone with a broker or personal ties to Taliban members can quickly secure a
Afghanistan International: A local commander affiliated with the National Islamic Movement Party of Afghanistan was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in northern Afghanistan after being deported from Iran, the party’s spokesperson said. Ehsan Niro told Afghanistan International that the Taliban were responsible for the killing of a commander known as Yousuf in Khwaja Du Koh
The Diplomat: Last week, as the Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid triumphantly declared 2025 “a year of diplomatic success,” the claim was received with predictable laud from the movement’s echo chambers. But to anyone observing Afghanistan with even minimal distance from the Taliban’s propaganda, the opposite is true. Far from consolidating power or gaining legitimacy, the
Amu: Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesman for the Taliban-run interior ministry, said three local residents and one employee of a mining company were killed in fighting in Chah Ab district. Five others were wounded, he said. Qani said the Taliban deputy governor for Takhar had travelled to the area to investigate the incident. Mining operations at
Amu: Pakistan’s defense minister warned that Islamabad is fully prepared to confront both the Taliban and India at the same time, saying the Taliban were no longer trustworthy due to their ties with India and militant groups. Khawaja Asif said in an interview that his earlier optimism about the Taliban after they returned to power
Afghanistan International: Pakistan’s military spokesperson said Afghanistan became the region’s primary hub for terrorism in 2025, accusing militant groups based there of driving a sharp rise in violence. He added that Pakistan’s concerns have gained international acceptance. The military spokesperson said Afghanistan has become a safe haven for smugglers as well as regional and international