Khaama: The FBI in Washington has released a missing-person poster for Mahmood Shah Habibi, an Afghan–American citizen and former head of Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority. In a statement issued Sunday, August 10, the FBI announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the location and safe return of Habibi. The agency
Afghanistan International: Following the Taliban’s official ban on opium cultivation and trafficking, some Taliban officials and drug smugglers have turned to producing methamphetamine, locally known as shisha, derived from the ephedra plant, known in Afghanistan simply as ephedra. An investigation by Afghanistan International indicates that certain Taliban figures are directly involved in the ephedra trade.
Amu: Taliban security forces killed at least 10 people and wounded more than 40 others during crackdowns on protests against poppy eradication in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province in May and June, the U.N. mission in Afghanistan said in its latest quarterly report. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: The UN report confirmed that in June, the Taliban arrested at least 165 Uzbek residents of Faryab province following clashes between local Pashtun and Uzbek communities. The violence began when “a group of Pashtun youths threw firecrackers at a gathering of Uzbek girls”, prompting a confrontation between Pashtun youths and a group of
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
Reuters: Taliban denies detaining Habibi despite evidence, complicating U.S. efforts for his release. CIA operation targeting Zawahiri linked to Habibi’s detention, sources reveal. U.S. offers $5 million reward for Habibi’s release, Trump administration intensifies efforts. Click here to read more (external link).
Amu: According to the sources, Taliban morality enforcers have established multiple checkpoints throughout Panjshir to monitor women’s clothing. At these posts, women are required to wear a full-body burqa to pass. The sources added that even girls under the age of 15 have been questioned and warned that they are not allowed to travel unless
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,
8am: Several families, devastated economically after the Taliban’s takeover, have been compelled to force their daughters into unwanted marriages or pairings they have no interest in, due to the group’s stringent laws, the absence of clear educational programs, and the fear of forced marriages with Taliban members. Meanwhile, findings by the Hasht-e Subh Daily indicate