8am: The findings of this report indicate that widespread corruption in the traffic department under Taliban control has significantly increased. Based on these findings, applicants receive driving licenses and vehicle permits without taking exams and by paying money. Meanwhile, citizens say this process has endangered the lives of thousands and turned roads into deadly scenes.
Afghanistan International: The Ministry of Justice said Saturday the new legislation, published in the official gazette, sets out 13 articles regulating poetry gatherings. The law prohibits any criticism of Akhundzada’s orders and decisions and bars verses praising “boys and girls” or encouraging friendship between them. It also demands poetry be free of “worldly love ,
Afghanistan International: Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has urged former Afghan President Hamid Karzai to leave the country, according to sources familiar with the matter. The demand followed a secretly recorded conversation in which Karzai allegedly described himself as Akhundzada’s greatest political threat, saying his presence could mark the end of the Taliban chief’s rule. Click
8am: Relations between Afghanistan’s Taliban and Pakistan, once described as those of “longstanding friends,” have entered a turbulent phase since the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul in August 2021. Pakistan, once a key sponsor of the Taliban, now faces a growing threat from Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). This militant group uses Afghan soil to stage
The Diplomat: What might feel like an adventurous trip to an underexplored country can turn out to be an unintentional investment in the oppression of the Afghan people. A growing number of social media influencers are visiting Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and showcasing the country as a hidden travel gem. Their videos highlight scenic mountains, busy markets,
8am: Sources in Kabul report an increase in financial corruption in the Taliban municipality’s procurement projects and say that the transparency process in awarding these projects to companies is practically being violated. These sources also emphasize that the conditions stated in the tender documents have been illegally changed, and arbitrary modifications have been applied to
Afghanistan International: The Taliban say they have confiscated more than 1,400 acres of land in Logar province, classifying it as state property. No independent body exists in Afghanistan to hear complaints from citizens who allege the Taliban are forcibly seizing private property under the guise of land reclamation. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: A planned gathering of Afghan anti-Taliban figures in Islamabad has been postponed following strong objections from the group, according to a report by the Pakistani daily The Nation. The newspaper said Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi raised concerns with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, during a meeting in Kabul on 20 August.
Afghanistan International: The Taliban have transferred the bodies of 50 Afghan fighters affiliated with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to a hospital in eastern Afghanistan after they were killed in clashes with the Pakistani military, security sources said. The bodies were taken on Saturday to the central hospital of Paktika province in the city of Sharan, escorted
Khaama: Swiss officials confirmed four Taliban diplomats visited Geneva to identify Afghan convicts, calling the move “sensitive but necessary” to issue valid Kabul-approved travel documents. Swiss state television has reported that four Taliban diplomats recently traveled to Geneva on a discreet mission to identify Afghan nationals convicted of crimes in Switzerland. Officials described the visit