Amu: Taliban leader has dismissed Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs, following rare public criticism of Hibatullah Akhundzada, according to multiple sources in Kabul and Kandahar. The removal was reportedly ordered directly by Akhundzada with sources citing “incompetence” and waning popularity as the reasons behind the decision. Stanikzai came under internal
Japan Times: Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan has become strategic quicksand. So deep is the quagmire that, under growing public pressure, segments of Pakistan’s government have suggested turning to the United States for assistance and even offering drone bases to the US to target militants in Afghanistan. The idea that sophisticated US drones and other weapons
Afghanistan International: The Taliban have confirmed that hundreds of books have been banned and removed from libraries and bookstores across Afghanistan over the past three years. In addition to suppressing independent publications, the Taliban have also banned several university textbooks, further restricting academic freedom and access to diverse sources of knowledge within higher education institutions.
8am: Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister, recently voiced his opposition to “intra-Afghan” negotiations, stating that the group has no desire to repeat what he called a “bitter experience.” Yet, in the same breath, he affirmed that “Afghanistan is the shared home of all Afghans.” If that is true, why can Afghans not engage
Afghanistan International: The Taliban have detained three journalists in Takhar province, with local sources alleging they were subjected to torture while in custody. The detainees include Sayed Munir Hadaf, director of Tasweer Weekly and head of the National Journalists’ Union of Takhar; Asadullah Timur, a local reporter; and Nasratullah Ebrahimi, a journalist with Ariana News.
Khaama: Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. envoy for Afghanistan, has issued a stern warning in response to the recent conflict between India and Pakistan. He emphasized that supporting terrorism leads to catastrophic consequences. Khalilzad’s comments appear to indirectly address Islamabad’s alleged policies that have been linked to supporting militant groups in the region. Click here to
Afghanistan International: The Taliban have deployed additional forces to Argo district in Badakhshan province amid growing unrest and protests by local residents. Sources report that more than 30 people have been arrested by the group as tensions escalate. Residents of Argo have expressed growing discontent over the Taliban’s poppy eradication campaign, which they say has
Afghanistan International: According to the detainees, many have been held without formal charges or legal proceedings for between 10 and 15 days. In a video obtained by Afghanistan International, the detainees allege that they are being held in inhumane conditions crammed into a small room and denied access to food and water. Several sources have
Khaama: Former UN official Shashi Tharoor says Pakistan’s influence over the Taliban has sharply declined, turning Afghanistan into a strategic quagmire. or decades, Pakistan provided financial and logistical support to the Taliban, seeing them as a means to establish “strategic depth” in Afghanistan and to exert influence in the region, particularly against India. However, Tharoor
8am: Several citizens have complained about the growing unemployment, expanding poverty, and lack of job opportunities in Afghanistan. They argue that despite the Taliban’s claims of creating employment opportunities, their downsizing of government structures has not only failed to generate jobs but has also deprived people of their livelihoods. These citizens further state that favoritism,