Amu: A young woman named Abida died after setting herself on fire in Ghor province, following what her family says was a prolonged campaign of coercion by a local Taliban commander who sought to force her into marriage. Speaking to Amu on condition of anonymity due to safety concerns, a close relative said the commander—identified
Afghanistan International: Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has issued a verbal decree abolishing the office of Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, leading to the dismissal of 255 employees, including senior officials, according to multiple sources in Kabul. Two sources familiar with the matter confirmed that the directive was implemented on Tuesday, 29 April, resulting in
8am: Beauty parlours that are forced to operate covertly say they are worn down by the Taliban’s systematic extortion and blackmail. They explain that they work out of sheer necessity—to earn a piece of bread for themselves and their children—yet Taliban security sectors continually threaten them and demand pay-offs. Click here to read more (external link).
Amu: Taliban on Tuesday suspended the operations of Rah-e-Farda Television, a private broadcaster based in Kabul over “staff complaints” and “unpaid salaries.” In a statement, the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture cited “repeated complaints” from journalists and employees about years of unpaid salaries and benefits as the reason for the suspension. Founded in 2006
Amu: The mass deportation of Afghan migrants from neighbouring and other countries, without considering Afghanistan’s current economic, security, and social realities, will have disastrous consequences. This process not only causes a deep humanitarian crisis but also further weakens the already fragile social structures of Afghanistan, potentially leading to the creation of new cycles of extremism,
Afghanistan International: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan has declared that “terrorist activities” threatening Pakistan’s security continue to emanate from Afghan soil. Speaking at a military graduation ceremony in Islamabad on Saturday, Sharif stated that peaceful coexistence would not be possible as long as insurgents and extremists use Afghanistan as a base to operate against
Amu: Taliban have expanded their ban on the broadcast of images of living beings to 16 provinces, with both state-run and private television stations now restricted to audio-only reporting, according to an investigation by Amu TV. Most recently, the Taliban extended the restrictions to Bamyan and Panjshir provinces, effective from April 16, 2025. The moves
Amu: In a new decree issued by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, six Taliban officials — including governors, security commanders, and department heads — were moved to new roles across the country, according to Taliban-run media. Since their takeover in August 2021, the Taliban’s governance strategy has largely involved reassigning loyalists from one post to another
Afghanistan International: Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting Foreign Minister, has announced that the group will soon appoint an ambassador to Moscow, marking a new stage in diplomatic engagement between the Taliban and Russia. The statement came during a meeting with Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan. Zia Ahmad Takal, Deputy Spokesperson for the
The Guardian (UK): Once dubbed the ‘Afghan Rupert Murdoch’, Mohseni’s media business was founded after the fall of the Taliban and is now navigating their return. Founded by Mohseni and his siblings – Afghan emigres who returned to their childhood home from Australia after the removal of the Taliban in 2001 – Moby was the