Afghanistan International: Fawzia Koofi, a former member of Afghanistan’s parliament, has rejected the Taliban’s recent invitation for former officials to return to the country, saying it is not an effort at reconciliation but a calculated move to silence dissenting voices. In a report published in May 2024, UNAMA stated that despite the Taliban’s announcement of
The Guardian (UK): When the rules were announced, it was unclear how a relatively small number of “morality police” employed by the Taliban would enforce and implement these rules. Yet, in the months since the rules were announced, it has been fathers, brothers and husbands who have become, in effect, unpaid foot soldiers imposing the
Amu: Several women employed by United Nations agencies in Afghanistan say Taliban have escalated threats against their families in a bid to force them to quit their jobs, raising alarm over the safety of humanitarian workers and the future of international aid operations in the country. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, censored parts of an audio recording of Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada’s Eid speech at the Eidgah Mosque in Kandahar. Notably, Akhundzada’s voice was cut off at the moment he began criticising the widespread influence of the media among the public. The censorship of Akhundzada’s speech prompted sharp reactions
Afghanistan International: Rahim Sekandar, a prominent pro-Taliban figure on social media, has confirmed that he is currently being held by the group. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, he wrote: “I am imprisoned by the Taliban’s Reform Commission. A few days ago, I criticised the remarks of Mawlawi Saeedullah Saeed, but now
By Abubakar Siddique and RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi June 5, 2025 The Taliban declared dissent unacceptable after returning to power nearly four years ago. Since then, it has detained, tortured, or forced into exile secular opponents, journalists, and human rights activists. Now the country’s de facto leaders appear to be broadening their crackdown to include Islamic
8am: Afghanistan is a land rich in underground resources—an abundance that, in terms of value and diversity, could form the backbone of its national economy and lay the foundation for sustainable development. However, rather than being utilized through a development-oriented framework, these assets have increasingly been subject to systematic looting and unregulated extraction in recent
Tolo News: The Deputy Secretary of Uzbekistan’s National Security Council has disclosed that Uzbekistan had established relations with the Islamic Emirate [Taliban] before it returned to power in Afghanistan. Abdulaziz Kamilov described his country’s approach as reasonable and timely, adding that many countries that once criticized Uzbekistan for these relations have now changed their views.
Afghanistan International: A Taliban team deployed to destroy opium poppy fields in Badakhshan’s Jurm district has withdrawn amid growing internal tensions and local unrest, sources told Afghanistan International on Sunday. Local sources said dissatisfaction is mounting among Taliban members from the province, with tensions further fuelled by the killing of a Taliban fighter in the
8am: The American journal Science Advances has published an investigative report stating that the average life satisfaction among the people of Afghanistan has dropped to the lowest level ever recorded since the Taliban’s return to power. The report, which examines public satisfaction in 2022, shows that living conditions for Afghan citizens have deteriorated to an