8am: Several female bakers in Kabul say the Taliban have recently shut down their bakeries without prior warning and prevented them from continuing their work. They add that the Taliban halted their operations under accusations of employing male co-workers, failure of some customers to observe hijab, and visits by men. These women emphasize that they
Afghanistan International: Taliban forces have detained the 12-year-old son of prominent cleric and vocal Taliban critic Mawlawi Abdul Qadir Qanit during a raid on the family’s home in Kabul, sources close to the family told Afghanistan International. Qanit himself was arrested two days earlier from the same residence. Mawlawi Qanit is one of the few
Afghanistan International: Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban’s ambassador in Qatar has claimed that Iran and India no longer regard the group as a proxy of Pakistan. Speaking in an interview with Al Jazeera, Shaheen stated that both New Delhi and Tehran have come to recognise that this perception was inaccurate. He asserted that regional powers have
Afghanistan International: China has announced that Pakistan and the Taliban have agreed to elevate their diplomatic relations to the level of ambassadors. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi welcomed the development, stating that Beijing supports the strengthening of ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Although neither Pakistan nor China has formally recognised the Taliban government, both countries
Amu: Taliban have shut down at least 11 health science institutes in Kabul for providing training to women and girls, according to several sources familiar with the matter. The closures were ordered by the Taliban-run Ministry of Public Health, the sources said, and targeted institutes that offered basic medical and first-aid education to female students.
Al Jazeera: Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the United States is reviewing whether to designate Afghanistan’s rulers, the Taliban, as a “foreign terrorist organization”. Rubio told the House Foreign Affairs Committee during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday, “I believe that classification is now, once again, under review.” Click
Afghanistan International: The World Bank has formally rejected claims made by the Taliban that it has begun repaying outstanding debts owed to Afghan companies. In an official statement, the international financial institution clarified that the debts in question were incurred under the former Afghan Republic government and are not the responsibility of the World Bank.
8am: The Taliban dragged my brother’s tortured body into our home and dumped it before my father, mother, and all of us. They had tortured and murdered him with ruthless, sinister cruelty. We buried his bloodied, mutilated corpse, and from that agonizing moment, none of us truly lived. My father couldn’t bear it and passed
8am: Several street vendors in the Kote Sangi area of Kabul have expressed grievances over the Taliban municipality’s decision to prohibit their activities along roadsides. These vendors state that they are grappling with economic challenges, and this measure by the Taliban is making their lives increasingly difficult. According to them, the Taliban not only fail
Afghanistan International: Maulawi Abdul Qahir, a prominent cleric in Balkh, delivered a fiery sermon on Friday, 16 May, at the Rawza Sharif Mosque, where he condemned the Taliban for promoting tribalism and ethnic discrimination. He warned that such practices would lead to the downfall of any Islamic system. According to local sources, Taliban forces attempted