Amu: Hibatullah Akhundzada, the reclusive supreme leader of the Taliban, warned during Eid al-Fitr prayers in Kandahar that disobedience to his orders could lead to the collapse of Taliban rule and plunge Afghanistan back into civil war. In an audio message obtained by Amu and attributed to Hibatullah, he described obedience to Taliban leadership as
Michael Hughes: As relations between Iran and Afghanistan grow warmer, the U.S. has put efforts to boost ties with the Taliban into overdrive. The FBI removed Haqqani Network bounties and diplomatic rapprochement is in full swing. Ex-envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is suddenly back on the scene – no doubt in a bid to ensure the radical
Afghanistan International: Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani attended a recent security meeting in Kandahar chaired by Taliban supreme leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada. Haqqani briefed Akhundzada during the meeting, which also included Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid and Intelligence Chief Abdul Haq Wasiq. Click here to read more (external link).
By Malali Bashir Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty March 27, 2025 The new school year started in Afghanistan on March 22, but for the fourth consecutive year, millions of teenage girls were barred from attending classes. Among them was Khalida, who was in the ninth grade when the Taliban seized power and banned education for girls above
The Independent (UK): Donald Trump could once again turn to his ally Zalmay Khalilzad, the chief architect of the Doha Deal, as his Afghanistan go-between. Some experts fear that would be a mistake, as Arpan Rai reports. Click here to read more (external link).
Amu: As the Eid al-Fitr holiday approaches, Taliban authorities in the northeastern province of Badakhshan have issued a directive imposing a new set of restrictions on public behavior, including bans on music, women’s attire, and even customary Eid house visits. In a letter titled “Prohibitions for Eid Days,” the Directorate for the Promotion of Virtue
Ariana: Russia’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Albert P. Khorev, has said Afghanistan’s efforts to combat militancy have been inadequate but attributed this to economic challenges and prevailing security conditions in the country. He said ISIS (Daesh) was the greatest threat to Russia’s national and regional security, and that Moscow is closely monitoring the situation. Click here
Khaama: Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban, stated that during a meeting with an American delegation, the group requested the handover of Afghanistan’s embassy in Washington, D.C. Mujahid, in an interview with Al Arabiya on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, also mentioned that the Taliban had asked the U.S. delegation to reopen its embassy in
Deccan Herald: In an interview with DH’s Anirban Bhaumik from an undisclosed location, Saleh says that Pakistan overestimated its relevance and value in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. He also says India can balance principle and pragmatism in its engagement with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: Michael Kugelman, South Asia Director at the Wilson Center, says the United States is signalling a shift in its approach to the Taliban. He believes the US is now looking to work more closely with Taliban leaders based in Kabul, sidelining the group’s leadership in Kandahar. According to Kugelman, the US has limited