Afghanistan International: Clashes have broken out between Taliban border forces and Pakistani troops in Khost province as talks between the two sides continue in Urumqi, China, local sources say. Subhanullah Azzam, the Taliban’s head of information and culture in Khost, said the fighting took place in the Ghulam Khan area of Gurbuz district. Click here
8am: Many residents of Kabul say that to stay safe from Taliban scrutiny and to gain the favor of their forces, they have been forced to wear the Kandahari hat, grow beards, and adopt traditional clothing. While some view this change as a return to traditional values, public accounts indicate that for many, this shift
Amu: A comprehensive UN legal review has found that a sweeping set of policies imposed by the Taliban since 2021 violate Afghanistan’s obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, one of the core international human rights treaties. The report, published jointly by the Office of the United Nations
Afghanistan International: Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said a delegation of senior officials has travelled to Urumqi, China, for talks with the Afghan Taliban. Tahir Andrabi said the delegation is in Urumqi to explore a “sustainable solution” to stop cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan. Speaking at a weekly briefing on Thursday, Andrabi said the talks between Pakistan and
Afghanistan International: The Taliban’s use of drones has evolved over five years from commercial surveillance aircraft and propaganda tools into a more ambitious program involving armed and apparent one-way attack drones. Afghanistan International’s reporting indicates the Taliban have used drone aircraft since 2020. Before then, the Taliban’s Al-Emara Studio mainly used drones to film operations
8am: Sources say that employees of the Herat Provincial Environmental Protection Directorate, under Taliban control, are deeply concerned about pressure from Abdulali Muttaqi, the Taliban’s newly appointed head of the department. According to the sources, this Taliban official exerts pressure on staff under various pretexts to force them to resign so that he can replace
8am: Some residents of Rustaq say that since the Taliban came to power, women have been prevented from watching ceremonies and festivals in the district. They say that, according to Taliban orders, women are not allowed to watch buzkashi matches, traditional wrestling, or other local games that are held consecutively for three days, even from
Amu: Pakistan’s defense minister said the country’s military operations against Taliban in Afghanistan would continue until Islamabad achieves its stated security objectives, signaling no immediate de-escalation in cross-border tensions. Pakistani officials have not publicly detailed what they describe as their final objectives in Afghanistan. Taliban have not responded to Asif’s latest comments, though they have
Afghanistan International: Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan has urged the Taliban and Pakistan to cooperate in tackling terrorism, saying the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan is a real problem. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: In a statement on Friday, the group said international humanitarian law requires all parties to take constant care to protect civilians and ensure that targets are lawful military objectives. Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said available evidence indicates the Pakistani airstrike on the rehabilitation facility was unlawful. She added