“The strongest is never strong enough to be always the master, unless he transforms strength into right, and obedience into duty.” – Jean Jacques Rousseau Michael Hughes: At some point, based on the laws of human nature, Afghans will no doubt say “enough.” The violations of universal social norms, incompetence, and instability make for a perfect
8am: With a general review, one can conclude that the interview aligns with the effort to whitewash the Taliban and continues the narrative of the “good Taliban and bad Taliban,” portraying the Taliban as different from the 1990s, a narrative that had been discussed during the Doha negotiations. Such interviews by Western media are not
Amu: A new survey by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), alongside U.N. Women and the International Organization for Migration, warns that the Taliban’s “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” law empowers officials to apply repressive measures that extend beyond targeting women, creating a mechanism for broader social control. The report further
8am: Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Afghan Taliban share a unified strategy and a common goal, leading them to cooperate across both geographies. While some Afghan Taliban members harbor dreams of erasing the Durand Line and merging large parts of Pakistani territory into Afghanistan—an ambition they sometimes express through various pretexts, such as map drawing—each
Amu: Professors at Herat University report that the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has issued strict orders prohibiting them from shaving their beards and mandating daily attendance at congregational prayers. According to faculty members, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Taliban officials warned during a recent meeting that
Afghanistan International: An informed source said that car sellers refused to pay taxes due to the high tax rates and the unfavourable economic and market situation, which was met with violence by the Taliban. A number of people said that the Taliban does not provide services despite collecting a lot of taxes. Trade unions and
Asia Times: Armed resistance groups killing Taliban members, lighting bombs and stirring instability as country tilts back toward civil war. The Taliban’s desire for international legitimacy has been mocked by IS-K, which has accused the regime of bowing to the West, a message that has resonated with many disaffected Afghans. Concurrently, the regime’s inability to
Afghanistan International: Richard Bennett, the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, in his new report said that some “credible sources” testified about sexual harassment and rape of women inside Taliban prisons. Bennett added that he was deeply concerned by the numerous reports of sexual violence against women inside the Taliban’s prison. The United
8am: The acting head of the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has declared that it is impermissible to hear phrases like “Alhamdulillah” and “Subhanallah” from a woman’s voice, even if it is another woman listening. In an audio recording, the official referenced a new Taliban rule that bans women
By Satar Furogh and Ahmad Hanayish Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty October 29, 2024 Gul Hotak and her family survive on just one meal per day — often leftovers from neighbors. Hotak is the sole breadwinner for her family of four. Her husband is sick and cannot work. She cleans people’s houses in exchange for food.