Khaama: The FBI in Washington has released a missing-person poster for Mahmood Shah Habibi, an Afghan–American citizen and former head of Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority. In a statement issued Sunday, August 10, the FBI announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the location and safe return of Habibi. The agency
Khaama: Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said at a press conference that the process of upgrading relations has been completed, and the Taliban representative in Islamabad now enjoys ambassador-level protocol. He added that presenting credentials from the Taliban’s ambassador to Pakistan’s president is not necessary. Click here to read more (external link). More
Reuters: Taliban denies detaining Habibi despite evidence, complicating U.S. efforts for his release. CIA operation targeting Zawahiri linked to Habibi’s detention, sources reveal. U.S. offers $5 million reward for Habibi’s release, Trump administration intensifies efforts. Click here to read more (external link).
Khaama: Bagram Airfield, once the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan, has reemerged in global debate. Its strategic location near China and Central Asia fuels speculation about potential U.S.–China competition over influence and control. Afghan observers suggest that if the Taliban were to permit foreign use of Bagram, they might prefer U.S. involvement over China’s,
Afghanistan International: The United States has blocked a planned visit by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to Pakistan in response to the group’s continued denial of holding Afghan-born American citizen Mahmood Habibi, according to a US source speaking to Afghanistan International. The source stated that US pressure on the Taliban over the issue is
8am: The United States Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) in its latest report stated that terrorist groups such as ISIS, al-Qaeda, and Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operate freely in Afghanistan, widespread corruption and mismanagement have squandered billions of dollars in foreign aid, and the rights of women and children in the country are
WP: Two former Afghan interpreters for U.S. forces face deportation despite following immigration processes, according to attorneys for the men. Click here to read more (external link).
By Ray Furlong Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty August 2, 2025 A US body set up in 2008 to assess efforts to support Afghanistan has made its 68th and final quarterly report to Congress — with damning details of waste and “pervasive corruption” over the course of the nearly 20-year Western intervention as well as concerns about Trump administration
Afghanistan International: The new tariff structure was published just hours before the 1 August deadline for trade negotiations and agreements with foreign governments. Under the updated policy, countries with a trade deficit with the United States, including Afghanistan, will now face a base tariff rate of 15 percent. The previous 10 percent rate will remain
Khaama: The future of the Wakhan Corridor will shape far more than trade routes; it will determine whether Afghanistan becomes a bridge for cooperation or a battleground for rivalry. China’s push to extend CPEC through Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor promises economic gain but ignites tensions, with India, Western powers, and regional rivals alarmed over shifting geopolitical