8am: The Taliban act with rigid ideology in many areas, blending their tribal and ethnic preferences with selective Quranic verses and prophetic traditions, making life increasingly difficult for ordinary citizens. Yet, when Western interests are at stake, they proceed with far greater caution and restraint. The Taliban know full well that for Donald Trump, the
Ariana: Fasihuddin Fitrat, Afghanistan’s Chief of Army Staff, has stated that the Islamic Emirate will not engage in any form of negotiation regarding Bagram Airfield – with any country, including the United States. In an interview with a local media outlet, Fitrat emphasized that the presence of even a single foreign soldier anywhere on Afghan
Khaama: Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Trump administration of pursuing policies toward Afghan refugees that contradict the US State Department’s own findings on human rights conditions in Afghanistan. The State Department’s 2024 annual human rights report, released Tuesday, cites credible evidence of widespread abuses under Taliban rule, including arbitrary arrests, torture, extrajudicial killings,
Amu: Former Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar said the United States and the Taliban deliberately ignored binding obligations in the 2020 Doha Agreement, arguing that the collapse of Afghanistan’s republic was a preventable disaster. Speaking at an online Global Refugees Organization event ahead of the Taliban’s fourth anniversary in power, Atmar said only one of
Amu: Haqqani told Radio Hurriyat that one day before the fall of Nimroz province in August 2021, Akhundzada met with Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and Taliban Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid to discuss the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s provinces. According to Haqqani, Taliban leaders wanted to take Kabul through negotiations to preserve the government’s
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