Khaama: At least 33 Ismaili prayer halls in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province were closed over the past three months, the United Nations said on Tuesday, raising fresh concerns over religious freedom and the rights of minority communities under the Taliban administration. The closures add to growing international scrutiny over the treatment of Afghanistan’s religious minorities since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. The United Nations and human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern over restrictions affecting minority communities, including Ismaili and Shiite Muslim groups, and have called on the authorities to uphold freedom of religion and belief. Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban, Freedom Front clash in Badakhshan as fighting enters second week
Amu: Fighting between Taliban and the Freedom Front continued in parts of Badakhshan on Monday, according to local residents and sources within the Taliban, as clashes entered a second week. The latest clash follows more than a week of sporadic attacks by armed groups opposed to the Taliban across several districts of Badakhshan, one of the most sustained episodes of armed resistance in the province since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Click here to read more (external link).
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Tolo News in Dari – July 27, 2026
Afghans in Mazar-i-Sharif report Iranian visa black market charging up to $1,700
Khaama: Afghan residents in Mazar-i-Sharif say intermediaries are demanding hundreds or thousands of dollars to arrange Iranian visas despite an announcement that visas for Afghan pilgrims travelling for Arbaeen would be issued free of charge under specified conditions, according to reports. Click here to read more (external link).
Youth teams take centre stage in Afghanistan Under-17 Champions League
Ariana: The Afghanistan Under-17 Champions League, which got underway this week in Kabul, is providing a platform for some of the country’s most promising young footballers as clubs from across the country compete for the national youth title while helping develop the next generation of talent. The tournament is designed to give under-17 players regular competitive match experience and create a pathway to senior club football and Afghanistan’s national youth teams. Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban and Freedom Front clashes in Badakhshan continue for third day
Amu: Fighting between Taliban and the Freedom Front continued for a third consecutive day on Sunday in parts of the northeastern province of Badakhshan, local sources said, as both sides issued conflicting accounts of the battlefield and claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on each other. Residents told Amu TV that intermittent clashes continued overnight in the districts of Zebak, Yaftal and Darayem. They said fighting in several parts of Zebak lasted for hours, while sporadic gunfire was also heard in neighboring Darayem district. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghan team arrives in England for training camp ahead of Ireland ODI series
Ariana: Sayed Naseem Sadat, spokesperson for the Afghanistan Cricket Board, said on Sunday the national cricket team has arrived in Birmingham, England, to begin its preparations for the upcoming five-match ODI series against Ireland. The opening match of the series will be played on August 5 in Bready, Ireland. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – July 26, 2026
Afghanistan Freedom Front Claims Destruction of Two Taliban Military Drones in Badakhshan
8am: The Afghanistan Freedom Front has claimed that it targeted and destroyed two Taliban military drones in Zebak district of Badakhshan Province. In a statement released on Saturday, July 25, the group said the drones were targeted while conducting operations in airspace under the control of its forces in Zebak, Badakhshan. Click here to read more (external link).
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Forced Displacement in Panjshir’s Koujan: Residents Stripped of Homes and Land
8am: Several residents of Koujan village in the Samher Valley, Paryan district, Panjshir province, say that the Taliban have forcibly displaced all families living in this village from their homes. They add that this action took place after a rocket attack by unknown individuals on the Paryan district headquarters, with the stated aim of searching for individuals linked to the resistance front. According to them, Taliban forces detained, beat, and interrogated local men before the forced displacement. Click here to read more (external link).