Taliban Fuel Ethnic Tensions With Forced Displacement, Says Ex-Afghan Commander

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Taliban militants (file photo)

Afghanistan International: A former Afghan army commander has accused the Taliban of driving Afghanistan toward collapse through forced displacement, land seizures and the resettlement of outsiders in the country’s north and west. General Farid Ahmadi, who once led Afghanistan’s special forces, said the Taliban’s policies have inflamed ethnic hostilities and placed national unity at risk. In a statement marking the anniversary of the Afghan republic’s fall, he said the group had destroyed not only Afghanistan’s political system and two decades of progress, but also the foundations of social cohesion. Click here to read more (external link).

Taliban Have Chosen Hostility Toward All Political Groups, Says Hizbe Islami Leader

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Hekmatyar

Afghanistan International: Hezb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has accused the Taliban of pursuing a policy of hostility toward all political groups, warning that Afghanistan lacks national unity under their rule. In a series of posts on X on Monday, Hekmatyar questioned whether Afghans could agree on a “national covenant” that would provide a unified and inclusive approach to the country’s challenges. “If we build this capacity and ability within ourselves, we can move toward light,” he wrote. Click here to read more (external link).

Telegraph: Taliban Gave UK Allies List to Iran In Bid For Recognition

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Afghanistan International: The Taliban handed over a leaked list of Afghans who worked with Britain to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in exchange for a promise to push Tehran to recognise their government, The Telegraph reported. Citing senior Iranian officials, the newspaper said four Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officers travelled to Kabul last week to collect the list, which the group intends to use as leverage in nuclear negotiations with the West. The officials reportedly acted without the knowledge of Iran’s government. Click here to read more (external link).

Bagram Stays Quiet This Year: What the Taliban’s Cancellation of the Military Parade Reveals

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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 spectacle of parading American military equipment is far less tolerable than their clampdown on Afghan women’s rights.  Click here to read more (external link).

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Kabul Retirees Protest Again After Four Years Without Pensions

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Afghanistan International: Retirees in Kabul staged another protest on Saturday, demanding payment of pensions they say have been withheld for four years. The group gathered outside the General Directorate of the Pension Fund, accusing the Taliban of ignoring their repeated demonstrations and failing to address their claims. Click here to read more (external link).

Mohaqiq: Pakistan meeting will be led mainly by women activists

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Mohaqiq

Amu: Mohammad Mohaqiq, a senior member of the National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan, defended an upcoming meeting in Pakistan and dismissed criticism from former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad. Mohaqiq said the gathering, scheduled for Aug. 25–26, is a political and civic event largely organized by Afghan women activists. He argued that Khalilzad “has no right to object or criticize it.” He accused Khalilzad and his wife, Cheryl Benard, of lobbying for the Taliban and said Khalilzad was “the main cause of the current situation in the country and responsible for targeted killings and instability in recent years.” Click here to read more (external link).

Pakistan Shifting Course by Hosting Afghan Opposition?

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Khalilzad

Khaama: Pakistan is preparing to host a two-day meeting of Afghan opposition figures, including young leaders, political activists, party representatives, and women, in Islamabad on August 25–26. According to reports, this is the first open gathering of Afghanistan’s diverse political groups since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Click here to read more (external link).

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Afghan Freedom Front Says 225 Taliban Killed in Year

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Afghanistan International: In a statement released to mark the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, the group said its operations targeted Taliban bases, checkpoints and gatherings across Kabul, Parwan, Balkh, Badghis, Herat, Kunduz, Takhar, Baghlan, Kapisa, Faryab, Panjshir, Sar-e Pul and Laghman provinces. The front also said Taliban “morality police” from the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice have recently been added to its list of targets after allegedly harassing women and men. Click here to read more (external link).