8am: Some residents of Kabul say that following the Taliban decision to cut fiber-optic internet in Afghanistan, the quality of internet services across the country has deteriorated. They add that this decline has disrupted their daily activities. According to them, they have repeatedly raised these challenges with internet service providers, but the companies have cited “the existence of recent Taliban filters and restrictions” as the reason for their inability to improve services. Kabul residents also say that telecommunications companies in Afghanistan are not responsive to complaints and have taken no effective measures to improve coverage and service quality. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday it will not take part in a regional meeting on Afghanistan scheduled to be held in Tehran. Zia Ahmad Takal, deputy spokesperson for the ministry, said the Taliban had received an invitation but decided not to attend. According to Takal, the decision was based on the Taliban’s view that Afghanistan already maintains active relations with regional countries through existing regional organisations and cooperation frameworks, and has made what he described as significant progress in this regard. 
Ariana: In the 37th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Jawanan Perozi defeated Arman FC 1-0, securing a well-earned victory. In the 38th match, held on Saturday, Abu Muslim Farah triumphed 2-0 over Sarsabz Yashlar in an exciting contest. Monday’s fixtures will continue with two more matches. 
Afghanistan International: Germany’s Interior Ministry has announced that it will not relocate a number of Afghan refugees currently in Pakistan, reversing earlier commitments. Ministry spokesperson Sonja Kock said some Afghan refugees will soon be informed that there is no longer any political justification for accepting them. German media reported that, under the ministry’s new decision, the resettlement process for at least 640 Afghan refugees in Pakistan will be cancelled. 
8am: Sources in Kabul say that the Taliban have, for the past few days, prohibited women from entering the Sakhi shrine in Kabul city. These sources told the Hasht-e Subh Daily on Thursday, December 11, that the reasons for this ban include the failure to observe the hijab as prescribed by the Taliban, the mixed presence of women and men, and photography. 
