Ariana: The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that the Afghanistan Under-19 national team will travel to India later this month to take part in an international Tri-Nation Youth ODI series. The tournament, set to be held in Bengaluru from November 17 to November 30, 2025, will feature India U19 A, India U19 B, and Afghanistan U19, promising an exciting showcase of emerging cricket talent from the region. Click here to read more (external link).
Other Sports News
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
October 19, 2025
Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to an immediate cease-fire during talks mediated by Qatar and Turkey in Doha, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced early October 19 on X.
“During the negotiations, the two sides agreed to an immediate cease-fire and the establishment of mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability between the two countries,” the Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The two sides also agreed to hold follow-up meetings in the coming days to ensure that the cease-fire holds and to “verify its implementation in a reliable and sustainable manner.”
Afghanistan and Pakistan began the peace talks on October 18 in the Qatari capital of Doha after border clashes and attacks raised fears of an all-out war between the two countries.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban-led government’s spokesman, announced earlier on X that the talks had begun and that Afghan Prime Minister Hassan Akhund had held discussions with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also spoke with the Malaysian prime minister, according to Mujahid. Anwar, who appeared to be acting as a mediator, “emphasized the need to resolve the issue through diplomatic means.” Mujahid said.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said the talks aimed to “end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border.”
Pakistan urged the Afghan Taliban authorities to honor their commitments to the international community and address Pakistan’s “legitimate security concerns by taking verifiable action against terrorist entities.”
The recent violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been the worst since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021.
The fighting between the one-time allies was triggered after Islamabad demanded that Kabul rein in militants who had stepped up attacks in Pakistan, saying they operated from havens in Afghanistan.
The Taliban denies harboring militants to attack Pakistan and accuses the Pakistani military of spreading misinformation about Afghanistan and sheltering Islamic State-linked militants. Islamabad denies the accusations.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
Related
8am: Residents of Kabul city have raised complaints over the growing frequency of power outages. They state that although the weather has not yet turned cold, the number of electricity cuts has already increased. Residents of the capital emphasize that the prolonged outages and the lack of a clear plan or policy to resolve this issue have disrupted the daily lives of the people. Click here to read more (external link).
Khaama: MMA fighter Ahmad Wali Hotak will face a Russian opponent in the upcoming international MMA Series in Russia, representing Afghanistan on the global stage. The match is scheduled for October 23, with Afghan sports fans expressing strong support for Hotak, who has become a symbol of resilience and national pride in international arenas. Click here to read more (external link).
More Sports News
8am: Local sources in Faryab province report that the Taliban have arrested 25 residents after resisting the confiscation of their land by the provincial governor. The sources said on Saturday, October 18, that Abdul Ahmad Fazli, the Taliban-appointed governor of Faryab, seized land belonging to Tajik residents in the village of Khwaja Ghar, Ghayorzan district, under the pretext of constructing a water reservoir. Click here to read more (external link).
Naghma
NYT: After living for decades in exile, chased by war and religious bans, Naghma persists in singing to her people. Click here to read more (external link).
By RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal and RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi
October 18, 2025
Afghanistan and Pakistan will begin peace talks on October 18 in the Qatari capital of Doha after border clashes and attacks raised fears of an all-out war between the two countries.
Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to extend their 48-hour truce late on October 17 for the duration of the Doha talks, as they aim to resolve the worst violence between the two countries since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021.
“As promised, negotiations with the Pakistani side will take place today in Doha,” Zabihullah Mujahid, an Afghan government spokesperson, said on X, adding that the Taliban delegation will be led by Defence Minister Mohammed Yaqub.
In a statement, Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs said that Islamabad “does not seek escalation” and that Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif will lead talks with the Taliban.
“The talks will focus on immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border,” the statement said.
Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed late on October 17 to extend their 48-hour truce until the conclusion of the talks in Doha after Taliban officials accused Pakistan of violating an earlier cease-fire agreement following air strikes on Afghan soil that reportedly killed 10 civilians.
Seven Pakistani soldiers were also killed that day in a suicide attack near the Afghan border. A militant outfit previously affiliated with the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) extremist group claimed responsibility.
The air strikes and clashes between the one-time allies came after Pakistan demanded that the de-facto Taliban government rein in militants who have carried out attacks from what they said were staging grounds inside Afghanistan.
The Taliban denied giving haven to militants to attack Pakistan and in turn accused the Pakistani military of spreading misinformation about Afghanistan, provoking border tensions, and sheltering militants linked to the Islamic State.
Islamabad has denied the claims.
More
Amu: Afghanistan’s cricket board on Saturday announced its withdrawal from an upcoming T20I series against Pakistan in protest of a deadly Pakistani airstrike that killed eight people, including three young cricketers, in the eastern province of Paktika. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said in a statement it was “deeply saddened” by what it called a “cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime,” which struck the Urgun district Friday evening. The cricketers had returned from a friendly match in Sharana, the provincial capital, when the attack occurred during a gathering. The ACB identified the slain players as Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon. Five other civilians were also killed, and seven people were injured. Click here to read more (external link).
Related
Other Cricket News