Polio Vaccinator shot dead in Paktia, Afghanistan
Khaama: Local sources in Paktia province have confirmed that a polio vaccinator was shot dead and another injured on the morning of Monday, 26 May 2025, in Gardez, the provincial capital. The incident occurred in the “Beland Manzel” area while a vaccination team was conducting door-to-door immunization. Eyewitnesses reported that the team approached a residence to vaccinate children when the homeowner refused to cooperate. Click here to read more (external link).
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WHO: Measles claims 21 lives in Afghanistan in one week
Amu: A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that 21 individuals, including 19 children under the age of five, have died from measles in a single week (May 11-17, 2025). This alarming statistic comes as the nation continues to battle multiple infectious disease outbreaks, according to the WHO’s latest situation report for Epidemiological Week 20. The WHO’s findings underscore a persistent and escalating health crisis. Since the beginning of 2025 (December 29, 2024, to May 17, 2025), a total of 55,678 suspected measles cases have been recorded, leading to 357 associated deaths. Click here to read more (external link).
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Tolo News in Dari – May 25, 2025
Banned from Bathhouses: Afghan Women Face Hygiene Crisis After Taliban Crackdown
8am: Several women in Kabul say that after the closure of public bathhouses designated for women and the lack of access to sufficient water, they have been forced to go to relatives’ homes to maintain personal hygiene for themselves and their families. These women say that this has created numerous challenges for them. They view the Taliban’s closure of women-only bath houses as a clear symbol of extremism and a deliberate attempt to impose restrictions on women. According to them, shutting down public spaces for women amounts to stripping them of their civil rights. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan competes at 2025 Muay Thai World Championships in Turkey
Amu: Afghanistan is among nearly 100 nations participating in the 2025 Muay Thai World Championships, which kicked off this week in the Turkish coastal city of Antalya..The event that continues until May 30, has drawn 633 athletes from around the globe. Afghanistan is represented by a four-member delegation: two athletes, one coach, and one international referee. Click here to read more (external link).
Iran deports over 300 migrant children, their families in sweeping crackdown on child labor
Amu: Iranian authorities have deported more than 300 migrant children and their families in recent weeks as part of a national campaign targeting child labor, according to a senior official in Tehran’s welfare department. Mohammad Nasiri, director general of the Tehran Province Welfare Organization, said the expulsions were carried out under the “Comprehensive Model for the Organization and Support of Child Laborers” and involved coordination with law enforcement, the Bureau of Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs, and technical support from UNICEF. Nasiri said that 85 percent of the children identified during the campaign were undocumented migrants. Click here to read more (external link).
More refugee / migrant news
Special Forces officer blocked 1,585 Afghans from UK
BBC: A UK Special Forces officer personally rejected 1,585 resettlement applications from Afghans with credible links to special forces, newly released documents say. The admission comes after the BBC revealed last week that the UKSF officer – who previously served in Afghanistan – rejected applications from Afghans who may have witnessed the alleged crimes. Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban Shuts Down Kabul’s Women-Run Bakeries, Leaving Families in Crisis
8am: Several female bakers in Kabul say the Taliban have recently shut down their bakeries without prior warning and prevented them from continuing their work. They add that the Taliban halted their operations under accusations of employing male co-workers, failure of some customers to observe hijab, and visits by men. These women emphasize that they had established their bakeries through loans and by overcoming numerous challenges, but now they have lost this source of income and are grappling with severe economic hardship. Click here to read more (external link).