Afghanistan International: The Taliban have deployed additional forces to Argo district in Badakhshan province amid growing unrest and protests by local residents. Sources report that more than 30 people have been arrested by the group as tensions escalate. Residents of Argo have expressed growing discontent over the Taliban’s poppy eradication campaign, which they say has been conducted without providing alternative livelihoods. Protesters also cited the exclusion of locals from decision-making processes and harsh treatment by “non-local” Taliban fighters as causes of unrest. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – May 6, 2025
Detainees In Ghor Say Taliban Denying Them Food, Water
Afghanistan International: According to the detainees, many have been held without formal charges or legal proceedings for between 10 and 15 days. In a video obtained by Afghanistan International, the detainees allege that they are being held in inhumane conditions crammed into a small room and denied access to food and water. Several sources have alleged that the Taliban used the poppy eradication campaign as a pretext to detain individuals critical of the group or opposed to its members. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan is Pakistan’s Strategic Quigmire, Says Shashi Tharoor
Khaama: Former UN official Shashi Tharoor says Pakistan’s influence over the Taliban has sharply declined, turning Afghanistan into a strategic quagmire. or decades, Pakistan provided financial and logistical support to the Taliban, seeing them as a means to establish “strategic depth” in Afghanistan and to exert influence in the region, particularly against India. However, Tharoor argues that, as is often the case with the “monsters” one creates, Pakistan’s control over the Taliban has faltered, with the group moving further from Islamabad’s influence. Click here to read more (external link).
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Taliban Rule and the Grip of Poverty: Nearly 70% of the Population Unemployed
8am: Several citizens have complained about the growing unemployment, expanding poverty, and lack of job opportunities in Afghanistan. They argue that despite the Taliban’s claims of creating employment opportunities, their downsizing of government structures has not only failed to generate jobs but has also deprived people of their livelihoods. These citizens further state that favoritism, nepotism, and the dominance of Taliban loyalists have marginalized individuals who do not share the Taliban’s ideology or lack connections. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – May 5, 2025
Deported Afghans Report Inhumane Treatment by Pakistani Police
Tolo News: Afghans deported from Pakistan report inhumane treatment by the country’s police. They say that during their detention in Pakistan, their children fell ill, and they are now calling for greater support from the Islamic Emirate. Abdul Khaliq, deported from Pakistan, said: “Our child is sick. He became ill while in prison in Pakistan. My wife is also unwell. We need assistance.” Mohammad Zahir, another deportee from Pakistan, said: “We lived in Pakistan for ten years. All of our property is still there.” Click here to read more (external link).
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Second Polio Case Of 2025 Confirmed In Afghanistan, Says WHO
Afghanistan International: The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the second case of polio in Afghanistan in 2025, with the latest infection reported in the southern province of Helmand. The organisation did not release additional details about the case. The first confirmed case this year occurred in Bala Murghab district of Badghis province, affecting a five-year-old child. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan climbs to seventh in ICC Men’s ODI rankings
Afghan Team (file photo)
Amu: Afghanistan’s national cricket team has reached its highest-ever position in the ICC Men’s ODI rankings, climbing to seventh place as of May 4, 2025 — a significant leap that places it ahead of cricketing powerhouses like England and the West Indies. Click here to read more (external link).
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