24 years since Taliban destroyed Bamiyan Buddhas
Destroyed Buddha Statue
Amu: On this day 24 years ago, the Taliban carried out one of the most infamous acts of cultural destruction in modern history, demolishing the ancient Buddhas of Bamiyan, two towering statues that had stood for centuries as symbols of Afghanistan’s rich Buddhist heritage. On March 11, 2001, Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar ordered the destruction of the statues, known as Salsal and Shahmama, which had been carved into the cliffs of central Afghanistan in the 6th century. Taliban fighters spent two days relentlessly shelling the monuments before finally reducing them to rubble with explosives. Click here to read more (external link).
Asian Cup: Afghanistan’s beach soccer team arrives in Thailand
Ariana: Afghanistan’s national beach soccer team arrived in Thailand on Tuesday to participate in a training camp ahead of the AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2025. AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2025 will kick off on March 20 and run through to March 30. Thailand is the official host. Click here to read more (external link).
Other Afghan Sports News
Reports Of US Travel Ban Leave Afghan Allies In Limbo Amid Pakistan’s Crackdown
Afghanistan International: Reports that the Trump administration may impose a travel ban on Afghan citizens have deeply alarmed Afghans who worked with U.S. forces and are awaiting resettlement. The White House is expected to announce the decision on Monday. Estimates suggest that around 25,000 Afghans with approved U.S. resettlement applications now face uncertainty due to Trump’s recent orders. On his first day back in office, Trump suspended all refugee admissions, a move that has severely impacted former Afghan allies. Click here to read more (external link).
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Tolo News in Dari – March 10, 2025
Official: 250,000 undocumented migrants detained in Tehran
Amu: Iranian authorities have arrested 250,000 undocumented migrants in Tehran province over the past year, according to the region’s governor, Mohammad Sadeq Motamedian. Motamedian, speaking to Mehr News Agency, said the deadline for registering undocumented migrants in the country’s census is March 22. Click here to read more (external link).
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Afghanistan’s beach soccer team heads to Thailand for AFC Championship
Amu: Afghanistan’s national beach soccer team departed for Thailand on Monday to compete in the 2025 AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup, the country’s football federation announced. The tournament is set to begin on March 20 in Thailand. Click here to read more (external link).
Other Sports News
Taliban leader appoints five police chiefs amid Haqqani’s absence
Amu: Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada has appointed five new provincial police chiefs in recent weeks, bypassing Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, who has been absent from public view for over a month, sources said. Mohammad Asif Siddiqui, a former deputy chairman of the Afghan Senate, said that police appointments now come directly from Akhundzada without the involvement of the Taliban’s Interior Ministry. “Haqqani’s faction is increasingly sidelined, and they are now looking to strengthen their ties in the Arab world and build trust with the United States,” Siddiqui said. Click here to read more (external link).
Selfie sticks and AK-47s – The strange and disturbing rise of Taliban tourism
Business Insider: Nolan Saumure, a 28-year-old Canadian YouTuber, walked into Afghanistan from Pakistan last summer. He spent a week traveling through the Taliban-controlled country with a local guide and a camera in an attempt to show what he called “the other side of Afghanistan” — the natural beauty, warm hospitality, and rip-roaring good times he says aren’t depicted in Western media. Click here to read more (external link).