8am: Several environmental and agricultural experts have expressed concern over the increase in deforestation in Afghanistan due to poverty, lack of awareness, and the dependency of the population on natural resources. They say that the unchecked increase in tree cutting in recent years has posed a serious threat to the country’s forest cover and will bring unfortunate consequences for the environment and people’s lives. They add that the continuation of this trend intensifies the risk of soil erosion, the spread of desertification, the reduction of water resources, and increased vulnerability to climate change, and that repairing this damage will require years. According to them, widespread poverty, unemployment, the lack of alternative fuel, and weak management and protection of natural resources are among the most important factors behind the increase in deforestation in the country. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – July 24, 2026
German Court Blocks Mass Cancellation of Afghan Resettlement Cases
Khaama: Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court has ruled that the government cannot collectively cancel previously issued resettlement commitments to Afghan nationals and must assess each affected case individually. The ruling followed a complaint by an Afghan woman and her two sons, who had been selected for relocation to Germany under the country’s humanitarian admission program after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Click here to read more (external link).
Pakistan Rejects Amnesty Report, Accuses Taliban Of Misusing Hospitals
Afghanistan International: The Pakistani military rejected Amnesty International’s report on an air strike on a treatment centre in Kabul that killed civilians, accusing the Taliban of using hospitals and medical facilities as blind spots for terrorist activity. The Pakistani military on Thursday, 23 July, described Amnesty International’s report as baseless. Amnesty International said on Wednesday that a Pakistani air strike on the Omid Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre in Kabul on 16 March 2026, which killed at least 269 civilians, should be investigated as a possible war crime. The organisation said it had found no evidence supporting the Pakistani military’s claim that the centre was being used to store weapons, ammunition or for other military purposes. Click here to read more (external link).
Related
Nineteen years after his death, King Zahir’s legacy remains debated
Mohammad Zahir Shah
Amu: Nineteen years after the death of Mohammad Zahir Shah, Afghanistan’s last king, his nearly four-decade reign remains one of the country’s most debated chapters, remembered by supporters as a period of stability and gradual reform and criticized by others as an era marked by poverty, slow modernization and missed opportunities. Zahir Shah died on Aug. 1, 2007, at the age of 92 and was buried on Maranjan Hill in Kabul. He ruled Afghanistan from 1933 until 1973, making him the country’s longest-serving monarch. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – July 23, 2026
Germany To Stop Recognising Extended Afghan Passports From August
Afghanistan International: Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior has told Afghanistan International that Afghan passports extended on or after 1 August 2026 will no longer be recognised as valid travel documents in Germany. In a statement to Afghanistan International, Federal Interior Ministry spokesperson Elena Singer said the decision had been taken in light of changes to the availability of passport applications at Afghan diplomatic missions, international legal requirements and recommendations issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Click here to read more (external link).
Fath, Qosh Tepa secure victories on Day 3 of Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League
Ariana: Fath and Qosh Tepa recorded impressive team victories on the third day of the inaugural Afghanistan Wrestling Premier League (AWPL), as the country’s top wrestlers continued to showcase their talent in Kabul on Wednesday. The league, which brings together leading wrestling clubs from across Afghanistan in a team-based competition, aims to promote one of the country’s most popular traditional sports while providing a national platform for elite athletes. Click here to read more (external link).
People with Disabilities in Afghanistan: Caught Between Poverty, Discrimination, and Taliban Neglect
8am: Several people with disabilities are voicing complaints about the Taliban’s neglect of their situation and the denial of their rights. They say the absence of necessary support has forced many people with disabilities into street vending or begging just to cover their living expenses. According to them, the Taliban provide monthly salaries and special medical services to individuals who were disabled while fighting in the group’s own ranks, while other people with disabilities are excluded from such support and are told, when they approach the relevant institutions, that they do not qualify for assistance. Meanwhile, the head of the International Association of Afghan Lawyers warns that people with disabilities in Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, face widespread violations of their basic rights. According to him, the lack of effective access to health services, inclusive education, and job opportunities has left this segment of society increasingly exposed to poverty, isolation, and dependency. Click here to read more (external link).
Sepah-e Mihan Commander Speaks After Yaftal Fall, Vows To Put Freedom First
Afghanistan International: Qayum Malang, commander of the Sepah-e Mihan Front, released his first audio message five days after the attack on Yaftal district in Badakhshan, saying he and his fighters were safe. Malang said on Wednesday, 22 July: “I am in full health. Do not follow the enemy’s propaganda. We are all safe and well.” He also stressed that the front “has its own plans and objectives” and that its members prefer freedom above everything else. The newly formed Sepah-e Mihan Front recently launched a surprise attack and seized Yaftali Sufla district, near Faizabad, the capital of Badakhshan province, for several hours. Click here to read more (external link).
More