8am: The Afghanistan Freedom Front has claimed that three Taliban fighters were killed in a military operation in Nangarhar Province. The front announced on Thursday, June 25, in a press release that the attack was carried out on the Jalalabad–Kunar highway and targeted a Taliban checkpoint in the Shewa district. Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban Confiscates Weapons Permits as Tensions Escalate in Badakhshan
8am: Sources told the Hasht-e Subh Daily on Thursday, June 25, that the Taliban have begun collecting weapons permit cards and are confiscating and disarming weapons that had previously been issued to certain companies. These measures come amid rising tensions in Badakhshan, with the security situation in parts of the province described as alarming. Earlier reports had indicated that talks between a Taliban special commission and Juma Khan Fateh, a dissident commander within the group, had ended without result. Click here to read (external link).
Ashura observed across Afghanistan with calls for unity and justice
Ariana: Afghanistan marked the 10th of Muharram, the Day of Ashura, with religious ceremonies held across Kabul and several other provinces, as thousands of mourners gathered to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RA), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Ashura commemorates one of the most significant events in Islamic history, when Imam Hussain (RA) and 72 of his loyal companions were martyred in the Battle of Karbala. The occasion is observed annually across the Muslim world through prayers, mourning ceremonies, and acts of charity. Click here to read more (external link).
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Tolo News in Dari – June 26, 2026
Taliban Have Normalised Torture, Says Global Torture Index
Taliban militants (file photo)
Afghanistan International: The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) says Taliban forces routinely use violence, particularly in day-to-day security operations, and that the practice has been codified in the group’s penal system. It says torture has become routine in Taliban operations and detention centres. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan Ranked Last Among 194 Countries in Global Child Rights Index
Afghan girls (file photo)
Khaama: Afghanistan has ranked last among 194 countries in the 2026 Global Child Rights Index published by the Dutch-based KidsRights Foundation, marking the second consecutive year the country has occupied the bottom position. International organizations estimate that millions of Afghans continue to struggle with poverty, while limited employment opportunities and a weakened economy have left many families unable to meet basic needs. Click here to read more (external link).
Shia Treatment Defies Prime Minister’s Orders, Says Taliban Deputy Minister
Mullah Hassan Akhund
Afghanistan International: Taliban Deputy Minister of Urban Development and Housing Sheikh Madar Ali Karimi said the orders of the group’s prime minister, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, are being ignored. He criticised the Taliban’s treatment of Shia Muslims, particularly during Muharram. Click here to read more (external link).
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Tolo News in Dari – June 25, 2026
Nuristan Tourism Fees: Visitors Pay at the Gate but Receive No Services in Return
Nuristan
8am: Several tourists visiting Nuristan say that the Taliban collect money from them at the province’s entry gates, but this revenue is not being spent on improving tourism infrastructure and services. According to these tourists, if visitors are charged fees, basic facilities and services must be provided in return, including rest areas, health services, sanitation maintenance, and improved road networks. Some economic experts also say that collecting money from tourists can only be justified if this revenue is transparently reinvested in developing the tourism industry and improving Nuristan’s infrastructure. According to them, if that is not the case, such an action will be perceived by tourists as a form of extortion, capable of negatively affecting visitors’ perceptions and reducing the province’s appeal as a tourist destination. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghan Taliban Enforces ‘Proper Hijab’ With Detentions And Beatings Of Women
By Farangis Najibullah and Firuza Azizi
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
June 24, 2026
Fear has gripped Afghanistan’s third city as the Taliban government violently enforces a stricter dress code for women.
Members of the Taliban’s notorious morality police have arrested and even publicly beaten women in the western city of Herat accused of violating a new directive issued in early June.
The order prohibits women from appearing in public without what the hard-line Islamist group describes as a “proper hijab.” Women who fail to comply, including those showing their faces or wearing makeup — will face punitive measures, the directive said.
“Women in Herat were already wearing the hijab,” a woman in the city told RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, referring to the Islamic head scarf which covers the neck and head. “But now the Taliban demands that women wear a facemask, too, and cover their faces.”
The Taliban’s security forces arrested at least 30 women in the first week after the directive was issued, according to the United Nations.
The restrictions led to rare public protests in Herat on June 9 that were violently dispersed by Taliban forces. At least two people were killed and more than 20 wounded in the demonstration, the UN said.
Struck In The Head With A Rifle
The Taliban’s violent enforcement of the dress code has heightened apprehension among women in Herat. Some are too afraid to leave their homes, while those who venture outside risk the wrath of the extremist group.
Members of the Taliban’s morality police routinely stop and inspect women in the streets, markets, and at the entrances to public buildings, several women told RFE/RL.
“Even those who are properly covered are sometimes stopped and questioned,” a woman in Herat told RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi.
Another woman in the city said the Taliban has clerics in local mosques to spread their messages.
“One order said female officers have been deployed to detain those who disobey,” she said. “And it warned that if family members or others try to intervene, they will be arrested too.”
The group has followed through on its threats.
In the Jadae Abresham area of Herat, the Taliban’s morality police recently detained a woman on the street. When her relatives tried to step in, the officers detained them, too, an eyewitness told Radio Azadi.
In Khwaja Kalla, another area of the city, the Taliban attempted to detain two young women even though they were wearing a hijab, an eyewitness said.
“When one of the women argued, officers struck her on the head with the butt of a rifle, causing bleeding. She was taken to a nearby hospital, but the morality police followed her inside and ordered doctors not to treat her,” the eyewitness told RFE/RL. “The officers then took her away while she was still bleeding.”
Locals say Herat, a city of some 1 million people located near the border with Iran, has gone quiet as more women stay at home.
“These are incredibly hard days for the women and girls in Herat,” said another woman. “The city has fallen silent. Young women are too afraid to leave their homes.”
Extreme Version Of Islam
Women have borne the brunt of the Taliban’s attempts to impose their extreme version of Islam on the war-torn country of some 40 million people.
The group has largely erased women from public life and imposed severe restrictions on their appearance, freedom of movement, and right to work and study.
In 2024, the Taliban enacted a morality law that requires women to fully cover their faces and bodies when in public. The enforcement of the group’s laws, however, has been sporadic and uneven across the country, and often left to the discretion of local Taliban leaders.
Many Afghan women wear a hijab. In addition, some women wear a face mask to conceal their nose and mouth. Other women don the burqa or an Islamic abaya robe and niqab that covers the hair, body, and most of the face. The latter is common in Arab countries in the Persian Gulf.
Afghan women, especially those in urban areas, consider the burqa and niqab to be alien to Afghan culture.
Before the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, many women wore loose head scarves that only concealed their hair.