Amu: Afghanistan secured their second consecutive win against Zimbabwe on Friday, sealing the three-match T20 series with a convincing seven-wicket victory in Harare. With this win, Afghanistan leads the series 2–0. The final T20 is set to be played later this week, where Afghanistan will aim for a clean sweep. Click here to read more (external link).
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Afghanistan International: Pakistan’s military said on Thursday that Qari Amjad, also known as Mufti Muzahim, a senior leader of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was killed during a security operation in Bajaur district near the Afghan border. In a statement, the Pakistani army said the operation took place overnight between 29 and 30 October, after security forces detected movements by a TTP group attempting to infiltrate across the Pakistan–Afghanistan frontier. Click here to read more (external link).
ISIS trainees
Tolo News: While Pakistani officials consistently claim that no groups such as ISIS operate within their territory, recent developments suggest that ISIS-Khorasan still maintains safe havens and active networks in Pakistan. The assassination of a senior ISIS-K member in the city of Peshawar has once again raised questions about the group’s presence and activities on the other side of the hypothetical Durand Line. Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Peace, also confirmed that a key ISIS-K member responsible for plotting attacks in Kabul had been killed in Peshawar. He has repeatedly called on Pakistan to stop providing safe haven to this group. Some military experts say the incident highlights that the threat posed by ISIS is not confined to Afghanistan’s borders but is rooted regionally. Click here to read more (external link).
Khawaja Muhammad Asif
Khaama: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has accused India of using Afghanistan soil to wage a “limited war” against Pakistan, alleging growing ties between New Delhi and the Taliban. In an interview with Al Arabiya on Wednesday, Asif said evidence suggests India is exploiting its presence in Afghanistan to destabilise the region. Asif claimed there were “longstanding relations” between India and the Taliban, noting that a recent attack inside Pakistan occurred while Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was visiting New Delhi. He alleged that the timing “was not a coincidence,” hinting at coordination between both sides. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News: The Pakistani negotiating delegation, which was preparing to return home, has been re-engaged in the negotiation process in Istanbul. Sources told TOLOnews that Afghan and Pakistani negotiators, with the mediation of Qatar and Turkey, have exchanged views, and the talks are scheduled to resume today (Thursday, October 30). Click here to read more (external link).
Amu: Afghanistan’s Under-17 national futsal team will face off against regional powerhouse Iran in the final of the 2025 Asian Youth Futsal Championship on Thursday evening in Bahrain. The match is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Kabul time, with both teams arriving at the final in dominant form. Afghanistan advanced to the final after a commanding 9-1 victory over Thailand in the semifinals, while Iran defeated Uzbekistan 14-2 in their own semifinal clash. Click here to read more (external link).
Other Afghan Sports News
Khawaja Muhammad Asif
Afghanistan International: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has issued a sharp warning to the Taliban, threatening their complete destruction and saying Pakistan could force them to “flee back to the Tora Bora caves.” Asif claimed that Pakistan would not need to use even a fraction of its military power to “completely obliterate the Taliban regime” and said a repeat of the Taliban’s retreat into Tora Bora would be “a spectacle to watch.” The Tora Bora mountain complex in eastern Afghanistan gained notoriety for its strategic role after the Taliban’s fall in 2001. The minister accused the Taliban of dragging Afghanistan toward another war to preserve their rule and sustain what he called a “war economy.” Click here to read more (external link).
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Afghanistan International: Local sources reported renewed clashes early Wednesday in the Shahr-e-Buzurg district between Taliban units and fighters loyal to Abdul Rahman Ammar, the group’s former provincial head of mining. The clashes, which have continued for several days, pit Ammar’s forces against those of Shafiqullah Hafizi, the Taliban’s current head of mining in Badakhshan, in what sources describe as a dispute over control of lucrative gold mines. Ammar is believed to have backing from senior Taliban figures, including Fitrat. Since taking power, the Taliban have prioritised mining operations across Afghanistan. In Badakhshan, in particular, competition among commanders for control and profit from the province’s natural resources has repeatedly led to internal clashes. Click here to read more (external link).