NBC News: Rihan, 18, who’s being identified by his first name by his attorney, would have been starting senior year activities and preparing for upcoming final exams at Cheshire High School. Instead, he’s being held at a detention facility in Massachusetts, about 170 miles away from his home. The 18-year-old entered the U.S. legally on humanitarian parole along with his father, who was an interpreter for U.S. forces. Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban detain seven members in Badakhshan on ISIS links
Amu: Taliban intelligence has detained seven Taliban members in northeastern Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province on allegations of links to ISIS’s regional affiliate, according to sources familiar with the matter. Those detained include individuals holding a range of positions within the Taliban’s military and civilian structures in the province, among them commanders and administrative officials, sources said. Click here to read more (external link).
Man killed in gunmen attack in Samangan
Amu: A 35-year-old man was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen at his home in northern Afghanistan’s Samangan province, Taliban police said on Thursday. The incident comes amid a recent increase in reported shootings across the country. Over the past week, at least 16 people have been killed in separate incidents in Herat and Baghlan, according to local sources. The killing in Samangan adds to growing fears among residents about security and the persistence of unexplained violence in several parts of the country. Click here to read more (external link).
Other Security Related News
Tolo News in Dari – April 16, 2026
Amnesty urges UK to lift asylum restrictions on Afghan women
Khaama: Amnesty International and the Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS) have urged the United Kingdom to halt asylum policies they say are increasingly rejecting Afghan women and girls seeking protection. In a joint report released on April 16, the groups said acceptance rates for Afghan asylum seekers in the UK have fallen sharply from 96% to 34%, leaving hundreds of women denied refuge in 2025 alone. They warned that the decline comes despite Afghan women fleeing one of the world’s harshest systems of gender repression in Afghanistan, where restrictions severely limit education, employment, and freedom of movement. Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban reappoint Health Ministry official previously detained on corruption allegations
Amu: Sources have told Amu TV that Taliban have reappointed an official who was previously detained on corruption allegations to a senior administrative role in their health minister’s office. The official, Sayedullah, has been named as an in-charge within the office of the chief of staff to the Taliban minister of public health, the sources said, a position that places him inside the minister’s inner administrative structure and gives him influence over day-to-day operations. Sayedullah had been arrested months earlier on accusations of taking thousands of dollars from applicants in exchange for facilitating passports, according to the same sources. He was detained alongside two others and later released. At the time, the Interior Ministry’s intelligence wing published footage of his arrest. Sources said Sayedullah is a relative to the current chief of staff to the minister, a connection that has raised concerns about favoritism and internal patronage networks within the ministry. Click here to read more (external link).
Related
Taliban Detains 13 Ex-Military Personnel In Herat, Says Sources
Afghanistan International: Local sources in Herat say Taliban forces have detained 13 former members of Afghanistan’s previous security forces, with no explanation given for the arrests. Despite declaring a general amnesty, the Taliban have been widely accused of detaining, torturing and killing former security forces. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – April 15, 2026
Kunar & Nuristan Elders Turn To Pakistan For Security Support
Afghanistan International: Sources told Afghanistan International that tribal elders in Kunar and Nuristan sought assistance from Pakistan to ensure their security. Elders confirmed the Taliban had no role in the new agreement reached in Chitral. Sami Sadat, a former Afghan army commander, reacted by saying: “Today, Afghans have been brought so low that, for the security of their village and district, they must go and apologize to the Pakistani military.” He described the situation as a “historic disgrace” imposed on Afghans by the Taliban. Click here to read more (external link).
Panahi named Afghanistan’s footballer of the year
Amu: Alireza Panahi, a member of Afghanistan’s national football team, has been named the country’s player of the year, winning the top award at an annual ceremony in the city of Herat, recognizing the sport’s best performers. Panahi received the honor at the fifth edition of Afghanistan’s football awards festival, where standout players across multiple categories were recognized. Click here to read more (external link).