8am: Local sources report that unknown armed men shot and killed Yaqub Ebrahimi, the former traffic commander of Ghor province. Sources stated that Ebrahimi was killed on Monday, March 16, in the Kandiwal area of Firuzkuh city, the center of Ghor. The killing of former military personnel has increased in various provinces after the Taliban’s renewed control, and in many cases, the Taliban have been accused of detaining and killing them. Click here to read more (external link).
Ariana: The Council on American-Islamic Relations – Texas (CAIR-Texas) has called for a full and transparent investigation following the death of Afghan refugee Nazeer Paktiawal, who died on March 14 after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to information shared with family members and community representatives, Paktiawal was detained by ICE officers on March 13 outside his home after dropping his children off at school. Later that evening, he reportedly developed serious health complications while in custody. Authorities informed his family the following day that he had died. Click here to read more (external link).
Buzkashi (file photo)
Ariana: Afghanistan’s national buzkashi team has departed for Kazakhstan to compete in an international buzkashi tournament, marking another appearance for the country in the traditional sport on the global stage. According to the statement, the tournament will take place from March 15 to March 21 in the city of Turkistan, Kazakhstan. Teams from nine countries, including Afghanistan, are expected to participate in the event. Click here to read more (external link).
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Amu: Pakistani airstrikes targeted a Taliban special forces facility linked to the Taliban’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada in southern Afghanistan on Saturday night, sources confirmed to Amu TV, as the cross-border fighting entered its 18th day. Sources also said that the strikes hit a unit in Kandahar’s District 9 where fighters loyal to Akhundzada were being trained. The number of casualties from the attack was not immediately clear. Click here to read more (external link).
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Massoud
Afghanistan International: Ahmad Massoud, leader of Afghanistan’s National Resistance Front, says Pakistan’s recent strikes in Afghanistan are the result of what he called the Taliban’s reckless policies and the group’s support for terrorist organisations. Speaking on Friday at an event marking the 31st anniversary of the killing of Abdul Ali Mazari, the late leader of the Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, Massoud said the Taliban had turned Afghanistan into a stage for security and geopolitical rivalries. Click here to read more (external link).
8am: With the continuation of military clashes between Pakistan and the Taliban, thousands of refugees from Afghanistan in that country have found themselves in a difficult situation. These refugees say that although they were forced to leave their country due to threats from the Taliban, in Pakistan, too,o they are paying the price for the Taliban’s policies and are being arrested and imprisoned by that country. According to them, dozens of women, children, and men are currently languishing in prisons in uncertainty without having committed any crime and without going through legal procedures. Click here to read more (external link).
8am: The Taliban’s Ministry of Defense claimed that, in response to Pakistan’s airstrikes, they attacked border points and killed 14 Pakistani soldiers. The Taliban’s Ministry of Defense added in a statement on Saturday, March 14, that these attacks were carried out at border points in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces. Click here to read more (external link).
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Amu: With the Eid al-Fitr holiday approaching, markets across Afghanistan are seeing more shoppers, but vendors and residents say economic hardship and rising prices are dampening the usual festive activity. Fruit sellers in the western city of Herat say prices of dried fruits — traditionally bought for Eid celebrations — have increased as key border crossings with Pakistan remain closed. Click here to read more (external link).