8am: Previously, the Middle East Research Institute (MERI) reported that of the 1,137 senior Taliban officials, 891 were Pashtun, 53 Tajik, 28 Uzbek, and 6 Hazara. According to this research, 40 of the top-tier Taliban Supreme Leaders, including the Supreme Leader, prime minister, and ministers of defense, higher education, education, culture, rural development, labor and
8am: Several former military personnel and their family members have complained about extortion, torture, and retaliation by the Taliban. Some relatives of these ex-soldiers report that in recent weeks, the Taliban have harassed former security forces and their families in various ways. In less than a month, the group has accused at least ten former
Cryptopoliton: In one of the more bizarre twists of Afghanistan’s post-2021 collapse, these guys are reportedly trading memecoins, specifically Shiba Inu (SHIB) and Dogecoin (DOGE), proving that hypocrisy and hustle know no bounds. Click here to read more (external link).
8am: Economic mafias, in collusion with corrupt Taliban factions, have reportedly presented construction projects and sold state properties and public facilities at the cheapest price as low as the price of a kilogram of “potatoes”! The Stomatology Hospital, Rabia Balkhi Hospital, and the land of the Baihaqi Directorate of the Ministry of Information and Culture
8am: Farhad, a pushcart vendor, explained, “People don’t have money to buy things. Every morning, we leave home hoping for work, but there are fewer customers now. On top of that, the Taliban don’t let us work freely, and we’re forced to pay them bribes.” Shopkeepers in Kunduz are also grappling with reduced consumer spending
Afghanistan International: Andrés Efren Montalvo Sosa, head of the UN Sanctions Committee said on Thursday (December 12) that a number of key Taliban officials are complicit in drug cartels and production and trafficking networks. However, according to Sosa, the Taliban leadership encourages ordinary Afghan farmers to cultivate alternatives. Click here to read more (external link).
8am: As winter approaches, disabled individuals in Takhar province are increasingly concerned about worsening economic conditions and the intensifying cold. Abdul Wahab, a resident of Khwaja Bahauddin district in Takhar, told the Hasht-e Subh Daily: “Who should we complain to? In my view, those who deny us our rights are oppressors. We call on the
8am: Sources from the Jaghori district confirm that several construction projects remain incomplete this year due to Taliban extortion. These sources explain that the lack of sufficient funding has halted implementation and that the Taliban district governor collects the money. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: With these changes, it seems that Hibatullah is trying to expand and consolidate his influence. One-third of these appointments have been made in Afghanistan’s southern provinces. Hibatullah has appointed and replaced dozens of people, including ministers, deputies, and commanders of the Taliban’s army. Many of these appointments are made not on the basis
Amu: Since assuming power in August 2021, the Taliban have made land confiscation a cornerstone of their governance, frequently reclaiming property they deem to belong to the state. While the Taliban defends the policy as a measure to restore order, it has faced criticism from individuals who claim rightful ownership of the seized lands and