RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi: The only technocrat in the Taliban’s cabinet has been dismissed and replaced by a hard-line cleric. Taliban chief Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada on May 28 removed Health Minister Qalandar Ebad, a trained doctor, and named Noor Jalal, a former deputy interior minister, as his successor. The Taliban’s theocratic regime is dominated by senior
8am: The Taliban’s ethnocentrism is undeniable. This group heavily relies on ethnic factors in its appointments. Currently, the majority of government office employees belong to one ethnic group. Even when people visit government offices, they are forced to speak Pashto with the staff, or else their concerns may not be addressed. It may be unbelievable
8am: Firoz Jawed, a resident of Mazar-i-Sharif, also believes that the Taliban only oppose the celebration of festivals that are more prevalent among non-Pashtun ethnic groups. He adds, “The Taliban oppose Nowruz because they do not consider it a festival of their ethnic group. The Gul-e Narinj (Orange Blossom) Festival in Nangarhar was celebrated with
8am: Some residents of Jaghori district in Ghazni province claim that a Taliban’s morality police official has expelled at least 50 Hazara street vendors from the Sang-e-Masha bazaar and handed it over to Pashtuns from Muqur district in Ghazni province and Shinkay district in Zabul province. They assert their dismay at the extensive interference and
8am: The Taliban, predominantly Pashtun in composition, represent a nexus of ethnic and religious identity. Besides suppressing followers of other religions, they have also deeply divided people along ethnic lines, often ridiculing non-Pashtun ethnicities. Attacks on women by Taliban fighters and commanders predominantly target non-Pashtun women, as reported by media outlets. Hence, the Taliban exploit
Ayaz Gul VOA News May 8, 2024 ISLAMABAD — A bomb explosion in Afghanistan’s volatile northeastern Badakhshan province Wednesday killed at least three Taliban security personnel and wounded six others. Multiple sources, including residents and area hospital officials, confirmed the casualties. They said that a “sticky improvised explosive device” apparently planted on a motorbike struck a
8am: Over the past nearly three years, the Taliban have extensively deprived the people of Afghanistan of their fundamental rights and civil liberties. This group has confiscated all civil, political, and religious freedoms from the people and deemed any form of political and civil activity a crime. In addition to completely excluding women from all
Afghanistan International: Amnesty International’s recent report has highlighted the dire human rights situation in Afghanistan. The organisation has pointed out severe repression and violations suffered by the Afghan people, with a particular emphasis on violence and discrimination against ethnic groups, notably the Hazaras. Released on Tuesday, April 23, the report also mentioned the Taliban’s policies
Afghanistan International: Led by Amrullah Saleh, former Vice-President of Afghanistan, Afghanistan’s Green Trend (AGT) has disclosed substantial discrepancies in the Taliban’s military roster, highlighting the prevalence of “ghost soldiers” within their ranks. AGT’s recent publication reveals that out of the reported 173,000 personnel in the Taliban’s military forces, approximately 100,000 are classified as ghost soldiers.
8am: This report features an interview with a girl who was arrested on charges of engaging in extramarital relationships and transferred to Kabul province’s detention center from the Pul-e Surkh area of Kabul. This girl recounts the bitter and horrifying experience of physical and psychological torture, suicide, forced marriages, the exploitation of girls as sexual