Afghanistan International: On Saturday, Whitney Wright, an American adult film star, shared new photos from her visit to various Afghan cities. In one image, she is seen holding an AK-47 rifle, suggesting that she is travelling under Taliban security. Under Taliban-imposed restrictions, Afghan women are not permitted to travel more than 72 kilometres alone withoutRead More...
Ayaz Gul VOA News March 2, 2025 Islamabad — Taliban officials have denied President Donald Trump’s recent assertions that China holds control over a crucial former U.S.-operated military base in Afghanistan. The sprawling Bagram Air Base in question, situated about 44 kilometers north of the national capital of Kabul, served as the central command for theRead More...
Afghanistan International: Local sources in Takhar province report that Abdul Nasir, a resident of Farkhar district, has died as a result of torture by the Taliban’s intelligence forces. This is not the first case of a detainee dying in Taliban custody. Over the past three years, numerous reports have surfaced of individuals dying due toRead More...
Afghanistan International: The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) has announced a temporary suspension of military operations against the Taliban until the end of Ramadan. In an official statement, the group declared that it will refrain from conducting military actions as long as its forces are not attacked and its bases and positions remain free from directRead More...
Michael Hughes: Trump 2.0 and Taliban 2.0 were likely destined to clash, but who knew the unlikely bedfellows would kill their marriage within weeks of the Dealmaker-In-Chief reentering the Oval Office. We knew Trump would go after the $7 billion in military aid the U.S. left behind in Afghanistan, but less foreseeable was the radicalRead More...
Afghanistan International: The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), in its annual Democracy Index 2024 report, has ranked Afghanistan as the most authoritarian country in the world, placing it last among 167 nations. The report, published by the research division of The Economist magazine, awarded Afghanistan a score of just 0.25 out of 10, highlighting the extremeRead More...
Afghanistan International: The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) has claimed responsibility for an explosion in Kunduz province, stating that its forces targeted a Taliban special forces convoy. On Friday, the AFF announced that the attack took place on Thursday evening in the Golayi Bandar Khanabad area of Kunduz, killing four Taliban fighters and injuring two others.Read More...
By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi February 28, 2025 Afghanistan’s hard-line Islamist Taliban rulers say they no longer consider the Doha agreement — a peace deal with the United States that paved the way for the withdrawal of Western forces from the country — to be valid. Speaking on February 28, the fifth anniversary of the agreement, chiefRead More...
Amu: Afghanistan secured a dramatic eight-run victory over England in the ICC Champions Trophy, knocking the defending champions out of the tournament and keeping their own hopes alive. This marks Afghanistan’s first win in the competition after suffering a defeat against South Africa in their opening match. Click here to read more (external link). MoreRead More...
Times of India: In Afghanistan, the brutal tradition of Bacha Bazi—the sexual exploitation of young boys—continues to thrive despite official bans and international condemnation. Footage, shared by British journalist and writer David Patrikarakos on social media, showed boys forced to dance for the Taliban, a harrowing precursor to systematic abuse. After the Taliban took controlRead More...
By Sarah Zaman VOA News February 27, 2025 ISLAMABAD — Sana Safi, a young a doctor in Afghanistan, takes pride in her work, for she is among a shrinking group of female health experts in a country where women are banned from pursuing education or working in most sectors. “I am making a real difference in theRead More...
Ayaz Gul VOA News February 26, 2025 ISLAMABAD — Uzbekistan and Pakistan agreed to establish a tripartite committee with Afghanistan to address issues that are hindering the implementation of a proposed railway project connecting the three countries. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reported the development after delegation-level talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Tashkent, emphasizingRead More...
Afghanistan International: At least 15 people have died and 19 others have been injured following severe flooding in Helmand and Kandahar provinces, Taliban officials confirmed. The heavy rainfall and resulting floods have also caused extensive financial and infrastructural damage in both regions. On Wednesday, the Taliban’s police command in Kandahar issued a statement reporting thatRead More...
Amu: At least 21 people were killed after sudden flash floods swept through a mountainous area in Qala-e-Kah district of western Farah province, local sources told Amu. The victims, who had traveled to the area for leisure, were caught off guard when the floods surged unexpectedly, throwing them into a deep ravine, the sources said.Read More...
Amu: Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, former jihadi leader and a senior member of the National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan, has arrived in Iran for what Iranian media describe as a “medical visit.” Iranian state media reported Tuesday that during his visit, Sayyaf met with senior Iranian officials, though details of the discussionsRead More...
Afghanistan International: John Sopko, the former U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), stated that the United States has spent over $21 billion on Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power. Despite the suspension of U.S. foreign aid, Sopko revealed that the U.S. continues to send money to Afghanistan on a weekly basis. AccordingRead More...
Afghanistan International: Documents obtained by Afghanistan International reveal that Mohammad Yousuf Wafa, the Taliban governor of Balkh, has filed a formal complaint with the Taliban Supreme Court, calling for a military trial of Abbas Stanekzai, the group’s deputy foreign minister. Wafa accused Stanekzai of “disrespecting” Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and opposing his decrees. Click hereRead More...
Ariana: Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a former jihadi leader, has expressed concern about the current situation in the country, saying Afghanistan faces “threats and gaps”. “We are facing significant gaps,” he said. “The country needs a heavy council. This is a void that needs to be filled. We need a legitimate government with clear responsibilities and powers.Read More...
Ayaz Gul VOA News February 24, 2025 ISLAMABAD — Afghanistan’s hard-line Taliban authorities publicly flogged 20 men and women Monday on charges of adultery, rape, and engaging in “illegitimate relations.” The Taliban’s Supreme Court reported that all defendants received sentences of 39 lashes each and prison terms ranging from one to seven years. The punishments wereRead More...
Afghanistan International: During his speech, Trump referred to an individual named “Doug” as the person responsible for overseeing the effort. The exact identity of the official remains unclear, but speculation suggests it could be Doug Manchester, a businessman and Republican donor. Afghanistan International reached out to the U.S. State Department for confirmation but has notRead More...
Afghanistan International: The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) announced on Sunday that it had carried out an attack at the fourth gate of Bagram Airfield, killing three Taliban members and injuring two others. The AFF is one of the armed groups opposed to the Taliban and has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on Taliban checkpoints andRead More...
Khaama: Turkish police, after inspecting a freight vehicle in the city of Van, identified and arrested 69 undocumented Afghan refugees. According to the police report, five others were arrested on charges of human trafficking. The rising deportations of Afghan refugees across Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan reflect the heightened geopolitical pressures and the growing humanitarian challengesRead More...
By Ray Furlong Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty February 22, 2025 As Germany heads into pivotal federal elections on February 23, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is making unprecedented gains. But the party has also faced strong opposition from people who accuse it of exploiting a series of brutal attacks by migrants for political ends.Read More...
Amu: Afghanistan’s national cricket team suffered a 107-run defeat against South Africa in its opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy. Batting first, South Africa set a target of 316 runs, losing six wickets along the way. In response, Afghanistan managed only 208 runs before being bowled out, falling short of the chase. Afghanistan willRead More...
Amu: Amid reports of rising internal tensions, Abdul Kabir, the Taliban’s minister for refugees, has rejected the idea that leadership is open to all, emphasizing the authority of their reclusive leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada. Speaking at a gathering in Kabul on Thursday, Feb. 20, Kabir insisted that Akhundzada remains the recognized leader and that Taliban officialsRead More...
Afghanistan International: Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, has raised concerns over terrorist activity in Afghanistan, stating that the Taliban does not have full control over the country. In an exclusive interview with Canadian-American journalist Catherine Herridge, Rubio warned that contested governance in Afghanistan creates opportunities for terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and ISISRead More...
Amu: The northeastern province of Kunduz has witnessed five attacks by anti-Taliban groups and a suicide bombing claimed by ISIS-K, marking a surge in security incidents over the past nine days, an Amu TV review has found. The attacks, attributed to the National Resistance Front (NRF) and the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), have primarily targetedRead More...
BBC: Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi says his players will ignore any potential distraction caused by the debate around their place at the Champions Trophy when they enter the tournament on Friday. Afghanistan play South Africa in Karachi – the first match in a group that also includes Australia and England. There have been calls forRead More...
Ayaz Gul VOA News February 20, 2025 Islamabad — Afghanistan’s radical Taliban leaders on Thursday rejected the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) over their country, declaring as ‘unlawful’ the decision in 2003 by their predecessors to join the Hague-based court’s founding treaty. The decision follows the ICC chief prosecutor’s announcement last month, seeking arrestRead More...