[ToloNews] Afghanistan has undergone significant developments over the past five years.
One of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s key demands from the international community — formal recognition — was fulfilled by Russia, one of the world’s major powers.
On July 3, 2025, Russia formally recognized the Islamic Emirate as the government of Afghanistan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
...President-for-Life of Russia. He gets along well with other presidents for life. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substance. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to him. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substances...
said: "The Taliban
 ...mindless ferocity in a turban...
clearly control the situation in Afghanistan; this is a reality that must be acknowledged. They have taken many steps against terrorist groups, including ISIS and others. Afghan authorities have reduced the level of narcotics and are actively combating drug trafficking at the borders."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said: "Russia’s official recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in July paved the way for establishing intergovernmental cooperation in various areas, including regional security."
Although there had been expectations that countries close to Moscow would follow Russia’s lead and take similar steps regarding Afghanistan, this has not happened so far.
Countries around the world have continued to emphasize their conditions for recognizing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. These conditions include respect for human rights
...which are often intentionally defined so widely as to be meaningless...
, particularly the rights of women and girls, the formation of an inclusive government, the launch of a national dialogue, and the fight against terrorism and narcotics.
Islamic Emirate officials have repeatedly said that direct engagement with various countries amounts to recognition.
Nevertheless, the international community continues to call for fundamental changes in the Islamic Emirate’s policies.
Iran’s foreign minister said: "We need to engage in dialogue with the current government in Afghanistan so that we can manage these challenges and secure the interests of the peoples of Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate Jews Zionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
and Afghanistan. We have not yet recognized the current government in Afghanistan, and we believe that all people in Afghanistan should have the right to determine their future through the government. Nevertheless, we continue our talks with the Afghan government."
James Kariuki, the UK’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations
...an organization conceived in the belief that we're just one big happy world, with the sort of results you'd expect from such nonsense...
, said: "Our support is conditional on the Taliban taking meaningful steps and upholding their international commitments, particularly those related to counterterrorism and the rights of women and girls."
In response to the international community’s conditions, the Afghan side has stressed that such demands constitute interference in the country’s internal affairs. The Islamic Emirate, in turn, has repeatedly called on countries to lift sanctions on more than 24 of its officials and release Afghanistan’s frozen foreign reserves.
Over the past five years, Islamic Emirate officials have sought to expand diplomatic relations with countries in the region and beyond, traveling to countries including Russia, Iran, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, while also receiving delegations from other countries.
The number of the Islamic Emirate’s active diplomatic missions abroad has risen to more than 40, while the number of foreign diplomatic missions in Kabul has approached 20.
Since 2022, six US citizens held by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan have been released through Qatar
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
’s mediation. However,
it was a brave man who first ate an oyster...
there has been no update on the release of Afghan national Muhammad Rahim, whose release had reportedly been proposed by the Biden administration in connection with Ryan Corbett, George Glezmann and Mahmood Shah Habibi.
Muhammad Ibrahim, Muhammad Rahim’s eldest son, said: "My father has been held without any evidence and has not been tried. If they had any evidence during the 20 years they have held my father, they would have shown it to the world."
On domestic policy, after more than four years of an acting cabinet, the leader of the Islamic Emirate, on the fifth anniversary of the Islamic Emirate’s return to power, issued a decree ending the cabinet’s acting status and ordered the term "acting" to be removed from ministries’ official documents.
However,
it was a brave man who first ate an oyster...
several issues, including the fate of the constitution and education for girls above grade six, remain unresolved, as they have in previous years.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, said: "The Islamic Emirate decided that there was no longer a need to use the term ’acting’ within the system, and it was decided that the government would serve the people with full responsibility."
On the one hand, there has been formal recognition by Russia, an upgrading of relations with regional countries and participation in international meetings. On the other, uncertainty continues over several issues, including the fate of the constitution. Together, these developments present a mixed picture of Afghanistan’s past five years.
Female Inmates at Pul-e-Charkhi Prison Receive Education, Training
[ToloNews] Behind the walls of Pul-e-Charkhi Prison, a number of female inmates have the opportunity to receive education and vocational training while serving their sentences.
Tailoring and carpet weaving are among the classes offered to female prisoners. According to the inmates, these classes provide opportunities to learn new skills, stay occupied and prepare for life after their release.
Hasina, a prisoner, said: "I have been here for six months and have been working in this section. I am very satisfied with the instructors. This helps us take our minds off our worries and stress."
Female prisoners say they earn a small income by producing and selling some of their handicrafts inside the prison. They are also trying to acquire skills they can use after their release.
Elaha, a prisoner, said: "I ask the other girls here to come and learn carpet weaving so that when they are released, they can find halal employment for themselves."
Alongside vocational training, literacy and religious education are also among the programs offered to women at the prison.
One of the teachers at the prison says that participation in these classes not only provides female inmates with educational opportunities but also helps them cope better with the difficulties and psychological pressures of imprisonment.
Hasina, a teacher, said: "Our lessons have brought positive changes in their behavior and conduct, and they have developed a strong interest in learning."
The spokesperson for the Office of Prison Administration says that nearly 400 convicted and detained women are currently being held in the female section of Pul-e-Charkhi Prison.
According to the office, literacy and vocational training programs have been launched to help rehabilitate women and facilitate their reintegration into society.
Mohammad Nasim Lalahand, spokesperson for the Office of Prison Administration, said: "After the prisons were reorganized, those who were arrested by the relevant authorities due to certain issues or problems in society and handed over to us were provided from the outset with the living facilities they needed."
According to information from the Office of Prison Administration, most inmates are being held by Islamic Emirate forces for criminal offenses, corruption, kidnapping and other crimes.
Islamic Emirate Enters Sixth Year as Girls’ Education Restrictions Continue
[ToloNews] Afghanistan’s education sector has also experienced a range of developments and challenges over the past five years.
The Ministry of Education says nearly 3.88 million new students have enrolled in the education system during this period, while 1,204 public and private schools have been established.
Zabihullah Hemat, spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, told TOLOnews: “In addition, 5,118 accelerated learning classes and 11,881 community-based education classes have been established, providing 425,937 people with opportunities to receive education and acquire skills.”
According to the ministry, the pilot implementation of a secondary-level specialization plan in 39 schools and the renovation of more than 4,000 school buildings are among its major activities over the past five years.
More than 19,600 literacy centers have also been established during this period, benefiting more than 428,000 people.
University lecturer Omar Mukhtar Nikzad said: “Greater attention should be paid to the quality of education. We do not need a thousand low-quality schools; rather, we need a hundred schools where all standards of quality education are met.”
Both are needed. But establishing basic literacy enables those interested to move forward on their own. But all that is for the boys. About girl students: However, the ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade, which took effect on March 23, 2022, remained unresolved during the fifth year of Islamic Emirate rule.
International and regional organizations, including the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as countries in the region, have repeatedly called for the restrictions to be lifted.
Education activist Faryal Saeedzada said: “We cannot ignore half of society. We need educated women and girls in all sectors of the country.”
Most recently, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) called for the immediate and unconditional restoration of the right to education for women and girls in Afghanistan.
According to UNESCO figures, nearly 2.4 million Afghan girls are deprived of secondary education in 2026.
UNESCO expert Hoda Jebrian said: “From the very first day, we warned about the risk of a generational gap resulting from the education ban. According to our current estimates, 2.4 million girls have been deprived of and prevented from continuing their education and accessing secondary education since 2021. This figure shows that 200,000 more girls have been added compared with the previous academic year we reported on.”
The Islamic Emirate begins its sixth year in power in Afghanistan while the ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade remains one of the major unresolved challenges. The Islamic Emirate has yet to announce a new position on the issue.
It remains to be seen whether the issue will be resolved during the sixth year of Islamic Emirate rule.
No it doesn’t. They have no intention of educating girls even that much, if they can get away with it. Why do you people insist on fooling yourselves that these seventh century monsters will ever change?
Taliban marks 5 years back in power as Afghan women remain shut out of public life
[IsraelTimes] Officials tout stability and end to war while women remain barred from universities and girls over 12 are shut out of school; UN warns of deepening rights crisis.
Taliban rulers and other officials gathered at Afghanistan’s traditional Loya Jirga assembly hall on Saturday to celebrate the fifth anniversary of their return to power, touting what they said had brought stability and an end to conflict after decades of upheaval.
The Taliban seized power on August 15, 2021, as the US and other NATO troops withdrew following a costly two-decade war. The US withdrawal led to chaos at Kabul airport as crowds of people tried to flee the country in desperation.
Soon after they took power, the Taliban administration imposed a ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade and later also banned higher education for women, despite having pledged before the takeover that women would be allowed access to education, employment and public participation.
Women had also been banned from public spaces such as gyms and parks, from taking part in sports and traveling to distant locations without a male guardian.
At the Loya Jirga, high-ranking officials were joined by some foreign representatives and thousands of ordinary citizens for speeches that marked what they said was Afghanistan’s liberation from American forces.
The Taliban government remained isolated internationally, with Russia being the only country that had recognized it formally.
“We pray to Almighty God to forever protect our homeland from occupation, aggression, wars, and insecurity, and to enable our people to enjoy peace, tranquility, and prosperity under the auspices of the Sharia-based government,” the Taliban government’s deputy spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, said during the ceremony.
There were no women present.
Celebrations were also held in provinces across Afghanistan, where Taliban flags and posters emblazoned with slogans in praise of the Taliban’s return to power were displayed along major roads and marketplaces.
“While the era of war has ended, it’s questionable whether there’s real peace, and the human rights situation has steadily deteriorated, most dramatically for women and girls,” Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan said in a video message. “My mandate has concluded that this system amounts to the crime against humanity of gender persecution.”
“The crisis extends well beyond gender discrimination, even beyond gender apartheid,” he continued. “Across Afghanistan we continue to document arbitrary arrests, torture and ill treatment, extrajudicial killings, corporal punishment, enforced disappearances, restrictions on freedom of expression, attacks on journalists and human rights defenders, persecution of ethnic and religious minorities, discrimination against LGBT plus persons, and the reduction of civic space.”
Bennett warned the international community against “normalizing” the Taliban’s policies, saying it would legitimize the discrimination and tell “victims their suffering is negotiable.”
In an interview with The Associated Press this week, Molvi Hayatullah Mahajar Farahi, deputy minister in the Taliban government for broadcasting at the Ministry of Information and Culture, said despite “challenges and difficulties” the administration had in the past five years delivered security, infrastructure and created jobs.
Farahi, when asked, did not address the issue of the education of girls and women but said “the level of investment made in universities surpasses anything seen in the past.”
The UN agency on education and culture, UNESCO, estimates that some 2.4 million girls have been excluded from secondary education.
The world body’s agency on women’s rights, UN Women, said this week that women and girls had been facing the harshest restrictions in the world and that the bans had been damaging Afghanistan’s future, with the lack of teachers, doctors, nurses and midwives threatening the country’s social and economic foundations. |
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
