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Afghanistan

Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Erupts in Overnight Heavy Fighting Across Multiple Frontier Areas

2026-09-28

[KhaamaPress] Heavy fighting
... as opposed to the more usual name-calling or slapsy...
erupted along the Pakistain-Afghanistan border
...also known as Pashtunistan, home of ignorance, poverty, and automatic weapons...
overnight after both sides forces exchanged artillery fire, mortars and heavy weapons across multiple frontier areas, local residents and security sources said, marking another major escalation in the rapidly worsening standoff between the two neighbors.

The festivities began late Saturday along the disputed border in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces of Paktia and Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
and Pakistain’s Kurram district, with both sides accusing each other of initiating the fighting. Residents said exchanges of heavy gunfire and mortar fire continued until early Sunday morning before subsiding several hours later.

Witnesses in Pakistain’s Kurram district told local media that artillery shells landed near the Kharlachi and Burki border areas, where Pak military positions and nearby civilian locations came under fire. Residents described hours of explosions and heavy weapon fire that forced families to remain indoors as fighting spread across several sections of the frontier.

Pak security sources claimed Taliban
...the once and current oppressors of Afghanistan...
fighters fired heavy weapons, mortars and artillery toward Pak military posts and civilian areas across the border. Islamabad said its forces responded by targeting multiple border posts, mortar positions and defensive bunkers with artillery fire.

The Taliban government has not issued an official statement on the latest border festivities, although its front man Zabihullah Mujahid previously condemned Pakistain’s recent ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
<del>Arclight</del> airstrike

...KABOOM!...
s as a violation of Afghanistan’s illusory sovereignty and warned that they would deliver an "appropriate response."

ESCALATION FOLLOWS PAK AIRSTRIKES INSIDE AFGHANISTAN
The latest exchange of fire comes days after Pakistain acknowledged carrying out airstrikes on multiple targets inside Afghanistan, saying the operations targeted Lions of Islam responsible for cross-border attacks and drone launches against Pakistain.

Pakistain said it struck 10 locations in the Afghanistan provinces of Kandahar, Paktia and Khost, claiming they were used to launch and store drones targeting Pak territory. Taliban authorities rejected the allegations and said Pak strikes killed four civilians in the latest attacks.

Earlier this week, Pakistain also carried out airstrikes in Kunar and Paktika
...which coincidentally borders North Wazoo and Kurram Agency...
provinces, saying they targeted turban hideouts. The United Nations
...an organization which on balance has done more bad than good, with the good not done well and the bad done thoroughly...
Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed that at least three civilians, a man, a woman and a girl were killed in one of those strikes and called for adherence to international humanitarian law.

The latest artillery exchanges underline the growing risk that localized border violence could evolve into a broader military confrontation between Islamabad and Kabul, threatening security and trade along the nearly 2,600-kilometer frontier.

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India-Pakistan

Pakistan Border Post Targeted in Retaliatory Attack in Kandahar

2026-09-26

[KhaamaPress] Reports from Kandahar said a Pak border post in Spin Boldak district was destroyed in a retaliatory attack on Thursday, following Pakistain’s recent ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
<del>Arclight</del> airstrike

...KABOOM!...
s in southern and eastern Afghanistan, as cross-border tensions between the two sides continued to escalate.

The Taliban
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
’s 205 al-Badr Corps said it launched the attack after Pak forces allegedly shelled the Cargo area of Spin Boldak throughout Wednesday. Nazir Ahmad Shakib, spokesperson for the corps, said forces carried out a counterattack targeting a Pak military position near the border.

Shakib claimed the border post was completely destroyed and that Pak forces suffered "heavy casualties." The Taliban did not provide evidence to support the claim, and Pak authorities have not commented on the alleged attack or reported any casualties.

The claimed retaliation follows a series of Pak airstrikes carried out early Thursday in Kandahar, Khost and Paktia provinces. Taliban officials said four non-combatants were killed in those strikes and accused Pakistain of violating Afghanistan’s illusory sovereignty.

Pakistain has said the strikes targeted hideouts of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) and affiliated bully boy groups, as well as locations allegedly used to launch drones into Pakistain. Islamabad has repeatedly accused ~~bandidos~~ hard boyz operating from Afghanistan territory of carrying out attacks inside Pakistain, an allegation the Taliban administration denies.

The latest exchange comes just days after Pakistain also launched airstrikes in Kunar and Paktika
...which coincidentally borders North Wazoo and Kurram Agency...
provinces, where Taliban officials reported three people killed and four others injured. Pakistain has described its recent operations as part of efforts to counter cross-border bully boy threats.

Cross-border violence has intensified in recent months, with both sides exchanging accusations over bully boy activity, drone attacks and artillery fire along the Durand Line. Diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Kabul administration have deteriorated amid growing security concerns.

Regional observers warn that continued military exchanges risk further destabilizing the Afghanistan-Pakistain border, where festivities between security forces and gangs have become increasingly frequent since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

Mujahid Accuses Pakistan of Destabilizing Region

[ToloNews] Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, strongly criticized Pakistan’s current policies toward the world and neighboring countries during a speech at the Hamadia religious school in Aino Mina, Kandahar, accusing the country of destabilizing the region.

Mujahid said Pakistan is carrying out attacks on Afghanistan in an effort to withdraw from the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement,” portray itself as being at war with Afghanistan, and divert public attention from its domestic problems.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, said: “Pakistan recently signed the Mecca pact, and Saudi Arabia has also asked Pakistan to fulfill its commitments. Pakistan shamelessly attacked Afghanistan after claiming just a day earlier that Afghanistan had carried out drone attacks on Pakistan, while these claims are completely baseless. Through such attacks, Pakistan wants to extricate itself from the Mecca pact and portray itself to the world as being engaged in a war in Afghanistan.”

Mujahid stressed that the Islamic Emirate does not support opponents of any country and said an appropriate response would be given to attacks by Pakistani forces.

Mujahid added: “We do not support the opponents of any country. If we did, the situation would be different now. Pakistan’s claim that the TTP is present in Afghanistan was also proven baseless by its recent attacks, as those attacks targeted civilian facilities. But we will certainly respond.”

Meanwhile, religious scholars have criticized what they describe as the silence of Islamic countries, Pakistani religious scholars and the Pakistani people over Pakistan’s attacks on Afghan territory.

Sheikh Abdul Hadi Hammad, head of the Hamadia Islamic Foundation in Kandahar, said: “My complaint is with Pakistan’s religious scholars and people: why do they remain silent in the face of their oppressive system, which is attacking a defenseless country? We are also disappointed with Islamic countries for remaining silent over Pakistan’s attacks while quickly reacting to events in other parts of the world.”

Analysts, however, say Pakistan is attempting through its attacks on Afghanistan to conceal its domestic problems and failures before the international community.

Bilal Fatimi, a political analyst, said: “Through such actions, Pakistan wants to divert attention from its domestic failures and the commitments it has made to the international community.”

Sayed Haroon Hashemi, a political analyst, said: “Pakistan will become further isolated as a result of such actions, but attacks on Afghanistan will come at a heavy cost for Pakistan.”

In recent days, Pakistan has carried out attacks on several areas of Afghanistan, including Paktia, Khost and Kandahar, killing four civilians.

The Islamic Emirate has said it will respond to the attacks at an appropriate time.

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Afghanistan

Islamic Emirate Rejects Reports of Al-Qaeda Presence in Afghanistan

2026-09-15

[ToloNews] The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan says that no foreign groups are operating in Afghanistan and that the country’s territory is not being used against any other country.

Taqqiya.

Zabihullah Mujahid told TOLOnews that reports about al-Qaeda’s presence in Afghanistan are propaganda against the current government, adding that there is no evidence of such groups being present in the country.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said: "These claims and propaganda may come from certain biased circles and intelligence groups that seek to fuel tensions and create scenarios of regional insecurity. They may be behind such propaganda. The reality is that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan does not allow this, and the facts on the ground show that there is no need for foreign groups to be present."

Recently, The Washington Post, citing U.S. and other Western intelligence officials as well as a United Nations
...an idea whose time has gone...
body responsible for monitoring terrorist groups, reported that al-Qaeda has once again established training camps in Afghanistan, 25 years after the September 11 attacks.

The report claimed that the group has opened at least eight training centers in Afghanistan over the past three years.

Yousuf Amin Zazai, a military analyst, said: "In my view, this is an exaggeration by the United States for political purposes, aimed at portraying the situation as sensitive once again and creating a justification for its presence in the region, while in reality this is not the case."

Although the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly assured the international community that Afghanistan’s territory will not pose a threat to other countries, it appears that these assurances have not convinced some countries and organizations.

The Taliban are responding to this story reported in the Times of Israel:

A quarter century after 9/11, al-Qaeda and other terror groups are regrouping in Afghanistan following the US withdrawal and the return of the Taliban to power in 2021, The Washington Post reported Saturday, citing US and Western security officials and a United Nations organization.

Al-Qaeda and its offshoots have established at least eight bases in Afghanistan over the past three years, while Islamic State, al-Qaeda’s main rival, has also opened training sites in Afghanistan in recent years, The Post said.

According to the report, the groups have successfully established a presence in at least 14 of the country’s 34 provinces.

A UN report cited by The Post said the Taliban has reintroduced “a permissive environment” that has allowed al-Qaeda “to consolidate, with the presence of safe houses and training camps across Afghanistan.”

Nonetheless, terror groups gaining a foothold in Afghanistan appear to focus more on regional conflict than worldwide jihad, and seem to be constrained by the Taliban’s reticence to invite new international intervention in the country, according to officials and counterterrorism experts cited by The Post.

Al-Qaeda’s Afghan training camps played a central role in the run-up to the September 11, 2001, attacks. According to the US 9/11 Commission, the idea of hijacking planes was introduced at an al-Qaeda complex in Tora Bora in 1996, while then-leader Osama Bin Laden later approved the 9/11 plot at a site near Kandahar.

A UN report cited by The Post said the Taliban has reintroduced “a permissive environment” that has allowed al-Qaeda “to consolidate, with the presence of safe houses and training camps across Afghanistan.”

Nonetheless, terror groups gaining a foothold in Afghanistan appear to focus more on regional conflict than worldwide jihad, and seem to be constrained by the Taliban’s reticence to invite new international intervention in the country, according to officials and counterterrorism experts cited by The Post.

According to the report, UN and other security officials recently investigated claims that al-Qaeda was seeking to re-establish itself at Tarnak Farms, a former bin Laden compound near Kandahar Airport, though a Washington Post review of satellite imagery found no visible signs of renewed activity.

Officials said the new camps teach weapons, explosives and guerrilla tactics alongside newer technologies such as encryption, artificial intelligence and drones. Colin Smith, who coordinates a UN team monitoring terror groups, estimated that core al-Qaeda has no more than around 100 militants in Afghanistan.

Smith told The Post that al-Qaeda has taken more of a “consulting service” role for other terror organizations, such as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), “giving them advice and training on things like covert operations and information security.”

A 2024 UN report cited by The Post said al-Qaeda operatives in Afghanistan were “conducting suicide bomber training for TTP.”

Meanwhile, Islamic State-Khorasan, an Islamic State offshoot for the Afghan region of Khorasan, has been using the country’s north as a “main hub” for training and planning operations, recruiting some 2,000 members, The Post reported, citing officials and UN reports.

Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State remain bitter rivals for dominance of the jihadist movement, officials said, but both now recruit primarily from Afghanistan and neighboring countries, unlike the thousands of foreign fighters al-Qaeda drew from Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Middle East in the 1990s.

Monitoring the new camps has been hindered by the loss of intelligence capabilities following the United States’ 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan and the diversion of resources to Iran and other priorities, US and other security officials said. Still, the 2022 drone strike that killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul demonstrated Washington’s enduring intelligence and strike capabilities.

Al-Qaeda is now led by Egyptian Saif al-Adel, a veteran of its Afghan training camps who is believed to be hiding in Iran, officials said.

Meanwhile, post-9/11 travel surveillance and other measures have made sending recruits to Afghan camps riskier, prompting al-Qaeda and the Islamic State to increasingly recruit online and encourage Western sympathizers to carry out “lone wolf” attacks at home.

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Afghanistan

Afghanistan Over the Past Five Years: A Look at Domestic and Foreign Policy as Talibs and their officials gather in Loya Jirga assembly hall to celebrate themselves

2026-08-16

[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
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.

Link

Afghanistan

Mujahid Says No Information on Missing Afghan-American Mahmood Shah Habibi

2026-08-14

[KhaamaPress] Zabihullah Mujahid said there is no information about the whereabouts of Afghan-American businessman Mahmood Shah Habibi, who disappeared in Kabul in 2022, as the United States continues to demand information about his fate and offers a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his recovery and return.

Mujahid said in a video message on Tuesday that Habibi was not in Taliban
Taliban

...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
custody, adding that if he were being held by the group, the issue would have been resolved. His remarks came as the case entered its fourth year without confirmed information about Habibi’s fate.

Habibi, a former head of Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority and a U.S. citizen, disappeared on August 10, 2022, after being taken from his vehicle near his home in Kabul. He was working as a consultant for Asia Consultancy Group, a Kabul-based telecommunications company, at the time.

The FBI says it believes Habibi was taken by Taliban military or security forces along with his driver and 29 other employees of the company. All but Habibi and one other detainee were later released, according to the FBI. The agency has continued to investigate his disappearance and says he has not been heard from since.

The Taliban has repeatedly denied holding Habibi. In a previous official statement, Mujahid said investigations across relevant Taliban institutions found no evidence that Habibi were tossed into the calaboose by any Taliban-affiliated agency.

The United States has continued to press for information about Habibi and his return to his family. The State Department’s Rewards for Justice program is offering up to $5 million for information leading to his location, recovery and return.

The FBI renewed its public appeal on the anniversary of Habibi’s disappearance, saying it remains committed to finding him and reuniting him with his family. The agency has asked anyone with information to contact the FBI or submit a confidential tip.

The case has also become a point of tension between Washington and the Taliban authorities. U.S. officials have continued to seek answers about Americans who are missing or detained in Afghanistan, while the Taliban has rejected allegations that it is responsible for Habibi’s disappearance.

Habibi’s family has continued to seek information about his fate. His disappearance has received renewed attention in the United States as Washington presses for greater accountability and the safe return of American citizens believed to be missing or detained abroad.

Habibi’s disappearance occurred shortly after the Taliban returned to power and days after a U.S. dronezap in Kabul killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri
...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra...>
The FBI continues to list Habibi as missing, while the U.S. government maintains its $5 million reward and has called for information that could establish his location and secure his return. The Taliban’s latest denial provides no new information about where Habibi is or what happened to him.

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Afghanistan

HRW Calls for Release of 8 UN and Aid Workers Detained in Afghanistan

2026-08-14

[KhaamaPress] Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday called for the release of eight employees of the United Nations
...an organization originally established to war on dictatorships which was promptly infiltrated by dictatorships and is now held in thrall to dictatorships...
and a nongovernmental organization who it says have been detained or forcibly disappeared in Afghanistan.

The rights group said six male employees of the Women and Children Research and Legal Protection Network, a nongovernmental organization involved in humanitarian assistance and supporting the rights of women and kiddies, were forcibly disappeared from the organization’s office in Kabul last month.

HRW also called for the release of two Afghan employees of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), who the group said were detained by the Taliban
Taliban

...mindless ferocity in a turban...
authorities in the western city of Herat
...a venerable old Persian-speaking city in western Afghanistan, populated mostly by Tadjiks, which is why it's not as blood-soaked as areas controlled by Pashtuns...
on Sunday.

The United Nations has confirmed the detention of the two UNAMA employees.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, told news hounds on Wednesday that UNAMA had not received information about the allegations against the two employees and had not been granted access to them.

"We have not received information about the allegations against them, nor have we been granted access to them," Haq said, according to the UN.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban authorities, told Rooters that he was seeking details about the recent detentions but had not yet received definitive information.

HRW called on the Taliban authorities to release the detained employees and provide information about the whereabouts and status of the six NGO workers it said had been forcibly disappeared.

Freshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at HRW, said the detention of UNAMA employees threatens the United Nations’ ability to provide what the rights group described as vital assistance in Afghanistan.

The detentions come as humanitarian organizations continue operating in Afghanistan amid restrictions affecting civil society groups, aid workers and international organizations.

The cases involving the six NGO employees and the two UNAMA staff members have not been publicly explained in detail by the Taliban authorities in the material provided for this report. It is also unclear whether the eight cases are connected.

The United Nations has said that it expects its personnel in Afghanistan to be able to carry out their work safely and in accordance with applicable privileges and immunities.

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India-Pakistan

Pakistan killed 29 militants in an operation near the Afghan border, Pak and Taliban gov’ts exchange protests

2026-06-30

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited

This appears to be the same attack reported yesterday here, though in that report the mighty Pak army blamed the attack on TTP splinter faction Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. It’s a puzzle.

[REGNUM.RU] Pakistani security forces killed 29 militants during a ground operation in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bordering Afghanistan. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced this on June 28 on social media.

"Security forces conducted a well-planned ground operation based on intelligence along the Pakistan-Afghan border, followed by precision strikes in the border area targeting terrorist hideouts and camps," Tarar said.

The minister noted that 29 Kharijite militants

…usually the Pakistani authorities mean the TTP by that term, not ISIS…

from the extremist organization Islamic State (IS, a terrorist organization banned in Russia) were eliminated, as well as warehouses containing weapons and ammunition.

Tarar emphasized that Pakistan has always strived to maintain peace and stability in the region, but the country does not intend to compromise on the security of its citizens. He added that Pakistan will continue counterterrorism operations until threats to the country's security, supported and sponsored from abroad, are completely eradicated.

On March 24, the Pakistan Air Force violated Afghan airspace. The incursion into Afghan airspace occurred after the ceasefire between the two countries expired, which was in effect until 10:00 PM Moscow time on March 23. Neither side announced an extension of the ceasefire.

Islamabad, Kabul exchange protests after Karachi attack and airstrikes

[KhaamaPress] Pakistain and Afghanistan have exchanged diplomatic protests after a deadly attack in Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
and Pak ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
<del>Arclight</del> airstrike

...KABOOM!...
s in eastern Afghanistan, further escalating tensions between the neighboring countries.

Pakistain’s Foreign Ministry said it summoned the chargé d’affaires of the Talban Embassy in Islamabad to lodge a strong protest over the recent attack on a Rangers facility in Karachi, where three Pak security personnel were killed. Islamabad claimed that several Afghan nationals were involved in the assault, including one suspected attacker who was captured while maimed. Pakistain also said its ambassador in Kabul, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, delivered the same protest to authorities.

Kabul’s Foreign Ministry responded by summoning Pakistain’s chargé d’affaires , condemning Pak airstrikes on the eastern provinces of Paktia, Paktika
...which coincidentally borders North Wazoo and Kurram Agency...
and Kunar. Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes killed 36 civilians, including women and kiddies, and maimed 163 others, describing the attacks as a violation of Afghanistan’s illusory sovereignty and international law.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply over the past two years as Pakistain has repeatedly accused Afghanistan-based holy warriors, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
Pakistain (TTP), of carrying out attacks inside Pakistain. Taliban authorities have consistently rejected the allegations, insisting they do not allow Afghanistan territory to be used against any neighboring country.

The latest diplomatic row follows a series of cross-border military operations and security incidents. Pakistain recently announced operations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan
...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it...
in which it said 15 forces of Evil were killed, while the Karachi attack marked one of the most serious security incidents in the country’s largest city in recent months.

Pakistain says its air operations targeted holy warrior hideouts and killed armed fighters. Taliban authorities reject that claim, saying only residential areas were hit. The exchange of accusations has pushed bilateral relations to one of their lowest points in recent years, raising concerns about further military escalation along the shared border.

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Afghanistan

Taliban claims Pakistani airstrikes killed 13 civilians in Kunar, Khost and Paktia

2026-06-11

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗔𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗞𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝟭𝟯 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗿, 𝗞𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗶𝗸𝗮
The Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, announced that the Pakistani military violated Afghanistan's airspace again last… pic.twitter.com/fYFDqglccA
— Afghan Analyst (@AfghanAnalyst2) June 10, 2026

Text:

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗔𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗞𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝟭𝟯 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗿, 𝗞𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗶𝗸𝗮
The Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, announced that the Pakistani military violated Afghanistan's airspace again last night and carried out airstrikes on civilian homes in the provinces of Kunar, Khost, and Paktika.

According to Mujahid, 13 people were killed, including 11 children, one woman, and one elderly man. Another 14 people, including women and children, were reportedly injured.

The Taliban condemned the incident, describing it as a humanitarian crime and an act of aggression.
"Just the way we like it"

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Afghanistan

Islamic Emirate Calls for Release of Mohammad Rahim from Guantanamo

2026-05-18

The report of Mr. Rahim’s capture in 2008 can be seen here. One of the 1980s Afghan mujahideen crowd, he apparently was a close associate of Osama bin Laden, for whom he prepared the Tora Bora hideout, then helped the residents escape at the end.

[ToloNews] Zabihullah Mujahid stated that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan seeks the release of Mohammad Rahim, an Afghan prisoner held at Guantanamo Bay.

In an interview with TOLOnews, the front man for the Islamic Emirate said that Mohammad Rahim, one of the long-term Afghan detainees at Guantanamo, has not been proven guilty of any crime and should be reunited with his family.

According to Mujahid, the Islamic Emirate has discussed the matter with relevant authorities and continues to insist on his release.

Mujahid also called for the return of all Afghans living abroad.

The spokesperson said: "We want all Afghans living abroad to return to Afghanistan, and Mohammad Rahim is one of the oldest Afghan prisoners in Guantanamo. No crime has been proven against him, and he should reunite with his family."

Meanwhile,
...back at the railroad tracks, Little Nell tried to kick her bound feet and scream post the snotty handkerchief Scarface Al had stuff into her mouth...
some political analysts believe that the detention of Afghans at Guantanamo over the past years has been against international laws and principles and has failed to produce positive results.

Political analyst Abdul Sadiq Hamidzoy said: "The United States has kept Afghans imprisoned in Guantanamo in violation of all international laws. Americans who were detained in Afghanistan certainly had reasons for their detention and were not imprisoned unjustly. Engagement is needed, and the United States should pursue a path of engagement with Afghanistan."

Mohammad Rahim was arrested in Lahore, Pakistain, in 2007 and transferred to the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in 2008.

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India-Pakistan

Af-Pak: The war in Iran is hiding another conflict involving a nuclear power

2026-03-19

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
by Gevorg Mirzayan

[REGNUM] The war between the United States and Israel against Iran instantly eclipsed other global conflicts in the eyes of the global public. Meanwhile, the less high-profile but bloody conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which began in February, continues.

Indeed. Long may it last, with many bad guys killed on both sides.
Hundreds of people are dying—not only and not primarily the military. Kabul is now accusing Islamabad of a targeted attack on a drug addiction hospital in the Afghan capital on March 16. More than 400 patients were killed and another 250 were injured.

So the Talibs claim. But the hospital was next to the arms depot, so was hit by the glorious secondaries. Someone did not pay attention to the zoning laws when they decided to build there.

Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the attack as a "crime against humanity."

Of course — mistaking Pakistan for Westerners who care about such things, as opposed to like the Taliban and other jihadis making it the objective.

"We categorically deny and reject these accusations. Pakistan only targeted terrorist infrastructure and military installations," Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar responded.

Pro forma rejection noted, but not believed. Y’all need to work on your delivery.

There is a possibility that the Pakistanis were indeed mistaken—the rehab was located on the territory of a former American military base, and it is possible that some Afghan military facilities were located nearby.

Whoa — an admission against interest. Bold!

The escalation began when Pakistan accused the Afghans of harboring "Pakistani Taliban"—Pashtuns from the Tribal Areas who regularly stage attacks against government officials. Following a series of terrorist attacks on Pakistani territory, the military began bombing Afghanistan on the night of February 21–22.

Over the past month, Islamabad has launched a series of strikes on Kandahar and Kabul, as well as on Taliban military installations along the border.

In response, Afghan forces have been firing missiles and drones at Pakistani cities, including Islamabad, and regularly report the destruction of Pakistani border posts.

Pakistan has made demands on Afghanistan to end the fighting. Islamabad is demanding that Kabul stop supporting the "Pakistani Taliban" and other separatist organizations in Pakistan.

According to Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir, "peace between the two sides can only prevail if the Afghan Taliban stop supporting terrorism and terrorist organizations "

The odds of that happening being somewhere between slim and none, just like Pakistan’s response when India makes the same demands of them …

However, everyone understands perfectly well that Afghanistan will not comply. Afghanistan cannot refuse to support the Pashtuns of the Tribal Areas, primarily due to the tribal nature of Afghan society and the local elite.

"The tribes on both sides of the Durand Line have close ties, including kinship ties. They may have some disagreements, but in times of crisis, they stick together," Gleb Makarevich, a research fellow at the Indian Ocean Region Center at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), Russian Academy of Sciences, explained to Regnum News Agency.

According to him, the idea of Pashtun identity will not allow one to simply “give up” one’s brothers in faith, blood, and arms.

Especially not to whiskey-drinking kaffirs like the general of the Army of the Pure.

The Afghan authorities do not recognise the border drawn by the British between the two countries and regard the Pashtuns on the other side of the Durand Line as part of the Afghan people.

The Pakistanis also cannot force Afghanistan into submission.

"It will be very difficult for them to conduct a ground operation. Pakistan is already engulfed in the peat bog of civil conflict, and it makes no sense for the Pakistani military to expand it by occupying any territory in Afghanistan," says Makarevich.

In turn, the Afghans are also limited in their capabilities.

Yes, they carry out missile and drone strikes on Pakistani cities and regularly report the capture of Pakistani border posts, but this is essentially their limit.

“They are unlikely to be able to carry out a successful offensive operation on any major Pakistani city,” the expert believes.

The only chance for reconciliation remains diplomacy mediated by external powers. But it is slim.

There is not much hope for India, since New Delhi is happy with what is happening.

"India is interested in deepening Pakistani-Afghan differences, since any problems Islamabad faces in Afghanistan automatically mean a decrease in Pakistan's attention to Kashmir," Alexey Kupriyanov, head of the Indian Ocean Region Center at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), explained to Regnum News Agency.

At the same time, the war not only weakens Pakistan and drives additional wedges into the future of Afghan-Pakistani relations, but also creates the basis for further rapprochement between New Delhi and Kabul.

“A fruitful dialogue between Afghanistan and India has been going on for about a year now, and it is built, among other things, on mutual understanding on the Pakistani issue,” the analyst continues.

The United States also has no intention of mediating. Washington has withdrawn from the conflict and stated that Pakistan has the right to self-defense.

The Chinese are trying to reconcile the two sides. Beijing doesn't need this war—Pakistan is an important ally of China, and the Chinese are currently building new, mutually beneficial relations with the Afghans—in the areas of mineral extraction and the fight against anti-Chinese radical Islamist groups.

According to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the Chinese special envoy is currently conducting shuttle diplomacy sessions between Kabul and Islamabad.

The problem is that even if the Chinese diplomatic mission is successful, it will only lead to a temporary ceasefire.

Hudna, hudna, hudna!

The key differences exacerbating relations between Pakistan and Kabul cannot be resolved.

A possible way to resolve the ethnic conflict would be to refocus Pakistan's Pashtun identity on the domestic level. And the government is trying to work on this.

"Official Islamabad will continue to combat Pashtun nationalism and encourage those who are loyal to Pakistan and able to combine Pashtun and Pakistani nationalism. They will attempt to somehow integrate the tribes into Pakistan's provincial agenda," Makarevich believes.

“Because those inbred Pashtun/Pakhton rubes are so stupid they’ll believe anything wrapped up in the right packaging.”

However, the idea of a supranational Pakistani identity is currently, if not in its infancy, then at least in an underdeveloped state.

Pakistan has been and will be divided into ethnic communities of varying degrees of isolation for the foreseeable future, meaning that Pashtun tribes will continue to resent the federal Pakistani government.

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Afghanistan

Pakistani Air Force strikes targets in Kandahar, Afghanistan

2026-03-16

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] Pakistan's Air Force and artillery again struck targets in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar last night. This was reported on March 15 by Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Afghan Supreme Leader.

It’s still going on, to their mutual destruction. This is why they don’t have nice things.
"The attack targeted a hospital where drug addicts are treated, as well as an empty container that had previously been used for military purposes," the Afghan television channel TOLO News quoted Mujahid as saying on its Telegram channel.

On February 26, armed clashes occurred on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The conflict erupted between border units of the two countries in the Nazian district of Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, near the Durand Line. On the night of February 27, Pakistani forces launched an airstrike on Kabul. No casualties or damage were reported.

In turn, the Afghan Air Force shot down a Pakistani plane that entered the country's airspace.

Later, the Pakistani Air Force attacked military installations in Afghanistan. Specifically, airstrikes targeted targets in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia. As a result, two headquarters, command posts, and ammunition depots were destroyed.

In response to Pakistani attacks, Afghan forces struck military bases and camps within the Islamic Republic. The country's Ministry of Defense noted that the Afghan army struck key military installations, centers, and facilities in Pakistan, and that the operations were successful.

Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated that the country is ready for "open war" against the Taliban government (the Taliban movement is under UN sanctions for terrorist activities) in Afghanistan. Asif accused the Taliban of "turning Afghanistan into an Indian colony," gathering terrorists from all over the world on their territory, and exporting terrorism.

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Afghanistan

Pakistan Targets Bagram Airfield in Overnight Strike

2026-03-02

[KhaamaPress] Local sources in Parwan reported that Pak fighter jets targeted the strategic Bagram Airfield late last night.

Local sources in Parwan reported that Pak fighter jets targeted the strategic Bagram Airfield late last night. The base, long regarded as a key military site, was reportedly struck during the overnight operation.

Sources confirmed that several powerful explosions were heard simultaneously from the vicinity of Bagram. According to the same accounts, the attack was carried out by three fighter aircraft, though the exact type of jets involved has not been identified.

Further details about the scale of the damage or possible casualties remain unclear. has Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
not yet issued an official statement regarding the reported strike.

Earlier, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid acknowledged the presence of Pak aircraft over Kabul and said Taliban forces had carried out defensive fire in response.

Bagram Airfield served as the largest U.S. military base during the two-decade presence of the United States in Afghanistan, functioning as a central hub for air operations and detention facilities.

Following the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 2021, the Taliban assumed control of the base. Local sources claim it has since been used primarily to detain political opponents and individuals accused of security-related offenses.

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