Afghanistan InternationalAfghan Activists Urge Melania Trump to Support Women and Girls' Rights
Around 100 Afghan human rights activists sent an open letter to Melania Trump urging her to advocate for Afghan women and girls deprived of education and public life. The letter cites her past advocacy and calls for public statements and meetings to highlight their plight.
ReliablePakistan Reroutes Central Asia Exports via Gwadar and Iran After Torkham, Chaman Closure
Pakistan has closed the Torkham and Chaman borders with Afghanistan after clashes and is now routing exports to Central Asia via Gwadar and Iran, including an initial meat shipment to Uzbekistan. The move is expected to benefit Pakistan's economy, while traders suffer losses and the Taliban increases trade with neighbors.
ReliableTaliban Arrest Six on Witchcraft Charges
The Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice arrested six people on witchcraft charges and referred them to judicial authorities after religious procedures. The ministry has banned talisman writing, witchcraft and sorcery, with former spokesman Mohammad Sadiq Akef stating that killing sorcerers is permissible under Sharia.
ReliableTaliban Official Calls for Accelerating Deportation of Afghan Migrants from Pakistan
A Taliban official named Haqyar visited Afghan migrant camps in Pakistan and called for faster deportations, highlighting unsuitable conditions for women and children due to overcrowding from Pakistan's deadlines. Pakistan has accelerated expulsions of undocumented Afghans amid strained relations with the Taliban.
ReliableFormer Afghan Security Forces Officer Sues US Government After Immigration Detention
Mohammad Hossein Ahmadi, a former Afghan security forces officer who fled Taliban persecution, sued the US government for release after being detained during an immigration hearing in Grand Forks, North Dakota, despite 22 months of compliance following conditional asylum in May 2024.
ReliableRashid Khan Claims 1,000th Career Wicket in Gujarat Titans Win Over Delhi Capitals
Afghan cricketer Rashid Khan claimed his 1,000th career wicket with figures of 3-17 in Gujarat Titans' IPL win over Delhi Capitals. The milestone came after his recovery from back surgery, with Khan stating he is focusing on ODIs and the World Cup.
ReliableKabul University Student Claims Taliban Higher Education Minister Slapped Him Over Uzbek Hat
A Kabul University Uzbek literature student claims the Taliban higher education minister slapped him for wearing a traditional Uzbek hat during a cleanup, prompting criticism from political figures. The ministry has not commented amid reports of similar cultural sensitivities.
ReliableMunir Ahmad Team Wins Kyurugi, Hossein Wahdat Takes Pumsae at Kabul Ramadan Taekwondo Cup
The Munir Ahmad team won the Kyurugi section with 7 points and Hossein Wahdat took the Pumsae title with 10 points at the 14th Ramadan Taekwondo Cup in Kabul. The Afghanistan Taekwondo Federation announced top performers and praised the event for promoting grassroots youth taekwondo.
ReliableTaliban Ministry of Justice Declares 11 Jeribs of Land in Kabul as Emirate Property
The Taliban Ministry of Justice announced that a special court has recognized approximately 11 jeribs of land in Kabul's ninth district, known as Omar Golestan Town, as Emirate property. The case was referred by a land usurpation prevention commission and follows nationwide efforts to reclaim such lands.
ReliableCIS Warns Afghanistan's Instability Threatens Central Asian Border Security
The Commonwealth of Independent States warned at a meeting in Tajikistan that Afghanistan's unstable situation poses destructive risks to Central Asian border security. Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi pledged that Afghanistan will not permit its territory to be used against neighbors.
ReliableAfghan Foreign Minister Describes Talks with Pakistan in China as Constructive
Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi described ongoing peace talks with Pakistan in China's Urumqi as constructive, thanking China for hosting and other nations for mediation. The negotiations seek to end cross-border fighting that has displaced tens of thousands amid mutual accusations.
ReliableTaliban Calls for International Cooperation to Clear Mines in Afghanistan
The Taliban marked World Mine Awareness Day with an event attended by UN officials, calling for international cooperation to accelerate mine clearance amid operations by 155 teams in 23 provinces. Red Cross figures indicate 92 killed and 375 wounded by mines and unexploded ordnance in 2025.
ReliableMultiple Highways Closed Due to Flooding in Afghanistan, One Reopened in Samangan
Several highways and access routes to 11 districts in northern and eastern Afghanistan have been closed due to flooding, with cleanup efforts underway, according to a Taliban Ministry of Public Works spokesman. One road in Samangan has reopened, while the Salang highway is closed due to snow, and nationwide floods have caused 110 deaths.
ReliablePhoto of Mullah Omar Visible in Taliban Public Works Minister's Office Amid Image Ban
Photos from a Taliban Ministry of Public Works meeting show a picture of Mullah Mohammad Omar in Acting Minister Mohammad Eisa Thani's office, despite the group's ban on images of living beings under the Amr bil Ma'ruf law. The ban has caused divisions, with some Taliban officials complying and others ignoring it.
ReliableUN Special Rapporteur Warns Taliban Restrictions Create Health Access Crisis for Afghan Women
UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett warned on World Health Day that Taliban restrictions on Afghan women's movement, education and work have created serious barriers to health services, leading to preventable suffering. He called for urgent international action amid a collapsing health system exacerbated by aid disruptions.
ReliableFormer Afghan President Karzai Urges UN to Condemn Pakistan's Attacks on Afghanistan
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a letter to condemn Pakistan's attacks on Afghanistan as violations of international law, citing casualties, damage and Pakistan's history of using militancy for regional influence. He called for diplomatic action to prevent further incidents amid border clashes that have caused hundreds of deaths and displaced 94,000 people.
ReliablePakistan Raises Three Key Conditions in China-Mediated Talks with Taliban in Urumqi
Pakistan and the Taliban are engaged in high-level talks in Urumqi, China, mediated by Beijing on a framework addressing terrorism and border security. Islamabad has set three conditions, including proof from the Taliban of actions against TTP safe havens in Afghanistan.
ReliableUN Reports Over 90,000 Displaced in Afghanistan Due to Taliban-Pakistan Conflict
A UN OCHA report states more than 90,000 people have been displaced in Afghanistan due to Taliban-Pakistan conflict, with the highest numbers in Khost and Kunar provinces. Damage to health centers, schools and homes has been reported, while aid has reached over 34,000 people amid access challenges in Nuristan.
ReliableFormer Australian Soldier Ben Roberts-Smith Arrested on Afghanistan War Crimes Charges
Former Australian Special Air Service soldier Ben Roberts-Smith, a Victoria Cross recipient, was arrested at Sydney Airport and charged with five counts of war crimes for the alleged murders of unarmed Afghan civilians between 2009 and 2012. The charges follow a 2020 military report on unlawful killings by Australian forces and a 2023 court ruling against him in a defamation case.
ReliableAfghan, Uzbek Merchants Sign $25 Million Pharmaceutical Contracts
Afghan and Uzbek merchants signed contracts worth $25 million in the pharmaceutical sector, announced Taliban deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat. Uzbekistan pledged cooperation in drug production during a Kabul meeting with Taliban's health officials.
ReliableFazl al-Rahman Says Pakistan Border Closures Have Expanded Afghanistan's Trade with Other Countries
Molana Fazl al-Rahman stated that Pakistan's border closures have not pressured Afghanistan economically, as the country expanded trade with Central Asia and Iran. Pakistan's trade with Afghanistan fell 60% in recent months, per its central bank.
ReliableFormer Afghan Special Forces Officer Hospitalized in Britain with Severe Brain Injuries
A former Afghan special forces officer was hospitalized in Britain with severe brain injuries following a scuffle with unknown individuals at a railway station. Two 17-year-old girls were arrested at the scene but released on bail, and a fundraiser has collected over 10,000 pounds for his medical expenses.
ReliableNearly 100,000 in Nuristan's Kamdesh, Barg-i-Matal Lack Aid Access Due to Cross-Border Shootings
Nearly 100,000 residents in Nuristan's Kamdesh and Barg-i-Matal districts have been cut off from humanitarian aid and essentials for a month due to cross-border shootings from Pakistan blocking roads, OCHA reported on 17 Hamal. Taliban governor Zain al-Abidin Abid said alternative routes are being developed.
ReliableIranian Embassy in Kabul Seeks Afghan Donations for War Effort, Faces Social Media Criticism
Iran's embassy in Kabul called for financial donations from Afghans to aid its war effort but faced sharp criticism on social media over Afghanistan's poverty, migrant deportations, and past Iranian actions like Fatemiyoun Brigade recruitment. While some voiced sympathy, most Afghan and some Iranian users rejected the appeal as hypocritical.
ReliableReal Madrid Hosts Bayern Munich in Champions League Quarter-Final
Real Madrid hosts Bayern Munich in a UEFA Champions League quarter-final at the Bernabeu, refereed by Michael Oliver, in their 29th European meeting where Real leads the head-to-head 13-11-4. Both teams enter with strong recent form but face injury concerns, including uncertainties over Harry Kane's fitness.
ReliableAfghan Woman Gives Birth to Quintuplets at Emergency Hospital
Emergency Hospital announced that a woman in Afghanistan gave birth to quintuplets approximately 30 weeks prematurely, with the mother and all five babies in good condition under special care. The rare event follows a similar birth last year in Mazar-e-Sharif, where one fetus died before birth.
ReliableTaliban Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada Urges Hajj Guides to Promote Sharia Rulings
Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada urged Hajj guides in the southern zone to raise Sharia awareness, reform pilgrims' minds and prevent prohibited practices, in his first public speech since Eid prayer. The remarks made no reference to recent Taliban-reported deaths from natural disasters and border clashes with Pakistan.
ReliableAfghanistan Appoints Representative to Newly Forming World Futsal Trade Federation
The World Futsal Trade Federation is being created to run company-based futsal tournaments at national and international levels, starting with an event in Serbia in December 2026. Afghanistan will participate via national selection, and Mohammad Nasir Sadaqat has been named its Asian representative.
ReliableHeavy Rains, Flash Floods Kill 8, Injure 2 in Afghanistan's Badghis Province
Heavy rains and flash floods in Afghanistan's Badghis province killed at least eight people and injured two others, prompting the closure of the Qala-i-Naw-Herat highway and district routes. Authorities have warned residents to avoid travel and high-risk areas.
ReliableTaliban Sports Officials Reject 'Mazari' Name for Kabul Futsal Team
Taliban sports officials rejected requests from west Kabul elders and supporters to keep the "Omid Shahid Mazari" name for a futsal team, banning it from a tournament in Mazar-e Sharif after insisting the "Mazari" reference be removed.