Do Not Recruit Afghan Nationals, Orders Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

According to sources, seven women, including a US citizen, are among those detained.

The International Assistance Mission in a statement said that it was saddened to hear about the detentions of its staff members. IAM added that all the 18 detained had now been transferred to Kabul.

Sources said that the US citizen along with two individuals were arrested on September 5, and 15 other individuals, including six women, were arrested on Wednesday.

“We are unaware of the circumstances that led to these incidents and have not been advised of the reason for the detention of our staff members. The well-being and security of our colleagues are paramount to us, and we are doing everything possible to ensure their safety and secure their swift release,” IAM said in its release.

It is unclear on what grounds these individuals were detained, and the Taliban has refrained from making any statements regarding the matter.

This organisation announced that it operates in eye care, community development, health and educational projects.

On Thursday, she said that she wants the Swedish government to recognise the gender apartheid against LGBTQI people in Afghanistan.

She also called for the safe relocation of at-risk LGBTQI individuals from Afghanistan to Sweden.

According to her, many LGBTQI people in Afghanistan are at the risk of death. Many transgenders are homeless, they are not given jobs, and some of them have been threatened by their families or the Taliban.

She stated that despite seven days of her hunger strike, the Swedish government and the United Nations officials have not paid attention to her protest.

She added that human rights activists and LGBTQI rights activists in Sweden have not paid attention to her protest either.

This Afghan LGBTQI rights activist said that her health condition is deteriorating.

Barakzai started her hunger strike on September 7, seven days after the hunger strike of Tamana Zaryab Paryani and a number of other human rights activists in Cologne city of Germany.

Paryani, on September 12 had said that the first phase of her protest has been successfully completed because she has delivered her messages to the governments of Germany, the United States, and the United Nations.

She announced that keeping in consideration the deteriorating health condition of some of the people who were on hunger strike along with her, she ended her protest. She also urged other activists to end their hunger strikes.

The Torkham border crossing remained closed since the past nine days following a skirmish between Pakistani border guards and the Taliban fighters.

After several meetings, Taliban and Pakistani officials have finally reached an agreement regarding the reopening of the Torkham border crossing.

Video clips sent to Afghanistan International show a large gathering of people waiting to cross this border checkpoint.

After the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, the group has had more than 20 armed clashes with the Pakistani border guards at the Torkham crossing, Spin boldak and other border areas.

On September 6, the Torkham crossing had been closed due to ongoing tensions between the Taliban and Pakistani forces.

Reports indicate that Afghan and Pakistani traders have lost millions of dollars due to the closure of the Torkham border crossing over the past few days.

This meeting will be held on September 29 in the presence of representatives from 10 countries in Russia.

Delegates from Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are expected to participate in this meeting.

The Taliban has not yet clarified the status regarding their attendance at this meeting. However, sources from the group have confirmed to RIA Novosti news agency that Muttaqi will participate at the upcoming session.

On Wednesday, September 13, Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry in a press conference stated that the Moscow-format meeting would address the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, Afghan reconciliation, regional security, and post-war reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.

According to her, the participants will release a joint statement following their discussion on Afghanistan.

Earlier, Zamir Kabulov, the special representative of the Russian president for Afghanistan said that the issue of forming an inclusive government in Afghanistan is on the agenda of this meeting. According to Kabulov, so far, no progress has been made regarding the formation of such a government.

Andrei Rudenko, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, also said that it is necessary to understand what the international community and especially the participants of the Kazan meeting can do to improve the situation in Afghanistan.

The Moscow format was formed to address the conflicts in Afghanistan. The upcoming meeting in Kazan is the fifth round of Moscow format talks. The Taliban had not been invited to the previous Moscow format meetings.

Pakistani media quoted the head of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and reported that businesses on both sides are incurring daily losses totalling approximately USD 5 million.

The Torkham border crossing was closed on September 6, following a skirmish between Taliban and Pakistani border guards.

In a statement explaining the cause of the skirmish, the Taliban's Foreign Ministry on September 9 wrote, "Pakistani forces opened fired on the Afghan border forces when they were busy repairing a security outpost that had been built years ago."

Abdulsalam Jawad, Taliban’s spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, told the Taliban-controlled Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) on September 14, that the group is negotiating with the Pakistani authorities to reopen the Torkham border.

Local sources told Afghanistan International that clash began when the Taliban started construction of a checkpoint near the Torkham Gate and Pakistani forces tried to stop it.

On the other hand, Pakistani officials have accused Taliban of "illegal" constructions and resorting to "unwarranted and indiscriminate firing" towards Pakistani border guards.

In the past few days, Taliban officials have demanded the reopening of the Torkham crossing and said that the closure of this border is detrimental to the merchants on both the sides.

The closure of this crossing caused hundreds of trucks full of fruits, vegetables and other commercial items to get stuck on both sides of the border.

Zahid Ullah, Director of Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce told a Pakistani media outlet that the total value of exports and imports between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the last fiscal year was USD 1.8 billion.