Taliban Is Far From Getting International Recognition, Says White House Spox

Sep 19, 2023, 09:36 GMT+1

John Kirby, the Spokesperson for the US National Security Council on Monday, told Afghanistan International that the US’ policy towards the Taliban has not changed.

Kirby stressed that the Taliban is heading in the direction contrary to the international community's demands and is far from gaining international legitimacy.

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Taliban Military Court Acquits Group’s Senior Official of Charges of Illicit Relations

Sep 18, 2023, 15:28 GMT+1

According to a document from the Taliban’s Supreme Court, the group's military court has cleared Mullah Ahmad, the director of the Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) in Kabul of allegations of "inappropriate relations with his bodyguard”.

As per the document, the court has "reviewed" the video clip showing Mullah Ahmad allegedly "sharing a bed" with his bodyguard and labeled it as "fabricated".

A copy of an official letter of the Taliban which has been reviewed by Afghanistan International, reveals that Mullah Hassan Akhund, the group’s Prime Minister, sent the issue of illicit relation of Mullah Ahmad with his bodyguard to the Kabul Military Court for investigation on September 9.

In response to the letter of the Taliban’s Prime Minister, Mawlawi Abdul Ghafar Rahmani, the group’s head of the military court, on September 17 wrote, "After investigation, it has been confirmed that the video clip circulated on social media, intended to defame Mullah Ahmad and it has been verified as fake and untrue. Consequently, Mullah Ahmad has been acquitted of all charges”.

The Taliban’s military court did not provide any explanation regarding how it was recognised as a "fake" video clip.

The video clip of Mullah Ahmad’s illicit relationship with his bodyguard had been received by Afghanistan International and published on August 18.

The videotape shows a room with a bed. In the video, Mullah Ahmad takes off his clothes and shares a bed with a young man, who is said to be his bodyguard.

On August 22, three days after the broadcast of the video clip, the Taliban leadership summoned Mullah Ahmad Akhund to Kandahar province.

In a letter from DABS, a copy of which received by Afghanistan International, it was mentioned that Mullah Ahmad's visit of Kandahar was "family problems", while sources said he had been "summoned" by the Taliban leadership.

Now, a month after the publication of the video clip, new dimensions of the story have been published.

Subsequent to the release of this video, Mullah Ahmad has filed a complaint against his two bodyguards.

In a letter announcing the acquittal of Mullah Ahmad, the Taliban’s military court in Kabul asked him to "reconcile" with his bodyguards and "forgive" them.

It is not clear what was the reason behind Ahmad’s complaint against his bodyguards.

The Taliban’s military court has acquitted this senior official of the group, while the group has punished Afghan citizens with allegations of extramarital sexual relations.

The Supreme Court of the Taliban announced last month that the group's courts have issued 175 sentences of Qisas, which translates as retaliation in kind - effectively an eye for an eye; 37 sentences of stoning and four sentences of burying the convicts under rubble.

Without Funding, WFP May Completely Withdraw From Afghanistan, Warns WFP Official

Sep 18, 2023, 13:46 GMT+1

Cindy McCain, World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director, has warned that if the organisation cannot find funding, it will pull out of Afghanistan.

McCain told ABC News that the World Food Programme is facing its worst funding shortfall in its 60-year history.

"Unless we can build up some funding for Afghanistan, we'll have to pull completely out of the country," she told ABC.

In the interview, she emphasised that the World Food Programme is in a "desperate situation". According to McCain, there are currently many concerns regarding foreign aid to countries in need.

The WFP Executive Director warned that the organisation doesn’t even have enough funding to get through October.

After the takeover of power by the Taliban in 2021, poverty and hunger in Afghanistan increased drastically and the economy of the country faced a crisis.

With the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women's work, the crisis of poverty and unemployment spread further.

Previously, WFP had said that more than 20 million people in Afghanistan are at risk of severe hunger.

Highlighting the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s right to work in Afghanistan, she said that WFP has been actively providing food support to women and children, and a potential withdrawal could lead to dire consequences of starvation and famine.

According to her, the war in Ukraine has somehow overshadowed the vast needs of the hungry around the world.

“We certainly understand the need to support Ukraine. But there's other hot spots in the world that are deeply and as much desperate as Ukraine is," she said.

Taliban Forms Ulema Councils In Seven Provinces Of Afghanistan

Sep 18, 2023, 12:06 GMT+1

Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban’s spokesperson, announced that based on a decree of Hibatullah Akhundzada, the group’s leader, Ulema Councils have been formed in seven provinces.

According to the statement, these councils have been formed in Nuristan, Bamiyan, Maidan Wardak, Ghor, Sar-e-pol, Laghman and Daikundi provinces.

Mujahid announced the formation of these councils on Sunday on social media platform X.

These councils have seven to 17 members, and it appears that all members are individuals associated with religious schools and those who are aligned with the Taliban.

It seems that the Taliban leader has chosen most of the members of the council from Sunni scholars in the three Shia-dominated provinces of Bamiyan, Daikundi and Sar-e-Pol provinces.

According to the statement, Mullah Hibatullah emphasised that the councils have been tasked with giving advice to the local Taliban administrations in the provinces.

The Taliban had previously announced the establishment of such councils in several other provinces as well.

These councils are primarily composed of clerics aligned with the Taliban and are instrumental in implementing the group's strict policies at the local level.

In addition to the Ulema councils, the Taliban has established the Ministry of Propagation of Virtues and Prevention of Vice with offices in every province and district of Afghanistan.

The agents of this ministry control the appearance of Afghans in public spaces.

Taliban Regulates Activities of YouTubers In Afghanistan

Sep 18, 2023, 10:54 GMT+1

Hayatullah Mohajer, Taliban’s Deputy Minister of Information and Culture, announced codification of a procedure to regulate the activities of Afghan YouTubers.

According to the Taliban-controlled Bakhtar News Agency, Mohajer said that this procedure was prepared due to the increase in the number of YouTubers in Afghanistan.

Since taking power in 2021, the group has significantly restricted the operations of independent media. As a result, a large number of young people have turned to social media networks like, YouTube, to disseminate content.

Mohajer explained that the primary motivation for young people to use YouTube is the platform's "monetisation" opportunities.

This Taliban official did not give more details about the new regulation of Afghan YouTubers.

In the last two years, the Taliban regime has arrested and imprisoned several YouTubers on various charges. Some of them are still in prison.

Earlier, there were concerns that the Taliban might restrict the activities of YouTubers by imposing new regulations.

On Sunday, Bakhtar News Agency, quoting Mohajer reported that the Ministry of Information and Culture of the Taliban support media outlets which work in accordance with Islamic values.

Mohajer did not explain what he meant by the term "Islamic values". However, the group has a strict interpretation of "Islamic values" which has led to the prohibition of numerous media programmes, such as music broadcasts and soap operas.

In the past two years, the group officials have repeatedly emphasised that the activities of Afghan media organisations should be in accordance with the policies of the Taliban.

China Respects Taliban’s Policies, Says Group’s Ministry of Interior

Sep 18, 2023, 09:07 GMT+1

The Taliban's Ministry of Interior on Sunday announced that Zhao Xing, the new Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan, met Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Interior Minister of the group’s government.

According to the Taliban, Xing said that China fully respects the "independence, beliefs and culture of Afghanistan."

Many countries have urged the Taliban to change their policies towards women and girls in Afghanistan.

However, the Taliban have stated that the ban on women's work and education is "a part of Afghan culture". The group has asked the international community and the United Nations to respect cultural differences and not to interfere in the internal affairs of the Taliban.

China is one of the few countries which has not criticised the violation of women’s and girls’ rights under the Taliban rule.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Interior stated that the Chinese Ambassador has emphasised on non-interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.

According to the group’s statement, Haqqani has also praised China's position towards Afghanistan.

Following the appointment of a new Chinese ambassador for Afghanistan, Mullah Hassan Akhund, the Taliban’s Prime Minister accepted his credentials on September 13, and welcomed him in a special ceremony held at the Arg (Presidential Palace).

During his meeting with the Taliban officials, Xing stressed on maintaining the territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan.

According to the Taliban, Xing stressed that China does not follow the policy of interference in the Afghanistan affairs and will work to strengthen relations and cooperation between the two countries.

China is one of the few countries which has established close relations with the Taliban since their takeover of power and has signed several contracts in the mining sector of Afghanistan.

The new Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan is the first foreign ambassador who has been sent to Afghanistan under the Taliban control with official credentials.

China is looking at its economic interests in Afghanistan, and in the last two years, Chinese companies have signed several mining contracts in Afghanistan.