Taliban Flogs 2 Individuals Publicly In Kapisa Province

Recently, Chinese media reports have indicated that China might not fulfil the Taliban's objective of linking Afghanistan to its economy via the Wakhan Port.

In an official statement released on Tuesday, the Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that Muttaqi had a meeting with Zhao Sheng, China's Ambassador to Kabul. During this encounter, Muttaqi said that the Taliban has fostered favourable conditions for trade and investment.

As per the statement, the Taliban's foreign minister expressed contentment with the progress in political, economic, and cultural ties with China, highlighting the increase of exports from Afghanistan to China, the Aynak copper mine project, and investment in the Wakhan Port as significant examples of the Taliban's economic strategy with China.

Quoting the Chinese Ambassador, the Taliban conveyed that Beijing is examining avenues for bilateral collaboration concerning the Wakhan Port's opening and endeavours to maintain close cooperation with Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban stated that both sides deliberated on political, economic, and cultural bilateral cooperation between Afghanistan and China, alongside recent regional developments.

The Taliban declared in January that the construction of the road to the Chinese border had concluded, officially linking Afghanistan to China through Badakhshan province.

The department said that 90% of those in Taliban’s prisons are political prisoners.

The US State Department published a report on the human rights situation in several countries, including Afghanistan, in 2023.

The report stated that the Taliban often detain Afghan citizens arbitrarily, without clear legal bases and in the absence of a legal mechanisms.

As per the report, the Taliban detained individuals last year for prolonged periods without any judicial process and consistently violated their right to legal representation.

According to the US State Department, nearly all instances of Taliban’s detentions have been carried out unfairly, lacking clear legal justification, and detainees have not been informed of the reasons for their arrest or the charges against them.

However, Afghanistan's airspace remains under United States’ occupation.

Hekmatyar has demanded from the Taliban that if the United States does not cease this action, "its embassy should be closed, and all Americans should be expelled from the country”.

Shahadat, the official publication of Hezb-e-Islami, published Hekmatyar's remarks on Monday in a statement alongside pictures of Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Taliban; Hassan Akhund, the group’s Prime Minister, and Sirajuddin Haqqani, the group’s Minister of Interior.

The statement quotes Hekmatyar as saying that after the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan, people had hoped for the establishment of their "preferred Islamic system, a strong government with popular will, an independent country free from foreign influence”.

It states, "It is clear from today's circumstances that we still face numerous threats and obstacles on this path."

Hekmatyar emphasised that Afghans who played an active role in the wars against the US and the Soviet Union should unite on a specific axis.

It appears that Hekmatyar, despite facing political constraints from the Taliban, has suggested cooperation with them. This is noteworthy, considering the Taliban's rejection of any collaboration with other political groups in the past two years.

Hekmatyar reiterated that "the country's airspace is still under US occupation, and unmanned aircraft constantly fly over Afghanistan's airspace and carry out arbitrary attacks”.

He emphasised that the US "should refrain from its evil actions and respect Afghanistan's national sovereignty, as well as its land and airspace independence”.

Hekmatyar called for the closure of the US embassy and the expulsion of its staff, despite the fact that the US Embassy in Kabul is closed and operates from Qatar.

The leader of Hezb-e-Islami had previously alleged that the US is present in Afghanistan and supports the Taliban. However, the Taliban has denied this allegation.

The group has acknowledged its current inability to prevent US drones and aircraft from entering Afghanistan's airspace.

According to Bakhtar News Agency, affiliated to the Taliban, Xing emphasised on the continuation of cultural and economic cooperation between China and the Taliban.

On Monday, Bakhtar News Agency reported on the meeting between Khairullah Khairkhwa, the Taliban’s Minister of Information and Culture, and Xing.

Khairkhwa expressed satisfaction with the "development and strengthening of cultural relations" between Afghanistan and China, and considered the revival of the Silk Road important for the growth of cultural and economic relations in the region.

He said that China has upheld Afghanistan's national sovereignty and territorial integrity as a "good neighbour" and has consistently aimed to foster positive relations with the country.

This Taliban official also highlighted the investment and trade opportunities for Chinese traders in Afghanistan, emphasising that the Taliban ensures a secure environment for foreign companies.

According to Bakhtar, Xing emphasised that China has consistently upheld diplomatic relations and cooperation with Afghanistan across multiple domains.

He further pledged to execute the Aynak copper project in a manner that preserves cultural heritage. The ambassador urged the cooperation of the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture in this regard.

In the past two years, official authorities and the company responsible for copper mining have repeatedly promised to start this project, but without any official explanation, they have not commenced the project.

The contract for the extraction of the Aynak copper mine, which is Afghanistan's largest copper mine and the second-largest copper mine in the world, was signed between Afghanistan and a Chinese company in 2008.

This Chinese company now has the extraction rights for the Aynak copper mine for 30 years.

Sources from Helmand told Afghanistan International's Pashto on Tuesday that Taliban’s intelligence agents raided Ishaqzai’s home in Lashkargah city, then arrested him and his two sons.

Ishaqzai is the head of a social association and previously has been a member of the consultative Loya Jirga in the former Afghan government.

While his family has not commented on the matter so far, close friends of Ishaqzai said that the Taliban severely beat up and tortured him and one of his sons, and after two days of detention, they released his second son.

It has been noted that following the Taliban's takeover of power, Ishaqzai had ceased his political activities and started business operations.

Officials from the Taliban in Helmand have refrained from providing any comments on the matter.

Barkatullah Rasuli, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice, recently issued a warning via a video message, saying that individuals involved in political activities will face severe legal repercussions. He emphasised that only charitable organisations are currently permitted to operate.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Justice disclosed that over the past year, it has referred two political parties, 75 associations, and several charity organisations to security agencies for "illegal" activities.

Recently, the Taliban’s Supreme Court also announced that for the first time in Kandahar two individuals had been sentenced to 15 years in prison for political activities, and another individual had been sentenced to 30 lashes.