Local Taliban Security Official Killed In Laghman Province, Reports AGT

The ministry reported that 2,651 migrants were repatriated from Iran on Monday, and 778 others were repatriated from Pakistan on Tuesday.

In separate press releases on Tuesday, this Taliban ministry stated that migrants were repatriated through the Torkham, Spin Boldak, and Islam Qala border crossings.

According to the ministry's statement, five children without guardians were also deported from Iran, and 18 of the deportees from Pakistan were individuals who had been released from prison.

During the execution ceremony, Abdul Rauf Saadat, the chief justice of the Taliban's city court in Kapisa said, "We uphold divine decrees without fear and hesitation."

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Supreme Court of the Taliban reported that these two suspects received their punishment on Monday.

As per the statement, the city court in Kapisa imposed a three-year imprisonment on one individual and a one-year and six-month imprisonment on the other.

The court refrained from providing further details about the defendants.

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court of the Taliban also sentenced another individual in Zabul to 39 lashes for extramarital relations.

Despite repeated calls from the global community and human rights defenders to cease physical punishments, the Taliban insists on continuing public and physical penalties for accused individuals in accordance with "Islamic Sharia”.

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.