Hazaras & Kuchis Clash Over Pastures In Panjab District of Bamiyan Province

In an interview with the Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Saleh stated, “Mullah Hibatullah fears Kabul, where the majority of the population is not Pashtun, and the residents are highly critical of the Taliban regime.” He noted that Kabul has ceased to be the true capital of Afghanistan, with this role now being assumed by Kandahar.

Saleh explained, “It is evident that Hibatullah fears that if he were in Kabul, he would face constant protests. Consequently, the Taliban Emir resides in Kandahar, 500 kilometres from Kabul, to avoid demonstrations and potential threats of rebellion.”

He further remarked that the Taliban has largely maintained its control in Afghanistan due to regular financial support from the United States, emphasising, “The United States is the only country the Taliban respects.”

Saleh also claimed that the Taliban now poses a threat to Russian interests. He noted that Iran, Russia, and other countries have attempted to establish regional relations with the Taliban but have not succeeded.

While the US has withdrawn from Afghanistan, Saleh said that it continues to exert influence, alleging that the US pays the Taliban between $40 to $80 million weekly, with funds sent from Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. He suggested that without the US support, the Taliban would collapse within a week.

Saleh emphasised that the Taliban respects only the Doha Agreement with the US, underscoring that it is an agreement solely between the Taliban and the United States, with no other country involved. He urged regional countries to understand this clearly.

He questioned why regional nations continue to honour the US-Taliban agreement after the US withdrawal, arguing that it does not serve their interests.

Additionally, Saleh accused China of failing to respect Afghanistan's diverse society, stating, “Beijing does not understand that Afghanistan is not just Pashtunistan or Talibanistan; other people also live there, but China does not acknowledge them.”

Saleh described the Taliban's regime as unprecedentedly authoritarian, saying, “In our history, even a tyrant like Abdul Rahman Khan was not as deranged as Mullah Hibatullah.”

Tehran has reiterated its right to pursue all aspects of this "terrorist" act.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Ministry highlighted that on August 8, 1998, eight Iranian diplomats and one journalist were murdered at the Iranian Consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif, in clear violation of diplomatic norms, international laws, and ethical standards.

The Ministry cited UN Security Council Resolution 1267, which condemned the attack on the Iranian Consulate and the subsequent murders as a blatant breach of international law.

Iran has demanded that the Taliban reveal the findings of their investigation into the perpetrators of the attack and "impose the appropriate punishment”.

In August 1998, following the fall of Mazar-e-Sharif to the Taliban, the Iranian consulate in the city was attacked, resulting in the deaths of eight diplomats and one journalist. The Taliban did not claim responsibility for the massacre.

Currently, the Taliban and the Islamic Republic of Iran maintain close relations, with Iran handing over Afghanistan's diplomatic and consular missions to the Taliban.

During a meeting with Iranian officials in Tehran, Fatehinejad emphasised that under this plan, undocumented Afghans will be deported to their home country.

Tasnim News Agency reported that officials from Tehran's Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs also attended the meeting.

Fatehinejad called this process of apprehending illegal Afghans as a significant challenge.

He stated, "People who reside illegally in a country may cause legal problems and put pressure on public resources."

He outlined that this plan for returning of illegal immigrants in Shahriar County is being implemented with the cooperation of various agencies, including Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs of Tehran Province, Faraja and the west Tehran province immigration police. The immigrants will be collected and handed over to the relevant authorities for repatriation.

In recent weeks, pressure from Iran's security forces and some Iranian citizens on immigrants has increased, with numerous reports of attacks on immigrants. In one of the latest incidents, sources in Iran reported that a 15-year-old Afghan boy was injured and his neck was broken due to police torture.

The assailants stole his phone and wallet.

The motive behind this incident remains unclear, and the Taliban has not yet commented in this regard.

On Tuesday, sources reported to Afghanistan International that Hosseini had been transported to the hospital, and his condition is improving.

In February 2023, a fire broke out at the Paykan radio and television network in Mazar-e-Sharif, causing their broadcasts to be halted.

Also, Taliban previously had entered the building of this media outlet, seized the owner's property, and confiscated one of the network's vehicles.

According to these sources, an officer in plainclothes in the village of Absard, Damavand County, restrained Seyed Mehdi by holding his arms and legs while another officer placed his knee on the boy’s neck.

Our sources provided a video clip of the arrest and assault on this teenager, who hails from Daikundi province in Afghanistan. The footage shows that Seyed Mehdi is now hospitalised.

A source told Afghanistan International that the incident began when security forces launched a series of attacks on migrants in Absard village. Fearing for his safety, Seyed Mehdi, who has hearing impairments, attempted to flee but was pursued and captured by the security forces.

According to this source, the officers apprehended and severely tortured the teenager in the presence of several women who were on their way to work.

In the video sent to us, two officers in plain clothes and one uniformed officer are seen pinning the boy to the ground next to a police vehicle.

Initially, two officers are seen applying their full weight on the boy's body. One of them, then, places his knee on Seyed Mehdi’s neck. As the teenager cries out in pain, several nearby women scream and try to intervene, but the security officers push them away.

The video shows that after some time, Seyed Mehdi's cries cease, and the officers then drag him into the police vehicle.

One source explained in a note to Afghanistan International that the officers took Seyed Mehdi to a detention camp and later released him with a broken neck.

Our sources confirmed that the teenager is currently hospitalised, but his exact condition remains unknown.

In recent weeks, there has been an increase in pressure from Iranian security forces and some citizens on Afghan migrants, with numerous reports of attacks against them.

Several Iranian social media users have initiated a campaign, including hate speech against migrants, under the banner "Expelling Afghans, a National Demand," calling for the deportation of Afghan migrants.