Explosion Reported Near Darulaman Palace in Kabul

However, the decision was blocked by two member states.

According to the UN, these two countries argued that the ratification of the law is an "internal matter" for Afghanistan.

During a briefing on its September agenda, the Security Council noted that the critical statement regarding the newly ratified Taliban law was expected to be released on August 21. However, two members questioned the appropriateness of such an action under the current circumstances.

The UN did not name the two opposing members, but the report indicated that China and Russia believe that the international community should assist Afghanistan, regardless of issues like human rights.

The report also stated that Beijing and Moscow advocated for dialogue and engagement with the Taliban without increasing pressure on the group.

The UN mentioned that the two members opposing the release of a critical statement about the Taliban's new law argued that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is still assessing the implications of the "Virtue and Vice" law. They also noted that the Security Council has previously addressed the challenges related to women's rights in Afghanistan.

The Taliban recently announced that their leader ratified the "Virtue and Vice" law, which imposes extensive restrictions on women and girls, including declaring their voices as "awrah" (a concept in Islamic jurisprudence referring to the parts of the body that must be covered).
The ratification of this so-called "Virtue and Vice" law by the Taliban has sparked widespread criticism both within and outside Afghanistan.

The Taliban has stated that the accused were sentenced to five years of imprisonment and 39 lashes each.

The Taliban's Supreme Court confirmed the sentencing of the accused in a statement issued on Monday.

The Taliban frequently report the implementation of flogging sentences against accused individuals in various provinces of Afghanistan several times a week.

Human rights organisations have repeatedly called on the Taliban to stop the corporal punishment of accused individuals, but the group has ignored these requests.

These organisations argue that the Taliban's judicial system lacks proper standards, and the accused are often denied access to legal representation and other avenues for justice.

Previously, the Taliban had announced that a private company would invest in completing this substation.

In July, Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, inaugurated the remaining work on the Arghandi substation in Kabul, with an estimated value of over $8 million.

The Taliban's Ministry of Public Works had stated that the Arghandi substation project would be completed with private investment from the Awfi-Bahram Trading Company. This project, designed to transfer electricity from Turkmenistan through the Khwaja Alwan Desert in Baghlan to the Arghandi area of Kabul, is expected to take two years.

During the inauguration ceremony, Mansur mentioned that the completion of this project, along with other related projects with a total value of $183 million, would provide approximately 1,000 megawatts of electricity from Turkmenistan, addressing a significant portion of the country's power shortage.

The Taliban has provided some information about the role of the Indian company "Goodrich Logistics" in the Arghandi power project. The Ministry of Energy and Water stated that in the meeting, Abdul Latif Mansur directed ministry officials to prepare for the "handover and transfer of transformers for the substation”.

It appears that India, a former ally of the previous Afghan government and an adversary of Pakistan, is now positioning itself to collaborate with the Taliban on infrastructure projects following Central Asia's lead.

Akhundzada travelled to Faryab following his recent visit to Badghis province. During his meeting with Taliban officials, Akhundzada emphasised the importance of implementing Sharia law, ensuring the safety of citizens, and promoting proper education.

He urged officials to "avoid arrogance, embrace piety, and support the families of martyrs, the wounded, and the disabled who stood by you during difficult times."

The report did not specify whether Akhundzada remains in Faryab or has moved on to another location.

Earlier, Taliban-controlled Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) reported that Akhundzada visited Badghis province on Thursday, but the Taliban delayed announcing his visit by two days, which some analysts attribute to security concerns.

Critics have noted that the Taliban leader remains largely hidden from the public, with limited information on the provinces he has visited. Afghan media are prohibited from covering Akhundzada's movements.

Over the past three years, the Taliban have enforced Sharia law under the pretext of "implementing Sharia punishments," which include severe measures such as flogging and executions for various crimes.

Human rights organisations and international bodies have condemned these practices, arguing that they violate international human rights standards and have detrimental effects on society.

Gerhard Karner, Austria's Interior Minister, described Germany's decision as "very good" and confirmed that negotiations are underway with Germany to facilitate the deportation of "criminal" Afghans.

The Austrian federal government stated that the country's Interior Ministry is in discussions with Germany's Interior Ministry to arrange the direct return of Afghan asylum seekers deemed "criminal" to Afghanistan.

On Friday, Karner mentioned that deporting asylum seekers to Afghanistan is now possible and that he has long advocated for this measure. He expressed his satisfaction with the development.

Karner also noted that the presence of a terrorist regime in Afghanistan was the reason for the suspension of deportations. He added that, because of this situation, efforts are being made in close cooperation with regional partners to facilitate the direct return of criminal asylum seekers to Kabul.

Previously, Austria's Migration and Asylum Office had announced that deportations to Afghanistan would be permitted on a case-by-case basis due to changing security conditions.

In March, Karner called for a review of the EU-wide ban on deporting asylum seekers to Afghanistan and Syria, emphasising that such action is necessary and urgent.

At that time in Brussels, Karner stated that returning individuals to countries such as Syria or Afghanistan was currently not permissible due to violations of EU laws. He also called for a reassessment of the possibility of deporting asylum seekers from EU countries to these nations.

On Friday, Germany announced that it had deported 28 "criminal" Afghan asylum seekers on a charter flight to Kabul. German officials confirmed that this is the first group of asylum seekers to be returned to Afghanistan since the Taliban's takeover.