Afghan Arrested in France Linked to Plot Against U.S. Elections

Earlier, local sources had reported an explosion in the area.

In a statement, the Afghanistan Freedom Front said they had targeted a Taliban vehicle in the operation. The group identified the Taliban intelligence official as “Talha” and stated that one other Taliban member was injured in the attack.

Taliban officials have yet to comment on the incident. On Saturday evening, local sources informed Afghanistan International that an explosion was heard near the Russian embassy in Kabul. In video clips released by the Afghanistan Freedom Front, the sound of the explosion can be heard.

According to Pakistani media reports, the organisation's secretariat has not sent any invitations to the Taliban.

So far, no country has recognised the Taliban administration as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

The Express Tribune, citing diplomatic sources, reported that Afghanistan's membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has been inactive since September 2021 after the Taliban's entry into Kabul.

Afghanistan joined the SCO as an observer member on June 7, 2012.

Islamabad, as the host of the summit, expects to welcome the leaders of various countries and about 200 delegations.

Unlike the Taliban administration, the Mongolian government has been invited as an observer country.

Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf had gone to Dushanbe to attend an international parliamentary session and had a separate meeting with the President of Tajikistan.

Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Friday, October 11, after returning from Tajikistan, the speaker of the Iranian parliament said, "Important issues such as ensuring stability and security in Afghanistan, combating narcotics, and arms smuggling in Tajikistan were discussed."

He said, "Since Iran and Tajikistan are Afghanistan's neighbouring countries, there is a need for dialogue and coordination between the two countries."

The court said in a statement that the individual was sentenced to 39 lashes and two years in prison.

On Saturday, October 12, the Taliban's Supreme Court announced that the group's local court in Kandahar had sentenced a person to flogging in the presence of employees and public.

Despite condemnation of corporal punishment and human dignity by many international human rights organisations, and calls for an end to these types of punishments, the Taliban continues to impose corporal punishment and torture of defendants across Afghanistan.

International organisations emphasise that the Taliban's courts do not respect the principles of fair trial and that the defendants do not have access to a lawyer.

Mahdavi, who has close ties with the Taliban, said that "in the not too distant future, we will see the pleasant and practical results of these talks”.

Earlier, Almas Zahid, a member of the National Council of Resistance for the Salvation of Afghanistan, said that the council has become hopeful for peace in Afghanistan after several meetings with the Taliban.

Zahid said that the international community and the United States are aware of the council's talks with the Taliban.

Jafar Mahdavi wrote on social media platform X on Friday that the Afghan people do not support the continuation of war and violence and expect all parties to "support soft and non-violent capacities and mechanisms, such as direct dialogue”.

The National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan is made up of former government officials and leaders of political parties and jihadi leaders. Opponents of the Taliban have repeatedly said that the Taliban is not willing to negotiate to resolve the Afghan issue. Among the opponents of the Taliban, the National Resistance Front and the Afghanistan Freedom Front have continued their armed struggle against the Taliban.

Jafar Mahdavi said that resolving Afghanistan's internal problems will be possible through meaningful and empathetic talks between all parties.