Security Council Meetings Without Presence Of Group's Members "Inconclusive", Says Taliban

In a statement dated Thursday, 26 December, Mohammad Alam, Deputy Minister of Finance and Administration for the Ministry of Economy, emphasised that women are prohibited from working in NGOs. He warned that any organisation found violating this ban would face suspension of its activities and revocation of its licence.

The ministry urged all domestic and international organisations to comply with the order and to refrain from employing women in any capacity.

The Taliban first issued this ban in December 2022, instructing NGOs to “suspend” all female employees. The decision sparked widespread global condemnation, with some organisations halting their operations in Afghanistan in protest.

Humanitarian groups have reported that the exclusion of women from their workforce has severely disrupted relief efforts, further exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country.

Despite international criticism, the Taliban continues to enforce policies that exclude women from public life and impose further restrictions on their participation in Afghan society.

According to a statement from the Taliban, the training focused on the principles of Islamic banking and Sharia-compliant financial products.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Taliban-controlled Central Bank explained that the programme aimed to enhance employee capabilities and facilitate the full implementation of Islamic banking in Afghanistan.

Sediqullah Khalid, deputy head of the bank, stated: “The Central Bank of Afghanistan has terminated interest-based transactions in the banking sector and is committed to establishing a complete Islamic banking system.”

He further added that all current banking transactions in Afghanistan are conducted in accordance with “Hanafi jurisprudence and without interest.”

The head of Afghanistan’s Central Bank has repeatedly appealed to international Islamic organisations and institutions to support the implementation of a fully Sharia-compliant banking system.

A defining feature of Islamic banking is the prohibition of “bank interest,” viewed as “usury” and deemed religiously illegitimate by the Taliban. Instead, financial activities are structured around profit-sharing and ethical investment principles.

This initiative comes at a time when Afghanistan’s banking system remains in disarray following the Taliban’s return to power. The country’s financial institutions continue to face significant challenges in restoring normal operations and facilitating international transactions.

The initiative, according to the United Nations’ WFP, aims to ensure families have improved access to nutrition while fostering sustainable livelihoods.

In a statement on Sunday, the WFP highlighted saffron—often referred to as the “red gold” of the world—as a promising opportunity for economic stability in Afghanistan.

Abdul Wahid Sadat, deputy head of the Afghan Saffron Union, stated in November that 85% of saffron processing in the country is carried out by women. He further noted that between 50,000 to 60,000 women in Herat province are currently involved in saffron processing, demonstrating the sector’s significant contribution to empowering women.

The Taliban previously announced that, following the ban on poppy cultivation, saffron farming has expanded to 26 provinces across Afghanistan, marking a notable shift towards alternative agriculture in the region.

In a statement published on Saturday on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website, Zakharova noted, “Moscow is concerned over the escalation of tensions on the Pakistani-Afghan border, where not only the military but also civilians perish in shootouts.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry has called for a “constructive dialogue” between the Taliban and Pakistan to address their differences peacefully.

The statement coincides with the Taliban Ministry of Defence’s announcement of retaliatory attacks, conducted three days after Pakistani airstrikes targeted areas in Afghanistan’s Paktika province.

While the Taliban did not explicitly name Pakistan, their Ministry of Defence claimed that the retaliatory strikes occurred “beyond the Durand Line,” the term commonly used by Taliban officials to describe the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

The Taliban’s retaliation follows Pakistan’s airstrikes on Tuesday evening in Barmal district, Paktika province. According to Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, at least 46 people, including women and children, were killed in the bombings, which targeted four locations.

After the airstrikes, the Taliban Ministry of Defence had pledged that the attacks would not go unanswered.

These families entered Afghanistan through the Spin Boldak, Torkham, Pul-e-Abrisham, and Islam Qala border crossings.

According to two reports published by the Bakhtar News Agency regarding their return, the families have been referred to international organisations for assistance.

Since the Taliban’s rise to power in August 2021, hundreds of thousands of Afghan citizens have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, particularly Iran and Pakistan. However, both nations detain and deport thousands of Afghan migrants back to Afghanistan each month.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported that between 15 September 2023 and 30 November 2024, over 783,000 Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan. Additionally, the Islamic Republic of Iran has announced plans to deport two million Afghan migrants by the end of the current year.