India In Talks To Accept Taliban Diplomats At Afghan Embassy In New Delhi

According to the AFF statement, the attack took place on Saturday evening in Herat province.

Following the assault, the Taliban reportedly blocked roads leading to the site, restricting access and preventing independent sources from reporting on the incident. Taliban spokespersons have not yet commented on the attack.

The AFF did not disclose whether its own fighters or any civilians sustained casualties during the operation.

This marks the second AFF-led attack against the Taliban in a single night. Earlier, the group reported an assault on a Taliban intelligence convoy in Taloqan, the capital of Takhar province, where they claimed to have killed three Taliban members.

According to IRNA, Ahmadi emphasised that the Islamic Republic of Iran is committed to strengthening its relations with Afghanistan in accordance with Khamenei’s directive.

He further stated that Khamenei advocates for regional issues to be resolved by the countries within the region, underscoring Iran’s stance on regional autonomy in addressing geopolitical challenges.

Ahmadi reiterated that Iran supports initiatives promoting peace and stability in line with its foreign policy objectives. He highlighted that the expansion of economic ties remains the primary focus of Tehran’s engagement with Afghanistan.

While Iran, like many other countries, does not officially recognise the Taliban, it has maintained extensive diplomatic and economic relations with the group.

In a significant diplomatic move, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led a high-ranking political and economic delegation to Kabul on 26 January, where they held talks with Taliban officials.

According to the documents, the embassy asked the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry to allocate $3,000 per month for lobbying activities and for "reflecting the realities of Afghan society in the media space" of the host country.

These letters are among thousands of leaked Taliban documents, recently published by an anonymous hacker group.

One of the leaked documents from the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry includes a letter from the embassy in Islamabad, requesting a higher lobbying budget.

Sardar Ahmad Shakib, the Taliban’s chargé d'affaires in Islamabad, wrote that the previously allocated $2,500 per month was insufficient and needed to be increased.

In March 2024, Shakib informed the Foreign Ministry that the embassy had spent $8,500 on lobbying during the third and fourth quarters of 2023. He also stated that a confidential report on the expenditure had been shared with the ministry’s leadership.

In December 2023, the Taliban’s chargé d'affaires in Islamabad wrote to the Foreign Ministry under the subject "Request for Increased Lobbying Funds", stating that in previous years, the embassy had received $10,000 per month for similar activities.

The letters highlight the Taliban’s strategic focus on maintaining relations with the host country and engaging with international figures and institutions. They argue that additional funds are necessary to support diplomatic objectives, cultural interactions, and Afghanistan’s media representation.

While the embassy did not provide specific details on how the funds would be used, its ambassador in Pakistan frequently meets with diplomats and representatives from regional and Western countries, many of whom do not formally recognise the Taliban government.

The Afghan embassy in Islamabad is regarded as one of Afghanistan’s most profitable diplomatic missions, generating significant revenue through document verification for Afghan migrants, trade relations, and visa issuance.

Despite these earnings, the Taliban embassy maintains that its current budget is insufficient and continues to seek additional financial support.

According to the documents, the embassy asked the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry to allocate $3,000 per month for lobbying activities and for "reflecting the realities of Afghan society in the media space" of the host country.

These letters are among thousands of leaked Taliban documents, recently published by an anonymous hacker group.

One of the leaked documents from the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry includes a letter from the embassy in Islamabad, requesting a higher lobbying budget.

Sardar Ahmad Shakib, the Taliban’s chargé d'affaires in Islamabad, wrote that the previously allocated $2,500 per month was insufficient and needed to be increased.

In March 2024, Shakib informed the Foreign Ministry that the embassy had spent $8,500 on lobbying during the third and fourth quarters of 2023. He also stated that a confidential report on the expenditure had been shared with the ministry’s leadership.

In December 2023, the Taliban’s chargé d'affaires in Islamabad wrote to the Foreign Ministry under the subject "Request for Increased Lobbying Funds", stating that in previous years, the embassy had received $10,000 per month for similar activities.

The letters highlight the Taliban’s strategic focus on maintaining relations with the host country and engaging with international figures and institutions. They argue that additional funds are necessary to support diplomatic objectives, cultural interactions, and Afghanistan’s media representation.

While the embassy did not provide specific details on how the funds would be used, its ambassador in Pakistan frequently meets with diplomats and representatives from regional and Western countries, many of whom do not formally recognise the Taliban government.

The Afghan embassy in Islamabad is regarded as one of Afghanistan’s most profitable diplomatic missions, generating significant revenue through document verification for Afghan migrants, trade relations, and visa issuance.

Despite these earnings, the Taliban embassy maintains that its current budget is insufficient and continues to seek additional financial support.

Khorev stated that Russia stands in solidarity with Kabul’s counterterrorism efforts and is prepared to provide necessary assistance too.

Speaking to TASS News Agency, he emphasised, "We reaffirm our commitment to strengthening constructive cooperation with Pakistan and Afghanistan."

However, the Russian diplomat did not provide specific details regarding the nature of Russia’s assistance to Pakistan and the Taliban in combatting terrorism.

Khorev stressed that resolving security issues in the border regions between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains the primary responsibility of both nations. However, he also highlighted that Russia and Pakistan are currently engaged in effective counterterrorism cooperation.

As part of these efforts, he pointed to the joint counterterrorism military exercises conducted by Pakistan and Russia in October 2024.

The Pakistan Army announced in October 2024 that it had conducted a two-week joint military exercise with Russia’s armed forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, aimed at enhancing counterterrorism capabilities.

Pakistan has consistently claimed that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) maintains safe havens inside Afghanistan. The Pakistan Army has also accused Afghan nationals of involvement in terrorist activities.

On Saturday, the Pakistan Army reported that an Afghan national, Luqman Khan Nusrat, was killed during a counterterrorism operation in North Waziristan. In an official statement, the military asserted that "such incidents highlight the role of Afghan nationals in terrorist activities within Pakistan."

The Pakistan Army has repeatedly urged the Taliban to honour its commitments and prevent terrorist groups from using Afghan soil to launch attacks in Pakistan.

In a statement, the AFF stated that its forces targeted a convoy of Taliban intelligence vehicles on the outskirts of Taloqan city.

Local sources told Afghanistan International that an explosion was heard near the Taliban’s Directorate of Agriculture in Taloqan. Reports suggest that a Taliban Ranger vehicle was struck in the attack.

On Sunday, the AFF issued a statement asserting that Taliban forces had been ambushed while returning from the villages of Ganj Ali Beig, Bolak Urta Boz, and Post Khor, where they had allegedly harassed local residents.

As is customary, the Taliban has not yet commented on the attack in Takhar.

The AFF also shared a video of the attack on social media platform X, further reinforcing its claim of responsibility.