Uzbekistan To Host EU-Central Asia Summit In April

On Sunday, the NRF released a statement announcing that its fighters had attacked a Taliban base in the seventh security district of Kunduz city the previous evening. The group claimed that three Taliban fighters were killed and two others were wounded in the assault.

Similarly, the AFF stated that its forces had targeted the Taliban’s recruitment command in the first security district of Taloqan city of Takhar province on Saturday evening, claiming that four Taliban members were killed and two others were injured.

Both resistance groups asserted that their forces sustained no casualties during the attacks.

Local sources in Kunduz reported explosions and gunfire on Saturday evening. However, the Taliban’s police command spokesperson in Kunduz dismissed these reports as “rumours”, accusing “hostile media” of spreading misinformation.

Despite this denial, the NRF stated that its forces engaged in a 30-minute battle with the Taliban in Kunduz, deploying both light and heavy weaponry.

Meanwhile, in Takhar, local sources also reported explosions and gunfire in Taloqan, the provincial capital. While Taliban officials have not yet commented, the AFF claimed responsibility for an attack on the Taliban’s recruitment headquarters, resulting in a 10-minute skirmish.

According to the AFF, over the past week, the Taliban forcibly summoned 94 young men from Takhar, demanding their enlistment in the group’s army.

According to a statement from the Taliban Supreme Court, the sentencing was carried out on Sunday at the Shaheed Haqqani Sports Stadium in Zaranj. The court reported that four individuals were punished for “looting and extramarital relations,” while seven others faced charges of theft. In addition to the floggings, some were also sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to six years.

Taliban officials confirmed that local authorities and residents of Zaranj were present during the public punishments. The verdicts, approved by the Taliban Supreme Court, were executed by the Primary Court in Nimroz. However, the Taliban did not disclose the identities of those punished.

Additionally, in Bamiyan province, another individual was publicly flogged, receiving 39 lashes and a one year and six-month prison sentence for “running away from home.”

However, the official stated: "We also have illegal migration to these areas, which we are preventing."

According to Iranian media, Masroor said in a press conference on Saturday, February 15: "We welcome investors of all nationalities and support Afghan investment in Iran. Anyone who invests can obtain residency in free zones."
He added: "In fact, the advantage of investing in free zones is that [investors] can benefit from residency."

The Iranian official stated that the Islamic Republic has recently held negotiations with the Taliban ambassador in Iran regarding attracting investment from Afghanistan.

He further said: "Afghans have investment plans in the free zones of Sistan, Chabahar, and Dogharoon, and they have requested investment opportunities in port development, terminal construction, and warehouse establishment."
The Islamic Republic has seven free trade zones, including Kish, Qeshm, Chabahar, Anzali, Aras, Arvand, and Maku.

In July 2024, Mahmoud Siadat, the chairman of the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce stated that more than 50 percent of foreign-registered companies in Iran belong to Afghan citizens. He added that Afghan traders have invested over three billion dollars in the country.

Speaking at a gathering in Balkh province, Behsudi urged the Taliban to welcome Afghanistan’s ethnic communities. Addressing worshippers at the Sarwar-e-Kainat Grand Mosque, he specifically appealed to Pashtuns, whom he described as the “elder brothers,” to embrace other ethnic groups, including Hazaras, Uzbeks, Tajiks, and others. He emphasised that no single ethnic group can withstand global and regional challenges alone.

“If we have the people with us, we have everything,” Behsudi stated, urging the Taliban to establish diplomatic ties with regional and global powers. He stressed, “Without ties with the region and the world, we cannot make progress.”

The cleric also called for the establishment of a national administration, arguing that without such an entity, Afghanistan cannot resist external threats. “We must have a national ideology, a national voice, and national movements,” he added.

Behsudi urged the Taliban to respect the customs, traditions, religion, and culture of the Afghan people and to transition from an interim administration to a fully recognised national government. He stated, “If we have a national government, the world cannot exclude, humiliate, or ignore us.”

According to him, national unity, mutual acceptance, and solidarity are now more critical than ever for Afghanistan.

Since returning to power, the Taliban has faced accusations of monopolising governance and excluding ethnic and political groups, particularly women and minority communities, from government institutions. The group has replaced many officials with its own members, drawing criticism for its lack of inclusivity.

However, the Taliban dismisses international calls for an inclusive government as foreign interference, insisting that its administration already represents all Afghans.

According to the latest figures, India’s imports from Afghanistan reached a record USD 642.29 million in 2023-24, while exports to Afghanistan have fallen to their lowest level in 16 years.

Earlier reports by Al Jazeera noted that India, once seen as a potential adversary of the Taliban, has now established robust diplomatic and trade relations with the group. The report highlighted the strategic importance of Iran’s Chabahar Port in Sistan and Baluchestan province, which offers a crucial trade corridor for India and Afghanistan by bypassing Pakistan.

In recent years, senior Indian diplomats have visited Afghanistan on numerous occasions, and reports suggest that an Indian technical team is currently stationed at the Indian embassy in Kabul.

In a further sign of warming ties, India’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Vikram Misri, recently met with the Taliban’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in Dubai. According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the two officials discussed regional developments and opportunities for expanding bilateral cooperation.