Delisting Taliban Could Unlock Economic Prospects For Russia, Says Deputy PM

In March last year, the TTP released footage of its fighters undergoing military training with advanced US-made equipment. The video shows TTP militants shouldering the Javelin, which costs approximately £160,000 and is specifically designed to defeat tanks and other armoured vehicles. The militants are seen training with the missile, suggesting growing familiarity with its use.

The Javelin is a man-portable, fire-and-forget anti-tank missile that can also be deployed against buildings, bunkers, and even helicopters. Once launched, the missile automatically locks onto and destroys its target. The US military often refers to the weapon’s advanced guidance system as “fire and forget.”

After the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, Russia’s Ministry of Defence stated that more than 100 Javelin missiles fell into the hands of the Taliban following the US withdrawal.

A Pakistani security official told The News International that while there is no confirmed evidence of Javelin missiles being present in Pakistan, the real concern is the potential for such weapons to be deployed anywhere in the country if militants choose to do so. The official added that this situation underscores the Taliban’s failure in Afghanistan to secure leftover US military hardware.

The TTP’s access to Javelin missiles raises concerns that these advanced weapons could be used to target Pakistani military outposts or breach border defences along the Afghanistan–Pakistan frontier. Pakistani security sources have warned that the presence—and potential use—of such advanced weaponry by TTP-linked groups significantly escalates the threat level in the region. Analysts have cautioned that access to Javelin missiles could intensify militant violence in Pakistan.

This report follows a recent telephone conversation between Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during which the issue of abandoned US military equipment in Afghanistan was discussed. In an official statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that Rubio agreed on the urgency of addressing the matter.

US President Donald Trump has also called for the retrieval of American military equipment left behind in Afghanistan—a move that Pakistan has publicly supported.

According to the commission’s statement, 3,743 individuals were expelled from Pakistan, while 2,189 were deported from Iran.

The report detailed that 3,500 families re-entered Afghanistan via the Torkham border crossing, 243 families through Spin Boldak, 1,549 individuals via Pul-e-Abrisham and 640 migrants from Islam Qala.

In response to the surge in deportations, Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesperson for the Taliban, confirmed that a commission meeting was held to address the challenges faced by returning migrants. The commission also announced the establishment of a temporary camp for returnees at the Torkham crossing.

In a separate development, the Taliban’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations stated that 40 Afghan migrants were deported from Pakistan after completing prison sentences.

These measures come amid intensified deportation efforts by both Iran and Pakistan. Reports indicate that Pakistan has launched mass expulsions following the expiration of a deadline for the voluntary return of Afghan nationals, with hundreds of Afghan migrants reportedly being detained and deported daily.

Concerns remain among several returnees regarding inadequate access to drinking water, food and other essential necessities at the Taliban-operated camp at Torkham.

He highlighted the significant opportunities that nations like Afghanistan and Pakistan present for Iran’s border provinces, including Khorasan.

Emphasising the crucial role of provincial governors in fostering these ties, Aref stated, “We hope Khorasan Razavi becomes a successful model for international cooperation.”

He further noted that President Pezeshkian’s administration aims to enhance the province’s position in national economic development and bolster its prominence in trade with neighbouring countries.

Aref also referred to the 300-million-strong market of the broader Iranian civilisational region, underlining Iran’s commitment to exporting goods and services, especially in technical and engineering sectors. He stressed the importance of mutual engagement with this market.

According to Aref, border provinces have the necessary authority to expand ties with neighbours. Central Asia, along with proximity to Afghanistan and Pakistan, offers valuable opportunities for Khorasan Razavi.

Pointing to shared cultural and historical links, Aref encouraged the full utilisation of these connections and expressed hope that, with effective management, the province could serve as a successful model for decentralising authority to other provinces.

These remarks come amid growing ties between officials in Iran’s Razavi and South Khorasan provinces and the Taliban in Herat and other Afghan border regions. Recently, the governor of South Khorasan announced plans to open an Iranian consulate in Farah and a Taliban consulate in Birjand.

Following deteriorating Taliban-Pakistan relations, Iran has emerged as Afghanistan’s most significant economic partner, with bilateral trade reaching approximately USD 4 billion.

According to MSF, six children, aged between six months and six years, from Afghanistan and Syria are suffering from acute malnutrition and are in urgent need of medical assistance.

The Samos Reception and Identification Centre, funded by the European Union, opened in 2021 as a replacement for the former Vathy camp, which once accommodated up to 7,000 people. MSF noted that the six malnourished children entered the facility earlier this year.

Amnesty International has previously criticised conditions at the camp, citing instances of overcrowding, water shortages, and lack of essential services, which it described as “inhumane and degrading.”

While MSF stated that it cannot conclusively link the malnutrition cases to the children’s stay in the camp, it warned that insufficient food supplies and limited access to healthcare have significantly endangered their wellbeing.

“No child should suffer from malnutrition due to systemic neglect,” said Christina Psarra, MSF’s director general in Greece. She called for immediate intervention, highlighting that children make up approximately one-quarter of the camp’s population.

In response, Greece’s Ministry of Migration described the reported cases as isolated incidents. The ministry asserted that conditions in the camp do not indicate a broader issue of malnutrition, and noted that residents are provided with three meals per day.

According to United Nations data, Greece formerly the epicentre of Europe’s migration crisis in 2015 and 2016 has seen an increase in migrant arrivals in 2024. The country has received nearly one-third of all refugee entries to southern Europe from the Middle East and Africa so far this year.

Sources confirmed to Afghanistan International that the group's Ministry of Information and Culture has issued a verbal directive ordering provincial departments to halt the cultural programmes until further notice.

The Mushaira events, held over the past four years in various provinces, have been part of the Taliban’s efforts to promote cultural unity. However, the recent suspension follows a high-profile incident at the Naranj Gul festival in Nangarhar province, where poets recited critical verses and urged the Taliban’s supreme leader to appear publicly in Kabul.

Sources report that on Monday, the Taliban also cancelled the Gul-e-Arghawan poetry festival in Parwan province. Officials allegedly attributed the cancellation to bad weather, although local observers reported that weather conditions were favourable.

The Taliban have yet to issue an official statement on the matter.

While the Taliban had used the Mushaira events as a cultural tool, the gatherings have remained tightly controlled. Only poets and cultural figures aligned with the group's ideology were permitted to participate. Women have been entirely excluded, and romantic or critical poetry has been strictly prohibited.

The cancellations have sparked discontent not only among independent cultural voices but also from some pro-Taliban users on social media, who criticised the decision to suspend a programme intended to foster national cohesion.