Russia, Tajikistan Conduct Joint Counterterrorism Drills Near Afghan Border

The group, comprising senior officials from Iran’s Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, includes Abdullah Arjaei, Deputy for Planning and Resource Provision; Rasoul Mohajer, Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy; Mohammad Reza Bahrami, Director General for South Asia; Alireza Bikdeli, acting head of Iran’s embassy in Kabul; and Mohammad Reza Hashemi, Governor of South Khorasan Province.

The delegation’s visit focuses on bolstering trade and economic ties between the neighbouring countries. Their itinerary in Herat includes tours of the city’s industrial park, the Khaf-Herat railway project, and Rozanak railway station.

They are also scheduled to meet with the Taliban’s governor in Herat and engage with Taliban officials and private sector representatives to assess Herat’s economic potential and expand cross-border trade.

Following their engagements in Herat, the delegation will travel to Farah Province to further discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation, with an emphasis on facilitating cross-border trade and goods transportation.

The executions, approved by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, were conducted in front of crowds, including Taliban officials, in what marks a continuation of the group’s use of capital punishment since regaining power in 2021.

In Farah province, Mohammad Sadiq was executed in a stadium in the provincial capital after being found guilty of murder. In Badghis, two men, Soleiman and Haidar, were put to death in separate incidents. Soleiman was accused of killing three people, while Haidar was also convicted of murder. In Nimroz, Abdul Qadir, a resident of the provincial capital, was executed for a similar offence.

The Taliban’s judicial process, rooted in a strict interpretation of Sharia and local customary law, has drawn widespread criticism from human rights organisations for its lack of transparency, absence of legal representation, and reports of rushed or coerced trials. Critics argue that the application of qisas, intended in Islamic jurisprudence to ensure justice and prevent tribal revenge, is undermined by opaque proceedings and inadequate evidentiary standards.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, public executions have resumed, echoing practices from their first regime (1996–2001), when punishments like executions and amputations were common. Historical cases, such as the 1999 execution of a woman named Zarmina in Kabul’s main stadium, underscored the brutality of that era.

While comprehensive data from both periods remains scarce due to restricted media access and limited official records, at least eight public executions have been documented since 2021, with rights groups suggesting the true number may be higher.

The first confirmed public execution under the current regime occurred in Farah in December 2022, followed by three executions in Ghazni and Jowzjan provinces in February 2024, and another in Paktia province in November 2024. The Taliban’s prohibition on media coverage and filming has further obscured the scale of such punishments.

International bodies, including the United Nations and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the executions as violations of human rights, calling for an end to capital punishment and urging reforms to ensure fair trials.

The rare gathering in a Haqqani network stronghold highlights internal dynamics within the Taliban’s leadership.

The meeting, attended by Paktia’s governor Mehrullah Hamad, the provincial police chief, intelligence head, and other key figures, centred on reinforcing discipline.

Akhundzada stressed that obeying superiors, including ministers, is “obligatory” and demanded strict implementation of Sharia law across economic, political, and military domains, Mujahid said. He also underscored the promotion of “Islamic rulings” and the “propagation of virtue.”

Akhundzada addressed Afghanistan’s chronic poverty, which he has previously called “divine destiny” and a product of “intelligence agency propaganda,” without offering specific economic solutions. He urged Taliban members to eradicate “hostility, disputes, and ethnic prejudices” while focusing on national security.

The timing and location of the meeting point to underlying rivalries, particularly with acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, whose network holds significant sway in Paktia. Analysts see the visit as an attempt to strengthen authority amid these internal challenges.

Speaking to Taliban-controlled national television during a visit to the Torkham border crossing, Sharif said the committee aims to "prevent ill-treatment by Pakistani authorities towards Afghan migrants and address their concerns in Pakistan."

Sharif’s visit to Torkham, a key transit point, was intended to evaluate recent damages, assess the security situation, and review the plight of Afghan migrants expelled from Pakistan.

The move follows accounts of alleged abuses, with several Afghan children at the border telling Afghanistan International they were detained and imprisoned by Pakistani police without cause.

Pakistan’s immigration department reported that over the past week, 11,371 Afghan migrants were detained and deported. On Tuesday alone, 3,669 were sent back through Torkham, according to official figures.

The Express Tribune noted that Pakistan’s ongoing operation targets not only undocumented migrants but also asylum seekers and families linked to criminal activities for detention and deportation.

The Pakistani government’s plan to expel approximately three million Afghan migrants in 2025 has drawn sharp criticism from international organisations. Despite the backlash, authorities continue their crackdown, intensifying efforts to identify and remove Afghan nationals across the country.

The findings, released on Thursday, link these economic losses to the Taliban’s enforcement of its “Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” law, which UNAMA says is deepening the country’s dire financial crisis.

The report, covering the past six months, details how the Vice and Virtue law, which is part of the Taliban’s push to establish a “pure” Islamic system, has granted its morality police sweeping powers to arbitrarily detain individuals and confiscate property. Men, women, youth, and minorities across Afghanistan have felt the law’s impact, with violations of privacy and disruptions to economic activity reported nationwide.

Women and girls face particularly severe restrictions, including dress code enforcement, limits on accessing public spaces, and a requirement to travel with a male guardian, or mahram.

UNAMA highlighted that these measures have drastically curtailed women’s access to healthcare, with female healthcare workers telling the mission they are barred from workplaces without a mahram.

The United Nations Security Council, in its Resolution 2777 passed on 17 March 2025, has demanded the Taliban repeal the law and lift these restrictions immediately.

The UN mission also noted a troubling ripple effect, with a quarterly survey by the UN Women’s Section showing a sharp rise in family and community enforcement of the Taliban’s rules.

Between August and October 2024, the percentage of male family members imposing restrictions on women doubled from 22 percent to 44 percent. Enforcement by religious scholars rose from 26 percent to 45 percent, and by community elders from 18 percent to 33 percent.

UNAMA cautioned that this trend is normalising the curbs, reshaping social and familial dynamics, and fostering a climate of fear and uncertainty.

As the Taliban’s morality police continue their arbitrary enforcement, UNAMA warned that many Afghans are increasingly aligning their behaviour with the law’s provisions, further entrenching its impact on society and the economy.