Taliban To Appoint Ambassador To Moscow As Russia Moves To Deepen Ties

According to the ministry, these vaccines are expected to save thousands of lives across the country, where healthcare services have been severely affected by prolonged instability and funding cuts.

Earlier, on World Hepatitis Day, the ministry reported that approximately 15000 people in Afghanistan had been diagnosed with hepatitis in the past year, 12000 of whom were infected with hepatitis B and 1300 with hepatitis C. Abdul Wali Haqqani, the Taliban’s Deputy Minister for Health Services, confirmed these figures.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has continued to call for increased testing, treatment, and vaccination to combat hepatitis in Afghanistan. WHO estimates suggest that over 100000 people in the country have contracted hepatitis over the past decade.

The donation comes at a critical time, as many healthcare centres across Afghanistan have closed following the suspension of US foreign aid, contributing to a surge in preventable infectious diseases.

The Bank further forecasts that economic growth will average just 2.2 percent in the fiscal year 2025–2026.

The report also notes a weakening growth outlook for South Asia amid rising global economic uncertainty. It highlights that enhancing domestic revenue collection could improve resilience across the region and help mitigate the impact of future economic shocks.

Regional economic growth is projected to slow to 5.8 percent in 2025.

Martin Raiser, World Bank Vice President for South Asia, emphasised the need for structural reforms across the region to strengthen economic resilience and foster job creation and sustainable growth.

The World Bank’s previous report, published in February, described Afghanistan’s economy as fragile due to ongoing financial isolation, political instability, and a shortage of skilled human resources. It warned that further reductions in foreign aid could suppress aggregate demand and exacerbate economic challenges.

This warning coincides with the United States' suspension of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Observers caution that continued aid suspensions or a complete halt in aid could push the country towards a humanitarian crisis.

According to the United Nations, over half of Afghanistan’s population is in need of humanitarian assistance.

According to the report, 336 families entered the country via the Torkham crossing, 218 through Spin Boldak, and 193 families crossed the border at Islam Qala.

This announcement comes as both Iran and Pakistan have stepped up their efforts to expel Afghan migrants. Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior stated yesterday that 100,529 Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan over the past three weeks.

The second phase of Pakistan’s deportation campaign began in April, targeting both undocumented Afghan migrants and those holding “Afghan Citizen Cards.”

According to the AFF, two Taliban members were killed and two others wounded during the guerrilla operation.

Local sources reported that the blast occurred near the entrance gate of the Sixth Police District, adjacent to the Counter-Narcotics Directorate building in Kunduz city. In a statement released late that night, the AFF said its fighters had ambushed a military vehicle transporting Taliban personnel.

So far, the Taliban have not issued a response. Taliban officials typically seek to suppress media coverage of attacks by opposing armed resistance groups and remain silent on such incidents.

As host of the Vienna Process on Afghanistan, he emphasised the need for political solutions to the country’s ongoing crisis.

In an exclusive interview with Afghanistan International, Petritsch stressed the importance of inclusive political dialogue and urged anti-Taliban political figures and groups to actively participate in the upcoming Vienna talks. He emphasised that decisions about Afghanistan must be made with full involvement from Afghan stakeholders themselves.

Petritsch stated, “Since 2023, there have been ongoing discussions on creating a roadmap. Now is the time for opposition leaders to act decisively and work towards a unified and actionable plan.” He underlined the importance of establishing initial contact with the Taliban as a first step towards meaningful negotiations.

Highlighting the aims of the Vienna Process, Petritsch noted that the objective is not to provoke further conflict, but to open the door to intra-Afghan dialogue. “The Taliban are a political reality in Afghanistan,” he said. “We must avoid additional war and instead focus on ways to bring all sides to the negotiating table.”

He stressed that global actors particularly the United States, the European Union, and influential regional powers must apply coordinated pressure on the Taliban to compel them to engage with non-Taliban political and military forces.

Petritsch also suggested that moderate voices exist within the Taliban who may be open to the idea of elections and inclusive governance. He pointed to the Doha Agreement, in which the Taliban committed to dialogue with all Afghan factions, and said that these commitments must now be fulfilled.

“The goal is to transform intra-Afghan dialogue into a practical and constructive political process,” he added.

Since the fall of the former Afghan government, the Vienna Process has emerged as the most prominent international platform for the Afghan opposition. Its fifth session was held in February, with participation from key figures such as Ahmad Massoud of the National Resistance Front and Yasin Zia of the Afghanistan Freedom Front.