Killed 2 Taliban Fighters In Kunduz, Claims AFF
The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) has claimed responsibility for an attack that reportedly killed two Taliban fighters and injured another near Bandar-e Khan Abad in the northern province of Kunduz.
The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) has claimed responsibility for an attack that reportedly killed two Taliban fighters and injured another near Bandar-e Khan Abad in the northern province of Kunduz.
According to a statement released by the group, the attack targeted a Taliban checkpoint that had allegedly been used to harass local residents. The operation took place around 8:00 p.m. on Friday near the former headquarters of Police District 4 in Kunduz city.
The AFF reported that the assault was carried out without any casualties among its fighters or local civilians.
Local sources confirmed to Afghanistan International that they heard an explosion in the Bandar-e Khan Abad area on Friday night. As of now, the Taliban have not issued any official statement regarding the incident.
The Afghanistan Freedom Front is an anti-Taliban political and military group known for carrying out guerrilla-style operations. On the third anniversary of its founding, the group claimed responsibility for 87 targeted attacks in the past year, in which it alleges 821 Taliban fighters were killed.
Shawn VanDiver, head of Afghan Evac, an organisation advocating for the relocation of Afghan nationals to the United States, has announced that the US federal government has granted a 60-day extension to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghans.
The extension follows mounting concern over the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) April decision to terminate TPS for thousands of citizens from Afghanistan and Cameroon. That decision had placed approximately 14600 Afghan nationals, previously eligible for TPS, at imminent risk of deportation by May.
The revocation of TPS raised alarms not only among current status holders, but also within broader Afghan communities in the US, including asylum seekers and lawful permanent residents, many of whom fear the continued influence of Trump-era immigration policies on their legal standing.
Under the Trump administration, the State Department had disbanded the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) and its accompanying initiative, Operation Enduring Welcome, significantly disrupting efforts to resettle Afghans who had been evacuated following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at DHS, previously confirmed to Afghanistan International that the TPS designation for Afghans had been rescinded. She explained that the decision followed an inter-agency review, in which the Secretary of Homeland Security, after consultation with the State Department and other federal agencies, determined that Afghanistan no longer met the legal requirements for a continued TPS designation.
Additionally, DHS documents reveal that some Afghan TPS holders are currently under administrative investigation on grounds of alleged fraud, threats to public safety, and potential national security concerns.
The 60-day extension provides temporary relief for thousands of Afghan nationals while advocacy groups continue to push for more permanent legal protections and resettlement pathways.
Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, met with Yue Xiaoyong, China’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, during his visit to Kabul this week.
Meanwhile, sources have confirmed that a trilateral meeting involving Afghanistan, Pakistan, and China is scheduled to take place in Kabul on Saturday.
The Pakistani envoy arrived in Kabul on Friday and held his first official meeting with the Chinese envoy. Although no detailed statement was released, Sadiq shared a photograph of the meeting on social media.
Reliable sources have told Afghanistan International that the “Kabul Trilateral Meeting between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and China” will convene on Saturday, with participation from representatives of the Chinese and Pakistani governments as well as Taliban officials.
The agenda is expected to focus on key regional issues, including trade, diplomatic cooperation, and security concerns.
While no official statements have yet been issued by any of the three parties, Kabul, Islamabad, or Beijing, Sadiq’s arrival and his engagement with the Chinese envoy are widely seen as preparatory steps ahead of the talks.
Neither China nor Pakistan has formally recognised the Taliban government. However, their respective approaches towards the de facto authorities in Kabul have notably diverged.
Over the past four years, China has maintained relatively stable and pragmatic ties with the Taliban. Beijing has accepted the Taliban’s appointed ambassador and continues to engage with the regime through an active diplomatic presence.
Pakistan, once expected to be one of the Taliban’s closest allies following their return to power, has experienced strained relations with the group. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban of harbouring and supporting the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) an allegation consistently denied by Taliban officials.
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has officially approved the formation of a women’s football team comprised of Afghan refugees in exile, and has ratified a strategy for its practical implementation.
The team will now be eligible to compete in FIFA-sanctioned competitions.
The Afghanistan Women’s Refugee Team (AWRT) will initially operate on a one-year pilot basis, designed to assess the long-term viability of the initiative and lay the groundwork for the potential formation of similar teams representing refugees of other nationalities in future.
Under the terms of the plan, the team will be permitted to participate in officially recognised friendly matches and tournaments overseen by FIFA. On Friday, FIFA confirmed that a safe and secure environment will be provided to protect the health and well-being of the players.
The move signifies the official recognition of a national-level team comprised of Afghan women footballers who were forced to flee the country and seek asylum abroad following the return to power of the Taliban.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the decision as a “historic milestone”, reaffirming FIFA’s commitment to ensuring that every girl around the world has the opportunity to play football.
According to FIFA regulations, national teams must operate under the auspices of a recognised national football federation. However, the Afghanistan Football Federation, now under Taliban control, does not recognise women’s teams, and all women’s sporting activities in the country remain banned.
The Afghanistan women’s national football team has not participated in any official matches since 2018 and has since been removed from FIFA’s global ranking of 196 teams.
As a result, Afghanistan was excluded from the draw for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers, which also serve as the preliminary stage for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
In response, players and supporters of the exiled team renewed calls for FIFA to formally recognise them and allow them to represent their homeland on the international stage.
FIFA also announced a series of measures aimed at the future expansion of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and renewed its commitment to combating racism in football. The Women’s World Cup will be expanded to include 48 teams across 12 groups, with the number of matches rising from 64 to 106. The tournament will also be extended by one week.
Afghan women footballers, displaced by the Taliban’s return to power, have campaigned for years to have their team officially recognised and to secure the right to participate in international competition.
Several travellers at the Torkham border crossing told Afghanistan International on Friday, 9 May, that the border has been closed to passenger movement. However, they reported that freight trucks are still being allowed to pass.
The travellers, who also shared video footage, said that the crossing is now shut for pedestrian traffic on both sides of the border.
So far, no official explanation has been provided, and neither the Taliban nor Pakistani authorities have commented on the closure.
The video footage shows large groups of travellers, patients, and migrants gathered near the border gate. Many expressed uncertainty about when the crossing will reopen.
Torkham is one of the most important border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and it has been closed multiple times in recent months.
The crossing was previously shut for nearly a month to both travellers and freight traffic, from 21 February until 19 March.
Iran International, the 24-hour Persian-language news network, has been honoured with the prestigious AAM Award, which is granted annually to leading media outlets and advocates of free expression and civil society.
The 12th edition of the awards ceremony took place on Thursday, 8 May, in Washington, where Iran International was recognised for its efforts in amplifying the voices of the Iranian people and maintaining integrity in its news coverage.
The award is part of American Abroad Media (AAM) initiatives that recognises individuals and organisations contributing to education, empowerment, and the enhancement of the media's role in providing effective public information. The event also promotes dialogue, press freedom, and responsible journalism, attracting politicians, diplomats, and cultural figures from around the world.
Mehdi Parpanchi, Executive Editor of Iran International’s Washington office, accepted the award on behalf of the network’s audience, highlighting that much of its content is based on stories and reports sent from across Iran.
“Today, Iran International is the most-watched news channel inside the country and across the diaspora. We are the only 24/7 newsroom fully dedicated to Iranian news, and that is not just a technical setup, it is a line of communication in the dark,” said Parpanchi during his acceptance speech.
In May 2024, Iran International also received the 2024 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy’s “Courage Award.” This recognition highlighted the threats and pressures faced by the network’s journalists and praised their bravery, noting that the Islamic Republic’s Ministry of Intelligence has labelled the network a “terrorist organisation” due to its reporting.
Aliasghar Ramezanpour, Executive News Editor of Iran International, said in a related interview that the outlet considers itself part of the broader family of Iranian journalists, many of whom have faced repression over the past four decades. He emphasised that the regime’s anger towards Iran International stems from its fear of those very journalists.
