The UK Mission to Afghanistan, citing the World Health Organization (WHO), stated that married Afghan women are subjected to physical violence, sexual abuse, and emotional harassment. According to the data, 46 per cent of married Afghan women have experienced physical violence.
In a post on the social media platform X on Tuesday, 13 May, the UK Mission stated: "46 percent of married Afghan women face physical abuse, 34 percent emotional abuse, and 6 percent sexual violence." It stressed the crucial role of men in ending such violence. Quoting a 29-year-old man from Paktika, Afghanistan, named Adam, it added: "Supporting women and girls is not a sign of weakness, it is a mark of true character. We must be their allies, friends, and advocates for their rights."
These concerns follow a recent report by the Afghanistan Analysts Network, which revealed that divorce has become nearly impossible for women under Taliban rule. The report noted that divorce remains a source of shame in Afghan society.
Furthermore, the situation for women continues to worsen due to domestic violence and the severe restrictions on their fundamental rights and freedoms.
A court in Nairobi has approved the extradition of Zahir Qadir, former deputy speaker of Afghanistan’s House of Representatives, to the United States, according to his family.
Qadir’s lawyer has requested a 14-day stay on the ruling, seeking time to file an appeal. The appeal is expected to be submitted within the next two weeks, the lawyer confirmed. Jalal Qadir, the former lawmaker's nephew, told Afghanistan International that the decision was made on Tuesday.
Qadir was arrested in Nairobi on 18 April at the request of the US government, facing charges of attempting to traffic narcotics and illegally transferring weapons. The court has ordered that he remain in police custody pending the commencement of extradition proceedings.
In response to the ruling, Qadir’s family has renewed its appeal for intervention from the Taliban, urging the group to act in securing his release. The Taliban had previously pledged to investigate the case, with acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi stating that efforts would be made "as far as possible."
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Monday that it is ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals, a measure granted under the Biden administration.
The move, rooted in a policy shift initiated during the Trump era, has sparked strong criticism from refugee advocates and Afghan-American organisations.
The DHS stated that conditions in Afghanistan have “improved” to the extent that TPS is no longer warranted, and Afghan nationals should begin returning home. As a result, TPS for approximately 14000 Afghan nationals currently residing in the United States will expire in 60 days.
In a statement, US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the administration’s latest assessment determined that Afghan refugees no longer meet the criteria for TPS. She cited improved security, a stabilising economy, and a rise in foreign tourism particularly from Chinese nationals as indicators that it is now safe for Afghans to return.
TPS is a humanitarian programme designed to offer temporary legal status and work authorisation to individuals from countries affected by conflict, natural disaster, or other extraordinary conditions. Afghan nationals have benefited from TPS for decades, particularly following the fall of Kabul in 2021.
Refugee and human rights groups, however, condemned the decision. The Afghan-American Foundation called it a “betrayal” of individuals who had risked their lives in support of US forces during the two-decade war. The foundation’s president noted:
“The sacrifices America’s Afghan allies made were not temporary; the protection we offer them must also be permanent.”
Shawn VanDiver, president of the non-profit organisation Afghan Evac, argued the decision damages US credibility and puts vulnerable lives at risk.
“Afghanistan remains under Taliban control. Human rights abuses, arbitrary detentions, and violence against women are widespread. Ending TPS won’t improve security, it will break up families and worsen instability,” he said.
Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, approximately 80000 Afghans have arrived in the US under various evacuation and resettlement programmes. Many are in the process of obtaining permanent residency through asylum claims or Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), while some have already received US green cards. However, around 14600 remain protected solely under TPS and now face the prospect of deportation.
Some of those affected have already received formal notices instructing them to leave the country. Miriam Woods, a schoolteacher in Des Moines, Iowa, described the psychological toll the policy shift is having on her Afghan students.
“One student told me they cry every night. They’re terrified,” she said.
The decision comes amid mounting international concern over the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Reports continue to highlight severe human rights violations, including bans on education and employment for women, persecution of minorities, and widespread food insecurity.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) last month warned against the forced return of Afghan refugees, stating that such actions could exacerbate the already dire situation and trigger further displacement.
The policy reversal underscores a broader debate over America’s long-term responsibility to its Afghan allies and the role of humanitarian protection in US immigration policy.
Amid escalating tensions and clashes between India and Pakistan, Taliban officials have assured Mohammad Sadiq Khan, Pakistan’s special envoy in Kabul, that Islamabad need not worry about its western border with Afghanistan.
According to sources cited by The Express Tribune, the Pakistani envoy’s visit to Kabul aimed at securing peace along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and was deemed successful.
As hostilities between New Delhi and Islamabad intensified, both Pakistan’s and China’s special envoys travelled to Kabul for high-level discussions. The envoys met with key Taliban leaders including Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s Foreign Minister; Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior; and Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce.
During the meetings, Haqqani underscored the significance of strengthening regional ties, stating that from Kabul’s perspective, progress in political and economic relations, as well as regional understanding, is possible only through mutual respect and constructive engagement.
Sources said that Haqqani gave firm assurances to both Chinese and Pakistani envoys that Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan would remain peaceful. The Taliban’s Foreign Minister also pledged continued support for Islamabad amid the heightened regional tensions.
With India launching strikes on Pakistani territory following a deadly militant attack in Kashmir that left 26 Indian nationals dead, Pakistan has shifted its military focus squarely towards its eastern frontier. At the same time, it remains engaged in fighting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants and Baloch separatists. Islamabad has accused the Afghan Taliban of harbouring and supporting these groups allegedly in alignment with India, claims the Taliban strongly deny.
The Taliban have reiterated that Afghan soil will not be used against any neighbouring or regional country.
Sadiq Khan’s visit to Kabul came amid growing concern in Islamabad over potential threats from Afghanistan, especially after the Taliban issued an unusual condemnation of the Kashmir militant attack. Despite long-standing ties with groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and the Majid Brigade, the Taliban refrained from condemning India’s retaliatory strikes and instead called for negotiation and dialogue to de-escalate the crisis.
Hussein Zolfaghari, the Iranian President's representative and Secretary-General of the Anti-Drug Headquarters, has voiced concern over the increasing flow of precursor chemicals for drug production from the West into Afghanistan.
He also highlighted the rising production of methamphetamine in the country, revealing that around 40 tonnes of various types of this drug were seized in Iran last year.
Zolfaghari made these remarks during a meeting on Monday, 22 April, with Tamaki Tsukada, Japan’s ambassador to Iran, where they discussed strategies to combat drug trafficking.
During the meeting, Zolfaghari stressed that the fight against drugs transcends borders, but he noted that many countries have yet to show sufficient commitment to the cause. "All countries must work together to address this issue," he stated.
He expressed concern over the entry of precursor chemicals from the West into Afghanistan and the rising production of methamphetamine there, describing the situation as "extremely complex." Zolfaghari added, "The more we can sever the connections between the producers of psychoactive substances and the countries involved in producing methamphetamine and other drugs, the more successful we will be."
The Iranian official also raised concerns about Western countries’ approach to dealing with drug traffickers in Iran, noting that strong measures against drug smugglers are often seen as human rights violations.
Zolfaghari emphasised that other nations should recognise Iran’s ongoing efforts in tackling the global drug trade.
Previously, Iranian officials had warned that the production of synthetic drugs, such as methamphetamine and "crystal meth," in Afghanistan has been steadily increasing.
French officials have also raised alarms, warning that Afghanistan is becoming a major centre for methamphetamine production, rivaling Southeast Asia and Central Europe. They also expressed concerns over the growing smuggling of methamphetamine produced in both Afghanistan and Türkiye.
The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) has criticised the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for its latest proposal on the country’s political future, calling it “short-sighted” and a move that risks further marginalising key Afghan stakeholders.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the AFF claimed that the UN’s new framework appears aimed at “whitewashing the Taliban” and would hinder prospects for lasting peace by excluding significant political groups from the process. The group warned that the plan could deepen divisions and repeat the failures of past peace efforts, including the 2001 Bonn Conference.
The UN framework reportedly centres on three main pillars: the formation of an inclusive government, efforts to combat terrorist networks, and the promotion of human rights including the reopening of schools and universities, and the creation of safe working environments for women.
The AFF took particular issue with the narrowing of political engagement to the Doha Process, the “illegitimate Taliban emirate,” and selected representatives of civil society. It argued that such a limited approach undermines the potential for achieving a broad-based and legitimate resolution to Afghanistan’s crisis.
To date, the UN has not held formal talks with Afghan opposition groups such as the AFF or the National Resistance Front (NRF), choosing instead to engage solely with the Taliban. This has drawn criticism from groups who say the UN is sidelining meaningful opposition voices.
The Taliban, for its part, has refused to attend previous UN-hosted summits due to the inclusion of civil society and political opposition groups, insisting that it alone represents Afghanistan in international forums.
The AFF also condemned the Taliban’s stance on elections, its alleged human rights violations, and its reported ties to international terrorist groups. It argued that current peace initiatives especially those based on the Doha framework fail to reflect Afghanistan’s complex political and social realities.
The group warned that any effort to engage with the Taliban while excluding other stakeholders will be ineffective and unsustainable. It called for any normalisation of relations with the Taliban to be made conditional on a series of benchmarks: respect for human rights, the immediate reversal of bans on women’s education and employment, the formation of an inclusive government, and the development of a transitional roadmap leading to a legitimate, elected administration with fair ethnic representation.
The AFF also urged the appointment of a United Nations Special Coordinator for Afghanistan, as mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 2127.
The Taliban has rejected this proposal, claiming that the current UN mission in Afghanistan is adequate and that no additional envoy is necessary.