Over Twenty Radical Groups Operating In Afghanistan, Warns Russian Defence Minister

In an official statement, the UAE Foreign Ministry referred to the Taliban envoy at least three times as the "representative of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan", a title that has not been used by the country since the Taliban's takeover in 2021.

On Tuesday, 27 May, the ministry announced that Sheikh Maktoum bin Butti Al Maktoum, Director of the Ministry in Dubai, had received Fida’s credentials during a meeting with the Taliban representative.

"Sheikh Maktoum bin Butti Al Maktoum welcomed the Consul General and congratulated him on his appointment, wishing him success in his duties, and commended the strong political, economic, commercial, and investment ties between the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan," the statement read.

The phrasing has raised questions, as the Taliban refer to their administration as the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan." The UAE, like most nations, has not formally recognised the Taliban government.

Mohammad Amir Tawasoli, a former Afghan military pilot, took his own life on Sunday, May 18, 2025, after receiving an order to leave Iran. The incident underscores the intense psychological pressure and constant fear experienced by former Afghan soldiers in the country, Nasresfahani told Shargh newspaper in an interview published Monday.

“These individuals live in perpetual anxiety due to the threat of deportation,” Nasresfahani said, noting that many avoid the Afghan embassy in Tehran out of fear of being identified by the Taliban or forcibly returned to Afghanistan.

The situation has worsened following a recent decision by Iran’s Ministry of Interior to invalidate census cards held by approximately two million Afghan migrants. This policy has stripped legal status from many former soldiers who initially entered Iran with valid documentation. A six-month deadline for undocumented migrants to leave Iran has further heightened their uncertainty.

Nasresfahani warned that repatriation poses severe risks for former Afghan soldiers, citing reports of returnees particularly ex-military personnel facing trials in makeshift Taliban courts or execution at the Afghanistan border. “The Taliban have blacklisted individuals suspected of harming or killing their members,” he said, adding that repatriated soldiers face potential “torture, imprisonment, deprivation, and even death.”

Many former soldiers now live in hiding in Iran without valid residency documents, fearing forced return. Nasresfahani urged the Iranian government to adhere to international conventions and treat at-risk Afghan migrants, particularly former military personnel, with humanity. “The cancellation of census cards has severely undermined the mental and physical security of those attempting to rebuild their lives after the fall of Kabul,” he said.

He also criticised domestic political and media narratives that portray Afghan military personnel as a national security threat, arguing that such perceptions have driven Iran’s security-centric approach rather than a humanitarian or legal one.

Iran has announced plans to deport all migrants lacking valid residency documents. However, migration rights activists warn that implementing these measures without regard for the unique circumstances of refugees, especially former soldiers, could lead to severe and irreversible humanitarian consequences.

Nasresfahani called for policies that prioritise the safety and rights of Afghan migrants, particularly those at risk of persecution if returned to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, sources reported that the Taliban instructed table football clubs to remove the heads of the player figures to continue the game. Failure to comply will result in a complete ban.

The Taliban have not issued an official statement on the prohibition.

Over the past four years, the Taliban government has increasingly restricted or banned various games and recreational activities in Afghanistan. Earlier, the Taliban’s sports authority suspended the Afghan Chess Federation, declaring chess “haram” (forbidden).

According to official data, over 40 million litres of gasoline and fuel were exported to Afghanistan between January and March. This represents a more than 100-fold rise compared to the same period in 2024, when the total value of exports to Afghanistan stood at just $212,000. By contrast, this year’s figure reached $18.5 million, with most of the fuel reportedly shipped to the northern Afghan province of Kunduz.

Kyrgyz media, citing the statistical committee, reported that Afghanistan accounted for more than 90 percent of Kyrgyzstan’s total gasoline exports during this period. Uzbekistan was the second-largest recipient, importing 2.5 million litres valued at $1 million.

The average export price was around $0.50 per litre. Media sources also clarified that none of the exported gasoline originated from Russia. Under a bilateral agreement between Bishkek and Moscow, fuel imported from Russia at preferential rates is strictly reserved for domestic use and cannot be re-exported.

In addition to fuel, Kyrgyzstan has been exporting other essential goods to Afghanistan, including flour, cooking oil, cement, and metal construction materials. Trade between the two countries is not one-sided: Kyrgyzstan also imports approximately 200,000 units of goods from Afghanistan each year, including dried fruits, nuts, textiles, carpets, and handicrafts.

Speaking during a meeting with political activists in Ankara, Dostum accused the Taliban of implementing "fascist plans" by resettling Pakistani migrants in areas predominantly inhabited by Afghanistan’s Turkic communities. He condemned what he called a deliberate effort to alter the demographic composition of these regions.

Dostum also criticised the silence of Central Asian states in response to these policies, noting that aside from Türkiye, other Turkic-speaking countries have remained indifferent to the plight of Afghan Turks.

In a further allegation, the former vice president claimed that former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani harboured negative sentiments towards Turkic Afghans and that this animosity influenced his alignment with the Taliban. Dostum alleged that Ghani had held meetings with the Haqqani Network and advised them to focus on capturing Jowzjan province, Dostum’s political stronghold, believing that control of the region would be key to dominating the rest of the country, due to the population’s support for a federal system.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Dostum has lived in exile in Türkiye. Though historically a fierce opponent of the Taliban and a central figure in Afghan politics, he has maintained a relatively low public profile over the past four years. He is currently affiliated with the broader anti-Taliban political front operating in exile.