Turkish Firm Leads $65 Million Investment In Afghanistan’s Wind Energy Sector

He emphasised that no obstacles remain to establishing an Islamic system and ensuring justice under Taliban rule.

Haqqani, along with other Taliban leaders, performed Eid al-Adha prayers at the presidential palace on Saturday. During the ceremony, he spoke about the Taliban’s return to power, claiming that it occurred without the backing of any foreign government, organisation or alliance, and was instead the result of direct divine intervention.

He argued that if the Taliban had come to power with foreign support, they would have been forced to comply with demands contrary to “Islam, and the Hanafi jurisprudence.” Haqqani stated: “Fortunately, we are not indebted to anyone and are not obliged to carry out others’ orders.”

For two decades, many Taliban leaders and commanders were based in Pakistan, and the former Afghan government accused them of waging war with the backing of Pakistan’s intelligence agency.

Observers also point to the 2020 Doha Agreement, which led to the withdrawal of US forces and the collapse of the Afghan republic, as a key factor in the Taliban’s return. Some analysts believe regional players such as Russia, Iran and Qatar also contributed to the group’s resurgence.

Since taking power in 2021, the Taliban have resisted international pressure,particularly from Western countries and the United Nations, to respect human rights, guarantee women’s rights and reopen schools and universities for girls and women.

Haqqani also claimed that the Taliban are not facing any active armed opposition in any part of the country.

However, reports indicate that the National Resistance Front and the Afghanistan Freedom Front continue to carry out guerrilla attacks against Taliban forces in northern provinces. The United Nations has confirmed some of these attacks.

In addition, ISIS has launched attacks against Taliban forces and officials, including the assassination of senior figures such as Khalil Haqqani, the former minister of refugees and former Taliban governor of Balkh.

Haqqani remains a senior figure within the Taliban leadership. Recently, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court requested an arrest warrant for him and the Taliban’s supreme leader on charges that include widespread human rights violations and crimes against humanity.

Hamid Noori, the city’s police chief, announced that the arrests were made over the past week. The detained individuals have been handed over to the relevant authorities for deportation, he said.

Noori described the detentions as part of a broader initiative to “enhance social security and promote public satisfaction,” and said the effort was aimed at combating crime.

Iranian authorities have recently stepped up the detention and deportation of Afghan migrants.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, spokesperson for the Iranian government, previously stated that under Iranian law, Afghan migrants with proper documentation are permitted to reside in the country, while those without legal papers will be deported.

Meanwhile, during recent Eid speeches, several Taliban officials called for an end to the mass deportation of Afghan migrants from neighbouring countries. Abdul Kabir, the Taliban’s minister of refugees and repatriation, urged neighbouring states to show patience and tolerance towards Afghan refugees.

The group reports that half of the city’s deep wells have already dried up, and if current trends continue, Kabul could run out of water entirely by 2030.

According to the organisation, groundwater levels in the Afghan capital have dropped by 30 percent over the past decade. Rapid urban growth and the escalating climate crisis are cited as key drivers of the shortage.

Experts warn that under these conditions, Kabul could become the first major city in the world to run out of water.

The Guardian reports that current groundwater extraction estimated at 44 million cubic metres per year exceeds the natural replenishment rate. If this continues, the city’s underground reserves could be depleted in less than five years, posing an existential threat to Kabul’s population.

Dayne Curry, Mercy Corps’ country director in Afghanistan, stressed the urgency of the situation. “There should be a committed effort to document this better and to draw international attention to the need to address the crisis,” he said.

“No water means people leave their communities, so for the international community to not address the water needs of Afghanistan will only result in more migration and more hardship for the Afghan people.”

Curry noted that Afghanistan’s water infrastructure is heavily dependent on foreign aid, funding that has largely been frozen due to political concerns following the Taliban’s return to power.

According to The Guardian, up to 80 percent of Kabul’s groundwater is unsafe, with high levels of sewage contamination. Access to water has become a daily struggle for residents. Some families spend up to 30 percent of their income on water, and more than two-thirds are reportedly in debt due to water-related costs.

Nazifa, a teacher in Kabul’s Khair Khana neighbourhood, told The Guardian: “Afghanistan is facing a lot of problems, but this water scarcity is one of the hardest. Every household is facing difficulty, especially those with low income. Adequate, good-quality well water just doesn’t exist.”

Meanwhile, some private companies are profiting from the crisis by drilling new wells and extracting public water supplies, selling it at high prices. Nazifa added: “We used to pay 500 afghanis (£5.30) every 10 days to fill our cans from the water tankers. Now, that same amount of water costs us 1,000 afghanis.”

Kabul’s population has surged from under one million in 2001 to more than seven million today, dramatically increasing water demand. The absence of effective governance, regulation and oversight has further worsened the situation over the past two decades.

In early 2025, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that partners had received only $8.4 million out of the $264 million needed for water and sanitation programmes in Afghanistan.

Additionally, $3 billion in international aid earmarked for water and sanitation projects has been frozen since the Taliban’s return to power.

One proposed solution is the Panjshir River pipeline project, which could reduce the city’s dependence on groundwater and provide drinking water to two million people. The project’s design phase was completed in late 2024 and is currently awaiting budget approval. The Taliban are seeking investors to fund the $170 million project.

Najibullah Sadid, a senior researcher in water resource management warned: “We don’t have time to sit around waiting for budgets. We are caught in a storm from which there will be no return if we don’t act immediately.”

Notably, Akhundzada’s voice was cut off at the moment he began criticising the widespread influence of the media among the public.

During the speech, Akhundzada said: “Today, media is in people's pockets and it lies,” but his voice was abruptly muted at that point.

Mujahid published the audio recording on his account on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday. However, when Akhundzada began addressing media influence, the recording was clearly edited and censored.

Despite the censorship, Afghanistan International has obtained an unedited version of the full speech from Kandahar. In the uncensored audio, Akhundzada is heard discussing the power of the media and responding to criticism regarding the lack of inclusivity in the Taliban government.

In the censored portion, the Taliban leader accused the media of spreading “pure slander” and claimed to have heard a news report that was a “complete lie”, though he did not specify which report or outlet.

Akhundzada also attacked his critics, labelling them “devils.” In response to claims that the Taliban’s administration is not inclusive, he urged listeners to examine the backgrounds of Taliban officials.

The backgrounds of Taliban cabinet members, governors and police chiefs reveal that no non-Taliban individuals are included in the government. The administration has ignored Afghanistan’s political and social diversity. There are no women in leadership roles, and ethnic minorities have been excluded.

Nevertheless, in his speech, Akhundzada stressed that people should focus on the actions of Taliban officials and the direction in which they are leading the country. He concluded by expressing hope that “Allah will protect the regime from propaganda.”

The censorship of Akhundzada’s speech prompted sharp reactions on social media. Some users remarked: “Censorship in the Taliban regime is so extreme that it even silences the voice of its own leader.”

“We must not allow the light of the Islamic regime to be extinguished,” Akhund said, emphasising the need to protect what he described as the foundations of an Islamic system.

He accused the media of spreading “false judgements” about the Taliban and claimed the group’s achievements are being deliberately downplayed. While acknowledging existing challenges, Akhund urged citizens to remain vigilant and not allow adversaries to undermine the regime.

The Taliban leader also encouraged the public to “value the Sharia-based system and the security it brings.”

His remarks come amid mounting criticism from both domestic and international observers over the Taliban’s crackdown on the media and freedom of expression since returning to power in 2021.

According to multiple reports, dozens of media outlets have been shut down over the past four years, and hundreds of journalists have been threatened, detained and forced into exile.