More Than 26000 Afghans Deported From Iran In A Single Day, Says Taliban

According to eyewitnesses, unidentified gunmen stormed Paeez’s home on the evening of Friday, 4 July, forcibly dragged him outside, and executed him. Graphic images obtained by Afghanistan International show his bloodied body at the scene.

Local Taliban authorities have not yet commented on the killing.

This marks the second targeted killing of individuals affiliated with the Ismaili community in recent months, fuelling concerns over mounting pressure and persecution faced by the religious minority since the Taliban’s return to power.

Last month, Sayed Qiyamuddin, a resident of Yamgan district in Badakhshan and an employee of the World Health Organization, was reportedly tortured and killed in Jalalabad under similar circumstances.

Multiple reports have surfaced in recent years alleging that members of the Ismaili community in Badakhshan have been harassed, threatened, and in some cases, forced to convert. Last year, Taliban-appointed district governor Jumakhan Fateh in Nusa was accused of coercing dozens of Ismailis into renouncing their faith.

Sources in the province claim the Taliban have also established “jihadist schools” in Ismaili-populated areas and deployed Sunni clerics to pressure the community into religious conformity.

Prince Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims worldwide, passed away last year in Portugal and was buried in Egypt. While international leaders, including the UN Secretary-General, issued public condolences, the Taliban offered no official response.

The targeted violence against the Ismaili minority in Afghanistan has drawn increasing concern from human rights groups, who warn that religious pluralism in the country is under grave threat.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Bennett expressed disappointment over Moscow’s decision, arguing that recognising a regime with a record of systemic human rights abuses particularly against women and girls risks legitimising repression.

“Disappointed by Russia’s recognition that sets a dangerous precedent, emboldening regimes in Afghanistan & beyond that violate human rights with impunity,” he wrote.

Russia formally recognised the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan earlier this month, raising the group’s flag over the Afghan embassy in Moscow, becoming one of the first major powers to take such a step since the group seized control in August 2021.

Despite a 10-day ceasefire, Hengaw reports that Iranian authorities continue to carry out mass arrests, accusing most detainees of espionage for Israel, spreading propaganda against the regime, or disturbing public order.

While details regarding the two Afghan nationals remain unclear, Tasnim News Agency previously released a video during the 12-day war that allegedly showed the pair’s confessions. Hengaw did not confirm the circumstances under which the confessions were obtained, raising concerns about due process and coercion.

The rights group also reported that at least 40 women were among those arrested across the country during the post-war crackdown. One individual reportedly took their own life while attempting to flee the country and avoid arrest.

Among the eight foreign nationals detained, at least one woman and three Ukrainian citizens were arrested in Iran’s Isfahan Province.

Meanwhile, Iran’s judiciary has passed new legislation imposing harsh penalties on individuals accused of collaborating with foreign media during wartime. Under the new law, those found guilty of sending images or videos to foreign outlets could face 15 to 25 years in prison and be permanently barred from government employment.

These cases are being fast-tracked through the Revolutionary Court system.

Hengaw described the legislation and ongoing detentions as part of a broader campaign to suppress free expression and independent reporting. The group noted that under the Islamic Republic’s revised legal code, collaboration or espionage involving US or Israeli intelligence services is punishable by death.

Speaking at the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit on Friday, Bektenov said the construction of the Trans-Afghan railway would boost regional development and connectivity.

The summit, held in the Azerbaijani city of Khankendi, brought together leaders and representatives from Iran, Türkiye, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and a Taliban delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar.

According to the Astana Times, Bektenov met with Baradar on the sidelines of the summit to discuss expanding cooperation in trade, logistics and agriculture.

Specifically addressing the Torghundi–Herat railway, Bektenov confirmed that Kazakhstan is prepared to proceed with the project, noting that a memorandum of understanding would be signed between the two parties in the near future.

The Taliban had earlier stated that Kazakhstan intends to invest $500 million in the broader Torghundi–Herat–Spin Boldak railway project.

Addressing the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit, Erdogan also renewed his criticism of what he described as Israel’s increasingly “aggressive policies,” warning that they threaten regional stability.

“We can neither abandon the Palestinian cause nor remain silent while the Netanyahu government turns our region into a bloodbath,” he told assembled leaders.

The summit, held in the Azerbaijani city of Khankendi, gathered the presidents of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, along with Pakistan’s prime minister. Climate-change cooperation topped the agenda.

Abdul Ghani Baradar, deputy prime minister for economic affairs in Afghanistan’s Taliban administration, attended the meeting, marking the first high-level Taliban representation at an ECO summit in four years.