Taliban Step Up Media Repression, Detain 7 Afghan Journalists

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s deputy prime minister for economic affairs, said during a ceremony in Kabul that expanding job opportunities abroad will help alleviate poverty and build economic ties with host nations.

Speaking at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, Baradar called the initiative a “significant step” and urged other countries to follow Qatar’s lead in accepting Afghan labourers. He noted that high unemployment has worsened since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 and the subsequent decline in international aid.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs said registration for work in Qatar has opened in more than 20 provinces across Afghanistan, with positions available in 14 specialised fields. These include electrical engineering, electric vehicle mechanics, bus driving, hotel services, cooking, dairy farming, and sanitation work.

Registration for applicants will begin Tuesday in various provinces. According to officials, the process aims to provide a legal pathway for skilled Afghan workers to be employed abroad.

In a statement, the Taliban said discussions with several countries, including Iran, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Tajikistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Saudi Arabia, are ongoing and close to finalisation for similar labour agreements.

Since the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan has experienced a sharp economic downturn. International organisations have warned of rising poverty and widespread food insecurity affecting millions. The United Nations and humanitarian groups continue to call for urgent support to address the crisis.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters that media interpretations of Pezeshkian’s comments may have been inaccurate, noting that any potential visit would depend on the right conditions and preparations being in place.

Earlier, Pezeshkian had said he was willing to travel to Afghanistan to “open a new chapter in relations,” during a meeting with Foreign Ministry officials. However, Baghaei emphasised that this did not amount to an official itinerary.

Responding to a question on whether Iran plans to formally recognise the Taliban, Baghaei said such a decision would be based on Iran’s national interests. “We maintain multiple channels of communication with Afghanistan and are committed to continuing these constructive relations,” he said, adding that recognition would be announced if and when a final decision is reached.

While diplomatic engagement between Tehran and the Taliban continues, Iran has simultaneously stepped up deportations of Afghan migrants. According to the United Nations, tens of thousands are being returned daily, a process that could contribute to a deepening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

The agency warned that the surge in returns risks triggering a humanitarian crisis and called for immediate international assistance to support the growing number of returnees.

According to a statement posted on X by IOM’s regional office, the influx intensified from mid-June, with thousands of families arriving daily through the Islam Qala border crossing in western Afghanistan under difficult and often dangerous conditions.

According to IOM, these returnees are exhausted, afraid, and extremely vulnerable, and many among them require urgent medical care, shelter and protection.

The IOM said its emergency services at the border are under immense strain, and its operational capacity is nearing collapse due to the high volume of arrivals.

The UN agency warned that unless additional resources are mobilised, the current support system may soon be overwhelmed.

According to international agencies, Iran has expelled more than one million Afghan migrants over the past two months, a pace that has continued despite international criticism.

Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Afghanistan’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, said in a message posted Monday on X that political and diplomatic efforts against the Taliban have intensified and will continue to expand.

He noted that Afghanistan’s diplomatic mission has achieved notable progress over the past six months, including the submission of a detailed report to the UN Human Rights Council outlining the systematic exclusion and discrimination of women and girls under Taliban rule.

Andisha also highlighted the recent arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and chief justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani. He described the court’s decision as a major milestone in global efforts to defend human rights, despite the shame it brings to Afghanistan.

He pointed to recent diplomatic challenges, including Russia’s recognition of the Taliban and Germany’s acceptance of Taliban-appointed consular officials, as setbacks that have complicated conditions for Afghan migrants and undermined broader efforts to isolate the group internationally.

Andisha said the Taliban continue to violate basic human rights, exclude ethnic minorities and women from participation, and disregard international legal obligations under the UN Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

He warned that at this stage in Afghanistan’s political struggle, silence, whitewashing, missed opportunities, and a failure to act are grave disservices to the Afghan people and the country’s future.

Abdul Bari Omar, the Taliban-appointed head of Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), held talks with Oybek Usmanov, Uzbekistan’s envoy to Afghanistan. According to a statement from DABS, Omar emphasised the need to expand bilateral relations, particularly in the energy sector.

While specific details of the proposed power projects were not disclosed, Usmanov reportedly expressed satisfaction with the current level of cooperation and reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s interest in deepening economic ties.

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan supply a significant portion of Afghanistan’s electricity. However, frequent outages continue to affect Kabul and other major cities, where residents report having power for only four to six hours a day despite rising utility bills.