Half Of Afghanistan’s Population Requires Life-Saving Assistance, Says UN

McMaster had described Khurram as a Pakistani agent in a recent interview.

McMaster, in an interview with Afghanistan International, alleged that Karzai and Khurram were influenced by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, and described Khurram as a Pakistani agent.

Speaking to the same outlet on Saturday, Khurram categorically denied the claims, insisting that his and Karzai’s positions on the Afghan war, US night raids and other issues were not shaped by Pakistan. He argued instead that McMaster’s policies and those of his local allies deepened Afghanistan’s dependency on Islamabad.

“Everyone has been tested on Afghanistan’s battlefield,” Khurram said, while reiterating his opposition to US-Afghan security and strategic agreements. Khurram, seen by some Afghan and American officials as a source of friction between Karzai and Washington, maintained that his stance was based on opposition to a US war strategy that “killed innocent civilians and fuelled hatred and terrorism.”

He further alleged that McMaster, once tasked with combating corruption in Afghanistan, was selective in his approach and ignored the misconduct of those aligned with him. “One of our colleagues presented documents on this matter to him in the presence of the president,” Khurram said.

Khurram also claimed that as US national security adviser in 2017, McMaster authorised the use of the “Mother of All Bombs” in Afghanistan, and with support from allies inside Ghani’s government contributed to the Republic’s collapse. He did not provide further details.

McMaster, who served as US national security adviser from February 2017 to April 2018, played a central role in shaping Afghan policy. Khurram previously served as Afghanistan’s minister of information and culture before becoming Karzai’s chief of staff.

In a statement released to mark the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, the group said its operations targeted Taliban bases, checkpoints and gatherings across Kabul, Parwan, Balkh, Badghis, Herat, Kunduz, Takhar, Baghlan, Kapisa, Faryab, Panjshir, Sar-e Pul and Laghman provinces.

The front also said Taliban “morality police” from the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice have recently been added to its list of targets after allegedly harassing women and men. Fourteen such officials were killed or wounded in three provinces over the past year, it said.

“The people of Afghanistan are weary of Taliban tyranny and oppression, and resistance against this group will continue,” the statement read.

Afghanistan International could not independently verify the claims. However, the United Nations and local sources have previously confirmed several attacks attributed to the Afghanistan Freedom Front. The Taliban, which rarely comments on opposition offensives, has not responded to the group’s latest claims.

The Afghanistan Freedom Front launched its armed campaign against the Taliban in early 2022, months after the group seized power.

State news agency TASS reported the new details on Saturday, August 16.

The main suspects have been identified as Dalerjon Mirzoyev, 32; Faridun Shamsiddin, 26; Muhammadsobir Fayzov, 19; and Murodali Rachabalizoda, 30, all citizens of Tajikistan.

Investigators previously revealed that one of the suspects had travelled to Afghanistan on a forged passport before the assault, where he allegedly underwent training.

The Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan, known as ISIS-K, has claimed responsibility for the Crocus City Hall attack, which authorities have described as one of the group’s largest operations in the region.

Announcing the release, Darya said not all stories can be told in words, which is why he has “wept Tired Soil.” In a message to his audience, he urged: “Watch it, feel it, share it, forgive this tired soil, and let us not lie to ourselves or to our land.”

Darya described the past four years under Taliban rule as a “bitter journey,” saying both he and the Afghan people have endured the exhaustion of their country.

The lyrics were written by Suhrab Sirat, a Balkh-born poet now living in exile. The song likens Afghanistan to a stranded and abandoned boat, portraying the exhaustion, heartbreak and displacement of its people. It describes today’s Afghanistan as “an old wound, a fresh wound, and the pain of a hundred battles.”

The release coincided with the Taliban’s own celebrations of their fourth year in power, a period marked by bans on music, singing and artistic expression. Since 2021, the group has removed the Faculty of Fine Arts from Afghanistan’s higher education system, outlawed the broadcasting of music, and arrested and tortured dozens for performing. Hundreds of musical instruments have been destroyed under their rule.

The decision comes amid repeated criticism from former US President Donald Trump, who has condemned the Taliban’s use of American-made equipment in past parades. Trump has described Bagram as the world’s strongest airbase and argued the United States should have retained control of it, citing its proximity to China’s nuclear facilities.

On Friday, 15 August, the Taliban staged anniversary events across Afghanistan. In some cities, fighters carried yellow barrels symbolising suicide attacks and roadside bombs.

In previous years, the group showcased US-made weapons and vehicles seized from the former Afghan army during parades at Bagram and in major cities. Trump has repeatedly attacked the Biden administration for leaving behind military hardware, suggesting it could have been relocated to Pakistan instead.

In July, Trump criticised the Taliban’s annual displays, saying they took place on “very unattractive streets” and calling for the return of American equipment and the recapture of Bagram Airbase in Parwan province.

Taliban army chief Fasihuddin Fitrat recently dismissed Trump as “narrow-minded” about the group’s parades and vowed the Taliban would never hand over Bagram to any country.