Taliban Defence Minister Warns Afghans Against Losing Independence Again

MTN CEO Ralph Mupita told reporters that the company’s US attorneys had confirmed a Justice Department grand jury investigation had been launched. The probe also covers the activities of Iran’s mobile operator Irancell, in which MTN holds a stake.

Mupita said the company is cooperating fully and voluntarily responding to requests for information but declined to provide further details.

MTN is already facing lawsuits in the United States brought by American soldiers and civilians who were wounded or killed in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2005 and 2010.

News of the latest probe came as MTN trimmed its medium-term service revenue growth forecast in South Africa, prompting shares to fall 9 percent on Monday.

MTN officially exited Afghanistan in April, selling its stake to another firm, which now operates under the brand name ATOMA.

According to the report, the funds are used to purchase weapons, develop military infrastructure, and organise attacks against Pakistan. It also alleged that the Taliban have been providing the TTP with safe havens and training camps in Afghanistan’s Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktika and Khost provinces, enabling the group to expand recruitment networks and operations.

The report further stated that the Taliban have offered refuge to TTP commanders and fighters, allowing them to regroup, strengthen leadership structures, and stage cross-border assaults.

Pakistani officials have long accused the Afghan Taliban of backing the TTP. The Taliban, however, have consistently denied the allegations, insisting that Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter to be resolved domestically.

General Farid Ahmadi, who once led Afghanistan’s special forces, said the Taliban’s policies have inflamed ethnic hostilities and placed national unity at risk. In a statement marking the anniversary of the Afghan republic’s fall, he said the group had destroyed not only Afghanistan’s political system and two decades of progress, but also the foundations of social cohesion.

Ahmadi accused the Taliban of forcibly expelling communities, confiscating property and transferring outsiders under the guise of “Kuchis,” a practice he said was sowing sectarian divisions. He described the Taliban as “the most irresponsible group in Afghanistan’s history” and warned their current approach could lead the country toward fragmentation.

By monopolising power, dismantling national institutions, excluding political elites and enforcing an extreme interpretation of Islam, Ahmadi argued, the Taliban have lost domestic legitimacy while pushing Afghanistan deeper into international isolation. He said the result has been rising terrorism, poverty, mass migration and the loss of hope among younger generations.

Ahmadi claimed Afghanistan’s economy has remained weak and dependent over the past four years, with soaring unemployment, growing public anger and corruption among Taliban officials. He further accused the group of arbitrary killings, sexual violence, land grabs and expanding narcotics production and trafficking.

He also said Taliban ties with al-Qaida and other militant networks have strengthened, while thousands of extremist schools operate unchecked, indoctrinating Afghan youth.

The only way to save Afghanistan, Ahmadi argued, is through a return to an inclusive political structure, respect for the rights of all ethnic groups and communities, and an end to monopolistic rule. Without such changes, he warned, the country faces renewed and prolonged bloodshed.

In a series of posts on X on Monday, Hekmatyar questioned whether Afghans could agree on a “national covenant” that would provide a unified and inclusive approach to the country’s challenges. “If we build this capacity and ability within ourselves, we can move toward light,” he wrote.

Hekmatyar pointed to strained relations with Pakistan, the inability of Iran to provide support, and joint counterterrorism exercises by Russia and Pakistan near Afghanistan’s borders as signs of the country’s isolation. He also referred to the recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, saying it remained unclear what their agenda was for Afghanistan. Quoting Putin’s remark that “we defeated a common enemy,” Hekmatyar asked whether that enemy was Germany or Afghanistan, and whether the defeat came 77 years ago or 25 years ago.

Hekmatyar argued that Ukraine, Gaza, Iran’s nuclear programme and Afghanistan are now the most pressing issues for Washington and Moscow. He said Afghanistan remained the last place where both the US and Russia had fought against the Mujahideen and the Taliban, adding that after America’s 20-year occupation and the Soviet withdrawal, “we believe Putin’s target is Afghanistan.”

He claimed Trump appeared to be offering concessions to Putin over Ukraine but that Putin could only deliver something meaningful to Washington through Afghanistan. “Only in Afghanistan can he, as in the past, assist America,” Hekmatyar wrote, suggesting such help would come via northern neighbours and groups linked to Moscow that had cooperated with the US during its occupation.

Hekmatyar’s remarks come as the Taliban continue to ban political parties and movements across Afghanistan, showing no sign of willingness to pursue national dialogue or an inclusive political agreement.

Citing senior Iranian officials, the newspaper said four Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officers travelled to Kabul last week to collect the list, which the group intends to use as leverage in nuclear negotiations with the West. The officials reportedly acted without the knowledge of Iran’s government.

The list dates back to February 2022, when a British Ministry of Defence employee accidentally leaked the details of 25,000 Afghans who had applied for asylum in the UK, including former soldiers who had worked alongside British forces. Some are believed to have fled to Iran to escape Taliban reprisals.

According to sources, the IRGC delegation promised the Taliban it would lobby the Iranian government to accelerate recognition of the Taliban administration. In return, the Taliban provided a “modified” version of the list, though it remains unclear what changes were made.

An Iranian official told The Telegraph the IRGC plans to use the names to identify “British spies” and present them as bargaining chips ahead of the possible reactivation of UN “snapback” sanctions. European powers have warned Tehran it faces renewed penalties if it does not restart nuclear talks by the end of August.

Iranian border forces have already detained several Afghans whose names appeared on the list. Some were later released after being identified as former soldiers, while others remain in custody for investigation.