Anti-Taliban Group Says It Killed Taliban Official In Herat

Speaking On the 106th anniversary of Afghanistan’s independence, he said that his administration was closely monitoring foreign activity.

“We monitor everything and have our own calculations about it,” Baradar said in a speech on Tuesday, August 19. He urged Afghans abroad to return home and avoid “needless destruction at the instigation of others.”

Without naming a specific state, Baradar added: “Instead of interference and confrontation, pave the way for political and economic engagement.”

His comments come days before Pakistan is set to host a gathering of Afghan opposition leaders in Islamabad on August 25–26. The meeting will bring together political activists, women’s rights advocates, and party representatives. Analysts see it as a potential shift in Pakistan’s stance, though Islamabad has downplayed its significance.

Baradar also underscored the importance of modern education. “We must turn to the education of our time according to today’s needs, and acquire technology and advanced tools,” he said.

The remarks contrast sharply with Taliban education policies. Over the past four years, the group has established thousands of religious schools across Afghanistan. The Taliban’s Ministry of Education says more than 21,000 madrassas are now active nationwide, while girls remain barred from secondary and higher education.

Calling for unity based on national and religious values, Baradar concluded: “We must eliminate divisions created under various names and not allow, God forbid, this system to fall victim to disunity and narrow-mindedness.”

“This time, conditions should not be created that, God forbid, we lose this freedom,” Yaqub said in a speech on Tuesday, August 19.

He urged unity under “Islam and Afghan identity,” cautioning against prejudice. “Here, Islam and Afghan identity are what matter,” he said.

Yaqub also pledged that Taliban forces would not serve foreign powers. “We have no ill intentions toward anyone; we want to have good relations with the entire world,” he said.

Reiterating the group’s opposition to foreign interference, the Taliban defence minister said: “We must remain vigilant against the conspiracies of foreigners, stand against any of their hostile actions, and not allow anyone to interfere in our affairs.”

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.