Taliban Pushes Back On Allegations Of Al-Qaeda, ISIS Presence In Afghanistan

Liu Jinsong, director-general of the Asian affairs department at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries highlights a history of friendly and peaceful relations.

According to a statement from the Taliban embassy in Beijing, the two sides discussed strengthening bilateral relations, boosting economic and trade cooperation, expanding consular services, and other key issues.

Taliban Ambassador Bilal Karimi praised the historic relationship between Afghanistan and China and thanked Beijing for its humanitarian assistance to families affected by recent earthquakes in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces.

The meeting comes amid growing concern in China and neighbouring countries over possible US efforts to re-establish a military presence in Afghanistan. On Thursday, the foreign ministers of Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan, meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, warned that any new US base in Afghanistan would threaten regional security and stability.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised Washington’s troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and has said the United States will return to Bagram Air Base. The Taliban, in response, have vowed to reject any renewed US military presence. It remains unclear, however, whether the group would enter negotiations with Washington.

The woman, the wife of former provincial council member Abdul Rahman Muradi, was on trial over alleged involvement in her husband’s killing. Muradi was found dead at his home in January, with family members initially claiming he died when his own weapon accidentally discharged.

After the incident, the woman was arrested on suspicion of complicity in the killing and summoned to Saturday’s appeal session. Witnesses said she was attacked by an attendee who opened fire during the hearing, killing her instantly.

A defence lawyer told Afghanistan International that her involvement in Muradi’s death had not been proven and that she may have been acquitted.

The Taliban have not issued a statement on the incident. Local sources said one person has been arrested in connection with the shooting.

In a statement late Thursday, the group said its fighters struck around 10 p.m., targeting the former home of Malik Tatar, a police commander under the previous government in Yangi Qala, which the Taliban now use as a base in Lala Guzar village of Khwaja Bahauddin district.

Local residents confirmed to Afghanistan International that at least three rockets hit near the compound but reported no casualties. They said the rockets landed in the street and close to the base.

Taliban officials in Takhar have not commented.

The Afghanistan Freedom Front said it also attacked the Taliban intelligence office in Khwaja Bahauddin, wounding two members. The district has long been a hub for anti-Taliban groups and served as a stronghold of the resistance groups during the Taliban’s first rule.

The Uzbek transport operator said the new venture will organise shipments to Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia and the Baltic states, while also opening new routes connecting Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

A representative office has been opened in Kabul to facilitate the project. The company said the office will simplify procedures and shorten delivery times.

Uzbekistan’s ambassador in Kabul, Obok Usmonov, said the joint investment would help expand cooperation in transport, trade, industry and other areas.

While Uzbekistan has not formally recognised the Taliban administration, it maintains broad diplomatic and economic ties with the group.

Earlier this week, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev told the UN General Assembly that ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan requires unified international efforts. He said the situation in Afghanistan cannot be ignored in the pursuit of global and regional security.

According to a letter issued by the ministry’s Kabul directorate on 15 September, the directive applies to grades one through twelve and was approved by the Taliban’s Prime Minister’s Office. Provincial education officials have been ordered to implement the changes immediately.

The letter, seen by Afghanistan International, instructed teachers to stop covering lessons on subjects including homeland, the national flag, democracy, peace, women’s rights, motherhood, the Buddha statues, the Red Flower festival, and humanitarian values.

The ministry also directed the Taliban’s Department of Preaching and Guidance to monitor compliance and report back.

Since returning to power, the Taliban have reshaped the curriculum by expanding religious instruction and establishing hundreds of new madrassas. Officials have repeatedly said that any content deemed inconsistent with Sharia or Afghan culture will be removed.

The curriculum overhaul has sparked concern among Afghans and international observers. Foreign Policy magazine recently described the Taliban-run education system as a “new Taliban army,” arguing that schools are being transformed into religious seminaries.

In higher education, Taliban officials have also reduced hours for core university subjects while tripling those devoted to Islamic culture, according to sources in the Ministry of Higher Education.