Taliban Flog 16 People, Including 6 Women, In Khost & Kapisa

The gathering, set for 29–30 September, is organised by the “Women for Afghanistan” initiative and the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute. It will feature sessions exclusively for Afghan leaders as well as joint discussions with Pakistani counterparts.

Organisers said the aim is to strengthen trust, expand regional cooperation and underscore the role of women in Afghanistan’s future. One participant confirmed their arrival in Islamabad ahead of the talks.

The anti Taliban to opposition meeting has been repeatedly delayed. It was initially slated for 25–26 June, rescheduled for 25–26 July, then postponed to 25–26 August before being deferred again. Sources attributed the delays to Taliban objections over the participation of Afghan opposition figures invited by the Islamabad-based think tank.

Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US envoy for Afghanistan, criticised Pakistan for hosting the event, calling the move “irresponsible and regrettable.” He said Afghans have the right to voice political opinions but described Islamabad’s backing of the meeting as “immature, provocative and wrong.”

The discussions are expected to focus on the situation in Afghanistan and ways to expand cooperation between Tehran and Islamabad, according to the report.

The visit comes as relations between Pakistan and the Taliban have grown increasingly strained amid rising insecurity in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. Islamabad accuses the Taliban of sheltering the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which has carried out cross-border attacks.

The trip follows a joint meeting on Afghanistan held in New York two days earlier on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, where the foreign ministers of Iran, China, Pakistan and Russia discussed regional security concerns.

The attack took place Friday afternoon in the village of Zhi in Tanai district. One other person was wounded.
Sources said Tanai had long-standing hostilities with a family in the district. He had been accused of killing a man during the previous government, sparking a feud that lasted more than 13 years. The dispute reportedly forced him to relocate his family from Tanai to Mandozai district.

According to the sources, Tanai was visiting relatives in Tanai when gunmen opened fire. He died at the scene.
Reports suggest Tanai’s father also served as an officer with the former National Directorate of Security. The motive for the killing remains unclear, and no arrests have been made.

Similar attacks against former security personnel have been reported since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

Hamdullah Fitrat, the Taliban’s deputy spokesperson, said “no armed group is operating in Afghanistan” and insisted the country’s territory would not be used against other nations. He added that the Taliban is solely responsible for Afghanistan’s security and has taken “necessary measures” to ensure it.

His remarks came after the foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, China and Pakistan issued a joint statement on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The ministers voiced concern over the reported presence of ISIS, al-Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and Jaish al-Adl in Afghanistan, warning that their activities pose a threat to regional peace and stability.

The four countries urged the Taliban to take verifiable and non-discriminatory action against such groups.

Pakistan, in particular, has repeatedly accused the Taliban of sheltering the TTP, which has carried out cross-border attacks. The Taliban has consistently denied the allegations.

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.