Taliban Confirm Detention of Female Journalist In Kunduz, Deny Link To Media Work

Heidi Alexander, Britain’s transport secretary, told Sky News that the Islamic Republic is a hostile state that poses a security threat to the Middle East and represses its own population. However, she said the immediate priority was to reduce the violence unfolding amid nationwide protests.

“The priority, as of today, is to try and stem the violence that is happening in Iran at the moment,” Alexander said.

She added: “We would like to see anything that happens in future involving a peaceful transition where people can enjoy fundamental freedoms and we see proper democratic values back at the heart of Iran.”

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the killing of protesters during the Iranian authorities’ crackdown on anti-government demonstrations and urged Tehran to exercise restraint.

A spokesperson for the British government said London is deeply concerned by reports of violence against peaceful protesters and is closely monitoring developments.

However, Kemi Badenoch, leader of Britain’s Conservative Party, took a more hardline stance, saying she has no objection to regime change in Iran and that possible intervention by the United States and its allies would be justified.

“I don’t have an issue with removing a regime that is trying to harm us,” Badenoch said, accusing Iran of attempting to carry out assassinations on British soil. She described the Islamic Republic as an enemy and said it operates terrorist networks, including Hezbollah, across the world.

According to HRANA, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, more than 570 protests have taken place across Iran’s 31 provinces as of Sunday morning, underscoring the scale of the unrest.

The Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan announced the contribution on Sunday, and expressed appreciation for Sweden’s support in a post on X.

The fund said the assistance will be directed towards programmes aimed at improving access to essential services and boosting resilience among communities affected by prolonged conflict, displacement and climate-related shocks.

The donation comes as the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has reduced its global funding appeal for 2026 to $33 billion, citing declining international support. OCHA’s proposed humanitarian budget for 2025 stood at about $47 billion.

Humanitarian agencies have warned that reduced funding could significantly affect aid operations in crisis-hit countries, including Afghanistan, where millions of people remain dependent on international assistance for basic needs.

In a statement, the ministry said the visit aims to hold talks with Omani officials and to “strengthen academic cooperation”. It added that Nadeem is also expected to visit universities and scientific institutions during his stay.

Visits by Taliban officials to Muscat have increased in recent months, reflecting expanding engagement between the two sides. Most recently, the Taliban’s minister of transport and civil aviation visited Oman, where agreements on transport cooperation were signed.

Amir Khan Muttaqi travelled to Muscat in March 2025. Oman formally handed over Afghanistan’s embassy in Muscat to the Taliban on September 11, 2024.

Earlier this month, Muttaqi held a telephone call with Oman’s foreign minister, Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, to discuss expanding bilateral relations. During the call, Muttaqi invited Al Busaidi to make an official visit to Kabul, an invitation the Omani minister said he would accept at an appropriate time.

Oman has maintained diplomatic engagement with the Taliban while avoiding formal recognition, positioning itself as a regional interlocutor on Afghanistan-related issues.

The organisation said Nazera Rashidi, a local reporter in Kunduz, was arrested on Tuesday, January 6, and taken to an undisclosed location. It said she was detained without any official explanation.

According to the group, Rashidi’s family said she has been in Taliban custody for four days. The organisation urged the Taliban to disclose the reasons for her detention and to guarantee her safety and legal rights, stressing that women journalists are entitled to protection under international human rights standards.

In its statement, the group also called on international human rights bodies to closely monitor the case.

Local reports said Taliban intelligence agents detained Rashidi as she was leaving her home in Kunduz. Her relatives said she is the sole breadwinner for her family and the guardian of her younger siblings.

Women journalists in Afghanistan have faced increasing restrictions since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. According to media rights groups, only about 7 percent of women journalists say they are able to work freely.

Reports indicate that around 55 percent of women journalists face personal threats, while more than 32 percent work covertly, mainly for online and written media, amid fears of arrest or reprisals.

In an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Amnesty said it was deeply concerned about the treatment of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and urged authorities to respect their rights in line with international law.

On Friday, January 9, the rights group said in a post on X that Pakistani authorities must ensure the protection of Afghan refugees, stressing that people in need of international protection should be safeguarded in accordance with international human rights standards.

The appeal comes amid a sharp rise in the return of Afghan migrants from neighbouring countries. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has said that at least 2.8 million Afghans returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan in 2025. Of that total, about 1.8 million were deported from Iran and 930,000 from Pakistan.

In its annual report released in December 2025, UNHCR said 67 percent of Afghan migrants were forcibly deported from the two countries, noting that deportations increased by 62 percent compared with 2024.

UNHCR has repeatedly warned that many Afghans returning to their country, particularly women and girls, face serious protection risks amid widespread human rights violations under Taliban rule.

Human rights organisations have urged Pakistan and other host countries to suspend forced returns and ensure that Afghan refugees are not sent back to conditions where they could face persecution or serious harm.