Taliban Step Up Arrests of Women In Herat Over Dress Code

Kabulov’s remarks come after a meeting of Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries at the level of special envoys was held in Tehran in 2025, which was attended by Russia’s representative. Russia also hosts the annual Moscow-format talks on Afghanistan, though it remains unclear whether those talks will be held in the new calendar year.

Russia is the only country that has formally recognised the Taliban administration.

In another part of his remarks, Kabulov said Russia and the United States have not held any direct talks on Afghanistan.

He added that as of December 2023, no communication channels remained between Moscow and Washington on Afghan-related issues.

In an interview with TASS, Kabulov also said Afghanistan’s banking system is currently unable to process Russia’s Mir payment cards.

Asked about the prospects for using Mir cards in Afghanistan, he said he does not expect this to happen in the near future, citing technical limitations within Afghanistan’s banking sector and the impact of international sanctions.

Previously, Gul Hassan, the Taliban’s ambassador to Moscow, said the Taliban administration was in talks with Russia on banking cooperation, including the possible use of Mir cards.

The Mir network is a Russian payment system created by the country’s central bank as an alternative to international systems such as Visa and Mastercard.

Responding to a question about regional instability, Kabulov said the Taliban are unable to influence developments in the region.

Speaking at a jihadi school in Kandahar province, Mujahid said the Taliban have placed significant emphasis on religious and jihadi education since returning to power.

He also claimed that the authorities have paid attention to modern education, saying about 12 million students are “engaged in learning modern subjects” in schools across the country. Mujahid added that the Taliban have “reformed” the national school curriculum, without providing details.

Since seizing power, the Taliban have prioritised the construction and expansion of jihadi schools, mosques and religious institutions nationwide.

International organisations and human rights groups have expressed concern over the rapid growth of these schools, warning that they risk promoting extremism.

The Afghanistan Human Rights Center said in a recent study that the expansion of Taliban-run jihadi schools has “negative and dangerous” effects on the thinking of young people.

The study, published last year, said the Taliban have altered school curricula and removed several key subjects. It also warned that the number of jihadi schools may be higher than official figures suggest.

According to the findings, the Taliban have built at least one large jihadi school in each province, equipped with extensive facilities and dormitories capable of housing up to 2,000 people. Additional jihadi schools have also been established in many district centres.

In Kunduz province alone, the study said, four large jihadi schools and about 800 religious schools have been established over the past three years.

Meanwhile, the Taliban have kept schools above the sixth grade and universities closed to girls for more than four years, a policy that has drawn widespread international condemnation.

In a statement, UNICEF said the assistance is critical to the survival and well-being of children across the country, warning that needs are growing amid Afghanistan’s deepening, multidimensional crises.

The agency said communities are grappling with the combined impact of natural disasters, a fragile economy, limited access to basic services and recurring climate shocks.

According to humanitarian estimates, about 22 million people, including 11.6 million children, are expected to require assistance across Afghanistan in 2026.

UNICEF also warned of a worsening protection crisis, saying pregnant women, children, young people and marginalised groups face increasing risks.

The agency highlighted the systematic rights crisis affecting women and girls, noting that bans on education, restrictions on employment and daily limitations have weakened their resilience, with long-term consequences for future generations.

Citing the scale and urgency of the challenges, UNICEF appealed for $950 million to support vulnerable populations, particularly children and women, and urged donors to step up funding to prevent further deterioration of humanitarian conditions.

Pakistan Ministry of Commerce said Afghan transit cargo currently stranded at the ports of Karachi, Gwadar and other border crossings has been cleared for export through all Pakistani ports. The move follows a special exemption approved by the Federal Board of Revenue.

Taliban authorities have not yet issued an official response to the decision.

Pakistan closed all border crossings with Afghanistan in October 2025 following deadly clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistani security personnel. The shutdown, which lasted for about three months, caused significant economic losses on both sides of the border.

Pakistani traders had previously warned that the prolonged closure was costing them more than $4 million a day.

Under normal conditions, Afghanistan exports dried fruit, fresh produce, vegetables and coal to Pakistan, while importing cement, textiles, fruit, agricultural produce and other commercial goods from its neighbour.

Noor Ahmad Noor met on Monday with Anand Prakash, head of the Afghanistan and Pakistan desk at India Ministry of External Affairs, according to a statement published by the Afghan embassy.

While New Delhi does not recognise the Taliban administration, it has allowed the group to assume control of Afghanistan’s embassy, reflecting expanding practical engagement between the two sides.

The ambassador of the former Afghan government announced in November 2023 that the embassy’s activities in New Delhi had been fully suspended, saying the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan had been permanently closed. India’s Foreign Ministry later said the embassy, along with Afghan consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad, remained operational and continued to provide services to Afghan citizens.

In a bulletin posted on the embassy’s X account on Monday, officials said Noor and the Indian diplomat discussed bilateral political and economic relations, as well as the expansion of trade.

Noor urged the Indian government to ease visa issuance for Afghan traders and citizens and to address problems faced by Afghan traders, students and residents in India.

Noor accompanied Amir Khan Muttaqi during his visit to New Delhi three months ago. At the time, Muttaqi said India had agreed to accept a Taliban representative at Afghanistan’s embassy in the capital.

A former official at the Afghan embassy in New Delhi told Afghanistan International that India requires at least one Taliban diplomat at the mission to manage its current level of engagement with the group.

Relations between New Delhi and the Taliban have expanded following Muttaqi’s visit. Since then, Taliban ministers responsible for public health and commerce have also travelled to India, signalling a gradual widening of contacts between the two sides.