Taliban Deepened Repression In 2025, Says Human Rights Watch

According to the UN assessment, contamination from landmines and unexploded ordnance has restricted access to agricultural land, water resources, residential areas and grazing land.

The report says more than 1,069 square kilometres of Afghan territory remain contaminated with explosive ordnance. Grazing land alone accounts for about 756 square kilometres, posing a severe threat to families dependent on livestock and agriculture.

Children are the primary victims of landmines and unexploded ordnance, accounting for about 80 precent of casualties, the programme said. Many are injured or killed while playing and coming into contact with explosive materials.

The data show contamination has also restricted access to more than 120 square kilometres of farmland and over 155 square kilometres of residential areas and public facilities.

The UN warned that widespread contamination by landmines and other explosive ordnance remains one of Afghanistan’s most serious humanitarian challenges, with direct economic and food-security consequences for local communities.

About 2.7 million people live within one kilometre of contaminated areas, the report said, with 1,565 local communities and 258 districts affected.

The assessment found that hundreds of educational and health facilities are located near contaminated areas, putting children’s safety and access to basic services at risk.

The UN Mine Action Programme said that in December 2025 alone, more than 80 square kilometres of land were cleared of landmines and explosive remnants of war, and more than 18,000 explosive items were destroyed.

The programme stressed the importance of public awareness, describing it as one of the most effective ways to reduce civilian casualties, particularly among children. Alongside clearance operations, more than 2.2 million people have benefited from explosive ordnance risk education programmes, many of them children.

Zia Ahmad Takal, head of information and public relations at the Taliban’s foreign ministry, said Wednesday that representatives from UN offices in Kabul, the European Union, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, ambassadors, diplomats and a number of experts took part in the meeting, both in person and online.

Taliban officials told the meeting that the sources of synthetic drugs lie outside Afghanistan and warned that failure to curb their spread would harm the region and the wider world. They also claimed that poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has “almost reached zero”.

At the session, Taliban representatives presented proposals on alternative livelihoods for farmers, treatment for people with drug addiction and other challenges facing counter-narcotics efforts in the country.

According to the Taliban, representatives of several international organisations and countries expressed support for counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan. Participants stressed the need to create alternative livelihoods and to take effective steps to treat and reintegrate people with drug addiction into society.

Taliban officials said tackling drugs in Afghanistan is in the interest of the region and the world, adding that progress requires investment, cooperation, coordination and mutual trust. They also said international representatives welcomed what they described as a reduction in poppy cultivation.

Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s leader, issued a decree banning the cultivation and production of drugs a year after the group returned to power. However, reports indicate that drug cultivation and production continue in some areas in Afghanistan.

After the departure of Cenk Unal, Ankara appointed Sadin Ayyildiz as chargé d’affaires in Kabul in December, rather than sending a new ambassador. Ayyildiz met Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting foreign minister.

The talks focused on expanding bilateral relations, particularly in the economic and health sectors, according to officials.

Since the Taliban returned to power, Türkiye has changed its top envoy to Kabul at least twice. The decision to send a chargé d’affaires instead of an ambassador is seen as indicating a lower level of diplomatic engagement with the Taliban administration.

Ayyildiz has previously served as Turkey’s consul general in Kazakhstan, the Netherlands and Ukraine.

Hossein Nejat, a senior commander in the Revolutionary Guard, said most of those involved in activities during the conflict were Iranian nationals, though in some cases foreign nationals, including a small number of Afghan migrants, were present.

He said Afghans played no role in flying drones and that claims about the discovery of tunnels or large-scale organised actions by migrants had not been confirmed.

Nejat said between 70 and 80 people were identified and detained for producing and sending images and information from damaged locations.

He added that some had acted out of negligence, while others had direct or indirect links to online pages associated with Israel or the Mujahedin-e Khalq.

Israel launched air strikes against Iran on June 13, 2025, with aerial clashes between the two sides continuing until June 24, 2025.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said it was unclear on what basis Lavrov made the remarks and insisted that over the past four to five years no country had been threatened from Afghanistan.

Lavrov said Monday that new security challenges and threats particularly developments linked to Central Asia and Afghanistan are among the top concerns of member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Responding Tuesday, Mujahid said the Taliban exercise full control over Afghanistan’s territory. He said: “In the past four or five years that the Islamic Emirate has governed Afghanistan, no threat has been directed at any country from Afghan soil.”

However, several neighbouring and regional countries have voiced concerns about the presence and activities of militant groups in Afghanistan.

Russia has expressed concern about the activities of the Islamic State group and Central Asian Islamist movements. Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have also warned about the presence and activities of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and the Ansarullah group in Afghanistan, saying they have faced direct threats.

China has repeatedly raised concerns about Uyghur militants. Chinese officials say individuals linked to these groups have at times targeted Chinese nationals inside and outside Afghanistan. In a recent incident, Islamic State militants attacked Chinese nationals in Kabul’s Shahr-e Naw district.

Pakistan says Afghan territory has become a safe haven for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Baloch separatists. Pakistani officials claim leaders of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Baloch Liberation Army are based in Afghanistan, allegations the Taliban deny.