TAPI Pipeline Advances 25 Km In Afghanistan, Says Taliban

However, the limited progress has raised doubts about completing the 153-kilometre section by the end of 2026.

Hamdullah Fitrat wrote on X on Tuesday that construction work on the project is under way in Herat province, describing the progress as “significant”.

Available data show that work on the project inside Afghanistan remains confined to the Torghundi area of Herat, with other sections of the route yet to enter the implementation phase.

Around 16.3 per cent of the 153-kilometre route has been completed over the past four years.

The TAPI Pipeline, one of the region’s major energy projects, is intended to transport gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan and India.

First proposed in the 1990s, the project gained momentum in 2003 with support from the Asian Development Bank. Construction began in Turkmenistan in 2015, and the Afghan section was inaugurated on February 23, 2018.

Taliban & Pakistan Hold Talks To Reopen Torkham Crossing

Mar 31, 2026, 09:04 GMT+1

Informed sources told Afghanistan International on Monday that Taliban and Pakistani officials held a meeting in Torkham to discuss resuming movement through the crossing.

According to the information, the talks are expected to continue on Tuesday.

The Torkham crossing, which has been closed for months due to border clashes between the Taliban and Pakistan, was partially and one-sidedly reopened last week for the deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan. However, normal and commercial traffic has not yet resumed.

Pakistan had hoped that closing the border and deporting Afghan migrants would pressure the Taliban to curb attacks by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. However, the continued closure of Torkham has caused significant losses for Afghan and Pakistani traders, prompting protests.

The meeting, held after weeks of intense clashes, signals a renewed willingness by both sides to engage in dialogue. Although Pakistani and Taliban forces clashed in Kunar on Sunday, Pakistani officials told Reuters the incident was minor and in response to Taliban fire.

While Pakistan has not announced the end of its “Ghazab lil Haq” operation, the intensity of its cross-border attacks into Afghanistan has decreased.

Analysts believe Pakistan is focused on the possible end of tensions between the United States and Iran, as such a conflict given Pakistan’s military ties with Saudi Arabia could draw Islamabad into a wider regional confrontation.

At Least 28 Dead As Floods & Heavy Rain Hit Afghanistan

Mar 30, 2026, 17:09 GMT+1

The Taliban’s disaster management authority says at least 28 people have died and 49 were injured in flooding and heavy rain over the past four days, with 567 homes destroyed across several provinces.

Yousuf Hammad, spokesperson for Taliban’s disaster management authority, said in a video message on Monday, March 30, that heavy rain and flooding over the past four days caused casualties and damage in Kabul, Kapisa, Parwan, Panjshir, Bamiyan, Daikundi, Paktia, Paktika, Logar, Zabul, Kandahar, Helmand, Herat, Balkh, Badghis, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Jawzjan, Faryab, Nangarhar, Laghman and Ghor.

The Taliban official added that 130 homes were completely destroyed, while 438 houses and 10 shops were partially damaged.

He said that during this period 24 waterways, 93 kilometers of roads, 30 water supply networks and 1,433 acres of agricultural land were destroyed. He noted that more than 1,130 families were affected overall by the heavy rain and flooding.

The authority urged people to stay away from rivers and waterways and to protect themselves and their property in line with guidance from the meteorological department.

Iran Executes Two Over Alleged Ties To Exiled Opposition Group

Mar 30, 2026, 13:19 GMT+1

The Islamic Republic of Iran has executed two political prisoners, Akbar Daneshvar-Kar and Mohammad Taghavi, at Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj.

According to reports, the executions were carried out secretly without prior notice to, or a final visit from, their families.

Mizan News Agency, the judiciary’s media outlet, confirmed the executions. The two prisoners were hanged early on Monday, March 30, at Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj.

Akbar Daneshvar-Kar, 60, and Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi, 59, were sentenced to death in 2024 by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court on charges of rebellion through alleged membership of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organisation also known as People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran.

Mizan and other judiciary-affiliated media accused the two men of serious offences, including direct involvement in terrorist activities, manufacturing explosive launchers, forming illegal groups and links with opposition networks aimed at undermining national security.

The Hengaw human rights organisation said the Islamic Republic had extracted confessions from the prisoners under pressure and intense interrogation in connection with these charges.

Afghanistan Freedom Front Resumes Operations, Reports Deadly Attack In Badakhshan

Mar 30, 2026, 11:46 GMT+1

The Afghanistan Freedom Front has announced it has resumed attacks against the Taliban after halting operations during Ramadan.

It said that in its first spring offensive on Sunday evening, March 29, it attacked a Taliban border unit in Baharak district of Badakhshan province, killing four members.

According to the AFF, three other Taliban fighters were wounded in the attack.

The Taliban have not commented on the Afghanistan Freedom Front’s claim.

The Afghanistan Freedom Front had suspended its attacks against the Taliban during the month of Ramadan.

The Front’s attack in Badakhshan comes as the Taliban, about two weeks ago, deployed their governor of Helmand, Amanuddin Mansoor, to Badakhshan.

Amanuddin Mansoor, a Badakhshani Taliban commander, said in a speech that people are asking him how long the Taliban government will last.

The Taliban are concerned that the presence of opposition forces in the north could be strengthened by gaining regional and international support in these provinces.

Taliban Seeks Annual Purchase Of 2 Million Tonnes Of Russian Fuel

Mar 30, 2026, 10:06 GMT+1

Russia’s trade centre in Afghanistan said the Taliban are seeking to purchase two million tonnes of fuel annually from Russia.

According to Russian media reports citing officials from the centre, a long-term fuel supply agreement is expected to be signed soon in the city of Kazan.

It is understood that current contracts run for three to six months and are then renewed. In this context, plans are underway to sign a long-term agreement during the Kazan International Economic Forum 2026.

Zamir Kabulov, the Russian president’s special envoy for Afghanistan, has said that Afghanistan is interested in purchasing Russian fuel and that energy exports to the country are on the agenda in ongoing talks.

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