Taliban Leader Urges Clerics To Guide Public Thinking

Local elders and residents in Nari district of Kunar and Kamdesh and Barg-e-Matal districts of Nuristan said on Monday that after clashes with Pakistani forces in border areas, Taliban forces abandoned the outposts and took shelter in village mosques.

The abandoned posts are located in the Bari Kot area of Nari district in Kunar, as well as in Barg-e-Matal and Kamdesh in Nuristan, where Taliban and Pakistani forces are positioned in close proximity.

A tribal elder in Kunar said that as clashes intensified and Pakistani forces targeted Bari Kot, Taliban fighters, along with local residents, left the area, leaving the posts empty.

Aid agencies and Bakhtar News Agency reported on Sunday that thousands of families have fled from Nari district to Asadabad, the provincial capital, due to the fighting.

Residents of Nuristan say that key routes linking Kamdesh and Barg-e-Matal through Nari have been blocked, disrupting food supplies and civilian movement. They added that Pakistani forces are firing from elevated positions at vehicles, effectively closing the roads.

Some tribal elders have accused the Taliban of failing to ensure security and spreading misinformation, claiming the group travels by helicopter to district centers to create the impression of a presence in border areas.

Residents say that for nearly a month, roads in eastern Nuristan, especially in Kamdesh and Barg-e-Matal, have remained closed due to ongoing clashes and Pakistani attacks.

They warn that food shortages have become severe, with some residents saying supplies have already run out and that if the situation continues, they may be forced to seek help from Pakistani forces.

Fereydoun Samim, spokesperson for the Taliban governor in Nuristan, confirmed earlier that Pakistani forces have been targeting vehicles attempting to enter Kamdesh and Barg-e-Matal, leading to the closure of routes.

Nuristan province lies in north-eastern Afghanistan, bordering Pakistan to the east and south, with eastern Nuristan referring mainly to valleys and districts close to the border.

FAO said that while rainfall benefits crop growth, heavy downpours increase the risk of flooding in urban and rural areas, potentially damaging farms, infrastructure and vulnerable livelihoods.

It added that below-average temperatures and sub-zero conditions in highland areas are putting pressure on crops and livestock, with a risk of frost affecting parts of the north-east, east and central provinces.

Meanwhile, the Taliban’s Meteorology Department has warned of heavy rain and possible flooding in 32 provinces. Forecasts indicate rain across most of the country on Tuesday, except Farah and Nimroz.

Strong winds of 50 to 85 km/h are also expected in eastern, central, southern and south-eastern areas, along with snowfall in colder and mountainous regions. Rainfall is predicted to range between 10 and 65 millimeters.

Since March 26, Afghanistan has experienced widespread rain, flooding and snowfall. The Taliban’s disaster management authority reported 99 deaths and 154 injuries during this period.

According to the authority, 955 homes were completely destroyed and nearly 4,000 partially damaged, while floods have also destroyed hundreds of kilometers of roads and agricultural land.

Although the rainfall has raised hopes of easing drought conditions, it has also caused significant damage.

Mir Ziaullah Langove said on Sunday the suspect, identified as Habibullah, 20, from Paktika, was detained. Officials said his brother is a commander in Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

A Pakistani Senior police official Hamza Shafqaat said Habibullah, also known as “Lalu”, was arrested near Quetta. He said the suspect had previously been detained but released after a month due to mistaken identity as a civilian. He added that the man later resumed militant activities and was involved in the killing of two Pakistani border personnel.

In a video shared on Langove’s X account, the suspect is seen confessing during interrogation that he operated under a commander named “Muslim” and targeted Pakistani forces along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

The minister said a case has been registered against the suspect and that he will be presented in court.

He also claimed that some Afghan nationals have been involved in several terrorist attacks in Balochistan.

He stressed that Pakistan’s actions are aimed at terrorism, not Afghan citizens, and warned that any attempt to destabilise Pakistan from Afghan territory would be met with a firm response.

The chamber described the agreements as an important step in strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.

The deals come as trade between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan reached $1.7 billion in 2025.

Previously, Afghan and Uzbek private sectors also signed 25 trade agreements in Kabul, valued at more than $500 million.

Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, wrote on X on Sunday that Afghans are experiencing unprecedented levels of division, distrust and pressure. He added: “Those who share a path, ideals and pain must stand together.”

He criticised what he called “malicious and divisive efforts” and expressed support for Afghan political figure Fawzia Koofi.

Koofi faced strong criticism after attending two meetings on Afghanistan in Islamabad and London. Reports suggest a gathering of Taliban opponents was organised by a Pakistani entity in cooperation with her.

Following the meeting, Essa Mohammadi, an adviser to the National Resistance Front, shared a manipulated image of Koofi on social media and used gendered language to criticise her.

The move drew widespread reactions across social media and political circles.

Massoud said Afghanistan has endured years of deep wounds and suffering, much of which stems not only from external enemies but also from internal divisions.

He stressed that achieving a free Afghanistan, free from oppression and injustice, requires unity among people of all ethnicities, languages and religions, urging vigilance against division.