Floods In Afghanistan Leave Hundreds Dead Or Injured, Says UN

According to the sources, the meeting is being held with the approval of both the Taliban administration and the Pakistani government, and with the support of Turkiye.

Participants linked to the Taliban include Jafar Mahdavi, Atif Mashal, Ghuncha Gul Arman, Obaidullah Bahir and Sulaiman Bin Shah.

From Pakistan, participants include Mushahid Hussain, Sitara Ayaz, Asif Durrani, Senator Abdul Qadir Khan and Hamid Mir.

Sources said the agenda includes issues such as the activities of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Islamic State in Afghanistan, border clashes, continued Pakistani air and ground strikes, economic conditions and the issue of migrants.

They added that the aim of the talks is to find ways to reduce tensions and explore practical mechanisms for managing border and security crises. Proposals discussed include intelligence sharing, measures to prevent clashes along the border, and facilitating movement for civilians and traders between the two countries.

The participants in Istanbul are holding talks with the tacit approval of the Taliban administration and the Pakistani government, within an informal but coordinated process mediated by Turkiye.

Several rounds of formal talks between the Taliban administration and the Pakistani government in Doha, Istanbul, Riyadh and Urumqi have failed to yield results. Pakistan continues its attacks on eastern Afghan provinces, causing civilian casualties and damage.

At the same time, Pakistan has expanded its ties with Taliban opponents, with some anti-Taliban groups reportedly seeking to open political offices in Pakistan.

The meeting included reports from various provinces, which were shared with commission members and Mullah Yaqoob.

Bakhtar News Agency reported that, following the assessments, decisions were taken to address existing problems in a timely and effective manner.

The Taliban did not disclose details of the discussions or the specific security challenges they are facing.

The meeting comes as Pakistani attacks on various parts of Afghanistan have continued in recent days.

Pakistani security sources told Dawn on Wednesday, April 29, that their forces had destroyed several Afghan Taliban posts and vehicles in the Chaman area. According to the sources, the operation was carried out in response to what they described as “aggression” by Afghan Taliban and armed groups along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Earlier this week, on Monday, Pakistani forces also carried out deadly attacks on various areas in Kunar, including the provincial capital.

The ministry said on Wednesday, April 29, that the devices had been operating illegally in Yakawlang district of Bamiyan province.

In recent years, some Afghan citizens, particularly in remote areas, have sought to use satellite networks to access the internet and online education. For some girls barred from schooling, this technology has provided a way to attend online classes.

Starlink is a satellite internet network owned by Elon Musk and the company SpaceX, connecting users directly to satellites via small ground dishes. The system does not rely on fiber optics or domestic telecom networks, allowing relatively high-speed internet even in remote areas.

The Taliban have restricted public use of the network, despite earlier reports that some Taliban officials themselves have used Starlink.

Afghanistan International reported last year that a number of Taliban officials had accessed the internet via the satellite network, at a time when public internet access was restricted in parts of Afghanistan.

The sources said, “Pakistan Army effectively targeted and destroyed several Afghan Taliban posts in Chaman”.

On Sunday, Pakistani forces reportedly destroyed Afghan Taliban artillery positions in South Waziristan. The sources said the action followed an incident in which Afghan Taliban forces opened fire on civilians, injuring three people, including two women.

With a renewed rise in militant activity, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where attacks increasingly target security and law enforcement personnel, Pakistan has intensified its counterterrorism operations.

Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban to dismantle TTP safe havens on Afghan soil, a request that has so far gone unanswered.

However, Pakistani security sources said that “Operation Ghazab-il-Haq” against Afghan Taliban and militant groups operating from Afghanistan will continue.

In a statement on Wednesday, April 29, the ministry said the process of reviewing, verifying and reclaiming “grabbed” land is ongoing across Afghanistan. It did not specify who had occupied the land or what action had been taken against them.

The Taliban claims it has so far identified large areas of land in Kabul and other provinces as unlawfully seized and returned them to state ownership.

This process continues despite the absence of any independent and impartial body in Afghanistan to handle complaints from citizens who say the Taliban have forcibly taken their land and registered it under “emirate” ownership.