Bin Laden’s Path From Tora Bora Siege To Life In Hiding

The Pakistani defence minister also alleged that both the Pakistani Taliban and the Afghan Taliban receive support from India.

Khawaja Asif said Pakistan seeks stability and peace in the region and aims to maintain relations with neighbouring countries based on mutual respect and cooperation.

He added that Pakistan’s policy is grounded in peaceful coexistence and that the country sees itself as a responsible neighbour committed to regional coordination.

Since the Afghan Taliban returned to power, Pakistan has repeatedly accused the group of providing sanctuary to members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other armed groups on Afghan soil, allowing them to carry out attacks against Pakistan.

The Taliban reject these allegations, saying they do not allow Afghan territory to be used against any country. They also describe Pakistan’s insecurity as an internal matter.

Tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan have in recent months escalated into open conflict.

The ministry said there had also been significant growth in exports to Uzbekistan and Russia, with shipments to Afghanistan showing a 4.2-fold rise.

Afghanistan is considered one of the main regional destinations for Kazakh flour and wheat.

The sharp increase in exports to Afghanistan comes as Kazakhstan has in recent years sought to expand its transit routes towards the south.

The Taliban administration, since taking power and especially after cutting trade ties with Pakistan, has prioritised strengthening economic relations with Central Asian countries.

Taliban officials have not yet provided details about the exact timing of the attacks.

Mohammad Omar Sadiq, Taliban district governor in Dangam, said the Pakistani army has lost the ability to confront directly and has turned to targeting civilian facilities.

He added that 80 head of livestock were killed in the strikes, and that since the start of Pakistani attacks on Kunar province, 12 schools have been destroyed.

Pakistan has not yet commented on the Taliban’s claims.

Last week, Pakistan also targeted several locations in the center and various districts of Kunar province. In one of the attacks, Kunar University in the city of Asadabad, the provincial capital, was also struck.

According to Taliban figures, at least seven people were killed and more than 90 others injured in these attacks, including women and children among the wounded.

United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said, without naming Pakistan, that dozens of casualties from the recent attacks in Kunar province, including the strike on Kunar University, have been recorded and documented.

Border tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan have now continued for more than two months. During this period, the two sides announced only a temporary ceasefire over Eid al-Fitr at the request of Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, after which clashes resumed.

Despite mediation efforts by several countries, including China, the two sides have so far failed to reach an agreement to halt the fighting.

Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Interior Ministry, also released images from the meeting in which no female journalists were visible among the participants.

Qani shared the statement and images from the meeting with journalists on Sunday, May 2, on his X account.

During the same meeting, however, the Interior Ministry spokesperson described the media as “the awakened mind of society and the voice of civilised nations.”

Abdul Mateen Qani emphasised the key role of journalists in raising public awareness but noted that improving professional capacity and the development of journalism should be strengthened “in light of Islamic values”, a principle the Taliban consistently emphasise across all sectors.

The Taliban’s exclusion of women from the meeting and the removal of the word “freedom” from its official statement once again reflect the group’s restrictive approach to press freedom and women’s participation in public life and media.

Over the past nearly five years, the Taliban have imposed extensive restrictions on the media and journalistic activity. The group has suppressed independent media outlets in Afghanistan and required them to publish content only after approval.

Previously, Richard Bennett, UN special rapporteur, said that at least four journalists and media workers remain in Taliban detention.

Reporters Without Borders has also ranked Afghanistan 175th out of 180 countries in its 2026 Press Freedom Index.

The decision to send additional forces to the border districts was made following Pakistani attacks on Spin Boldak and Kunar.

According to the sources, the Taliban have stationed these fighters at newly established checkpoints close to the border between the two countries. These forces are part of thousands of fighters who were summoned to Kandahar in April from southern and south-western provinces.

Sources had previously told Afghanistan International in late March that the decision to transfer forces from southern and south-western provinces to Kandahar was made after Pakistani airstrikes on the province and ahead of Eid.

Several fighters from the provinces of Herat, Farah, Nimroz, and Uruzgan have been transferred to Kandahar and stationed at the army corps there. Around 1,000 troops from each province were called in. Sources add that although these forces were apparently deployed to ensure security in Kandahar, the majority have been designated for border districts.

Relations between Pakistan and the Taliban have been tense for more than two months, and despite several rounds of talks in Turkiye, Qatar, and Urumqi, the Pakistani army has continued to carry out heavy attacks on Afghanistan’s border area.

Last week, Pakistan targeted various locations in the center and several districts of Kunar province. The Pakistani army also struck Kunar University in Asadabad, the provincial capital.

Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of cooperating with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an allegation the Taliban deny.