Taliban Beat Shia Cleric In Kabul After Marriage Dispute, Say Sources

Mujahid’s audio statement was broadcast on Monday by Radio Television Afghanistan, the Taliban-controlled state broadcaster.

He said the Taliban administration would not allow Afghan territory to be used against any country, including Pakistan.

The response came after Munir said on Sunday, during an event marking the first anniversary of the four-day conflict between Pakistan and India, that militant activity originating from Afghan territory continued and that the Taliban must dismantle terrorist sanctuaries.

Speaking in Rawalpindi, Munir also accused India of returning to what he described as a long-standing policy of supporting militancy after failing on the battlefield.

He added that security threats to Pakistan continued not only from India but also from Afghanistan.

Speaking on Monday at a meeting in Geneva titled “Accountability, Truth-Seeking, and Reconciliation: Foundations for the Return to Constitutional Governance in Afghanistan”, Bennett described the current situation in Afghanistan as gender apartheid.

He said Afghan women themselves regard the term as an accurate reflection of their lived reality.

Referring to the scale of violence and repression in the country, Bennett said Afghans had endured decades of war and instability, with many people under the age of 50 never having experienced life without violence.

He also highlighted sexual violence, ethnic and religious discrimination, pressure on sexual minorities and widespread injustice under Taliban rule, saying the group had imposed sweeping restrictions on nearly every aspect of public life.

Bennett stressed that human rights must remain central to Afghanistan’s future, adding that breaking the cycle of violence and impunity requires a comprehensive approach and accountability for abuses.

He also called for gender apartheid to be recognised as a crime against humanity in international legal frameworks, describing such recognition as an important step towards closing the gap between documentation and justice.

Representatives of internet providers said the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority summoned them to a meeting on Monday regarding new internet restrictions.

According to the officials, participants at the meeting were informed that, on the orders of Mullah Abdul Ahad Fazli, public access to the internet would be further restricted and residential fibre-optic internet services disconnected.

One company official said the move could have serious economic consequences.

“If this order is implemented, not only will residential Wi-Fi services be cut off, but hundreds of employees will lose their jobs and companies will suffer heavy financial losses,” the official said.

Taliban authorities have not officially commented on the reports.

However, informed sources within the Taliban said Hibatullah Akhundzada appointed Fazli specifically to tighten internet restrictions across the country.

This is not the first time restrictions on fibre-optic internet have been discussed under Taliban rule.

In late September 2025, the Taliban shut down fibre-optic internet and telecommunications networks across Afghanistan.

Services resumed after 48 hours, but nearly seven months later the Taliban have still not explained the reason for the nationwide outage.

The shutdown marked the first nationwide suspension of internet and telecom services since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, disrupting communications for families, businesses and public institutions across the country.

Madani was previously a member of the Taliban’s negotiating team in Doha and is currently part of the Darul Ifta religious council in Kandahar.

According to sources, he had long been considered one of the close associates of Hibatullah Akhundzada.

At least three sources, including Taliban-linked figures in Kandahar, told Afghanistan International that he was detained four days ago by Taliban intelligence in the province and is currently being held in prison.

One informed source said some legal cases had previously been referred to Madani for settlement.

According to the source, he was arrested on allegations of receiving an 800,000 Pakistani rupee bribe in connection with a murder case.

Sources said he had privileged access to the Taliban leader and regularly advised him on important matters.

He is also said to run a religious school in Kandahar with hundreds of students.

Madani was a former member of the Taliban political office in Doha and travelled to Islamabad in 2016 as part of a three-member delegation before talks with the former Afghan government began.

Sources added that some members of his family still live in Qatar, while others remain in Kandahar.

He is originally from Panjwayi district of Kandahar province and completed his religious education in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

During the Taliban’s first rule, Madani served in Kandahar overseeing foreign affairs and later worked as the Taliban’s chargé d’affaires in Saudi Arabia.

The Taliban media office in Herat said governor Islamjar discussed the issue during a meeting with a Turkmen delegation.

According to the statement, the talks focused on speeding up round-the-clock operations at Torghundi port, constructing 1,250 metres of railway track for loading and unloading goods, and transferring two locomotives for technical operations.

Islamjar also stressed the importance of expanding trade and transit links between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, saying the Taliban administration in Herat was ready to support such efforts.

The Taliban statement did not include comments from the Turkmen delegation.

Taliban authorities and Turkmenistan had previously signed two agreements related to the development of Torghundi port and the construction of a railway line linking Torghundi to the Sanobar area of Herat province.

The two sides have also held several meetings on railway development and the TAPI Pipeline project in Afghanistan.

Torghundi is one of Afghanistan’s main border crossings in Herat province, linking the country with Turkmenistan and serving as a key route for the transfer of goods, fuel and regional transit trade between Afghanistan and Central Asia.

The Taliban had earlier announced the signing of an agreement with Turkmenistan to expand the port, though it remains unclear how much progress has been made and at what stage the project currently stands.

At the same time, rising tensions with Pakistan and disruptions to parts of bilateral trade have pushed the Taliban to strengthen economic ties with Central Asian countries and Iran.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has also expanded its economic engagement with Central Asia. Leaders from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan visited Pakistan last year and signed several trade and economic agreements with Islamabad.

Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation also announced on 23 April that the first transit shipment from Kyrgyzstan, travelling via China and bypassing Afghanistan, had successfully reached Pakistan’s Gilgit region.