Taliban ‘National Keyboard’ App Risks User Surveillance, Says Cybersecurity Researchers

In his message issued on Wednesday, Karzai said Afghanistan would reach development and prosperity only when all citizens feel ownership of the country’s future.

He added that the country’s progress depends on the participation of women and skilled professionals.

The former president also warned about the growing threat of water shortages in Afghanistan and urged citizens to avoid excessive use of underground water reserves.

Karzai expressed condolences to families affected by recent heavy rainfall and flooding across the country.

He also wrote: “We honour the memory of those killed in Pakistani air strikes and artillery attacks during the Eid days and express our sympathy to their grieving families.”

The Taliban has not yet explained the reasons for their detention.

Earlier, Khabib Ghafran confirmed the arrests and said investigations into the journalists’ cases were ongoing.

Mansoor Niazi, a news anchor and political programme host at TOLOnews, was detained by Taliban intelligence agents on 7 May in Kabul’s Karte Seh area.

Imran Danish, a presenter and head of the political desk at the broadcaster, was arrested on 9 May near the TOLOnews office in the Wazir Akbar Khan area.

The Taliban has intensified pressure on Afghanistan’s media community through arrests of journalists and closures of media outlets.

The group has previously justified shutting down several local radio stations by claiming they lacked broadcasting licences or had failed to pay taxes to the Taliban administration.

In its latest monthly report published on Tuesday, the World Bank said Afghanistan’s economy continues to grow modestly despite regional tensions and border closures, with real GDP estimated at around 4.8 percent.

According to the report, the growth has largely been driven by rising domestic demand and the return of millions of Afghan migrants, factors that have increased household consumption and market activity.

However, the World Bank warned that the return of around 3.7 million Afghans has outpaced economic growth, leading to a 5.6 percent decline in per capita GDP.

The institution said population growth and rising prices have placed additional pressure on household livelihoods.

The report noted that inflation averaged 3.6 percent during the 2025 fiscal year and rose to 7.6 percent in March 2026.

The World Bank attributed the increase to lower agricultural production, higher demand and trade disruptions.

It said that although exchange rate stability and lower global prices helped partly contain inflation, rising costs have reduced household purchasing power, especially among poorer communities.

The World Bank said the situation has worsened poverty and food insecurity.

Estimates suggest that by late 2025 around 14 million people were facing acute food insecurity, a figure that could rise to 17.4 million, nearly 40 percent of Afghanistan’s population, during the coming winter.

In another section of the report, the World Bank said Taliban domestic revenues rose to 19.8 percent of GDP in 2025, mainly because of improved tax collection.

However, declining foreign aid has reduced the authorities’ ability to invest in infrastructure and respond to economic crises.

The World Bank also described Afghanistan’s external economy as fragile, saying higher imports and weak exports have widened the trade deficit.

It estimated that the current account deficit reached 36.1 percent of GDP in 2025, reflecting Afghanistan’s heavy dependence on imports.

The institution added that the private sector has shown signs of improvement in sales, employment and investment since 2022, but persistent problems such as electricity shortages, limited access to finance and the large informal economy continue to obstruct sustainable growth and job creation.

Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank country director for Afghanistan, said Afghanistan’s economy had shown some resilience in the face of major challenges but stressed that economic growth alone is not enough.

He said rapid population growth has outpaced economic gains, leading to falling incomes and worsening poverty.

The World Bank predicts Afghanistan’s economic growth will slow to around 4 percent in 2026 and warned that ongoing regional instability, declining foreign assistance and demographic pressures will further weaken the country’s economic outlook.

In a joint statement released on Tuesday, China also voiced support for Pakistan’s fight against terrorism.

The statement praised Beijing’s role in facilitating and hosting informal talks between Taliban and Pakistani officials in Urumqi.

China and Pakistan stressed the importance of preventing the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement from using any country’s territory to threaten regional security and interests.

The two countries also called on the international community to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation.

Beijing and Islamabad further expressed opposition to what they described as double standards in counterterrorism and the politicisation and instrumental use of terrorism.

The joint statement was issued following Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The statement also referred to strengthening the international system, the multipolar world order, artificial intelligence, and regional issues including Kashmir and cross-border water resources.

China has played a mediating role in easing tensions and facilitating dialogue between Islamabad and the Taliban, hosting informal meetings and providing a platform for consultations between the two sides.

Peace talks between Pakistani and Taliban representatives, hosted by China in Urumqi from April 1 to 7 this year, ended without any tangible outcome, similar to previous rounds held in Doha, Istanbul and Riyadh.

Pakistan has demanded that the Taliban sever ties with Pakistani militant groups such as the TTP.

However, the Afghan Taliban have resisted Islamabad’s demands because of concerns over the consequences of confrontation with the TTP, as well as deep ethnic and ideological links between the groups.

Bortnikov said the groups are seeking to expand areas outside Taliban control, particularly in northern Afghanistan.

The senior Russian official said ISIS-K, jihadist groups and armed Taliban opponents are seeking to expand territories outside Taliban control in the country, especially in the north.

He added that western countries hope to later use this region to influence the situation in Central Asian republics in their favour.

Bortnikov stressed the need to strengthen counterterrorism contacts with the Taliban, saying Moscow is pursuing such cooperation as part of broader efforts to stabilise Afghanistan politically and normalise relations between Kabul and Pakistan.

According to TASS, Bortnikov made the remarks on Tuesday during a meeting of the Council of Heads of Security and Intelligence Agencies of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

ISIS-K Recruitment In Central Asia

Bortnikov said Islamic State Khorasan Province is actively recruiting citizens from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, as well as migrant workers living in Russia.

He added that clandestine terrorist networks, supply channels and operational plans for attacks in CIS countries are currently being established.

Six Terror Attacks Foiled In Russia And Tajikistan

Bortnikov said Russian security services, working with their counterparts in Tajikistan, dismantled a terrorist cell earlier this year that had been planning high-profile attacks.

According to him, Russia’s Federal Security Service also worked with Uzbekistan’s state security agency to prevent five planned attacks in different parts of Russia, including in Moscow.

Bortnikov again stressed the importance of expanding counterterrorism cooperation with Taliban authorities.

Bortnikov said Russia is continuing counterterrorism cooperation with Taliban authorities as part of broader efforts aimed at strengthening political stability in Afghanistan and improving relations between Kabul and Islamabad. He added that regional security depends directly on peace and stability in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.

Russia remains the only country to have formally recognised the Taliban administration, although Moscow has repeatedly voiced concern over security threats emanating from Afghanistan.

Earlier, Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of Russia's National Security Council, said continuing instability in Afghanistan remains one of the main security threats within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Despite nearly five years having passed since the Taliban returned to power, Russia and China continue to warn about security threats originating from Afghanistan and say the Taliban have not taken effective measures to address those concerns.