UN Confirms Death Of Its Female Employee In Kabul
The United Nations office in Afghanistan confirmed on Friday, June 5, the death of Freshta Emady, an employee of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Kabul.
The United Nations office in Afghanistan confirmed on Friday, June 5, the death of Freshta Emady, an employee of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Kabul.
In response to a query from Afghanistan International, the organisation expressed its sorrow but declined to provide further details about the circumstances of her death.
Reports claiming that the UN staff member had been killed had circulated on social media in recent days.
In a statement issued in Kabul, the United Nations said: “UN in Afghanistan mourns the passing of Ms. Freshta Emady, a valued member of the UNFPA family. She will be greatly missed.”
The organisation also extended its heartfelt condolences and called for respect for the privacy of Ms Emady’s family.
The Taliban has not commented on the case, and no additional information has been released regarding the circumstances of her death.
More than half of Afghanistan’s population is facing the devastating effects of drought and severe water shortages, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on World Environment Day.
The UN body warned that water scarcity remains one of the country’s most widespread threats.
According to a UNAMA report published on Friday, June 5, the environmental crisis is posing a serious threat to livelihoods, food security and stability across Afghanistan.
The report said that a sharp decline in rainfall and excessive groundwater extraction in southern provinces, including Kandahar, Helmand, Nimroz, Zabul and Uruzgan, have pushed traditional irrigation systems to the brink of collapse and forced many communities to dig deeper wells.
UNAMA said climate change has created different patterns of environmental stress across Afghanistan. In eastern provinces such as Nangarhar, farmers are facing repeated crop losses and growing disputes over water and land resources. Meanwhile, western provinces including Ghor and Farah continue to struggle with prolonged drought, while other areas have experienced heavy rainfall and flash floods that have destroyed homes, infrastructure and agricultural land.
In addition to drought and flooding, severe dust storms in southern Afghanistan have contributed to respiratory illnesses, while deforestation in Kunar, Nuristan and Logar provinces has removed natural barriers against landslides and floods. In major cities such as Kabul, the use of low-quality fuels and poor waste management during winter have turned air pollution into a major public health concern.
The organisation also noted that growing tourism in Panjshir, Kapisa and Maidan Wardak have led to increased waste accumulation in rivers and valleys, highlighting the need for stronger environmental management measures.
Local sources told Afghanistan International that an explosion occurred around midday on Friday, June 5, in Kabul’s 11th police district, near a boys’ school and the residence of a senior Taliban official.
According to the sources, the blast took place outside Seyed al-Naseri Boys’ School and close to the home of Mawlawi Qudratullah Amini, the Taliban’s deputy governor for Kabul.
A video obtained by Afghanistan International appears to show Taliban personnel transporting at least one injured person in a ranger vehicle following the incident.
Qudratullah Amini is originally from Panjshir province and previously served as the Taliban’s governor there.
The nature and cause of the explosion remain unclear.
Taliban authorities have not yet commented on the incident, and no individual or group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Taliban’s disaster management authority has warned of heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and possible flash floods in eight Afghan provinces, with precipitation of between 5 and 20 millimetres forecast for June 5.
In a statement issued on Thursday, June 4, the authority said: “According to weather reports from the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation and credible international agencies, there is a risk of heavy rain, thunderstorms and flash flooding in these provinces.”
The warning covers Panjshir, Khost, Baghlan, Takhar, Badakhshan, Nangarhar, Kunar and Nuristan provinces.
Residents in affected areas have been advised to avoid riverbanks, valleys and flood-prone locations and to remain indoors during periods of heavy rainfall.
In recent years, Afghanistan has experienced a sharp increase in natural disasters, particularly flash floods.
Climate change, the rapid melting of mountain snow, deforestation and the lack of adequate water-management infrastructure have made even moderate rainfall capable of triggering destructive flooding.
The provinces of Badakhshan, Nuristan, Kunar and Panjshir are considered especially vulnerable because of their mountainous terrain and seasonal rivers.
The warning comes as some parts of Afghanistan are still recovering from recent flooding.
Spring floods this year caused significant damage to roads, homes and agricultural land in several northern and eastern provinces and resulted in multiple fatalities.
Reliable sources told Afghanistan International on Thursday that Taliban and Pakistani representatives held an informal meeting in the Uzbek border city of Termez at the request and with the mediation of the Uzbek government.
The meeting comes amid growing Pakistani criticism of what Islamabad describes as the Taliban’s failure to curb Pakistani militants based in Afghanistan, with officials warning that Pakistan’s patience over the attacks is running out.
According to information obtained by Afghanistan International, Pakistan was represented by Dr Amina Khan, a senior member of the Islamabad Policy Research Institute, and Mansoor Khan, Pakistan’s former ambassador to Kabul. Zakir Jalaly and Ghuncha Gul Arman attended on behalf of the Taliban.
Informed sources said the talks were arranged at the insistence of Uzbek officials after both sides agreed to participate.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Termez Dialogue, which has brought together more than 150 delegations from regional countries, other states and international organisations.
Neither the Taliban nor the Pakistani government has publicly commented on the meeting, and no details have been released regarding the issues discussed.
Pakistan has recently expressed frustration with continued engagement after several rounds of talks with the Taliban. On Thursday, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said that while Islamabad remains committed to dialogue and diplomacy, it cannot remain indifferent to what it describes as a wave of militant attacks and civilian casualties linked to groups supported by the Taliban.
In recent years, Uzbekistan has sought to play a more active role in regional efforts related to Afghanistan, viewing stability in the country as essential for expanding regional economic and transit cooperation.
Previous mediation efforts by Turkiye, Qatar and China failed to resolve the disputes between the Taliban and Pakistan. Although militant attacks declined during periods of dialogue, they never fully stopped. Pakistan says this has contributed to its growing disappointment with negotiations.
The meeting comes at a time of unprecedented tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan, with border crossings between the two countries repeatedly closed in recent months. Pakistani officials have also warned of possible further measures in response to militant attacks.
The Taliban, however, rejects Pakistan’s accusations and argues that Islamabad expects the group to solve Pakistan’s internal security problems. The Taliban also denies that Pakistani or Baloch militants operate from Afghan territory.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk says talks on a railway project through Afghanistan are continuing despite ongoing instability in the region, including plans for a western route passing through Herat province.
According to Russian media reports, Overchuk told the St Petersburg International Economic Forum that the discussions extend beyond rail links and also cover the development of pipelines and road infrastructure.
The Kremlin official acknowledged the challenges facing such projects, saying that conflict and persistent insecurity in the region have slowed both negotiations and practical implementation efforts.
He added that there is significant activity across the region aimed at strengthening transport and logistics corridors.
According to Overchuk, railway, road and energy transit projects through Afghanistan are strategically important for expanding trade and transit links between Central Asia, Russia, South Asia and the Middle East.
The Russian official said the Herat route remains one of the potential options currently under discussion among regional countries.
Overchuk has previously spoken of Moscow’s interest in developing railway infrastructure in Afghanistan.
He said Russian specialists are studying possible railway routes through the country.
Russian officials have also previously announced that Moscow intends to participate in the Trans-Afghan Railway project.
The Trans-Afghan Railway is a regional initiative designed to connect Central Asia with South Asia through Afghanistan, involving Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.