Warning Issued Over Heavy Rain & Flooding In Eight Afghan Provinces

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.

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.

Armed Taliban personnel transported the bodies from Injil district to Herat on Thursday, 4 June, in the back of a military ranger vehicle.

Taliban officials identified the men as alleged armed robbers and said they were killed by security forces during what the group described as criminal activity in Injil district.

The Taliban has not released the identities of the men and has provided no further details about the incident.

Images and videos circulating from the scene show Taliban fighters carrying the bloodied bodies in the back of a vehicle through public areas before taking them to an undisclosed location. The display of the bodies reportedly caused fear and distress among residents of Herat.

This is not the first time the Taliban has publicly displayed the bodies of people killed in clashes with its forces. Similar incidents have previously been reported in Herat.

The Taliban argues that such actions serve as a warning to others and help reduce crime.

Findings by Afghanistan International indicate that theft has risen sharply in Herat province. According to statements issued by the Taliban police command in Herat, 882 people have been arrested on theft-related charges in the province over the past six months alone.

Analysts have linked the increase in thefts to growing poverty, unemployment, declining foreign aid and the dismissal of public-sector employees.

The United Nations has repeatedly warned about Afghanistan’s economic crisis, saying living conditions have worsened since the Taliban returned to power. The loss of international assistance, years of conflict, corruption and natural disasters have further deepened the country’s humanitarian challenges.

According to the sources, Mawlawi Mohammad Shafiq Khatib has begun work as the Taliban’s ambassador to Kuwait. He previously served as head of consular affairs and head of border affairs at the Taliban Foreign Ministry.

Earlier, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said the group maintains diplomatic relations with around 20 countries and that Taliban diplomats are serving at several Afghan embassies and diplomatic missions abroad.

The transfer of Afghanistan’s embassy in Kuwait to Taliban control comes amid growing criticism in recent months of efforts to normalise relations with the group.

Critics argue that normalisation risks granting legitimacy to the Taliban without addressing the human rights situation in Afghanistan and the extensive restrictions imposed on the rights and freedoms of Afghan citizens.

Russia and the Taliban signed a military-technical cooperation agreement in Moscow on May 27. The document was signed in the presence of Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and Taliban Defence Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid.

According to reports, the agreement is primarily focused on the repair and maintenance of ageing Russian-made military equipment in Afghanistan. Much of the equipment dates back to the Soviet-Afghan war between 1979 and 1989 and now requires spare parts and refurbishment.

Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan, recently said the agreement centres on repairing and restoring existing equipment and does not involve major technology transfers or the sale of new weapons systems.

Pakistani security officials, speaking to Nikkei Asia on condition of anonymity, said the agreement would not affect Islamabad’s ability to conduct potential air operations against militant positions inside Afghanistan.

The deal was signed at a time when relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have reached one of their lowest points since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Pakistani air strikes against alleged Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) positions inside Afghanistan, along with Taliban responses, have further heightened tensions.

After returning from Moscow, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob claimed that once the agreement is implemented, Pakistan would no longer be dared to carry out attacks inside Afghanistan. Pakistani officials, however, have rejected that assertion.