Taliban Leader Calls For Unity, Obedience In Kandahar
The Taliban say their leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, addressed religious scholars in Kandahar, stressing obedience, unity and loyalty to what the group calls the Islamic Emirate.
Afghanistan
Taliban Releases Soldiers Captured In Border Clashes With Pakistan
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said three Pakistani soldiers captured during border clashes were released at the request of Saudi Arabia, citing the group’s positive relations with other countries and the approach of Ramadan.
Protest by Farah Customs Workers Turns Violent
A protest by customs workers at the Mil 78 border crossing in Farah province turned violent after Taliban forces opened fire to disperse demonstrators, sources told Afghanistan International.
UN Calls For Urgent Action To Address Climate Crisis In Afghanistan
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has warned that Afghanistan’s cities are on the front lines of the climate crisis, citing steadily rising temperatures and the growing risks associated with rapid urbanisation.
Pakistan Envoy, Russian Ambassador Discuss Security Threats In Afghanistan
Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, Sadiq Khan, discussed cross-border militancy and threats posed by armed groups based in Afghanistan during a meeting with Russia’s ambassador in Islamabad.
Anti-Taliban Group Claims Deadly Attack In Kunduz
The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) said its forces attacked a Taliban checkpoint in Bala Hesar Square in Kunduz on Monday evening, claiming two Taliban members were killed and two others wounded.
Central Asian Envoys Stress Stability, Expanded Cooperation With Afghanistan
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry on Monday hosted a meeting of special representatives from Central Asian countries on Afghanistan, emphasising regional stability and expanded cooperation with Taliban-run Afghanistan.
Taliban in Helmand Sets Punishment For Shaving Beards
Taliban authorities in Helmand province have warned that individuals who shave their beards will face what they describe as “sharia-based punishment.”
Taliban Introduce New Uniform For Group's Army
The Taliban have introduced a new uniform for the group's army, selecting an official dress code for forces operating under their Ministry of Defense.
New Report Details Violence Against Women Under Taliban Rule
Afghanistan Women’s Rights Watch, in cooperation with the Türkiye-based ARSA Association, says it documented 411 cases of rights violations against women and girls in Afghanistan in 2025, according to the group’s annual report.
Taliban Orders Gender Segregation In Hospital Operating Rooms
The Taliban have instructed teaching hospitals in Afghanistan to prevent male and female medical staff from working together in operating rooms, according to a document obtained by Afghanistan International.
Kazakhstan To Host Regional Contact Group Meeting On Afghanistan
The Embassy of Kazakhstan in Uzbekistan says a meeting of the contact group of special representatives for Afghanistan will be held Monday, February 16, in Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital.
Pak Presidential Spokesperson Calls Taliban 'Brainless' After Grave Desecration Report
Murtaza Solangi, spokesperson for Pakistan’s president, again criticised the Taliban after reports that the body of a former Afghan serviceman was exhumed from his grave in Uruzgan province.
Split Confirmed In Afghan National Movement For Peace & Justice
Hanif Atmar, a member of the leadership council of the Afghanistan National Movement for Peace and Justice, has confirmed a split within the political group.
Afghans Would Help Iran If US Attacks, Says Taliban
The Taliban’s chief spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said in an interview with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Pashto-language radio service that Afghans would be prepared to cooperate with the Iranian people if the United States were to attack Iran.
Taliban Warns Of Flood Risk In 12 Afghan Provinces
The Taliban’s Ministry of Energy and Water has warned that heavy rainfall could trigger flooding in parts of Afghanistan, particularly in the Harirod, Murghab and Helmand river basins, on Sunday and Monday.
UN Seeks $216 Million To Support Returning Afghan Migrants
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says more than 5.4 million Afghan migrants have returned from neighbouring countries since late 2023, warning that the scale of returns is placing severe pressure on humanitarian assistance.
Water-Rights Talks With Taliban Continue, Says Iran
Iran’s vice president and head of the Department of Environment, Shina Ansari, said negotiations with the Taliban on water rights are continuing, adding that understandings reached so far have been verbal.
Two Taliban Fighters Killed In Badakhshan Attack, Says Anti-Taliban Group
The Afghanistan Freedom Front says its forces carried out an attack on a Taliban watchtower in Baharak district of Badakhshan province on Friday evening, killing two Taliban members.
World Radio Day Highlights Media Restrictions In Taliban-Run Afghanistan
Journalist support organisations marked World Radio Day by raising concern over increasing Taliban restrictions on media in Afghanistan, as the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture urged broadcasters to comply with its policies.
Taliban Criticises UN Sanctions Extension, Calls For Policy Shift
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has urged Western countries to reconsider their sanctions policy after the UN Security Council extended the mandate of the sanctions monitoring team related to the Taliban, describing the move as ineffective.
Uzbekistan Approves Trans-Afghan Railway Feasibility Agreement
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has approved an international agreement on a feasibility study for the Trans-Afghan railway, establishing a framework for a regional transport corridor linking Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan.