Two Ismaili Men Wounded In Armed Attack In Badakhshan
Local sources in Faizabad, the capital of Badakhshan province, say two young men from the Ismaili community were wounded after being shot by armed assailants.
Afghanistan
UN Urges Urgent Aid As Snowfall Continues In Afghanistan
The United Nations has urged urgent assistance as heavy snowfall continues across Afghanistan, with UNICEF warning that worsening weather is compounding the suffering of children affected by recent earthquakes in the east of the country.
Afghan Resistance Group Condemns Taliban Penal Code As Medieval
The Supreme Council of National Resistance for the Salvation of Afghanistan says the Taliban’s newly approved penal code would push the country into conditions “far worse than the Middle Ages”.
Sweden Backs ‘Technical Engagement’ With Taliban On Deporting Afghan Asylum Seekers
Sweden’s migration minister said on Thursday that deporting Afghan nationals whose asylum applications have been rejected is “almost impossible” because many lack national identity cards and passports.
EU Pledges €10 Million To Boost Afghan Women’s Economic Empowerment
The European Union has announced the launch of the second phase of its Afghan Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme, committing €10 million to support women’s livelihoods in Afghanistan.
Taliban Tighten Surveillance Of Kabul Guesthouse Housing Afghans Promised Germany
Sources told Afghanistan International that the Taliban have placed a guesthouse in Kabul housing Afghans promised admission to Germany under heightened surveillance following a raid earlier this week.
EU Allocates €126 Million In Aid For Afghanistan, Iran & Pakistan
The European Commission said it has allocated €1.9 billion for life-saving humanitarian assistance in 2026, including €126 million to address urgent needs in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.
Salang Pass, Other Major Highways Closed After Heavy Snowfall
Heavy snowfall and storms have forced the closure of several highways and transport routes across Afghanistan, including the Salang Pass, officials said on Thursday.
Taliban Policies Are Driving Investors Away, Says Ex-Finance Minister
Anwar-ul-Haq Ahadi, a former finance minister, says the conditions necessary to attract investment do not exist under Taliban rule, citing insecurity, the absence of a legal framework and the dominance of clerics over state institutions.
UN Security Council Condemns Attack On Chinese Restaurant In Kabul
The UN Security Council on Wednesday condemned the Islamic State group’s terrorist attack on a Chinese restaurant in Kabul’s Shahr-e Naw neighbourhood.
Taliban To Cut Off Pakistani Drug Imports Within Weeks
The Taliban Ministry of Finance has warned that the customs clearance of Pakistani medicines will be completely halted at all border crossings from February 9, when a previously announced three-month deadline expires.
Ismaili Community’s Rights Are Safeguarded, Says Taliban Minister
The Taliban’s minister for the propagation of virtue has claimed that the rights of Ismailis in Afghanistan are protected, despite multiple reports documenting abuses against the religious minority.
Taliban Governors Meet In Kandahar on Security, Politics & Economy
Taliban provincial governors from across Afghanistan have held a meeting in Kandahar to discuss political, security and economic issues, the office of the Taliban governor in the province said.
UK Special Envoy Holds Talks With Taliban Rep In Islamabad
Richard Lindsay, the UK’s special envoy for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, the Taliban’s representative in Islamabad, to discuss regional security and the impact of Taliban policies on Afghan women and girls.
US Should Not Have Abandoned Bagram Air Base, Says Trump
Donald Trump has again criticised the administration of Joe Biden over the manner of the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying Washington should not have left Bagram Air Base.
ECO Meet In Pakistan Proceeds Without Taliban Representation
The 10th meeting of ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) opened on Wednesday in Islamabad without the participation of a representative from the Taliban. The two-day meeting is focused on strengthening regional cooperation on disaster risk reduction.
Peace Impossible Without Eliminating Terrorism, Says Pakistan PM
Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan will not achieve stability unless the roots of terrorism are eliminated, accusing the Afghan Taliban of failing to prevent militant activities originating from Afghan soil.
After Deadly Kabul Blast, China Urges Citizens Not To Travel To Afghanistan
China has urged its citizens not to travel to Afghanistan following a deadly ISIS attack in Kabul, warning that the country’s security situation is highly complex and dangerous.
Taliban Publicly Flog 19, Including Two Women, In Nangarhar & Balkh
The Taliban Supreme Court said 19 people, including two women, were publicly flogged in the provinces of Nangarhar and Balkh.
Pakistan, UK Envoys Discuss Cross-Border Militant Attacks
The special envoys of Pakistan and the United Kingdom for Afghanistan held talks in Islamabad focused on cross-border militant attacks and wider regional security concerns.
Taliban Question Afghans Accepted By Germany After Raid On Kabul Guesthouse
Taliban intelligence agents raided a guesthouse in Kabul housing dozens of Afghans accepted for relocation to Germany, detaining and interrogating residents for hours, informed sources told Afghanistan International.
ISIS-K Claims Kabul Bombing That Killed Seven, Including Chinese Citizen
The Islamic State group’s Khorasan branch, known as ISIS-K, has claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a Chinese restaurant in Kabul’s Shahr-e Naw area.