Archive

Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has arrested Shamsullah, a suicide bomber trained in Afghanistan, in Lahore’s Burki area.

Sources at Torkham confirmed to the Pashto section of Afghanistan International that the Torkham border crossing reopened for passenger movement on Saturday morning. The border had partially reopened on Wednesday, 19 March, permitting only patients and freight vehicles to pass.

Zalmay Khalilzad’s recent visit to Kabul, accompanied by President Donald Trump’s special envoy for hostage affairs and coinciding with the Taliban’s release of a US citizen, marks the gradual resurgence of the United States’ informal bargaining diplomacy with Kabul.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting Foreign Minister, has told Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, that halting transit and trade between the two countries benefits no one.

Twenty-three Afghan women’s protest movements have jointly written to United States President Donald Trump, demanding the prosecution of Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that consular services at the Afghan Embassy in Oslo will officially resume on 24 March. The ministry described the development as a “positive step” in its statement published on Saturday.

Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, arrived in Kabul on Friday amid heightened tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban. According to sources, he is expected to meet Taliban leaders and attend a bilateral border coordination meeting.

India’s Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, has confirmed that New Delhi is engaging with the Taliban to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has extended its Nowruz greetings while drawing attention to the worsening hunger crisis in Afghanistan, where one-third of the population is now food insecure.

Local sources in Kabul have told Afghanistan International that the Taliban blocked the annual Nowruz flag-raising ceremony in the capital on Friday.

Several Afghan opposition leaders used Nowruz to urge unity and resistance against the Taliban. They called for an end to “tyranny and oppression” and pledged to work towards a democratic and inclusive government.

Pakistani officials at the Torkham border have announced that the crossing will remain closed to travellers and patients on Friday due to ongoing repairs at the immigration office.

The US State Department has confirmed the release of George Glezmann, an American citizen, from Taliban custody. However, there is still no update on the status of Mahmood Shah Habibi, an Afghan-American citizen who remains detained by the Taliban.

The Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Adam Boehler, the US Special Envoy for Prisoners, and Zalmay Khalilzad, former US Envoy in Afghanistan, met with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul to discuss the release of prisoners.

Rawadari, a human rights organisation, has exposed widespread violations against ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

The Spanish government has revoked the diplomatic immunity of Mohammad Rahim Peerzada, the Taliban’s acting ambassador in Madrid, following allegations of sexual assault and harassment.

Afghan migrants in Pakistan’s Balochistan province have filed a petition in the High Court to stop their forced deportation. They argue that all avenues for appeal have been closed, leaving legal action as their only option.

The family of an elderly British couple imprisoned by the Taliban says they are set to appear in a court in Kabul on Thursday. However, the charges against them remain unknown.

The 13th Annual World Happiness Report was released on March 20, coinciding with the International Day of Happiness. Finland has been ranked the happiest country for the eighth consecutive year, maintaining its top position.

The Torkham border crossing officially reopened on Wednesday, March 19, after nearly a month of closure. The reopening initially allows truck traffic and medical patients to cross, restoring trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Askar Jalalian, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Justice for Human Rights and International Affairs, announced that 149 Afghan prisoners have been transferred from Iran to Afghanistan.