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The Taliban’s commission to purge “people of bad character” from their ranks has launched a reassessment of clearance forms for its fighters in southeastern Afghanistan.

Pakistani media report that the government is set to initiate the second phase of deporting undocumented Afghan refugees, placing at least 800,000 people at risk of expulsion.

Multiple sources have confirmed to Afghanistan International that Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, a prominent jihadi leader, has travelled to Iran for discussions with Iranian officials on the situation in Afghanistan. He is also holding meetings with Afghan factions based in Iran.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported that in 2024, more than 600,000 children in Afghanistan received emergency nutritional support. However, the organisation warned that many malnourished children in the country still lack access to life-saving care.

John Sopko, the former U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), stated that the United States has spent over $21 billion on Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power.

The Torkham border crossing has remained closed for the fourth consecutive day, with negotiations between Taliban border officials and Pakistan failing to yield any results.

Ryan Crocker, former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, has stated that the Taliban’s current rule is even more oppressive than its first regime in the 1990s.

Following the House of Representatives’ approval of a bill aimed at preventing terrorist groups from accessing U.S. aid, Senator Tim Sheehy has announced the introduction of the legislation in the Senate.

The Afghanistan Security Watch has recorded 22 security incidents across the country in January, with anti-Taliban fronts responsible for nine and ISIS carrying out three attacks.

Rangin Dadfar Spanta, former Afghan National Security Advisor and Foreign Minister, has called for the creation of an Afghan National People’s Assembly to unite political and social forces working towards Afghanistan’s independence and freedom.

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hezb-e Islami, has voiced deep concerns over Afghanistan’s current situation under Taliban rule, warning of growing instability. He stated that the country’s precarious state has put many on high alert.

Mohsin Dawar, leader of Pakistan’s National Democratic Movement, asserted that the Taliban do not represent the Afghan people and that Afghanistan has its own independent history.

Documents obtained by Afghanistan International reveal that Mohammad Yousuf Wafa, the Taliban governor of Balkh, has filed a formal complaint with the Taliban Supreme Court, calling for a military trial of Abbas Stanekzai, the group’s deputy foreign minister.

Mahmoud Ghodrati, Director General of the Security and Law Enforcement Office in Iran’s Semnan province, has announced the deportation of 14,000 Afghan migrants since the beginning of the current Solar Hijri year.

Sources confirmed to Afghanistan International on Monday that the Torkham border crossing remains closed for the third consecutive day, leaving hundreds of travellers stranded. Among them, many women, children, and patients are in critical condition.

A senior U.S. official has told Afghanistan International that the United States may suspend country-specific immigration programmes, including the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) programme for Afghan applicants.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to reclaim American military equipment left in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal.

A Pakistani security official at the Torkham border has stated that no meeting has been scheduled yet to discuss the reopening of the crossing. The border remains closed for the second consecutive day, with security forces on both sides on high alert.

The Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan has been closed for the second consecutive day, with the Taliban claiming the closure is in response to construction activities on the Afghan side.

The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) announced on Sunday that it had carried out an attack at the fourth gate of Bagram Airfield, killing three Taliban members and injuring two others.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture has reported the discovery of dozens of ancient sites in Laghman province.