Archive

An organisation supporting LGBTQ+ individuals in Afghanistan has condemned the flogging of four members of this community by the Taliban.

Vasily Nebenzya, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, on Monday hinted at the possibility of lifting Russia's sanctions against the Taliban.

The Taliban governor's office in Uruzgan has announced that 18 individuals will be publicly flogged at the stadium of the province capital, Tarinkot.

Abdulhai Omari, the provincial director of the Propagation of Virtue in Kandahar, has mandated that journalists and media workers grow beards and wear turbans.

Tariq Ali Bakheet, the representative of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Secretary-General at the Doha meeting, called for constructive and ongoing engagement with the Taliban to address Afghanistan's issues.

The Taliban spokesperson announced that on the second day of the Doha meeting, there was a commitment to lift economic and banking restrictions on the group.

Zabihullah Mujahid, head of the Taliban delegation, urged participants of the third Doha meeting to release Afghanistan's Central Bank reserves and lift financial and banking sanctions on the group.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, reported that he met with the Norwegian representative at the venue of the third Doha meeting.

At the end of the first day of the UN meeting in Doha, which included Taliban representatives, the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) reported an attack on the Taliban in Kabul.

On Sunday, the Canadian Foreign Ministry in a statement expressed extreme disappointment regarding the absence of women’s rights advocates, religious and ethnic minorities, and human rights activists at the main Doha meeting.

The second day of the third Doha meeting, in the presence of representatives from countries for Afghanistan, UN officials, and the Taliban, began on Monday.

The National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan, in response to the third Doha meeting, stated that the United Nations has ignored Afghan women and insulted the country's political factions.

Zamir Kabulov, Ismatullah Irgashev, and Yue Xiaoyong, special representatives of Russia, Uzbekistan, and China, met with Zabihullah Mujahid, the head of the Taliban delegation, ahead of the main session of the third Doha meeting.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the head of the Taliban delegation at the Doha meeting, evaded questions from Maryam Rahmati, a reporter for Afghanistan International, about the group's lack of domestic legitimacy. Mujahid also did not respond to questions about women's rights.

A group of female activists and civil society members from Afghanistan protested in Islamabad on Saturday, boycotting the third Doha meeting.

The draft agenda for the Doha meeting, obtained by Afghanistan International, shows that human rights and meetings with representatives of women and civil society are not included.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan announced that Ashgabat will host the fifth meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries this year.

Afghanistan International’s reporter in Doha reported that Roza Otunbayeva, head of UNAMA, and Thomas Niklasson, special representative of the European Union for Afghanistan, arrived at the venue of the third Doha meeting.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it welcomes the participation of Taliban representatives in the Doha meeting.

On Saturday, Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban’s spokesperson, announced in a press conference that the group will participate in the third Doha meeting to "engage with all parties and resolve issues”.

Reliable sources have told Afghanistan International that relations between Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Taliban, and Amir Khan Muttaqi, the group's foreign minister, have soured.