The Taliban’s Ministry of Refugees announced on Monday that 2,497 Afghan citizens have returned from Iran over the last two days. These Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from the Islam Qala border in Herat and the Pole Abrisham border in Nimroz province.
Local sources said that the Taliban has imprisoned Abdul Ghaffar Moradi, a former anti-Soviet jihadi commander, since the past 10 days. According to the sources, Taliban members had arrested 15 people from Aybak city in Samangan province over the past week.
The Taliban and Pakistani border forces engaged in a gunfight on Monday morning following the closure of the Torkham border crossing in eastern Nangahar province. Islamabad confirmed that a Pakistani border force has been injured in the clashes.
Sher Abbas Stanikzai, Taliban’s deputy foreign minister, said that there is no "opposition and rebellion" among the Taliban leaders. Stanikzai said on Friday that all Taliban members, even if they agree or disagree with the views of the Taliban supreme leader, obey his orders.
The Belarusian police announced that they have arrested a group of illegal immigrants. According to Belarus police, 94 people, including Afghan citizens, have been arrested. Other arrested immigrants, include citizens of Algeria, Egypt, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Morocco and Pakistan.
The Taliban-controlled Central Bank of Afghanistan announced on Saturday that it is going to auction 17 million dollars on Sunday in order to devalue US dollars against Afghani. The Taliban has continuously auctioned millions of dollars in the local markets over the past year.
Mawlawi Abdul Hamid, a Sunni preacher in Zahedan, has again advised the Taliban to not prevent Afghan women from education. The Iranian cleric also urged the Taliban to include other ethnicities and religious groups in their government.
Yue Xiaoyong, China's special envoy for Afghanistan, said that he held discussions about Afghanistan with various stakeholders in Doha. Xiaoyong added that he met the director of the Taliban political office in Qatar, Pakistan’s ambassador to Doha, and Qatari officials.
Mullah Abdul Haq, the Taliban’s Deputy Minister of Counter Narcotics, said that at least 3.5 million people are addicted to drugs in Afghanistan. Abdul Haq also said that over the past one year, 75000 drug addicts have been treated in the country.
Khalid Zadran, the Taliban spokesperson for Kabul Police, said that Mursal Nabizada, a former member of the parliament of Afghanistan, has been killed by one of her bodyguards. Zadran added that the suspect has been arrested and he has confessed to the murder.
Local sources said that the Taliban’s intelligence agency has arrested Mohammad Yar Majroh, a local TOLOnews reporter, in Kandahar city. Sources told Afghanistan International that the Taliban had summoned this local reporter to the Intelligence Directorate on Wednesday.
Semyon Grigoryev, Russia's ambassador to Tajikistan, said that NATO has left behind a country that has now become a base for international terrorist groups. Grigoryev added that terrorists have moved towards the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, rejected the claims that there were differences between the Taliban leaders. According to Mujahid, his comments about how to criticise the supreme leader of the group had been focused on the media.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that in 2023, about 17.6 million Afghans will need healthcare assistance. OCHA announced on Thursday that the organisation and it’s partners have prioritised to reach 15.6 million people.
Abdul Haq Hemad, director of media oversight at the ministry of information and culture of the Taliban, announced that the group has arrested people who have been suspected of spreading rumours about transfer of Afghans to Turkiye.
Ali Salajegheh, Iranian vice-president and head of department of environment, announced that he will visit Afghanistan to pursue Tehran’s share of water from Helmand river. Salajegheh said that Taliban has not taken practical steps for the water rights of Iran from the river.
Several Afghan refugees have held a protest in front of the United Nations office in Islamabad on Wednesday. The protesters said that they have fled Afghanistan due to security threats and have lived as immigrants for over a year.
The National Resistance Front (NRF) announced that while Afghanistan commemorates the 34th anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet forces, the country is currently too under the reign of a terrorist group.
Mullah Yaqoob, the Taliban’s defense minister, said that the group should avoid arrogance and pride and respond to the legitimate will of the people. Yaqoob asked the Taliban leadership to preserve the Taliban political system.
Shahabuddin Delawar, the Taliban’s minister of mines and petroleum, said that the Taliban regime must value people’s desires for its survival. Delawar added that anyone within the ranks of the Taliban, including ministers, must support the legitimate will of the people.
Several Afghan citizens told Afghanistan International and have reported on social media that Taliban has banned celebration of Valentine's Day. The Taliban ministry of promotion of virtue and prevention of vice have asked the public in Kabul not to celebrate Valentine’s Day.