Baradar: Afghanistan ‘Not Sweet Morsel for Enemies’

February 8, 2026
TOLOnews
TV Network
8 Feb 2026

The senior official of the Islamic Emirate also assured the security and inviolability of Afghanistan’s territory in another part of his remarks.

The Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, speaking at the graduation ceremony of the 17th round of the National Defense University “Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah” in Kabul, emphasized positive engagement with all countries.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar added that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, within the framework of an economy-oriented policy, believes in regional and global partnerships.

He said: “We are committed to appropriate engagement with all countries within the framework of our principles. To ensure long-term political and economic interests, it is necessary for countries to respect one another’s values and sensitive boundaries.”

The senior official of the Islamic Emirate also assured the security and inviolability of Afghanistan’s territory in another part of his remarks.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar stressed that Afghanistan harbors no ill will toward other countries and expects the same from others.

The Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs added: “Afghanistan neither wants to harm anyone nor will it accept being harmed by anyone; however, if someone harbors malicious intentions, it will respond without delay. History bears witness that this country is not a sweet morsel but a Zaqqum tree, one that has made the throats of ancient empires bitter, and which newborn children can never digest.”

Several other senior officials of the Islamic Emirate, including the Minister of Higher Education and the Minister of Borders, also emphasized the preservation of the current system in the country.

Without naming any specific country, Noorullah Noori, Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, said: “If someone wants a military base, they give a military base; if they want an army, they give an army. This is a sign of servitude. Praise be to God, an Islamic system is established in Afghanistan, and Afghanistan is independent in its policies.”

Strengthening unity, implementing Islamic Sharia, and safeguarding the current system were among other issues emphasized by senior officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan at the event.

Baradar: Afghanistan ‘Not Sweet Morsel for Enemies’
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UNAMA Reports Killings, Arrests, Public Punishments in Afghanistan

February 8, 2026
Khaama Press

A new UNAMA quarterly report covering October to December 2025 highlights ongoing human rights concerns across Afghanistan, including killings, detentions and civilian protection issues.

UNAMA reports killings, arbitrary arrests, media restrictions and public punishments in Afghanistan during late 2025, raising concerns over human rights conditions nationwide.

UNAMA’s quarterly report says 14 former Afghan security personnel were killed between October and December 2025, alongside 28 arbitrary detentions and seven cases of torture or mistreatment.

The report notes that several victims were former officials forcibly returned from neighboring countries, some later facing extrajudicial killings or unlawful detention after returning home.

Media restrictions also expanded, with bans on broadcasting images of living beings imposed or tightened in several provinces, affecting both state and private television operations.

UNAMA further recorded growing arrests and threats against social media users, while internet disruptions and online restrictions negatively affected businesses, including women-led enterprises.

Public punishments also continued, with 287 people, including women and minors, flogged in public, while two individuals convicted of murder were executed before crowds.

UNAMA has documented civilian harm and rights concerns in Afghanistan for more than a decade, tracking abuses affecting civilians and vulnerable groups nationwide.

Human rights organizations say economic hardship, displacement, and shrinking civic space continue to worsen conditions, leaving many communities increasingly exposed to insecurity and rights violations.

UNAMA urged respect for human rights and accountability measures, warning that continued abuses risk deepening instability and further isolating Afghanistan internationally.

UNAMA Reports Killings, Arrests, Public Punishments in Afghanistan
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613 civilians killed and wounded in Pakistan’s attacks on Afghanistan

February 8, 2026

Sohrab Sarwari

Pajhwok News
8 Feb 2026

KABUL (Pajhwok): The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has announced that during the past Gregorian year, 613 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded as a result of attacks by the Pakistani army.

In a report released today (Sunday), UNAMA stated that in the past Gregorian year, 613 Afghan civilians were killed or injured due to attacks by the Pakistani army. This is the highest number of Afghan civilian casualties caused by Pakistan’s attacks since 2011.

The organization specified that in the last three months of 2025, a total of 70 civilians were killed and 478 others were wounded, and a large portion of these casualties resulted from Pakistan’s artillery, rocket, and air strikes.

UNAMA’s report mentions civilian casualties in the provinces of Paktia, Kunar, Helmand, Kandahar, Khost, Paktika, and Kabul.

The mission has called on all parties to respect international human rights law and to protect the lives of civilians.

Meanwhile, Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, said: “Unfortunately, a large number of our civilian citizens have been martyred or wounded in such attacks. Over the past year, Pakistani forces have repeatedly and sporadically targeted residential areas along the so-called Durand Line.”

He added that among the victims were women, children, and even athletes.

According to reports, on the 6th of Mizan this year, as a result of an attack by Pakistan’s military regime, three cricket players named Kabir, Sibghatullah, and Haroon were killed, and seven others were wounded in Argon district of Paktika province.

Fitrat said: “After each of these incidents, media reports were published, and the section of the mentioned report related to civilian casualties largely corresponds with the existing realities. With deep regret, we confirm that dozens of innocent civilians, most of whom were women and children, were targeted by the Pakistani army.”

613 civilians killed and wounded in Pakistan’s attacks on Afghanistan
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Islamic Emirate, China Discuss Expanding Political, Economic Cooperation

February 6, 2026
TOLOnews
TV Network
6 Feb 2026

According to the statement, both sides also stressed the need to expand diplomatic relations between Kabul and Beijing.

Gul Hassan Hassan, the ambassador of the Islamic Emirate in Moscow, met with Zhang Hanhui, the Chinese ambassador in Russia to discuss political and economic cooperation and emphasized joint efforts to strengthen sustainable security and regional cooperation.

According to the statement, both sides also stressed the need to expand diplomatic relations between Kabul and Beijing.

Part of the statement issued by the Embassy of the Islamic Emirate in Russia said: “During the meeting, discussions were held on political and economic cooperation between Afghanistan and China, joint efforts to strengthen sustainable security in the region, and regional cooperation. Both sides emphasized the expansion and strengthening of bilateral relations.”

Abdul Jabbar Akbari, a university lecturer, said in this regard: “The more the two sides build confidence, Afghanistan on security issues and China on economic and trade relations, I believe this could further pave the way for the recognition of the Islamic Emirate.”

At the same time as this meeting, Bilal Karimi, the ambassador of the Islamic Emirate in China, also met with Liu Jinsong, Director-General of the Asian Affairs Department of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Yue Xiaoyong, China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan.

The discussions focused on political and economic relations, activation of the Wakhan Corridor, and consular services.

According to the embassy’s statement, the Chinese side emphasized respect for Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity, adding that cooperation between the two countries is essential.

Another part of the statement from the Embassy of the Islamic Emirate in China read: “The Chinese side, while emphasizing respect for Afghanistan’s independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty, stressed the continuation of cooperation. At the same time, the Afghan ambassador appreciated China’s positive stance and described cooperation between the two countries as necessary.”

Enayatullah Hammam, a political analyst, said: “We have extensive trade relations with China, and there are major initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative. In this regard, Afghanistan needs ties with China, and China also needs Afghanistan.”

These diplomatic consultations aimed at improving Kabul–Beijing relations are taking place at a time when, over the past more than four years, China has not formally recognized the Islamic Emirate, but has continued its cooperation with Afghanistan in various fields.

Islamic Emirate, China Discuss Expanding Political, Economic Cooperation
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Uzbekistan Power Cut Again Hits Kabul and 12 Provinces of Afghanistan

February 6, 2026
Khaama Press

Power outages spread across Kabul and 12 Afghanistan provinces after Uzbekistan’s imported electricity line failed due to technical problems and severe weather conditions.

Afghanistan’s power company, Breshna, announced that electricity imported from Uzbekistan was cut again after a technical failure on the 220-kilovolt transmission line in the Naibabad–Pul-e-Khumri section.

Following the disruption, parts of Samangan and Baghlan, along with Parwan, Panjshir, Kapisa, Kabul, Logar, Paktia, Khost, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Nangarhar, and Laghman provinces lost access to imported electricity.

Power company said technical teams were dispatched to repair the fault, but severe storms in the area have delayed the start of restoration work until weather conditions improve.

The company added that domestic power sources are temporarily supplying electricity but warned that bad weather could delay full restoration of imported power.

Power interruptions have repeatedly occurred during winter months, when heavy snowfall and storms often damage transmission lines connecting Afghanistan to neighboring countries.

Afghanistan remains heavily dependent on imported electricity from Central Asian countries, making the national grid vulnerable to technical failures and cross-border disruptions.

Frequent power cuts worsen humanitarian challenges in Afghanistan, where many households and hospitals rely on stable electricity during harsh winter conditions.

Uzbekistan Power Cut Again Hits Kabul and 12 Provinces of Afghanistan
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Economy Ministry: Afghanistan Not Dependent on Foreign Aid

February 6, 2026
Hadia Ziaei
Tolo News
5 Feb 2026

However, some economic experts believe that significant foundational work has been carried out in recent years compared to the past.

The Ministry of Economy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, responding to a report by The New York Times, says that national revenue and economic stability in the country are not dependent on foreign assistance.

The ministry’s spokesperson said that unemployment, declining household purchasing power, and climate vulnerability are the main causes of malnutrition and food insecurity, and assured that efforts are underway to address economic and livelihood challenges by relying on the country’s economic capacities and domestic revenue.

Abdul Rahman Habib, spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy, said: “Direct support for farmers, water resource management, support for domestic production and small enterprises, implementation of job-creation programs, and measures to mitigate the risks of climate change and drought are among the key priorities of the relevant ministries to reduce food insecurity.”

Previously, The New York Times reported that after the administration of former US President Donald Trump sharply reduced foreign aid to Afghanistan nearly a year ago, the country faced an unprecedented crisis.

According to the report, about four million children are currently at risk of death due to malnutrition the highest level in the past 25 years. During the same period, 450 health clinics have been closed, increasing the risk of death for newborns, mothers during childbirth, and emergency patients.

Humanitarian needs have also grown following the deportation of 2.8 million Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan, while acute hunger has intensified, affecting more than 17 million people around 40 percent of the population an increase of two million compared to last year. Additionally, seven provinces have reached a critical level of food insecurity, the final stage before famine.

Sayed Masoud, a university lecturer, said: “The largest aid Afghanistan has received in its history was wasted. However, we should not think that nothing was achieved. Some progress was made, but it was not proportional to the level of investment that entered Afghanistan.”

The report also cited projections by the Center for Global Development, which estimate that Afghanistan will lose nearly five percent of its national income in 2026 due to declining donor funding.

However, some economic experts believe that significant foundational work has been carried out in recent years compared to the past, and that continuing this trend could lead to self-reliance and free Afghanistan from dependence on foreign aid.

Mohammad Nabi Afghan, an economic analyst, told TOLOnews: “If we attract neighboring countries and implement regional and multi-country projects here, and provide the necessary facilities, we can change the current negative situation. Our economy will grow, we will become self-sufficient, and we will no longer need foreign aid.”

This comes as the United States continued to send nearly one billion dollars annually to Afghanistan even after 2021, but following Donald Trump’s return to the White House, US assistance was suspended by a single decision. Although Washington later resumed aid to other crisis-hit countries, Afghanistan is currently not among them.

Economy Ministry: Afghanistan Not Dependent on Foreign Aid
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Pakistani forces kill 177 Baloch militants in 48 hours, the highest toll in decades

February 5, 2026

By ABDUL SATTAR and MUNIR AHMED

Associated Press

February 2, 2026

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani security forces killed about two dozen militants overnight in multiple raids in the insurgency-hit southwest bordering Afghanistan, raising the militant death toll to 177 in the past 48 hours, officials said Monday. The announcement follows a wave of coordinated insurgent attacks that killed 50 people, mostly civilians, including women and children.

Police backed by the military have been conducting raids in several areas against members of the outlawed separatist Baloch Liberation Army since early Saturday, after nearly 200 militants in small groups carried out simultaneous suicide bombings and gun attacks on police stations, civilian homes and security facilities across Balochistan province.

Analysts say the scale of militant deaths in the past 48 hours is the highest in decades.

The militant attacks have drawn widespread condemnation from political leaders across Pakistan, including members of the party led by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

On Monday, Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif said the weekend attacks claimed by BLA killed 33 civilians and 17 security forces. He cited higher civilian casualties from the attacks during a speech to parliament.Asif ruled out any possibility of talks with the BLA, saying no talks would be held with “terrorists” who killed civilians, including women and children, when they attacked residences of Baloch laborers in the port city of Gwadar on Saturday.

On Monday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in a statement praised the security forces for killing an additional 22 insurgents. He described those killed as “Indian-backed terrorists.” However, he offered no evidence of Indian involvement, and there was no immediate response from New Delhi.

Though it is Pakistan’s largest province, Balochistan is its least populated, made up largely of high mountains. It’s also a hub for the country’s ethnic Baloch minority, whose members say they face discrimination and exploitation by the central government. That has fueled a separatist insurgency demanding independence. Islamic militants also operate in the province.

Authorities said normalcy was largely returned to the province on Monday, but the train service between Balochistan and the rest of the country remained suspended for a third consecutive day. Provincial authorities suspended train service following the attacks, citing security concerns, and the suspension remains in effect.

In March, at least 31 people were killed when BLA militants attacked the Jaffar express train carrying hundreds of people in Balochistan, taking passengers hostage before security forces launched a rescue operation. All 33 assailants were killed, and the passengers were freed.

The BLA, which is banned in Pakistan, has carried out numerous attacks in recent years, frequently targeting security forces, Chinese interests and infrastructure projects. Authorities say the group has operated with support from the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, which is allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers.

Ahmed reported from Islamabad.

Pakistani forces kill 177 Baloch militants in 48 hours, the highest toll in decades
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4th Doha Process Counter-Narcotics Meeting Held in Kabul

February 5, 2026
Khaama Press

Officials and international representatives met in Kabul under the Doha Process to strengthen cooperation against narcotics production and trafficking across Afghanistan and the region.

The fourth counter-narcotics working group meeting under the Doha Process was held Wednesday in Kabul with participation of Taliban officials, UN representatives, diplomats, and technical experts.

Hosted by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan at a Kabul hotel, the meeting included Taliban ministries, international organizations, the European Union, and several countries attending both in person and online.

Taliban officials said a ban on poppy cultivation ordered by their leadership significantly reduced opium production, citing alternative livelihood and addiction treatment programs as part of anti-drug efforts.

They also warned that without international cooperation, rising production and trafficking of synthetic drugs and smuggling of precursor chemicals could create broader regional and global security threats.

The UN-led Doha Process, launched in 2023, provides a structured platform for engagement between the international community and Taliban authorities, focusing on humanitarian, economic, and counter-narcotics cooperation.

Participants stressed continued international coordination and economic support remain essential to prevent renewed drug cultivation while expanding treatment and rehabilitation services across Afghanistan.

4th Doha Process Counter-Narcotics Meeting Held in Kabul
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UN Warns ISIS in Iraq and Afghanistan Remains Global Security Threat

February 5, 2026
Khaama Press

The United Nations has warned that Islamic State (ISIS) and its Khorasan branch in Afghanistan continue to pose a serious threat to regional and global security.

Alexander Zuev, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, told the Security Council that ISIS-K remains one of the most dangerous terror threats in and beyond the region.

He noted that although the number of attacks has declined, ISIS-K continues to rebuild its ranks quickly and recruit supporters through online networks.

Zuev also referenced a recent attack in Kabul claimed by ISIS-K that killed seven people and injured several others, including a child.

Representatives of the United States, Britain, China, and Pakistan echoed concerns during the meeting, calling for continued international cooperation against terrorism threats linked to Afghanistan.

Following territorial defeats in Iraq and Syria, ISIS has shifted operations toward regions including Afghanistan and parts of Africa, where affiliated groups remain active and adaptable.

Meanwhile, Taliban authorities reject claims that ISIS maintains a significant presence in Afghanistan, insisting the group has been defeated and no foreign militant groups operate from Afghanistan territory.

Despite differing assessments, UN officials stress that sustained global coordination is necessary to prevent ISIS and its affiliates from regaining strength and destabilizing the region.

UN Warns ISIS in Iraq and Afghanistan Remains Global Security Threat
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Congress Nixes Visas for Afghan Partners, Closing Off a Key Path

February 5, 2026

The New York Times

Feb. 5, 2026

President Trump froze a program to allow Afghans who had worked with American troops to come to the United States. Now Congress has quietly scrapped the visas, leaving little hope of reviving them.

Zia Ghafoori stood in the East Room of the White House in 2018, beaming as President Trump thanked him for his “noble service” as an interpreter for a team of Green Berets in Afghanistan at a ceremony honoring their bravery at the battle of Shok Valley.

But last year, Mr. Trump froze the special visa program that gave Mr. Ghafoori and other Afghans who worked with the American government over two decades of war with the Taliban a path to legal status in the United States. The president did so hours after an Afghan national who had fought in a paramilitary group linked to the C.I.A. and entered the United States on a two-year grant of parole in 2021 shot two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., one of them fatally.

Then on Tuesday, Congress quietly closed the door to the program altogether when it cleared a spending package that authorized no new visas for it.

The wind down of the program reflected a rapid political shift on Capitol Hill after the November shooting by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who did not have a special Afghan visa, but had been granted asylum by the Trump administration. Many Republicans in Congress — even some who had backed the Afghan partners program — quickly fell in line behind Mr. Trump as he vilified the same Afghan partners whom many of them had demanded the Biden administration make every effort to rescue when the United States withdrew from Kabul in 2021.

The fear of backlash from a G.O.P. base that for years has embraced Mr. Trump’s xenophobic statements about migrants — including blanket assertions that Afghans are terrorists, a suggestion he amplified after the National Guard shooting — appears to have overpowered what had been a solid bipartisan consensus around the importance of standing behind Afghans who served alongside Americans during the war.

Republican voters “think that any Afghan that got into the United States is a terrorist,” said Representative Michael McCaul of Texas, who was the top Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and has announced his retirement from Congress. While he said he was all for more vetting of Afghans entering the country, Mr. McCaul said any person who qualified for a Special Immigrant Visa would have worked closely with the U.S. personnel.

“So to say there are terrorists — when they actually worked alongside our military and intelligence community to kill terrorists — doesn’t make any sense,” Mr. McCaul said.

Now, Afghans with pending applications have no sense of when or whether the Trump administration might resume issuing visas. That has left many of them who are still in Afghanistan or living as refugees in another country in jeopardy.

“These Afghan allies were the ones who stood with their sons and daughters overseas,” Mr. Ghafoori said in a recent interview. “They carried their wounded, and they saved their lives.”

Authorizing more visas over the years had at times required backroom wrangling. But there was always a contingent of Republicans, many of them veterans, who demanded that Washington stand by its promise to bring Afghan partners safely to the United States.

But in an election year, and with a president who is quick to endorse challengers to primary members of his own party who cross him, no Republican has called for Congress to provide special Afghan visas for another year, or publicly opposed Mr. Trump’s indefinite pause on the program. They said nothing to dispute the president’s claims, made without evidence, that a breakdown in vetting led to the National Guard shooting.

Still, there have been no proposals from the Trump administration or congressional Republicans to increase vetting of special Afghan visa applicants.

“They’re just slamming the door shut,” Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement. “Stranding vetted S.I.V. applicants or sending Afghan families back into the hands of the Taliban isn’t about security; it’s a betrayal of the promises we made to those who risked their lives for the United States.”

“There’s a lot of veterans on the Republican side who would do it,” said Representative Jason Crow of Colorado, a former Army Ranger who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. “They unfortunately don’t have the courage right now to vote publicly.”

The State Department told Congress last summer that there were around 9,000 Special Immigrant Visas still available to issue to Afghans. But the Trump administration has given Congress no indication it plans to allocate those visas to tens of thousands of outstanding applicants. Last July, there were over 1,400 Afghans in the final stages of the vetting process, and over 100,000 more still submitting documents, including a recommendation from a top military or diplomatic official.

In a statement, the State Department said the pause on the special visa program was to ensure proper vetting and to confirm the identities and visa eligibility of applicants. The department would not say whether the remaining visas would ultimately be issued.

Some Republicans said after the shooting that they were still pushing to include more visas in the State Department spending bill. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, an Iowa Republican who last year had endorsed including thousands of new visas, said it was now “vastly more difficult.”

Republicans blame the Biden administration for leaving Afghan partners stranded in Afghanistan and evacuating others to a third country where they were told they would be processed and brought to the United States. Those who called for thousands more visas in the past said they have not forgotten those Afghans.

“I’m committed to finding a pathway forward to help our Afghan partners who put their lives on the line alongside U.S. service members, while maintaining rigorous vetting and ensuring accountability at every step,” said Representative Zach Nunn of Iowa, a Republican and combat veteran who flew missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Legal experts said that while Mr. Trump cannot unilaterally end the program, it is unclear what, if any, levers Congress has to force his administration to issue the remaining visas to applicants, some of whom have already waited years and would be left with no other avenue to reach the United States if they did not receive them.

Mr. Crow warned that it would be a “moral stain” on the country if lawmakers failed to revive the program and “turn our back on our partners from Afghanistan.”

Congress Nixes Visas for Afghan Partners, Closing Off a Key Path
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