Afghanistan Licenses Over 500 Tourism Companies in One Year

Simultaneously, the Union of Tourism Companies in Kabul has assured ongoing efforts to improve services for both domestic and foreign tourists.

The Ministry of Information and Culture has announced that more than 500 tourism companies have been granted operational licenses across the country over the past year.

Khubaib Ghufran, spokesperson for the ministry, stated that the objective behind issuing these licenses is to promote the tourism industry and support the growth of the private sector.

He explained: “To provide better services to tourists and boost the private sector in the tourism and travel industry, the Ministry of Information and Culture has issued new licenses to 539 tourism companies over the past year. Among these, 25 companies renewed their previous licenses, while the remaining businesses have started operations for the first time.”

Simultaneously, the Union of Tourism Companies in Kabul has assured ongoing efforts to improve services for both domestic and foreign tourists.

Ahmad Sair Rahimi, head of the Tourism Companies Union, stated: “More than 5,000 foreign nationals have visited Afghanistan to explore its tourist attractions. I am hopeful, and my request to the government is to enhance the current facilities—especially by investing more in national parks and increasing public services for travelers.”

Abdul Shakoor Hadaawal, an economic affairs analyst, said: “Tourists who visit Afghanistan not only enjoy its historical landmarks, but their presence also creates employment opportunities for those who are currently jobless.”

Tourism companies in Afghanistan primarily operate in areas such as ticketing, visa services, and organizing tourism packages for both domestic and international travelers.

According to official statistics, in the solar year 1403, approximately 7,700 foreign tourists visited Afghanistan’s various archaeological sites and historical landmarks.

Afghanistan Licenses Over 500 Tourism Companies in One Year
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US Dismisses Prospect of Reopening Embassy in Kabul

The US National Security Council, told an American newspaper that Washington has made no commitment to transferring the Afghan embassy in Washington.

Following the interim Afghan government’s request for the United States to reopen its embassy in Kabul and to hand over the Afghan embassy in Washington to the Islamic Emirate, the US State Department has rejected the idea of reopening its diplomatic mission in Kabul.

According to the Washington Examiner, the US State Department spokesperson said: “The United States does not recognize any entity as the government of Afghanistan and therefore has no plans to allow for the reopening of its embassy.”

Janat Faheem Chakari, a political analyst, said: “Afghanistan is likely a third or fourth-tier priority for the US foreign policy towards Afghanistan remains unclear.”

Meanwhile, James Hewitt, spokesperson for the US National Security Council, told an American newspaper that Washington has made no commitment to transferring the Afghan embassy in Washington.

He said: “We have made no commitments regarding the Afghan Embassy in Washington, and there are no discussions underway concerning the status of the US Embassy compound in Kabul.”

Mohammad Aslam Danishmal, a political affairs expert, said: “The interim Afghan government must seriously focus on its internal affairs to escape global isolation and pave the way for engagement with major powers.”

Gol Mohammaduddin Mohammadi, another political analyst, commented: “Until political consensus is reached on key issues, discussions about matters like reopening embassies are unrealistic.”

The US rejection comes after a spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate had previously stated that the matter of reopening the US embassy in Kabul and transferring the Afghan embassy in Washington to the interim government had been discussed with a US delegation visiting Kabul, and that they were awaiting a response from Washington.

US Dismisses Prospect of Reopening Embassy in Kabul
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Intl Mine Awareness Day: Afghanistan’s Silent Emergency

Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan announced that children are the main victims of leftover landmine explosions in the country.

On the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, the United Nations has emphasized the importance of raising awareness, prevention, and mine clearance.

Afghanistan is considered one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the dangers posed by mines, and thousands of people—especially children—continue to be harmed by the explosion of leftover explosive materials.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) announced that children are the main victims of leftover landmine explosions in the country.

The International Committee of the Red Cross also stated that in 2024 more than 560 people, including 434 children, have died in Afghanistan due to landmine and unexploded ordnance explosions.

Nooruddin Rustamkhail, head of mine action coordination and clearance, said: “Afghanistan is one of the countries most globally contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance. Currently, up to 60 people per month in Afghanistan fall victim to mines and unexploded ordnance, most of whom are children.”

“Some vulnerable individuals and groups such as children, farmers, shepherds, and rural residents who are unaware of the dangers of mines are the victims in Afghanistan,” said Asadullah Nadim, a military analyst.

Zaheda, a six-year-old girl, encountered leftover explosive material seven months ago in Ghazni province and lost one of her legs due to its explosion.

Speaking about the incident, she said: “I brought the object home, and when the children pulled it from me, it suddenly exploded and I lost my leg.”

The United Nations designated April 4 as the “International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action” in 2005 to highlight the importance of mine awareness, prevention, and clearance every year.

António Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, stated that more than 100 million people worldwide are at risk from landmines and remnants of war explosives.

Intl Mine Awareness Day: Afghanistan’s Silent Emergency
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Millions of Afghans lose access to healthcare services as USAID cuts shut clinics

and Zahra Ahad

More than 200 health facilities run by the World Health Organization in Afghanistan, providing medical care for 1.84 million people, have closed or ceased operating after the US aid cuts announced by the Trump administration shut off life-saving medical care, including vaccinations, maternal and child health services.

On his first day in office in January, President Donald Trump announced an immediate freeze on all US foreign assistance, including more than $40bn (£32bn) for international projects coming from USAID, the United States Agency for International Development. It was later confirmed that more than 80% of USAID programmes had been cancelled.

In Afghanistan, where health clinics have closed in 28 out of 34 provinces, this is leading to an “escalating humanitarian crisis”, according to the WHO, with the country already grappling with poverty and outbreaks of diseases such as measles, malaria and polio.

Ajyal Sultany, head of communications at WHO in Afghanistan, said: “The closure of health facilities is compounding these crises, with displaced and marginalised communities facing heightened risks of disease, malnutrition, and inadequate medical care.”

In the worst-affected regions – north, west and north-east Afghanistan – more than a third of health clinics have now shut down, according to the WHO, with another 220 health facilities expected to close by June due to a lack of funding.

In some rural areas, the clinics were the only access the local population had to health services. The problem is compounded by the Taliban’s restrictions on women travelling without a male relative as a “guardian”.

Abdul*, a coordinator for health projects in Herat, western Afghanistan, told the Guardian that his organisation had been forced to close 23 of its facilities, including mobile health teams, after it lost funding in January. It had relied on support from international organisations.

“These clinics were located in remote areas of Herat province in nine districts where people did not have access to health services. We covered a population of nearly 120,000, including many women and children, and at least 20,000 new and expecting mothers.

“We were able to secure some funding from a different source and temporarily resume four of the clinics,” he said, but most of the people they help remain without any healthcare services.

Abdul said local populations had appealed to doctors and healthcare workers to keep the clinics open. “Since the closure, people from these communities have been reaching out to us through religious leaders and shuras [gatherings of tribal elders] asking us to reopen clinics.

“Unfortunately, we have to tell them, with all transparency, that there is little we can do now,” he said.

The WHO said the availability of healthcare for Afghans may now worsen even further. “The termination of US funding may lead other donors to scale back or withdraw their humanitarian assistance,” Sultany said. “This would further exacerbate operational challenges and reduce the capacity to deliver life-saving services.”

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) confirmed it had been forced to close two community resource centres that had been providing housing, food and other support to internally displaced Afghans, with a further two at risk of closure.

“I want to emphasise that NRC Afghanistan is not shutting down its operations,” said Suze van Meegen, NRC’s interim director in Afghanistan, but she added: “Due to United States funding suspensions and cuts, NRC has been forced to end some of its programming in Afghanistan.”

*Name changed

Millions of Afghans lose access to healthcare services as USAID cuts shut clinics
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WFP assists 9 million Afghans, calls for immediate funding to sustain vital aid programs

Khaama Press

The World Food Programme (WFP) provided lifesaving assistance to over 9 million Afghans last year, highlighting the urgent need for continued funding.

The World Food Program (WFP) reported that it provided life-saving aid to over nine million people in Afghanistan in the past year. As part of its ongoing efforts, the WFP continues to focus on addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people. The organization highlighted that Afghanistan remains at the center of its mission, with ongoing support tailored to the population’s most urgent needs.

WFP emphasized the importance of listening to the voices of the Afghan people, underscoring the necessity of their feedback in shaping the delivery of aid. Through a video posted on social media on Thursday, April 3, the organization reinforced its commitment to ensuring that Afghanistan’s citizens receive the necessary assistance.

Despite these efforts, the WFP warned of potential disruptions to its critical programs due to funding shortfalls. The organization urgently requires $555 million to sustain its activities in Afghanistan for the next six months. Without this support, key programs, including emergency food aid, nutrition treatment, and vocational training for women, face serious jeopardy.

Among the most vulnerable groups are pregnant and breastfeeding women, with 1.2 million of them currently suffering from malnutrition. The WFP is calling for immediate intervention to provide essential food assistance and nutritional support to these women, who are at risk of severe health consequences without it.

In addition to the nutrition challenges faced by women, the WFP also highlighted the broader crisis affecting the population. Currently, one-third of Afghanistan’s population depends on emergency food assistance to survive. These urgent needs reflect the ongoing challenges the country faces in addressing widespread food insecurity.

The World Food Program’s call for continued financial support is critical not only to alleviate hunger but also to combat the long-term effects of malnutrition in Afghanistan. As the situation remains dire, the WFP urges international donors to contribute to sustaining life-saving programs in the country.

WFP assists 9 million Afghans, calls for immediate funding to sustain vital aid programs
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Canada warns citizens against travel to Afghanistan due to security risks

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

Canada has warned its citizens against traveling to Afghanistan due to ongoing violence, kidnappings, arbitrary arrests, and human rights violations.

The Canadian government issued a warning on Tuesday, urging its citizens to avoid travel to Afghanistan due to escalating security concerns. The government highlighted the risks posed by ongoing armed conflicts, terrorist attacks, and the increasing frequency of abductions and arbitrary detentions.

In a public statement, Canada described the security situation in Afghanistan as chaotic, emphasizing the dangers posed by terrorism, violent clashes, and widespread human rights violations under the de facto Taliban authorities. The government warned that despite the Taliban’s claims, the security environment remains volatile and unsafe.

The statement further noted that Canadians currently in Afghanistan should consider relocating to safer areas if possible. It advised individuals to review their personal security plans and exercise heightened caution in the face of widespread criminal activity and state-led human rights abuses.

Canada also highlighted that its ability to provide consular assistance in Afghanistan is extremely limited, given the closure of its embassy following the Taliban’s return to power. The government reminded citizens that even if assistance is requested, there may be delays or an inability to provide timely support.

In addition to Canada, several other countries, including the United States, the UK, and Australia, have issued similar travel advisories, urging their citizens to avoid travel to Afghanistan due to the significant security threats posed by militant groups and the Taliban’s control over the country.

As the security situation deteriorates, the international community continues to grapple with the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the challenges of providing assistance to citizens stranded in Afghanistan. Governments are emphasizing the need for vigilance, advising citizens to stay informed and make necessary preparations for evacuation if needed.

Canada warns citizens against travel to Afghanistan due to security risks
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CNN: Islamic Emirate Seeking US Recognition, Diplomatic Ties

According to the article, the Islamic Emirate also asked for the opening of an office in the United States to provide consular services to Afghans.

CNN has reported in an article that officials from the Islamic Emirate, during a meeting with a US delegation in March—held to discuss the release of George Glazman—requested that Washington recognize the Islamic Emirate as the official government of Afghanistan.

According to the article, the Islamic Emirate also asked for the opening of an office in the United States to provide consular services to Afghans.

CNN wrote that since the return of Donald Trump to power, the Islamic Emirate has been actively seeking to establish better relations with the United States.

The article also referenced the removal of bounty offers for Sirajuddin Haqqani, the acting interior minister, and two other members of the interim government, noting that the US has taken steps in this regard.

CNN added that one American official told the ‘Taliban’: “Unconditional releases [equals] great relations with Trump. Clear out your holding cells – Trump will be free to work with you.”

Quoting sources familiar with the details of the meeting between the Islamic Emirate and the US delegation, the article stated that US officials told the interim government: “You need to be forthcoming and take a risk,” and “Do this, it will likely open up the door for better relationship.”

CNN: Islamic Emirate Seeking US Recognition, Diplomatic Ties
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Report: Afghanistan Can’t Fight Climate Change Alone

Toda Institute stated that Afghanistan is one of the ten countries most affected by climate change but lacks the necessary resources to counter it.

A Japanese organization named Toda Peace Institute has analyzed and reported on Afghanistan’s inability to effectively combat climate change.

Toda Institute stated that Afghanistan is one of the ten countries most affected by climate change but lacks the necessary resources to counter it.

The report states: “Afghanistan is among the ten countries that have historically received inadequate climate funding, alongside Chad, South Sudan, Somalia, Niger, Mali, Yemen, Ethiopia, Uganda and Iraq. These nations face acute climate risks, yet international climate financing mechanism has largely failed to provide them required funding.”

Citing the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), the Toda Peace Institute estimated: “Climate-related economic losses in Afghanistan amount to $550 million in a normal year and exceed three $3 billion during severe droughts – equivalent to between almost 3.2% and more than 18% of the country’s GDP. This is staggering when compared to Afghanistan’s national budget of just $2.7 billion in 2023, barely enough to sustain basic government functions. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) estimated that $1.7 billion would be needed for adaptation and mitigation between 2021 and 2030.”

After the Islamic Emirate’s rise to power and the decline in international engagement, obtaining global financial support has become nearly impossible for Afghanistan, according to the report.

The Japanese institute concluded that Afghanistan cannot rely solely on its internal resources, as the mining sector is underdeveloped and the infrastructure and legal frameworks for extraction are lacking.

Report: Afghanistan Can’t Fight Climate Change Alone
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‘Hope in my heart’: displaced Afghans in limbo as White House freezes refugee programs

in San Antonio

She wants to care for other women and girls, so they don’t have to be afraid to visit the doctor – so at least in one crucial aspect of their lives they won’t have to endure the unwanted advances, dismissive comments and blatant disrespect that she’s experienced from many of the men who have always surrounded her, first in her native Afghanistan and now in legal limbo in Pakistan.

“I hope a lot that I will be a doctor in the future. I don’t know it will happen, but I hope,” she said. “It means that a woman is powerful, that if she wants to do something, she can.”

Yet for the moment, she has no way to attend medical school anywhere. She can barely step outside the apartment in Islamabad where she and her two sisters, her teenage brother, and their mother spend each day terrified that police will arrest and deport them back to face Taliban rule.

Simply as a woman in the Taliban’s Afghanistan her lifestyle would be severely restricted, but as Christians the whole family would literally be in mortal danger.

Her family has documents from the United Nations Refugee Agency proving that they’re certified asylum seekers, and they were on the verge of getting the green light to come to the US.

But to the Trump administration right now, these plans don’t matter – despite volunteer groups in Texas preparing for months to welcome them.

To the police in Pakistan, where they are in exile, those UN documents don’t matter either. What matters is that the family is Afghan and is no longer wanted there.

“Everywhere is policed. Every day, police come to our house. It’s too difficult for us,” said the woman in an interview over Zoom. The Guardian is withholding the family’s identity while they remain at risk.

“In these days, we awake with a fear,” she said of her family. They have already been lying low in Pakistan for three years after fleeing Afghanistan.

A few months ago, it seemed as though the family was finally on the cusp of relief, soon to fly to east Texas.

“They were nearing the finish line. We didn’t have any certainty, they hadn’t actually been approved and travel wasn’t being scheduled yet. But we were right there – everything, all the screening, was done,” said Justin Reese, one member of a group of Texas volunteers who were getting ready to welcome the family.

Then, on the first day of Donald Trump’s second term as president, one of his many immigration-related executive orders indefinitely suspended the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) – and with it, the family’s chance at reaching imminent safety.

“By every metric, they have played by the rules and they are being treated like this,” said Reese. “It’s very damaging to them individually, and it’s damaging, I think, to the future security of the US, for us to be seen as this mercurial, as this incoherent.”

A federal district judge temporarily blocked Trump’s effective ban on refugees coming to the US, offering those on the brink of resettlement a flicker of hope, but a circuit panel has now rolled back that decision, saying only people already approved must be allowed to come. And whether an administration ideologically opposed to refugee resettlement will resume the program at scale – or in any meaningful way – remains an open question, particularly after the state department has tried to terminate essential funding agreements with all of the US’s resettlement agencies for the entire fiscal year. That was even before the prospect of new Trump travel restrictions on Afghans entering the US, and before immigration officials suddenly paused green card processing for refugees already here.

“I don’t know how you get to a place of suspending refugee resettlement as policy without a series of ideological turns that I don’t understand how to unwind,” Reese said.

Before the ascent of Trumpism, USRAP enjoyed widespread bipartisan support for myriad reasons: its protection of American allies and related benefits to national security; its solidarity with “frontline states” such as Turkey and Colombia that are taking in so many of the world’s displaced people; its signal to other nations that the US cares about human rights.

In fact, even before the refugee resettlement program was written into US law, organizations cropped up across the nation in response to the atrocities of the second world war – and the US’s role in rejecting refugees early on who then became victims of the Holocaust. These agencies welcomed displaced people from around the world, many fleeing communism from the Baltic states, Hungary or Vietnam.

After Congress established a more universal, standardized refugee framework, general support for resettlement continued, even following the 11 September 2001 attacks that reshaped much of the US immigration system. Sometimes, scandals would arise within the program, but administrations would address them and move on.

Then, in 2015, Trump ran for president and soon started trumpeting a narrative that refugees posed a security threat to American communities, despite them being some of the most thoroughly vetted newcomers in the country.

“There [was] already a kind of deteriorating bipartisan support,” Yael Schacher, director for the Americas and Europe at Refugees International, the humanitarian organization, recalled of that moment.

By fiscal year 2020, the first Trump administration had gutted the US’s refugee resettlement infrastructure and set the annual ceiling on refugee admissions at 18,000 – the lowest cap on record.

When Joe Biden took office, his administration eventually rebuilt resettlement capacity in the US, with more than 100,000 people welcomed in his last full fiscal year in office.

To do so, Biden made innovations, such as an initiative called the Welcome Corps, which invited Americans and green card holders to form private groups and financially sponsor refugees for resettlement in the US.

“I think the idea of the Welcome Corps was that it was politically foolproof,” said Schacher, and that “because it relied on private funds and private individuals to step up … that these folks would push back against the Trump administration and make sure that folks still come. And they would step in if government funding was withdrawn. I think it remains to be seen if that’s actually going to work politically.”

Reese and his family knew that they wanted to participate in the Welcome Corps. A software developer by trade, he had spent the better part of a decade learning about the politics and policy of offering refuge.

Just before the coronavirus pandemic gripped the US, he traveled to Greece to serve in a refugee camp with 20,000 residents representing 40 different nationalities. The corner of camp where he volunteered hosted mostly Afghans, and he returned home to east Texas with new friendships and phone numbers from within that community.

So when Kabul fell to the Taliban and the US withdrew troops from Afghanistan in 2021, his phone started buzzing with alerts from worried Afghans whose loved ones were still stranded in danger. He sprang into action, attempting to cut through red tape to try to get desperate families in Afghanistan on US evacuation flights. It was frantic and exhausting.

“Everything felt like an inch away and then a mile away at the same time, because you just knew if you just were smart enough or well-resourced enough, then you could make this happen,” he remembered.

Simultaneously, the Afghan family of five he would eventually try to resettle through the Welcome Corps was fleeing Afghanistan for Pakistan. The Taliban’s return to power was the final straw that dashed any hope they had for stability in their homeland, though it was hardly their first brush with persecution.

As members of the Hazara ethnic community, their people had long been victims of massacres and genocides, including by the Taliban at the turn of the 21st century. Having converted from Shia Islam to Christianity, the family had been targeted by their neighbors, beaten and forced to move many times. And as a household in which the patriarch died about a decade ago, the women had been subject to constant unwanted attention and harassment from unscrupulous men.

“We miss, a lot, our country,” one of the daughters said. “We miss our memories that we had. But unfortunately we can’t go back because I have lots of bad memories from Taliban … situations, and it makes me sad.” As she described the family’s experience, she wept.

Her family met Reese in person when they were all in Islamabad in late 2023. Until then, they had been names on a list for Reese, names he was still trying to help find refuge. After getting to know the family face to face, he wanted to bring them to his own community, where he thought their life experiences would resonate with people.

He found willing volunteers back in east Texas. With 10 members, Reese’s Welcome Corps group is far larger than required and includes a veteran who served in Afghanistan, a missionary’s kid who grew up in Afghanistan and Pakistan, a couple whose children work with Afghans abroad, and others uniquely equipped to help.

Offers of housing and other support flowed in. And Reese’s commitment to sponsor the Afghan family made a huge difference in their lives, even as they remained in a precarious situation abroad. They suddenly felt as though they were waiting in Pakistan for a reason, and they stopped worrying as much about their future while imagining safety together in the US.

“It made my family so happy,” one of the daughters said. In Texas, she hoped, “we can continue our studies and we can continue our lives without any worries”.

Now Reese’s garage is full of donated household items from an online wishlist to outfit what would have been the family’s new home in Tyler, Texas. It’s unclear when or if the family will ever arrive – news Reese had to deliver personally.

“I have a hard time talking about how it made us feel without being angry because I do feel that it’s not just unnecessary and harmful, but strategically incompetent,” he said. “I don’t believe that anybody involved in turning [USRAP] off had to deliver phone calls like the ones that we had to over the last few weeks.”

Despite the setback and the increasingly serious threats of deportation the family faces in Islamabad, one of the daughters expressed gratitude for “brother Justin”, as she calls Reese, and appreciates at least hearing an update on their case.

Trump’s actions have made her “sad, but I hope”, she said, adding: “I have hope in my heart that this program will open again.”

‘Hope in my heart’: displaced Afghans in limbo as White House freezes refugee programs
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Daughter of detained British Couple in Afghanistan demands parents’ release

The daughter of a detained British couple in Afghanistan has called for their immediate release.

The family of a British couple detained by the Taliban has called on the UK Foreign Office to condemn their arrest and demand their immediate release. The couple, Peter Reynolds (79) and his wife, Barbie (75), were arrested in February while returning home to Bamyan, Afghanistan. Their daughter, Sarah Entwistle, urged British officials to act swiftly to secure their freedom.

Sarah Entwistle, the daughter of the detained couple, appealed to British Foreign Secretary David Lammy to issue a public statement condemning the Taliban’s actions. She pointed out that if the U.S. government could secure the release of an American citizen, the British government should take similar action for her parents, who have been held without charges.

In response, a spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office stated that they were providing support to the family of the detained British nationals. However, the government has not publicly outlined any specific measures or actions being taken to secure the couple’s release, maintaining a cautious stance in the matter.

Reports suggest that the couple’s arrest may be linked to internal power struggles within the Taliban regime. The Telegraph revealed that the couple was detained under orders from a commander within the Haqqani network, a powerful faction of the Taliban. The detention was reportedly part of an effort to gain leverage in political negotiations with international governments.

The Haqqani network has long used hostage-taking as a tool to exert pressure on foreign governments. A senior Taliban official confirmed that the network was involved in the detention of Peter and Barbie Reynolds, aiming to extract political concessions from their governments. This reflects the continued use of foreign hostages as bargaining chips in Taliban diplomacy.

While the Reynolds couple remains detained, American citizen Faye Hall, who was arrested alongside them, was released last week. Her release came after the U.S. removed a $10 million reward for the capture of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister. This move highlighted the U.S.’s more direct approach to hostage diplomacy compared to the UK’s response.

The British government’s response to the Reynolds case has been more cautious compared to the U.S. approach. While the U.S. has been vocal in its efforts to secure the release of its citizens, including through diplomatic measures like removing rewards, the UK has been more reserved, leaving many questions about its strategy for securing the couple’s freedom.

The ongoing detentions highlight the risks faced by foreign nationals in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The case raises questions about how Western governments should navigate hostage situations with the Taliban. The handling of this case will likely set a precedent for future diplomatic strategies, emphasizing the need for a balance between negotiation and holding the Taliban accountable for their actions.

Daughter of detained British Couple in Afghanistan demands parents’ release
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