Mohammad Rahim has been held at Guantanamo Bay since 2008 and, according to reports, is the last Afghan prisoner in U.S. custody.
The New York Times reported that the Islamic Emirate called for the release of the last Afghan detainee at Guantanamo Bay in exchange for the release of two American citizens.
Zabihullah Mujahid told The New York Times that the Islamic Emirate wants the release of the two American citizens to be accompanied by the release of Mohammad Rahim, the last Afghan still held at Guantanamo.
Mujahid stated: “We want these two American detainees to be released, and, at the same time, the fate of our detainee who is in Guantánamo should be made clear, Our prisoner should be released.”
A source familiar with the negotiations between the U.S. and the Islamic Emirate told The New York Times that talks over a prisoner exchange between Kabul and Washington have currently reached a deadlock.
A senior U.S. official also told the newspaper that, despite repeated requests from Afghanistan, Mohammad Rahim will not be part of any future agreement between the two sides.
Political analyst Fareedullah Zazai said: “If the U.S. accepts Kabul’s request, it could send a message to the world that the consequences of the war have come to an end. Another meaning of this message is that Kabul wants to transform technical ties into political relations.”
Mohammad Rahim has been held at Guantanamo Bay since 2008 and, according to reports, is the last Afghan prisoner in U.S. custody.
Although reports of his possible release emerged in late September 2025, the matter remains unresolved to date.
Islamic Emirate Seeks Release of Mohammad Rahim for Two Americans
Ministry of Information and Culture said it has revoked the operating licenses of all journalist support organizations except three.
In a statement released on Monday, January 26, the ministry said only three organizations were permitted to continue operating, without naming them.
The ministry claimed the decision followed complaints from journalists and media outlets about the performance of journalist support organizations but provided no further details.
Since returning to power, the Taliban authorities have introduced increasing restrictions on media operations, including content regulations and limits on press freedom.
Journalists’ rights groups say Afghan reporters face growing professional, legal, and financial pressures, with many media outlets forced to shut down or reduce operations.
The ministry alleged that many of the organizations failed to effectively support journalists and instead damaged the international credibility of Afghanistan’s media sector.
No explanation was given regarding evaluation criteria, investigation procedures, or the specific reasons for revoking the licenses of individual organizations.
The decision comes as journalists in Afghanistan continue to face mounting restrictions, raising concerns about further pressure on media independence and freedom of expression.
Licenses of several media organizations revoked in Afghanistan
The United Nations Development Programme says Afghanistan is facing a severe and persistent energy crisis, with most citizens still lacking access to reliable and sustainable electricity services.
In a report published on Monday, January 26, UNDP stated that more than 80 percent of Afghanistan’s population does not have stable access to electricity, while existing infrastructure cannot meet rising demand.
Decades of conflict, chronic underinvestment, and damage to critical infrastructure have significantly weakened Afghanistan’s power sector, particularly in rural and underserved regions.
The report notes that Afghanistan depends heavily on electricity imports from neighboring countries, leaving the national grid vulnerable to technical failures and repeated supply disruptions.
UNDP said Afghan households receive an average of only five to ten hours of electricity daily, with unplanned power outages becoming a routine challenge across many provinces.
The United Nations warned that unreliable electricity is not only a burden for families but poses serious risks to hospitals, where power cuts can disrupt surgeries and emergency care.
UNDP emphasized that expanding sustainable energy production and strengthening domestic power generation are essential to safeguarding public services and improving living conditions nationwide.
Over 80% in Afghanistan Lack Access to Reliable Electricity: UNDP
This comes amid repeated criticism from religious scholars and politicians over the government’s treatment of Afghanistan and tribal populations.
Pakistani politicians are increasingly voicing criticism of the central government’s policies. Recently, Aimal Wali Khan, leader of the Awami National Party (ANP), accused the Pakistani government of using terrorism as a political tool.
He stated that under the pretext of counterterrorism, trade with Afghanistan, primarily affecting the Pashtun population, has been halted, while trade with India continues unhindered. He insisted that despite closed trade routes, Afghanistan is still blamed for every security incident in Pakistan.
Aimal Wali Khan said: “Today, trade in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is shut down in the name of fighting terrorism, while trade with India continues. But trade with Afghanistan is not allowed, why? They say it’s because of terrorism. Fine, if there is terrorism, shut the routes and still allow trade.”
“But every time something happens in Pakistan, leaders come forward and say it came from Afghanistan. Then who are these blocked routes really for? Are they blocked for ordinary people? For trade?”
Speaking at a large gathering, he called for the immediate reopening of all trade routes between Bajaur and Chaman, emphasizing that the Pashtun trade corridors must be restored.
He added: “This jirga demands that all trade routes from Bajaur to Chaman be fully reopened. We do not support terrorism, it must be eradicated, but trade must be promoted. This jirga urges the government to fully open all trade routes.”
Also speaking at the gathering, Haider Khan Hoti, former Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stated that military operations alone cannot eliminate terrorism unless there are fundamental changes in Pakistan’s internal and foreign policies.
This comes amid repeated criticism from religious scholars and politicians over the government’s treatment of Afghanistan and tribal populations. Despite such criticism, the government had previously ordered residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to vacate their homes for planned military operations.
Aimal Wali Khan Criticizes Pakistan for Blocking Trade with Afghanistan
He also described the agreement with the current government as one of Washington’s weakest diplomatic deals.
David Petraeus, former Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, has recently stated that, under current circumstances, the prospect of reconciliation and constructive engagement between Kabul and Washington seems very distant.
On this matter, Petraeus said: “This is a very difficult task and cannot happen because the prevailing view in Afghanistan has no alignment with Washington, not even on broad outlines. I don’t think reconciliation is possible right now.”
He also described the agreement with the current government as one of Washington’s weakest diplomatic deals.
In another part of his remarks, Petraeus said that the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan was an unnecessary decision.
The former CIA chief and ex-commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan added: “Yes, I clearly said at the time that withdrawal was not necessary. We could have continued our presence and efforts in Afghanistan. The level of sustainability was measured against human and financial costs; we didn’t lose a single soldier in a year and a half, and the cost to the U.S. was $25 billion compared to a defense budget of $800 to $850 billion, which is not a large amount.”
Petraeus’s remarks indicate that relations between Washington and Kabul remain strained.
Several political analysts have differing views on this matter.
Najib Rahman Shamal, a political analyst, told TOLOnews: “They had to leave Afghanistan because the continued U.S. military presence would have prolonged and intensified the devastating war in the country.”
Earlier, the former NATO Secretary General had described the withdrawal from Afghanistan as the greatest defeat in the alliance’s history.
Petraeus: No Chance of Reconciliation Between Kabul and Washington
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — In the sprawling fruit market in this northwestern Pakistani city, Imran has spent the past several months waiting for shipments that aren’t arriving.
The crates of Afghan walnuts, apricots and pomegranates he once hauled through the stalls have disappeared, casualties of Pakistan’s decision to close its border with neighboring Afghanistan.
Pakistan shut all major crossings along its roughly 1,600-mile border with Afghanistan in mid-October amid clashes with the Taliban-run government in Kabul. The sides eventually agreed to a ceasefire, but crossings remain closed to trade. It amounts to the longest border shutdown in living memory, locals say.
Imran, a 40-year-old loader who has worked at the market for more than two decades, said he cannot recall a more desperate stretch.
“It’s not enough to feed my family,” said Imran, who does not have a surname. He keeps coming to the empty market every day because he can’t bear the thought of staying home and explaining to his children why he’s not at work.
For decades, markets like this one in northwestern Pakistan, little more than an hour’s drive from the Afghan border, have served as a barometer of relations between the two countries. Previous border shutdowns typically lasted only days or weeks before they were resolved by local elders.
But the current standoff has turned one of Asia’s most sensitive borders into a source of mounting economic pain and political frustration for communities on both sides, while Islamabad and Kabul publicly downplay the costs.
Pakistani officials say the primary reason they closed the border — the Afghan government’s alleged support for a militant group in Pakistan — remains unaddressed by the Afghans. The Pakistanis accuse the Afghan Taliban of harboring the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, a group that has intensified attacks in northwestern Pakistan since the United States withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021.
Pakistan’s military chief has claimed that around two thirds of the attackers are Afghan. “Isn’t Afghanistan shedding the blood of our Pakistani children?” Chief of Defense Forces Asim Munir asked during a conference last month, the Pakistan’s state broadcaster reported.
The TTP has pledged allegiance to Afghan Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, but operates independently of Kabul. The Afghan Taliban have repeatedly denied harboring members of the group.
The Pakistani and Afghan governments both insist they can absorb the economic impact. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s chief spokesman, said the borders would reopen only if Pakistan provided “strong assurances that this unlawful blockade will not happen again for political purposes.”
Taliban officials want Afghan traders to disentangle themselves from dependence on Pakistani business, an effort that could mean a long-term geopolitical shift in the region.
Pakistani military spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry says the closures have caused “no losses” to Pakistan but have instead curbed “smuggling and terrorism.”
Here in Peshawar, those claims ring hollow. When crossings were open, Afghan produce flowed east into Pakistan in steady convoys of trucks, feeding wholesale markets and sustaining thousands of laborers. An estimated 700 to 900 trucks passed daily through the Torkham crossing alone.
The prices of some fruits and vegetables in Pakistan have risen by as much as 400 percent since the border was closed, traders say, as supplies from Afghanistan have dwindled. Before the shutdown, Pakistan was Afghanistan’s largest trading partner, accounting for over half of Afghan exports in 2023, much of it fresh fruit and agricultural produce, and about one-fifth of its imports.
The disruption has rippled beyond agriculture. Pakistani exports of cement and pharmaceuticals to Afghanistan and fruits to other parts of Central Asia have also been hit, compounding losses for industries that rely heavily on overland trade routes.
Pakistan, with deep-sea ports in the south and access to global supply chains, is far less dependent on Afghan trade, but the economic strain in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is fueling long-standing grievances about Islamabad’s alleged neglect of the region. Many Pakistani traders here now echo the Taliban’s rhetoric.
“Trade and politics should be separated,” said Mujeeb ur Rehman, president of the association of customs clearing agents at the Torkham border.
For much of the 20th century, residents of the border region crossed freely between the two countries. During the 1980s, Pakistani officials encouraged the flow, shepherding weapons and fighters to support the Afghan mujahideen against the Soviet invasion and occupation.
When militant violence later spilled back into Pakistan, Islamabad built a fence along most of the frontier, dividing communities and deepening resentment.
At Torkham, Rehman, the customs agents’ representative, estimated that the current closure has left up to 3,000 local workers and more than 1,000 customs agents unemployed. The revenue collected from transit fees was shared with surrounding communities. “Pakistan was making billions of rupees from its exports,” he said.
The consequences in Afghanistan could be more severe. Fruits and vegetables are among the country’s main exports, and when the border was closed in October, many shipments were left to rot. Routing goods through Iran or Central Asia is far costlier and slower, said Haji Farooq, a fruit trader in Kabul. He estimated that up to 80 percent of Afghan produce has been caught in limbo.
Though the border is closed to trade, Pakistan has continued to deport Afghans. More than 1.6 million Afghans have been pressured to leave Pakistan since 2023 in one of the largest deportation drives in decades.
The Taliban have accepted the returnees, but the influx has driven up rents and worsened unemployment. At the same time, the Taliban have struggled to compensate for the loss of international aid since the Trump administration cut funding last year. The number of Afghans facing acute food insecurity this winter has risen by around 3 million year over year, the World Food Program has said, while hospitals report shortages of basic medicines.
The large share of Afghanistan’s medicines that was previously supplied by Pakistan is now also caught in the trade impasse. Taliban officials say they are seeking alternative sources, including India, which has moved to capitalize on the tensions. New Delhi, Islamabad’s archrival, launched airfreight corridors with Afghanistan in December to ship pharmaceuticals and other essential goods.
A permanent shift would be costly for Pakistan, said Junaid Altaf, a representative of Pakistan’s trade industry: “Millions of dollars were invested.”
“But ultimately, this is about politics and ego,” said Muhammad Ishaq, another Pakistani trade representative. While Pakistan may have less to lose than Afghanistan, he said, a lasting rupture in trade “could still be a serious blow.”
Noack reported from Bangkok.
At Pakistan’s Afghan border, a trade shutdown empties markets
United Nations Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo visited Kabul to advance UN-led talks on humanitarian aid, counter-narcotics, and the Doha process framework.
Rosemary DiCarlo, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, arrived in Kabul on Saturday to advance key UN-led consultations.
The visit focused on the ongoing humanitarian, economic, and political challenges facing Afghanistan, as UN officials continue to coordinate assistance and maintain international dialogue.
During meetings with Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani on Sunday, discussions included engagement with the international community, counter-narcotics cooperation, economic stability, private sector restrictions, and effectiveness of humanitarian aid programs. Haqqani claimed efforts against drug production and trafficking have produced positive results, a frequent assertion made by Taliban officials since 2022.
Afghanistan remains heavily dependent on humanitarian assistance amid economic isolation, banking restrictions, and widespread poverty, with UN agencies warning of prolonged vulnerability for millions.
The UN-led Doha process was launched to establish structured political dialogue on Afghanistan, bringing together the Taliban, regional states, and international stakeholders under UN facilitation.
DiCarlo reaffirmed the United Nations’ commitment to continued humanitarian assistance and emphasized the importance of sustained engagement. Working groups established under the third phase of the Doha talks are expected to hold their next meetings in Kabul.
DiCarlo also met Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to discuss the Doha dialogue framework and future consultations, underscoring the UN’s role in facilitating dialogue.
The meetings highlight ongoing UN efforts to maintain dialogue and coordination in Afghanistan, addressing humanitarian needs while navigating complex political and economic challenges.
UN Deputy Chief Meets in Kabul to Discuss Humanitarian Aid and Doha Process
Citizens are calling on authorities to urgently resolve the issue.
A technical issue with the 220-kilovolt electricity line imported from Uzbekistan has led to power shortages in Kabul, causing serious problems for residents.
Citizens are calling on authorities to urgently resolve the issue.
Abdul Rahman, a Kabul resident, said: “We’re facing many problems due to power cuts. We’re students living in rented rooms, and we only get electricity for 4 to 5 hours in 24 hours.”
Another resident, Ajmal, said: “We get power for only 3 or 4 hours a day, and even then, it comes and goes every 10 minutes.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), the national power company, says efforts are underway to resolve the issue and meet public needs.
He added that thermal electricity from Tarakhil Power Plant has also been activated to help address the shortage.
DABS spokesperson Mohammad Sadiq Haqparast said: “In response, we are supplying thermal power from the Tarakhil Power Plant. Though it is very costly, consuming between 160,000 to 200,000 liters of fuel every 10 hours.”
Economic analyst Mohammad Nabi Afghan said: “The only long-term solution to our power problems is to become self-sufficient. We have many natural resources and should utilize them.”
This situation comes as recent snowfall has not only blocked key roads in some provinces but also disrupted power transmission lines.
Due to this weather, the 220-kilovolt transmission line from Uzbekistan has faced technical issues between Pul-e-Khumri and Kabul, leading to reduced electricity supply in Kabul and 12 other provinces.
Uzbek Power Supply Drop Leaves Kabul With Hours of Daily Outages
UN agencies UNICEF and UNESCO warned on World Education Day that Afghanistan faces a severe learning crisis affecting millions of children nationwide.
UNICEF and UNESCO said in a joint statement on Saturday, January 24, that 93% of children in Afghanistan cannot read adequately by the end of primary school.
The agencies also said 2.2 million adolescent girls remain out of school, deepening gender gaps and long-term risks for the country’s education system.
Preliminary findings from a 2025 study show students perform significantly better in schools where most teachers hold university degrees, particularly in language learning.
Soohyun Kim, UNESCO’s representative in Afghanistan, said denying girls access to education carries heavy social and economic costs for families and society.
Afghanistan’s education system has been under strain due to prolonged conflict, poverty, and limited resources, challenges that have intensified in recent years.
International organizations have repeatedly warned that restrictions on girls’ education risk creating a lost generation and weakening future economic development.
UNESCO and UNICEF said they remain committed to supporting a comprehensive approach to rebuilding education in Afghanistan despite ongoing restrictions and challenges.
UNICEF, UNESCO warn of deep learning crisis in Afghanistan
Rosemary DiCarlo, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, held talks in Kabul on Saturday with Amir Khan Muttaqi on the Doha process.
Rosemary DiCarlo, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, met Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Saturday during her official visit to Kabul.
According to a Taliban Foreign Ministry statement, the meeting included extensive discussions on engagement, coordination mechanisms, and upcoming meetings linked to the UN-led Doha process on Afghanistan.
These talks come as the Doha process remains the main international framework for engagement with Afghanistan, while continuing to face criticism over its limited inclusivity and political scope.
At the same time, Afghanistan is grappling with a deep economic crisis and severe financial restrictions, which Taliban officials repeatedly describe as major obstacles to improving living conditions nationwide.
During the meeting, Amir Khan Muttaqi urged the United Nations to help lift banking sanctions on Afghanistan and to facilitate the release of frozen assets belonging to the country’s central bank.
For her part, Rosemary DiCarlo emphasized continued cooperation through the Doha process working groups, describing sustained dialogue as beneficial for all stakeholders involved in Afghanistan’s future.
The United Nations has already established technical working groups on counter-narcotics and economic coordination under the Doha framework, and has signaled plans to convene a fourth Doha meeting.
However, UN efforts to promote meaningful and inclusive dialogue involving Taliban authorities, regional actors, women, civil society, and political opponents continue to face serious challenges.
UN Deputy Chief and Muttaqi Hold Talks on the Doha Process in Kabul
The United Nations says aid workers are still in a “race against time” to remove rubble and rebuild after the devastating earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan last month, killing at least 2,200 people and cutting off remote areas.
The 6.0-magnitude quake on Aug. 31 was shallow, destroying or causing extensive damage to low-rise buildings in the mountainous region. It hit late at night, and homes — mostly made of mud, wood, or rocks — collapsed instantly, becoming death traps.
Satellite data shows that about 40,500 truckloads of debris still needs to be cleared from affected areas in several provinces, the United Nations Development Program said Wednesday. Entire communities have been upended and families are sleeping in the open, it added.
The quake’s epicenter was in remote and rugged Kunar province, challenging rescue and relief efforts by the Taliban government and humanitarian groups. Authorities deployed helicopters or airdropped army commandos to evacuate survivors. Aid workers walked for hours on foot to reach isolated communities.
“This is a race against time,” said Devanand Ramiah, from the UNDP’s Crisis Bureau. “Debris removal and reconstruction operations must start safely and swiftly.”
People’s main demands were the reconstruction of houses and water supplies, according to a spokesman for a Taliban government committee tasked with helping survivors, Zia ur Rahman Speenghar.
People were getting assistance in cash, food, tents, beds, and other necessities, Speenghar said Thursday. Three new roads were under construction in the Dewagal Valley, and roads would be built to areas where there previously were none.
“Various countries and organizations have offered assistance in the construction of houses but that takes time. After the second round of assistance, work will begin on the third round, which is considering what kind of houses can be built here,” the spokesman said.
Afghanistan is facing a “perfect storm” of crises, including natural disasters like the recent earthquake, said Roza Otunbayeva, who leads the U.N. mission to the country.
Afghanistan Peace Campaign
