Floggings on the rise in Afghanistan, human rights group says

August 25, 2026

DPA

FILE PHOTO - Taliban fighters ride on an armoured vehicle at a checkpoint near Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan. (is associated with: «Floggings on the rise in Afghanistan, human rights group says») Sami Jan/dpa
FILE PHOTO – Taliban fighters ride on an armoured vehicle at a checkpoint near Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan. (is associated with: «Floggings on the rise in Afghanistan, human rights group says») Sami Jan/dpa

Flogging is increasingly being used as a form of punishment in Afghanistan five years after the Islamist Taliban regained power, according to a report by the Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization (AHRDO).

In the report published on Tuesday, AHRDO said 593 cases of flogging had been documented in 2024. This number rose to 1,074 people in 2025, the Canada-based organization said.

In the current year, the human rights organization said it had already documented 553 floggings by April.

The Taliban has defended this form of punishment, saying it is in line with the country’s law and necessary to ensure security and safety for the public.

In most of the cases documented between February 2022 and April 2026, the floggings were imposed for extramarital relationships, alleged sexual offences and homosexuality. In many provinces, the victims were flogged at sports grounds and in public places.

According to the report, the punishment has also been carried out in prisons. The survey is based on publications by the Supreme Court of Afghanistan and publicly available data.

A report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) from late July said the Taliban authorities have not issued any announcements of public floggings since mid-April this year. Nevertheless, it said 137 people were flogged between April 1 and June 30.

As early as March, the UN Human Rights Office expressed concern about an increase in floggings in Afghanistan.

AHRDO says public flogging violates fundamental rights and contravenes the prohibition on torture. The Taliban recaptured the Afghan capital, Kabul, in August 2021 and have since been governing under strict, religiously motivated regulations.

Floggings on the rise in Afghanistan, human rights group says
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One million children in Afghanistan face deadly malnutrition

August 25, 2026
UN News

Some 3.7 million children in Afghanistan are suffering from wasting, one of the most dangerous forms of malnutrition, with around one million currently battling the most severe, life-threatening form of the condition.

A young girl in Afghanistan holds a fortified biscuit while other children sit around her with blue backpacks.
© WFP/Sayed Abidullah Sadat A young girl eats a nutritionally enriched biscuit in Zabul Province, Afghanistan.

Malnutrition, driven by the lack of access to adequate food, compromises immune systems and makes children far more vulnerable to common infections.

The UN children’s fund, UNICEF, said on Tuesday that children under two currently account for 83 per cent of severe acute malnutrition cases.

Hospitals overwhelmed

Hospitals are overwhelmed by increasing demand, UNICEF has warned.

In parts of southern Afghanistan, hospitals are seeing three to four severely malnourished children for every available bed.

Severe acute malnutrition cases which were admitted with medical complications have risen by one-third from the same time last year – from 6,000 in July 2025 to 8,000 by July 2026.

Overlapping crises

Afghanistan has endured successive years of drought, followed by destructive heavy rainfall and flash floods. This year’s record-strength El Niño climate pattern is expected to intensify the extreme weather.

At the same time, regional instability is disrupting cross-border trade and the return to the country of over six million people since 2023 is putting pressure on the overstretched job market and public services, including housing and health services.

UNICEF said that these pressures mean families are unable to feed their children properly; meals have become smaller, scarcer, and less nutritiously varied.

A child’s first food at six months old may consist of little more than bread with tea or watered-down yoghurt, the agency said in a recent report.

Providing care

Treatment for malnutrition does exist.

Tajudeen Oyewale, the UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan tells the story of Sagida, a 9-month-old girl he met in a hospital in eastern Afghanistan.

She came from a remote village in a neighbouring province that had recently suffered from severe floods. A UNICEF-trained health worker found her there, suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and referred her to the hospital.

“When Sagida was first admitted, the doctors had little hope that she would survive. She weighed only 4 kg. But after receiving therapeutic milk, she has now stabilised,” Mr. Oyewale explained.

Cost-effective funding

Due to funding cuts to humanitarian aid, more than 100 sites treating children with severe wasting have closed this year compared with 2025, putting additional strain on the centres that have stayed open, UNICEF said.

The agency’s nutrition programme has received only 22 per cent of the $180 million funding it requires this year.

“We should not wait until a child is dangerously thin and lying in a hospital bed before we intervene. […] Acting early does not only save lives. It is also far more cost-effective than waiting until a child is severely malnourished and needs life-saving treatment,” said Mr. Oyewale.

One million children in Afghanistan face deadly malnutrition
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US set for largest mass visa revocation in history targeting up to 200,000 foreigners, officials say

August 24, 2026

Story by Matthew Lee

The Los Angeles Times

Aug 24, 2026

The Trump administration is preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum status in the United States. If it happens, the move would be the largest single mass revocation of visas in U.S. history and would likely face legal challenges.

Unless challenged or revised, the State Department is expected to announce in the coming weeks the revocation of so-called B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 whose holders have sought asylum or are now seeking asylum, according to State Department documents obtained by The Associated Press and two U.S. officials. The action will be taken in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.

“We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently,” said State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott.

He declined to comment on the number of visas that might be revoked, saying “as the process will be ongoing, the number of revocations remains dynamic and will be done on a rolling basis.”

The revocations would not necessarily result in their immediate deportation, the officials said. Most of those with asylum cases currently pending would be recategorized but would lose their status as business or tourism travelers, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the revocations are not final yet.

Since President Donald Trump took office for his second term last year, his administration has steadily ramped up restrictions on visa applicants — demanding more information about their social media histories, requiring the posting of expensive bonds for the processing of visas, and outright banning the issuance of visas to citizens of certain countries.

In a social media post on Monday, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau called out people who he said try to use tourist and business visas to get into the United States and then apply for asylum.

“People in the US and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims,” Landau wrote on X. “Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law.” Landau cited the case of a Colombian citizen who came to the U.S. in 2015 on a tourist visa and then applied for asylum.

B1 visas are generally issued for business trips and B2 visas are generally issued for tourism, family visits or medical care. It was not immediately clear from the documents or the officials how many of these visa holders are seeking or have sought asylum in the United States and would be affected by the revocations.

Current applicants for B1 and B2 visas are asked to affirm that they will not apply for asylum in the United States and prove that they intend to return to their home countries.

In the past 18 months, the State Department has revoked about 175,000 visas for people who have been convicted or accused of crimes ranging from drunken driving to rape and robbery, as well as for people who have spoken out publicly against U.S. policies, particularly in the Middle East.

The administration has also moved to crack down on so-called birth tourism, a practice the administration claims is used by foreign pregnant women to come to the United States to give birth so that their child will benefit from birthright citizenship. Trump has tried several times to end birthright citizenship, but those challenges have been rejected by courts, including the Supreme Court.

The State Department documents obtained by the AP suggest screening of current B1 and B2 visa holders began after the State Department received information about asylum requests from the Citizen and Immigration Service.

Lee writes for the Associated Press.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

US set for largest mass visa revocation in history targeting up to 200,000 foreigners, officials say
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US Congressman Seth Moulton Says He Is Working With Veterans to Evacuate Afghan Allies

August 24, 2026
Khaama Press

 

Democratic Congressman Seth Moulton says he is continuing to work with U.S. military veterans to help evacuate Afghans who supported the United States during the war in Afghanistan, accusing the Trump administration of effectively halting relocation efforts for former Afghan allies.

Speaking to CBS News on Sunday, August 23, Moulton sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s immigration policies toward Afghan refugees, calling the suspension of relocation programs “racist” and arguing that the administration does not want “anyone except white people” entering the United States.

Moulton, a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq and has long advocated for Afghan wartime allies, said many interpreters, security personnel and other Afghans who worked alongside American forces remain at risk of Taliban retaliation after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“The first thing we’re doing is continuing to work behind the scenes with veterans across the country to get Afghans to safety,” Moulton said, adding that veterans’ groups remain actively involved in helping vulnerable Afghan families relocate through available legal and humanitarian pathways.

He said the second priority is changing U.S. immigration policy so Washington honors its commitment to Afghans who risked their lives alongside American troops. Moulton argued that the United States has a moral obligation to protect those who served with U.S. forces during the two-decade conflict.

The congressman also said he is working to help Democrats regain majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate, saying a shift in political control would make it possible to reverse the administration’s immigration policies affecting Afghan allies.

The remarks come as thousands of Afghans remain stranded after the Trump administration suspended several refugee and immigration pathways, including restrictions affecting Afghan applicants for immigrant visas and refugee resettlement. The administration has also maintained broader entry restrictions on nationals from several countries, including Afghanistan.

Moulton’s comments also follow a recent federal court ruling that struck down the Trump administration’s policy suspending immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, including Afghanistan. However, Afghan advocacy organizations have warned that the ruling does not automatically reopen the path to the United States and that applicants should wait for official guidance before making travel plans.

US Congressman Seth Moulton Says He Is Working With Veterans to Evacuate Afghan Allies
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Major Infrastructure Projects Advance in Afghanistan Over Past Five Years

August 24, 2026
Liluma Qadiry
Tolo News
22 AUGUST 2026

In the water management sector, the Qosh Tepa Canal is one of the major projects that has continued to advance during this period.

Major infrastructure projects have been a key part of the Islamic Emirate’s economic agenda over the past five years.

The projects are aimed at developing infrastructure, strengthening regional connectivity and creating opportunities for the country’s economic growth.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, foreign minister of the Islamic Emirate, attributed progress on major domestic economic projects to the government’s economic policies.

Muttaqi said: “Our economic sector has performed better than at any other time in Afghanistan’s history. Afghanistan has never witnessed this level of progress in factories and infrastructure projects.”

In the water management sector, the Qosh Tepa Canal is one of the major projects that has continued to advance during this period.

The project began in 1401 (2022), and its second phase is now nearing completion.

The first two phases of the Qosh Tepa Canal are part of a six-year plan and are expected to be completed by 2028. Work on the third phase is also expected to begin as the second phase is completed, although no completion date has yet been announced.

Qosh Tepa Canal – Key Facts and Objectives

Route: Balkh, Jawzjan and Faryab
Water source: Amu River
Objective: Supply water to expand agricultural land
Water capacity: Nearly 65 cubic meters per second
Total length: Nearly 285 kilometers
Target land: More than 3 million jeribs

Nabiullah Arghandiwal, spokesperson for the National Development Corporation, said: “Since work began, the National Development Corporation has continued the project intensively and to a high standard. Work on the second phase is now in its final stages.”

In the energy sector, the TAPI project entered its operational phase in Afghanistan in 1403 (2024), with pipeline construction officially beginning.

The pipeline has a route of nearly 816 kilometers through Afghanistan, of which nearly 120 kilometers has so far been laid.

No specific date has been announced for completion of the entire Afghan section, but the Herat section is targeted for completion by this winter.

TAPI – Key Facts and Objectives

Project: Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline
Countries: Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India
Capacity: 33 billion cubic meters of gas annually
Afghanistan’s share: Gas transit revenues
Gas supply agreement: 30 years
Purpose: Energy supply and support for industries and power plants

Alongside TAPI, the CASA-1000 project has also resumed after several years of suspension.

Work on the project in Afghanistan is now 80% complete, and the Afghan section is expected to be completed by the beginning of 1406.

Humayun Afghan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, said about progress on TAPI: “Work on the Herat section of the project is expected to be completed by the end of this calendar year and become operational.”

CASA-1000 – Key Facts and Objectives

Objective: Transfer surplus electricity from Central Asia to South Asia
Countries: Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan
Transmission capacity: 1,300 megawatts
Afghanistan’s share: Nearly 300 megawatts
Transmission line: Nearly 1,370 kilometers
Project launched: 2016

In the transport and regional connectivity sector, the Afghan Trans project has yet to enter the implementation stage, although a feasibility study agreement was signed in 2025.

Despite efforts to begin the feasibility study, practical work on the process has not started during the past five years.

Afghan Trans – Key Facts and Objectives

Objective: Establish a regional rail and transit corridor
Proposed route: Through Afghanistan, linking Central Asian countries with Pakistan
Focus: Railway development and facilitating regional transit
Status: Has not yet entered the implementation stage
2025: Feasibility study agreement signed

Overall, work on several major infrastructure projects has continued over the past five years, with some entering the implementation stage, though progress has varied from project to project.

Major Infrastructure Projects Advance in Afghanistan Over Past Five Years
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US Visa Suspension Lifted, but Afghan Entry Ban Remains: AfghanEvac

August 24, 2026
Hadia Ziaei
Tolo News
23 Aug 2026

 

The organization urged Afghan families not to travel or visit embassies or consulates without official instructions.

AfghanEvac said in a statement that lifting the suspension on immigrant visa issuance for citizens of 75 countries, including Afghanistan, does not mean that the pathway for Afghans to enter the United States has reopened, as the entry ban on Afghan nationals remains in effect.

The head of the organization urged Afghan families not to make travel plans or visit an embassy or consulate for an interview until they receive official instructions.

The statement said cases that were refused solely on the basis of the visa suspension would be returned to consular officers for reconsideration, but stressed that the outcome is not guaranteed.

AfghanEvac said in part of the statement: “Nothing about your case changed automatically. Do not make travel plans. Do not go to an embassy or consulate for an interview you were not scheduled for, and do not treat news coverage as an instruction to act. Do not withdraw, refile, or pay anyone who tells you the path is now open.”

Abdul Raziq Adil, a migrant rights activist, said: “The main obstacle cannot be resolved through the courts alone. A final solution to this crisis requires three-way cooperation: binding court rulings to end delays, executive action to facilitate security procedures, and congressional action to pass lasting protective legislation.”

The organization called on the US State Department to reconsider these cases and reinstate entry exemptions for Afghan allies.

Mohammad Jamal Muslim, a migrant rights activist, said: “As a country that accepts immigrants, the United States should serve as a model for the world. Unfortunately, at times, its own interests have created hundreds of challenges for migrants, as we have seen in recent months.”

Samir Angar, an international relations analyst, said: “To fulfill its commitments to Afghans, the United States should distinguish between humanitarian obligations, legal commitments and security considerations. It should make the process transparent and simpler to end the uncertainty facing Afghans.”

The Trump administration suspended immigrant visa issuance for citizens of 75 countries, including Afghanistan, in January 2026. The suspension took effect on January 21.

US Visa Suspension Lifted, but Afghan Entry Ban Remains: AfghanEvac
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Former US Envoy Links Kabul Embassy Reopening to Policy Changes

August 24, 2026
TOLOnews
TV Network
24 Aug 2026

Neumann said there are reasons for reopening the US Embassy in Kabul and that he could envision Washington taking such a step.

Ronald Neumann, former US ambassador to Kabul, says reopening the US Embassy in Kabul would require specific changes in the policies of the Islamic Emirate.

Neumann, who served as US ambassador to Afghanistan from 2005 to 2007, said that despite deep disagreements over the policies of Afghanistan’s current authorities, there are practical reasons for Washington to engage with Kabul.

Neumann said there are reasons for reopening the US Embassy in Kabul and that he could envision Washington taking such a step. He added that the United States is already engaging pragmatically with the Islamic Emirate in some areas, including through visits to Kabul related to the release of American detainees and counterterrorism.

His remarks come as the Islamic Emirate’s spokesman has previously emphasized positive relations with all countries, including the United States, and confirmed contacts between Kabul and Washington.

Political analyst Yousuf Amin Zazai said the United States is pursuing its own intelligence and strategic interests in Afghanistan rather than the country’s development and long-term stability.

Although US policy toward Afghanistan has remained unclear since 2021, Washington has engaged with the Islamic Emirate on a limited number of issues. US officials have previously said they maintain engagement with Afghanistan’s current authorities on certain sensitive security matters.

Former US Envoy Links Kabul Embassy Reopening to Policy Changes
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Now Is Not The Time To Recognise the Taliban, Says Former Afghan President

August 22, 2026
Afghanistan International
21 August 2026

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai says Taliban recognition and legitimacy depend on meeting specific conditions, including allowing girls to return to school and women to work.

Speaking to Bloomberg on Friday, 21 August, Karzai said the international community and the United Nations had repeatedly called on the Taliban to lift restrictions imposed on women and girls.

He stressed that the Taliban must allow girls to return to school and women to resume work if it wants to gain legitimacy and international recognition.

Karzai said this was not merely his personal position, but a demand repeatedly raised by the international community and the United Nations.

Asked whether he supported beginning a process of normalising relations with the Taliban under the current circumstances, Karzai said he wanted a process in which Afghans could come together and find a solution for the country’s future, one in which all people felt included, had a sense of belonging and enjoyed their rights.

He said the goal should be to build a country in which all Afghans could live, work and make progress towards their future inside Afghanistan.

Russia is the only country to have formally recognised the Taliban administration. The international community and regional countries have set conditions for recognition, including respect for human rights, the formation of an inclusive government involving ethnic groups and women, counter-terrorism measures and compliance with international obligations.

The Taliban has rejected these demands, describing them as interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs.

Karzai said in another part of the interview that he remained in contact with several Taliban leaders and had discussed with them the importance of girls’ education and women returning to work.

He said some Taliban officials who met him understood the importance of the issue and agreed with his position.

The former Afghan president also said that despite the ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade and sweeping restrictions on women’s employment, he was not willing to send his daughters abroad to continue their education.

He added that, as an Afghan citizen, he felt responsible for working to create conditions in which girls could study inside the country.

Karzai said sending his daughters abroad for education would amount to accepting the current situation, something he said he would never do.

Afghan political figures, including Abdul Rashid Dostum, Salahuddin Rabbani, Atta Mohammad Noor, Mohammad Mohaqiq, Karim Khalili, and Sarwar Danish have reacted to the killing of senior NRF commander Hasib Panjshiri.

The Taliban said on Thursday, 20 August, that Hasib Panjshiri had been killed during what it described as a complex operation by special forces.

Karim Khalili, leader of the Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan mourned the death of the senior NRF commander, describing him as a symbol for many Afghans of courage, resistance, sacrifice and determination in defence of freedom, dignity and human dignity.

Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of the People’s Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, described Hasib Panjshiri as one of the influential figures of the National Resistance Front and offered condolences to his family, comrades and supporters.

At the same time, the Afghanistan Justice and Freedom Party, led by Sarwar Danish, issued a statement saying that Panjshiri’s death came at a time when Afghanistan was under what it described as authoritarianism, monopoly of power and repression of civil and political freedoms of the Taliban, adding that his death highlighted the heavy price being paid for defending freedom and the people’s right to determine their future.

Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, leader of the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, said the “fire of resistance” against the Taliban would not be extinguished by Hasib Panjshiri’s death in direct fighting with the group.

Dostum said the path of resistance had become clearer and expressed hope that what he called the Taliban’s “rule of oppression and tyranny” would eventually be removed from Afghanistan.

Salahuddin Rabbani, leader of Jamiat-e Islami Afghanistan, said in response to Hasib Panjshiri’s death that by killing and threatening opponents, the Taliban was strengthening the determination of Afghans to build a dignified and law-based future.

Rabbani said history had shown that no oppressor has ever prevailed against the will of the people, adding that Afghanistan was no exception.

He described Hasib Panjshiri as someone who had “stood courageously against oppression and tyranny” and lost his life while defending Afghanistan.

Sami Sadat, head of the United Front of Afghanistan, also offered condolences to Panjshiri’s family and comrades, describing him as a proud fighter for freedom.

Sadat said fighters of the United Front of Afghanistan would ensure that Panjshiri’s place on the battlefield did not remain vacant.

Atta Mohammad Noor, a senior figure in Jamiat-e Islami Afghanistan, also issued a message referring to Panjshiri as the “Eagle of the Hindu Kush”. Noor described his death as a painful and irreparable loss.

Khalid Amiri, a commander of the National Resistance Front, described Panjshiri as loyal, sincere, honourable, courageous and steadfast.

Amiri said Panjshiri had been not only a comrade-in-arms but also a brother, a companion through difficult years and a man of the toughest battlefields.

He said Hasib Panjshiri’s absence from the ranks of the National Resistance Front would always be felt, but added that his “blood would never go unanswered” and that the path he had followed until his final moments would continue with “even greater determination than before”.

Hasib Panjshiri was a prominent commander of the National Resistance Front. Before the fall of the former republic order in Afghanistan, he joined the National Directorate of Security’s special units after completing military training and took part in various operations.

After the Taliban entered Kabul in August 2021, Panjshiri went to Panjshir and continued fighting against the group. In recent years, several images and videos had also emerged showing him alongside NRF forces in the foothills of the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan.

Now Is Not The Time To Recognise the Taliban, Says Former Afghan President
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Senior National Resistance Front Commander Hasib Panjshiri Killed

August 21, 2026
Khaama Press

Abdullah Khanjani, head of the Political Committee of Afghanistan’s National Resistance Front, confirmed senior commander Hasib Panjshiri has been killed.

Hasib Panjshiri, a senior military commander of Afghanistan’s National Resistance Front (NRF), has been killed, the group’s political leadership confirmed on Thursday.

Abdullah Khanjani, head of the National Resistance Front’s Political Committee, confirmed Panjshiri’s death in a video statement on Thursday evening, describing him as a “great commander.” Khanjani did not provide details about the circumstances of his death, while Kabul has not issued an official statement on the incident.

According to informed sources familiar with the incident, Panjshiri was traveling with seven other NRF fighters from Panjshir toward Andarab in Baghlan province when their convoy was ambushed in the northern Salang area. The group was reportedly traveling in two Toyota Hilux vehicles, with four fighters in each vehicle, and was heading to carry out an operation in Andarab.

The sources said the resistance fighters had checked the route before departing and believed it was safe to travel. However, the Taliban allegedly learned of their planned movement and set up an ambush along the route in northern Salang.

A fierce clash reportedly erupted after the convoy entered the ambush. The four fighters traveling in the first vehicle were killed during the fighting. Panjshiri, who was in the second vehicle with three other fighters, was also killed in the confrontation. The fate of the three men who were with him remains unknown.

Earlier on Thursday, Al-Mersaad, a media outlet affiliated with Taliban intelligence, claimed Panjshiri had been killed in an operation carried out by special forces. The National Resistance Front later confirmed his death but did not verify the details of the operation or disclose the location and timing of the incident.

Ali Maisam Nazary, the NRF’s head of foreign relations, also confirmed Panjshiri’s death in a Facebook post, without providing further information about how he was killed.

Hasib Panjshiri was one of the National Resistance Front’s most prominent military commanders under the leadership of Ahmad Massoud. Before the collapse of the former Afghanistan government in August 2021, he served in Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) special forces.

Senior National Resistance Front Commander Hasib Panjshiri Killed
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Aisha Wahab Makes History as First Afghan American Elected to US Congress

August 21, 2026
Khaama Press

Aisha Wahab has won a special election for California’s 14th Congressional District, becoming the first person of Afghan descent elected to the US Congress, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Wahab, a progressive Democrat and California state senator, defeated Melissa Hernandez in Tuesday’s election to fill the seat vacated by former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April following allegations of sexual misconduct. Swalwell has denied the allegations.

The victory marks another historic milestone for Wahab. She previously became the first Muslim and first Afghan American elected to the California state Senate. Born in New York to Afghan immigrant parents, the 39-year-old has emerged as a prominent progressive voice in California politics.

Wahab had already built a substantial lead over Hernandez in the June nonpartisan primary, finishing more than 25 percentage points ahead. Her campaign nevertheless faced significant outside spending, with super PACs spending at least $5 million in recent weeks to oppose her, according to Politico. At least $3 million of that spending was linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), largely through efforts supporting Hernandez.

Hernandez, a member of the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board and former mayor of Dublin, California, campaigned heavily on affordability, public safety and housing. She will face Wahab again in November, when voters will choose a representative for a full congressional term.

Wahab’s campaign has been closely associated with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. She has expressed support for Medicare for All, higher taxes on billionaires, abortion rights and immigration policy changes, and has called for an end to US military assistance to Israel while expressing support for Palestinian rights.

Foreign policy was not the central focus of the special-election campaign. Wahab has previously described the situation in Gaza as a genocide and co-authored a 2025 California Senate resolution calling for an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

The election also comes amid a broader debate over women’s representation in Congress. Political scientist Meredith Conroy of California State University, San Bernardino, said Swalwell’s departure removed the significant incumbency advantage that often presents a structural obstacle for women seeking congressional office.

Aisha Wahab Makes History as First Afghan American Elected to US Congress
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