Deputy Minister of Borders: Islamic Emirate ‘Not Dependent on East or West’

January 18, 2026
TOLOnews
TV Network
18 January 2026

Hamdullah Fitrat added that coercion and the division of people into parties and sects have now ended in the country.

A public gathering titled “National Unity, Survival of the Islamic System, and Public Welfare” was held in Kabul by the Ministry of Borders and Tribal Affairs.

During the event, the Deputy Minister for Jirgas and Tribal Affairs of the ministry emphasized the importance of public support for the current system.

Mohammad Ali Jan Ahmad stated that the current government operates independently in its policies and is not influenced by either the East or the West.

He said: “Easterners also oppose us. In matters of religion, jihad, and belief, they disagree with the Islamic Emirate. Westerners, the Islamic world, and the non-Islamic world alike do not support us or the current Islamic system in Afghanistan.”

The Deputy Spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan also stressed that the primary goal of the system is to ensure unity among the people.

Hamdullah Fitrat added that coercion and the division of people into parties and sects have now ended in the country.

He said: “There is no longer party-based division, nor division by ethnicity, language, or region, Afghans are united.”

Some community representatives at the gathering also declared their support for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

A few attendees voiced public demands to the current government as well.

Participant Mohammad Nasir Tarakhail said: “We have sincere and capable individuals both within and outside the Islamic Emirate. Efforts should be made to assign responsibilities to those who are qualified.”

Previously, similar public gatherings aimed at promoting unity and mutual acceptance among people had also been held by the Ministry in other provinces.

Deputy Minister of Borders: Islamic Emirate ‘Not Dependent on East or West’
read more

UN Warns 17.4 Million Afghans Could Face Severe Food Insecurity in 2026

January 18, 2026

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

 

The UN warns that 17.4 million Afghans, over one-third of the population, may face acute food insecurity in 2026 amid worsening crises.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that approximately 17.4 million people in Afghanistan, over a third of the population, could face acute food insecurity in 2026. Of these, around 4.7 million are expected to reach Phase 4 of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), indicating a crisis-level emergency.

OCHA highlighted that Afghanistan is likely to experience one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises next year. Years of conflict, economic fragility, low investment in essential services, and the rapid erosion of basic rights have left vast segments of the population highly vulnerable.

The report also notes that chronic pressures are worsening due to escalating food insecurity, mass returns of displaced populations, climate-induced droughts, frequent natural disasters, and systematic exclusion of women and girls from public life. These intersecting crises amplify the country’s humanitarian challenges.

International agencies emphasize that food shortages are compounded by political instability and limited government capacity to respond to emergencies. Humanitarian access in remote and conflict-affected areas remains a critical challenge, making timely interventions difficult.

According to OCHA, nearly 22 million people in Afghanistan may rely on humanitarian assistance in 2026, underscoring the urgent need for international support, funding, and coordinated relief efforts.

Afghanistan’s food insecurity has been escalating for years, fueled by ongoing conflicts, droughts, and high inflation rates. In recent months, local reports indicate that staple food prices have risen sharply, leaving many families unable to afford basic nutrition.

Previous United Nations assessments have warned that without sustained international intervention, malnutrition rates, especially among children under five, could spike dramatically, leading to long-term health and developmental challenges across the country.

Humanitarian experts stress that immediate, large-scale assistance is essential to prevent widespread famine and social collapse. Without urgent action, millions of Afghans could face a humanitarian catastrophe in 2026, requiring global coordination and political commitment.

UN Warns 17.4 Million Afghans Could Face Severe Food Insecurity in 2026
read more

Islamic Emirate Recalls 13 Diplomats from Germany, Plans New Appointments

January 18, 2026
TOLOnews
TV Network
17 Jan 2026

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has not yet issued an official response to these reports.

German media outlets reported that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has, since November 2024, recalled 13 diplomats who were sent to Germany before the political changes of 2021.

According to these reports, only three Afghan diplomats remain in Germany, and the Islamic Emirate is attempting to appoint and send new diplomats there.

A report section from the German media outlets reads: “The Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) have, since November 2024, recalled 13 diplomats who were sent to Germany before the 2021 changes, and now only three diplomats remain. The current goal is to send Taliban members directly from Afghanistan to Germany.”

Yousuf Amin Zazai, a political analyst, said regarding this: “If the term of the officials currently there at the embassy and consulate has not expired, it is better to use those capacities. An official of the Islamic Emirate can be sent and appointed as Afghanistan’s representative in Germany.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has not yet issued an official response to these reports.

Meanwhile, some political analysts have expressed varied views on the matter.

Muhammad Aslam Danishmal, a political analyst, told TOLOnews: “Under the current circumstances in Germany, replacing the Islamic Emirate’s diplomats is necessary; it will improve Afghanistan’s ties with that country and enhance interaction.”

Another political analyst, Enayatullah Hamam, said: “It is better that young diplomats, with the experience and perspectives that Afghanistan needs today, be appointed.”
This comes while earlier the Afghan consulate in Bonn, Germany, had announced the resumption of its activities.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, passport printing services will soon begin at this consulate as well.

Islamic Emirate Recalls 13 Diplomats from Germany, Plans New Appointments
read more

Shelter Crisis Deepens as Afghan Returnees Increase

January 17, 2026
Bibi Amina Hakimi
TOLOnews’ Reporter
17 Jan 2026

Officials from the Islamic Emirate say efforts are underway to address this issue, with land distribution continuing in several provinces.

With the growing number of Afghan refugees returning to the country, securing shelter has become a serious challenge for many of them.

Officials from the Islamic Emirate say efforts are underway to address this issue, with land distribution continuing in several provinces. According to Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, over 3,000 plots of land have been distributed so far to forcibly deported returnees.

He stated: “So far, 3,046 plots of land have been distributed in various provinces among returnees who were forcibly expelled. The distribution process is ongoing. Also, under the directive of the esteemed Amir al-Mu’minin, emergency aid for returnees has accelerated, including food, non-food items, and cash assistance.”

At the same time, the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing announced that the Joint Permanent Committee for the Resettlement of Migrants has distributed land to over 2,800 families in Kunar, Laghman, Maidan Wardak, Kandahar, Kunduz, Paktia, and Bamyan. Land distribution for another 5,000 families has also begun in Nangarhar.

Kamal Afghan, the ministry’s spokesperson, said: “The Ministry of Urban Development and Housing has launched land distribution step-by-step in all provinces, and the program will, God willing, expand to ensure fair distribution of plots to all returnees.”

Meanwhile, some returnees from Pakistan say the lack of shelter and basic living necessities is a major difficulty. They are calling for faster land distribution and provision of essential services.

Yar Mohammad, a returnee, said: “Now I’m going to Baghlan, but I have nothing there. We sold everything we had just to pay rent. We ask the Islamic Emirate to help us with land and food distribution.”

Another returnee, Sher Mohammad, added: “Our request from the government is to give us blankets and cash aid because it’s cold here and we’re struggling.”

According to statistics, nearly seven million Afghans have returned from various countries since the return of the Islamic Emirate to power, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive planning to resettle and support them sustainably.

Shelter Crisis Deepens as Afghan Returnees Increase
read more

Pakistan Detains Over 130,000 Afghans in Five Months, UN Finds

January 17, 2026
TOLOnews
TV Network
17 Jan 2026

Migrants residing in the country have also complained about how migrants are being treated.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in a joint report with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has reported the detention of over 130,000 Afghan migrants in less than the past five months.

According to this report, Afghan migrants were detained between September and January. Pakistani media, citing this joint UN report, have written that the rate of detention of Afghan nationals in Pakistan has increased by 18 percent, with most arrests recorded in Balochistan and Islamabad.

Pakistani media have written that “The data released by UNHCR and IOM shows that a total of 130,999 Afghan nationals were arrested and detained from September 15 to January 10, 2026. Most arrests took place in Balochistan with 68 per cent arrests, followed by Islamabad (19pc), Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (6pc), Punjab (4 per cent) and Sindh (3 per cent).”

Siddiq Kakar, a lawyer in Pakistan, said: “The only way to live in Pakistan is by having a passport and visa. If an Afghan citizen does not have a visa and passport, they will be detained in this country and deported to Afghanistan after a court hearing.”

Migrants residing in the country have also complained about how migrants are being treated.

They say that Pakistani police arrest Afghan nationals, including women, children, and journalists.

Zahir Bahand, a journalist in Pakistan, said: “With the beginning of the new year, night operations by Pakistani police have increased. Misconduct and extortion by the Pakistani police are among the major problems faced by Afghan refugees.”

This comes as Amnesty International had previously written a letter to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, urging him to halt the forced deportation of Afghan nationals.

Pakistan Detains Over 130,000 Afghans in Five Months, UN Finds
read more

A Refuge for Afghan Music Is at Risk of Falling Silent

January 17, 2026
By Elian Peltier

Reporting from Peshawar, Pakistan

The New York Times

The Pakistani city of Peshawar once offered refuge to generations of Afghans, including musicians who preserved their country’s rich tradition of songs and ballads beyond the Taliban’s reach.

But the rhythms that resonate in wedding halls, concert stages and apartment blocks are falling silent, as the Pakistani government pursues a wave of expulsions that has already forced out a million Afghans since last year.

The musicians are part of a community of Afghan artists that has flourished over decades, and that also includes carpet weavers and dancers. Pakistan provided a haven for millions of Afghans fleeing war and political instability, first from Soviet invaders in the 1980s and later from the Taliban, who first seized power in the 1990s.

The Taliban have banned music, persecuted artists and burned or smashed instruments, both in the 1990s and since reclaiming power in 2021.

Since 2023, the Pakistani authorities have publicly accused the Taliban government of supporting insurgents targeting Pakistan, and in retaliation have declared millions of Afghans illegal — including those who fled after the Taliban takeover.

Labeling Afghans a national security threat, Pakistan has intensified expulsions this year, depriving people of a haven from Afghanistan’s turmoil.
Nov. 30, 2025On a recent morning, the celebratory notes of an Afghan wedding song wafted through Muhammad Hassan Zamri’s music shop after he pushed a worn cassette into a tape deck. A longtime Afghan client ran his fingers through his white beard and sighed, leaving his green tea untouched as he bathed in nostalgia.

“I cannot bring them to Afghanistan because the Taliban will torch them,” Mr. Zamri said about his 2,000 cassette tapes, half of which bowed the crumbling wooden shelves of his shop. Mr. Zamri, who is 52 and fled Afghanistan in the 1980s, said he had already hidden the other half of his collection — a private archive of recordings dating back to the 1950s.

He did not know what might happen to them if he were sent back to Afghanistan.

Exiled Afghan artists have also kept Afghan music alive in other neighboring countries, in Europe and in the United States. But nowhere have musicians flourished across as many generations as in Pakistan, and in Peshawar in particular.

The first wave of emigration, in the 1980s, brought artists like Qamar Gula, one of Afghanistan’s most famous female singers. Exiled Afghan musicians, mostly from the Pashto community, also recorded songs of resistance against the 1979 Soviet invasion on cassette tapes that were smuggled back across the border to bolster the mujahedeen fighting the Red Army.

As Afghanistan plunged into civil war in the 1990s, more artists arrived in Pakistan, performing to the rhythm of tabla drums and rubab, an instrument like a lute. Among them was Homayoun Sakhi, a rubab master who fled to Peshawar as a teenager and later performed in concert halls across the United States, Europe and Asia.

Local Pakistani artists and fellow Afghan musicians have accommodated the newcomers. Tiny apartments became makeshift talent agencies visited by Pakistanis seeking to hire Afghan bands for weddings. Recording studios provided professional equipment to cultural icons like Sadiq Fitrat Nashenas, a star from a golden era for Afghan music before the Soviets came.

By the early 2000s, Peshawar was home to more than 500 Afghan musicians, according to local news reports.

The second Taliban takeover, in 2021, pushed a new generation of Afghan artists to Peshawar. Now, their songs are promoted on TikTok and YouTube.

Baryali Wali, a Pashto singer, hid his instruments in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, and fled across the border a month after the Taliban seized power in 2021. He has not been back since and missed his daughter’s wedding last summer.

Mr. Wali said he feared that the collective soul of Afghan music would vanish if artists were expelled to Afghanistan. “There are Afghan musicians in exile across the world, but it’s important to have a group component like we have here,” he said in a recording studio in Peshawar.

Expulsions and forced returns have increased in Peshawar and its surrounding province in recent weeks, according to data collected by the International Organization for Migration. “We’re all keeping our heads low now,” Mr. Wali said.

On a recent evening at Mafkoora, the cultural center, the singer Saidullah Wafa performed a tune of longing. “This is my beloved country, this is my life, this is my Afghanistan,” he sang to the notes of two acolytes playing the drums and rubab.

The band played one last song — a jab at the Taliban — before packing up their instruments. “With the Taliban over there or the police here, we feel the same fear,” Mr. Wafa said.

When one of the musicians, Ikram Shinwari, tried to flee Afghanistan in 2021 with his harmonium, the Taliban ordered him to destroy it with his own hands, he said.

Ahmad Sarmast, the exiled founder of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, said that since reclaiming power, the Taliban had gradually imposed repressive cultural policies similar to those of their first era of rule.

“Now Afghanistan might be the only silent nation in the world,” he said.

Wasim Sajjad and Zia ur-Rehman contributed reporting.

Elian Peltier is an international correspondent for The Times, covering Afghanistan and Pakistan.

A Refuge for Afghan Music Is at Risk of Falling Silent
read more

Afghanistan Faces Triple Crisis of Drought, Mass Returns and Funding Shortfalls, UN Says

January 17, 2026

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

 

The United Nations said Afghanistan is facing a triple crisis driven by drought, returning migrants and funding shortfalls, worsening food insecurity and limiting access to health and basic services.

Afghanistan is facing a convergence of three major crises, drought, mass migrant returns and shrinking global aid, that are pushing millions toward severe hardship, the United Nations’ top humanitarian official has warned.

Andrika Ratwatte, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan, said prolonged drought has hit around 70% of Afghans who depend on agriculture, sharply undermining food security across the country.

He said the return of about 2.5 million migrants from Iran and Pakistan, combined with a wider global funding crunch, has further strained already fragile communities and aid operations.

Afghanistan remains heavily dependent on international assistance after decades of conflict and economic collapse, with humanitarian agencies struggling to maintain basic services amid falling donor contributions.

Restrictions on girls’ education and women’s employment have also weakened household resilience, limiting families’ ability to cope with economic shocks and rising food prices.

Ratwatte said only 37% of the UN’s humanitarian funding appeal for Afghanistan has been met, forcing the closure of 400 health facilities and 300 nutrition centres nationwide.

Those closures have cut off healthcare for more than three million people and nutrition support for at least 80,000 children, breastfeeding mothers and other vulnerable groups, he said.

The UN official stressed that programmes covering health, education, social protection and livelihoods are “life-saving” and must be preserved or expanded, particularly for women and girls who make up half the population.

In a separate assessment, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Afghanistan will remain among the world’s largest humanitarian crises in 2026, citing food insecurity, climate shocks, migrant returns and systemic exclusion of women.

UN agencies estimate that 21.9 million Afghans, about 45% of the population, will require humanitarian assistance in 2026, warning that without urgent funding increases, conditions could deteriorate further.

Afghanistan Faces Triple Crisis of Drought, Mass Returns and Funding Shortfalls, UN Says
read more

UN Rights Envoy Urges Release of Detained Journalist and Female Sports Coach in Afghanistan

January 17, 2026
Khaama Press

The UN human rights rapporteur for Afghanistan called for the immediate release of a journalist and a female sports coach detained by authorities.

The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, has called for the immediate release of two women detained in separate incidents in northern and western Afghanistan.

In a post on X on Saturday, Bennett said he was deeply concerned about the arrest of a female journalist in Kunduz and a female taekwondo coach in Herat, urging Taliban to ensure their safety.

Local sources reported that Nazera Rashidi, a journalist based in Kunduz, was detained on January, 10 by intelligence forces. Authorities later confirmed her arrest, claiming she and four other women were being held in connection with a criminal case.

In a separate incident, Khadija Ahmadzada, a women’s taekwondo coach in Herat’s Jebrail district, was detained last week by officials enforcing moral conduct regulations, according to local residents.

Bennett said the detentions reflect a broader pattern of intimidation and repression targeting women professionals, journalists and civil society figures across the country.

International rights groups say arrests are often carried out without due process, leaving families uninformed and detainees without access to legal representation.

The incidents come amid mounting restrictions on women’s participation in public life, including bans on education, employment and sports.

The United Nations and foreign governments have repeatedly warned that continued rights violations risk further isolating Afghanistan diplomatically and worsening its humanitarian and economic crises.

UN Rights Envoy Urges Release of Detained Journalist and Female Sports Coach in Afghanistan
read more

Putin Reaffirms Afghanistan’s Regional Role, Highlights Ties with Kabul

January 16, 2026
TOLOnews
TV Network
16 Jan 2026

He made these remarks during a credential ceremony for ambassadors from 30 countries, including Afghanistan, at the Kremlin.

As the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan expands its diplomatic engagement with the region, Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again emphasized Afghanistan’s role in regional dynamics in his latest remarks.

Putin stated that Afghanistan holds observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and that cooperation between Moscow and Kabul has significantly expanded in recent years.

“Afghanistan has observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” President Putin said. “In recent years, cooperation between Russia and Afghanistan has grown rapidly, which has been facilitated by Russia’s decision last year to officially recognize the authorities of this country.”

He made these remarks during a credential ceremony for ambassadors from 30 countries, including Afghanistan, at the Kremlin.

Putin expressed Russia’s interest in seeing Afghanistan as a united, independent country free from war, terrorism, and drug trafficking.

“We are sincerely interested in seeing Afghanistan as a united, independent, and peaceful country, free from war, terrorism, and drug trafficking,” he added.

During the same event, Gul Hassan Hassan, the Islamic Emirate’s ambassador to Russia, formally presented his credentials to President Putin.

According to a statement from the Islamic Emirate’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, following the ceremony at the Kremlin, the ambassador held a separate meeting with the Russian president, during which they discussed the importance of strengthening bilateral ties and continuing cooperation.

The statement reads: “After presenting his credentials, in a separate meeting, the Afghan ambassador thanked the Russian president for his remarks and conveyed the goodwill messages of the Amir al-Mu’mineen, the Prime Minister, and the Foreign Minister. Both sides emphasized the importance of expanding bilateral relations and continuing cooperation.”

Russia remains the only country to officially recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan since its return to power four years ago, an acknowledgment not yet extended by any other country.

Putin Reaffirms Afghanistan’s Regional Role, Highlights Ties with Kabul
read more

Afghanistan’s Mineral Resources Seen as Key to Economic Self-Sufficiency

January 16, 2026
Liluma Qadiry
Tolo News
16 Jan 2026

The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum also emphasizes that the process of extraction and utilization of mines is time-consuming.

Afghanistan is among the countries with vast and diverse mineral resources; assets that can play a vital role in industrial growth, job creation, and achieving economic self-sufficiency.

Officials at the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum say that since the Islamic Emirate came to power, attention to the mining sector has significantly increased, and several contracts have been signed in different areas for the development and extraction of mines.

Homayoun Afghan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, stated: “Contracts have been signed in various sectors. Afghanistan needs to convert its raw materials into processed goods and achieve self-sufficiency in many areas. This is one of the ministry’s priorities, and we have already taken practical steps in this direction.”

Meanwhile, economic analysts stress that transparent and principled management of mineral resources plays a critical role in improving the country’s economic situation and reducing Afghanistan’s dependence on foreign countries.

Abdul Ghafar Nezami, an economic expert, said: “In Afghanistan, the only major source that the economy relies on and the hopes of the Afghan people are tied to is the country’s underground resources. These resources must be extracted with great caution.”

Another economic analyst, Sear Quraishi, added: “If we process mineral materials within the country, their value multiplies, more jobs are created, poverty decreases, people’s purchasing power increases, and factories become more active, ultimately generating real income for the people.”

The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum also emphasizes that the process of extraction and utilization of mines is time-consuming, as it includes various stages such as surveying, development, extraction, and exploitation.

Afghanistan’s Mineral Resources Seen as Key to Economic Self-Sufficiency
read more

Recent Posts