UN Security Council to Hold Meeting on Global ISIS Threat

August 6, 2026
Khaama Press

The United Nations Security Council is set to meet on Wednesday to review the latest assessment of the global threat posed by the Islamic State (ISIS), with a new UN report warning that ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) remains capable of carrying out major external attacks despite sustained counterterrorism operations.

The Council will receive briefings from the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) on Secretary-General António Guterres’ 23rd Strategic Report on ISIS and its regional affiliates.

According to the report, ISIS-K continues to pose a significant threat to regional and international security, maintaining the ability to organize or inspire attacks beyond Afghanistan while rebuilding operational networks despite pressure from the Taliban and Pakistani security forces.

The report highlights two recent attacks attributed by several UN member states to ISIS-K: a January 19 suicide bombing in Kabul and a February 6 attack on a Shiite mosque in Islamabad, which together killed 32 people and injured more than 150 others.

While noting that ISIS has suffered operational setbacks, the report says the group has adapted by relying on decentralized regional branches to sustain its activities.

Globally, the UN identifies Africa as the organization’s main operational hub, with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) remaining its most active affiliate and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) expanding attacks across Niger and parts of Nigeria.

In Syria, the report estimates ISIS retains around 3,000 fighters and warns that the closure of the Al-Hol displacement camp has left thousands of women and children linked to the group missing or vulnerable to re-radicalization. Iraq, by contrast, has reduced ISIS to its weakest position in years after repatriating families associated with the group.

The report also warns that ISIS is increasingly exploiting artificial intelligence, drones, encrypted communications and cryptocurrencies to support recruitment, financing and operational planning, presenting new challenges for international counterterrorism efforts.

Security Council members are expected to discuss the evolving threat posed by ISIS across Afghanistan, Africa, Syria and Iraq, while examining whether existing international counterterrorism mechanisms remain adequate to address an increasingly adaptive extremist network.

UN Security Council to Hold Meeting on Global ISIS Threat
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UN Warns Funding Shortfall Threatens Humanitarian Aid in Afghanistan

August 6, 2026
Mohammad Bashir Soltani
Reporter
Tolo News
5 August 2026
UN cautioned that without urgent funding and investment, the number of people affected by malnutrition will continue to rise.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has described Afghanistan as one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with millions of people in need of humanitarian assistance.

OCHA said that it and other humanitarian organizations distribute aid based on people’s needs, and that political considerations do not influence the process.

The United Nations stressed that greater financial support from the international community is essential to make humanitarian operations more effective.

Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for OCHA in Afghanistan, said: “Funding is now critically low. Our Humanitarian Response Plan requires nearly $1.71 billion, but we have received just over 26 percent of that amount. This is deeply concerning, particularly as many indicators—especially malnutrition—are worsening.”

Meanwhile, the World Food Program (WFP) said that funding shortages have put its life-saving food and nutrition programs in Afghanistan under serious strain.

The agency warned that nearly 3.7 million children and 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women in Afghanistan are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year.

It cautioned that without urgent funding and investment, the number of people affected by malnutrition will continue to rise.

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said: “Our colleagues at the World Food Program have warned that funding shortfalls have forced cuts to life-saving food and nutrition programs at a time when they are needed more than ever. WFP also reported that during the first quarter of this year, child food insecurity affected 47 percent of the population.”

At the same time, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Economy has called on the international community to support infrastructure and economic development projects in the country.

Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy, said: “The Ministry of Economy calls on UN agencies and the international community to invest in infrastructure, development, and economic projects in Afghanistan.”

The warnings over declining humanitarian assistance come as humanitarian needs in Afghanistan remain extremely high, while the continued deportation of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries is further worsening the country’s economic situation.

UN Warns Funding Shortfall Threatens Humanitarian Aid in Afghanistan
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UN: Recognition of Afghan Government and UN Seat Is Up to Member States

August 6, 2026
 Mohammad Bashir Soltani
Reporter
Tolo News
5 August 2026

Farhan Haq said that no country has so far recognized the Islamic Emirate for the purpose of taking Afghanistan’s seat at the United Nations.

The Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General has said that the recognition of governments and the allocation of Afghanistan’s seat at the United Nations are matters decided by member states, stressing that the UN itself is not the decision-making body on the issue.

Speaking at a recent press briefing, Farhan Haq said that no country has so far recognized the Islamic Emirate for the purpose of taking Afghanistan’s seat at the United Nations, and that there is currently no process among member states aimed at recognizing the current authorities.

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said: “It is up to governments to determine whom they recognize as the government of Afghanistan. So far, that has not happened with the current authorities in Afghanistan, and to the best of my knowledge, there is currently no process among member states to recognize them.”

Over the past five years, the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly called for Afghanistan’s permanent seat at the United Nations to be handed over to the current government. However, the status of Afghanistan’s UN seat remains unresolved.

The international community says respect for human rights, the formation of an inclusive government, and counterterrorism efforts are prerequisites for granting international legitimacy to the Islamic Emirate. In contrast, the Islamic Emirate has called for Afghanistan’s UN seat to be transferred to its administration, the removal of sanctions, and the release of the country’s frozen assets.

Ismail Roshan Gar, a university lecturer, said: “Both sides have demands of each other, and legal discussions are needed on these issues so that Afghanistan can reintegrate in the international community and its permanent UN seat can be handed over to the Islamic Emirate.”

Afghanistan has also been deprived of its voting rights in the UN General Assembly for nearly five years after failing to pay its annual membership fee of $200,000. The unpaid dues, which were covered by the former government before 2021, have now exceeded $900,000.

UN: Recognition of Afghan Government and UN Seat Is Up to Member States
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Ariana Resumes Direct Kabul–Delhi Flights After India Clears Operations

August 4, 2026
Khaama Press

Ariana Afghan Airlines has resumed direct flights between Kabul and New Delhi after receiving fresh operating clearance from Indian civil aviation authorities, restoring one of Afghanistan’s key international air links.

The state-owned airline announced on Monday that scheduled services on the Kabul–Delhi route had resumed and would operate according to the published timetable. Ariana did not explain the reason for the earlier disruption.

Neither Ariana nor Indian aviation authorities disclosed details of the regulatory approval. However, international carriers operating to and from Afghanistan remain subject to aviation safety and operational compliance requirements.

The resumption follows a runway incident involving an Ariana aircraft at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport in December 2025.

According to Indian media reports, including India Today, Ariana Flight FG311 from Kabul landed on Runway 29R while another aircraft had been cleared for departure on the same runway. Air traffic controllers intervened and directed the aircraft onto a taxiway, preventing a potential runway conflict.

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) subsequently opened an investigation into the incident, examining cockpit communications, air traffic control procedures and operational compliance.

Neither Ariana nor the DGCA has said whether the investigation was connected to the latest operating clearance.

Air links between Afghanistan and India have become increasingly important since the political changes in Afghanistan in 2021. India remains a major destination for Afghan patients, students, traders and humanitarian organizations, while direct flights also facilitate cargo movement and commercial exchanges.

Despite limited diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, India has continued humanitarian assistance and maintained practical cooperation in areas including trade, aviation and regional connectivity.

The restoration of direct Kabul–Delhi flights is expected to improve travel for passengers and strengthen commercial links between the two countries.

Ariana Resumes Direct Kabul–Delhi Flights After India Clears Operations
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Islamic Emirate Relations with Central Asian Countries Continue to Expand

August 4, 2026
 Bibi Amina Hakimi
TOLOnews’ Reporter
4 August 2026

Some analysts argue that Central Asian countries should take practical steps toward formally recognizing the Islamic Emirate.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s relations with the countries of Central Asia, particularly in the political, economic, trade, and transit sectors, have expanded in recent years.

The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate says these ties are based on neighborly relations, shared interests, and the development of trade, and are currently at a satisfactory level.

Commenting on the recognition of the Islamic Emirate by Central Asian countries, Zabihullah Mujahid said the issue of formal recognition depends on the policy of each individual country. However, he noted that these countries continue to engage with Afghanistan at an official level, and Kabul has no concerns in this regard.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, said: “Afghanistan has good and friendly relations with the countries of Central Asia. These relations are built on good neighborliness, shared interests, expanded trade, and strong diplomatic ties. We do not see any gap in these relations, and we continue to work to make them broader and stronger. High-level Afghan delegations have visited these countries.”

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of Economy said Afghanistan’s economic, political, and diplomatic relations with Central Asian countries complement one another, adding that expanding economic cooperation can further strengthen political and diplomatic ties.

Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister for Professional Affairs at the Ministry of Economy, said: “Strengthening political and diplomatic cooperation between Afghanistan and Central Asia will also expand economic, trade, and transit relations. Our policy is to enhance economic and trade cooperation with the countries of Central Asia, and we want these relations to reach a higher level.”

Some analysts argue that Central Asian countries should take practical steps toward formally recognizing the Islamic Emirate.

Political analyst Abdul Sadiq Hamidzoy said: “If the issue of recognition is resolved, the investment climate will become much stronger. Afghanistan needs to convince the countries of the region, or at least its neighboring countries, to recognize the Islamic Emirate.”

Former diplomat Aziz Maarij also said: “Afghanistan’s relations with Central Asian countries, particularly in economic and trade matters, have expanded and continue to grow, benefiting both Afghanistan and its regional partners. However, regarding formal recognition, the international community—including both friendly and rival countries—continues to share the same position.”

These remarks come as several senior officials, including the deputy prime ministers of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, have visited Afghanistan over the past month and a half, with expanding political and economic cooperation identified as a key focus of their visits.

Islamic Emirate Relations with Central Asian Countries Continue to Expand
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Afghan Child Malnutrition Surges as Aid Cuts Force Clinics to Turn Families Away, WFP Says

August 4, 2026

Reuters

August 4, 2026

Afghan Child Malnutrition Surges as Aid Cuts Force Clinics to Turn Families Away, WFP Says

GENEVA, Aug 4 (Reuters) – Child malnutrition in Afghanistan has reached ⁠critical ⁠levels and aid shortages are ⁠forcing health workers to turn away millions of children and mothers — ​six in seven of those in need — the U.N. World Food Programme said on Tuesday.

Child wasting, the deadliest form ‌of malnutrition, has reached critical levels ‌in a third of Afghanistan’s provinces, while the number of children being admitted to health centres ⁠is rising ⁠sharply, WFP’s country director in Afghanistan, John Aylieff, told reporters in Geneva.

Child wasting ​occurs when a child is too thin for their height because they have lost weight rapidly or failed to gain weight due to insufficient food and, or illness.

  About 80% ⁠of ⁠the most severe cases involve ⁠children under ​the age of two, Aylieff said, with many arriving at clinics too late to be saved.

The ​surge comes as Afghanistan grapples ⁠with conflict-related trade disruptions, mass returns of Afghans from neighbouring countries and deep cuts in international aid.

Nearly 6 million Afghans have been forcibly returned from neighbouring countries over the past three years since expulsion policies began in late 2023, placing additional pressure on jobs and public services, Aylieff ⁠said.

 At the same time, staple food prices have risen by 20% to 30%, while ⁠nearly 14 million Afghans are facing acute hunger, according to WFP. While a better harvest this year has offered some hope, its benefits were being offset by economic pressures, mass returns and aid cuts.

 The agency said funding shortfalls had sharply reduced its operations. The U.S., traditionally the largest donor, as well as a slew of European countries, have cut funding since January 2025. WFP said it was now able to reach only one in seven acutely malnourished women and children, down from one in four ⁠children needing treatment in March this year

“We’re turning them away empty-handed with absolutely nothing,” said Aylieff.

 WFP has also been forced to halt food distributions aimed at preventing famine in the worst-hit areas because of a lack of funding, he added.

WFP said it needs $500 ​million over the next six months to stop the crisis from escalating further.

(Reporting ​by Olivia Le Poidevin; Editing by Kate Mayberry)

 

Afghan Child Malnutrition Surges as Aid Cuts Force Clinics to Turn Families Away, WFP Says
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Nearly 140,000 Afghan Migrants Deported From Pakistan’s Punjab Province

August 3, 2026
Khaama Press

 

Pakistan’s Punjab province has detained and deported nearly 140,000 undocumented Afghan migrants as part of a nationwide campaign targeting foreigners without legal residency documents, provincial authorities said.

Punjab’s Home Department stated that 139,902 Afghan nationals had been detained and sent back to Afghanistan after completing legal procedures.

The department said 248 Afghan migrants remain in 39 detention centres and are expected to be deported through the Torkham border crossing after their cases are completed.

The deportations are part of Pakistan’s wider expulsion campaign against undocumented Afghan migrants, which Islamabad says is necessary to address security concerns and enforce residency laws.

The campaign has intensified in recent weeks, with Afghan migrants reporting challenges renewing visas and maintaining legal status in Pakistan. Some migrants have said they were forced to leave despite having lived in the country for years, with established businesses, employment and family connections.

Pakistan says it has returned around 2.66 million undocumented Afghan migrants to Afghanistan over the past three years.

The deportations are taking place as Pakistan faces increased security challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where militant attacks and armed incidents have increased. Pakistani officials have repeatedly accused militants of operating from Afghan territory, while the Taliban authorities have rejected such allegations.

Humanitarian organizations and rights groups have warned that large-scale forced returns could put vulnerable Afghan families at risk, urging Pakistan to ensure that deportation decisions comply with international protection standards.

Many Afghan returnees face severe challenges after arriving in Afghanistan, including limited access to shelter, employment, healthcare and other basic services, according to humanitarian agencies.

The latest deportations highlight the continuing tensions between Pakistan’s security concerns and international calls for greater protection of Afghan migrants facing uncertain conditions.

Nearly 140,000 Afghan Migrants Deported From Pakistan’s Punjab Province
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U.S. Federal Court Rules in Favor of Afghan Refugee Families

August 3, 2026
Ebadullah Ebadi
Journalist (Web Editor)
3 August 2026

The report noted that the families of these Afghan nationals had already been approved to enter the United States.

A U.S. federal court has ruled that travel restrictions imposed by the White House cannot prevent the families of Afghan refugees who supported U.S. forces in Afghanistan from reuniting with them in the United States.

The U.S. newspaper Stars and Stripes reported that a federal district judge has given the U.S. State Department 15 days to respond to a lawsuit filed by seven Afghan nationals.

According to Stars and Stripes: “U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga’s decision Wednesday gave the State Department 15 days to issue travel documents to the families of five of the seven refugee plaintiffs.”

The report noted that the families of these Afghan nationals had already been approved to enter the United States.

Under the court’s ruling, the U.S. State Department has also been ordered to review the cases of other Afghan families seeking reunification.

“The agency must also reconsider travel eligibility for the other relatives waiting to reunite with loved ones, and it was ordered to disregard the ban in its reassessment,” Trenga said.

The court also ordered the U.S. State Department to submit progress reports every two weeks until the families arrive in the United States.

The U.S. State Department has not yet commented on the ruling or indicated whether it plans to appeal.

The lawsuit was filed in the state of Virginia in October last year. The defendants include the U.S. government, the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

U.S. Federal Court Rules in Favor of Afghan Refugee Families
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Islamic Emirate Calls for Expanded UN Engagement, Representation

August 3, 2026
Bibi Amina Hakimi
TOLOnews’ Reporter
3 August 2026

Experts emphasize that resolving the issue of Afghanistan’s representation at the United Nations depends on decisions by UN member states.

Zakir Jalali, the Second Political Director at Islamic Emirate’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says engagement between Afghanistan and the United Nations is effective, but believes it should be expanded at all levels, including Afghanistan’s representation at the UN.

In an interview with TOLOnews, Jalali said that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in Kabul enjoys all the privileges required for the diplomatic mission of an international organization. However, he noted that Afghanistan’s current government still has no official representative at the United Nations.

“The person currently occupying Afghanistan’s seat at the United Nations is not even a representative of the previous government,” Jalali said. “Therefore, our position is that UNAMA should consider this issue responsibly and, after nearly five years, expand and deepen its engagement with the Afghan government, just as UNAMA has maintained engagement with the government in Kabul and previously through the Doha process.”

Some analysts believe that continued engagement between Kabul and the United Nations could pave the way for expanding Afghanistan’s diplomatic relations with the international community.

“It is very important for Afghanistan to have its place at the United Nations and a permanent representative,” said political analyst Khalil Ahmad Nadim. “The United Nations should help create conditions for countries around the world to engage with Afghanistan and ultimately recognize it.”

Experts emphasize that resolving the issue of Afghanistan’s representation at the United Nations depends on decisions by UN member states and the organization’s formal procedures.

“Representation at the United Nations is achieved through the lawful accreditation of member states’ seats, based on specific legal and political criteria and after meeting the relevant requirements regarding the legitimate representation of governments,” said Sharif Ghalib, former policy adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Afghanistan’s former representative to the United Nations. “It is the primary gateway through which countries connect with the international system and its institutions.”

Recently, UN Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Rabab Fatima, a Bangladeshi diplomat, as his Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA.

The question now is whether the new head of UNAMA will be able to play an effective role in expanding engagement between Kabul and the United Nations and advancing the issue of Afghanistan’s representation at the organization.

Islamic Emirate Calls for Expanded UN Engagement, Representation
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Delawar: Islamic Emirate Honored Doha Commitments

August 1, 2026
Bibi Amina Hakimi
TOLOnews’ Reporter
1 August 2026
Delawar said that one of the main points of disagreement during the implementation of the Doha Agreement.
Shahabuddin Delawar, head of the Commission for Contact with Afghan Personalities, president of the Afghan Red Crescent Society, and a member of the Islamic Emirate’s negotiating team for the Doha Agreement, told TOLOnews that the Islamic Emirate has fulfilled its commitments under the agreement, particularly regarding maintaining security and preventing Afghan territory from being used against other countries.

Delawar said that one of the main points of disagreement during the implementation of the Doha Agreement was the timeline for the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.

“We were committed to ensuring nationwide security in Afghanistan, and we were committed to ensuring that no country would be harmed from Afghan territory. Afghanistan has never wanted to interfere in the internal affairs of any other country, and the Islamic Emirate has honored all of its commitments. The US initially said it would withdraw within 14 months, but that period was extended to 18 months,” Delawar said.

Analysts say that while the Islamic Emirate insists it has fully implemented its commitments, the United States continues to assess those commitments in light of developments related to security, human rights, and Afghanistan’s domestic policies.

Former Afghan ambassador to France Omar Samad said: “It is very difficult to determine who is to blame. Under the current circumstances, this issue cannot be resolved without launching a process of dialogue to determine exactly who violated the agreement, in what way, and under what conditions.”

Political analyst Sayed Ebadullah Sadiq said: “The United States and Western countries criticize Afghanistan or the Islamic Emirate on issues such as human rights, saying they have not been ensured, while security has been maintained in the country.”

The Doha Agreement was signed on February 29, 2020 (10 Hoot 1398) in Doha, the capital of Qatar, between the United States and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the United States by Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, and on behalf of the Islamic Emirate by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs. Representatives of Qatar and several other countries also attended the signing ceremony.

Delawar: Islamic Emirate Honored Doha Commitments
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