Zabihullah Mujahid said continued tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan are harmful to both countries.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, has said that Islamabad does not seek war with Afghanistan and considers the Afghan people its “brothers and sisters.”
Speaking at a press briefing, Andrabi responded to recent remarks by Islamic Emirate spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, who said Kabul does not want conflict with any country, particularly Pakistan, and seeks to restore stronger ties with Islamabad. Andrabi said Afghanistan should clarify whether it wants to improve relations with Pakistan or continue supporting and maintaining links with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Tahir Andrabi said: “We do not want war with Afghanistan. The people of Afghanistan are our brothers and sisters, and there is no question of going to war with them. However, the Taliban government’s support for the TTP remains the biggest obstacle in our bilateral relations, and this situation must come to an end.”
Earlier, Islamic Emirate spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said continued tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan are harmful to both countries and stressed that differences should be resolved through dialogue.
Political analyst Khalil Ahmad Nadim said Pakistan is making demands that are not practical, arguing that Islamabad expects the Islamic Emirate to control the TTP, even though doing so is beyond its authority.
Another political analyst, Abdul Sadiq Hamidzoy, said Afghanistan and Pakistan are two Muslim countries with many shared interests and that all disputes should be resolved through dialogue and mutual understanding. He added that the exchange of accusations benefits neither side and that both countries should work toward establishing an effective mechanism for resolving their differences.
Although officials in both Afghanistan and Pakistan have expressed a desire to ease tensions and restore normal relations, the issue of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) remains one of the main challenges in relations between Kabul and Islamabad.
Khadija Haidary, Zahra Nader, Hura Omar* & Atousa Azar* for Zan Times
The Guardian
Friday, August 7, 2026
An investigation into 231 femicide cases highlights the dire situation in Afghanistan, where men are empowered to murder and face no punishment while their crimes are covered up by the state
In a voice message recorded weeks before she died, Liza Shams, 33, asks a relative to pray for her. “There’s no end to my days of misfortune,” she says. “Pray that God shames Hasib [her husband, Hasibullah Sarwari] in front of the whole world for what he has done to me.” In a second recording, she describes being beaten by Sarwari while pregnant, then kept isolated for days, injured to the point she couldn’t eat or speak. “I’m a woman, fine, I should not talk about what happens in my home,” she says. “But I can’t do this any more.”
On the afternoon of 1 February, Liza’sneighbours heard screaming and alerted the police. A short while earlier, Liza’s father, Shamsuddin Shams, had received a video call from his daughter. Her injuries were shocking: “Her jaw was broken and she could hardly talk,” he says, but she had managed to pass the message that her husband had beaten her again. Shamsuddin immediately called his two other daughters who lived close by, who arrived at the house and took her to Rahmat hospital in Kabul. About an hour after arrival, Liza died.The report on her death shows that Liza’s face has been beaten in. The CT scan findings describe multiple fractures to her cheekbones and sinus walls, an injury pattern consistent with enormous blunt-force trauma to the face. Photographs of her body and the report’s physical examination, conducted the evening she died, document extensive bruising, injuries and swelling across her face and body.
Despite the extensive nature of her injuries, the forensic report lists the likely cause of death as ingesting rat-poison, noting that an autopsy was not performed at the family’s request (Liza’s father says this request came from her in-laws).
A clear pattern
The Taliban does not collect any data on how many Afghan women are killed each year. The attorney general’s office, which used to collate this information, was abolished in 2023.
To measure what the state will not, reporters for Zan times, a collective of journalists who work under cover in Afghanistan, collected cases of women killed in 10 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces since the Taliban came to power in August 2021, drawing on 174 instances reported by local media, as well as 57 cases documented directly by the journalists but previously unreported. The investigation found women across Afghanistan are being killed at home by husbands, fathers, brothers, in a system that all but guarantees impunity for the crime. Many cases are never entered into official records.
The team documented 231 cases, of which 53 were declared suicide. The provinces with the highest recorded tolls were Jawzjan (36), Herat (32), Badakhshan (28) and Ghazni (26). The age of victims ranged from girls as young as five to women of 65. Seven out of 10 victims – 165 of 231 – were housewives with no independent income or institutional standing to pursue a domestic violence case. Most of the cases occurred in the victim’s home. Across the dataset, only 58 arrests were recorded. More than one in five were officially declared suicide, even when there was significant evidence of foul play. Only one in four of the 231 killings resulted in any arrest, but even in these cases, the suspect was often released – sometimes just one day after being detained.
The reporters found a number of deaths that according to family or witnesses had resulted from domestic violence, but were being officially recorded as suicides.
Freshta Emady, whose family and friends believe she was killed by her husband
A healthcare worker in Jawzjan said that many of the dead women that came to hospital and were labelled suicides had clearly been beaten, their bodies covered in wounds and bruises.
Freshta Emady, 33, a UN agency employee in Kabul, was found dead in her home on 31 May. Her husband reportedly told Taliban police she had killed herself, citing a psychiatric condition.
Her family and friends, however, believe she was killed by her husband. Five people who knew her said Freshta, who had been married off at 17, had spent 15 years being beaten, choked and controlled. A colleague said Freshta had described her husband repeatedly strangling her and telling her, “I’ll cut your throat.”
Danger for families who intervene
Often, the families of girls who try to intervene on behalf of their daughters can face deadly consequences. In Kandahar, a 14-year-old girl was killed after being given into marriage to a much older man. Her husband was violent, and she fled back to her father’s family. When he came to force her home in October 2024, she refused to go. He drew a pistol and killed her. Her younger brother, who ran to help, was also shot and died a week later.
The Taliban opened a file but her husband, a serving member of the group, was never arrested.
In May in Sar-e-Pol province, Sara, 16, and her mother, Chaman, an Iranian-trained doctor, were shot dead by a local Taliban official who had forced an engagement on Sara. When Chaman refused to hand her daughter over without the agreed dowry, he beat her with his rifle and, as Sara ran to her mother, he shot them both. He was captured after a manhunt and remains in jail.
The Taliban’s new criminal code means a husband’s punishment for beating his wife to the point of visible injury such as fracture or wounds is capped at 15 days’ imprisonment. If a wife goes to her family’s house without her husband’s permission, however, and her family does not return her on request, the wife and her family are subject to three months in prison. The code creates a legal structure in which seeking refuge from domestic violence brings a worse punishment than the violence itself.
‘Her face was beaten in’: how Taliban rule ushered in a new era of women being killed
A Pakistani newspaper has argued that the United States continues to have influence over developments in Afghanistan despite its military withdrawal, saying Washington’s diplomatic, financial and institutional tools could still affect regional security issues.
In an opinion article, The Nation said stronger counterterrorism cooperation between Pakistan and the United States could help address security concerns involving groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K).
The newspaper described the fourth round of U.S.-Pakistan counterterrorism talks as a positive step, arguing that militant groups in the region should be addressed as a broader international security challenge rather than only a domestic concern.
The article said Pakistan has repeatedly argued that groups such as the TTP and ISIS-K pose threats beyond its borders and require international cooperation. It added that Washington continues to play a role in global security efforts related to Afghanistan through diplomatic engagement, sanctions and intelligence cooperation.
The Nation suggested that Islamabad could use renewed engagement with Washington to seek stronger international action against groups it considers responsible for attacks in Pakistan.
The newspaper also argued that closer cooperation with the United States does not require Pakistan to reduce its strategic relationship with China, saying Islamabad could maintain ties with both countries while pursuing regional security objectives.
The article concluded that Pakistan and the United States share common interests in counterterrorism efforts and that renewed cooperation could lead to practical measures against militant networks.
The claims and assessments in this report reflect The Nation’s analysis and do not necessarily represent the official positions of Pakistan, the United States, the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan, or other parties mentioned.
Pakistani Newspaper Says US Still Has Influence Over Afghanistan
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has warned that climate change is intensifying Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, as repeated floods, droughts and extreme weather events increase the number of vulnerable people needing assistance.
IOM said climate-related disasters have caused an unprecedented rise in humanitarian needs across Afghanistan, while humanitarian organisations face growing challenges due to limited funding and reduced capacity to respond.
The organisation said recurring climate shocks have affected communities already struggling with poverty, food insecurity and limited access to basic services. Floods, droughts and environmental degradation have damaged livelihoods, particularly in rural areas where many families depend on agriculture and livestock for survival.
The worsening climate situation comes as Afghanistan is also facing additional pressure from the large-scale return of Afghan migrants from neighbouring countries, particularly Iran and Pakistan.
Humanitarian agencies have warned that millions of Afghans returning from abroad are arriving in communities that already lack sufficient jobs, housing, healthcare and food resources. Many returnees are settling in areas that are highly vulnerable to drought, water shortages and natural disasters.
According to humanitarian organisations, the combination of climate emergencies and forced returns has placed further strain on Afghanistan’s fragile economy and aid system. Communities hosting returnees are often among the same populations already affected by displacement, unemployment and food insecurity.
IOM said it is working with donors and humanitarian partners to provide emergency assistance to communities affected by climate-related disasters, prioritising people facing the greatest risks.
The agency called for increased international support and stronger long-term response mechanisms to help Afghanistan adapt to the growing impacts of climate change.
Humanitarian organisations have repeatedly warned that Afghanistan remains one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, while declining aid funding threatens efforts to support millions of people facing worsening humanitarian conditions.
Climate Disasters Deepen Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Crisis, IOM Says
Pakistan has warned the United Nations Security Council that militant groups operating from Afghanistan continue to pose a serious regional security threat, urging stronger international action against cross-border terrorism.
Speaking during a Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security from terrorism, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said terrorist organisations have expanded their presence in Afghanistan since 2021 and called for greater accountability over commitments to prevent Afghanistan territory from being used for attacks against other countries.
Iftikhar alleged that groups including Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), and al-Qaeda continue to operate from Afghanistan.
He claimed these groups use Afghanistan territory for recruitment, training and planning attacks, and said some militant organisations receive external support. Pakistan has previously accused India of supporting anti-Pakistan militant groups, a claim New Delhi has repeatedly rejected.
The Pakistani envoy said the latest UN monitoring report showed that although international counterterrorism operations have weakened some extremist networks, terrorist groups continue to adapt and expand across Afghanistan, Africa and the Middle East.
He called for stronger international cooperation, including improved border security, intelligence sharing and law enforcement coordination to address the threat of cross-border militancy.
Iftikhar also warned that extremist groups are increasingly using emerging technologies, including drones, artificial intelligence, encrypted communication platforms and digital financial systems, to improve recruitment, propaganda and operational capabilities.
Pakistan’s comments came during a Security Council session where other major powers also expressed concerns over terrorism threats linked to Afghanistan.
U.S. Deputy Representative to the UN Tammy Bruce said ISIS-K continues to exploit instability in Afghanistan and remains a significant regional security concern. She warned that extremist organisations are becoming more sophisticated through the use of advanced technologies and said counterterrorism cooperation remains a priority for Washington.
China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Sun Lei also raised concerns over militant groups operating in Afghanistan, urging stronger action against terrorist organisations and greater regional cooperation to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for international terrorism.
The UN Secretary-General’s latest strategic assessment similarly warned that ISIS-K has maintained the ability to conduct external attacks and is rebuilding its capacity for high-profile operations despite sustained pressure.
Kabul has rejected allegations that foreign terrorist groups operate from Afghanistan territory, saying Afghanistan does not pose a threat to other countries and claiming that ISIS-K has been significantly weakened.
However, ISIS-K has continued to claim responsibility for attacks inside Afghanistan, including the recent killing of a Taliban official in Badakhshan province, keeping international concerns over the group’s operational capability alive.
Pakistan Warns UN of Growing Terror Threat From Afghanistan
While the United Nations Security Council has once again expressed concern over threats posed by the activities of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate has rejected these concerns and insists that no group is allowed to use Afghan territory against other countries.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, told TOLOnews that Afghanistan is under the government’s full control and that no independent armed group is permitted to operate in the country.
Mujahid said: “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s position on this matter is very clear. Afghanistan will not allow its territory to be used against other countries. No unauthorized group is permitted to operate in Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate has full control over the entire country, and what some countries raised at the Security Council is completely incorrect. We assure everyone that no unauthorized group will be allowed to operate. ISIS has been completely suppressed in Afghanistan, and its safe havens have been eliminated.”
At the UN Security Council meeting held yesterday at the organization’s headquarters in New York, China’s representative stressed the importance of combating terrorism and called on the Afghan authorities to remain committed to their obligations in this regard.
Sun Lei, China’s representative to the UN Security Council, said: “The international community should help Afghanistan revive its economy and improve the livelihoods of its people so that the root causes that create favorable conditions for the spread of terrorism can be eliminated. China supports Central Asian countries and regional organizations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, in strengthening cooperation with Afghanistan to jointly address cross-border terrorist threats.”
Meanwhile, a number of military analysts believe that continued security and economic cooperation between Afghanistan, regional countries, and the international community could play an important role in reducing shared threats and strengthening regional stability.
Military analyst Sadiq Shinwari said: “If the international community cooperates with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in this regard, the expansion of ISIS activities across borders can be prevented.”
Another military analyst, Turyalai Zazai, said: “From Afghanistan’s side, there is no obstacle to continuing economic and security cooperation with regional countries; however, some countries in the region, due to their own political and economic objectives, are hindering the expansion of such cooperation.”
These concerns about the presence of ISIS in Afghanistan were raised during the UN Security Council meeting while, in recent months, several ISIS centers beyond the disputed Durand Line have been targeted in operations carried out by the forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
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
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
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
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
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
