CURRENT NEWS ARTICLES
UN Survey: Women’s Rights Crucial for Taliban Recognition
Akmal Dawi Voice of America September 19, 2023 80% of women in Afghanistan reported a drop in their ability to undertake income-generating activities under the Taliban. WASHINGTON — Hundreds of women in Afghanistan say the United Nations should not recognize the Taliban government until women’s access to work and education is restored, according to a new
US Business Delegation Makes Rare Visit to Taliban-Run Afghanistan
Ayaz Gul Voice of America 6 September 2023 President of the U.S. Afghan American Chamber of Commerce Jeffrey Grieco, third from left, and Taliban Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar, center, co-host a business meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sept. 6, 2023. (Taliban Economic Commission via VOA) ISLAMABAD — An American private sector
Afghanistan Discussed at UN General Assembly
By TOLOnews TV Network Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also said in the discussion that leaving Afghanistan alone would be a grave mistake. The leaders of Qatar, Iran, Uzbekistan and Turkey discussed Afghanistan among other issues at the 78th session General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly. In this discussion, Turkey and Iran emphasized the
Women’s Market Opens in Kabul
TOLOnews TV Network 20 Sept 2023 Meanwhile, some women who have come to this market to buy things asked the Islamic Emirate to provide work opportunities for women in the country. A company established an exclusive women’s market in Kabul, providing more than a hundred female businesswomen an opportunity to find employment. According to the
UN urges Afghanistan’s Taliban government to stop torture and protect the rights of detainees
BY RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press September 20, 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — The United Nations said Wednesday it has documented more than 1,600 cases of human rights violations committed by authorities in Afghanistan during arrests and detentions of people, and urged the Taliban government to stop torture and protect the rights of detainees. Nearly 50% of
Afghan health professionals – thousands of female among them – are defying daily challenges to provide critical care.
BY RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press September 19, 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — The mental health of Afghan women, who have suffered under harsh measures imposed by the Taliban since taking power two years ago, has deteriorated across the country, according to a joint report from three U.N. agencies released Tuesday. Nearly 70% reported that feelings of anxiety, isolation and
Key Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing reopens after nine days
By Abid Hussain Al Jazeera Published On 15 Sep 2023 Islamabad, Pakistan – A key border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been reopened for pedestrian and vehicular traffic after remaining closed for nine days, following an exchange of fire between the security forces of the two countries. Muhammad Anas, an official in Khyber district of Pakistan’s northwestern
Afghan students urge India to extend visas and restart scholarships
By Manoj Kumar and Mayank Bhardwaj Reuters September 13, 2023 NEW DELHI, Sept 13 (Reuters) – Hundreds of Afghan college students living in India despite the expiry of their student visas staged a protest in New Delhi on Wednesday to urge the Indian government to extend their stay and allow them to resume their studies. India has
Taliban hail China’s new ambassador with fanfare, say it’s a sign for others to establish relations
Associated Press September 13, 2023 KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban on Wednesday hailed China’s new ambassador to Afghanistan with fanfare, saying his arrival is a sign for other nations to come forward and establish relations with them. The Taliban seized power in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO forces withdrew after two decades of war.
The Taliban have waged a systematic assault on freedom in Afghanistan, says UN human rights chief
Associated Press September 12, 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban have waged a systematic assault on the freedom of Afghanistan’s people, including women and girls experiencing “immeasurably cruel” oppression, the U.N.’s human rights chief said Tuesday. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said that human rights are in a state of collapse in Afghanistan more than two
Protest Held in Nangarhar Over Closing of Torkham Crossing
Mohammad Amin Pacha Tolo News 11 Sept 2023 They called on the officials of Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their political issues through diplomatic paths. Dozens of people held a demonstration around Torkham area in Nangarhar province to protest the closing of the crossing by Pakistan. The protestors said that Pakistan has been repeatedly closing
Blinken Defends US Troops Exit from Afghanistan
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 11 Sept 2023 The Islamic Emirate meanwhile said that the US presence in Afghanistan was affecting both countries. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has once again defended the decision about the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, saying “we want to make sure, and as a result of what
Pakistan says Afghanistan building ‘unlawful structures’ along tense border
By Abid Hussain Al Jazeera Published On 11 Sep 202311 Sep 2023 Pakistan accuses Taliban government of ‘indiscriminate firing’ at the key Torkham border crossing, closed for nearly a week. Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan has accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of constructing “unlawful structures” at a key border crossing, calling it a violation of territorial sovereignty. The Torkham
Afghan Taliban criticises closure of main border crossing with Pakistan
Reuters September 10, 2023 KABUL, Sept 10 (Reuters) – The Afghan Taliban criticised the closure of its main border crossing with Pakistan this week after clashes between security forces, saying the halt in trade would see heavy losses for businesses. The busy Torkham border crossing closed on Wednesday after Pakistani and Afghan Taliban forces started firing at
Retirees Continue to Call for Payment of Pensions
TOLOnews 10 Sept 2023 The retirees said that despite their protests and calls for their rights, they have not received their pensions. Retirees at a gathering in capital Kabul voiced concerns over continued unpaid pensions, saying that they have not been paid their pensions since the fall of the former government. The retirees said that
Islamic Emirate Officials Discuss With Pakistan Reopening Torkham Gate
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 10 Sept 2023 Such steps harm the trade and transit relations between the two countries, the statement said. Local officials in the eastern province of Nangarhar discussed the reopening of Torkham crossing with Pakistani officials. Arafat Mahajar, manager of the department of information in the Directorate of Information and Culture of
Afghanistan is the fastest-growing maker of methamphetamine, U.N. drug agency says
By ASSOCIATED PRESS 09/10/2023 07:36 AM EDT The report called Afghanistan’s meth manufacturing a growing threat to national and regional health and security. ISLAMABAD — Afghanistan is the world’s fastest-growing maker of methamphetamine, a report from the United Nations drug agency said Sunday. The country is also a major opium producer and heroin source, even
New US intelligence suggests al Qaeda unlikely to revive in Afghanistan, but officials warn ISIS threat remains
Natasha Bertrand and Katie Bo Lillis CNN Fri September 8, 2023 New US intelligence assessments suggest that is “unlikely” al Qaeda will revive in Afghanistan and Pakistan and that counterterrorism operations by the Taliban in Afghanistan have degraded the Islamic State’s presence there, two senior US officials said on Friday. The assessments described by the officials in a briefing
Prime Minister’s Absence From Meetings Raises Questions
By Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 9 Sept 2023 According to some political analysts, the presence of the PM in meetings and meetings with representatives of countries is important. Two months after coming back to Kabul from Kandahar, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the prime minister of the Islamic Emirate, has not been reported to have visited with
UN Education Official Comments on Education of Afghan Women
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 9 Sept 2023 According to some political analysts, investing in the education of girls and boys in the country is a serious need. Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of the UN’s Education Cannot Wait (ECW), on the occasion of International Literacy Day, said that the official opinion of the ruling authorities in Afghanistan about
US Officials: ‘Unlikely’ Al Qaeda Will Revive in Afghanistan
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 9 Sept 2023 They added that the terrorist presence in Afghanistan has been waning despite the US military’s withdrawal from the country in 2021. New US intelligence assessments suggest that it is “unlikely” al Qaeda will revive in Afghanistan and Pakistan and that counterterrorism operations by the “Taliban” in Afghanistan have
Taliban Sell Afghanistan’s Mines Despite Sanctions
Akmal Dawi Voice of America/VOA September 07, 2023 8:05 AM FILE – The Mes Aynak valley, southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan, is pictured March 2, 2022. The unexploited copper source is estimated to be worth nearly $1 trillion. China’s MCC won the contract to exploit the mine over 10 years ago. WASHINGTON — The Taliban, facing
On World Literacy Day, Girls Call for Reopening of Schools
Aziz Rahman Abram Tolo News 8 Sept 2023 International Literacy Day comes as it has been nearly 720 days that girls above the sixth grade in Afghanistan have been denied access to education. Friday, September 8, is international Literacy Day (ILD). International Literacy Day comes as it has been nearly 720 days that girls above
Stanikzai: Afghanistan Not Involved in Terrorism
Naweed Samadi Tolo News 8 Sept 2023 The deputy foreign minister once again asked the countries not to interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan. The deputy foreign minister, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, said that the Islamic Emirate is not involved in any terrorist activity in the region, especially in neighboring countries. Speaking at an
HRW Releases Report on Human Rights Situation in Afghanistan
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 8 Sept 2023 However, the Islamic Emirate called these reports propaganda, saying they will find ways to better ensure women’s rights. Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report that “Taliban authorities in Afghanistan are committing the crime against humanity of gender persecution against women and girls.” According to report, since
Haqqani Asks Mohaqiq, Khalili to Return to Afghanistan
Naweed Samadi Tolo News 8 Sept 2023 Haqqani said that the door of interaction is open to everyone, and every person can return to the country freely. Speaking at a gathering in Bamiyan province, acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani called on influential political leader Mohammad Mohaqiq and former vice president Mohammad Karim Khalili to return
Karzai’s Relatives Confirm Ban On His Travel Abroad
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 6 Sept 2023 In the meantime, a source told TOLOnews that Hamid Karzai was not permitted to meet a delegation of seven persons who came to Kabul from Iran. Former president Hamid Karzai’s relatives confirmed there is a ban on Karzai’s travel abroad. The relatives of Hamid Karzai confirmed to TOLOnews
Main Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing closed after guards exchange fire
Al Jazeera Published On 6 Sep 2023 Gun battle erupts between Pakistani and Afghan forces, shutting the busiest trade crossing between the South Asian neighbours The main border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan has been closed after security forces from both countries exchanged fire, officials said. Local residents on the Pakistani side reported the sound
Intl Conference on Afghanistan Held in London
Mitra Majeed ToloNews 2 Sept 2023 This meeting is being held without the presence of representatives of the Islamic Emirate. A conference called “Half A Century of Crisis To Redemption” held on Saturday in London drew a number of Afghan civil activists, journalists, and human rights advocates. The aim of this one-day conference, according to
Afghanistan, World Need to Connect, Find Solution: Chief of Islamic Relief
Mitra Majeed Tolo News 3 Sept 2023 The CEO of Islamic Relief also stressed the need for the education of girls in Afghanistan. The CEO of the Islamic Relief Worldwide, Waseem Ahmad, said he believes that the international community cannot be disconnected from Afghanistan for a long time. In an interview with TOLOnews, he said:
Mullah Baradar Urges Countries Not to Interfere in Afghan Affairs
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 3 Sept 2023 It has been over two years since the Islamic Emirate came to power, but no country has so far recognized it. The deputy PM for economic affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, in a meeting with Iran’s ambassador to Kabul, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, said that Afghanistan does not interfere
840,000 Afghans who’ve applied for key US resettlement program still in Afghanistan, report says
REBECCA SANTANA Associated Press September 1, 2023 WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 840,000 Afghans who applied for a resettlement program aimed at people who helped the U.S. war effort in Afghanistan are still there waiting, according to a report that lays out the challenges with a program intended to help America’s allies in the two-decade
Islamic Emirate Committed to Implementation of Qisas: Deputy Supreme Judge
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 1 Sept 2023 In an interview with TOLOnews, he denied the existence of a desert court by the officials of the interim government. The deputy of the Supreme Court, Abdul Malik Haqqani said that the Islamic Emirate is committed to the Implementation of Qisas (an Islamic term interpreted to mean retaliation
Afghans in US struggle with uncertainty while congressional reforms stall
Josephine Walker Reuters September 1, 2023\s WASHINGTON, Sept 1 (Reuters) – Farzana Jamalzada fled Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, fearful that her work with the U.S. government would put her in danger. She found refuge in the U.S. and moved to New York City where she secured a job with a charity
Anas Haqqani: Islamic Emirate Open to Interact With World
Sardar Shafaq Tolo News 1 Sept 2023 Speaking at the exhibition, Haqqani emphasized the need to strengthen the forces of the Islamic Emirate. Anas Haqqani, a prominent member of the Islamic Emirate, said that the Islamic Emirate is open for interaction with the world. Haqqani said that the Islamic Emirate even declared the end of
Who wants to fly over Taliban-held Afghanistan? New FAA rules allow it, but planes largely avoid it
BY JON GAMBRELL Associated Press August 16, 2023 DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Two years after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the United States has begun easing rules that could allow commercial airlines to fly over the country in routes that cut time and fuel consumption for East-West travel. But those shortened flight routes
Victims of Foreign Forces’ Strikes in Afghanistan Demand Justice
Shamsurrahman Khpalwak Tolo News 31 Aug 2023 Families demanded justice from international institutions, especially human rights institutions. Families of those killed in airstrikes by foreign troops in Afghanistan said that during the previous 20 years many civilians have been killed and injured. Families demanded justice from international institutions, especially human rights institutions. One of the
Afghan Refugees in Pakistan Criticize Delay in Their Immigration Cases
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 31 Aug 2023 Maryam Sadat, a citizen of Afghanistan, committed suicide on Wednesday in Islamabad. Afghan immigrants in Pakistan criticized the delay of their immigration cases. Immigrants from Afghanistan said that the Pakistani military has mistreated them for the past two years and that their future is uncertain. This situation has
Contract Signed for 7 Mines Worth More Than $6.5 Billion: Ministry
TOLOnews TV Network 31 Aug 2023 The contract for seven mines worth more than $6.5 billion was signed on Thursday in the presence of the deputy PM for economic affairs. The acting Minister of Petroleum and Mines Shahabuddin Delawar speaking to the press at a contract-signing ceremony for the extraction and processing of 7 major
Biden Lauds Service of ‘Generations of Brave Women and Men’ in Afghanistan
By Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 31 Aug 2023 The statement the US is the largest single donor of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan. US President Joe Biden, on August 21, the second anniversary of the end of the US troop pullout from Afghanistan, said that the United States ended nearly two decades of war in Afghanistan.
Second Anniversary Marked of Last American Soldier Leaving Afghanistan
By Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 31 Aug 2023 Finally, the twenty-year foreign military presence in Afghanistan came to an end on August 31, 2021, with the departure of the final American soldier. On August 31, 2021, the last American soldier, Major General Chris Donahue, left Afghanistan. 22 years ago today, American soldiers and their allies invaded
Two Years After Afghanistan Exit, Biden Resists Calls for More Taliban Contact
By Michael Crowley Reporting from Washington The New York Times Aug. 30, 2023 When the last American soldier flew out of Afghanistan on Aug. 30, 2021, leaving the country to Taliban rule, the world braced for a human rights nightmare. In that sense, the Taliban have met expectations. The country’s extremist rulers, who seized power
Two years after U.S. withdrawal, Afghan refugees wait for asylum
By Whitney Shefte The Washington Post August 30, 2023 When the Taliban began its swift takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Noori family knew they had to get out of the country. They had already seen one family member assassinated and several others had attempts made on their lives. Staying in Afghanistan was not
US Ambassador: Ban on Girls Education ‘Most Unconscionable Act of Taliban’
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 30 Aug 2023 Van Schaack added that in all their engagements with the Islamic Emirate, they are pushing to have some of these restrictions relaxed. Beth Van Schaack, the US ambassador-at-large for global criminal justice, said that the bans on girls’ education is one of the most unconscionable acts of the
Muttaqi Says Weakening Afghan Interim Govt Harms Everyone
By Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 30 Aug 2023 Addressing the same gathering, the country’s Interior Minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, called on the people to support the Islamic Emirate. The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said that weakening the Afghan government will harm everyone and that the international community has assured the Islamic Emirate
Japanese Envoy Urges Afghan Interim Govt to Strengthen Internal Legitimacy
By Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 28 AUGUST 2023 Richard Trenchard, FAO Representative in Afghanistan, said that the project will begin mid next year. The Japanese Ambassador in Kabul, Takashi Okada, called on the Afghan “de facto” authorities to strengthen legitimacy within the country to expand international cooperation. Speaking at a signing ceremony for “Enhancing Agriculture Production
US Congressman Says Withdrawal Occurred in ‘Wrong Way’
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 28 Aug 2023 Earlier, a number of US House of Representatives members voiced their opposition to the American forces’ departure from Afghanistan. A member of the US House of Representatives described the US withdrawal from Afghanistan as a mistake on the eve of the two-year anniversary of the departure of the
Iran President Says Islamic Emirate Allowing Experts to Check Water Levels
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 28 Aug 2023 Speaking at a press conference, Raisi note that his country has good relations with all its neighbors and is bound by the Helmand River Water Treaty. Amid tensions between Kabul and Tehran over the Helmand River’s water supply, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Iranian specialists are looking into
Heather Barr: UN Human Rights Meeting Planned for September
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 28 Aug 2023 Meanwhile, a number of women’s rights activists are asking the UN to take action on human rights issues, especially to support women’s rights in Afghanistan. Heather Barr, director of the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, said that the Human Rights Council meeting will be held in
White House: We Are ‘Very Clear’ on Support for Afghan Girls
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 28 Aug 2023 Meanwhile, some students asked the current government to reopen schools and universities for girls in the country. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that that the US has been very clear about the education of girls in Afghanistan. Addressing the press conference, Jean-Pierre said that Washington remains
Rights groups condemn Taliban’s new curbs on women’s education, movement
Al Jazeera Published On 28 Aug 2023 Watchdogs slam Taliban’s ‘flagrant violation of the right to education and freedom of movement’ after Afghan women stopped from boarding a flight to Dubai to study on a scholarship. Human rights groups have condemned the Taliban’s latest restrictions on Afghan women’s education and movement after it barred them from visiting one of
US Should Align Sanctions Policy with Peacemaking Efforts: ICG
By Mujeeb Rahman Awrang Stanikzai Head of TOLOnews’ Online Department 28 Aug 2023 The ICG said that as the use of sanctions has increased, so, too, has awareness of their collateral effects. The International Crisis Group (ICG), said in a new report that sanctions have become an increasingly prominent tool of US statecraft, but urged
‘Despair is settling in’: female suicides on rise in Taliban’s Afghanistan
Zahra Nader and Zan Times reporters The Guardian Mon 28 Aug 2023 05.00 EDT First, her dreams of becoming a doctor were dashed by the Taliban’s ban on education. Then her family set up a forced marriage to her cousin, a heroin addict. Latifa* felt her future had been snatched away. “I had two options:
British Official Claims TTP Operating in Afghan Territory
Naweed Samadi Tolo News 26 Aug 2023 Bilal Karimi, the deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, said that Afghanistan’s soil will not be used against any country. British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott claimed that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other terrorist organizations continue to operate in Afghan territory. In an interview with Pakistani Geo
Kabul Denies UNSC Members’ Concerns About Daesh in Afghanistan
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 27 Aug 2023 A part of the statement said that such propaganda gives motivations to the Daesh group and increases destabilization in the region. The Islamic Emirate has once again denied the concerns of the UN Security Council members about Daesh activities in Afghanistan. Speaking at the Security Council meeting on
Afghanistan: Taliban ban women from visiting popular national park
By Antoinette Radford BBC News 27 August 2023 The Taliban government have banned women from visiting the Band-e-Amir national park in Bamiyan province. Afghanistan’s acting minister of virtue and vice, Mohammad Khaled Hanafi, said women had not been observing hijab inside the park. He called on religious clerics and security agencies to forbid women from
Could State Department, Bagram or Ghani Have Made Afghan Airlift Less Chaotic?
Carla Babb and Akmal Dawi Voice of America August 24, 2023 7:46 PM FILE — Hundreds gather, some holding documents, near an evacuation control checkpoint on the perimeter of the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 26, 2021. PENTAGON — This month, the Taliban are marking two years since they retook control of
Concerns About Daesh Raised in UNSC
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 26 Aug 2023 Previously, the United Nations Security Council said in a statement on Friday that Daesh increased its operational capabilities inside Afghanistan. The members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) once again voiced concerns about the presence and increased activity of the Khorasan branch of Daesh in Afghanistan. Speaking
Panjshir’s Governor Rejects Claims of Human Rights Violations
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 26 Aug 2023 “These reports are definitely untrue because they get these reports from the people and they are in line with the opposition,” he said. Panjshir province governor Mohammad Agha Hakim rejected the claims of international institutions and organizations regarding the violation of human rights in this province. In an
U.N. Says Taliban Committed Rights Abuses Despite Blanket Amnesty
By Richard Pérez-Peña The New York Times Aug. 23, 2023 A U.N. mission in Afghanistan reported summary killings, arbitrary detentions and torture of hundreds of onetime soldiers, police officers and others in the old government. Since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021, hundreds of members of the U.S.-backed former government have been detained,
Taliban bringing water to Afghanistan’s parched plains via massive canal
By Gerry Shih The Washington Post August 20, 2023 AQCHA, Afghanistan — The morning sun was still rising over the shriveled wheat fields, and the villagers were already worrying about another day without water. Rainwater stored in the village well would run out in 30 days, one farmer said nervously. The groundwater pumps gave nothing,
Former Afghan Leaders Powerless Inside, Outside Their Homeland
Akmal Dawi Voice of America August 22, 2023 Abdullah Abdullah, left, and Hamid Karzai have remained in Kabul, Afghanistan, since the Taliban seized power. When the Taliban entered Kabul in August 2021, nearly the entire leadership of the Afghan government fled the country fearing for their lives. President Ashraf Ghani, accompanied by his wife and
‘My goals in life vanished’: Afghan students rocked by US visa denials
Ava Sasani The Guardian Sat 19 Aug 2023 Students trying to attend university in the US tell of their frustration after being rejected over the ‘immigrant intent’ test Yalda Azamee blinked back tears as she stared down at the American consular officer. “He did not even give me a chance to explain myself; he rejected
Taliban stopped 100 women flying to Dubai for university scholarships, UAE billionaire says
By Charlotte Greenfield Reuters August 23, 2023 Aug 23 (Reuters) – The head of a Dubai-based conglomerate on Wednesday said Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities had stopped around 100 women from travelling to the United Arab Emirates where he was to sponsor their university education. Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, founding chairman of Al Habtoor Group, said in
Red Cross set to end funding at 25 hospitals in Afghanistan
By Charlotte Greenfield Reuters August 17, 2023 Aug 17 (Reuters) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is likely to end the financial running of 25 Afghan hospitals by the end of August due to funding constraints, a spokesperson told Reuters, amid growing concerns over a plunge in aid to Afghanistan. “Although we
Afghan Taliban celebrate return to power two years on amid erosion of women’s rights
Mohammad Yunus Yawar and Charlotte Greenfield Reuters August 15, 2023 KABUL, Aug 15 (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s Taliban marked the second anniversary of their return to power on Tuesday, celebrating their takeover of Kabul and the establishment of what they said was security throughout the country under an Islamic system. After a lightning offensive as U.S.-led foreign forces
UN Security Council Holds Meeting on Terrorist Threats
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 25 Aug 2023 “Member states have also reported increasing concerns about (Daesh Khorasan) ability to project a threat outside Afghanistan.” The UN Security Council said in a statement that it will convene a briefing on the Secretary-General’s 17th biannual strategic-level report on the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq
UNDP: Over 6.5M People in Afghanistan Internally Displaced
TOLOnews TV Network 25 Aug 2023 The report issues a warning on the potential rise of global displacement over the next 30 years. The UN Development Program said in its recent report that Afghanistan currently has a “staggering 6.55 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), making it the country with the second highest tally worldwide after
UNICEF: Afghanistan Among Most Weapons-Contaminated Countries in World
TOLOnews TV Network 25 Aug 2023 According to UNICEF, Afghanistan is one of the most weapons-contaminated countries in the world. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Afghanistan said that 85% of the victims of explosions and unexploded mines in Afghanistan are children. According to UNICEF, Afghanistan is one of the most weapons-contaminated countries in
Taliban Fighters, Unsettled by Peace, Seek New Battles Abroad
By Christina Goldbaum The New York Times Published Aug. 14, 2023 Two years on from when the Taliban took Kabul, the outflow of young Talibs has renewed fears of violent extremism spilling across Afghanistan’s borders As a child studying in a madrasa in Afghanistan, Mohammad Khalid Tahir dreamed of waging jihad. By the time he
The former Afghan soldiers turning to gem mining to survive
By Kern Hendricks Al Jazeera Published On 18 Aug 202318 Aug 2023 In remote Nuristan province, some who lost their jobs after the Taliban takeover are now working in artisanal mines to support their families amid a struggling economy. Nuristan, Afghanistan – Like a crack of thunder, a deep blast echoes down a tree-lined valley a
Afghans fled for a better future but 2 years later, it’s a dream for most
By Ruchi Kumar Al Jazeera Published On 16 Aug 2023 Millions of Afghans have fled persecution and poverty since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, and many are stuck in limbo in countries around the world with few rights and freedoms and with no hope for a better future. Nearly 3.6 million Afghans left the country from
Foreigners, Including Americans, Detained for Various Issues: Mujahid
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 6 Aug 2023 The detainees will be released if they are proved innocent, Mujahid said, without providing details about the exact numbers of the detainees. The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said that some foreign nationals including Americans have been detained on charge of various issues including security issues. Mujahid told
UK ODA Funds for Afghanistan Cut by 59%
Hadia Ziaei Tolo News 4 Aug 2023 The assessment was published by the International Development Committee. The UK Parliament in a statement laid out the FCDO Equality Impact Assessment which was provided to ministers earlier this year to inform their decisions on where significant cuts to the Official Development Assistance budget for 2023-24 would fall.
Afghanistan Humanitarian Situation Highlighted at UNSC Meeting
TOLOnews 4 Aug 2023 “Pakistan will continue to provide support to the 29 million Afghans in need of humanitarian assistance and to help revive Afghanistan’s economy,” he said. Representatives of countries including Russia, UK, Pakistan, India, Qatar and Switzerland at the UN Security Council High-Level Open Debate on Famine and Conflict-Induced Global Food Security in
Merwis Omari Tolo News 3 Aug 2023 The National Examination Authority (NEXA) said that in this round, 29,000 graduates of the twelfth grade, all of whom are boys, will take the test. The second round of the university entrance exam (Kankor) started on Thursday in twelve provinces of the country. It is supposed to go
Kabul Denies Pakistan’s Claims of Afghan Involvement in Attack
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 3 Aug 2023 The Islamic Emirate spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said that such claims are not in the interest of either country or their people. The Islamic Emirate rejects Pakistan’s allegations that Afghan citizens were involved in the attack on the country’s military base that occurred on July 12. The Islamic Emirate
Pakistani Police Detain Afghan Immigrants
TOLOnews TV Network 3 Aug 2023 Some immigrants said that even though they had passports and visas, they were detained by the Pakistani police without any reason. The Afghan Immigrant Council in Pakistan announced the detention of more than 17 immigrants in Islamabad. Some immigrants said that even though they had passports and visas, they
Muttaqi Urges Envoys of Several Countries to Resume Activity in Afghanistan
TOLOnews TV Network 2 August 2023 Suhail Shaheen, said that the ground realities in Afghanistan and media reports abroad are contrary to each other. Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and his delegation in Qatar met ambassadors and representatives of a number of nations including the UK, the US, Spain, South Korea, the Netherlands, Italy,
Pakistan urges the Afghan Taliban to prevent militants from crossing the border and staging attacks
BY MUNIR AHMED Associated Press 2 August 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s prime minister on Tuesday asked neighboring Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to do more to prevent militants from crossing the border to stage attacks such as the massive suicide bombing earlier this week that killed dozens in a border region. The appeal came days after
Slowly and Carefully, the Taliban Are Reining in Jihadists
Antonio Giustozzi World Politics Review Aug 2, 2023 In early July, U.S. President Joe Biden stirred controversy by stating that al-Qaida no longer has a presence in Afghanistan—thanks, he suggested, to the Taliban. Responding to a question about a recently released State Department report that was critical of his administration’s handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan,
ISIS Affiliate Claims Responsibility for Deadly Attack at Rally in Pakistan
By Christina Goldbaum The New York Times 1 August 2023 The Islamic State affiliate in South Asia claimed responsibility on Monday for a suicide bombing in northwest Pakistan that killed dozens of people and injured about 200 more, in the latest bloody sign of the deteriorating security situation in the country. The death toll from the explosion
US Envoys in Doha Meeting Call for Islamic Emirate Policy Change
Sabria Abdal Tolo News 1 August 2023 According to the statement, US officials expressed “grave” concern regarding detentions, media crackdowns, and limits on religious practice. Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West and Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights Rina Amiri in a meeting with senior Islamic Emirate representatives in Doha, Qatar, urged
Taliban, US hold first official talks since Afghanistan takeover
Al Jazeera 1 Aug 2023 Two-day talks in Qatar’s capital focused on economy, human rights and narcotics trafficking, officials say. Taliban leaders have met officials from the United States in Qatar for the first time since their return to power in Afghanistan two years ago. A spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said
Professional Training Provided by Woman for Women
TOLOnews TV Network 30 July 2023 A businesswoman in the capital named Freshta Hashmi is providing work and professional training for more than fifty women. This businesswoman said that the purpose of creating this workshop is to support homeless women and students. Freshta Hashmi, who has been involved in small businesses for 7 years, now
Afghans awaiting US resettlement say they’re being deported from Pakistan back to the Taliban
NICK PATON WALSH AND MASOUD POPALZAI CNN July 28, 2023 at 3:04 AM Afghans who were promised a home in the United States after their country fell to the Taliban say they have waited so long for the US to process their applications that they are now being sent back to the enemy they fled.
US Envoys for Afghanistan Meet with Central Asian Nations’ Representatives
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 28 July 2023 Inclusive governance and women’s rights were discussed by the participants of the meeting. Two days before the Doha meeting, US special envoy Thomas West and US special envoy for Afghan women, girls and human rights, Rina Amiri, in Astana met with the representatives of five Central Asian countries
29.2M Afghans Will Need Humanitarian Aid in 2023: UNICEF
By Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 28 July 2023 Drought-like conditions, floods, insecurity, harsh winters, political and economic instability, and displacement, have increased recession in Afghanistan. In a recent report, UNICEF said 29.2 million people are projected to need humanitarian assistance in 2023 and over 15 million people are projected to be in crisis and
Bill to Refund US Citizens Aiding Afghan Evacuees Makes Progress in House
Gulalai Hakim Tolo News 27 July 2023 I’m so pleased the committee has passed this important legislation to repay Americans who stepped up to do the work the Biden administration failed to do A US House Foreign Affairs Committee press release said committee chairman Michael McCaul “applauds the passage of the bill to refund money
Islamic Emirate Says It Does Not Interfere With Aid Operations
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 26 July 2023 According to SIGAR, this law will prohibit the US State Department and American donor organizations from sending aid to the current government of Afghanistan. The Ministry of Economy rejected claims it is interfering with the operations of relief organizations. The deputy minister of economy, Abdul Latif Nazari, said
ICRC to Stop Supporting Govt Hospitals Due to Lack of Funds
TOLOnews TV Network 27 July 2023 The International Committee of the Red Cross said that it will stop supporting the Afghan governmental hospitals by the end of August 2023 due to a shortage in the budget. “In April of this year, the supply of medicine to 25 hospitals in Afghanistan was stopped by us, but
US officials to meet Taliban in Doha to discuss economy, rights
By Kanishka Singh Reuters July 27, 2023 WASHINGTON, July 26 (Reuters) – U.S. officials will meet Taliban representatives and “technocratic professionals” from Afghan ministries in Doha this week, the State Department said on Wednesday, adding they will discuss economic issues, security and women’s rights. No country has formally recognized the Taliban administration since the group returned
US officials to meet Taliban representatives in Doha
By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 26 Jul 2023 State Department says diplomats will discuss humanitarian issues, ‘critical interests’ with Afghan group officials. Washington, DC – United States diplomats will meet with Taliban representatives in Qatar this week, the US State Department has announced, in what will be rare, direct talks between Washington and the ruling Afghan
Taliban Shut Beauty Salons, One of Afghan Women’s Last Public Spaces
Christina Goldbaum The New York Time July 25, 2023 All women’s beauty salons in Afghanistan were set to close on Tuesday, officials said, as part of a Taliban administration announcement early this month that the women-only spaces were forbidden under Shariah law and caused economic hardship for grooms’ families during wedding celebrations. The closing of
Scholarships have helped displaced Afghan students find homes on university campuses across the US
BY JAMIE STENGLE Associated Press 25 July 2023 Dozens of Afghan students who fled their homeland when it came under Taliban rule have received scholarships to attend U.S. universities and many are nearing graduation. DALLAS (AP) — As the Taliban swept back into power in Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, Fahima Sultani and her fellow
Rich lode of EV metals could boost Taliban and its new Chinese partners
Gerry Shih and Lorenzo Tugnoli The Washington Post July 20 at 9:00 a.m. Correspondent Gerry Shih and photographer Lorenzo Tugnoli drove 15 hours from Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, along boulder-strewn roads to the remote northeast of the country to explore its lithium industry, hiking two hours up a mountain to reach the mine shafts. Shih is
Female Afghan judge wins legal battle to come to UK
Diane Taylor The Guardian Sun 23 Jul 2023 11.17 EDT ‘Overjoyed’ justice and son, who spent two years in hiding in Pakistan, reunited with family after landmark case A female Afghan judge who was in hiding in Pakistan after fleeing the Taliban has won a landmark right to sanctuary in the UK. The 53-year-old judge, whose true
Ultimate Goal is to Use Afghan Trust Fund to Recapitalize DAB: Mehrabi
Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 23 July 2023 According to Mehrabi, the $3.5 billion funds are not intended for humanitarian needs. Shah Mohammad Mehrabi, Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB)-Central Bank- supreme council member and board member of the Afghan Trust Fund in Switzerland, said that as a “trustee my role is to protect and preserve” the
FAO Says Widespread Drought, Harsh Winter Impacted Afghan Farmers
Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 24 July 2023 FAO requires USD $252.4 million to assist 8 million people in Afghanistan in 2023, the organization said. The Food and Agriculture Organization reported that “severe and widespread drought, in addition to an extremely harsh winter, have impacted farmers…” The FAO, referring to Afghanistan, said “with 80 percent
108 Contracts for Mine Extraction Signed in Last Solar Year
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 24 July 2023 According to Delawar, the Islamic Emirate is committed to establishing “justice, transparency and professionalism” in the mining sector. The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) said that at least 108 contracts to extract various mines were signed in 16 of 34 provinces during the last solar year. Acting
Heavy rains in Afghanistan and Pakistan unleash flash floods that killed dozens of people
Associated Press Published 4:06 AM EDT, July 23, 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — Heavy flooding from seasonal rains in Afghanistan killed at least 31 people and left dozens missing over the past three days, while in neighboring Pakistan 13 people died due to heavy rains and landslides. Shafiullah Rahimi, the ruling Taliban’s appointed spokesman for Afghanistan’s
US Would Have Attacked Afghanistan Even If Osama Had Left: Mawlawi Kabir
Fatima Adib Tolo News 21 July 2023 Mawlawi Kabir also said that the “Islamic Tahrik of Taliban under the command of Mullah Mohammad Omar Mujahid rose up and eliminated corruption.” The political deputy prime minister, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, said that the US and NATO would have attacked Afghanistan even if Osama bin Laden, founder of
EU Sanctions on Islamic Emirate ‘Not Beneficial to Any Side’: Mujahid
By Naveed Samadi Tolo News 21 July 2023 “Six individuals were listed over various forms of sexual and gender-based violence,” said the Council of the EU in a statement. Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid reacted to the European Union’s decision to sanction some leaders of the Islamic Emirate, saying that the move is “not beneficial to
Tory MPs try to oust Tobias Ellwood from defence role for praising Taliban
Aubrey Allegretti Senior political correspondent The Guardian Thu 20 Jul 2023 06.19 EDT Conservative MPs have launched an attempt to oust their colleague Tobias Ellwood as chair of the Commons defence select committee after he posted a video praising the Taliban for improving safety in Afghanistan. Ellwood had sought to draw a line under the row, saying
Exclusive: Audit fails to win U.S. backing for release of Afghan central-bank funds
By Jonathan Landay and Charlotte Greenfield Reuters July 21, 2023 WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD, July 21 (Reuters) – A U.S.-funded audit of Afghanistan’s Taliban-run central bank has failed to win Washington’s backing for a return of bank assets from a $3.5 billion Swiss-based trust fund, said two U.S. officials and a former U.S. official, a move that would help ease
The Taliban embrace cultural heritage
The Economist Jul 11th 2023 | KABUL Afghanistan’s rulers no longer want to smash up the country’s pre-Islamic riches Pondering the idolatrous When the Taliban barrelled into Kabul in August 2021, the curators of Afghanistan’s national museum stashed away its pre-Islamic treasures. During the Islamists’ previous spell in power, the Taliban minister of finance led an axe-wielding wrecking
Islamic Emirate Invited to Moscow Format Meeting
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 16 July 2023 Muttaqi asked the Russian ambassador to facilitate visas for Afghan businessmen and citizens. Russia’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Dmitry Zhirnov, in a meeting with the acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, asked Muttaqi to participate in the upcoming meeting of the Moscow format, which is going to be held
Commission: 15 Members of Previous Govt Returned in Past Week
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 16 July 2023 Meanwhile, some political figures who have returned to the country asked the current government to provide work to professionals in the country. The “Commission for the Return and Communications with Former Afghan Officials and Political Figures” said that in the past week, 15 members of the previous government,
With dreams, and caffeine, former Afghan pilot strives to bring family to US
BY HEATHER ROUSSEAU Associated Press July 15, 2023 ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — Gripping a wrench and pulling back with all his might, Tashmorad Qara loosened the heavy cap on a fire hydrant. When the water spouted, he took a sample, closed the hydrant at a Roanoke apartment complex, then he and his partner headed off
Afghan refugee: ‘I’ve spent two years living in a hotel’
By Jeremy Ball Correspondent, BBC East Midlands Today 12 July 2023 The UK government evacuated thousands of Afghan nationals in 2021 A refugee evacuated from Afghanistan says he now regrets leaving after living in a hotel for almost two years. Sami, whose name we have changed, and his family were among thousands evacuated to the
More Than 2.5M Afghan Immigrants in Pakistan: Afghan Consul
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 14 July 2023 Takhari said that they are trying to address the challenges of Afghan immigrants in Pakistan. The Afghan consul in Karachi, Abdul Jabar Takhari, said that more than 2.5 million Afghan immigrants are living in Pakistan, of whom 300,000 lack legal documents. Takhari said that they are trying to
Kabul Delegates Meet With Envoys of Several Countries in Indonesia
Mitra Majeedy, Tolo News 14 July 2023 The officials of the Islamic Emirate have always said that they want official and diplomatic relations with all countries, including neighboring countries. A delegation of the Islamic Emirate led by Maghforullah Shahab, Deputy Director of the First Political Directorate of the Foreign Ministry, met with chargé d’affaires and
Pakistan Claims Afghan Soil is Safe Haven for TTP
Gulalai Hakim Tolo News 14 July 2023 “This is the fact that we never permit anyone to use Afghanistan’s soil against other countries,” said Mujahid. Pakistani military personnel are claiming that Afghanistan is a safe place for TTP and other terrorists who shed the blood of Pakistanis. Inter-Services Public Relations Pakistan in a statement said
‘Like a jailhouse’: Afghans languish in US detention centres
By Brian Osgood Al Jazeera Published On 12 Jul 2023 Afghans fleeing deteriorating economic and humanitarian conditions find themselves with few pathways to seek refuge. The immigration detention centre was packed. There were more than 100 people in a single room meant to accommodate less than 20. A, an Afghan man who asked that his
EU Allocates 5.7M Euro to Dutch Committee to Support Afghans
Habib Rahman Qooyash Tolo News 12 July 2023 The Afghanistan Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock said that farmers and ranchers in Afghanistan need more help. The EU in Afghanistan said in a statement that the European Union provided more than €5.7 million in livelihood support to the Dutch Committee for Afghanistan to improve the lives
Teacher Training Center Shut Down by Islamic Emirate
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 12 July 2023 They expressed their concerns and urged the Islamic Emirate to review its decision. Instructors who were interviewed by TOLOnews confirmed that “Teacher Training Centers” have been dissolved. The Ministry of Education (MoE) in a letter which was released 6 days ago said that the instructors and employees of
US aid policies undermined success of Afghanistan mission, says watchdog chief
Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor The Guardian Tue 11 Jul 2023 08.11 EDT America’s huge, badly-coordinated and politically-driven aid programme in Afghanistan engendered the corruption that undermined its entire mission and turned Afghans away from the western coalition, according to the head of a US aid watchdog. “We did not really understand Afghanistan or how it worked as
Sopko Said Corruption ‘Undermined’ Foreign Effort in Afghanistan
Mitra Majeedy, Tolo News 11 July 2023 Wahid Faqiri, a political analyst, said that the US played an important role in the creation of corruption in Afghanistan. The US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), John Sopko said that corruption was the greatest challenge in Afghanistan and it “undermined” the US entire mission in
Kabul Suspends Swedish Institutions in Afghanistan Over Quran Burning
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 11 July 2023 In Afghanistan’s 15 provinces, at least one Swedish institution operates in the fields of education, health, child welfare, or other areas. The Islamic Emirate on Tuesday suspended all Swedish activities in Afghanistan in reaction to a Swedish citizen burning the Quran. Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid issued a
Guterres: Let’s Stand with Women, Girls Fighting For Their Rights
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 11 July 2023 In the meantime, some residents of the Kabul said that they do not have access to social services in the current situation. On World Population Day, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the need to support the rights of women and girls in the world. On Twitter Guterres
No discrimination in Islamic Emirate: Prime Minister
Kabul Times July 11, 2023 KABUL: Deputy Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate for Political Affairs Mawlavi Abdul Kabir met with a number of religious scholars, youths and influential figures of the country’s central province of Maidan Wardak, his office said in a statement Monday. In the meeting, Mawlavi Kabir said that the current
Aid group says 2 children died as families fled Taliban demolition of their Kabul shantytown
ASSOCIATED PRESS Published 7:08 AM EDT, July 11, 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — Two children died as scores of Afghan families fled a Taliban demolition this week of their shantytown homes in Kabul, an international aid group said Tuesday. The Norwegian Refugee Council said the demolition of the ramshackle settlement in the Pul-e-Shina area outside of
Journalists: Access Restricted to Timely Information From Interim Govt
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 10 July 2023 However, the Ministry of Information and Culture said that the Islamic Emirate is committed to providing information to journalists. Journalists complained about the lack of access to information, saying that the Islamic Emirate’s spokespersons are not providing information to them on time. “When we want to contact the
Islamic Emirate Urges Intl Community to Remove Sanctions
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 10 July 2023 With the Islamic Emirate taking over Afghanistan on August 15th, 2021, the Afghan assets in foreign reserves were frozen. The Islamic Emirate has once again called on the international community to remove sanctions, saying that it is needed to facilitate engagement between the Islamic Emirate and the international
An Afghan man who spent years helping US forces in Afghanistan is shot and killed in Washington
BY REBECCA SANTANA AND ELLEN KNICKMEYER Associated Press Published 5:22 PM EDT, July 7, 2023 WASHINGTON (AP) — At 31 years old, Nasrat Ahmad Yar had spent most of his adult life working with the U.S. military in Afghanistan before escaping to America in search of a better life for his wife and four children. He found
As Afghan schools remain closed for girls, mental health crisis builds
By Rick Noack The Washington Post July 7, 2023 KABUL — Psychiatrist Shafi Azim spent much of his career attending to the trauma caused by two decades of fighting, which ripped apart buildings and families. But over the past months, his hospital — Afghanistan’s primary mental health facility in Kabul — has filled with patients
60% of Primary School Aged Girls, 46% Boys Deprived of Education: UNICEF
Zabiullah Sarier Tolo News 7 July 2023 UNICEF said that Japan has provided $10 million to support the “continuity of children’s learning amidst a learning crisis in Afghanistan.” The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund said in a report that 60 percent of girls and 46 percent of boys of primary school age are currently
WFP Afghanistan Received Aid from Over 12 Countries in 2023: Spokesman
Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 7 July 2023 The donors include, Kropf said, “New Zealand as well from the European Union, Islamic Development Bank, the United Nations and private donors.” The spokesman for the World Food Program (WFP) in Afghanistan, Philip Kropf, said that they received contributions from more than 12 countries this year, but
Biden’s Comments on Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan ‘Divorced From Reality’: McCaul
Mujeeb Rahman Awrang Stanikzai Head of TOLOnews’ Online Department 7 July 2023 The Islamic Emirate reacted to McCaul’s statement saying that the al-Qaeda has no presence in the country. The House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul in a statement reacted to US President Biden’s recent remarks on al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, saying that “it is
Japan Seeks to Help Afghans, Engage With De Facto Authorities: Ambassador
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 6 July 2023 Japan is one of the countries which has provided various types of assistance to Afghanistan. The Japanese ambassador in Kabul, Takashi Okada, said that his country’s policy is to first help the Afghan people and to engage with the de facto authorities. He made the remarks in an
Muttaqi Meets With Charge d’Affaires of UK Mission in Afghanistan
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 6 July 2023 Last month, Robert Chatterton Dickson was appointed to serve as the British Embassy’s chargé d’affaires in Afghanistan. Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign minister, called for interaction with the current Afghan government, in a meeting with Robert Chatterton Dickson, the ad interim chargé d’affaires of the UK
Contracts for 4 Mines in Uruzgan Signed With Domestic Companies
TOLOnews TV Network 6 July 2023 Earlier, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MMP) said that it had handed signed contracts for two nephrite mines in Nangarhar to two Afghan companies. The spokesman for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, Homayoun Afghan, said they have signed contracts for four mines with four domestic companies. Three
Campaign Starts to Reopen Schools, Universities
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 4 July 2023 They said that they would keep campaigning until girls were allowed to attend schools and universities. University professors, women’s rights activists, and religious clerics have launched a campaign called “Education of Afghan Girls,” with the goal of reopening schools and universities for females in the country. The campaign’s
Afghanistan Discussed in 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organization Meeting
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 4 July 2023 Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said at the summit that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan will contribute to global peace, security and progress. Afghanistan was discussed during the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting, which was hosted by India and started in virtual form on Tuesday. The participants
UN Framework for Afghanistan Prioritizes ‘Most Vulnerable’: Haq
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 4 July 2023 In the meantime, Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy, said that the UN can play an important role in supporting the people of Afghanistan. UN Framework for Afghanistan Prioritizes Women, Minorities, Internally Displaced: Haq The UN will prioritize issues relating to women and girls, ethnic and religious
Taliban bans women’s beauty parlours in Afghanistan
Al Jazeera Published On 4 Jul 2023 Ministry confirms recent order asking salons to shut within a month in the latest curb to further squeeze women out of public life. The Taliban is banning women’s beauty parlours in Afghanistan, says a government spokesman, in the latest curb on the rights and freedoms of women and
Biden administration failed to foresee Afghanistan mayhem, review finds
By Michael Birnbaum and Dan Lamothe The Washington Post July 1, 2023 A State Department report released Friday faults the agency’s crisis management and awareness before and during the fall of Afghanistan, findings certain to be trumpeted by Republicans and other critics who have charged that bureaucratic lethargy played a significant role in the chaos
In Afghan hospitals, feeling abandoned by the Taliban — and the world
By Rick Noack Washington Post June 29, 2023 SHINDAND, Afghanistan — In the U.S.-built district hospital of Shindand in western Afghanistan, the surge in patients took doctors by surprise. As their wards filled up in recent months, they repurposed staff space to make room for more patients and resorted to prescribing single doses of drugs
WFP set to run out of money for food assistance to Afghans in October
By Charlotte Greenfield and Andrew Mills Reuters June 30, 202312:51 PM June 30 (Reuters) – Food assistance to Afghanistan will shrink to nothing by the end of October under current funding projections, the World Food Programme’s country director told Reuters on Friday, as United Nations officials continue to warn against funding reductions amid Taliban restrictions on women.
UN Announces 2023-2025 Strategic Framework for Afghanistan
Nazeer Shinwari TOLOnews’ Reporter 3 July 2023 Economists suggested that humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan should be continued. The United Nations has announced its Strategic Framework for Afghanistan for the period 2023-2025, outlining the priorities of the organization in support of the Afghan people. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement that
25 Political Figures, Officials Returned Last Month: Commission
TOLOnews TV Network 30 June 2023 According to the commission, hundreds of political figures and former officials have received forms to return to Afghanistan. The “Commission for the Return and Communications with Former Afghan Officials and Political Figures” said that at least 25 Afghans including political figures, former government officials and parliament members have returned
Islamic Emirate Called IEP’s Findings on Afghanistan ‘Unjust’
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 30 June 2023 All of these countries have been among the ten least peaceful countries for the last three years, according to the IEP. The Islamic Emirates reacted to the recent “Global Peace Index 2022” of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), saying that the findings regarding Afghanistan are “unjust”.
Kabul Urges Central Asian Neighbors to Return Aircraft
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 30 June 2023 The MoD spokesman Enayatullah Khwarizmi, said that the aircraft are the property of the people of Afghanistan. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) reiterated its call to Central Asian neighbors Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to return Afghan aircraft that were flown out by former Afghan military personnel during the collapse
Envoy of Afghan Mission in Geneva: Afghanistan Facing Dire Climate Change
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 29 June 2023 OCHA noted in the report that located in one of the most seismically active regions in the world, Afghanistan has a long history of earthquakes. Afghanistan is experiencing the most devastating impacts of climate change, according to the country’s envoy at the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting.
Mehrabi: Afghan Fund Has Earned $128 Million in Interest
Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 29 June 2023 Mehrabi added that the members in charge of the fund elected two new board co-chairs for the trust fund in their third meeting on June 26. Shah Mohammad Mehrabi, Central Bank supreme council member and board member of the Afghan Trust Fund in Switzerland, told TOLOnews that
India Says It Will Maintain Embassy in Kabul But Without Ambassador
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 29 June 2023 Political analysts said that improving relations between Afghanistan and India will be beneficial for both countries. The Minister of External Affairs of India, S Jaishankar, said that they have decided not to send an ambassador to its embassy in Afghanistan, but will keep the embassy open. Speaking at
In These Corners of Kabul, Western Influences Live On
By Christina Goldbaum The New York Times Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan June 29, 2023 While the Taliban have erased most obvious vestiges of the U.S. nation-building effort in Afghanistan, the cultural legacy of two decades of American occupation has been harder to stamp out. There’s a glimmer of the old Kabul hiding in the new
After Taliban bans opium, a guilt-racked commander winks at harvest
By Gerry Shih The Washington Post June 26, 2023 ACHIN, Afghanistan — Delawar Torkhan, flanked by rifle-toting soldiers, rounded up the opium farmers and spoke loudly enough to ensure he was heard by everyone: the cowering men, the quietly fuming women — above all, his commanding officer perched in a nearby SUV. “We told you
Potzel Calls for National Dialogue in Afghanistan
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 27 June 2023 In an interview with TOLOnews, Potzel urged the Islamic Emirate to remain committed to the pledges it has made to the international community. The UN deputy special representative for Afghanistan Markus Potzel called for national dialogue in Afghanistan and the formation of an inclusive government. In an interview
Beijing Expects Kabul to Take ‘More Solid Steps’ to Meet Intl Expectations
Mujeeb Rahman Awrang Stanikzai Head of TOLOnews’ Online Department 27 June 2023 She made the remarks in response to a question about China’s stance on the UN special envoy for Afghanistan’s latest report. Speaking at a press conference, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that Beijing hopes the Afghan interim government will take
Taliban official letter reinforces bar of female aid staff in southern Kandahar
Reuters June 23, 2023 KABUL, June 23 (Reuters) – Taliban authorities in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province ordered female aid workers this week to stop work on a refugee project, according to an official letter, reinforcing rules against women working despite exemptions sought by some organisations. The letter between departments of the ministry for refugees in Kandahar,
UN warns Taliban that restrictions on Afghan women and girls make recognition `nearly impossible’
BY EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press June 21, 2023 UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. envoy for Afghanistan warned the country’s Taliban rulers Wednesday that international recognition as the country’s legitimate government will remain “nearly impossible” unless they lift severe restrictions on women and girls’ education and employment. Roza Otunbayeva told the U.N. Security Council
Over 1,000 Afghan civilians killed since Taliban takeover: UN
Al Jazeera Published On 27 Jun 2023 The United Nations says it has recorded a significant number of civilians killed and wounded in attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover – despite a stark reduction in casualties compared with previous years of war and armed conflicts. In a report released on Tuesday, the UN’s mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) said
Afghan Girls Embittered Over Continued Exclusion From University
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 19 June 2023 They called on the Islamic Emirate to reopen the universities for female students. Female students expressed concerns about their uncertain future as they have been banned from going to universities for around six months. They called on the Islamic Emirate to reopen the universities for female students. “The
Participants at UNHRC Meeting Voice Concerns Over Afghan Human Rights
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 19 June 2023 The Islamic Emirate has yet to comment regarding the concerns of the participants of the UN Human Rights meeting in Geneva. The participants of the “1st Meeting – 53rd Regular Session of the Human Rights Council,” in Geneva expressed concerns about the human rights situation in Afghanistan. The
Taliban slams US report on rising threats in Afghanistan
Al Jazeera Published On 19 Jun 2023 Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says the country is enjoying its greatest stability of the past 40 years. The Taliban has rejected a United States watchdog’s report saying foreign armed groups and domestic security threats have increased in Afghanistan since the group took over the country in a blitzkrieg
The Taliban Government Runs on WhatsApp. There’s Just One Problem.
By Christina Goldbaum and Safiullah Padshah The New York Times Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan June 18, 2023 Late one night two months ago, a team of Taliban security officers assembled on the outskirts of Afghanistan’s capital to prepare for a raid on an Islamic State hide-out. As the zero hour approached, the men fiddled with their automatic
Zardari Calls for International Community’s Engagement with Afghanistan
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 17 June 2023 Zardari added that “simultaneously, Pakistan hopes that the Taliban authorities would be responsive to the expectations of the international community.” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called on the international community to maintain a pragmatic approach and constructive engagement with Afghanistan and provide support and assistance to
Cash-strapped Taliban selling tickets to ruins of Buddhas it blew up
By Rick Noack The Washington Post June 16, 2023 BAMIAN, Afghanistan — The three Taliban soldiers gazed down at the gaping hole in the 125-foot cliff where one of Afghanistan’s two great Buddha figures once stood and wondered aloud who was to blame for its destruction 22 years ago. “This is the identity of our
Taliban’s central-bank governor meets Chinese envoy to discuss banking ties
By Charlotte Greenfield Reuters June 16, 2023 June 16 (Reuters) – The Taliban’s acting governor of the Afghan central bank met China’s ambassador this week to discuss banking relations and business, the bank’s spokesperson told Reuters on Friday. Afghanistan’s banking system has been severely hampered by U.S.-led sanctions, a drop in liquidity from frozen central bank
UN in talks about possibly handing over Afghan teaching projects to Taliban
By Charlotte Greenfield Reuters June 15, 2023 June 15 (Reuters) – The U.N. children’s agency said it was holding discussions with Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban over “timelines and practicalities” for a possible required handover of its education programmes and that classes would continue in the meantime. Aid officials say that the Taliban had signalled international organisations could no longer
UNICEF: 16M Children Need Protection and Humanitarian Assistance
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 15 June 2023 The Ministry of Economics said that children in the country need humanitarian aid and support in the education sector. UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan Fran Equiza said that “16 million children” are in need of protection and humanitarian assistance. Fran Equiza added that in Afghanistan, children’s rights are eroded
ICRC: Unemployment has Damaged Lives of Millions of People in Afghanistan
Hadia Ziaei Tolo News 15 June 2023 The ICRC called on the international community and development organizations to resume investing in Afghanistan. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a report that the number of unemployed people has significantly increased over the past two years in Afghanistan. According to the report, “in
Yaqoob Mujahid Denies Internal Disputes Within Islamic Emirate
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 15 June 2023 The acting defense minister also mentioned US violations of Afghan airspace, saying that US has always done so. Acting Minister of Defense Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid denied claims of disputes within the Islamic Emirate and said that any disputes that harm the system do not exist in
Calls in Oslo for Islamic Emirate to Fulfill Commitments
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 14 June 2023 The meeting was also attended by envoys from the US, UK, Qatar, Italy, India and Pakistan. Participants at the meeting in Oslo, Norway on the Afghan situation stressed the need for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan and discussed the Islamic Emirate’s commitments to the international community as
Positive Steps Taken on Water Treaty: Tehran
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 13 June 2023 Kanaani also urged the Islamic Emirate to cooperate regarding the water rights. The spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, Nasser Kanaani, said that an agreement has been made and positive steps have been taken regarding the Helmand Water Rights Treaty Kanaani told a press conference that a delegation from
Blinken: ‘We Have Relocated More Than 97,000 Afghans to US’
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 13 June 2023 In the meantime, a number of Afghan refugees in the Abu Dhabi camp said that their fundamental desire is to be transferred to the US. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that overall more than 97,000 Afghans have been relocated to the United States. Speaking at a
Islamic Emirate Delegation Attends Meeting on Afghanistan in Norway
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 13 June 2023 The Norwegian Refugee Council meanwhile said that the meeting is a huge opportunity to discuss the challenges of Afghanistan. Norway’s foreign minister Anniken Huitfeldt announced the ministry “invited three people from the civil service in Kabul to participate in this year’s Oslo Forum,” adding “they are not from
UNSC Report: ‘Taliban Have Reverted to Exclusionary Policies of Late 1990s’
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 10 June 2023 Shaheen noted that no threat has been posed to any country from Afghanistan and that it will not happen in the future. An annual report by the United Nations Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team for the UN Security Council Committee has criticized what it considers the
At least 11 killed in Afghanistan mosque explosion
Al Jazeera Published On 8 Jun 2023 At least 11 killed and more than 30 others wounded in blast during memorial for former deputy governor of Badakhshan. An explosion near a mosque in northern Afghanistan killed at least 11 people at a memorial service for the Taliban’s provincial deputy governor, who died in an attack earlier this
Inside the Taliban’s war on drugs – opium poppy crops slashed
By Yogita Limaye BBC News, Afghanistan June 6, 2023 Balancing an AK-47 assault rifle slung around his left shoulder and with a large stick in his right hand, Abdul hits the heads of poppies as hard as he can. The stalks fly in the air, as does the sap from the poppy bulb, releasing the
West Meets with Head of Afghan Business Council in UAE
TOLOnews TV Network 9 June 2023 Sader Khail said that the two sides agreed they should work together to solve the problems Afghans are facing. Haji Obaidullah Sader Khail, head of the Afghan business council in the UAE, said that he met with the US special representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West and “spoke about the
US announces re-parole process for Afghan nationals in the country
Reuters June 8, 2023 WASHINGTON, June 8 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new process on Thursday that will enable Afghan nationals to renew their parole and continue to live and work in the United States. “The new process is streamlined and will be at no cost, and will provide
Halt to Education-Focused Intl Organizations Would Be ‘Step Back’: UN
Tolo News 8 June 2023 The UN secretary-general’s spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said the reported decision of the interim Afghan government to halt operations of organizations aiding Afghan education would be “horrendous”. Asked about UNICEF’s concerns regarding the possible halt to operations of international organizations aiding the Afghan educational sector, the UN secretary-general’s spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric,
At least 11 killed in Afghanistan mosque explosion
Al Jazeera Published On 8 Jun 2023 At least 11 killed and more than 30 others wounded in blast during memorial for former deputy governor of Badakhshan. An explosion near a mosque in northern Afghanistan killed at least 11 people at a memorial service for the Taliban’s provincial deputy governor, who died in an attack earlier this
Afghan women in mental health crisis over bleak future
By Yogita Limaye Afghanistan correspondent BBC News 5 June 2023 “I just want someone to hear my voice. I’m in pain, and I’m not the only one,” an Afghan university student tells us, blinking back tears. “Most of the girls in my class have had suicidal thoughts. We are all suffering from depression and anxiety.
OCHA: Afghans Needing Humanitarian Aid Rises to 28.8M
Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 5 June 2023 Economists said that there is a need for economic assistance to prevent a humanitarian crisis in the country. A new OCHA report said that the estimated number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan has increased to “28.8 million (up from 28.3 million at the
Nearly 80 primary schoolgirls believed poisoned in Afghanistan
The Guardian Associated Press Sunday, 4 June 2023 Nearly 80 girls were poisoned and hospitalised in two separate attacks at their primary schools in northern Afghanistan, a local education official said on Sunday. He said the person who orchestrated the poisoning had a personal grudge but did not elaborate. The attacks took place in Sar-e-Pul province
Budget for Afghanistan aid plan revised down to $3.2 billion
Reuters June 5, 2023 June 5 (Reuters) – The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have revised the budget for Afghanistan’s aid plan for 2023 to $3.2 billion, down from $4.6 billion earlier in the year, the U.N. humanitarian office said on Monday. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement
Aid group NRC resumes work with female staff in Taliban heartland
By Michelle Nichols Reuters June 5, 2023 UNITED NATIONS, June 5 (Reuters) – An international aid agency in Afghanistan has resumed operations in the southern province of Kandahar – the birthplace of the Taliban and home to its supreme spiritual leader – after its Afghan female staff were allowed to return to work. The move
EU-Central Asia Leaders Meeting Held
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 2 June 2023 “Common concern over the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan” was discussed. The Heads of State of Central Asia and the President of the European Council met in Kyrgyzstan and participants discussed the situation in Afghanistan in addition to exchanging views on general issues of security, connectivity, climate, digital, and
UN to Hold Meeting on Afghanistan Later This Month
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 2 June 2023 Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate said that custody of the Afghan seat in the UN should be given to the interim Afghan government. Lana Nusseibeh, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, said that the UN is planning a meeting on the situation in Afghanistan
US Senators Prepare to Introduce Bill Sanctioning Islamic Emirate
Fatima Adib Tolo News 1 June 2023 The Islamic Emirate said that the pressure will not bring any good results and that the US should focus on engagement instead of applying pressure. 19 US Republican senators on Wednesday were preparing to introduce a bill titled the “Taliban Sanctions Act” to impose sanctions on the Islamic
Australia’s ‘Trial of the Century’ Stains Its Most Decorated Soldier
By Yan Zhuang The New York Times Reporting from Sydney, Australia June 1, 2023 A judge ruled for newspapers that had been accused of defaming the soldier by reporting that he had committed war crimes in Afghanistan. The case had been called Australia’s trial of the century. And though it centered on a claim of
Australian soldier Ben Roberts-Smith loses war crimes suit
Al Jazeera Published On 1 Jun 2023 Highly decorated veteran Ben Roberts-Smith had sued for defamation after newspapers reported he had murdered civilians in Afghanistan. An Australian court has found that Ben Roberts-Smith, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery, probably killed unarmed civilians in Afghanistan as three newspapers reported in 2018. Roberts-Smith, a
Taliban supreme leader, Qatari PM hold talks in Afghanistan
Al Jazeera Published On 31 May 2023 The May 12 talks included a meeting between Taliban’s Haibatullah Akhunzada and Qatar’s Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The Qatari prime minister held talks with the Taliban earlier this month, signalling a new effort by the Taliban to end its international isolation since they took over Afghanistan nearly
Mohammad Nasir Akhund Appointed Finance Minister
TOLOnews TV Network Ahmad Wali Haqmal, a spokesman for the Finance Ministry, said that Mohammad Nasir Akhund has good experience in finance Based on the decree of the Islamic Emirate’s leader, Mohammad Nasir Akhund has been appointed acting minister of Finance. Ahmad Wali Haqmal, a spokesman for the Finance Ministry, said that Mohammad Nasir Akhund has
Afghan Women Who Aided U.S. Military Wait for Asylum in America
By Ava Sasani The New York Times Reporting from Westchester County, N.Y., and Dallas May 30, 2023 Members of the Afghan Army’s all-female platoon are some of the roughly 70,000 Afghans living in the United States whose temporary status has left them with an uncertain future. It was almost 3 a.m. in New York, but
Afghan Farmers Face Locusts, Flooding
TOLOnews 29 May 2023 According to the Ministry of State for Disaster Management, in one month, nearly 20,000 acres of agricultural land was destroyed The Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock said that the invasion of locusts, and flooding have seriously damaged the agricultural sector of the country. “We are witnessing another setback from locusts in
At Least Three Are Killed in Clashes on Iranian-Afghan Border
By Christina Goldbaum The New York Times May 29, 2023 The fighting comes amid rising political tension between the two countries over the flow of water from the Helmand River in Afghanistan into eastern Iran. At least three people were killed and several others injured after clashes broke out along the Iranian-Afghan border on Saturday
Kabul Does Not Want Tension With Anyone Including Neighbors: Karimi
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 29 May 2023 Since the Islamic Emirate swept into power, there have been many clashes with Iran—although the two sides stressed negotiations to solve the issues. Days after the armed disputes between the Islamic Emirate and Iranian border guards, Kabul said that it does not want tensions with any side including
At least three killed in shooting at Iran-Afghan border
Al Jazeera 29 May 2023 Several people were reportedly injured in the clash, which came amid tensions between the neighbours over water rights. Two Iranian border guards and one Taliban fighter have been killed after shooting broke out near a border post between Iran and Afghanistan, sharply escalating rising tensions between the two countries amid
Norway Refugee Council Chief Says European Envoys Should Return to Kabul
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 26 May 2023 He suggested that suspension due to the “Taliban’s policies” is politicizing humanitarian assistance. The Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, Jan Egeland, said that he is lobbying for his country’s ambassador — as well other European ambassadors — to return to Afghanistan. In an interview with TOLOnews’
‘War on women’: Taliban curbs on Afghan females a ‘crime’
Al Jazeera Published On 26 May 2023 Taliban crackdown on Afghan women’s rights could constitute gender persecution, Amnesty International and the International Commission for Jurists say. Rights groups have denounced severe restrictions imposed on women and girls by the Taliban in Afghanistan as gender-based persecution, which is a crime against humanity under international law. In
UN High Commissioner Criticizes ‘Repressive’ Policies Against Women
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 25 May 2023 Previously, the US State Department said that if the current Afghan government wants to be recognized by the world, it should remove restrictions on women. Following the reactions to the restrictions imposed on women in the country, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that
US Has Suspended Assistance Operations in Ghor: Miller
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh Tolo News 25 May 2023 This comes as the Ministry of Economy (MoE) said that the suspension of some aid by the US will damage Afghanistan. The US Department of State spokesperson said that Washington has suspended operations in Ghor province following “evidence of continued attempts by the Taliban” to divert assistance.
Aid chief says Taliban agree to consider allowing women to resume agency work in Kandahar
By Riazat Butt Associated Press May 25, 2023 KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The head of a major aid organization said Thursday that the Taliban have agreed to consider allowing Afghan women to resume work at the agency in the southern province of Kandahar, the religious and political center for the country’s rulers. The Taliban last
China And Qatar Seek to Invest in Gas, Oil Sectors: MoMP
TOLOnews TV Network 22 May 2023 According to the officials of the Mine and Petroleum Ministry, Qatar has good experience in oil extraction. The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said that China and Qatar are interested in investing in the oil and gas sector in the country. Homyaoon Afghan, a spokesman for the MoMP, said
Jennifer Lawrence brings documentary about Afghan women to Cannes
Tom Ambrose The Guardian Sun 21 May 2023 18.57 EDT Bread and Roses, co-produced by Lawrence, documents lives of three women after Taliban’s return to power A documentary about the lives of three women living under the Taliban, co-produced by Jennifer Lawrence, has premiered at the Cannes film festival. Bread and Roses, shown at a special
The U.S. Left Them Behind. They Crossed a Jungle to Get Here Anyway.
By Julie Turkewitz The New York Times May 21, 2023 Our journalists trekked with Afghan migrants as they traveled from South America to the United States. Taiba was being hunted by the men she had put behind bars. The death threats came as the Americans withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban marched across her country,
Travel Ban Affecting Relations With World: Mujahid
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 21 May 2023 Mujahid said that the issue will cause mistrust between Afghanistan and the international community. The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that the existing travel bans on the leaders of the Islamic Emirate will affect the interim government’s relations with foreign countries. Mujahid said that the
Students Call for Reopening of Universities for Women
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 20 May 21023 They said that many female students will pursue their education overseas if the ban continues. A group of students on Saturday called for the reopening of universities for women as five months have passed since the ban on higher education for female students. They said that many female
Iran Gives Afghanistan One Month to Resolve Iran’s Water Rights Issue
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 20 May 2023 The ambassador asked the current government of Afghanistan to take practical steps in this regard. Following the rise of tension over Iran’s water rights from the Helmand River in recent days, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, said the current Afghan government should clarify the issue
G7 Leaders Criticize Violation of Women, Girls’ Rights in Afghanistan
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 20 May 2023 The Islamic Emirate said that women’s rights have been respected in accordance with the Islamic Sharia and that an inclusive governance has also been formed. The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) in a statement criticized violations of human rights, particularly recent restrictions by the Islamic Emirate
GOP mulls how to make its Afghanistan oversight matter
By ANTHONY ADRAGNA Politico 05/19/2023 04:30 AM EDT Times, and the party’s base, have changed since the Benghazi investigation galvanized conservatives. House Republicans pushed their probe of the nation’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan to the brink this week, threatening to hold the secretary of state in contempt of Congress. Yet some of them aren’t convinced
Mes Aynak Artifacts Exhibited in National Museum
TOLOnews TV Network 18 May 2023 The ancient relics that were displayed in the National Museum date back to the Kushan Empire and Sasanian dynasty era. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan displayed more than a hundred historical relics from the Mes Aynak area in Logar at the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul on International
Chairman Says US House Committee ‘Will Do All It Can’ for Afghan Women
TOLOnews TV Network 18 May 2023 At the moment, women are not allowed to enroll in universities, nor are they allowed to work for non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, US Representative Michael McCaul, speaking at a discussion on Afghanistan, said the committee will do all in its power to
Qatar PM: Afghan People Need Intl Help to Avoid ‘Internal Crises’
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 18 May 2023 Earlier, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that Qatar has been trying to create a political path between Afghanistan and the international community. The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said that in his meeting with the German Foreign Minister Annalena
Aid Group Concerned Over ‘Humanitarian Crisis’ in Afghanistan
Asma Saayin Tolo News 18 May 2023 Analysts said that the situation might worsen if fundamental measures are not taken to address these issues. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in a new report expressed concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. According to the report, successive droughts and increasing
UK-based group documents rights abuses since Taliban takeover of Afghanistan with ‘witness map’
By RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press 18 May 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — A U.K.-based rights group on Thursday launched an interactive map documenting rampant human rights abuses and violence against civilians since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan nearly two years ago. The documented violations — committed by both the Taliban and militant groups such as
Who’s Maulvi Abdul Kabir, Afghanistan’s new Taliban-appointed PM?
By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 18 May 2023 Kabir has been associated with Taliban leadership since 2006, when Mullah Omar appointed him as a military commander. Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have appointed Maulvi Abdul Kabir, who played a key role in the 2020 Doha Agreement with the United States, as the country’s new caretaker prime
THE U.S. STILL OWES MONEY TO FAMILY OF 10 AFGHANS IT KILLED IN “HORRIBLE MISTAKE”
Alice Speri The Intercept May 17 2023, 1:42 p.m. Some survivors of the 2021 drone strike are struggling in California as they wait for the U.S. to make good on a promised condolence payment. NEARLY TWO YEARS after the U.S. killed 10 members of an Afghan family, including seven children, in a drone strike that prompted
US Representatives Concerned by Misuse of US Aid by Islamic Emirate
Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 17 May 2023 The letter was also signed by some other members of the House of Representatives. US Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in letter to the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) expressed concerns over the “Taliban’s misuse and diversion of US-funded humanitarian
Mawlawi Kabir Appointed Acting PM As Mullah Hassan Akhund is Ill: Mujahid
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 17 May 2023 51 years old, Mawalwi Kabir was born in Tangi village of Nahrin district of Baghlan province. But his ancestors are from Paktika. Mawlawi Abdul Kabir has been appointed acting head instead of Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund by the order of the leader of the Islamic
Qatar Seeking to Make Political Path Between Afghanistan, World
By Fatima Adib Tolo News 17 May 2023 On May 12, Al Thani arrived in Kandahar and met with officials of the Islamic Emirate including Prime Minister, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that it has been trying to create a political path between Afghanistan and the international community. Speaking to reporters, a spokesman
Women Without Male Breadwinners Work As Street Vendors in Herat
Naseer Ahmad Salehi Tolo News 16 May 2023 Thousands of families lost their members in the war of the past two decades. Dozens of older women sell clothes and other items on the street as they are faced with economic challenges from losing family members in conflicts in the past 20 years. Many of
China’s Belt and Road to Enter Afghanistan in Taliban’s Victory
Eltaf Najafizada and Ismail Dilawar Bloomberg May 7, 2023 at 2:09 AM EDT The Taliban agreed with China and Pakistan to extend the Belt and Road Initiative to Afghanistan, potentially drawing in billions of dollars to fund infrastructure projects in the sanctions-hit country. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
Locust outbreak in Afghanistan’s ‘breadbasket’ threatens wheat harvest
Lizzy Davies The Guardian Thu 11 May 2023 08.47 EDT With 20m people at the highest risk of famine for 25 years, farmers are desperately trying to kill the pests before vast swarms form The northern “breadbasket” of Afghanistan is battling a potentially devastating outbreak of locusts that threaten to eat their way through up
OIC: Agreements Signed for Projects for Afghanistan
By TOLOnews TV Network 14 May 2023 The OIC said that on May 12, 2023, an official ceremony was held by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Jeddah The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said in a statement that a series of agreements have been signed to carry out a group
Mujahid: Afghan Soil Will Not Be Used to Threaten Other Countries
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 14 May 2023 Political analysts said that such pressures will cause tension in the region. Zabiullah Mujahid, Islamic Emirate’s spokesman, reiterated that Afghan soil will not be used against anyone including regional countries. This comes as “The Express Tribune” cited sources saying that China has leverage over the “Afghan Taliban” and
Ban on Afghan Women in NGOs Affecting Aid Delivery: Niklasson
Mujeeb Rahman Awrang Stanikzai Head of TOLOnews’ Online Department 10 May 2023 Referring to the UN meeting in Doha, Niklasson said that the meeting was a welcome initiative by the UN to once more put Afghanistan in focus. The European Union’s Delegation in Afghanistan released a press statement by Tomas Niklasson, EU Special Envoy for
China, Pakistan urge Afghan aid be delinked from ‘political considerations’
By Ariba Shahid Reuters 8 May 2023 KARACHI, Pakistan, May 8 (Reuters) – China and Pakistan on Monday urged donors to bridge gaps in humanitarian funding for Afghanistan, saying aid should be delinked from “political considerations”. Aid to Afghanistan will drop sharply this year as donor countries seek to challenge curbs on female aid workers
Reluctant critic China urges Afghan changes on women’s roles
Associated Press 10 May 2023 BEIJING (AP) — China on Wednesday called on Afghanistan to reform its radical policies excluding women from education and public life and “adopt a more resolute attitude in combating terrorism.” The comments from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin came on the heels of a Pakistan-hosted mini-summit of China, Afghanistan and Pakistan that sought to
TOLOnews Interviews Isobel Coleman, USAID Deputy Administrator
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 9 May 2023 Coleman outlined the ongoing American assistance to the people of Afghanistan, especially for women and girls. In an exclusive interview with TOLOnews, USAID Deputy Administrator for Plans and Programming Isobel Coleman said that the current bans on women’s activity will harm Afghanistan’s economic future. She said the world
Students Call for Reopening of Girls’ Schools
By TOLOnews TV Network 9 May 2023 The Islamic Emirate has said that the closing of girls’ schools is temporary, but there has been no specific date of reopening provided. Schools above sixth grade in Afghanistan have been closed for females for nearly twenty months, but there has been no news about when they will
Female Afghan employees detained since Taliban ban, UN says
Al Jazeera 9 May 2023 ‘Discriminatory and unlawful measures’ restrict Afghan women’s and girls’ participation in public life, report says. Some Afghan women employed by the United Nations have been detained, harassed and had restrictions placed on their movement since being banned by the Taliban from working for the world body, the UN says. Afghanistan’s Taliban
GOP panel chair pressures Blinken on Afghan withdrawal document
COURTNEY KUBE AND ROSE HOROWITCH May 8, 2023 at 2:48 PM Elijah Nouvelage The House Foreign Affairs Committee chair has threatened to hold Secretary of State Antony Blinken in contempt of Congress if he does not turn over a classified cable reportedly warning that Kabul could collapse soon after the August 2021 U.S. withdrawal from
In TOLOnews Interview, German MEP Criticizes Restrictions on Women
Asma Saayin Tolo News 8 May 2023 Hannah Neumann urged the Afghan government to end restrictions on women and uphold the practical involvement of women in the social and economic spheres. Hannah Neumann, a German member of the European parliament, in an exclusive interview with TOLOnews emphasized that the participation of women in social and
MoI: ‘4000 Hectares’ of Poppy Fields Destroyed
Asma Saayin Tolo News 8 May 2023 Some farmers whose poppy fields have been destroyed asked the current government to provide them with alternative crops. The counter-narcotics department of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said that so far it has destroyed 4,000 hectares of poppy fields in the country. Hasibullah Ahmadi, head of the MoI,
UN urges Afghanistan’s Taliban to end floggings, executions
RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press May 8, 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — A U.N. report on Monday strongly criticized the Taliban for carrying out public executions, lashings and stonings since seizing power in Afghanistan, and called on the country’s rulers to halt such practices. In the past six months alone, 274 men, 58 women and two boys
Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to boost trade, lower border tensions
Al Jazeera Published On 8 May 20238 May 2023 The two neighbours ‘reaffirm their desire to pursue continuous and practical engagement’ in bilateral talks in Islamabad. Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban government have agreed to boost trade and lower tensions along their border amid a surge in attacks on Pakistani security forces, officials said. Pakistani Foreign
Russia Expects ‘Taliban’ to Form Inclusive Govt: Lavrov
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh Tolo News 6 May 2023 The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that they expect “Taliban leaders” to fulfill their promises on forming an inclusive government, “not only in terms of ethnic groups but also by ensuring the presence of the entire spectrum of Afghanistan’s political forces.” These promises, Lavrov said have “yet
Zardari: China-Pakistan Meeting Stressed Need for Afghan Stability
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 6 May 2023 Muttaqi attended the 5th China-Pakistan-Afghanistan Trilateral foreign ministers’ dialogue on Saturday. The Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that in the meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister, Qin Gang the two sides stressed the need for peace and stability in Afghanistan. This comes as the acting Foreign
US Assistance to Afghanistan ‘Does Not Benefit Taliban’: Spokesman
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 6 May 202 Earlier, SIGAR said that there were 133 access incident reports in January 2023. US State Department’s deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel at a press briefing responded to a question about the latest Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction report, saying “US assistance in Afghanistan does not benefit the Taliban.”
Pakistan set to host trilateral dialogue with China, Afghanistan
By Abid Hussain Al Jazeera Published On 6 May 2023 The meeting is taking place following the Chinese and Afghan foreign ministers’ arrival in Islamabad. Pakistan is set to host a day-long trilateral dialogue with China and Afghanistan in Islamabad after the arrival of the Chinese and Afghan foreign ministers, Qin Gang and Mawlawi Amir
India, Russia, Pakistan urge Taliban to respect rights of all Afghans
By Krishn Kaushik Reuters 5 May 2023 GOA, India, May 5 (Reuters) – The foreign ministers of India, Russia and Pakistan on Friday called for a representative government in Afghanistan and the protection of women’s rights, almost two years after the Islamist Taliban swept to power in Kabul. They were speaking at the day-long meeting
Participants of SCO Meeting Urge Kabul to Ensure Inclusive Govt
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 5 May 2023 Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that ensuring peace in Afghanistan is the key to peace in the region and the world. The foreign ministers of India, Russia and Pakistan on Friday called for a representative government in Afghanistan and the protection of women’s rights. They
Work Suspension Ends for Afghan UN Employees in Country
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 5 May 2023 The Ministry of Economy noted that UN can play a significant role in reducing poverty in Afghanistan. From April 5 to May 5 the UN told its staff not to show up for work as a result of the restriction on female employees working in UN agencies in
US State Dept Spokesperson’s Remarks on Recognition of Islamic Emirate
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 5 May 2023 Head of the Islamic Emirate’s Qatar based political office, Suhail Shaheen, said that the Islamic Emirate wants to be recognized by the international community The US Department of State’s deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said at a press briefing that there are several issues in Afghanistan that makes life
‘We can’t remain silent’: journalists refuse to give up despite Taliban terror
Ruchi Kumar The Guardian Thu 4 May 2023 05.00 EDT Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, one-third of journalists have left, while those who remain live with threats, attacks, unlawful detention and extortion Mortaza Behboudi, an Afghan-French journalist, had been drawn back to Afghanistan, which he had left aged 21, to report on the deteriorating humanitarian
Over 300 Media Outlets Closed in Around 2 Years
TOLOnews TV Network 3 May 2023 Several media representatives criticized what they consider the difficulties facing the nation’s journalists and media. On World Press Freedom Day, some media-supporting organizations said that more than 300 media outlets have shut down in Afghanistan in the past two years and that over 5,000 journalists have lost their jobs.
U.N. struggling to strike balance in Afghanistan amid humanitarian crisis
By Rick Noack The Washington Post May 3, 2023 DOHA, Qatar — Twenty months after the Taliban returned to power, the United Nations is struggling to plot a course that, in part, would address Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis without running afoul of Western countries seeking to pressure the government in Kabul to moderate its policies. Emerging
India-Iran Joint Statement Calls for Inclusive Afghan Govt
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 2 May 2023 The statement said that Iran and India support the establishment of an inclusive government in Afghanistan that involves all ethnic groups. India and Iran expressed concern over the humanitarian and economic situation in Afghanistan in a joint statement following a visit of India PM’s national security advisor Ajit
Karimi Dismisses Concerns Voiced in Doha Meeting of Terrorist Presence
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 3 May 2023 The meeting in Doha was held for two days and attended by representatives of more than 22 countries and organizations. The Islamic Emirate deputy spokesperson said that the concerns of participants at the UN meeting in Doha regarding the presence of the terrorists in Afghanistan are baseless. Speaking at a
Report: Taliban interfering with NGO work in Afghanistan
Associated Press 3 May 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — A Taliban fighter recently fired his rifle into the air at a food distribution event in Afghanistan, an example of their harassment of nongovernmental groups operating in the country, a report from a U.S. watchdog said Wednesday. The Taliban last December barred Afghan women from working at
U.N. Security Council Unanimously Condemns Taliban’s Treatment of Women
By Farnaz Fassihi The New York Times Published April 28, 2023 The resolution, an uncommon display of consensus on the Council, called for the Taliban to end their prohibitions on women working and attending school after sixth grade. In a rare show of unity, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on Thursday condemning the
Afghanistan: ‘Nothing we can do but watch babies die’
By Yogita Limaye Afghanistan correspondent BBC News 2 May 2023 Three-month-old Tayabullah is quiet and motionless. His mother Nigar moves the oxygen pipe away from his nose and puts a finger below his nostrils to check if she can feel him breathing. She begins to cry as she realises her son is fading. At this
UN chief says ‘not the right time’ to engage with Taliban
By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 2 May 2023 Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made the comments after a closed-door conference in Doha to build consensus on the challenges facing Afghanistan. Doha, Qatar – An international conference on Afghanistan organised by the United Nations has ended in the Qatari capital with no formal acknowledgment of the Taliban, and
UN holds crucial Afghanistan talks in Qatar, without Taliban
By Osama Bin Javaid Al Jazeera Published On 1 May 2023 Talks will include diplomatic envoys and aid donors as the UN plans to press the Taliban to ease restrictions on women. Doha, Qatar – The Taliban has not been invited to a United Nations-organised conference on Afghanistan in Doha, with the Afghan group governing the
UN agency: Afghanistan needs $4.62 billion in aid for 2023
By Rahim Faiez Associated Press/AP April 26, 2023 at 6:52 a.m. EDT ISLAMABAD — Afghanistan needs $4.62 billion in humanitarian aid from the international community this year for nearly 24 million people in need, the U.N.’s humanitarian affairs agency said. Afghanistan is facing its third consecutive year of drought, its second year of severe economic
Health Ministry: Malaria Increased by 45% in 2022
TOLOnews TV Network 25 April 2023 Meanwhile, some doctors at the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Kabul said that each day 2 to 3 malaria-affected patients come to the hospital. On World Malaria Day, the Ministry of Public Health said that in 2022 malaria cases increased by 45 percent from 2021 in Afghanistan. “In the last
Taliban kill mastermind of suicide bombing at Kabul airport
By FARNOUSH AMIRI, MATTHEW LEE, AAMER MADHANI and LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press 26 April 2023 WASHINGTON (AP) — A ground assault by the Taliban killed the Islamic State militant who spearheaded the August 2021 suicide bombing at the Kabul airport that left 13 U.S. troops and about 170 Afghans dead during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from
Review of Curriculum 50% Complete: Ministry
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 23 April 2023 It has been nearly two years since the Islamic Emirate has begun reviewing the curriculum. The Ministry of Higher Education said that the curriculum review is 50 percent complete. It has been nearly two years since the Islamic Emirate has begun reviewing the curriculum. “in total there are
Khalilzad Urges that Afghan Schools, Universities Be Reopned for Females
TOLOnews TV Network 24 April 2023 It has been more than one and a half years since schools have remained closed for girls in grades 7- 12. The former US special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, called on the relevant educational organizations to reopen schools and universities for girls and women in Afghanistan. The US
Leader: Non-Islamic Laws Will Never Be Implemented in Country
TOLOnews TV Network 23 April 2023 The leader of the Islamic Emirate in a part of his speech, asked the officials to implement justice equally among all. Audio reportedly of the Islamic Emirate’s supreme leader, Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, published on Twitter by the Islamic Emirate’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, included the leader saying that he would
Afghanistan has become a terrorism staging ground again, leak reveals
By Dan Lamothe Joby Warrick The Washington Post April 23, 2023 Less than two years after President Biden withdrew U.S. personnel from Afghanistan, the country has become a significant coordination site for the Islamic State as the terrorist group plans attacks across Europe and Asia, and conducts “aspirational plotting” against the United States, according to a
Islamic Emirate Denies Washington Post’s Report on Daesh in Afghanistan
Fatima Adib Tolo News 23 April 2023 The Washington Post cited a “classified Pentagon assessment that portrays the threat as a growing security concern.” The Islamic Emirate denied the report of The Washington Post saying that Afghanistan has become a significant coordination site for a Daesh group that plans attacks across Europe and Asia, and
Khalilzad Responds to Islamic Emirate Leader’s Eid Remarks
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 23 April 2023 The religious clerics said that modern education is essential for girls and women. Former US special envoy for Afghanistan’s reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad reacted on Twitter to the Islamic Emirate leader’s statement at the Eid ceremony “my order is valid when it is in accordance with Sharia; if it is opposed
On Eid, Afghans Grateful for Peace But Face Economic Hardship
TOLOnews TV Network 21 April 2023 Afghans across the country, including Kabul, celebrated the first day of Eid-al Fitr in a bit more secure environment than in recent times. The Office of the PM’s Chief of Staff said Eid prayers were held among senior members of the Islamic Emirate. According to the office, the words
Iran’s Raisi Stresses Need for Inclusive Govt in Afghanistan
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 21 April 2023 The political analysts believe that the formation of the inclusive government can solve the main problems of Afghanistan. Iran President Ebrahim Raisi stressed the need for an inclusive government representing all ethnic and religious groups in Afghanistan. Raisi made the remarks at an Iftar event with the
Any Discussion on Recognition Unacceptable for US: State Dept
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 21 April 2023 The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman said that recognition is the right of the Afghan interim government. The US Department of State’s deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said that any discussion at the UN meeting about recognition of the Afghan interim government would be unacceptable to Washington. Patel made the
Taliban recognition not a focus of Afghanistan meeting, says UN
By Michelle Nichols Reuters 20 April 2023 UNITED NATIONS, April 20 (Reuters) – A U.N.-convened meeting on Afghanistan next month will not focus on the possible international recognition of the Taliban administration, a U.N. spokesperson stressed on Thursday after comments by the deputy U.N. chief sparked concern and confusion. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set
Inspector General Says U.S. Aid May Be Flowing to the Taliban
By Karoun Demirjian The New York Times April 20, 2023 The special inspector general for Afghanistan’s reconstruction accused the Biden administration of blocking his efforts to track assistance. WASHINGTON — The top inspector general for Afghanistan accused the Biden administration on Wednesday of stonewalling his efforts to procure records about assistance to the country since
UNICEF in Afghanistan is ‘Committed to Stay and Deliver’
TOLOnews TV Network 20 April 2023 The UNICEF representative in Afghanistan said that 28 million people in Afghanistan, including 15 million children, are in need of humanitarian support. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that “amidst increasing restrictions on women’s and girls’ rights in Afghanistan, and in a shrinking humanitarian space, UNICEF is committed
UN Spokesman: Recognition of Afghanistan in Hands of Member States
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 20 April 2023 A spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, said that the current government has the right to be recognized by the world. Following the remarks of the UN deputy chief Amina Mohammed about the recognition of the Islamic Emirate, now the UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, in a press conference,
Millions close to hunger after WFP cuts food aid to Afghanistan
By Ruchi Kumar Al Jazeera Published On 20 Apr 2023 Six million Afghans, the UN food agency warns, are one step away from famine as it appeals for more funds for Afghanistan. Amina Mohammadi, a 34-year-old Afghan widow from the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, is among millions of Afghans reliant on rations provided by
Afghan economic hopes threatened by Taliban – UN
By Kelly Ng BBC News, Singapore 18 April 2023 Weak signs of recovery in Afghanistan’s economy are at risk of being undone by Taliban restrictions on women working for NGOs, the UN says. Donations to the UN are under threat of falling sharply because of the ban on Afghan women working for it, the United Nations
IOM: Two-Thirds of Afghanistan will Need Urgent Aid In 2023
Asma Saayin Tolo News 19 April 2023 The UN previously reported that 28 million people in Afghanistan need relief, of whom six million are at risk of famine. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a report that two-thirds of Afghanistan’s population will require urgent humanitarian assistance in 2023. IOM seeks to mobilize US$
UN Chief to Host Meeting on Afghanistan
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 19m April 2023 This comes as the UN warned earlier that it would be forced to pull out of Afghanistan if its female workers were not allowed to work. UN Dep. Secretary-General Amina Mohammed speaking at an academic event in the US said the UN plans to arrange a conference
Nearly 17,000 Female Staff Still ‘Active’ and ‘Getting Paid’: UNDP
Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 19 April 2023 The report said that there have been several improvements recently including security conditions, and “corruption has reportedly fallen.” The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said that 17,000 female staff members are not leaving the work force and they are working from home, and they will continue to be
UN says leaving Afghanistan would be ‘heartbreaking’
By MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN Associated Press April 18, 2023 UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations is ready to take the “heartbreaking” decision to pull out of Afghanistan in May if it can’t persuade the Taliban to let local women work for the organization, the head of the U.N. Development Program said. U.N. officials are negotiating with the
US watchdog ‘cannot assure’ Afghanistan aid not going to Taliban
By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 19 Apr 2023 Special inspector says oversight has been hindered by State Department’s ‘persistent refusal’ to provide information. The head of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has decried a lack of transparency from United States agencies that he said has made it impossible to determine if
Applicants Criticize Rise in Fees for Electronic IDs
TOLOnews TV Network 17 April 2023 This comes as the National Statistics and Information Authority said that the prices have increased due to a surge in operational expenses. Afghan applicants expressed criticism over the rising of electronic ID cards, saying that they have been asked to pay 500 Afs per one ID. They also urged the
Kazakhstan to Reopen Afghan Embassy, Consulate: Mullah Baradar
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 17 April 2023 In order to improve relations, the Islamic Emirate asked this high-ranking Kazakh official to receive the diplomats of the current Afghan government. The first deputy of the prime minister, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, said that Serik Zhumangarin, Kazakhstan’s deputy prime minister and Minister of Trade and Integration,
Taliban close education centers in southern Afghanistan
By RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press 17 April 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — Afghan authorities are closing education centers and institutes supported by non-governmental groups in the south until further notice, officials said Monday. The centers are mostly for girls, who are banned from going to school beyond sixth grade. The Education Ministry ordered the Taliban heartland
West Meets Qatar’s Prime Minister, Discusses Afghanistan
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 15 April 2023 “Qatar is a crucial partner as we seek to protect US interests, support the Afghan people and defend their rights,” West said. US special envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West, who is on a regional trip, met with Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and special envoy
Russia Calls for Establishing of Inclusive Government in Afghanistan
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 15 April 2023 The Russian foreign minister also expressed his concerns over the spread of “terrorist groups” and threats from Afghanistan. Russian Foreign Minister Russian Sergei Lavrov has said that the recognition of the current Afghan government is possible by establishing an inclusive government and respecting the rights of women and
PM’s Political Deputy Meets Kabul-Based Diplomatic Envoys
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 13 April 2023 For two years no country has recognized the Islamic Emirate, but some countries like Iran, UEA, and Turkey have accepted Islamic Emirate diplomats. The Prime Minister’s office said that considering the current situation, political and diplomatic agencies can continue their activities with full confidence in Afghanistan. One
OIC Delegation to Travel to Kabul
Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 13 April 2023 According to the OIC, the process of delivering aid to the people of Afghanistan will also be discussed. A delegation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will travel to Kabul to discuss various issues with the Islamic Emirate, including lifting the ban on women’s work, the organization said.
Former Afghan interpreter graduates from boot camp to become a Marine
BY JEFF SCHOGOL Task and Purpose PUBLISHED APR 12, 2023 Aformer Afghan interpreter who served with the U.S. Marines in his home country has earned the title of Marine. Marine Pfc. Aimal Taraki, who left Afghanistan after serving as an interpreter for U.S. forces, graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego on April 7, 2023.
Russia, China FM attend high-level conference on Afghanistan
Associated Press 13 April 2023 The top diplomats from Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan attended a conference Thursday that focused on ensuring regional security in light of the situation in Afghanistan. The foreign ministers of the four countries met in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and discussed the need to cooperate with Afghan authorities to maintain political stability
Taliban ban on Afghan women working for U.N. an ‘internal’ issue
Reuters 12 April 2023 KABUL, April 12 (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s Taliban administration has said forbidding Afghan women from working for the United Nations was an “internal issue,” after the global organisation expressed alarm at the decision and said it would review its operations there. In the Taliban administration’s first statement on the decision since the
Taliban aim to boost Afghan security forces, anti-aircraft capacity -army chief
By Mohammad Yunus Yawar Reuters 12 April 2023 KABUL, April 12 (Reuters) – Defence has received the largest share of funds in Afghanistan’s budget as the Taliban government aims to boost forces by a third and build anti-aircraft missile capacity, the army chief told Reuters in a rare interview to foreign media. The defence ambitions of
West Kicks Off Visit to Region to Discuss Afghan Situation
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 12 April 2023 This comes as some political analysts said that the meetings of the US special envoy have not been significantly effective. The US special envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West, is traveling to the UAE, Qatar and Turkey to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. In Doha, West will meet with
24 Million Afghans Need Humanitarian Assistance: Dujarric
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 12 April 2023 An economist, Shabir Basheeri said that the issue will cause a rise in poverty in Afghanistan. The UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that almost 24 million Afghans need humanitarian assistance. “UN national personnel – both women and men – have been instructed not to report to UN offices, with only
China Spells Out Its Position on Afghanistan
Mujeeb Rahman Awrang Stanikzai Head of TOLOnews’ Online Department 12 April 2023 China also vowed to provide assistance through bilateral and multilateral channels for the Afghan refugees. The embassy of China in Kabul shed light on 11 points that clarified the country’s position regarding Afghanistan. The point first, the embassy said in a statement, was
Taliban say there’s no obstacles for UN work in Afghanistan
Associated Press 12 April 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban’s chief spokesman said Wednesday there are no obstacles for the U.N. to function in Afghanistan, after they barred Afghan women from working at the global body. Last week, the country’s Taliban rulers took a step further in the restrictive measures they have imposed on women
Taliban ban on women has forced UN into ‘appalling choice’
Al Jazeera Published On 11 Apr 2023 UN says negative consequences of the crisis for Afghan people will be the responsibility of the de facto authorities. The United Nations is being forced to make an “appalling choice” about whether to continue operations in Afghanistan while the Taliban government bans women from working for the organisation. Taliban
In a Deadly Mountain Pass, a Tiny Hotel Is a Lifeline
By Christina Goldbaum and Yaqoob Akbary The New York Times April 9. 2023 SABZAK PASS, Afghanistan — The hotel is perched on the side of a mountain blanketed in snow. The ice-slicked road outside is treacherous. It stretches for miles in either direction through jagged peaks as it winds around the edges of cliffs and dips past
Afghanistan Ranked 4th in World Crime Index for 2023
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 10 April 2023 The World Population Review placed Afghanistan third for highest crimes rates in the world in 2022. Afghanistan ranked fourth among countries with the highest crimes rates in 2023 according to the World Population Review website. The report said that crime is present in various forms, including corruption, assassinations/contract killings,
UN Afghan Staff to Stay Home Another 26 Days: Source
By Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 10 April 2023 However, the Islamic Emirate has not yet commented on this. The suspension of work of the UN Afghan national staff in Afghanistan has been extended for another 26-days, a source privy to the issue told TOLOnews. The source said the Afghan employees of the UN will continue their
UN food agency: $800m urgently needed for Afghanistan
Associated Press 10 April 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — The U.N. food agency said Monday it urgently needs $800 million for the next six months to help Afghanistan, which is at the highest risk of famine in a quarter of a century. Aid agencies have been providing food, education and health care support to Afghans in
Taliban ban restaurant gardens for families, women in Herat
Associated Press 10 April 2023 KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban have banned families and women from restaurants with gardens or green spaces in Afghanistan’s northwestern Herat province, an official said Monday. The moves followed complaints from religious scholars and members of the public about mixing of genders in such places, he said. It was
State Department review of US withdrawal from Afghanistan includes far more findings than White House document
By Kylie Atwood and Jennifer Hansler CNN Updated 11:49 AM EDT, Fri April 7, 2023 In this photo from the US Central Command Public Affairs office, US Marines assist with security at an evacuation control checkpoint during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 20, 2021. Staff Sgt. Victor Mancilla/US Marines/US Central
UN Tells Afghan Staff to Stay Home Until Taliban Clarifies Ban on Female Aid Workers
Akmal Dawi Voice of America April 6, 2023, 6:53 PM FILE – Afghan women protest during a demonstration in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 26, 2022. The U.N. said April 5, 2023, it cannot accept a Taliban decision to bar Afghan female staffers from working at the agency. Afghan women and men who work for the U.N.
OIC Secretariat Has ‘Grave Concerns’ on Afghan Female UN Workers Ban
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 7 April 2023 The German mission for Afghanistan on Twitter said “we strongly condemn the Taliban’s” ban on women working for UNAMA. The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) called on the interim Afghan government to revisit its decision regarding barring Afghan female staff of the UN agencies
Afghanistan evacuation should’ve happened sooner, White House concedes
By Dan Lamothe and Karen DeYoung The Washington Post April 7, 2023 The White House said Thursday that it now prioritizes the early evacuation of Americans during security crises overseas, offering a tacit admission of fault two years ago in Afghanistan as the Biden administration provided Congress with long-awaited internal assessments of its chaotic response
UNSC to Discuss Women’s Employment in Afghanistan: Official
By Fatima Adib Tolo News 6 April 2023 A UN spokesman on Tuesday said that the organization will discuss the negative impacts of the decision with the Afghan Ministry of Foreign on Wednesday. The United Nations Security Council will have a discussion about women’s employment in Afghanistan on Thursday evening in response to the ban on
Taliban top spokesman Mujahid asked to work from Kandahar
Al Jazeera 6 April 2023 Zabihullah Mujahid asked to work from Kandahar in addition to Kabul in a move seen as an assertion of control by the Taliban chief. Zabihullah Mujahid, the main spokesman for Afghanistan’s Taliban administration, has been asked to work from the southern city of Kandahar in addition to the capital Kabul,
Taliban bars Afghan women from working for U.N., organization says
By Rick Noack and Haq Nawaz Khan The Washington Post April 5, 2023 at 12:32 p.m. EDT The United Nations said Wednesday that Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have banned Afghan women from working for the organization in the country, effective immediately, prompting strong condemnations and raising questions about foreign aid amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. In
Intl Community Must Help Afghanistan in Demining Efforts: Minister
TOLOnews TV Network 4 April 2023 “More than 4,150 identified hazards remain, posing a lethal threat to communities, in particular children,” OCHA said. The acting State Minister for Natural Disasters urged the international community to help Afghanistan in efforts to clear land mines and unexploded ordnance. Speaking at an event held to mark the International
UN concern after its female workers are ‘banned’ from working by Taliban
Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor The Guardian Wed 5 Apr 2023 07.49 EDT All staff in Afghanistan ordered to stay home for 48 hours to give officials time to negotiate with Taliban United Nations staff in Afghanistan have been ordered to stay at home for 48 hours to give UN officials time to persuade the Taliban
UN says its female staffers banned from working in Afghanistan
Al Jazeera 4 April 2023 The United Nations has reportedly asked all staff not to come to the office for 48 hours. The Taliban have issued an order to ban Afghan women employees of the United Nations staff from working throughout Afghanistan, according to a UN spokesman. Stephane Dujarric said this was the latest in
28.3 Million People in Afghanistan Need Humanitarian Aid: OCHA
By Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 4 April 2023 OCHA said that 28.3 million people in Afghanistan need humanitarian aid, of which 23% are women, 54% are children, and 8.3% of them are with severe disabilities. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that despite Afghanistan being the world’s largest and most
Russia to Convene Conference on Afghanistan in April
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 4 April 2023 The Islamic Emirate called for its inclusion in the meeting, saying that representatives of the Islamic Emirate should be invited to the conference. Russia has announced it will hold a conference on Afghanistan in Uzbekistan on April 13, and representatives of neighboring countries will attend. TASS reported that
Taliban carries out deadly raid on ISIL hideout in Afghanistan
Al Jazeera 4 April 2023 A police spokesman says an ISIL hideout in Nahri Shahi district was targeted and six fighters were killed. Taliban forces have killed six members of the ISIL armed group (ISIS) in Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province during an overnight raid, a Taliban spokesman said on Tuesday. The raid comes as the Taliban
Afghanistan Only Country That Bans Girls from Secondary School: HRW
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 3 April 2023 “Without educated girls and women, Afghanistan is facing a dark future,” HRW said. Human Rights Watch said on Twitter that Afghanistan is the only country in the world that bans girls from going to secondary school. “Without educated girls and women, Afghanistan is facing a dark future,” HRW said.
Trafficking of Military Equipment Abroad Prevented: MoD
By Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 3 April 2023 This comes as military veterans said the protection of military equipment is important for the country’s future. Officials at the Ministry of Defense said that they have prevented the trafficking of military equipment and weapons abroad over the last year. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense,
Three UK citizens held in Taliban custody in Afghanistan
Al Jazeera 2 Apr 2023 Non-profit group says charity medic, traveller and unnamed third man ‘being well-treated’ as UK foreign office seeks contact with them. Three British men, including a charity worker, are being held in Taliban custody in Afghanistan, a UK non-profit organisation says, and the UK foreign ministry says it is working to
USIP Expert Says Intl Aid to Afghanistan ‘Slipping,’ Changes Needed
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 1 April 2023 According to the ministry’s figures, there are now 360 NGOs operating in the nation, with the majority of them engaged in providing humanitarian help. William Byrd, a United States Institute of Peace (USIP) expert writing for the LAWFARE blog, said that international aid to Afghanistan is decreasing, and
Over 800,000 Afghans Returned From Iran Last Year: MoRR
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 1 April 2023 The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR), said that more than 800,000 Afghans returned from Iran over the last year. 400,000 of these immigrants have been forcefully returned to the nation, according to Abdul Mutalib Haqqani, the spokesperson for the ministry. The ministry added that these immigrants were
Taliban close women-run Afghan station for playing music
Associated Press 1 April 2023 JALALABAD, Afghanistan (AP) — A women-run radio station in Afghanistan’s northeast has been shut down for playing music during the holy month of Ramadan, a Taliban official said Saturday. Sadai Banowan, which means women’s voice in Dari, is Afghanistan’s only women-run station and started 10 years ago. It has eight staff,
A Shepherd, a Cook, a Palace Chef: Making Food With Less Under the Taliban
By Hannah Beech The New York Times Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan. March 31, 2023 In a time of famine and money shortages, meals are a rallying point — and a topic of worry — during a season of change in Afghanistan. The last lunch for the last president of Afghanistan was vegetable fritters, salad and
Women Describe Financial, Emotional Problems After Being Barred From Work
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 30 March 2023 Kabul residents said both men and women must work in order for the economy to thrive in the nation. Afghan women criticized restrictions on female employment, saying their economic difficulties are becoming increasingly dire. Farzia, a former employee for the Administrative Reforms Commission, said that since losing her
Girls Seek to Study Abroad as Universities Remain Closed to Females
TOLOnews TV Network 31 March 2023 It has been nearly one month since the start of the educational year, but female students have yet to be allowed to attend their universities. Female students said they are seeking education overseas after universities were closed to females. The students said that they have applied for scholarships
Muttaqi Says More Embassies Will Reopen in Kabul
Fatima Adib Tolo News 31 March 2023 This comes as political analysts said that the reopening of the embassies in Kabul will have a positive impact on the caretaker government. The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said that efforts are underway for certain countries to reopen their embassies in Kabul in
Political Deputy PM Meets With UNAMA Head in Kabul
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 31 March 2023 The office quoted the deputy PM as saying that the Islamic Emirate wants to engage with the international community. The political deputy PM, Abdul Kabir, met with UN special envoy Roza Otunbayeva, the Office of the PM’s Chief of Staff tweeted. The office quoted the deputy PM
Alarm after Taliban arrests girls’ school activist amid crackdown
By Ruchi Kumar Al Jazeera Published On 31 Mar 2023 Matiullah Wesa, an advocate for girls’ education in Afghanistan, is arrested as the Taliban cracks down on women’s rights activists. On the fifth day of the holy month of Ramadan, Matiullah Wesa, an advocate for girls’ and women’s education in Afghanistan, went to a neighbourhood mosque
In feud over Afghanistan exit, House panel subpoenas State Department
By Missy Ryan The Washington Post March 29, 2023 A senior U.S. lawmaker sent the State Department a subpoena for a classified diplomatic cable on Tuesday, escalating a standoff over the Biden administration’s exit from Afghanistan. The move by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, intensifies the dispute over a July 2021
Calls mount for Taliban to free girls’ education activist
Associated Press 29 March 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — Calls mounted Wednesday for the Taliban to free a girls’ education activist arrested earlier this week in Kabul, as a minister in the Taliban-led government defended the detention. Matiullah Wesa, founder and president of Pen Path — a local nongovernmental group that travels across Afghanistan with a
Afghans resettled in US fear being sent back as pathway to legal status stalls in Congress
Justo Robles in Sacramento The Guardian Tue 28 Mar 2023 06.00 EDT On the day he turned 24 earlier this month, Asmatullah checked the status of his asylum request online, hoping that an approval would be his birthday gift. When he realized that his case was still pending, he took a deep breath and looked up
Afghan girls struggle with poor internet as they turn to online classes
By Charlotte Greenfield and Mohammad Yunus Yawar Reuters 27 March 2023 Internet fails thwart Afghan girls’ online study KABUL, March 27 (Reuters) – Sofia logs in to class on a laptop in Kabul for an online English course run by one of a growing number of educational institutes trying to reach Afghanistan’s girls and women digitally in
Blast Near Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sparks Widespread Reactions
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 28 March 2023 Former President Hamid Karzai condemned the attack and called it against human and Islamic values. The blast near the Foreign Ministry in Malik Asghar Roundabout in downtown Kabul on Monday has sparked reactions from Afghan politicians and Kabul-based diplomatic missions. At least six people were killed and
Decker: US has Provided About $1.5 Billion to Afghanistan So Far
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 28 March 2023 According to Decker, Washington will continue its aid to Afghanistan to prevent a humanitarian crisis. The Chargé d’Affaires of the US Mission to Afghanistan, Karen Decker, said that in the past eighteen months the US has contributed nearly $1.5 billion in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Speaking at a
State Dept: Restrictions on Women Will Delay Kabul’s Intl Relations
TOLOnews TV Network 28 Marchn 2023 The Islamic Emirate said that the rights of women are fully secured in Afghanistan and other countries should not interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. The deputy spokesman of the US State Department said that Washington “deplores the edicts that the Taliban have promulgated regularly that fundamentally repress the right
UN says Afghan girls’ education activist arrested in Kabul
By RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press March 28, 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — An Afghan rights activist who has campaigned for girls’ education has been arrested in Kabul, the United Nations said on Tuesday. The U.N. mission in Afghanistan said Matiullah Wesa, founder and president of Pen Path — a local nongovernmental group that travels across Afghanistan
The Taliban needs to start an intra-Afghan dialogue but with who?
Obaidullah Baheer Lecturer of Transitional Justice at the American University in Afghanistan Al Jazeera Published On 28 Mar 2023 Inclusivity is important, but more important is not to bring back corrupt officials of the previous government. For the past year and a half, the Taliban has taken the international community and the Afghan population on
Islamabad Calls on Kabul to Take Action Against ‘Terrorist Entities’
TOLOnews TV Network 26 March 2023 The deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, Bilal Karimi, said that there is no threat from Afghan soil toward any country. Pakistan Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch called on the Afghan interim government to take steps against “terrorist entities and to ensure that they do not pose a threat to
McCaul Gives Monday Deadline to Blinken in Afghan Subpoena Threat
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 25 March 2023 Previously, Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson of the US State Department, said that the department is committed to cooperate with the committee’s work. The Republican chairman of the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday gave the State Department until Monday to produce documents related to
Calls Mount to Reopen Afghan Schools for Girls
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 25 March 2023 Several Kabul and Khost residents asked the Islamic Emirate to comply with the people’s demand to open schools for girls. Female students in Kabul said on the opening day of the 1402 academic year that they once again felt hopeless as a result of the closing of their
Taliban want control of more Afghan diplomatic missions
Associated Press 25 March 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban government is trying to take charge of more Afghan embassies abroad, a spokesman said Saturday, amid their continued international isolation because of restrictions on women and girls. The Taliban initially promised a more moderate rule after their takeover in August 2021, but instead imposed sweeping
Islamic Emirate Has Diplomats in 14 World Countries: Mujahid
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 24 March 2023 Some political analysts believe that the fate of Afghanistan’s diplomatic missions abroad will not be clarified until the Islamic Emirate is recognized. The Islamic Emirate has sent diplomats to at least 14 countries, a spokesman said, adding that efforts are underway to take charge of other diplomatic missions
GOP threatens to subpoena State Dept. for classified Afghanistan cable
By Missy Ryan, John Hudson and Dan Lamothe The Washington Post March 24, 2023 The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday threatened to subpoena the State Department over documents related to the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, raising the stakes in America’s ongoing reckoning over its chaotic exit in 2021. Rep. Michael
UK aid cuts could force closure of Afghan project supporting women and girls
Patrick Wintour The Guardian Fri 24 Mar 2023 Slashing funding to the programme from a promised £7m to just £1m sends a ‘stark message to the world’, says Save the Children The UK government has cut almost £6m in funding to a programme in Afghanistan supporting vulnerable women and girls. Save the Children said it has been
Mullah Badri appointed as Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank
The Kabul Times March 23, 2023 Mullah Badri was named as the acting Minister of Finance and Haji Mohammad Idris as chief of the country’s central bank in a cabinet meeting of the 1400 solar year. KABUL: Mullah Hedayatullah Badri was appointed as governor of Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), the country’s central bank on Wednesday,
US VP Harris ‘Deeply Saddened’ by Ban on Afghan Girls’ Schooling
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 24 March 2023 The US special envoy for Afghanistan, Rina Amiri, in an interview with CNN voiced concerns about the situation of Afghan women. US Vice President Kamala Harris said on that she is “deeply saddened by the one-year anniversary of the ban on girls’ secondary school attendance in Afghanistan, and
Work is Underway on Official Govt: Mujahid
TOLOnews TV Network 23 March 2023 However, the political leaders said that the official government is essential for the “proper” management of government departments. The Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that the lack of laws and a “few other issues” are the main obstacles ahead of the announcement of an official government. It has
Biden Says US Stands with Women in Afghanistan, Iran
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 23 March 2023 But the Islamic Emirate said that women’s rights is an internal issue of Afghanistan and that foreign countries should not interfere. US President Joe Biden said that Washington stands with women in Iran and Afghanistan “who are facing down violence.” Biden made the remarks in a White
Afghanistan school year starts without millions of teenage girls
Al Jazeera Published On 23 Mar 2023 Since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, only girls aged 12 and under have been allowed to go to school. Afghanistan’s schools have reopened for the new academic year, but hundreds of thousands of teenage girls remain barred from attending classes as Taliban authorities ban their attendance in secondary
Blinken promises review of Afghan withdrawal to Congress by mid-April
Reuters March 22, 2023 WASHINGTON, March 22 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told lawmakers on Wednesday that the State Department has been putting together a review of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and will share findings with Congress by mid-April. “We’ve now been spending time putting all of this together to make
US review of Afghanistan withdrawal to be released in April
By AAMER MADHANI and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press 22 March 2023 WASHINGTON (AP) — The results of the long-delayed government review of the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan will be released next month, the White House announced Wednesday, with Congress and the public set to see an assessment of what went wrong as America ended
4 Afghans Killed, Around 80 Wounded in Earthquake on Tuesday
Mohammad Amin Pacha Tolo News 22 March 2023 The earthquake also shocked Panjshir, Takhar, Kunduz, Panjshir, Laghman, Kabul and several other provinces as well as some regional countries. At least four people have been killed and around 80 others were wounded in an earthquake that rocked the northeast on Tuesday night, officials said. The United States Geological Survey
Magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes Hindu Kush in Afghanistan – GFZ
Reuters March 21, 2023 March 21 (Reuters) – An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said on Tuesday. The quake was at a depth of 184 km (114 miles), GFZ added. India’s ANI news agency reported that tremors were felt in the country’s
Interior Ministry: Nearly 200 People Arrested for Kidnapping in Past Year
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 21 March 2023 According to figures from the ministry, 44 citizens were released from kidnappers, while six people who were abducted were murdered. The Ministry of Interior said more than 100 abduction incidents were recorded in the nation in 1401 (the solar year), and close to 200 people were arrested in
UN Experts: ‘No Justification’ for Denial of Girls’ Rights to Education
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 21 March 2023 Female students have called on the Islamic Emirate to reopen their schools and universities. The UN experts said in a statement said that the “Taliban de facto authorities” have no justification to deny the right to education, on any grounds, including religion or tradition for girls in
MoD apologises for asking Afghans to get Taliban’s approval to come to UK
Danya Hajjaji The Guardian Sat 18 Mar 2023 17.47 EDT Citizens who worked with British government or helped army told to get necessary documents stamped by the authorities The Ministry of Defence has apologised after an investigation found Afghan applicants to a resettlement scheme were told they could only come to the UK if their documents were
Aid funding shortfall could push Afghans into famine – WFP
By Charlotte Greenfield Reuters March 20, 2023 KABUL, March 20 (Reuters) – A drop in donor funding could push parts of Afghanistan into famine this year, the World Food Programme said on Monday, adding that up to 9 million Afghans could be left without food aid after it had already had to slash rations. A
Qatar Hosts Meeting on Challenges Facing Education in Afghanistan
Mujeeb Rahman Awrang Stanikzai Head of TOLOnews’ Online Department 20 March 2023 Director for South Asia George Laria, and the Chief of Strategic Partnerships at Education Cannot Wait Organization Nasser Fakih also participated. Qatar hosted talks on the future of education in Afghanistan and the challenges and obstacles facing it, the Qatar foreign ministry said
Security Situation of Afghanistan in 1401 (Solar Year)
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 20 March 2023 According to government-provided numbers, more than a hundred Daesh fighters have been killed in these operations. The Islamic Emirate has conducted 70 military operations in the past year with the aim of suppressing the Khorasan branch of Daesh group in Afghanistan, officials reported. According to government-provided numbers, more
Afghanistan’s Domestic and International Political Challenges in 1401
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh Tolo News 20 March 2023 The Afghanistan consulate in Istanbul and the Afghan embassy in Tehran were handed over to the Islamic Emirate. At the turn of the solar year, no country has officially recognized the interim government of the Islamic Emirate, however, its diplomats have been sent to some consulates and
Taliban Militants Fed Up With Office Culture, Ready to Quiet Quit
BY SIMMONE SHAH Time MARCH 17, 2023 8:00 AM EDT Almost two years after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, the jihadists who transitioned from the battlefields to paper-pushing government jobs in the city are ready to quiet quit. The Afghanistan Analysts Network, a non-profit policy research organization working to increase the understanding of life in Afghanistan, released
Female entrepreneurs from across Afghanistan seek out foreign markets
By Ahmad Masih Noori and Lisa Barrington Reuters March 18, 2023, 8:09 AM KABUL/DUBAI Dozens of Afghan businesswomen took part in an exhibition in Dubai remotely this week to promote carpets, jewellery, dried fruit and other handmade goods as part of a push to access international markets after work options for women shrank in Afghanistan under the
Funding shortfall forces food ration cuts for millions of hungry Afghans
By Charlotte Greenfield Reuters 18 March 2023 KABUL, March 18 (Reuters) – The U.N. World Food Programme has been forced to cut rations to 4 million Afghans this month, it said in a statement late on Friday, due to a funding shortfall in the midst of the country’s severe humanitarian crisis. “Due to funding constraints,
Statement Signed By Over 70 Nations, EU on Afghan Women’s Rights
TOLOnews TV Network 19 March 2023 Political analysts and women’s rights activists called the ban on female’s education harmful for the country. More the 70 countries and EU representatives in a UN CSW statement said the ban on female education puts Afghan women and girls at increased risk of “gender-based violence, including child, early, and
Taliban officials must sack sons given government jobs
By Samuel Horti BBC News 19 March 2023 The leader of the Taliban has ordered Afghan officials to sack relatives they have hired to government positions. Hibatullah Akhundzada’s decree says officials should replace appointed sons or other family members – and refrain from hiring relatives in future. The Taliban dismissed some senior staff when they
China Plays Key Role in Afghanistan’s Peaceful Reconstruction: Alvi
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 18 March 2023 The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that Afghanistan’s security is now ensured and that neighboring nations have the chance to invest. Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi said that Beijing and Islamabad play significant roles in maintaining security and peace in Afghanistan. In an interview with China’s CCTV, Alvi
Daesh in Afghanistan Could Threaten US Interests in 6 Months: CENTCOM
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 17 March 2023 Meanwhile, the US democratic Senator Jack Reed said that the President Joe Biden pledged that Afghanistan will not become a harbor of terrorist groups. The head of US Central Command, Michael Kurilla, said that Daesh In Afghanistan will be able to attack American or Western interests outside
Kabul Reacts to UNSC Resolution on Afghanistan’s Situation
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 18 March 2023 Mujahid said the assessment should not be for producing propaganda against the system and based on false information. In response to the new UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution concerning the call for an “independent assessment to address the challenges in Afghanistan,” the Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid
Ministry of Vice, Virtue Says Govt Not against Women’s Rights
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 18 March 2023 Akif Muhajir, said that the Islamic Emirate is committed to upholding women’s rights in accordance with the Sharia law. The Ministry of Vice and Virtue said that some groups are attempting to portray the current government as an enemy of women’s rights and girls’ education. In a meeting
UN seeks independent ideas on tackling Afghanistan’s Taliban
By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press March 16, 2023 UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday calling for independent recommendations on how a united international community should address the enormous challenges confronting Afghanistan — above all the Taliban’s drastic curtailment of education and work for women and girls, but also
UN extends Afghanistan mission by another year
Al Jazeera 17 Mar 2023 The United Nations Security Council renews UNAMA and asks for recommendations on working with the Taliban-ruled country. The United Nations Security Council has renewed the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for another year while also asking for recommendations on the best way for the international community to continue its work
Defense Ministry: Force Consists of Over 100,000 Troops
Fatima Adib Tolo News 14 March 2023 The Islamic Emirate’s Ministry of Defense said that its forces have reached between 100,000 and 150,000 troops. The ministry’s spokesman, Enayatullah Khwarazmi, said that facilities and equipment have been provided for these forces, and their salaries will be paid at the designated time. “We have between 100,000 and
‘Talented’ Ex-Officials Will be Given Jobs If They Return : Commission
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 13 MMarch 2023 According to the commission, more than 500 people including ministers, governors and political figures have returned to the country. The “Commission for the Return and Communications with Former Afghan Officials and Political Figures” said that talented and honest former officials and political figures who return to Afghanistan will be provided with
Taliban health ministry launches annual polio vaccination drive
By Reuters Staff MARCH 13, 2023 KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan has launched its annual polio inoculation campaign aimed at reaching 9 million children, the health ministry said on Monday, the second year in a row the vaccination drive has taken place under Taliban rule. Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan are the last countries with endemic polio,
Islamic Emirate Reacts to UN Report
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 11 March 2023 The deputy spokesman of the foreign ministry said that the current government also wants good interactions with the world. The Foreign Ministry welcomed aspects of the report of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to the Security Council, particulary his call for the world to interact patiently with the
IPI Report: UNSC Expected to Renew UNAMA Mandate
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 11 March 2023 Several experts in international relations believe that UNAMA plays an important role in Afghanistan’s political, human rights, economic and social sectors. The International Peace Institute (IPI) said in a report that the UN Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in
Ban on Female Education in Afghanistan Continues to Spark Intl Criticism
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 11 March 2023 Although, the new academic year will start in the next two weeks, so far no new decision has been made to reopen girls’ schools. The US Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council, Ambassador Michèle Taylor, stated on Twitter that female students in Afghanistan face unacceptable restrictions
Blast in northern Afghanistan kills at least one
Al Jazeera Published On 11 Mar 202311 Mar 2023 An explosion during an award ceremony for journalists in Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province has killed at least one person and wounded eight others, according to a Taliban police spokesman. The explosion took place at the Tabian Farhang centre in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of the province, as
Afghan broadcaster airs rare all-female panel to discuss rights on Women’s Day
Reuters March 9, 2023, 4:37 PM EST KABUL, March 8 (Reuters) – Afghan broadcaster Tolo News on Wednesday aired an all-female panel in its studio with an audience of women to mark International Women’s Day, a rare broadcast since the Taliban took over and many female journalists left the profession or started working off-air. A
Female Medical Students Urge Islamic Emirate to Give Exit Exam
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 10 March 2023 The students said that they cannot make decisions about their futures if the exit examinations are not held. Female medical students from various faculties of private and government universities called on the Afghan interim government to determine their exit examination. The students said that they cannot make decisions
Kabul Calls on UN to Give Afghan Seat to Islamic Emirate
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 10 March 2023 The Islamic Emirate earlier appointed Suhail Shaheen, current head of the political office in Qatar, as Afghanistan’s UN ambassador. The Afghan caretaker government called on the UN to give the seat of Afghanistan to its designated ambassador. It has been more than 19 months since the Islamic
IS claim attack on senior Taliban governor in Afghanistan
RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press 10 March 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed the governor of Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province and two other people at his office. The regional affiliate of IS — known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province — is a key
Veterans give searing testimony on US withdrawal from Afghanistan at hearing
Lauren Gambino The Guardian Wed 8 Mar 2023 19.36 EST Witnesses described the chaos and panic of the 2021 US departure during the Republican inquiry, which had people in tears at times Military members and veterans of the Afghanistan war offered harrowing eyewitness testimony of the chaotic and deadly withdrawal from the country’s longest conflict, during an
UN warns of aid cuts over Taliban crackdown on women’s rights
By Michelle Nichols Reuters MARCH 8, 2023, 2:46 PM UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -The U.N. envoy in Afghanistan warned on Wednesday that a Taliban administration crackdown on women’s rights is likely to lead to a drop in aid and development funding in the country, where women fear being cut from public life as much as violent
Taliban governor of Afghanistan’s Balkh province killed in blast
Al Jazeera Published On 9 Mar 2023 Mohammad Dawood Muzammil’s killing comes a day after he met top government officials visiting from capital Kabul A bomb blast in Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province has killed three people, including its Taliban governor, police said. “Two people, including Mohammad Dawood Muzammil, the governor of Balkh, have been killed
Crestfallen, veterans demand accountability for Afghan exit’s failures
By Dan Lamothe The Washington Post March 8, 2023 at 7:05 p.m. EST House Republicans, vowing to scrutinize the Biden administration’s decision-making as the war came to a tragic close, signaled more hearings are in store Veterans of the war in Afghanistan pleaded with Congress on Wednesday, at times fighting through tears, to ensure there
Women Protest in Kabul for Right to Education, Work
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 8 March 2023 The female protestors issued a statement saying the current challenges against women should not be forgotten. Women held a protest in Kabul on International Women’s Day, calling for women’s access to education and work. The protestors called for the removal of restrictions imposed women in Afghanistan. “It is
UN: Afghanistan is world’s most repressive country for women
By RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press 8 March 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the country has become the most repressive in the world for women and girls, deprived of many of their basic rights, the United Nations said Wednesday. In a statement released on the International Women’s Day, the U.N. mission
UN Rapporteur Concerned by Afghan Human Rights Situation
TOLOnews TV Network 7 March 2023 Bennett also said that the existing restrictions on women and girls will affect the whole Afghan nation in the long term. The UN special rapporteur for Afghanistan Richard Bennett said that the “slide” of the human rights situation has accelerated in Afghanistan. Bennett presented his report about the human
Afghan Women and Girls Erased from Public Life: Guterres
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 7 March 2023 Guterres made the remarks at a session of the Commission on the Status of Women conference. The UN Secretary General António Guterres said that women and girls “are erased from public life” in Afghanistan. Guterres made the remarks at a session of the Commission on the Status
Barring of Women From University ‘Not Permanent’: Nadim
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 7 March 2023 Nadim said that there has been no drop in female instructors and directors’ salaries. The Minister of Higher Education, Neda Mohammad Nadim, said that the closing of universities for female students is a temporary decision and not permanent. Speaking at a graduation ceremony, the acting minister also stressed
Afghanistan: Hopes fade as universities reopen without women
By Barbara Plett Usher BBC News, Delhi March 7, 2023 Afghan universities have begun reopening after a winter break, but the new term is another painful reminder to young women of how their world is shrinking. The higher education ministry announced late last year that female students would be barred from returning to class, reversing policies
How an Afghan girls’ school principal fled the Taliban
By Mellissa Fung Al Jazeera Published On 5 Mar 2023 On a cold November day, Aqila Tavakali and her 14-year-old son brace themselves against an icy wind as they walk the several blocks from their temporary apartment to his new school. Abolfazl says goodbye to his mother at the corner, and Aqila watches as he
Anger grows over Afghan journalists still stranded by Home Office inaction
Mark Townsend The Guardian, Home Affairs Editor Sat 4 Mar 2023 Press members living under the Taliban, and living uncertain lives in Pakistan, must be given clarity say campaign groups Hundreds of Afghan journalists remain stranded in increasingly “dire” circumstances as frustration mounts over the UK government’s refusal to share the latest entry criteria for
Taliban’s persecution of women could be ‘crime against humanity’ – UN report
Reuters March 6, 2023 GENEVA, March 6 (Reuters) – The Taliban’s treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan could amount to a crime against humanity, according to a U.N. report presented on Monday at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The Taliban seized power in August 2021, drastically curtailing women’s freedoms and rights, including their
Niklasson: Islamic Emirate Should Prove Public’s Support With Forum
TOLOnews TV Network 6 March 2023 In response to a question on how could the “Taliban” show they have the support of the people of Afghanistan, Niklasson said: The European Union’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson, said that the “de facto” officials in Afghanistan need to prove they have the people’s support through an
If Plan Approved, Female Medical Students Will Take Exam: Council
Hadia Ziaei Tolo News 6 March 2023 Farnosh is a medical student and said that after years of education, she is now concerned about their final exam. The Afghanistan Medical Council said that after the approval of this council’s plan by the Islamic Emirate, the final exam for medical university will be taken by women.
Amnesty says Taliban must halt their abuses in Afghanistan
By RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press 6 March 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — A leading international rights group appealed on Monday for the U.N. Human Rights Council to address the ongoing, “relentless abuses” by Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, including severe restrictions on women and freedom of speech. Despite initial promises for a more moderate stance, the Taliban have
Afghanistan universities reopen but women still barred by Taliban
Al Jazeera Published On 6 Mar 2023 The university ban is one of several restrictions imposed on women since the Taliban stormed back to power in 2021. Male students have trickled back to their classes after universities reopened in Afghanistan following a winter break, but women remain barred by the ruling Taliban. The university ban is one of
Divorced and remarried, these Afghan women are outlaws under Taliban rule
By Susannah George The Washington Post March 5, 2023 Taliban law has voided thousands of divorces, experts say, and many remarried women are now considered adulterers KABUL — After her stepfather sold her into marriage at the age of 13 to support his drug habit, the young Afghan woman fought for years to escape an abusive
US’s West Not Optimistic Afghan Women Will Return to Classes This Month
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 4 March 2023 Thomas West is “frankly not hopeful” females will be allowed to attend classes in the new school year. The US special envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West, said that the Islamic Emirate’s promise to reopen schools and universities for women has not been fulfilled. In a special interview
Amnesty Intl Concerned By Human Rights Violations in Afghanistan
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 4 March 2023 Amnesty International called on the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent investigative mechanism in Afghanistan. Amnesty International expressed concerns over the violations of human rights in Afghanistan. Amnesty International called on the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent investigative mechanism in Afghanistan. “The United
US Congressman McCaul Seek Documents Related to Afghanistan Withdrawal
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 4 March 2023 The committee issued a letter saying that if the department’s noncompliance persists, the committee will be forced to proceed with “compulsory process.” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul once again called for information from the Biden administration about the withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan. The
Swiss-based trust holds second meeting to discuss plans for Afghan funds -trustee
By Charlotte Greenfield Reuters February 28, 2023, 9:50 PM EST KABUL, March 1 (Reuters) – The board of the Swiss-based trust fund managing some $3.5 billion in frozen Afghan central bank assets met for a second time last month, one of its trustees said, and discussed options for disbursing funds in line with achieving monetary
Islamic Emirate Leader Meets With Ministers, Clerics
Banafsha Binesh Tolo News 3 March 2023 According to Mujahid, the meeting was also attended by clerics from Kabul, Khost, Nangarhar and other provinces. The supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate, Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, met with the heads of the interior, foreign, and defense ministries as well as religious clerics and officials of several provinces,
29 Million Afghans Need Humanitarian Aid: Blinken
Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 3 March 2023 This comes as women’s rights activists and citizens urged the Islamic Emirate to facilitate women’s access to work. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that 29 million people in Afghanistan need humanitarian aid. In a video message marking the 75th year since the Universal Declaration of
West: US Engaging With Kabul Despite ‘Grave Concern’ With Policies
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 3 March 2023 However, the Islamic Emirate said that effective steps have been taken to maintain the relations between the two countries. The US special envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West, said Washington has not seen significant steps towards normalization with the Islamic Emirate. In a special interview with TOLOnews, West
Asylum seekers in Karachi tell of terror of being sent back to the Taliban and despair at being shackled and held in Pakistani jails
Shah Meer Baloch in Pakistan The Guardian Thu 2 Mar 2023 Pakistan crackdown on Afghan refugees leaves ‘four dead’ and thousands in cells Refugees are reportedly dying in Pakistani prisons, and children are being arrested and tied together with ropes, as a wave of detentions and deportations spreads fearamong the hundreds of thousands of Afghans who
Ned Price: Islamic Emirate Has Not Fulfilled Doha Agreement
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 2 March 2023 Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate said that it has fulfilled to Doha agreement, but America violated some points of the agreement. The spokesman for the US State Department once again accused the Islamic Emirate of violating the Doha agreement. Ned Price in a press conference said that Islamic Emirate
Poor U.S. planning in Afghanistan helped Taliban take over, watchdog says
By Ellen Francis The Washington Post February 28, 2023 A new government watchdog report details how poor planning in the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, after years of inadequate oversight, contributed to the rapid collapse of the Western-backed government as the Taliban closed in on Kabul. The report released Tuesday describes an “abrupt and uncoordinated” pullout in 2021 and
80 Afghan citizens dead in Italian shipwreck – Taliban foreign ministry
Reuters February 28, 2023 KABUL, Feb 28 (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s Taliban-led foreign ministry said on Tuesday that 80 Afghan citizens, including children, had died in Sunday’s shipwreck off the southern coast of Italy. Rescuers have so far confirmed at least 64 people were killed after a sailboat sank in heavy seas near Steccato di Cutro, a
Restrictions on Afghan Women Discussed at UN
TOLOnews TV Network 28 Feb 2023 UN special rapporteur for Afghan human rights, Richard Bennett, in a report expressed concerns over the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. The representatives of several countries at the meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva expressed concerns over the existing restrictions on Afghan women and
Dying Children and Frozen Flocks in Afghanistan’s Bitter Winter of Crisis
By Christina Goldbaum and Yaqoob Akbary The New York Times Feb. 28, 2023 QADIS, Afghanistan — When the temperatures plunged far below freezing in Niaz Mohammad’s village last month, the father of three struggled to keep his family warm. One particularly cold night, he piled every stick and every shrub he had collected into their small wood
Taliban: 2 senior IS members killed in Afghanistan
RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press 28 Feb 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — Two senior regional members of the Islamic State group have been killed in Afghanistan in recent weeks in separate operations by the Taliban security forces, a Taliban spokesman said Tuesday. Taliban forces killed Qari Fateh, the regional IS intelligence and operations chief, during a raid
Will China’s latest investment in Afghanistan actually work?
By Ruchi Kumar and Hikmat Noori Al Jazeera Published On 27 Feb 2023 While a deal to extract oil has raised hopes in the war-torn nation, experts warn of China’s sketchy record. The Taliban-run Afghanistan saw its first significant foreign investment last month when a Chinese firm signed a 25-year-long, multimillion-dollar contract to extract oil. Experts are
Enrollment Drops By 70% in Universities, Educational Centers
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 26 Feb 2023 The media director of the union, Mohammad Karim Nasiri, said that the number of participants has dropped by 70 percent. The union of universities and educational centers said that the recent restrictions on female education has severely affected the universities. The media director of the union, Mohammad Karim
The Taliban are digging an enormous canal
The Economist February 16, 2023 A mega-project in northern Afghanistan risks raising regional tensions Taliban officials have started talking up a new canal under construction in the arid north of Afghanistan. A video recently posted on YouTube shows shiny diggers roaring over sand dunes and workers from different ethnic groups toiling together. The Islamist regime says
Price: US, Pakistan Have ‘Shared Interest’ Against Terrorism in Afghanistan
Tolo News 25 Feb 2023 However, the Islamic Emirate said it considers intl concerns from the territory of Afghanistan baseless. The US State Department spokesman said that America and Pakistan have a shared interest in ensuring the Islamic Emirate live’s up to the commitments it has made. Speaking at a press briefing, the US State
Trade resumes as Pakistan, Afghanistan reopen Torkham crossing
Al Jazeera 25 Feb 2023 The closure of the key transit point between the countries left people and trucks carrying essential supplies stranded. The usual trade and movement of people between Pakistan and Afghanistan has fully resumed after the two sides reopened a key border crossing that was closed nearly a week ago by Afghanistan’s
Norwegian Institute Reports on Climate Change in Afghanistan
Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 24 Feb 2023 The report also said that the poverty was estimated to have impacted up to 97 per cent of the population in mid-2022. The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) released a report in which it highlighted the climate change effects coupled with the legacy of four decades
Report says donors ‘turning away’ from Taliban-ruled Afghanistan
By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 23 Feb 2023 A new report by the International Crisis Group warns against international donors cutting aid to Afghanistan in the wake of the Taliban’s curbs on women’s education and ability to work at NGOs, instead arguing for Western countries to find a “liminal space between pariah and legitimate
Judge Rejects Bid by Sept. 11 Families to Seize Frozen Afghan Central Bank Funds
By Charlie Savage The New York Times Feb. 21, 2023 A lawyer for the lead group of victim relatives who had sought $3.5 billion in frozen assets said they would appeal. WASHINGTON — A federal judge in New York on Tuesday rejected the effort by relatives of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks to seize
Pakistan defense minister in Kabul over shut border crossing
By MUNIR AHED and RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press 22 Feb 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s defense minister was in Afghanistan on Wednesday, meeting with officials there in an effort to resolve this week’s closure by the Taliban administration of a key border crossing between the two neighboring countries, officials said. Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif’s
US judge says 9/11 families not entitled to Afghan bank funds
Al Jazeera 22 February 2023 District judge says victims cannot seize bank’s assets since the US has not recognised the Taliban as a legitimate government. A United States judge has ruled that family members of victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks are not entitled to funds from Afghanistan’s central bank. In the ruling
Clashes Erupt on Durand Line at Torkham Gate
By Barakatullah Hasand Tolo News 20 Feb 2023 This comes as the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment said that the closure of the gate affects the country. Following the closure of Torkham gate, Islamic Emirate forces and Pakistani border guards engaged in a gun battle, according to local officials. There are currently no details available
Borrell: ‘Gender Apartheid’ Impacting Aid Operations in Afghanistan
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh TOLOnews’ Reporter 21 Feb 2023 Nearly two months have passed since the suspension of women’s work in non-governmental organizations in Afghanistan. Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said that the Islamic Emirate’s recent decision to suspend women’s employment has significantly impacted aid operations in
Afghanistan Earned 100 Billion Afs in Customs Revenue: Ministry
Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 21 Feb 2023 The new figure shows a significant increase compared to the previous year, according to the spokesman of the MoF, Ahmad Wali Haqmal. The Ministry of Finance announced that it earned 100 billion Afs in revenue from the custom offices over the past 11 months. The new figure
Traders troubled after Taliban shut Afghan-Pakistan crossing
By RIAZ KHAN Associate Press 21 Feb 2023 PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — The main crossing on the Afghan-Pakistan border remained shut Tuesday for the third straight day, officials said, after Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers earlier this week closed the key trade route and exchanged fire with Pakistani border guards. The closure has added to increasing tensions
Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan, Pakistan closed
Al Jazeera Published On 20 Feb 2023 The closing of the Torkham border crossing comes after relations between Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban and Pakistan deteriorated. Torkham, the main border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan, has been closed with residents of the area reporting hearing gunfire near the normally bustling border transit point. It was not immediately
Inside the Taliban campaign to forge a religious emirate
Story by Susannah George The Washington Post Feb. 18, 2023 KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the group quickly launched what officials called a “purification” campaign aimed at stripping the country of civil laws and institutions to build an entirely Islamic society. A year and a half later, the Taliban has gutted
Taliban bans contraception calling use a ‘western conspiracy’
Haroon Janjua The Guardian Fri 17 Feb 2023 Reports that fighters have threatened those issuing birth control medicines come as Afghan midwives and activists warn of impact on women’s health and rights Taliban fighters have stopped the sale of contraceptives in two of Afghanistan’s main cities, claiming their use by women is a western conspiracy
Germany Will Resume its Afghan Projects for Sake of Women: German Media
Mitra Majeedy Tolo News 17 Feb 2023 Economists said that funding for development projects by foreign countries is beneficial for Afghanistan’s self-sufficiency. According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, citing German authorities, Germany will fund its projects in Afghanistan as Afghan women will benefit from them. This media outlet said that Germany stopped almost all its projects
‘Efforts Continue to Resume World Bank Projects in Afghanistan’: MoF
Habib Rahman Qooyash Tolo News 17 Feb 2023 Economists said that the World Bank’s support for Afghanistan over the last 20 years has been crucial. The Islamic Emirate’s Ministry of Finance said that efforts are being made to resume World Bank projects in Afghanistan following David Malpas, the president of the World Bank, announcing that
Guterres Urges Attention to Education for Children in Crisis
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh News Reporter Tolo News 17 Feb 2023 Meanwhile, female students asked the Islamic Emirate to finalize its decision about reopening schools and universities for girls as soon as possible. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the dreams of 222 million girls & boys are being crushed by conflicts, displacement & climate chaos.
Former bodyguard arrested over shooting of Afghan female ex-MP
Reuters February 17, 2023 KABUL, Feb 17 (Reuters) – Afghan police have arrested the former bodyguard of a female member of parliament who was shot to death at her home in Kabul last month, the Taliban administration said on Friday. The case has raised concern about the security of women and led to calls from
GOP opens another investigation of Afghanistan withdrawal
By FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press 17 Feb 2023 WASHINGTON (AP) — Several Biden Cabinet members, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, received a letter Friday from House Republicans as they launched the second investigation into the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the chairman of the House Oversight Committee,
Tens of thousands of Afghans in U.S. could lose deportation protections unless Congress acts
BY CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ CBS News FEBRUARY 16, 2023 / 12:57 PM Washington — Tens of thousands of Afghan refugees who were evacuated to the U.S. after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 are at risk of losing their work permits and deportation protections this summer unless Congress acts, unpublished government data show.Fewer than 5,000 of the 77,000
Doctor? Engineer? As dreams fade, Afghan girls turn to madrasas
By Charlotte Greenfield, Mohammad Yunus Yawar Reuters FEBRUARY 16, 2023 KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) – In a chilly classroom in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban movement, teenage girls pore over Islamic texts as the disembodied voice of a male scholar emanates from a loud speaker. Pupils take turns to email questions
Muttaqi: 9 Million Students Studying in Schools and Universities
Metra Majeedi Tolo News 15 Feb 2023 Meanwhile, some women criticized the Islamic Emirate and said that they are concerned about the closing of schools and universities for women. The acting foreign minister at a ceremony marking the 34th anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet forces said that Islamic Emirate has made some progress and
US Urges “Taliban” to Uphold Pledge to Not Allow Afghan Soil to Be Used
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh News Reporter Tolo News 16 Feb 2023 Price made the remarks in response to a question asking about the UN report on al-Qaeda. A spokesman for the US Department of State, Ned Price, said that the “Taliban” made private and public commitments to not allow the territory of Afghanistan to be used as
Afghanistan remains primary source of terrorist threat for Central and South Asia: UN report
The Hindu February 15, 2023 United Nations It said that ISIL-K portrays itself as the “primary rival” to the Taliban de facto administration, with its strategic focus on Afghanistan and beyond in the historical Khorasan region Afghanistan remains the primary source of terrorist threat for Central and South Asia, with groups such as ISIL-K, Al-Qaeda
Ruling Taliban display rare division in public over bans
RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press Thu, February 16, 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — A rare public show of division within the ranks of Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban emerged in recent days when Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, a powerful government figure, gave a speech seen as implicit criticism of the movement’s reclusive supreme leader. The Taliban leadership has been
As Taliban Settle In, Kabul’s Green Zone Comes Back to Life
By Christina Goldbaum The New York Times Feb. 16, 2023 Walking down its streets a year ago was like wandering into the modern ruins of another empire come and gone from Afghanistan. Now, the Taliban have adopted the former diplomatic enclave as their own. Scattered across a neighborhood in central Kabul are the ruins of
China, Iran call on Afghanistan to end restrictions on women
Associated Press 16 Feb 2023 BEIJING (AP) — China and Iran have urged mutual neighbor Afghanistan to end restrictions on women’s work and education. The call came in a joint statement Thursday issued at the close of a visit to Beijing by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during which the two sides affirmed close economic and
Yaqoob Mujahid: We Should Always Listen to the People’s Legitimate Demands
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh News Reporter Tolo News 15 February 2023 Nearly 2 million people were killed and thousands more were left disabled during the former Soviet Union’s more than nine-year presence in Afghanistan. At a ceremony celebrating the 34th anniversary of the Soviet forces’ withdrawal, acting Defense Minister Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid said, “We should
Amiri Discusses Employment, Education of Afghan Women in Doha
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 15 Feb 2023 Abdul Salam Hanafi, the second deputy prime minister, stressed the need to strengthen educational institutions, during a seminar for academics at universities. The US special envoy for Afghanistan’s women, girls and human rights, Rina Amiri, said that nothing gives her more hope than seeing Afghans take the lead
NGO Concerned by Impact of Female Employees’ Ban on Children, Women
Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 15 Feb 2023 This comes as the WFP said that it will continue its aid to the people who deserve it in Afghanistan in 2023. The decree banning Afghan women from working for NGOs is causing many women and children to miss out on life-saving aid during the most severe
On Anniversary of Soviet Pullout, Afghans Recount Atrocities
Nasir Ahmad Salehi TOLOnews Reporter 15 Feb 2023 Abdul Salam Sadat, a resident of Nimruz province, said that Soviet soldiers killed 25 of his family members and his relatives. Some Afghans who witnessed the former Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan have traumatic stories of the brutality and terror of the Red Army. They said that
Taliban Refute Russia’s Terror Charges Against Afghanistan
Ayaz Gul Voice of America 15 Feb 2023 FILE – Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi speaks during a news conference in Kabul, Afghanistan on Sept. 14, 2021. ISLAMABAD — The chief diplomat in Afghanistan’s ruling Islamist Taliban has rejected as baseless Russia’s allegations that thousands of Islamic State militants have gathered in northern Afghanistan and
Ex-BBC Afghan journalists may be evacuated to UK after legal challenge
By Dominic Casciani Home and legal correspondent BBC News 14 Feb 2023 Eight Afghan journalists who worked for the BBC could be evacuated to the UK after a judge ordered ministers to reconsider their plight. The group has spent more than a year in hiding in Afghanistan after they were left behind during the August
Taliban forces kill 3 IS members in raid on Kabul building
Associated Press 14 February 2023 ISLAMABAD (AP) — Taliban intelligence forces killed three Islamic State group militants and arrested one in an overnight operation in the Afghan capital of Kabul, an official said Tuesday. The raid on a residential building targeted IS militants who organized recent attacks in the capital, said Khalil Hamraz, a Taliban-appointed
Afghan journalists win case against UK government over relocation
By Sam Tobin Reuters 13 Feb 2023 LONDON, Feb 13 (Reuters) – Eight Afghan journalists who worked for the BBC broadcaster won a legal challenge on Monday against Britain’s refusal to relocate them from Afghanistan, which they said put them at high risk of being killed by the Taliban rulers. The journalists’ lawyers told London’s High
Moscow Seeks to Form Regional Group of Nations to Influence Kabul
Imran Danish TOLOnews’ Reporter 13 Feb 2023 Kabulov added that Moscow is trying to create this approach and China has supported it. The Russian special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said that Moscow has proposed the creation of a new regional approach for Afghanistan. In an interview with THE WEEK magazine, Kabulov said that this
UNHCR Deputy Calls for Continued Aid to Afghanistan
By Imran Danish TOLOnews’ Reporter 13 Feb 2023 The Islamic Emirate welcomes the humanitarian assistance provided by the world community to Afghanistan. The UNHCR’s deputy high commissioner for refugees, Yumiko Takashima, said that humanitarian aid to Afghanistan needs to be continued. In an interview with TOLO News, Takashima said that ninety-eight percent of the people
Dozens of Radio Channels Stop Broadcasting in Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan
Ayaz Gul Voice of America February 13, 2023, 11:31 AM FILE – Students attend a class on-air at Radio Begum in Kabul, Nov. 28, 2021. Approximately 34% of radio stations have ceased operations since Afghanistan’s Taliban returned to power in 2021. ISLAMABAD — Economic hardship and media restrictions stemming from the 2021 return to power of
More Than 1000 Women Imprisoned in Afghanistan: Prison Authority
Asma Saayin Tolo News 12 Feb 2023 The head of this department said there are no political prisoners incarcerated and and 15,000 people have been released after their cases were investigated. The Directorate of Prisons Affairs said that out of 14,000 people imprisoned across the country, 1000 of them are women. Officials of this department
Females Will Get Jobs, Education Within Islamic Framework: Stanekzai
Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 12 Feb 2023 TOLOnews reached out to a professional who is at home now since the Islamic Emirate ordered a nationwide ban on female workers at NGOs. Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Mohammad Abas Stanekzai said that the Islamic Emirate will provide access to work and education to all citizens particularly
Pakistan Has Pledged Help With Visas for Afghans: Embassy
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 11 Feb 2023 According to representatives of the embassy, Islamabad pledged that after this Afghan immigrants would not be imprisoned in Pakistan. The Embassy of Afghanistan in Pakistan said that Pakistani officials have pledged to address the issues with issuing visas to Afghan citizens and to better facilitate this in the
The Azadi Briefing: A Diplomatic Exodus From Afghanistan
By Abubakar Siddique February 10, 2023 Welcome to The Azadi Briefing, a new RFE/RL newsletter that unpacks the key issues in Afghanistan. I’m Abubakar Siddique, a senior correspondent at RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi. Here’s what I’ve been tracking and what I’m keeping an eye on in the days ahead. A Taliban fighter stands guard after a blast
1000s of Afghans Who Helped UK Forces Remain Stranded: Report
Mujeeb Rahman Awrang Stanikzai Head of TOLOnews’ Online Department 10 Feb 2023 At this date, the report said that 72,269 applications were awaiting a decision. The UK House of Commons Defense Committee released a report on Afghanistan’s withdrawal, in which it highlighted the Doha agreement and fall of the former Afghan government; the evacuation and
US Deputy Envoy at UN Tells Kabul to Adhere to Counterterrorism Pledges
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh News Reporter Tolo News 10 Feb 2023 The spokesman of the Islamic Emirate said that efforts are ongoing to suppress this group in various parts of the country. Ambassador Richard Mills, Deputy Representative to the United Nations, at a UN Security Council meeting asked the current government of Afghanistan to adhere to
Afghans rush for airport on rumors of aid flights to Turkey
By Pamela Constable The Washington Post February 10, 2023 KABUL — In a startling echo of the chaotic scenes that followed the Taliban takeover 18 months ago, several thousand Afghans rushed toward the airport in the capital late Wednesday after rumors spread that planes were taking volunteers to Turkey to help with earthquake relief. The
An Artist Puts Kabul in a New Light (With Lipstick and Manicure)
By Ted Loos The New York Times Feb. 9, 2023 The Afghan-Canadian artist Hangama Amiri fled the Taliban as a child. Her new museum show reclaims space for women with colorful textile works. Hangama Amiri with two of her works, from left, “Setayesh, Beauty Salon” and “Mah Chehra Beauty Parlor,” both from 2022. The artist
China moves in on Afghanistan as relationship with Taliban grows: ‘We welcome Chinese investment’
By Chris Massaro Fox News February 6, 2023 The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 paved the way for China to move in and deepen its influence in the country and the wider region. While much of the international community has shunned the Taliban for its archaic policies, particularly toward women, China has little to say on the
‘No escape’ for Afghan girls forced out of education and into early marriage
Zahra Joya Thu 9 Feb 2023 02.00 EST The Guardian As the Taliban denies women access to any schooling, there has been a rise in students being married off to ease family poverty It is six weeks since the Taliban closed the door on girls’ education across Afghanistan and Zeina’s last vestiges of hope for her future
ISIS Threatens to Target Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan, UN Says
Eltaf Najafizada Bloomberg News February 9, 2023 Indian and Iranian missions also face ISIS’s threats Militant group has as high as 6,000 fighters in the region UNITED NATIONS Islamic State militants have threatened to target Chinese, Indian, and Iranian embassies in Afghanistan in an effort to isolate the Taliban from a handful of countries it
35 Universities to Stop Operating Due to Economic Challenges
Asma Saayin Tolo News 9 Feb 2023 Meantime, some female students at the university called on the Islamic Emirate to reverse their decision about women education. The public and private universities union said that due to economic challenges many institutions have stopped their activities. Officials of the Union said 35 universities will be closed if the
Putin Says Afghan Humanitarian Condition Has ‘Deteriorated’
Fatema Adeeb Tolo News 9 Feb 2023 The fifth multilateral meeting of security envoys was held on Wednesday in Moscow. The meeting lasted for two days. Russian President Vladmir Putin pointed out that the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan had deteriorated, with “four million” Afghans needing urgent emergency assistance. The fifth multilateral meeting of security envoys was
Pakistan to Taliban Chief: Rein in Militants
Agence France-Presse February 04, 2023 ISLAMABAD — Islamabad will ask the secretive supreme leader of Afghanistan’s Taliban to rein in militants in Pakistan after a suicide bombing killed scores of police in a mosque, officials said Saturday. Since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul, Pakistan has witnessed a dramatic uptick in attacks in regions bordering
Ministry: 164 Billions Afs Worth of Aid Arrived in Past 15 Months
Asma Saayin Tolo News 7 Feb 2023 Meanwhile, some economists believe that foreign assistance is crucial to preventing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. The Ministry of Finance said that in the past fifteen months more than one million tons of humanitarian aid worth 164 billion Afghanis has arrived in Afghanistan. This aid, according to the
Officials: Over 12,000 Imprisoned Across Country
Nazir Shinwari Tolo News 7 Feb 2023 “Treat the prisoners well, train them and teach them Islamic faith and religious issues,” said Khalil Rahman Haqani. Officials of the Directorate of Prisons Affairs said Tuesday that more than twelve thousand people are imprisoned across the country. Attending a ceremony to introduce the new uniform for military
Saudi Diplomats Leave Kabul, Relocate to Pakistan: Reuters
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh News Reporter Tolo News 7 Feb 2023 The Islamic Emirate said that the security of diplomats and embassies is better than before. Saudi Arabia’s diplomats left by air and relocated to Pakistan late last week due to warnings of heightened risks of attacks in the Afghan capital Kabul, Reuters reported citing a
Mehrabi Urges Central Bank to Defend $3.5B Afghan Assets in US Court
By Bibi Amina Hakimi TOLOnews’ Reporter 7 Feb 2023 The Islamic Emirate said that it will seek a legal approach to the release of Afghanistan’s assets if they are not freed. A member of the Afghan Central Bank’s supreme council, Shah Mehrabi, urged the Central Bank to engage with legal counsel to protect its assets