The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Taliban of “deliberately” targeting journalists and other media workers, including women in Afghanistan. The watchdog said in a statement that threats and attacks against journalists have increased sharply since the start of the negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

At least 26 Taliban members including three commanders were killed and 33 others wounded in an Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) operation in Faryab province on Friday night, Faryab police said in a statement. Air and ground operations were carried out in Gurziwan district, the statement read.

Conflicting reports have emerged around the apparent Afghan National Army Black Hawk helicopter crash in Helmand province on Wednesday night. According to the Ministry of Defense, the helicopter made an emergency landing in Nahr-e-Saraj district in the province after experiencing technical problems.

Afghanistan has risen to second on the UK’s International Rescue Committee’s annual Emergency Watchlist due to a triple threat of conflict, COVID-19 and climate change. In its latest report, issued on Tuesday, IRC said the number of people in need for 2021 nearly doubled compared to early 2020, and Afghanistan rose from sixth to second on the IRC’s Emergency Watchlist.

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hizb-e-Islami party, on Thursday said his party is going ahead with demonstrations in Kabul as government has not complied with the party’s demands, which include the release of Hezb-e-Islami prisoners, the integration of his forces within the security forces, and the government’s continued resistance to the peace process. Speaking at a press conference in Kabul, Hekmatyar […]

The Afghan National Security Directorate of Afghanistan (NDS) said Tuesday that the Taliban has no authority in making a decision in the Afghan peace process as the group is “taking orders from Pakistan.” The national spy agency claimed that Pakistan has called Taliban commanders to Peshawar and Quetta in preparation for the Taliban’s spring offensive. Briefing Afghan Senate members in […]

Pakistan’s intelligence agency has summoned the Taliban’s shadow governors and commanders to wage war in Afghanistan, said Nazar Ali Wahidi, the deputy head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), Afghanistan’s intelligence agency.

Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon on the second and the last day of the ninth Hearth of Asia – Istanbul Process conference in Dushanbe on Tuesday said the last four decades of conflicts in Afghanistan have shown that there is no military solution to the issue of Afghanistan except for diplomatic and political efforts. Rahmon said his country is in favor […]

“We have defeated the enemy.” The international community is scrambling to secure peace in Afghanistan, but the Taliban believe they have the upper hand — and are saying as much. The Taliban’s swagger is unmistakable. From the recent bellicose speech of their deputy leader, boasting of “conquests,” to sneering references to the “foreign masters” of the “illegitimate” Kabul government, to […]

Nine insurgents, including a Taliban commander, were killed in operations across three provinces, an official said. Taliban commander Mullah Dilbar was among those killed in operations spanning Jawzjan, Kunduz and Baghlan provinces, Police Zone 303 spokesman Lal Mohammad Ahmadzai said. Meanwhile, a Taliban commander Mullah Sayed was detained in the Khenjan district of Baghlan. During the operations, many explosive devices […]