Afghanistan Latest

The United Arab Emirates will organise an investor conference in Kabul, bringing together Emirati businessmen to explore economic opportunities in Afghanistan, according to Saif Mohammed Al Ketbi, the UAE’s Special envoy for Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, has acknowledged that some Taliban fighters have defected to extremist groups including ISIS and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The Swiss government has denied allegations that it is planning to deport Afghan asylum seekers based on their ethnicity, following media reports suggesting otherwise.

Local sources report that Noor Agha Haidar, the Taliban’s police chief in Ghor province, arrested and imprisoned at least 80 individuals during a recent visit to Pasaband district, allegedly on charges related to the cultivation of narcotic crops.

Robert Dickson, the United Kingdom’s chargé d’affaires to Afghanistan, has warned that the Taliban’s ongoing ban on women studying medicine is having a “Terrible” impact on the health of Afghan women and children.

The Taliban Prime Minister office has announced that a cabinet meeting was held on Monday to review a proposed national population census and assess key economic, social, and cultural issues.

The Taliban have deployed additional forces to Argo district in Badakhshan province amid growing unrest and protests by local residents. Sources report that more than 30 people have been arrested by the group as tensions escalate.

The Taliban’s Supreme Court announced on Tuesday that an individual in Paktika province has been flogged on charges of using counterfeit currency.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Refugees has reported that over 144000 Afghan migrants have returned to the country from Pakistan, Iran, and Türkiye since the beginning of April.

The Taliban administration has imposed a ban on the publication and broadcast of images of living beings in local media across Panjshir province, in line with the group’s interpretation of Islamic law.

Trade between Iran and Afghanistan has grown significantly since the Taliban’s return to power, according to Mahmoud Siadat, head of the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the second case of polio in Afghanistan in 2025, with the latest infection reported in the southern province of Helmand. The organisation did not release additional details about the case.

A Taliban delegation led by Abdul Haq Akhund, Deputy Interior Minister for Counter-Narcotics has travelled to Qatar to engage in discussions on counter-narcotics efforts and to explore avenues for expanded cooperation with Qatari officials.

A group of Shia political activists and clerics has urged the Taliban to seriously address the long-standing concerns of the Shia community in Afghanistan.

Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has indefinitely postponed a planned Loya Jirga, Afghanistan’s traditional grand assembly, due to internal disagreements among the group’s top leadership, sources have told Afghanistan International.

Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban’s political representative in Qatar, has welcomed discussions around granting the group Afghanistan’s seat at the United Nations, describing Taliban representation at the UN as both a “necessity” and a “right.”

As tensions intensify between India and Pakistan, the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declared its neutrality, stating that Afghanistan maintains “positive” relations and shared interests with both neighbouring countries.

Sources in Kabul have told Afghanistan International that a recent directive from Taliban supreme leader to downsize security forces and government staff has caused significant discontent within the group’s own ranks, particularly among members of the security institutions.