Afghanistan InternationalJUI-P Leader Fazlur Rahman Calls for End to Debate on Changing Governments in Afghanistan
Fazlur Rahman, leader of Pakistan's JUI-P, urged an end to discussions on changing governments in Afghanistan and criticized Pakistan's historical regime-change efforts and alignment with U.S. policies against the Taliban. His comments highlight ongoing tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban over TTP militants.
ReliablePeace Jirga Planned Between Pakistan and Taliban to Ease Tensions
Pakistani sources report a peace jirga between Pakistan and the Taliban is planned, likely for March 31 in Peshawar, to foster mutual respect, call for a ceasefire and issue a joint declaration amid escalating tensions. A follow-up meeting is set for Quetta.
ReliableUK MPs Call for Support for Afghan Women and Opposition Unity
British parliamentarians attended a meeting organized by Women for Afghanistan at the UK House of Commons where they discussed the Afghan crisis, called for support for women, and urged unity among Taliban opponents.
ReliableIslamic Emirate Foreign Minister Holds Phone Conversation with UAE Counterpart
Islamic Emirate Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi discussed Afghanistan-US issues, the regional situation and Afghanistan-Pakistan developments with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, condemning US-initiated wars and stressing dialogue to resolve tensions with Pakistan.
ReliableTaliban Minister Meets Nuristan Tribal Elders on Road and Public Issues
Sheikh Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, Minister of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Wrong, met with Nuristan's governor and tribal elders to discuss local problems including road closures. Residents in eastern districts face shortages after nearly a month of closed roads, with officials citing natural causes while others attribute them to Pakistani shelling.
ReliableUzbekistan Says Excessive Water Withdrawal from Qosh Tepa Canal Could Create Risks
Uzbekistan's Water Resources Minister has warned that Afghanistan's large-scale water withdrawal from the Qosh Tepa Canal could harm Uzbek agriculture if it reaches four billion cubic meters. The canal project is currently on hold due to electricity shortages as the Taliban continue work on the 285-kilometer waterway to irrigate 580,000 hectares.
ReliableTaliban Arrest Two Social Activists in Herat for Demanding Reopening of Girls' Schools
The Taliban arrested two social activists in Herat for posting on social media in support of reopening girls' schools amid a nearly five-year ban on secondary education for girls.
ReliableTaliban Holds Armed Rally Against Pakistan in Khost Districts
Taliban fighters held an armed rally in Khost province's Zazi Maidan and Ali Shir districts against Pakistan, with participants chanting slogans, condemning attacks, and registering for potential jihad if ordered. Tribal elder Mukhtaruddin Jalalzai confirmed locals' readiness to fight upon Taliban instructions amid rising bilateral tensions.
ReliableFloods in Afghanistan's Badghis Province Kill Five, Cause Damage to Lands and Property
Floods in Badghis province killed five people, including a child, destroyed agricultural lands and caused financial damage, while heavy rains temporarily closed the Herat-Kandahar highway. The Farah River swelled but has returned to normal.
ReliableAfghanistan National Football Team Departs Myanmar for Saudi Arabia Match Against Syria
Afghanistan's national football team has left Myanmar via Thailand and the UAE for a ceremonial match against Syria in Saudi Arabia on Hamal 11, 1405. The team recently lost to Syria and Myanmar using a young squad amid a boycott by experienced players.
ReliablePakistan's Defense Minister Says Pressure on Taliban Will Continue Until Objectives Achieved
Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated that military pressure on the Afghan Taliban will continue until specific objectives are met, despite failed mediation attempts by countries including China, Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. He highlighted China's extensive influence in Afghanistan as potentially key to resolving the crisis.
ReliableWorld Vision Identifies Economic Collapse, Climate Shocks as Key Challenges for Afghan Families
World Vision Institute reports economic collapse, climate shocks, cash shortages, droughts, and environmental degradation as major challenges for Afghan families, leading to child labor, hunger, school dropouts, and protection risks. Restrictions on girls' education beyond sixth grade hinder nutritional awareness and deepen poverty and gender inequalities.
ReliableFormer Foreign Minister Atmar Urges Taliban Elders, Opponents to Unite via Emergency Loya Jirga
Former Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar urged Taliban elders and political opponents to resolve differences through an emergency Loya Jirga for national unity following Pakistan's March 16, 2026, airstrike on a Kabul drug rehab center that killed 143 people. He condemned the attack and criticized the international community and OIC for their silence.
ReliablePakistan's Airstrikes Against Taliban Escalate Month-Long Conflict
Pakistan and the Taliban administration in Afghanistan are engaged in a month-long conflict involving airstrikes, including a March 16 strike on a Kabul drug center that killed over 100 people. Former EU diplomat Michael Semple argues airstrikes alone won't solve Pakistan's issues with Taliban-sheltered TTP militants.
ReliableUK Court Sentences Afghan Refugee to 15 Years for Rape of 12-Year-Old Girl
A UK court sentenced Afghan refugee Ahmad Malakhel to 15 years in prison for raping a 12-year-old girl four months after his arrival in the country. The conviction relied on CCTV footage, a Home Office benefit card, and the victim's testimony.
ReliableTaliban Deputy Army Chief Visits Paktika Border Areas, Rejects Pakistani Advance Claims
Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense rejected claims of Pakistani advances in Paktika as baseless after Deputy Chief of Staff Mali Khan Sediq visited border areas to confirm full Afghan control. Some Afghan officials reported incursions and related incidents in Paktika and Nuristan.
ReliableTaliban Waives Visa Requirements for Iranian Truck Drivers Entering Afghanistan
Taliban authorities, by order of Hibatullah Akhundzada, have waived visa and road pass requirements for Iranian transit truck drivers entering Afghanistan via Islam Qala, aiming to cut transport costs and create jobs. Herat Governor Islam Jar oversaw implementation at the border amid reports of differing start dates between sources.
ReliableTorkham Border Crossing Closed to Afghan Migrant Deportations After Pakistani Guard Wounded
The Torkham border crossing was closed on Friday to the deportation of undocumented Afghan migrants after a Pakistani border guard was wounded in a cross-border attack from Afghan territory. Pakistani officials attributed the halt to Afghan aggression and security tensions with the Taliban.
ReliableUK Overturns Decisions on 884 Cases, Granting Residency to Former Afghan 'Triples' Soldiers
British ministers announced the overturning of decisions on 884 cases for former Afghan 'Triples' elite unit soldiers, granting them permission to stay in the UK under the 2021 resettlement program. The move follows a review of around 3,300 requests and confirmation of direct UK payments to the soldiers.
ReliableHuman Rights Watch Deems Pakistan Airstrike on Kabul Drug Treatment Center Illegal and Likely War Crime
Human Rights Watch has labeled Pakistan's March 16 airstrike on a Kabul drug treatment center illegal and potentially a war crime, reporting at least 143 killed with no evidence of military targets. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan claims higher casualties exceeding 400.
ReliableFamilies Search Coffins at Taliban Mass Funerals for Kabul Drug Rehab Center Airstrike Victims
Families in Kabul are searching coffins at Taliban-organized mass funerals for victims of a Pakistani airstrike on the Hope Camp drug rehab center, where the Taliban claims 411 deaths but the UN confirms 143. Pakistan denies hitting the center, citing nearby military targets, amid reports of missing and unidentified bodies.
ReliableStudent Warns of Depression and Child Marriages Among Afghan Girls Barred from Schools Under Taliban Rule
A Kabul-based student from the Women's Online University warns that girls banned from schools under Taliban rule are facing depression, despair and forced child marriages, worsened by limited access to online education due to poverty and internet shortages. UN Women links the education ban to rises in child marriage, labor and violence, amid international calls labeling the restrictions as gender apartheid.
ReliableMalaysian Prime Minister Says Country Examining Recognition of Taliban Administration
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said after a phone call with Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund that his country is examining recognition of the Taliban administration. He expressed support for de-escalating Taliban-Pakistan tensions through mediation by Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and pledged continued humanitarian aid.
ReliableUS House Foreign Affairs Chairman Criticizes Taliban Suppression of Women, Backs Crimes Against Humanity Probe
US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast criticized Taliban restrictions on Afghan women and girls during a committee session attended by female students from Afghanistan, backing a bill for the State Department to assess if they amount to crimes against humanity. Representative Randy Fine labeled the Taliban an evil regime for suppressing women.
ReliablePrime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Holds Telephone Conversation with Malaysian Prime Minister
The Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Mohammad Hassan Akhund, discussed regional tensions with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, with both expressing concern over attacks on Iran and calling for dialogue to resolve Afghanistan-Pakistan issues. Pakistan resumed military operations against targets in Afghanistan after the Eid ceasefire ended.
ReliableSecond Collective Burial Held for Victims of Airstrike on Kabul's Omid Center
Afghan officials held a second collective funeral and mass burial for victims of a Pakistani airstrike on the Omid drug rehabilitation center in Kabul, condemning the attack and calling for an international investigation. Officials reported 411 killed and 263 injured, though the UN confirmed 143 deaths, with some victims' bodies still missing.
ReliableOne Month of Pakistani Airstrikes on Afghanistan Sees Halt in TTP Attacks in Pakistan
One month after Pakistan began airstrikes across Afghanistan, killing hundreds including over 400 in one attack on a Kabul drug treatment center and displacing more than 100,000 people, the TTP has halted major attacks inside Pakistan. Ahmad Massoud and other critics attribute the situation to the Taliban's harboring of the TTP and other militant groups.
ReliableWomen in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Fear Spread of Taliban-Style Restrictions
Women in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province fear the spread of Taliban-style restrictions on women due to TTP threats, school bombings, and border displacements, drawing parallels to Afghan women's exclusion from education and work. Activist Nahid Afridi urged resistance to prevent societal harm.
ReliableTaliban Begins New Academic Year Without Girls for Fifth Consecutive Year
The 1405 academic year began across Afghanistan with a ceremony in Kabul, but girls above sixth grade remain excluded from secondary schools for a fifth consecutive year as the Taliban ministry announced education programs without addressing the ban.
ReliableTaliban Opponents Call for Afghanistan's Political System to Be Based on People's Vote
Taliban opponents have called for a political system based on the people's vote following a two-day meeting organized by Women for Afghanistan that also emphasized sovereignty, democratic governance, ethnic diversity and religious moderation. British parliamentarians attended the gathering, which called for further meetings to build national consensus.