Page 27 - Afghanistan

Watchdog for US aid to Afghanistan warns money could be flowing to Taliban

The watchdog for US assistance to Afghanistan warned lawmakers Wednesday that American aid to the country could be diverted to the Taliban as he accused the Biden administration of stonewalling his efforts to investigate. Unfortunately, as I sit here today I cannot assure this committee or the American taxpayer, we are not currently funding the Taliban, John Sopko, the Special Inspector for Afghanistan Reconstruction, testified to the House Oversight Committee. Nor can I assure you that the Taliban are not diverting the money we are sending for the intended recipients, which are the poor Afghan people. The stunning disclosure by Sopko comes as House Republicans are using the power of their new majority to hold the Biden administration accountable over its handling of the chaotic US withdrawal in August 2021. It also comes a week after the White House publicly released a 12-page summary of the results of the so-called hotwash of US policies around the ending of the nation's longest .

International community should address challenges in Afghanistan: US Envoy

The US Special envoy took to Twitter and stated that he attended the Afghan Future Thought Forum's gathering in Doha with heads of mission of key allies and partners on Friday

Taliban bans video games, music, foreign films in Afghanistan's Herat

Earlier this month, also in Herat, the Taliban closed restaurant gardens for women and families

No obstacles for United Nations to function in Afghanistan: Taliban

The Taliban's chief spokesman said on Wednesday there are no obstacles for the UN 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 and said that female Afghan staffers employed with the UN mission can no longer report for work. The ban is being actively enforced by the country's intelligence agency, which reports to the Taliban's leadership in Kandahar. The UN says it cannot accept the decision, calling it unlawful and an unparalleled violation of women's rights. It says women are crucial for the delivery of life-saving aid to millions of Afghans, and has instructed its national staff, male and female, to stay at home. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban-led government's chief spokesman and part of the supreme leader's inner circle, denied authorities were to blame for Afghanistan's many crises. The decision to bar Afghan women f

Taliban bans women from entering restaurants with gardens in Herat

The Taliban on Monday barred entry of families and women into restaurants with gardens or green spaces in Herat province, Afghanistan, reported Fox News.The decision came after religious clerics complained of mixing genders in such places. Afghan officials said that the curbs have been brought in place because of gender mixing or because women allegedly are not wearing the hijab. So far, the ban is applicable to restaurants with green spaces in the Herat province only.The outdoor dining ban only applies to establishments in Herat, where such premises remain open to men. Baz Mohammad Nazir, a deputy official from the Ministry of Vice and Virtue's directorate in Herat, denied media reports that all restaurants were off limits to families and women, dismissing them as propaganda, reported Fox News.He said it applied only to restaurants with green areas, such as a park, where men and women could meet. "After repeated complaints from scholars and ordinary people, we set limits and closed ..

Taliban ban restaurant gardens for families, women in Herat, says official

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 the latest in a slew of restrictions imposed by the Taliban since they took power in August 2021. They have shut girls out of classrooms beyond sixth grade and women from universities, most types of employment, including jobs at the United Nations. They are also banned from public spaces such as parks and gyms. Authorities say the curbs are in place because of gender mixing or because women allegedly are not wearing the hijab, or Islamic headscarf, correctly. The outdoor dining ban only applies to establishments in Herat, where such premises remain open to men. Baz Mohammad Nazir, a deputy official from the Ministry of Vice and Virtue's directorate in Herat, denied media reports that all .

Biden review blames Trump for 'chaotic' 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal

A U.S. review led by the National Security Council of the chaotic 2021 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan largely lays the blame on former President Donald Trump, saying President Joe Biden was severely constrained" by the decisions of his predecessor. The White House on Thursday publicly released a 12-page summary of the results of the so-called hotwash of U.S. policies around the ending of the nation's longest war, taking little responsibility for its own actions during some of the darkest moments of Biden's presidency. The administration said most of the after-action reviews, which were transmitted privately to Congress on Thursday, were highly classified and would not be released publicly. President Biden's choices for how to execute a withdrawal from Afghanistan were severely constrained by conditions created by his predecessor, the White House summary states, noting that when Biden entered office, the Taliban were in the strongest military position that they had been

UN in touch with India for food supplies to Afghanistan: Official

India and the World Food Programme signed an agreement last month to provide Afghanistan with 20,000 tonnes of wheat that would be sent through the Chabahar Port

UN Women chief Sima Bahous condemns Taliban ban on its female Afghan staff

"We will not replace our female workforce with men," she added

Taliban bans Afghan female employees of UN from work in eastern province

Female Afghan employees of the United Nations have been banned from working by Taliban authorities in eastern Afghanistan, UN officials said on Tuesday. The UN mission expressed serious concern after its female staffers were prevented from reporting to work in Nangarhar province. We remind de facto authorities that United Nations entities cannot operate and deliver life-saving assistance without female staff, the world body said in a tweet. Taliban spokesmen were not immediately available for comment and it wasn't immediately clear whether the ban extended beyond Nangarhar province. Despite initial promises of a more moderate rule than during its previous stint in power, the Taliban have imposed harsh measures since seizing power in 2021 as US and NATO forces were pulling out of Afghanistan after two decades of war. Girls are banned from education beyond sixth grade and women are barred from working, studying, travelling without a male companion, and even going to parks. Women mus

IED explosion kills child, injures 3 others in Afghanistan's Southern Zabul

An explosion in Afghanistan's Southern Zabul province left a child killed and three others injured, according to Khaama Press citing local sources

Afghanistan Vs Pakistan: Afghanistan lose 3rd T20I by 66 runs, win series

Pakistan won the 3rd T20I by 66 runs to prevent Afghanistan from a clean sweep, but Afghanistan won the series for the first time against Pakistan

Nine killed, 74 others injured due to floods in 23 provinces of Afghanistan

At least 9 people have been killed and 74 others have been injured due to flooding in 23 provinces of Afghanistan, TOLO News reported citing officials

Taliban urges for removal of officials from UN blacklist, says report

The Taliban has once again urged the United Nations (UN) to remove the names of its members from the blacklist

4.2 magnitude earthquake hits near Farkhar district in Afghanistan

An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 on the Richter scale struck 25 kilometers South of the Farkhar district of Takhar province in Afghanistan on Monday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported

Afghanistan beats Pakistan for first time in Twenty20 international cricket

Afghanistan defeated Pakistan in a Twenty20 for the first time on Friday after the latter was restricted to 92-9. Pakistan, without five rested frontline players including captain Babar Azam, struggled on a slow and low pitch at Sharjah Cricket Stadium against the Afghans, whose six bowlers shared all nine wickets. Afghanistan overcame falling to 45-4 in the 10th over to cruise home at 98-4 and win by six wickets with more than two overs to spare. Mohammad Nabi raised Afghanistan's first victory over Pakistan in five attempts over the past decade with a straight six over long off. Pleasure to win, as we've always lost against them by small margins, Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan said. Wearing Afghanistan colors and leading the team in a win is a proud achievement. We never know the wicket . . . (but the) mindset was . . . to adjust accordingly. Afghanistan has a chance at a first series win in the remaining two T20s on Sunday and Monday. None of the Pakistan batters could accele

Death toll from 6.5 magnitude earthquake in Pak, Afghanistan rises to 21

The death toll from a magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck much of Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan earlier this week rose to 21 on Thursday, after eight more deaths were reported in remote areas, officials said. Ten died in Afghanistan and 11 in Pakistan after the temblor rattled this South Asian region late on Tuesday. More than more than 130 people were reported injured when roofs of hundreds of homes collapsed. Most of the damage was reported in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan. Shafiullah Rahimi, a Taliban spokesperson for the Ministry of Natural Disaster Management, said the quake killed 10 there and injured 60. He said 800 houses were damaged across Afghanistan. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter of the magnitude 6.5 quake was 40 kilometers (25 miles) south-southeast of the district of Jurm in Afghanistan's mountainous Hindukush region, bordering Pakistan and Tajikistan. The quake struck 188 kilometers (116 miles) deep

EU condemns gender-based discrimination by Taliban in Afghanistan

Where activities cannot be continued in line with the EU's principled approach, the EU support to those activities will be reconsidered, the statement said

At least 3 killed, 44 injured after 6.8 magnitude quake jolts Afghanistan

The death toll stands at three after a powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.8 jolted Afghanistan on Tuesday, Khaama Press reported citing the Taliban-led Ministry of Public Health of Afghanistan.At least 44 people have been injured due to the quake, the strong tremors of which were also felt in Pakistan.However, the casualties may rise as the earthquake reported was powerful and felt in most parts of the country."There could be more casualties as the quake was so powerful in most parts of the country," including Badakhshan, Takhar, and Laghman provinces, Sharafat Zaman, a spokesperson for the public health ministry said to Khaama Press.Also, it is reported that the majority of fatalities and injuries occurred when people's homes' roofs fell in various regions of the nation. Furthermore, according to Shafiullah Rahimi, a spokesperson for the ministry in charge of disaster mitigation of the Taliban, two individuals died as a result of the earthquake in the province of Laghman, the Afghan .

Denial of women's right to education in Afghanistan not justifiable: UN

The denial of women's rights to education by the Taliban de facto authorities in Afghanistan has no justification on any grounds