Taliban

Pakistan, Afghanistan clashes enter 3rd day as diplomatic efforts intensify

Diplomatic efforts gathered pace late on Friday as Afghanistan said its foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, spoke by telephone with Saudi Arabia's Prince Faisal bin Farhan about reducing tensions

Afghan Taliban open to talks after Pakistan bombs Kabul, Kandahar

Targets in the capital Kabul and the city of Kandahar, where Taliban leaders are based, were hit, signalling a stark rupture in ties between the Islamic neighbours

Afghanistan sets lighter penalty for wife-beating than animal fights

A new penal code issued by decree in Afghanistan sets harsher punishments for the mistreatment of animals than for domestic violence against women and solidifies into law inequality based on gender and social status. The decree, which was signed by Afghanistan's Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada in January, "defines several crimes and punishments that contravene Afghanistan's international legal obligations," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said Thursday in remarks to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. He urged Afghan authorities to rescind the decree. Comprised of 119 articles, the 60-page Decree No. 12 lays out penalties for women who visit their relatives without their husband's permission, and allows husbands and the heads of households to determine and mete out punishment in their own homes. "It provides for the use of corporal punishment for numerous offences, including in the home, legitimising violence against women and children," Turk said. "And it ..

Pakistan strikes Kabul, other provinces hours after Afghan retaliation

Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Kabul and two other Afghan provinces early Friday, Afghanistan's government spokesman said, hours after Afghanistan launched a cross-border attack on Pakistan in the latest escalation of violence between the volatile neighbours that made a Qatar-mediated ceasefire appear increasingly shaky. At least three explosions were heard in Kabul, but there was no immediate information on the exact location of the strikes in the Afghan capital, or of any potential casualties. Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistan also carried out airstrikes in Kandahar to the south and in the southeastern province of Paktia. Afghanistan said its military launched its attack across the border into Pakistan late Thursday in retaliation for deadly Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border areas Sunday, and claimed to have captured more than a dozen Pakistani army posts. Pakistan's government, which had described last Sunday's airstrikes as an attack on militants ...

Politics@2025: Fault lines & turning points, the moments that shaped India

From terror and unrest to diplomacy, power shifts and ideological milestones, the moments that shaped India this year

India calls for pragmatic engagement with Taliban: Ambassador to UNSC

India told the UN Security Council that it calls for a pragmatic engagement with the Taliban as New Delhi underlined that a focus on only punitive measures will ensure a 'business as usual' approach. Addressing the UN Security Council meeting on the Situation in Afghanistan on Wednesday, Harish said India calls on the United Nations and the international community to adopt nuanced policy instruments that help bring sustainable benefits for the people of Afghanistan. "India calls for a pragmatic engagement with the Taliban. A coherent policy of engagement should incentivise positive actions. A focus on only punitive measures will only ensure that a 'business as usual' approach continues as we have been seeing now for the last four and a half years," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish said. He reiterated India's commitment to meeting the development needs of the people of Afghanistan. Harish said the recent decision by the Indian Government to .

Heavy exchange of fire reported between Pak, Afghan forces at Chaman border

A heavy exchange of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces was reported from the key Chaman border, according to a media report on Saturday. Injuries were reported from the district hospital, but no fatalities occurred, the Dawn newspaper reported. Officials from both sides accused each other of instigating the flare-up late on Friday night across the border in the Balochistan province. While Pakistani officials said that Afghan forces had fired mortar shells on the Badani area, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed it was Pakistan that launched an attack on Spin Boldak, alleging that their forces were responding. Pakistan's official sources told Dawn that Pakistani forces retaliated against the Afghan aggression and returned fire. There were also reports of fighting on the Chaman-Kandahar highway, but these could not be immediately verified. A senior official in Quetta confirmed on condition of anonymity that the exchange of fire started around 10 pm and conti

Earthquake of magnitude 4.6 strikes Afghanistan; no casualties reported

On November 4, a powerful earthquake rattled northern Afghanistan, killing at least 27 people and injuring 956 more, according to Sharafat Zaman Amar, the spokesperson for Taliban

Pakistani strikes in Afghanistan kill 10, injure 4 says Afghan Govt

Air strikes also occurred in Kunar and Paktika, where four civilians were injured

17 TTP militants killed in operations in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

At least 17 TTP militants were killed and several others injured in multiple operations in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police said on Saturday. Police and security forces launched coordinated operations in the Sheri Khel and Pakka Pahar Khel areas of Bannu district after confirming the presence of militant groups in the region. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed said 10 militants were killed, five were injured, and one facilitator was arrested in a joint action led by Lakki Police, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Bannu and security forces. He said the bodies of seven militants had been recovered, while three could not be retrieved due to the difficult mountainous terrain. In a separate eight-hour operation conducted by Bannu Police, CTD and security forces, seven more militants were killed and several others were injured. A large contingent of police and security personnel remained unhurt during the engagements, and local residen

India to resume air cargo services with Afghanistan 'very soon': Official

Air cargo services between India and Afghanistan will commence very soon, an Indian External Affairs Ministry official said on Friday, during a visit by Afghanistan's Taliban Trade Minister Al-Haj Nooruddin Azizi to India. "I am pleased to announce that the air freight corridor on the Kabul-Delhi sector and Kabul-Amritsar routes have been activated and cargo flights on these sectors will commence very soon," Anand Prakash, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, said. "This will significantly enhance their connectivity and further strengthen our trade and commercial ties," he added. The official further informed that on Thursday, both sides agreed to depute a trade attache in each other's embassy to oversee and support bilateral trade cooperation. Moreover, he said, the joint working group on trade, commerce and investment will be reactivated to boost bilateral trade between India and Afghanistan. "Bilateral trade stands at around 1 billion. However, there remains ..

Pakistan-Afghanistan peace talks in Istanbul fail amid rising tensions

Peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul have ended without agreement, with the sides trading blame for the breakdown in negotiations aimed at easing border tensions and upholding a fragile ceasefire, officials said Saturday. Tensions have escalated in recent weeks following deadly border fighting that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians. The violence erupted after explosions in Kabul on October 9, which Afghanistan's Taliban government said were drone strikes conducted by Pakistan and vowed to avenge. The clashes subsided after Qatar brokered a ceasefire on October 19, which remains tenuously in place. Afghanistan's government spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, blamed Pakistan for the talks' failure, saying that Pakistan's demands in the negotiations were unreasonable and the talks could not proceed, the meeting ended and the talks are at a standstill for now. Speaking during a press conference from the southern Afghan city of Kandahar Saturday, Mujahid said ...

Elements in Pakistan military 'sabotaging' peace talks: Afghanistan

A day after peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan collapsed, the Taliban government on Saturday said certain elements within Pakistan military and intelligence services are "deliberately sabotaging" the dialogue process that was aimed at easing border tensions. These elements are trying to blame the Taliban government for Pakistan's internal problems, insecurity, and attacks carried out by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said. The Taliban spokesperson asserted that Afghanistan will not allow "anyone to use its territory against another country, nor permit actions that undermine its sovereignty or security". The peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan have ended in Istanbul without any tangible outcomes. The negotiations were aimed at finding a permanent solution to their border tensions and to continue with a fragile ceasefire. "Certain elements within Pakistan's military and intelligence services are deliberately sabotaging

Why the Durand Line still divides Pakistan and Afghanistan today

A border drawn in 1893 still fuels conflict in 2025. The Durand Line, a 2,640 km border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, remains one of the world’s most volatile frontiers.

Pakistan, Afghanistan to maintain ceasefire after peace talks in Istanbul

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to maintain a ceasefire following peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey's Foreign Ministry has announced, after a dialogue between the two sides collapsed earlier in the week. The sides plan to meet again at a higher-level gathering in Istanbul on Nov 6 to finalise how the ceasefire will be implemented, the ministry said in a statement released on behalf of Pakistan, Afghanistan and mediators Turkey and Qatar on Thursday. All parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and imposing penalty on the violating party, the statement read. The new round of negotiations, facilitated by Turkey and other friendly nations, was aimed at easing border tensions between the two sides who earlier this month exchanged fire, leaving dozens of soldiers, civilians and militants dead. Despite the collapse of the previous round of talks, a ceasefire has largely held and no new border clashes were reporte

Six Pak soldiers, including Captain, killed in blast in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

At least six soldiers, including a Captain, were killed in an IED blast targeting a convoy of the security forces in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Wednesday, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military's media wing, said. The convoy came under attack in Sultani area in the restive Kurram tribal district bordering Afghanistan. In the ensuing gunbattle, seven terrorists were killed. The terrorists opened fire on the convoy while it was moving through the area. During the engagement, an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near Dogar, causing heavy casualties. As a result of the blast, one officer and five soldiers were killed. Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace the perpetrators. Pakistan has seen a surge in terrorist attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, mostly targeting police, law enforcement personnel and security forces. The spike followed the banned Tehreek-e-Ta

Pakistan now paying a high price for its long-standing ties with Taliban

Dozens of soldiers on both sides have been killed along the disputed border, and negotiators in Istanbul are now trying, with some strain, to reach a deal to prevent further escalation

Peace talks with Afghanistan's Taliban govt in Istanbul fail, says Pakistan

Peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan have failed in Istanbul after four days of negotiations, Pakistan's information minister said before dawn Wednesday, accusing the Taliban government in Kabul of refusing to act against militants blamed for deadly cross-border attacks. The talks followed an earlier round in Doha that produced a ceasefire on October 19 after deadly border clashes between the two sides left dozens dead, including soldiers, civilians and militants. Pakistan accuses the Taliban of harboring militants linked to a surge in attacks, while Kabul denies its territory is being used against Pakistan. Before dawn on Wednesday, Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar took to social media platform X, saying the dialogue failed to bring about any workable solution, despite mediation by Qatar and Turkey. There was no immediate comment from Kabul about Tarar's remarks. The latest development came hours after the state media in both countries said there was an imp

Pakistan, Afghanistan continue talks to resolve cross-border tensions

Officials from Pakistan and Afghanistan were still trying to find common ground to settle their dispute over cross-border military and other issues despite three days of talks held in Turkiye. Talks began on Saturday and continued through Monday, but without any final agreement. Quoting officials, the Dawn newspaper reported that a final agreement still remained elusive. Sources familiar with the closed-door discussions said that while most of the points had been mutually agreed between the two sides, the mechanism for verifiable action against terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory continued to be the main sticking point. We kept hoping that we would be able to sign a mutual document with Afghanistan soon, followed by a joint statement, but it still remains out of our reach, the newspaper quoted one source as saying. The atmosphere early on Monday had been markedly positive. Participants described encouraging progress and serious engagement from both delegations. As th