Page 4 - Taliban

Man held in Bangladesh for suspected ties to Pak-based militant group

Md Foysal reportedly travelled to Afghanistan via Pakistan and recruited others for extremist activities

ICC issues warrants for Taliban leaders over persecution of women, girls

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants Tuesday for the Taliban's supreme leader and the head of Afghanistan's supreme court on charges of persecuting women and girls since seizing power nearly four years ago. The warrants also accuse the leaders of persecuting other persons non-conforming with the Taliban's policy on gender, gender identity or expression; and on political grounds against persons perceived as allies of girls and women.' The warrants were issued against Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhunzada and the head of Afghanistan's Supreme Court, Abdul Hakim Haqqani.

UN adopts resolution on Afghanistan's Taliban rule despite US objections

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Monday over US objections calling on Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to reverse their worsening oppression of women and girls and eliminate all terrorist organizations. The 11-page resolution also emphasises the importance of creating opportunities for economic recovery, development and prosperity in Afghanistan, and urges donors to address the country's dire humanitarian and economic crisis. The resolution is not legally binding but is seen as a reflection of world opinion. The vote was 116 in favour, with two the United States and close ally Israel opposed and 12 abstentions, including Russia, China, India and Iran. Since returning to power in Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban have imposed harsh measures, banning women from public places and girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade. Last week, Russia became the first country to formally recognize the Taliban's government. Germany's UN Ambassador Antje Leendertse, whose count

India abstains from UN resolution on Afghanistan, calls for end of terror

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on Afghanistan to uphold human rights, adhere to international law and take decisive action against terrorism amid a worsening humanitarian crisis

Iran mass expels Afghan refugees, raising alarms for women under Taliban

Iran's deportation of 250,000 Afghans, many of them women, has sparked a humanitarian crisis as returnees face deadly heat, Taliban restrictions, and limited support at overcrowded border crossings

'Pakistan in no hurry to recognise Taliban govt, will act in self-interest'

Pakistan is in no hurry to recognise the Afghan Taliban government, and any decision will be made keeping the country's interest in mind, officials here have said. The remarks came days after Russia became the first country to officially recognise the Taliban's rule. Moscow's decision, some observers feel, may be a prelude to other regional countries finally embracing the Taliban. However, officials in Pakistan told The Express Tribune newspaper that the decision of Russia was not a surprise, as Moscow for some time had indicated they would reconcile with the fact that the Taliban were now in charge and there was no other option but to accept their rule. The Russian decision also stems from the fact that greater engagement with the Taliban government would help address the terrorist threat and advance its geostrategic interests. We, of course, will take a decision keeping in view our interest. I can tell you there is no hurry, said a Pakistani official when asked whether Islamabad

Russia becomes 1st country to recognise Taliban's rule in Afghanistan

Russia on Thursday became the first country to formally recognise the Taliban's government in Afghanistan since it seized power in 2021, after Moscow removed the group from its list of outlawed organisations. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it had received credentials from Afghanistan's newly appointed Ambassador Gul Hassan Hassan. The official recognition of the Afghan government will foster productive bilateral cooperation, the ministry said in a statement. Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry called it a historic step, and quoted Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi as welcoming the decision as "a good example for other countries. The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces. Since then, they have sought international recognition while also enforcing their strict interpretation of Islamic law. While no country had formally recognised the Taliban administration until now, the group had engaged in high-level tal

Tourists trickling into Afghanistan, Taliban govt eager to welcome them

By plane, motorbike, camper van and even on bicycles, tourists are beginning to discover Afghanistan, with solo travellers and tour groups gradually venturing into a country that until recently was wracked by war. And the country's Taliban government, which seized power more than three years ago but has yet to be formally recognised by any other nation, is more than happy to welcome them. The Afghan people are warm and welcoming and wish to host tourists from other countries and engage with them, Deputy Minister of Tourism Qudratullah Jamal told The Associated Press in an early June interview. Tourism brings many benefits to a country. We have considered those benefits and aim for our nation to take full advantage of them. A potentially lucrative industry Tourism is a vital, multi-billion-dollar industry for many countries. Afghanistan's isolation on the international stage, largely because of the Taliban's restrictions on women and girls, has left much of its 41 million people m

Donald Trump floats the idea of regime change in Iran after US bombings

As President Donald Trump floats the idea of regime change in Tehran, previous US attempts to remake the Middle East by force over the decades offer stark warnings about the possibility of a deepening involvement in the Iran-Israeli conflict. If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? Trump posted on his social media site over the weekend. The came after the US bombed Iran's nuclear sites but before that country retaliated by firing its own missiles at a US base in Qatar. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday insisted that Trump, who spent years railing against forever wars and pushing an America first world view, had not committed a political about-face. The president's posture and our military posture has not changed, she said, suggesting that a more aggressive approach might be necessary if Iran refuses to give up their nuclear program or engage in talks." Leavitt also suggested that a new governme

Taliban offers amnesty, urges Afghans in exile to return home safely

A top Taliban official said on Saturday that all Afghans who fled the country after the collapse of the former Western-backed government are free to return home, promising they would not be harmed if they come back. Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund made the amnesty offer in his message for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice. The offer comes days after US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping travel ban on 12 countries, including Afghanistan. The measure largely bars Afghans hoping to resettle in the United States permanently as well as those hoping to go to the US temporarily, such as for university study. Trump also suspended a core refugee programme in January, all but ending support for Afghans who had allied with the US and leaving tens of thousands of them stranded. Afghans in neighbouring Pakistan who are awaiting resettlement are also dealing with a deportation drive. Almost a million have left Pakistan since October

Why is India reopening doors to the Taliban, and what does it really mean

Opening up to the Taliban is tough for New Delhi, which backed Afghanistan's democratic state. Many here resent West for withdrawing support in 2021 and ignoring Pakistan's role in sustaining Taliban

2 police officers, 4 Taliban militants killed in shootout in PoK: Officials

At last two police officers and four Taliban militants were killed in an overnight shootout in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), officials said on Thursday. The clash followed after the security forces, on a tip-off about the presence of militants, launched an operation in the Hussain Kot forest area in the Rawalakot district of the region. The Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Rawalakot, Riaz Mughal, told the media that the police launched a raid after a tip-off regarding the presence of terrorists in the area. He said that the terrorists were hiding in a cave and were surrounded, but when the police attempted to apprehend them, one of the terrorists hurled a grenade at the officers, prompting retaliatory fire. In the exchange, all four terrorists were neutralised, he said, adding that three were identified as Zarnosh Naseem, his brother Gibran Naseem and Ulfat, while the fourth was unidentified yet. Mughal confirmed that two police officers, Gulzar and Tariq Bashir, were killed

India resumes issuing visas to Afghan nationals after 5-year freeze

New visa portal open for Afghan businesspeople, artists, and dependents; move follows diplomatic engagement with the Taliban

Senior Indian diplomat holds talks with Taliban's acting foreign minister

India's point-person on Afghanistan Anand Prakash held talks with Taliban's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and discussed political and trade issues, Afghan media reported on Sunday. In the meeting held in Kabul, the acting foreign minister emphasised the expansion of political and economic relations with India, Tolo news reported. Muttaqi emphasised the increase in diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries and added Indian investors should take advantage of opportunities to invest in Afghanistan, the media outlet said quoting an Afghan spokesperson. The visit by Prakash, the joint secretary heading the division for Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran in the Ministry of External Affairs, comes amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack. It is not known whether the issue figured in Prakash-Muttaqi talks. India has not yet recognised the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclus

Russia strengthens Taliban ties with focus on shared adversary ISIS

Russia's cautious and slow-moving rapprochement with the Taliban, which Moscow had outlawed as a terrorist group in 2003

Most-wanted TTP militant among 2 killed in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

One of the most wanted terrorist commanders of the Tehreek e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group was among the two militants killed during an intelligence-based operation in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said on Friday. The police said it challenged the bike riding terrorists on main Timergara road in Lower Dir district on Thursday after receiving intelligence about the presence of TTP fighters in the vicinity and killed two militants, including Hafeezullah alias "Kochwan". According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Hafeezullah was the most wanted TTP terrorist and was involved in major terror attacks. He carried a bounty of PKR 5 million on his head, a CTD official said. Hafeezullah's body has been confirmed, and efforts are underway to identify the other militant," the official said. The security forces have cordoned off the area and launched an operation to search for the presence of any other terrorist, he said. Hafeezullah, a trained milita

12 terrorists killed in Pakistani drone strikes, civilian deaths reported

As many as 12 terrorists have been killed while some civilians lost their lives in drone attacks by Pakistani security forces on a militant hideout in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of the country. The "counter-terrorism operation" on Saturday morning targeted hideouts of terrorists in the remote hilltop area of Katlang in the Mardan district, the provincial government said in a press note. It confirmed the civilian casualties and suggested that women and children might be among the victims. Later, official reports said 12 terrorists were killed during the operation. The press note, issued on Saturday, said the operation was based on "credible intelligence" about armed militants using the location as a hideout and transit point. It said "several high-value targets linked to ongoing militant activities in the region" were killed in the operation. "Unfortunately, subsequent reports have confirmed the presence of non-combatants, including women and children, at the periphery

US lifts bounties on senior Taliban officials, including Sirajuddin Haqqani

The US has lifted bounties on three senior Taliban figures, including the interior minister who also heads a powerful network blamed for bloody attacks against Afghanistan's former Western-backed government, officials in Kabul said Sunday. Sirajuddin Haqqani, who acknowledged planning a January 2008 attack on the Serena Hotel in Kabul, which killed six people, including US citizen Thor David Hesla, no longer appears on the State Department's Rewards for Justice website. The FBI website on Sunday still featured a wanted poster for him. Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said the US government had revoked the bounties placed on Haqqani, Abdul Aziz Haqqani, and Yahya Haqqani. These three individuals are two brothers and one paternal cousin, Qani told the Associated Press. The Haqqani network grew into one of the deadliest arms of the Taliban after the US-led 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. The group employed roadside bombs, suicide bombings and other attacks, including on th

Unicef urges Taliban to lift ban on girls' education as schools reopen

The UN children's agency on Saturday urged Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to immediately lift a lingering ban on girls' education to save the future of millions who have been deprived of their right to education since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The appeal by UNICEF comes as a new school year began in Afghanistan without girls beyond sixth grade. The ban, said the agency, has deprived 400,000 more girls of their right to education, bringing the total to 2.2 million. Afghanistan is the only country in the world that bans female secondary and higher education, with the Taliban justifying the ban saying it doesn't comply with their interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law. For over three years, the rights of girls in Afghanistan have been violated," Catherine Russell, UNICEF executive director, said in a statement. All girls must be allowed to return to school now. If these capable, bright young girls continue to be denied an education, then the repercussions will last for ...

In 'surprise visit', US delegation meets Afghanistan's foreign minister

The surprise visit coincides with speculation that the Trump administration 'reassessing' its approach to engaging with the Taliban