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Afghan Peace Would Bring Its Own Risks to Reconstruction Efforts: SIGAR
A peace agreement to end the War in Afghanistan could present its own risks to rebuilding efforts, a U.S. watchdog said on Thursday, calling on policymakers to plan for a post-peace deal environment.
“A peace agreement would be welcomed by the long-suffering Afghan people,” the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John Sopko said in Washington.
“But it could bring its own challenges to sustaining what the United States, coalition partners, and the Afghan government have achieved.”
Since 2002, the United States has spent $132 billion on training Afghan security and defense forces, strengthening institutions and other initiatives.
U.S.-led forces removed the Taliban regime in 2001 after the September 11 attacks in the United States but the insurgents regrouped and have steadily extended their influence during 17 years of conflict in Afghanistan.
The U.S. and Taliban peace talks began late last year, raising hopes for an end to the war. The latest round of negotiations ended this month with both sides citing progress.
In a report to U.S. Congress and the secretaries of state and defense, SIGAR said that even if the war with the Taliban ends, Afghanistan may remain insecure because of the presence of other militant groups.
Reintegrating the Taliban, whose Islamic views are more conservative than those of much of the population, would be a particular challenge, SIGAR said.
About 60,000 fighters are likely to find few job opportunities in a weak economy, it said.
Lasting peace could improve economic growth but in the short term, some 2 million Afghans living in Pakistan may return, adding job-seekers into a weak labor market.
While the Taliban has said in official statements they might consider more liberal policies towards women, their chief negotiator has said the constitution, which protects women’s rights, is an obstacle to peace, SIGAR wrote.
Such a stance could jeopardize the economic and political freedoms Afghan women have achieved.
More of the U.S. reconstruction effort has gone into the Afghan National Army than to its national police, and a strategy for a “competent” police force, sustained by foreign assistance, would also be required, SIGAR said in the report.
Endemic corruption has hampered reconstruction, and remains the “top strategic threat” to the government’s legitimacy, it said.
A burgeoning illicit opium trade also jeopardizes security, governance, and development.
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Afghan citizens reported among casualties in US, Israeli attacks, Iran says
As of now, authorities of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan have not issued an official response to the claims.
Iran’s Embassy in Kabul, citing Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, has stated that a number of Afghan citizens were killed or injured during what Tehran described as a 35-day military campaign carried out by the United States and Israel.
According to the statement, the Afghan nationals were living in Iran at the time of the attacks. Baghaei referred to them as “honored guests” of the country, adding that some lost their lives while others sustained injuries during the reported strikes.
He did not provide specific figures regarding the number of Afghan casualties or further details about the incidents.
As of now, authorities of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan have not issued an official response to the claims.
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Save the Children: Nearly one Afghan child killed or injured daily by explosive remnants
Despite the efforts of aid organizations and demining groups, the scale of the contamination remains overwhelming.
Save the Children has issued a stark warning, revealing that nearly one Afghan child is killed or injured every day by explosive remnants of war (ERW). In its latest report, the global humanitarian organization emphasized the ongoing and deadly impact of landmines and unexploded ordnance scattered across the country, a legacy of decades of conflict.
From January 2025 to January 2026, 338 Afghan children were killed, injured, or permanently disabled by explosive remnants. Shockingly, children represented nearly 70 percent of all casualties from such explosions during this period. Save the Children’s report underscores that Afghanistan continues to have the highest number of child casualties due to explosive remnants worldwide.
The report highlights that vast swathes of Afghanistan remain contaminated with hazardous materials, with more than 2.7 million people – including many children – living within one kilometer of these dangerous zones. These hazardous areas, often located in fields, pastures, and farmlands, remain uncleared despite ongoing demining efforts. Afghanistan is now considered one of the most contaminated countries globally, with nearly 5,000 hazardous sites still awaiting clearance.
The danger is particularly acute for rural and nomadic communities, including the Kuchi, who traverse long distances in search of water and grazing lands. These communities face severe challenges in accessing healthcare, education, and protection services, further compounding the risks posed by unexploded devices.
To address the growing threat, Save the Children has launched mobile awareness programs aimed at teaching children, particularly in remote and underserved regions, how to identify and avoid explosive hazards. These programs are crucial in helping to reduce the number of child casualties, as children are often unaware of the dangers in their environment.
Despite the efforts of aid organizations and demining groups, the scale of the contamination remains overwhelming. Funding shortages continue to hamper the progress of clearance operations, leaving families and children exposed to the deadly remnants of past conflicts.
“Explosive remnants of war are not just a legacy of Afghanistan’s past; they are an ongoing humanitarian emergency that continues to claim innocent lives,” said Save the Children. “The international community must step up its support to ensure the safety of Afghan children and accelerate efforts to clear these life-threatening hazards.”
As the country struggles to recover from years of conflict, the need for comprehensive and sustained demining operations, alongside better access to education and healthcare for at-risk communities, has never been more urgent.
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Eight dead after 5.8-magnitude earthquake hits Afghanistan
The family members who perished included a father, mother, four daughters, and two sons. In addition to the deaths, a child was reported injured in the incident.
A powerful 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan on Friday, killing at least eight people and injuring a child when a house collapsed in Kabul. According to local officials, the victims were all members of the same family.
Hafiz Basharat, spokesperson for the Kabul Governor, confirmed that the fatalities occurred in the Bagrami district of Kabul. The family members who perished included a father, mother, four daughters, and two sons. In addition to the deaths, a child was reported injured in the incident.
The earthquake, which originated in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, struck at a depth of approximately 177 kilometers, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences. Tremors were felt across a wide area, including Kabul, Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, and India’s capital New Delhi.
Local authorities have yet to release additional details regarding the extent of the damage or any further casualties caused by the earthquake.
As rescue operations continue, Afghan authorities are assessing the full impact of the earthquake, which has left many concerned about the potential for more aftershocks in the region.
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