A major water infrastructure project has been completed in Khakrez district of Kandahar province with support from the European Union.

The newly constructed dam has a storage capacity of more than 131,000 cubic meters and is set to bring significant benefits to local communities.

Designed to improve access to water and strengthen climate resilience, the dam will directly support over 2,500 families across 12 villages.

In addition to providing a more reliable water source for household and agricultural use, the project will help recharge groundwater and mitigate the risk of seasonal flooding.

Local authorities and community leaders have welcomed the initiative, highlighting its role in addressing water scarcity and enhancing food security in the region.

The dam is part of broader efforts by Afghan institutions and international partners to invest in sustainable rural development and environmental protection.

By improving water management and building resilience against climate-related challenges, the project marks an important step toward long-term stability and prosperity in southern Afghanistan.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called on regional countries to suspend the mass deportation of Afghan refugees, warning that the dire humanitarian and economic situation inside Afghanistan renders conditions unfit for return.

In a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Karzai said: “While we understand the challenges host countries face due to the large presence of refugees, the worsening situation inside Afghanistan has created circumstances in which the necessary conditions for their return do not exist. Forcibly sending them back in the current situation would not only add to the existing burdens, but could also create greater risks and serious threats — a situation that benefits no one.”

Karzai specifically appealed to Iran and Pakistan—two of the largest host nations for Afghan refugees—to reconsider their recent moves to accelerate deportations. He emphasized the need for a more humane and measured approach, particularly given Afghanistan’s ongoing economic collapse, restrictions on women’s rights, and widespread instability.

“Our request and expectation from host countries is to reconsider their decision regarding the mass and forced deportation of Afghan refugees, especially in light of the ongoing challenges — particularly the economic hardships and the closure of schools and universities to girls,” Karzai said.

Karzai’s comments come amid a growing refugee crisis. According to officials in Kabul, more than 500,000 Afghan migrants have returned from Iran in the past month alone, many of them forcibly deported.

The figure, reported by Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi earlier this month, highlights the intensifying pressure on Afghanistan’s fragile infrastructure and social services.

The mass returns have overwhelmed border crossings in western provinces like Herat and Nimroz, where aid agencies have warned of insufficient shelter, food, and medical support for returnees—many of whom are women, children, or elderly.
Decades of displacement

Karzai also pointed to the historical context of Afghanistan’s refugee crisis. “The people of Afghanistan were first forced into involuntary and imposed migration nearly four and a half decades ago following the invasion of the former Soviet forces and continued foreign interventions,” he said. “As a result, they were compelled to leave their homeland and seek refuge in other countries—and this issue has only intensified in recent years.”

Host countries, especially Iran and Pakistan, have cited economic constraints, domestic political pressure, and national security concerns as reasons for accelerating deportations.

However, humanitarian groups including the UNHCR have urged these governments to respect the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the forced return of individuals to countries where they may face persecution or harm.

Karzai concluded his appeal by urging a cooperative regional approach that takes into account both the humanitarian needs of Afghan refugees and the practical limitations of host countries, but without resorting to mass forced returns.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will not allow the drug trade to threaten Afghan society or regional stability, Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi declared Tuesday during a meeting with Bo Mathiasen, Director for Operations at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides held detailed discussions on the IEA’s efforts to prevent the cultivation, production, and trafficking of narcotics, as well as on the treatment and rehabilitation of drug users.

Muttaqi described the IEA’s anti-drug campaign as “historic” and emphasized that all national institutions and security forces remain fully committed to confronting the narcotics trade.

“The Islamic Emirate stands firmly against the drug phenomenon and will not allow society and the region to be harmed by it again,” he said.

He also called on the international community to support Afghanistan in providing alternative livelihoods for farmers through investment in agriculture, livestock, and small-scale industries, as a long-term solution to drug dependency.

Muttaqi further warned that narcotics entering Afghanistan from outside its borders now pose a growing threat and urged coordinated global efforts to combat the cross-border drug trade.

UNODC’s Bo Mathiasen praised the IEA’s steps to curb narcotics production and trafficking, describing his visit to Afghanistan as “important” and expressing appreciation for the IEA’s decisive actions.

Both sides agreed that the fight against drugs should remain non-political and rooted in humanitarian cooperation. They emphasized that future anti-narcotics initiatives must focus on delivering practical, coordinated outcomes.