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Airlines fly over Afghanistan as Middle East becomes the greater risk – Reuters

There were more than seven times the number of flights over Afghanistan in the second week of August than during the same period a year ago, according to a Reuters analysis of FlightRadar24 data.

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Singapore Airlines, British Airways, and Lufthansa have increased their flights over Afghanistan after years of largely avoiding it now the Middle East conflict has made it seem a relatively safe option, Reuters reported on Friday.

The carriers mostly stopped transiting Afghanistan, which lies on major routes between Asia and Europe, three years ago when the Islamic Emirate took over and air traffic control services stopped.

Those services have yet to resume, but airlines increasingly consider the skies between Iran and Israel are riskier than Afghan airspace. Many had started routing through Iran and the Middle East after Russian skies were closed to most western carriers when the Ukraine war began in 2022.

“As conflicts have evolved, the calculus of which airspace to use has changed. Airlines are seeking to mitigate risk as much as possible and they see overflying Afghanistan as the safer option given the current tensions between Iran and Israel,” Ian Petchenik, a spokesperson for flight tracking organisation Flightradar24, said.

There were more than seven times the number of flights over Afghanistan in the second week of August than during the same period a year ago, according to a Reuters analysis of FlightRadar24 data.

The shift began in mid-April during reciprocal missile and drone attacks between Iran and Israel. Flight tracking data from the time shows Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, British Airways and others began to send a few flights a day over Afghanistan.

But the main growth has been since the killing of senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah in late July raised concerns of a major escalation.

Lufthansa Group told Reuters it decided to resume overflying Afghan airspace from early July.

Other carriers that have increased overflights since April include Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways, and the Air France-KLM, data shows.

“Based on actual security information, KLM and other airlines currently safely overfly Afghanistan only on specific routes and only at high altitudes,” KLM told Reuters.

Taiwan’s EVA Air began from late July, flight tracking data shows. EVA told Reuters it chooses routes based on safety, the current international situation and flight advisories.

The route changes have been facilitated by aviation regulators easing guidance on Afghanistan.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in early July said planes could fly at a lower altitude over a sliver of north-eastern Afghanistan, the Wakhan Corridor, which is used to cross from Tajikistan to Pakistan – opening that path to more types of flights.

A year earlier, the FAA lifted its ban on overflights for the entire country, but said planes must stay above 32,000 feet (9,753.6 m) where surface-to-air weapons are considered less effective.

In the absence of air traffic control, pilots crossing Afghanistan talk to nearby planes over radio according to a protocol drawn up by U.N. aviation body ICAO and Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority.

 

Related stories:

Iran Air starts flights to Kabul

Turkish Airlines resumes flights to Afghanistan after three year hiatus

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Juma Khan Fateh surrenders to IEA forces in Badakhshan

According to the sources, Fateh’s remaining associates are expected to be disarmed, while IEA forces are set to establish full control over the area.

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Juma Khan Fateh and his forces have surrendered to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) in Nusay district of Badakhshan province following several days of pressure and encirclement, security sources told Ariana News.

Sources said increasing pressure on Fateh’s group left them with no option but to surrender. Fateh and his fighters reportedly laid down their weapons at positions held by IEA forces in Nusay.

Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, the IEA’s Army Chief of Staff, had travelled to Nusay to oversee the situation and the operation against Fateh’s group.

According to the sources, Fateh’s remaining associates are expected to be disarmed, while IEA forces are set to establish full control over the area.

The reported surrender marks the latest development in the security situation in Nusay, although further details about the terms of the surrender and the number of fighters involved were not immediately available.

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Afghanistan Supreme Court says rights of almost 119,000 women addressed over five years

The courts also handled 8,904 cases related to women’s maintenance and other associated rights, according to Hamza.

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Afghanistan’s Supreme Court says the country’s courts have addressed the legal and Sharia-based rights of 118,869 women over the past five years.

Mansoor Ahmad Hamza, deputy spokesman for the Supreme Court, said the cases covered a range of issues, including inheritance, property, maintenance, documentation and other legal matters.

Hamza said courts handled 12,976 cases involving women’s inheritance and property rights during the five-year period. Another 9,021 inheritance-related cases were registered for information gathering and review.

He added that 18,750 cases involving the registration, verification and certification of women’s property and related documents were addressed, while 22,703 cases concerned the processing of inheritance and property documents.

The courts also handled 8,904 cases related to women’s maintenance and other associated rights, according to Hamza.

He said inheritance, property, dowry, maintenance and other rights granted to women under Islamic Sharia are recognized as established rights, and that courts are required to examine such cases carefully and impartially in accordance with Sharia and applicable laws.

Hamza added that judicial proceedings involving women’s rights will continue, with the aim of ensuring that eligible individuals receive their legal and religious rights and preventing those rights from being denied or lost.

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China’s special envoy for Afghanistan visits Türkiye, Pakistan and Afghanistan

According to China’s Foreign Ministry, Yue held consultations in Türkiye with Cihad Erginay, Director General for South Asia at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, discussing issues of mutual interest.

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China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Affairs Yue Xiaoyong visited Türkiye, Pakistan and Afghanistan from July 30 to August 8, 2026, as Beijing continues diplomatic engagement on regional issues.

According to China’s Foreign Ministry, Yue held consultations in Türkiye with Cihad Erginay, Director General for South Asia at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, discussing issues of mutual interest.

During his visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Yue also held talks with officials from both countries on ways to improve and develop relations between Kabul and Islamabad.

China did not provide further details about the discussions.

The visit comes as relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan remain strained by ongoing security and political tensions, with both sides facing challenges in their bilateral ties.

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