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Bullet-scarred walls, blood-stained floors bear testimony to deadly attack
Bullet-riddled walls, blown out ceilings and blood spattered floors were on Tuesday stark testimony to the carnage caused by attackers who went on a shooting rampage at Kabul University on Monday.
Video footage and photographs taken by Ariana journalists in the classrooms at the Law Faculty paint an extremely disturbing picture, driving home the fact that the majority of those killed were young students in their early 20s who were robbed of their dreams and aspirations by the ruthless killers.
In the 24 hours since the end of the six-hour siege, messages of condolences and condemnation flooded social media and while Tuesday was declared a day of mourning in Afghanistan, many foreign embassies flew their flags at half mast in solidarity with a grieving nation.
Officials have put the death toll at 22 but sources told Reuters earlier Tuesday that 30 died in the carnage.
One of the students killed in Monday’s attack was due to marry on Thursday. All his classmates were invited but instead, a funeral was held in place of a wedding. On Tuesday, the shocking reality of this was visible in the blood spattered copies of his wedding invitations that were strewn across a classroom floor.
“Each of our classes had 50 to 70 students, many of whom were victims,” said Saifullah Mohammadi, a gardener at the law faculty.
One student who survived was stunned that the university had come under attack. He said: “It was horrible, I could not believe that university could be targeted.”
This is the second education facility to be targeted in just over a week – and in both cases ISIS (Daesh) claimed responsibility.
However, Afghanistan’s outspoken First Vice President Amrullah Saleh has dismissed the Taliban’s claims of not being involved and has blamed the insurgent group for Monday’s attack.
In a tweet early Tuesday morning, Saleh said a Taliban negotiator in Doha stated in an exclusive interview that “only the Taliban have the monopoly over violence against government. There is no one else.”
Saleh went on to say: “Today they shamelessly disclaim responsibility for massacre of Kabul Uni students. Taliban, their allies & backers are responsible.”
Nader Nadery, a member of the Afghan peace talks team also commented on Twitter and said late Tuesday “Kabul University is a symbol of unity & national identity, a home to many generations of Afghans, poor & rich, a compass of moral authority, a place for brotherhood & sisterhood that ties our people together over a century.
“The atrocity committed against it yesterday is an attack on the soul of our nation. While we all are mourning, we must not give in to what terrorists want: we must make sure to keep the door of this sacred place open. This will be the best way to avenge loss of those innocent souls,” Nadery tweeted.
He also stated that those responsible must be brought to justice.
“To end this senseless violence, an immediate ceasefire is a must so a dignified peace could be achieved. We/ IRoA team showed every sign of urgency in this regard, will the other side show the same & prove that it was not them?” he questioned.
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UN official warns Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis could threaten regional stability and security
A senior United Nations official has warned that Afghanistan’s deepening humanitarian crisis could have consequences beyond the country’s borders, potentially affecting regional security, stability and migration routes.
Bruno Lemarquis, the UN Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, said on Friday that the country was at a “difficult crossroad” more than five years after the Islamic Emirate returned to power.
He said relative stability and security were being undermined by a fragile economy, restrictions on fundamental rights and growing humanitarian needs.
Lemarquis described restrictions on women and girls as “severe and sweeping,” saying they continue to face barriers to education, employment and participation in public life.
He noted that more than 2.6 million girls have been deprived of secondary education since 2021, while female university enrollment currently stands at zero.
The UN official also highlighted the impact of the mass return of Afghan migrants, saying approximately 6.7 million Afghans have returned to the country since 2020, many of them forcibly expelled from neighbouring countries, particularly Pakistan and Iran.
He said the large-scale returns were placing additional pressure on Afghanistan’s already overstretched public services, stressing that returnees urgently need legal documentation, protection and employment opportunities.
Lemarquis also raised concerns over a reported increase in opium poppy cultivation, citing a UN report that found production had risen by 330 percent in 2025 following a sharp decline after the 2022 ban imposed by the Islamic Emirate.
He said efforts to prevent poppy cultivation must be accompanied by viable alternative livelihoods for farmers.
Meanwhile, humanitarian needs in Afghanistan are expected to rise further in 2027 amid mass returns, regional instability and extreme weather risks associated with El Niño.
However, international humanitarian funding has continued to decline. According to Lemarquis, assistance reached $2 billion in 2023, fell to $1 billion in 2025 and has amounted to only $570 million so far in 2026.
He warned that funding shortages were threatening essential services, with around 40 percent of primary healthcare facilities expected to close between 2025 and 2026, potentially affecting 700 of the country’s 1,900 health posts.
Describing the consequences as “very, very, very significant,” Lemarquis urged the international community not to turn its back on Afghanistan.
“And there is a saying in Afghanistan that is ‘What is happening in Afghanistan is not staying in Afghanistan,’” he said.
“The consequences could go beyond the Afghanistan border, potentially affecting regional security, regional stability and migration pathways.”
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Pakistan reviews US plan to deport Afghans through its territory
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry says it is reviewing reports that the Trump administration plans to deport Afghans through Pakistan, adding that it is consulting relevant stakeholders to find a mutually acceptable way forward.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan made the remarks at a press conference on Friday, saying Islamabad remained committed to close coordination with its allies and partners.
“We will continue to act in accordance with our international obligations and established protocols,” Khan said.
He added that the matter was under consideration and that all relevant aspects were being carefully examined in consultation with concerned stakeholders.
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Pakistan’s Bank Alfalah exits Afghanistan after 20 years
Pakistan-based Bank Alfalah has completed its exit from Afghanistan after 20 years of operations, transferring its local banking business to Ghaznfar Bank, the lender said in a notice to shareholders on Friday.
The bank said the transaction was completed on November 5 after the signing of final agreements, approval from the State Bank of Pakistan and Da Afghanistan Bank, and fulfilment of other required conditions.
The deal allows Bank Alfalah to sell and transfer its operations in Afghanistan to Ghaznfar Bank, following approval from the regulatory authorities in both countries.
“Bank Alfalah has accordingly ceased its banking operations in Afghanistan and will complete the closure of its Afghanistan branches in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements,” the notice said.
Bank Alfalah began operating in Kabul in 2005, offering both conventional and Islamic banking services.
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