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China, U.S., Russia, Pakistan to hold talks on Afghanistan – China, U.S. say
A top U.S. diplomat will meet this week in China to discuss issues in Afghanistan with his Chinese, Russian and Pakistani counterparts, the Chinese foreign ministry and the State Department said on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
The United States understands that China has invited Taliban representatives to the talks in Tunxi, a State Department spokesperson said.
Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan Yue Xiaoyong will host the meeting, said Wang Wenbin, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Tunxi for the talks, Interfax news agency cited a ministry spokeswoman as saying late on Tuesday. Lavrov has largely stayed in Russia since last month’s invasion of Ukraine but did travel to Turkey for talks with his counterpart from Kyiv, Reuters reported.
Tom West, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan, will attend the talks of the so-called Extended Troika: the three world powers plus Pakistan, the State Department spokesperson said.
The talks come against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and as Afghanistan suffers an economic and humanitarian crisis worsened by a financial aid cutoff following the Islamic Emirate (IE) takeover as U.S.-led troops departed in August, read the report.
They also come amid widespread condemnation of the IE’s U-turn last week on allowing girls to attend public high schools, which has sparked consternation among funders ahead of a key aid donors conference, a U.N. official said on Tuesday.
The retention of the ban prompted U.S. officials to cancel talks in Doha with the IE and a State Department warning that Washington saw the decision as “a potential turning point in our engagement” with the Islamic Emirate, Reuters reported.
The United States believes that it shares with other Extended Troika members an interest in the IE making good on commitments to form an inclusive government, cooperate on counterterrorism and rebuild the Afghan economy, the State Department spokesperson said.
According to Reuters the meeting takes place while foreign ministers from Afghanistan’s neighbors meet on Wednesday and Thursday in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui, Wang said.
That meeting will be chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and attended by Afghan acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and diplomats from Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Qatar, Reuters reported.
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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.
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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Afghanistan received more than $11 billion in humanitarian aid over the past five years
Afghanistan has received more than $11 billion in humanitarian assistance since the Islamic Emirate returned to power in August 2021, according to United Nations figures cited by the BBC.
Despite the substantial aid, the gap between humanitarian needs and available funding remains wide, with the United Nations warning that millions of Afghans continue to require assistance.
The decline in international funding, a growing number of people in need and the return of millions of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries have added pressure to the country’s humanitarian situation.
Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis deepened following the collapse of the previous government in August 2021. The depreciation of the national currency, the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs and reductions in some international support programs further strained the economy and living conditions.
UN data shows that Afghanistan received about $5.2 billion in humanitarian assistance in 2021, followed by around $3.8 billion in 2022 and nearly $2 billion in 2023.
For 2024 and 2025, the United Nations appealed for more than $3 billion to address humanitarian needs in Afghanistan. However, funding fell short of the amounts requested.
The assistance has largely been directed toward food, healthcare, support for returnees and other urgent humanitarian needs.
The United Nations continues to classify Afghanistan as one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, stressing that sustained international support remains essential for millions of Afghans who continue to need assistance.
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Afghanistan expresses condolences over deadly Indonesia earthquake
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has expressed deep sorrow over a powerful earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia, killing at least 53 people and forcing around 5,000 others to evacuate.
A magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck Flores Island and surrounding areas on Saturday, blocking roads and triggering landslides, Indonesian authorities said.
In a statement, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed its sympathy and condolences to the government and people of Indonesia over the casualties caused by the earthquake.
It also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.
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