Sport

Local mountaineer becomes first Afghan to summit Mount Everest

Published

3 years ago

May 18, 2023

Samuel Sidiqi, a trailblazing adventurer, on Wednesday became the first Afghan to reach the summit of Mount Everest – etching his name forever in history.

In a message to Ariana News on Thursday he said: “I was able to summit Everest yesterday, and hiked safely down today [to Base Camp].”

Sidiqi embarked on his Everest expedition with the aim of raising awareness and generating funds for the development of skiing and mountaineering through the charitable trust he established, Afghan Peaks.

In conquering this towering peak, he showcased his personal determination and resilience and said he hopes his achievement serves as an inspiring message to the youth of Afghanistan – that with unwavering dedication, Afghans can overcome any obstacle and achieve greatness.

“By climbing Mount Everest, I aim to convey a powerful message to all Afghan boys and girls, empowering them to believe that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to,” he said.

“Despite the challenges that our nation has faced in the last half century, Afghanistan possesses boundless potential for growth. Through hard work and unwavering determination, we can pave the way for a prosperous future.”

Sidiqi has long been dedicated to developing the mountains of Afghanistan in terms of sport, safety and nature conservation through his Afghan Peaks Charitable Trust.

Over the past three years, Afghan Peaks has sponsored an exhilarating ski race in Bamiyan, in Afghanistan.

He stated: “My ascent of Everest serves as a clarion call to the world, drawing attention to Afghan Peak’s mission of developing Afghanistan’s breathtaking mountains, which hold incredible promise for mountain sports and tourism. While we already host an annual ski race in Bamiyan, Afghan Peaks envisions a future of many ski teams across the mountainous regions of Afghanistan, awaiting support from passionate individuals and organizations.”

Towering at an impressive 8,849 meters (29,031 feet), Mount Everest in the Himalayas is the world’s highest peak and for thousands of mountaineers around the world, summiting Everest is the pinnacle in their climbing careers.

May is the busiest month on Mount Everest, and according to The Himalayan Database, a website that tracks Himalayan mountaineering, approximately 80 percent of the 11,341 successful Everest summits have occurred between the dates May 15 and 26.

The peak is located between Nepal and Tibet, an autonomous region of China and the first ever recorded people to climb Everest were Edmund Hillary, a mountaineer from New Zealand, and his Tibetan guide Tenzing Norgay. They climbed the mountain in 1953 and hold the record together.

While climbing Mount Everest has become a popular expedition for mountaineers, it is a dangerous undertaking and requires a lot of mountaineering experience and a clean bill of health.

The snow and ice on the mountain create deadly hazards like avalanches, and there is only a limited climbing season due to bad weather conditions.

But perhaps the biggest danger is the altitude. Most climbers are not accustomed to the high altitude and low oxygen levels and rely on bottled oxygen they bring along.

This is why the area above 8,000 meters (26,000 feet) elevation on Everest is called the “death zone.” Climbers who spend long periods in this region can develop altitude sickness and even brain swelling.

Related Topics:#LocalMountaineer #MountEverest Afghan ArianaNews featured

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Sorkh Poshan Khawafi lead Afghanistan U17 Champions League after week six

Published

4 hours ago

August 10, 2026

Ariana News

Sorkh Poshan Khawafi are leading the Afghanistan Champions League U17 standings after week six, having collected 15 points from six matches.

According to the latest standings released by the Afghanistan Football Federation, Sorkh Poshan Khawafi have won five of their six matches and suffered one defeat. They have scored 22 goals and conceded just two, giving them a +20 goal difference.

Sarsabz Yashlar sit second with 14 points, following four wins and two draws, while Aino Mina are third, also on 14 points but with an inferior goal difference.

Arman FC are fourth with 12 points, followed by Khurasan Faryab with 10 points and Toofan Herat with eight.

In the lower half of the table, Ettifaq Khanzadah have six points, Abu Muslim FC have five, while Jawanan Perozi and Istiqlal Kabul are yet to earn a point after six matches.

Istiqlal Kabul have conceded 35 goals, the most in the competition so far, while Sorkh Poshan Khawafi have the tournament’s strongest attack with 22 goals.

The Afghanistan Champions League U17 is being contested by 10 teams and is being held at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium in Kabul.

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Abasin Defenders stun Kabul Zalmi in Kabul Premier League

Published

9 hours ago

August 10, 2026

Ariana News

Abasin Defenders produced a dominant bowling performance to defeat Kabul Zalmi in the second match of the Kabul Premier League on Saturday, August 8, at the Ayoubi Cricket Ground in Kabul.

Kabul Zalmi won the toss and elected to bat first, but their innings quickly unravelled as Abasin Defenders’ bowlers struck regularly.

Kabul Zalmi were bowled out for 63 in 7.2 overs, leaving Abasin Defenders with a modest target to chase.

Sediqullah Pacha was the standout performer for Abasin Defenders, claiming the Player of the Match award for his match-winning bowling performance.

Abasin Defenders chased down the target comfortably to secure a convincing victory and get their Kabul Premier League campaign off to a winning start.

The result followed the opening match of the tournament earlier on Saturday, when Pamir Stars defeated Shamshad Eagles by 116 runs.

The Kabul Premier League features six teams — Pamir Stars, Shamshad Eagles, Kabul Zalmi, Speenghar Warriors, Abasin Defenders and Band-e-Amir — competing in the 2026 tournament.

All matches are being broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television, allowing cricket fans across Afghanistan to follow the competition.

Sport

Kabul Premier League gets underway with high-scoring opener

Published

10 hours ago

August 10, 2026

Ariana News

The 2026 Kabul Premier League got underway in Kabul on Saturday, with Pamir Stars producing a dominant batting performance to defeat Shamshad Eagles by 116 runs in the opening match of the tournament.

The 20-over match was played at the Ayoubi Cricket Ground, where Shamshad Eagles won the toss and elected to field first.

Pamir Stars made the most of the opportunity, posting a formidable 307 for six from their 20 overs.

Abdul Malik led the way with a spectacular 117 from just 48 balls, while Haroon Khan added 59 from 29 deliveries to help Pamir Stars set a huge target.

Shamshad Eagles fought back with the bat but could only reach 191 for seven in their 20 overs, falling 116 runs short of the target.

Hayatullah top-scored for Shamshad Eagles with 55 from 35 balls, while Samiullah Shinwari contributed 40 from 27 deliveries.

Amir Zazai and Wakeel Ahmad took two wickets each for Pamir Stars, while Muslim Musa and Mohammad Gul Alizai claimed two wickets apiece for Shamshad Eagles.

Abdul Malik was named Player of the Match for his explosive century, giving Pamir Stars an emphatic start to their campaign.

The Kabul Premier League features six teams — Pamir Stars, Shamshad Eagles, Kabul Zalmi, Speenghar Warriors, Abaseen Defenders and Band-e-Amir. The tournament provides a platform for domestic players to compete at a high level and showcase their abilities.

All matches in the 2026 Kabul Premier League are being broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television, giving cricket fans across Afghanistan the opportunity to follow the tournament.