Latest News
NDS claims journalists arrested in Kandahar for ‘collaborating’ with Taliban
The Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS) stated Sunday that four journalists were arrested in southern Kandahar province this week for “collaborating” with the Taliban militants.
The journalists – three reporters from Nation Voice [Millat Ghag] Radio, Bismillah Watandost, Qudratullah Sultani, and Mohibullah Obaidi; and Sanullah Siam who claimed to be working with China’s Xinhua news agency – were arrested after they visited the Spin Boldak border crossing last week after it had been seized by the Taliban.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the NDS said the reporters met and interviewed Taliban leaders and Pakistan spy agency (ISI) officials – including Mullah Gul Agha and Mawlavi Manzor Taliban spy chiefs; General Mobin and Faizullah, two members of ISI; and Mullah Yaqoob, the son of former Taliban leader Mullah Omar.
The meeting reportedly took place in the house of former Kandahar Police Chief General Abdul Raziq Spin Boldak in Kandahar province.
The NDS stated that the reporters wanted to “purify” the Taliban and “to ignore the inhuman acts of this terrorist group in some provinces of the country, especially the tragic events in Spin Boldak region so as to direct the public opinion in favor of the Taliban.”
The NDS stated that the Nation Voice [Millat Ghag] Radio Station was illegally operating as it has no license from the Ministry of Culture and Information.
Meanwhile, Xinhua rejected Sanaullah Siam’s claim that he was working for the news agency.
“Hereby Xinhua denies the claim made by Mr. Sayam (Siam) as Sayam is not the employee of Xinhua. In the meantime, Xinhua confirms that Mr. Sayam as a freelancer used to sell his products and Xinhua like other news agencies sometimes used to buy photos from him, and buying photos in no way means that Sayam is Xinhua’s staff,” the agency said in a statement.
The NDS stated that Siam was illegally operating under Xinhua’s name.
“Recently, Bismillah Watandost had a mission to make contact with Kandahar governor and encourage him to hand over the province to the Taliban so that they (Taliban) hold Eid prayers in the Kandahar government compound; therefore, Kandahar governor in a letter urged the Kandahar NDS directorate office to arrest these reporters,” the NDS claimed.
This comes after human rights and media freedom advocates last week called on authorities in Afghanistan to release the four journalists.
But Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement late Friday that “as the Afghan conflict escalates, all parties seem intent on silencing the country’s media.”
“Unless charged with a genuine crime, the four journalists should be released immediately,” the statement read.
Reports indicate that the four traveled to the district to investigate reports of Afghan civilian killings by Taliban insurgents.
According to HWR, Siam is a free-lance cameraman.
“The arrests …underscore rising concerns the Afghan government is trying to shield itself from media criticism. Among the many threats they face, Afghanistan’s embattled journalists should not also have to face prosecution for doing their jobs,” said HWR.
Latest News
Khalilzad warns Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions likely to worsen after fresh airstrikes
Former U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has warned that the latest Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan and recent violence inside Pakistan are part of a wider crisis, saying he sees no indication that the situation is about to change.
In a post on X on Thursday, Khalilzad described the Pakistani airstrikes that have killed Afghan civilians and the increasing use of force against civilians in Pakistan as “interconnected tragedies,” implying both effected by Pakistan’s establishment.
“Unfortunately, I do not see any signs of change,” Khalilzad said, adding that current indicators suggested the use of force against Pakistanis would “likely get worse” in the coming days.
His comments came after Pakistan carried out a new wave of airstrikes inside Afghanistan overnight Thursday, saying it had targeted 10 locations used to launch and store drones.
Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the strikes were conducted in response to drones launched from Afghan territory a day earlier and described them as “deliberate, precise, calibrated and proportionate.”
Afghan officials said the strikes killed four civilians. The attacks reportedly hit locations including Kandahar, Khost and Paktia provinces. Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate authorities have denied launching the drones cited by Pakistan and have condemned the strikes.
The latest attacks follow Pakistani airstrikes earlier this week in Kunar and Paktika. Pakistan said those operations killed 28 militants, while the United Nations confirmed that three Afghan civilians — a man, a woman and a girl — were killed, with four others injured.
The renewed airstrikes come amid a sharp deterioration in relations between Kabul and Islamabad. Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of allowing militant groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to operate from its territory and launch attacks inside Pakistan.
Afghan authorities reject the allegations and say militancy inside Pakistan is an internal issue.
Khalilzad has previously called for a change in Pakistan’s strategy toward both its internal security problems and Afghanistan.
Latest News
Afghanistan summons Pakistani chargé d’affaires over latest airstrikes
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires to Kabul and lodged a strong protest against the violation of Afghan airspace and Pakistani military airstrikes on several Afghan provinces.
The ministry handed the Pakistani diplomat a formal protest note following the attacks on Kandahar, Paktia and Khost provinces on Wednesday night, which reportedly caused civilian casualties.
The Islamic Emirate strongly condemned the strikes, calling them a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and contrary to Islamic, international, humanitarian and good-neighborly principles.
The ministry also rejected what it called baseless claims that Afghan territory was being used as a source of Pakistan’s recent security incidents.
It said using such claims to justify military action was an attempt to distort facts, mislead public opinion and conceal Pakistan’s internal failures.
The Islamic Emirate further accused Pakistan’s military leadership of avoiding commitments made to regional countries and warned that such actions could further escalate tensions in the region.
Latest News
Museum dedicated to preserving ‘Jihadi’ artefacts opens in Kandahar
The museum’s collection includes more than 100 items gathered from different locations.
A museum dedicated to preserving what Afghan authorities describe as “Jihadi artefacts” has officially opened in Kandahar, with officials saying more than 100 items have so far been collected for display.
Mufti Mohammad Tahir Ahmad, Director General for the Preservation of Jihadi Artefacts at the Ministry of Information and Culture, attended the inauguration ceremony alongside Qari Ahmadullah Saeed Khosti, Director of Registration for Jihadi Artefacts and Documents.
Mufti Inamullah Samangani, head of the Kandahar Information and Culture Department, and officials from several government departments also attended the ceremony.
According to the official responsible for preserving the artefacts in Kandahar, the museum’s collection includes more than 100 items gathered from different locations.
The collection includes weapons that officials say were captured from British, Soviet and US forces, as well as personal belongings and other items associated with people killed during Afghanistan’s conflicts over the past two decades.
Officials said efforts to collect additional artefacts would continue in order to expand the museum’s collection.
The museum is now open to visitors, according to the officials.
-
Sport3 days agoAfghanistan to face Japan and Nepal in Asian Games cricket group stage
-
Latest News4 days agoPakistan says Kohat attackers had roots in Afghanistan
-
Latest News5 days agoOIC to hold Afghanistan Contact Group meeting on sidelines of UN General Assembly
-
Regional5 days agoFlames, smoke seen near Riyadh airport; Houthis claim attacks on Saudi capital
-
Regional3 days agoIran and US trade threats after Houthi attacks escalate regional conflict
-
Business4 days agoDogharoun handles 60% of Iran’s exports to Afghanistan
-
World3 days agoCNN, MS NOW and Politico sue Trump, challenging White House ban
-
World4 days agoWorld leaders return to UN amid wars in Middle East and Ukraine

