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Taliban faction’s deputy dies in Kabul from injuries sustained in Herat skirmish
Deputy head of the Taliban splinter group in the western part of the country, Mullah Abdul Manan Niazi, died in Kabul on Saturday from injuries sustained last week in a skirmish in Herat.
Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed his death and said he had been transferred to a Kabul hospital on Thursday afternoon due to the severity of his wounds.
Niazi, who was reportedly shot three times in the head, was initially taken to Herat District Hospital after being seriously wounded in an apparent Taliban-on-Taliban attack.
Sources said three insurgents were killed and three others were wounded in the clash.
Provincial officials told Ariana News last week that Niazi was wounded on Wednesday in a skirmish with Taliban militants in the Guzara district of the province.
The sources stated at the time that Niazi, a pro-Taliban commander, was taken to Herat’s public hospital.
According to the sources, three of Niazi’s bodyguards were killed in the skirmish.
The Taliban has not commented in this regard.
Niazi was believed to have been Mullah Mohammad Rasool’s deputy – the head of the faction that split from the Taliban in November 2015, following the announcement in July that year that the Taliban’s longtime leader Mullah Omar was dead.
The dissident faction’s announcement was at the time believed to be the first public and official split of the Afghan Taliban since the group formed in the 1990s.
Omar’s deputy at the time was Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor, who claimed power — sparking a battle over the group’s leadership.
Rasool and Niazi were among several Taliban commanders who challenged Mansoor’s appointment as leader. Mansoor was the leader of the group from 29 July 2015 to 21 May 2016 but was killed in a drone strike by the United States in Pakistan.
Niazi was born 1968 in Pashtoon Zarghoon district, in Herat province and served as governor of Kabul Province under the Taliban regime.
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Afghan motorcyclist completes six-month journey across all 34 provinces
He said the country’s improved security was the key factor that enabled him to undertake the nationwide tour.
An Afghan traveler has completed a six-month motorcycle journey across all 34 provinces of the country, a trip he said was inspired by his passion for exploring Afghanistan’s diverse cultures and traditions.
According to the Ministry of Information and Culture, Sayed Sajjad Sadat, a resident of Herat originally from Ghazni province, traveled through all 34 provinces and visited more than 80 districts before concluding his journey in Logar province.
Sadat said the purpose of his trip was to meet people from different ethnic communities, learn about their customs, traditions, and cultural heritage, and help promote a better understanding of Afghanistan’s diversity.
He said the country’s improved security was the key factor that enabled him to undertake the nationwide tour.
Sawab Jan Islamyar, Director of Information and Culture in Logar, praised Sadat’s initiative, saying the journey demonstrates that visitors can travel across Afghanistan to experience its natural landscapes, historical landmarks, and rich cultural heritage.
He added that the prevailing security situation has created opportunities for both domestic and international tourists to visit different parts of the country with confidence.
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UNOCHA warns of deepening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan as funding gap widens
UNOCHA reiterated that sustained international support is critical to preventing further deterioration of living conditions for vulnerable families across Afghanistan.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Afghanistan has warned that millions of Afghan families are facing increasingly difficult survival choices amid a severe funding shortfall in humanitarian assistance.
In a statement shared on social media, UNOCHA said that for many Afghans, “staying when food is no longer guaranteed” means being forced into “impossible choices,” including deciding between eating today or saving food for tomorrow, and choosing between buying medicine or bread.
“Support today means survival tomorrow for millions of Afghan families,” the agency said, emphasizing the urgent need for continued international assistance.
According to UNOCHA, the 2026 Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is currently only 17 percent funded. Out of the $1.71 billion required, just $292 million has been received so far.
The agency warned that the significant funding gap is limiting the ability of humanitarian partners to respond to growing needs across the country, where millions remain dependent on aid for basic survival.
UNOCHA reiterated that sustained international support is critical to preventing further deterioration of living conditions for vulnerable families across Afghanistan.
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Senior Afghan delegation travels to Iran for funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
The visit comes as Iran prepares what officials have described as the largest state funeral in the history of the Islamic Republic.
A senior Afghan delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has travelled to Iran to attend the funeral ceremonies of Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to sources, the delegation includes Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Zakir Jalali, Director General of the Second Political Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah Azam, head of Baradar’s office, and Haji Hikmat, head of the economic department of the Deputy Prime Minister’s office.
The visit comes as Iran prepares what officials have described as the largest state funeral in the history of the Islamic Republic. The six-day funeral, spanning multiple cities in Iran and Iraq, follows a months-long delay after Khamenei was killed in US and Israeli strikes on February 28 during the Iran-Israel conflict.
Ceremonies are set to begin at Tehran’s Mosalla prayer complex before a major funeral procession through the capital. The events will then continue in the holy city of Qom, followed by ceremonies in the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala. Khamenei is scheduled to be buried in his hometown of Mashhad on July 9.
Iranian authorities expect millions of mourners to participate in the ceremonies, with Tehran’s mayor estimating that around 20 million people could attend the main funeral procession in the capital. Extensive security and logistical measures have been put in place, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other security forces overseeing crowd management.
Several foreign delegations are expected to attend the funeral, including an official delegation from Pakistan, while the participation of other regional and international leaders is still being confirmed.
The Afghan delegation’s attendance underscores the continued diplomatic engagement between Kabul and Tehran, which have maintained regular high-level contacts on political, economic and regional issues. No details have been announced regarding any bilateral meetings between Afghan and Iranian officials during the visit.
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