Latest News
Taliban ‘invites’ translators to remain in their own country
As concerns deepen for the safety of Afghan translators who worked alongside US and NATO forces for 20 years, once foreign troops have left the country, the Taliban on Monday issued a statement urging them not to leave Afghanistan.
In a statement issued by the group, the Taliban said it “invites them to return to their normal lives and serve their country if they specialize in their field. We do not pose a threat to them.”
The group stated that the translators are urged to “express their regret for their past and not take such a path in the future, which is considered treason against Islam and the country.”
“We used to consider them our enemy when they stood directly in the line of our enemy, but whenever they leave the line of the enemy and want to live as a normal Afghan in their country, they will not have any problems and they should not be afraid.
“And continue to live peacefully in their country, and if someone takes a threat to his life and makes a fake case to go abroad, this is his problem, not the problem of the Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate,” their statement read.
This comes after the UK government last week announced that local staff who worked for the UK government in Afghanistan, including translators, will be eligible for expedited relocation to the UK under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP).
The US has also stated it will accelerate the SIV process for those who worked with them.
On Thursday, the US State Department said that America has “a special commitment and a special responsibility” to the interpreters.
According to a US official, the State Department is adding staff in Washington and Kabul to deal with the backlog and has requested Congress authorize funding for more visas.
The 18,000 SIV applicants also have about 50,000 spouses and children under 21 that can move with them.
The Washington Post reported Sunday that at least 300 interpreters or their family members have been killed since 2014.
The International Crisis Group (ICG) has warned that rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan risk spiralling into further deadly conflict unless both sides return to dialogue.
In a recent statement, the organisation said last week’s strike on a hospital in Kabul marked a significant escalation, pushing already strained relations closer to direct confrontation. Analysts say ongoing exchanges of airstrikes and artillery fire have heightened fears of a broader regional crisis.
The attack on a major drug rehabilitation hospital in the Afghan capital reportedly killed more than 400 people and injured at least 265, drawing international concern.
Islamabad has accused Kabul of allowing militant groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to operate from its territory—an allegation Afghan authorities deny. Kabul has instead condemned Pakistan’s military actions as violations of its sovereignty.
The ICG warned that current trends point to an escalating cycle of violence that could result in significant military costs with little strategic gain for Pakistan.
At the same time, the group noted that the fighting has further isolated Afghanistan diplomatically.
While several countries expressed condolences following the 16 March strike, there has been limited international condemnation of Pakistan’s actions, alongside increasing calls for Kabul to curb militant activity within its borders.
The organisation stressed the urgent need for international support to help both countries rebuild trust and address shared security threats. Without renewed engagement, it cautioned, further deadly violence appears unavoidable.
Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, said that a mortar shell of the Pakistani military regime hit Shanpat area of Nari district of Kunar province at 9:30 am on Sunday, killing one civilian and wounding another.
The injured person is a woman, he said.
Pakistani forces also opened fire on a civilian vehicle in Shakin district of Paktika province, but no casualties were reported, Fitrat said.
The Pakistani government had earlier announced that it would halt its attacks on Afghanistan until Monday night on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Germany was not informed of the appointment of a new Afghan diplomat in Berlin, according to a report by public broadcaster ARD, raising fresh questions about the Islamic Emirate’s expanding control over overseas missions.
The report states that an IEA-linked official has assumed the role of chargé d’affaires at Afghanistan’s embassy in Berlin without prior approval from the German government. Under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, host countries must consent to such diplomatic appointments.
Germany does not formally recognize the IEA government, which returned to power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces.
Undisclosed leadership role
According to ARD, the official—identified as Nebrasul H.—arrived in Berlin in July last year as a junior consular staff member, a position approved by German authorities. However, documents obtained by the broadcaster suggest he was also quietly appointed to lead the embassy.
He is reportedly acting as chargé d’affaires, effectively heading the mission and liaising directly with Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry in Kabul.
The move highlights the IEA’s efforts to consolidate authority over Afghan diplomatic missions abroad, despite lacking broad international recognition.
Berlin ‘not notified’
Germany’s Foreign Ministry said it had received “no notification of any personnel changes” at Afghan diplomatic missions in the country.
Berlin has consistently maintained that Afghan embassies should remain under representatives appointed by the former government of Ashraf Ghani, which was ousted in 2021.
Previous envoy sidelined
The report also claims that the previous head of mission, Abdul P., has been stripped of his authority and reduced to a largely symbolic role. He was originally appointed under the Ghani administration.
Despite being sidelined, he remains in Berlin, reportedly continuing to live in the ambassador’s residence and retaining diplomatic privileges.
Wider diplomatic shift
In a related development, ARD reported that another Afghan official who arrived alongside Nebrasul H. has assumed a leadership role at the Afghan consulate in Bonn, also without formal recognition from German authorities.
The developments suggest a broader strategy by the IEA to assert control over Afghanistan’s diplomatic presence in Europe, even in countries that do not officially recognize its rule.
Iran says Hormuz open to all but ‘enemy-linked’ ships
Deadly violence likely without dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan: ICG
Pakistani military violates Afghanistan ceasefire again
IEA allegedly appoints envoy to Berlin embassy ‘without Germany’s approval’
Tahawol: Pakistan’s efforts to destabilise Afghanistan
Pakistani military jet downed in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad, pilot captured alive
Afghan Air Force conducts airstrikes in Islamabad, other cities
Prominent Muslim scholar issues fatwa calling for Afghanistan-Pakistan ceasefire
Afghan air force strikes key Pakistani military installations in retaliatory operation
IEA: Special circle in Pakistan has launched mission to destabilize region
Tahawol: Pakistan’s efforts to destabilise Afghanistan
Saar: Decline in international assistance to Afghanistan
Tawsia: Assessment of Afghanistan’s economic activities in 1404
Tahawol: Temporary ceasefire draws broad support
Saar: Emphasis on resolving conflicts through diplomacy
-
Latest News4 days agoPakistan opposes normal Afghanistan–India relations: Shaheen
-
Latest News4 days agoIEA announces temporary pause in defensive operations against Pakistan for Eid
-
Latest News4 days agoKarzai accuses Pakistan of seeking to destabilise Afghanistan after Kabul strike
-
Latest News3 days agoPakistani shelling hits Kunar districts despite ‘pause in hostility’ over Eid
-
Regional4 days agoIran strikes Tel Aviv with cluster warheads in retaliation for killing of security chief
-
Sport2 days agoAfghanistan national buzkashi falls short in Kokpar World Championship semifinals
-
Latest News5 days agoAfghanistan condemns deadly Kabul airstrike, warns of continued self-defence
-
Latest News4 days agoMuslim scholars condemn Kabul hospital attack, urge ceasefire