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Taliban shall follow political goals through democratic ways: Ghani
President Ashraf Ghani said the Taliban should pursue their political goals through democratic ways such as taking part in the Afghan elections.
Speaking at a summit to strengthen the global consensus on peace hosted in Kabul, Ghani said that the group could take part in the presidential and parliamentary elections.
Representatives from 19 countries and international organizations including NATO, the United Nations, the European Union had participated in the summit.
President Ghani stressed that the Taliban must be present within the framework of the republican system. Much of the president’s speech focused on global support in Afghanistan’s peace talks. Ashraf Ghani said the government is investigating the release of 1,000 Taliban prisoners from the Taliban.
Meanwhile, Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Reconciliation Council, also said that the government has boost efforts to finalize the process of releasing prisoners, saying that the first round of intra-Afghan talks would be held in Qatar a week after the completion of the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners. Abdullah stressed that the ceasefire is the main agenda of the first round of talks.
“At the moment as we are well aware, the first round will be held in Doha. The initial understanding is that after the completion of exchange of prisoners, it will be one week after that,” Abdullah said, adding, “There is an understanding about the facilitation that the host country should do the facilitation, but on the details of the facilitation, the two sides needs to agree.”
The head of the High Reconciliation Council says that in the first round of talks between Afghans, the ceasefire will be the main agenda and that important issues will be prioritized. According to Abdullah Abdullah, strategies will be discussed in the negotiations on issues of serious disagreement.
He added, “We need to secure the commitment from the Taliban that it will not be a sort of one of the negotiations, but to secure their commitment, not only for deduction in violence in a comprehensive ceasefire but at the same time for continued engagement and as part of strategy, the first agenda will be ceasefire. How to strategize and prioritize it is important.”
The Taliban’s political bureau, however, accuses the Afghan government of delaying the release of prisoners on the pretext of delaying the start of talks between Afghans, although the office acknowledges that there are only a few Taliban prisoners left to be released until the number of released prisoners reaches 5,000.
“They say we have released 4,000 prisoners, but we say more than 3,000. But if they had released the same thousands of prisoners, negotiations would have started and other prisoners would have been released later. They are creating obstacles on the way of the process,” said Sohail Shahin, a spokesman for the Taliban’s political bureau in Qatar.
The National Security Council says the Taliban have so far released about half of the 1,000 captured security forces. The council emphasizes that the government has so far released 4,099 Taliban prisoners, but the release of 592 prisoners who have been convicted of serious crimes such as drug trafficking, kidnapping, rape, stoning women, assassination, and other criminal offenses will not happen.
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Water crisis deepens in Afghanistan as families struggle for access
Traditional sources such as wells and karezes—underground channels that have sustained communities for generations—are now under severe strain.
As the world marks World Water Day, Afghanistan is facing a worsening water crisis, with millions of people struggling to access safe and reliable supplies.
Years of drought, declining rainfall, rapid population growth and the return of families from neighbouring countries have placed increasing pressure on already fragile water systems.
Traditional sources such as wells and karezes—underground channels that have sustained communities for generations—are now under severe strain.
In many rural areas, families are forced to rely on unsafe surface water or travel long distances to meet daily needs. Women and children are most affected, often spending hours each day collecting water.
Urban centres, including Kabul, Mazar-e-Sharif and Kandahar, are also grappling with shortages. Rapid population growth and unregulated groundwater extraction have led to significant depletion, leaving many households dependent on private wells or water deliveries.
The situation in Kandahar is particularly severe. Reports indicate that numerous wells have dried up, while others have dropped to depths of more than 100 metres.
Local community leader Fazil Rahman described water shortages as the most pressing challenge in his area, noting that even deep boreholes are failing to produce sufficient supply. He added that the crisis is disrupting education and livelihoods, as children are often forced to spend hours fetching water instead of attending school.
In response, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in partnership with the Urban Water Supply and Sewage State-Owned Corporation, launched a water infrastructure project in Kandahar in 2025. The initiative aims to improve access for more than 100,000 residents through expanded pipelines, new household connections and solar-powered pumping systems.
The ICRC has also upgraded a major water pumping station in Herat, now supplying water to more than 400,000 people through tens of thousands of household connections.
Beyond urban areas, water scarcity is also affecting agriculture, the backbone of many rural livelihoods. Reduced irrigation has led to lower crop yields and increased risks of food insecurity and malnutrition.
To support affected communities, the ICRC has rehabilitated irrigation canals, karezes and flood protection systems in several provinces, including projects in Parwan Province.
Despite these efforts, humanitarian organisations warn that aid alone will not be enough. Long-term investment in infrastructure, improved water management and stronger policies will be essential to address the crisis.
Without sustained and coordinated action, experts caution that water shortages could continue to threaten public health, food security and stability across Afghanistan.
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.
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