Latest News
UN split over ban on IEA officials’ travel
Members of the United Nations Security Council remained divided Monday over whether to exempt some of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) officials from a travel ban, diplomatic sources said.
Under a 2011 Security Council resolution, 135 IEA leaders are subject to a sanctions regime that includes asset freezes and travel bans.
Thirteen of them benefited from an exemption from the travel ban, renewed regularly, to allow them to meet officials from other countries abroad, AFP reported.
But this exemption ended last Friday, after Ireland objected to its automatic renewal for another month.
In June, the Sanctions Committee in charge of Afghanistan, comprised of the Security Council’s 15 members, had already removed from the exemptions list two IEA ministers responsible for education, in retaliation for the drastic reduction in the rights of women and girls, AfP reported.
Several Western countries would like to further reduce the list, according to diplomatic sources.
China and Russia, however, supported a regular extension of exemptions list.
“These exemptions are still just as necessary,” the Chinese presidency of the Security Council said last week, deeming it “counterproductive” to link human rights to travel issues for IEA officials.
Since last week, and again Monday, several compromise proposals that would more or less shrink the list of officials concerned, or the number of authorized destinations, have been rejected on both sides, according to diplomatic sources.
Discussions are expected to continue.
Pending a possible decision, none of the IEA officials on the sanctions list can travel, AFP reported.
That was of particular concern to the IEA’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, who has visited Qatar several times in recent months for diplomatic discussions and who was among the 13 exemptions.
In a statement posted Saturday on Twitter, a foreign ministry spokesman called on the Security Council “not to use sanctions as pressure tool” and said all sanctions against IEA officials should be lifted.
“If the travel ban is extended, it will create distance instead of promoting dialogue & engagement, an outcome that must be prevented,” the spokesman said.
Latest News
Turkish intelligence captures a Daesh member near the Durand Line
Turkish intelligence agents have captured a senior member of Daesh near the Durand Line, reportedly preventing planned suicide attacks in Turkey and other countries, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency on Monday.
The suspect, identified as Mehmet Goren, is a Turkish citizen. He was apprehended during a covert operation and transferred to Turkey. Details on the timing of the operation or the involvement of Afghan and Pakistani authorities were not disclosed.
According to the report, Goren had risen through the ranks of Daesh and was allegedly tasked with carrying out suicide bombings in Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Europe.
Daesh has a history of deadly attacks in Turkey, including the January 1, 2017 shooting at an Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people.
Anadolu Agency reported that Goren’s arrest also provided intelligence on the group’s recruitment strategies and planned activities.
Latest News
Dozens of needy families in Kabul receive winter aid from Bayat Foundation
Dozens of needy families in Kabul’s fifth district have received essential winter assistance from the Bayat Foundation, as part of ongoing efforts to ease hardship during the cold season and worsening economic conditions.
According to foundation officials, the aid package includes staple food items such as flour, rice, and cooking oil, along with warm blankets to help families cope with freezing temperatures. Haji Mohammad Ismail, Deputy Head of Bayat Foundation, said the distribution began in Kabul and will soon be expanded to other provinces.
“Our assistance includes flour, rice, cooking oil, and blankets,” Ismail said. “Today, we started distributing these items in Kabul’s fifth district, and God willing, the aid will reach other provinces in the near future.”
Afghanistan continues to face widespread poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity, with many families struggling to meet basic needs, particularly during winter when access to work and heating becomes more difficult.Humanitarian organizations and charitable foundations have stepped up relief efforts to support those most affected.
Beneficiaries welcomed the assistance, describing it as a lifeline. “May God bless you for helping the poor. We had nothing and no work,” said one recipient. Another added, “Thank you for your help. Our flour was almost finished.”
Bayat Foundation officials stressed that winter aid distributions will continue in Kabul and other provinces in the coming days, as part of their broader commitment to supporting needy families across the country.
Latest News
Nearly seven million Afghan refugees return home since Islamic Emirate’s takeover
Since the Islamic Emirate came to power, approximately 6.8 million Afghans have returned home, either voluntarily or forcibly, from neighboring countries and other nations, according to the Minister of Refugees and Repatriation.
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, speaking at a meeting on finalizing a draft plan for a permanent migration solution in Afghanistan, added that 1.3 million Afghans have been internally displaced due to natural disasters during the same period.
With winter approaching, widespread poverty and severe cold are threatening thousands of lives. Meanwhile, the forced expulsion of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries, particularly Iran and Pakistan, continues.
The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly urged neighboring states to allow migrants to return voluntarily. According to UNHCR, over two million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan since the start of 2025.
-
Latest News3 days agoAfghan border forces prevent illegal entry of hundreds into Iran
-
Latest News3 days agoPakistan summons Afghan diplomat over deadly attack in North Waziristan
-
Latest News2 days agoAfghan health minister calls for medical cooperation between Kabul and New Delhi
-
Latest News3 days agoJapan allocates nearly $20 million in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan
-
Latest News2 days agoKarzai urges reopening of girls’ schools and universities for Afghanistan’s bright future
-
Health5 days agoAfghanistan seeks India’s support in standardizing traditional medicine
-
Latest News1 day agoAfghanistan signs 30-year deal for marble mining in Daikundi
-
World5 days agoUS readies new Russia sanctions if Putin rejects peace deal, Bloomberg News reports
