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US envoy says Taliban indifference to lives of Afghan civilians
Ross Wilson, Chargé d’ Affaires of the US Embassy in Kabul, said Monday that the Taliban is “reticence” to meaningful peace talks and that shows “their indifference toward Afghan civilian lives.”
Wilson said in a tweet: “Each day, this country suffers more death and destruction that could be stopped through good faith efforts at the negotiation table.”
This comes after the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afganistan (UNAMA) warned Monday Afghanistan could see the highest number of civilian deaths in more than a decade if the Taliban’s offensives are not stopped.
In its six-monthly report, released Monday, UNAMA also stated the pursuit of a military solution will only increase the suffering of the Afghan people and warned that Afghan troops and pro-government forces were responsible for a quarter of all civilian casualties.
According to the report, as many as 1,659 civilians were killed and another 3,254 wounded during the first half of 2021, a 47 percent increase compared with the same period last year, the UNAMA report said.
UNAMA blamed anti-government elements for 64 percent of civilian casualties — including some 40 percent caused by the Taliban and nearly nine percent by Daesh.
About 16 percent of casualties were caused by “undetermined” anti-government elements.
But Afghan troops and pro-government forces were responsible for 25 percent, it said.
UNAMA said about 11 percent of casualties were caused by “crossfire” and the responsible parties could not be determined.
According to UNAMA, women comprised 14 percent of all civilian casualties during this period, with a total of 727 women casualties recorded (219 killed and 508 injured), an increase of 82 percent compared with the first six months of last year.
Meanwhile, Ross Wilson stated that the UNAMA report is heartbreaking.
“The numbers in the UNAMA report are heartbreaking: 32% of the civilian casualties in the first six months of 2021 were children,” he said.
The US diplomat called on warring parties that “for the sake of the nation and the country’s future, Afghanistan needs a Ceasefire Now.”
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Afghanistan ranks last in 2026 Global Passport Index
Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen, and Syria also feature among the weakest passports worldwide.
Afghanistan has been ranked last in the 2026 Global Passport Index, according to Global Citizen Solutions.
The index evaluates passports based on visa-free access, investment attractiveness, and quality of life. Afghanistan scored 23.10 out of 100, placing it at the bottom among 197 countries and territories assessed.
The report shows a wide gap between Afghanistan and the world’s strongest passport, with Sweden topping the ranking at 96.05 points. Other top-ranked passports include Switzerland, Finland, Germany, and the Netherlands.
The index highlights that Afghanistan continues to have one of the weakest passports globally, reflecting limited international mobility compared to most countries.
Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen, and Syria also feature among the weakest passports worldwide.
A truck carrying Afghan returnees from Pakistan plunged into a river in eastern Laghman province, killing at least four people, injuring eight others, and leaving 10 missing, officials said.
Wahidullah Mohammadi, spokesman for the Khalid bin Walid Army Corps, said the incident occurred around midnight in the Khairokhel area of Sarkhakan district along the Kabul–Jalalabad highway.
Rescue teams and specialized personnel were immediately deployed to the scene using heavy military equipment and support vehicles. So far, four bodies have been recovered from the river and eight injured passengers rescued and transferred for medical treatment, while 10 others remain unaccounted for.
Authorities added that the truck has also been recovered from the river.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the deadly bombing at a cafe in the Syrian capital, Damascus, that killed at least nine people and injured 20 others.
In a statement issued by Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the Islamic Emirate described the attack as a violation of Islamic and humanitarian values, saying attacks targeting civilians are unacceptable.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns the attack on a cafe in the capital of the Syrian Arab Republic, Damascus, which resulted in the martyrdom and injury of several civilians,” the statement said.
The ministry added that such incidents pose a serious challenge to Syria’s security and stability.
According to Syrian authorities, the blast occurred on Thursday at a cafe near the Palace of Justice in central Damascus. The Interior Ministry said a crudely made explosive device weighing about one kilogram and packed with metal shrapnel caused the explosion, killing nine people and wounding 20 others.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
Afghanistan ranks last in 2026 Global Passport Index
Four dead, 10 missing after truck carrying returnees plunges into river in Laghman
Afghanistan condemns deadly Damascus cafe bombing
Blast at Damascus cafe kills nine, wounds 20, Syrian interior ministry says
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