Afghanistan's interior ministry confirmed on Wednesday (October 5) that a blast occurred at a mosque near the ministry in the nation's capital Kabul.&nbsp;

Abdul Nafi Takor, who is the ministry's spokesperson, said that the explosion took place "in a mosque which is at a distance from the ministry of interior".&nbsp;

He also mentioned that visitors and some of the employees used to offer prayers at the mosque. The ministry's spokesperson&nbsp;said that an investigation was ongoing.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-juntas-leader-wont-be-allowed-to-attend-upcoming-asean-summit-combodia-522660">Myanmar Junta's leader won't be allowed to attend upcoming ASEAN summit: Cambodia</a>&nbsp;

He didn't reveal the casualty figures or the exact distance from ministry grounds, but local reports mentioned that at least four people were killed and over 20 were injured.&nbsp;

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Of late, such deadly attacks have ramped up in Afghanistan. On last Friday, a suicide bombing killed at least 53 people in a Kabul classroom, including 46 girls and women, according to a UN death toll.&nbsp;

As per the witnesses, the attacker blew himself up in the women's section of a gender-segregated classroom of a study hall in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood.&nbsp;

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for that attack, which Taliban authorities said claimed only 25 lives.&nbsp;

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Afghanistan's interior ministry confirmed on Wednesday (October 5) that a blast occurred at a mosque near the ministry in the nation's capital Kabul. Abdul Nafi Takor, who is the ministry's spokesperson, said that the explosion took place "in a mosque which is at a distance from the ministry of interior".

Afghanistan's interior ministry confirmed on Wednesday (October 5) that a blast occurred at a mosque near the ministry in the nation's capital Kabul. Abdul Nafi Takor, who is the ministry's spokesperson, said that the explosion took place "in a mosque which is at a distance from the ministry of interior". He also mentioned that visitors and some of the employees used to offer prayers at the mosque. The ministry's spokesperson said that an investigation was ongoing. ALSO READ | Myanmar Junta's leader won't be allowed to attend upcoming ASEAN summit: Cambodia He didn't reveal the casualty figures or the exact distance from ministry grounds, but local reports mentioned that at least four people were killed and over 20 were injured. WATCH | Pan Nalin in an exclusive conversation with WION speaks on 'Chhello Show' controversy × Of late, such deadly attacks have ramped up in Afghanistan. On last Friday, a suicide bombing killed at least 53 people in a Kabul classroom, including 46 girls and women, according to a UN death toll. As per the witnesses, the attacker blew himself up in the women's section of a gender-segregated classroom of a study hall in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for that attack, which Taliban authorities said claimed only 25 lives. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Kabul: At least four killed, 20 injured in blast at mosque near Afghan interior ministry

Here we bring you a quick round-up of all latest news, top headlines and international breakings from all across the globe, stay tuned with Gravitas for more!

Gravitas Global Headlines: Explosion reported near Taliban's interior ministry compound | WION

The Taliban administration has reportedly banned the use of Pakistani currency, the rupee, in the country.&nbsp;According to news agency Khaama Press, the Taliban Intelligence Agency’s Anti-Money Laundering Branch has ordered the Association of Money Exchange Dealers in a letter to “completely ban” the use of Pakistani Rupees in financial transactions in Afghanistan

The letter states that all financial transactions, including but not limited to transfers, trade, and currency exchange, are disallowed, the news agency reported.

The move would deal a major blow to the locals and traders who use Pakistani Rupees for everyday spending and food purchases.

Apart from that, the money exchange dealers have been banned from conducting transactions totalling more than 500,000 rupees.

“If more than the specified amount is discovered, the dealers could face legal action,” the letter stated.

Afghanistan’s economy has been in tatters ever since the Taliban stormed back to power last year.

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have predicted a contraction of the economy by a further one-third by the end of 2022.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/node/522390" hreflang="en">Two minors served acid in water bottle at eatery in Pakistan, manager arrested</a>

According to the United Nations, half of the country’s 39 million people need humanitarian assistance.

To make matters worse, the US froze nearly $9.5 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank and stopped shipments of cash to the nation.

Of the total amount, only $3.5 billion was released by the Biden administration which has established a foundation to spend that amount to benefit Afghans.

The trust, which is based in Switzerland, will use the money to help address the unfolding economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan — while keeping the funds out of the hands of the Taliban.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Taliban administration has reportedly banned the use of Pakistani currency, the rupee, in the country. According to news agency Khaama Press, the Taliban Intelligence Agency’s Anti-Money Laundering Branch has ordered the Association of Money Exchange Dealers in a letter to “completely ban” the use of Pakistani Rupees in financial transactions in Afghanistan The letter states that all financial transactions, including but not limited to transfers, trade, and currency exchange, are disallowed, the news agency reported.

The Taliban administration has reportedly banned the use of Pakistani currency, the rupee, in the country. According to news agency Khaama Press, the Taliban Intelligence Agency’s Anti-Money Laundering Branch has ordered the Association of Money Exchange Dealers in a letter to “completely ban” the use of Pakistani Rupees in financial transactions in Afghanistan The letter states that all financial transactions, including but not limited to transfers, trade, and currency exchange, are disallowed, the news agency reported. The move would deal a major blow to the locals and traders who use Pakistani Rupees for everyday spending and food purchases. Apart from that, the money exchange dealers have been banned from conducting transactions totalling more than 500,000 rupees. “If more than the specified amount is discovered, the dealers could face legal action,” the letter stated. Afghanistan’s economy has been in tatters ever since the Taliban stormed back to power last year. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have predicted a contraction of the economy by a further one-third by the end of 2022. Also read | Two minors served acid in water bottle at eatery in Pakistan, manager arrested According to the United Nations, half of the country’s 39 million people need humanitarian assistance. To make matters worse, the US froze nearly $9.5 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank and stopped shipments of cash to the nation. Of the total amount, only $3.5 billion was released by the Biden administration which has established a foundation to spend that amount to benefit Afghans. The trust, which is based in Switzerland, will use the money to help address the unfolding economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan — while keeping the funds out of the hands of the Taliban. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Taliban ban use of Pakistani currency in Afghanistan, transactions over 500,000 rupees

Taliban have completed a year of control over Afghanistan but they continue to face several challenges, the latest one for them is coming from the National Resistance Front. The Taliban have suffered a major setback in its northernmost province.

Taliban's governor captured in Northern Badakhshan province

At least 32 people, including&nbsp;girl students, were killed and dozens injured after a suicide attack at a learning centre in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Friday. The incident took place as the students were preparing for an examination.&nbsp;

After the blast, a&nbsp;police spokesman said,&nbsp;"Students were preparing for an exam when a suicide bomber struck at this educational centre."&nbsp;

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There were videos circulating on social media right after the incident which showed the bodies of the victims amidst the rubble and the people present at the spot trying to help the wounded.

"Security teams have reached the site, the nature of the attack and the details of the casualties will be released later," the interior ministry spokesman Abdul Nafy Takor tweeted after the blast.&nbsp;

"Attacking civilian targets proves the enemy's inhuman cruelty and lack of moral standards," said officials.&nbsp;

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The blast took place in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood of Kabul – an area notorious for violence even before the Taliban took back control in Afghanistan. In 2021, Reuters reported that 85 people -- mainly girl students -- were killed and about 300 were wounded when three bombs exploded near their school.&nbsp;

The neighbourhood is also the residence of the minority Hazara community.&nbsp;

While the Islamic State took responsibility for the blast in 2021, no group has come forward in the aftermath of Friday’s blast. The attack on women’s education has intensified after the Taliban’s return with official restrictions on dress codes as well as the right to higher education in various institutions.&nbsp;

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At least 32 people, including girl students, were killed and dozens injured after a suicide attack at a learning centre in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Friday.

At least 32 people, including girl students, were killed and dozens injured after a suicide attack at a learning centre in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Friday. The incident took place as the students were preparing for an examination. After the blast, a police spokesman said, "Students were preparing for an exam when a suicide bomber struck at this educational centre." Also read | Xi Jinping appears in public again, attends wreath laying to mark Martyrs' Day There were videos circulating on social media right after the incident which showed the bodies of the victims amidst the rubble and the people present at the spot trying to help the wounded. "Security teams have reached the site, the nature of the attack and the details of the casualties will be released later," the interior ministry spokesman Abdul Nafy Takor tweeted after the blast. "Attacking civilian targets proves the enemy's inhuman cruelty and lack of moral standards," said officials. Also read | RBI hikes benchmark repo rate by 50 basis points to a three-year high of 5.9% The blast took place in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood of Kabul – an area notorious for violence even before the Taliban took back control in Afghanistan. In 2021, Reuters reported that 85 people -- mainly girl students -- were killed and about 300 were wounded when three bombs exploded near their school. The neighbourhood is also the residence of the minority Hazara community. While the Islamic State took responsibility for the blast in 2021, no group has come forward in the aftermath of Friday’s blast. The attack on women’s education has intensified after the Taliban’s return with official restrictions on dress codes as well as the right to higher education in various institutions.

Kabul blast: At least 32, including students, killed in suicide attack on educational centre

A United Nations envoy told Security Council on Tuesday (September 28) that world was losing patience with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan since the Islamic regime didn't show sign of allowing girls' education.

Markus Potzel, the United Nations deputy representative in Afghanistan, told the council that while there have been some positive developments since the Taliban took power last year, "they have been too few and too slow and are outweighed by the negatives."

"I am afraid that patience is running out by many in the international community regarding a strategy of engagement with Afghanistan's Taliban," he said.

Potzel spoke as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted that the Taliban have been "ambiguous as to the extent to which they would wish to engage externally, absent formal recognition and predicated on being in accordance with their interpretation of the sharia."

Guterres, in his quarterly report released on Tuesday said that killing of Al-Qaeda's Ayman al-Zawahir by US drone strike in Kabul "brought to the fore the continuing ties between the terrorist group and the Taliban, which would be contrary to the latter's counterterrorism commitments."

The report also denounced the "severe restrictions" still imposed on the rights of women and girls, including the ban on secondary education.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A United Nations envoy told Security Council on Tuesday (September 28) that world was losing patience with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan since the Islamic regime didn't show sign of allowing girls' education.

A United Nations envoy told Security Council on Tuesday (September 28) that world was losing patience with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan since the Islamic regime didn't show sign of allowing girls' education. Markus Potzel, the United Nations deputy representative in Afghanistan, told the council that while there have been some positive developments since the Taliban took power last year, "they have been too few and too slow and are outweighed by the negatives." "I am afraid that patience is running out by many in the international community regarding a strategy of engagement with Afghanistan's Taliban," he said. Potzel spoke as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted that the Taliban have been "ambiguous as to the extent to which they would wish to engage externally, absent formal recognition and predicated on being in accordance with their interpretation of the sharia." Guterres, in his quarterly report released on Tuesday said that killing of Al-Qaeda's Ayman al-Zawahir by US drone strike in Kabul "brought to the fore the continuing ties between the terrorist group and the Taliban, which would be contrary to the latter's counterterrorism commitments." The report also denounced the "severe restrictions" still imposed on the rights of women and girls, including the ban on secondary education. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

UN: World is 'running out of patience' with Taliban

As per a Reuters report, Afghanistan rulers the Taliban have signed a provisional deal for gas and wheat with Russia.

It quotes Acting Afghan Commerce and Industry Minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi as saying that ministry was trying to diversify the nation's trading partners, and that Moscow had offered Afghanistan a discount on the average global commodity prices.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-doesnt-need-a-constitution-can-address-problems-by-applying-islamic-laws-officials-512983">Afghanistan doesn’t need a constitution, can address problems by applying Islamic Laws, says official</a>

This deal is the first significant foreign economic agreement known to have been reached by the Taliban and it may help lessen the Islamist movement's exclusion from the world banking system.

According to Azizi, the agreement calls for Russia to annually supply two million tonnes of wheat, 500,000 tonnes of LPG, and one million tonne&nbsp;each of gasoline and diesel. 
 
The minister also disclosed that the agreement is set to run for an unspecified length of time, after which both sides if content with the arrangement will sign a longer-term deal.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/un-world-is-running-out-of-patience-with-taliban-520345">UN: World is 'running out of patience' with Taliban</a>

He claimed that while Afghanistan had significant trading links with Pakistan and also received some gas and oil from Turkmenistan and Iran, it wished to diversify.

It is expected that the United States, which is currently experiencing shaky relations with Russia will be keeping an eye on the trade deal.

More than one year has elapsed since Afghanistan's erstwhile rulers once again took over the country. However, at this time, no nation has formally recognised the Taliban.&nbsp;Even though Russia doesn't formally recognise the group, its embassy is one of the few that is still operational in the Afghan capital.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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As per a Reuters report, Afghanistan rulers the Taliban have signed a provisional deal for gas and wheat with Russia. It quotes Acting Afghan Commerce and Industry Minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi as saying that ministry was trying to diversify the nation's trading partners, and that Moscow had offered Afghanistan a discount on the average global commodity prices.

As per a Reuters report, Afghanistan rulers the Taliban have signed a provisional deal for gas and wheat with Russia. It quotes Acting Afghan Commerce and Industry Minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi as saying that ministry was trying to diversify the nation's trading partners, and that Moscow had offered Afghanistan a discount on the average global commodity prices. Also read | Afghanistan doesn’t need a constitution, can address problems by applying Islamic Laws, says official This deal is the first significant foreign economic agreement known to have been reached by the Taliban and it may help lessen the Islamist movement's exclusion from the world banking system. According to Azizi, the agreement calls for Russia to annually supply two million tonnes of wheat, 500,000 tonnes of LPG, and one million tonne each of gasoline and diesel. The minister also disclosed that the agreement is set to run for an unspecified length of time, after which both sides if content with the arrangement will sign a longer-term deal. Also read | UN: World is 'running out of patience' with Taliban He claimed that while Afghanistan had significant trading links with Pakistan and also received some gas and oil from Turkmenistan and Iran, it wished to diversify. It is expected that the United States, which is currently experiencing shaky relations with Russia will be keeping an eye on the trade deal. More than one year has elapsed since Afghanistan's erstwhile rulers once again took over the country. However, at this time, no nation has formally recognised the Taliban. Even though Russia doesn't formally recognise the group, its embassy is one of the few that is still operational in the Afghan capital. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Taliban and Russia sign a trading agreement for wheat, gas and oil: Report

Taliban on Friday (September 23) said at least seven people were killed and 41&nbsp;injured,&nbsp; including many children, in a car bomb blast as worshippers were leaving a mosque&nbsp;on Friday in the Afghan capital.&nbsp;No one is reported to have taken responsibility for the bombing, the latest in a stream of attacks since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan just over a year ago. 
 
The interior ministry spokesman, Abdul Nafi Takor, said the car laden with explosives was parked by the roadside near the mosque and detonated as worshippers were coming out after Friday prayers, reported PTI.&nbsp;Takor said, "The explosion occurred when worshippers were heading home. Police force is at the site and investigation is underway."

A mangled car engulfed in fire on a road outside the mosque could be seen in images posted on social media.

Although no group has so far claimed the attack, the militant group Islamic State has targeted Friday prayers at mosques in recent months.

Kabul police chief spokesman Khalid Zadran said worshippers were targeted intentionally when they were exiting from the Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque after Friday prayers.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-what-life-in-afghanistan-looks-like-after-one-year-of-taliban-rule-504576" hreflang="en">IN PICS | What life in Afghanistan looks like after one year of Taliban rule?</a>

Four people of 14 received by Italian-NGO-run Emergency Hospital were dead on arrival as per authorities.

“Targeting mosques and worshippers is an unforgivable crime, the nation should cooperate with the regime in eliminating criminals,” said Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. 
 
The Islamic State group, a top rival of the Taliban since their takeover in Afghanistan just over a year ago, has previously targeted mosques and worshippers, and especially members of Afghanistan's minority Shiites in attacks. 
 
The area in which the blast took place is called Wazir Akbar Khan and it is a prominent location in Kabul and was previously the location of many foreign embassies and NATO.

There have been regular bomb attacks in Kabul and other cities although overall violence has significantly dropped across Afghanistan since the war ended with the Taliban's return to power.

In the latest attack in the capital claimed by the group. two Russian embassy staff members were killed in a suicide bombing outside its offices earlier this month.

Following the Taliban's return to power, the mosque was the target of a similar attack in 2020 in which the imam was killed and several people were wounded.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Taliban on Friday (September 23) said at least seven people were killed and 41 injured, including many children, in a car bomb blast as worshippers were leaving a mosque on Friday in the Afghan capital.

Taliban on Friday (September 23) said at least seven people were killed and 41 injured, including many children, in a car bomb blast as worshippers were leaving a mosque on Friday in the Afghan capital. No one is reported to have taken responsibility for the bombing, the latest in a stream of attacks since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan just over a year ago. The interior ministry spokesman, Abdul Nafi Takor, said the car laden with explosives was parked by the roadside near the mosque and detonated as worshippers were coming out after Friday prayers, reported PTI. Takor said, "The explosion occurred when worshippers were heading home. Police force is at the site and investigation is underway." A mangled car engulfed in fire on a road outside the mosque could be seen in images posted on social media. Although no group has so far claimed the attack, the militant group Islamic State has targeted Friday prayers at mosques in recent months. Kabul police chief spokesman Khalid Zadran said worshippers were targeted intentionally when they were exiting from the Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque after Friday prayers. Also see | IN PICS | What life in Afghanistan looks like after one year of Taliban rule? Four people of 14 received by Italian-NGO-run Emergency Hospital were dead on arrival as per authorities. “Targeting mosques and worshippers is an unforgivable crime, the nation should cooperate with the regime in eliminating criminals,” said Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. The Islamic State group, a top rival of the Taliban since their takeover in Afghanistan just over a year ago, has previously targeted mosques and worshippers, and especially members of Afghanistan's minority Shiites in attacks. The area in which the blast took place is called Wazir Akbar Khan and it is a prominent location in Kabul and was previously the location of many foreign embassies and NATO. There have been regular bomb attacks in Kabul and other cities although overall violence has significantly dropped across Afghanistan since the war ended with the Taliban's return to power. In the latest attack in the capital claimed by the group. two Russian embassy staff members were killed in a suicide bombing outside its offices earlier this month. Following the Taliban's return to power, the mosque was the target of a similar attack in 2020 in which the imam was killed and several people were wounded. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Kabul: At least seven people killed, 41 injured in car bomb blast near mosque after Friday prayers

The United Nations urged the Taliban to reopen high schools for girls across Afghanistan, condemning the ban that began exactly a year ago as "tragic and shameful".

UN condemns a year-long Taliban ban on Afghan girls' education

Taliban regime in Afghanistan on Monday (September 19) freed Mark Freirich, an American engineer in a prisoner swap. US in turn released Taliban-linked Afghan tribal leader Bashir Noorzai. US President Joe Biden granted clemency to the convicted drug smuggler who was detained since 2005.

Freirich was abducted in 2020 while working in Afghanistan. The prisoner exchange took place at Kabul airport.

Biden said Frerichs' release was the culmination of work by US officials and other governments. His administration has been under pressure from the families of Americans detained by hostile foreign governments and Biden says he wants to increase efforts for their release.

"Bringing the negotiations that led to Mark’s freedom to a successful resolution required difficult decisions, which I did not take lightly," Biden said in a statement, without confirming the release of Noorzai.

Reuters quoted an unnamed US official who said that Noorzai was given clemency by Biden.

Noorzai was detained under charges of drug smuggling of more than USD 50 million.

He was found guilty following a jury trial in New York in September 2008 and sentenced to life in prison in 2009.

Noorzai's lawyer had denied that his client was a drug dealer and argued that the charges should be dismissed because US&nbsp;officials duped him into believing he would not be arrested.

Frerichs is an engineer and US&nbsp;Navy veteran from Lombard, Illinois, who worked in Afghanistan for a decade on development projects. He was kidnapped in February 2020.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Taliban regime in Afghanistan on Monday (September 19) freed Mark Freirich, an American engineer in a prisoner swap. US in turn released Taliban-linked Afghan tribal leader Bashir Noorzai.

Taliban regime in Afghanistan on Monday (September 19) freed Mark Freirich, an American engineer in a prisoner swap. US in turn released Taliban-linked Afghan tribal leader Bashir Noorzai. US President Joe Biden granted clemency to the convicted drug smuggler who was detained since 2005. Freirich was abducted in 2020 while working in Afghanistan. The prisoner exchange took place at Kabul airport. Biden said Frerichs' release was the culmination of work by US officials and other governments. His administration has been under pressure from the families of Americans detained by hostile foreign governments and Biden says he wants to increase efforts for their release. "Bringing the negotiations that led to Mark’s freedom to a successful resolution required difficult decisions, which I did not take lightly," Biden said in a statement, without confirming the release of Noorzai. Reuters quoted an unnamed US official who said that Noorzai was given clemency by Biden. Noorzai was detained under charges of drug smuggling of more than USD 50 million. He was found guilty following a jury trial in New York in September 2008 and sentenced to life in prison in 2009. Noorzai's lawyer had denied that his client was a drug dealer and argued that the charges should be dismissed because US officials duped him into believing he would not be arrested. Frerichs is an engineer and US Navy veteran from Lombard, Illinois, who worked in Afghanistan for a decade on development projects. He was kidnapped in February 2020. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Taliban release US engineer in a prisoner swap

Let us take a look at stories generating interest across WION's social media channels.

Trending on WION | UN urges Taliban to open high school for girls; Royal family conspiracy theories

An American navy veteran detained in Afghanistan since 2020 was released by the Taliban in exchange for an ally who spent 17 years in a US jail for heroin smuggling.

WION Fineprint | Taliban, United States swap prisoners | Aghan druglord swapped for US Navy veteran

The former leader of a pro-government militia and seven other people were killed in a bomb blast in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday (Sept. 14), according to authorities. The local Taliban claimed responsibility for the incident.&nbsp;

The Kabal town in the Swat valley, which was largely governed by the Pakistan Taliban during insurgency from 2007 to 2009, was the scene of the blast on Tuesday night.&nbsp;

Former peace committee leader Idrees Khan was killed after his pick-up truck was struck by a roadside bomb, according to Swat district police officer Zahid Nawaz Marwat, who spoke to AFP.&nbsp;

Two local police officers, two private guards, and three labourers were among the fatalities, according to a second local police official.&nbsp;

Islamabad supported peace committees, or tribal vigilante groups, were set up to protect their areas from extremists, but majority of them had&nbsp;been abolished when the security situation had improved.

The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which claimed responsibility for the incident, claimed Khan was engaged in the murder of TTP members.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/juxtapose-dramatic-expansion-of-bahrain-by-building-land-on-sea-1987-vs-2022-515720">Before and after images show dramatic expansion of Bahrain by building land on sea: 1987 vs 2022</a>

The group also claimed responsibility for a skirmish with Pakistani security forces that left three troops dead on Tuesday in the Afghan border province of Kurram.

The TTP declared an extended ceasefire in June to aid in peace negotiations being mediated by Afghanistan, but despite both parties claiming the ceasefire was still in effect, there have been frequent confrontations.&nbsp;

Islamabad has routinely complained about TTP attacks since the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan last year, particularly along their porous border.&nbsp;

Though they are independent organisations, the Taliban from Pakistan and Afghanistan have a similar ideology.

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

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The former leader of a pro-government militia and seven other people were killed in a bomb blast in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday (Sept. 14), according to authorities.

The former leader of a pro-government militia and seven other people were killed in a bomb blast in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday (Sept. 14), according to authorities. The local Taliban claimed responsibility for the incident. The Kabal town in the Swat valley, which was largely governed by the Pakistan Taliban during insurgency from 2007 to 2009, was the scene of the blast on Tuesday night. Former peace committee leader Idrees Khan was killed after his pick-up truck was struck by a roadside bomb, according to Swat district police officer Zahid Nawaz Marwat, who spoke to AFP. Two local police officers, two private guards, and three labourers were among the fatalities, according to a second local police official. Islamabad supported peace committees, or tribal vigilante groups, were set up to protect their areas from extremists, but majority of them had been abolished when the security situation had improved. The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which claimed responsibility for the incident, claimed Khan was engaged in the murder of TTP members. Also Read: Before and after images show dramatic expansion of Bahrain by building land on sea: 1987 vs 2022 The group also claimed responsibility for a skirmish with Pakistani security forces that left three troops dead on Tuesday in the Afghan border province of Kurram. The TTP declared an extended ceasefire in June to aid in peace negotiations being mediated by Afghanistan, but despite both parties claiming the ceasefire was still in effect, there have been frequent confrontations. Islamabad has routinely complained about TTP attacks since the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan last year, particularly along their porous border. Though they are independent organisations, the Taliban from Pakistan and Afghanistan have a similar ideology. (with inputs from agencies)

Former head of militia and 7 others killed in bomb planted by Pakistan Taliban in Swat

Trigger warning: Some readers might find the details of this story/video disturbing. Discretion is advised.&nbsp;

The Taliban claimed on Tuesday (September 13) that the regime's forces had killed at least 40 resistance fighters led by the son of a late anti-Taliban commander in northern Panjshir province.&nbsp;

Panjshir Valley is famous for being the centre of the Afghan resistance against Soviet forces in the 1980s and later against the Taliban.&nbsp;

The National Resistance Front (NRF) were the last to hold out against the Taliban's takeover of the country in August last year by retreating to the valley.&nbsp;

The resistance forces are led by the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud. In May, NRF forces announced an offensive against the Taliban.

Scores of civilians had fled the valley in the initial bout of fighting, but there has been a lull in recent weeks.&nbsp;

Fresh fighting has erupted in the valley in the past few days, according to residents and the insurgent group.

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed 40 NRF fighters, including three commanders, had been killed by Taliban forces.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media.&nbsp;

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Taliban executes NRF prisoners in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Panjshir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Panjshir</a>. As the US resort to ‘let Afghans sort it’policy of post cold war era, the seeds of another prolonged conflict has been sown in Afghanlatan. Afghans pays the price for Washington’s political short-termism as they now look the other way. <a href="https://t.co/sz0Mbr514D">pic.twitter.com/sz0Mbr514D</a>
— BILAL SARWARY (@bsarwary) <a href="https://twitter.com/bsarwary/status/1569737848550752256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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"Sweeping clearance operations were conducted against the rebels in Rukha, Dara and Abshar district of Panjshir province," Mujahid said on Twitter, adding that another 101 insurgents had been arrested.&nbsp;

He did not say when the NRF fighters were actually killed.&nbsp;

NRF, though, said the Taliban was exaggerating the number of fighters killed.&nbsp;

"We refute the numbers. They have inflated the numbers," Ali Nazary, head of NRF's foreign relations, told AFP.&nbsp;

"Only a small group of our forces were captured and killed by the Taliban. Our forces fought fiercely till the last bullet."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Trigger warning: Some readers might find the details of this story/video disturbing. Discretion is advised. The Taliban claimed on Tuesday (September 13) that the regime's forces had killed at least 40 resistance fighters led by the son of a late anti-Taliban commander in northern Panjshir province.

Trigger warning: Some readers might find the details of this story/video disturbing. Discretion is advised. The Taliban claimed on Tuesday (September 13) that the regime's forces had killed at least 40 resistance fighters led by the son of a late anti-Taliban commander in northern Panjshir province. Panjshir Valley is famous for being the centre of the Afghan resistance against Soviet forces in the 1980s and later against the Taliban. The National Resistance Front (NRF) were the last to hold out against the Taliban's takeover of the country in August last year by retreating to the valley. The resistance forces are led by the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud. In May, NRF forces announced an offensive against the Taliban. Scores of civilians had fled the valley in the initial bout of fighting, but there has been a lull in recent weeks. Fresh fighting has erupted in the valley in the past few days, according to residents and the insurgent group. Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed 40 NRF fighters, including three commanders, had been killed by Taliban forces. Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media. Taliban executes NRF prisoners in #Panjshir. As the US resort to ‘let Afghans sort it’policy of post cold war era, the seeds of another prolonged conflict has been sown in Afghanlatan. Afghans pays the price for Washington’s political short-termism as they now look the other way. pic.twitter.com/sz0Mbr514D — BILAL SARWARY (@bsarwary) September 13, 2022 × "Sweeping clearance operations were conducted against the rebels in Rukha, Dara and Abshar district of Panjshir province," Mujahid said on Twitter, adding that another 101 insurgents had been arrested. He did not say when the NRF fighters were actually killed. NRF, though, said the Taliban was exaggerating the number of fighters killed. "We refute the numbers. They have inflated the numbers," Ali Nazary, head of NRF's foreign relations, told AFP. "Only a small group of our forces were captured and killed by the Taliban. Our forces fought fiercely till the last bullet." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Caught on camera: Taliban kill 40 Afghanistan resistance fighters in Panjshir

Another month, another ban for Afghans.&nbsp;Taliban said it will prohibit the use of video sharing app TikTok and popular video game PubG in the country within the next three months.

Ever since the terrorist organisation seized power in the country, multiple media platforms and websites have been blocked for publishing information that the group perceives to be immoral. The rights and functions of media outlets in the South Asian country have been curtailed since the Taliban takeover.&nbsp;

In a conference with officials from the security sector and sharia law administrators, the Taliban announced they would outlaw both the apps in Afghanistan within&nbsp;the time period, Khaama Press reported.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/where-is-masood-azhar-pakistan-says-ungoverned-spaces-within-afghanistan-safe-havens-for-terrorists-516731">Also read |&nbsp;Where is Masood Azhar? Pakistan says 'ungoverned spaces' in Afghanistan safe havens for terrorists</a>

Telecommunication and internet service providers in the country have been informed about the ban and have been requested to abide by the rule within the allotted time.

Najibullah Haqqani, the minister of communications, said, "We have blocked 23.4 million websites. They change their pages every time. So, when you block one website, another one will be active," TOLO News reported.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-deny-pakistani-claim-says-terrorist-masood-azhar-may-be-in-pakistan-516267">Also read |&nbsp;Taliban deny Pakistani claim, say terrorist Masood Azhar may be in Pakistan</a>

Speaking at the time, Ahmad Masoud Latif Rai, the government's deputy minister of communications, slammed Facebook for refusing to cooperate with the Taliban on online content moderation.

There have been major changes in the media culture of the country, including the closure of more than half a million media outlets; a ban on a number of channels and websites; increased work restrictions; violence, and threats to journalists.

Since the group came to power, over 45 percent of journalists have left their jobs, and the ever-increasing restrictions on the media in Afghanistan have also drawn widespread criticism on a global scale.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Another month, another ban for Afghans. Taliban said it will prohibit the use of video sharing app TikTok and popular video game PubG in the country within the next three months.

Another month, another ban for Afghans. Taliban said it will prohibit the use of video sharing app TikTok and popular video game PubG in the country within the next three months. Ever since the terrorist organisation seized power in the country, multiple media platforms and websites have been blocked for publishing information that the group perceives to be immoral. The rights and functions of media outlets in the South Asian country have been curtailed since the Taliban takeover. In a conference with officials from the security sector and sharia law administrators, the Taliban announced they would outlaw both the apps in Afghanistan within the time period, Khaama Press reported. Also read | Where is Masood Azhar? Pakistan says 'ungoverned spaces' in Afghanistan safe havens for terrorists Telecommunication and internet service providers in the country have been informed about the ban and have been requested to abide by the rule within the allotted time. Najibullah Haqqani, the minister of communications, said, "We have blocked 23.4 million websites. They change their pages every time. So, when you block one website, another one will be active," TOLO News reported. Also read | Taliban deny Pakistani claim, say terrorist Masood Azhar may be in Pakistan Speaking at the time, Ahmad Masoud Latif Rai, the government's deputy minister of communications, slammed Facebook for refusing to cooperate with the Taliban on online content moderation. There have been major changes in the media culture of the country, including the closure of more than half a million media outlets; a ban on a number of channels and websites; increased work restrictions; violence, and threats to journalists. Since the group came to power, over 45 percent of journalists have left their jobs, and the ever-increasing restrictions on the media in Afghanistan have also drawn widespread criticism on a global scale. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Afghanistan: Taliban to ban TikTok and PUBG within 90 days

The Taliban in Afghanistan has come up with a new diktat this time. It's a crackdown on Tiktok and Pubg applications. According to Afghanistan media reports, both the applications will be banned within the next three months.

Reports: Ban on TikTok & PubG within three months, Taliban's regressive restrictions back in place

On August 15, 2022, marking one year since the US withdrew its forces from Afghanistan, the country has been&nbsp;suffering under the rule of the Taliban. The ongoing crisis may have even more to do with US decisions than you think. Afghanistan has blessed the world with innumerable treasures like embroidery, traditional Pashto, Persian poetry, and the majestic Afghan hound. But the country now is struggling to feed its 38 million population as the ruling extremist organisation has forced people to the brink of starvation with rising malnutrition and&nbsp;lack of adequate healthcare, education, and financial facilities.

You may remember the staggering images on your television and mobile screens that captured the scenes of complete mayhem marked by chaos and desperation of Afghan citizens running to depart Afghanistan when the US announced it was withdrawing its troops from the country. The indelible images of a US Marine lifting a baby over the barbed wire topped wall at the Kabul airport or the 800 people jammed-packed on a jet fleeing their country captured by Technical Sergeant Justin Triola are etched in the memory of the world as they are forever part of the dark chapter of the South Asian country.&nbsp;

Everything happened so fast that, apparently, the Taliban was surprised by the superpower exiting. The Afghan government fell quickly, and the Taliban took over. Many top US military officials have struggled since then to justify their hasty actions, which they blame on bad calculations. As General Mark Milley put forth his statement, " All the intel assessments failed to indicate any justification for our actions and there is no question about it that all of us got it wrong. It was a swing and a miss." That is the expression that US intelligence failed to estimate that 11 days was enough for the&nbsp;troops to exit Afghanistan.&nbsp;

There are a lot of aspects that you can criticise about the US exit strategy. However, they managed to migrate&nbsp;roughly 80,000 Afghans who worked with the US and Afghan governments, since the withdrawal.

While on the other hand, the number of Afghans that remain in danger is somewhere in the hundreds of thousands, left stranded due to the limited time frame the United States had to execute a mammoth rescue operation. What happened was completely justified as it was the administration of the orange you're adorning despicable being who signed the deal to leave Afghanistan in the first place. His thought process to justify this action went something like this, the Bagram base is great, the lights are on, and dogs. No one likes dogs. The brave people of the Kabul Animal Rescue would disagree with his statement as they risked their lives to get as many dogs out of Afghanistan in the impossible time frame of 11 days before the Taliban took hold. The incoherent extraordinary brain function at full capacity failed to comprehend the after-effects of this complex situation and the people and animals it would impact.&nbsp;

The turmoil that has unfolded since the US exit from Afghanistan may have faded as a hot topic of discussion. But the country is in a dire crisis that is getting worse for reasons and is&nbsp;in immediate&nbsp;need to be addressed. With the Taliban now in charge of the country, even though they tried to paint a slightly softer image for journalists through carefree photo ops, there is no denying that they are the epitome of radical extremism. Even if the Taliban members ride around in bumper cars on their visits to a fairground in Kabul and a trip to the zoo, it doesn't change the Taliban into a peace-loving organisation that will let anyone live under Islamic rule and security as long as everything is enjoyable and everyone can live in their own country the way they want. We do not associate the Taliban with the ideology of freedom to live and let live, but rather with fearmongers who terrorise and harass female journalists who report on the reality of their actions on the ground. The Taliban is not a monolith as different regional leaders rule with different degrees of severity, but there is no denying that they are an oppressive regime that chips away at the souls of innocent people who suffer at the hands of brutality.

The brutal reprisals against US allies and former Afghan government employees have been taken up by the Taliban. 500 Afghan government employees have been killed or forcibly disappeared during the Taliban’s first six months in power. On the bigger level, the Taliban has taken an absolute sledgehammer to women’s rights. On one hand, with the legitimate criticism of America’s occupation, this period saw Afghan women making strides. In 2001, there were few, if any, girls in schools, whereas by 2020, this number grew to roughly 40 per cent of girl students. In the same year, the percentage of women in the Afghan parliament was more than in the current sitting US Congress, which has sunk to absolute zero. The Taliban decree&nbsp;tried to control nearly every aspect of women’s lives with orders such as these: no woman can leave their homes unless necessary, and only women who can’t be replaced by men will be allowed to keep working. Fortunately, one area where women are allowed to work in Afghanistan is healthcare, due to the situations where men aren’t allowed to treat women as patients. The midwives in Afghanistan made appeals to the Taliban that they shouldn’t meddle in women’s rights to education and employment as they are paralysing one arm of the body of society and a country can’t just be run by men. As history bears witness, the world tried to do so for thousands of years, and look where it has got us. We are in a global pandemic. The planet is on fire and, to add to everything that the world is dealing with right now, the world’s richest man is a ventriloquist dummy from hell. There I said it.

In March, the Taliban went back on the promise after they took over and announced that girls would be prevented from receiving a secondary education in most areas. Even the Taliban members condemned this move and the reasoning behind it. Banning Afghan girls from attending school beyond 6th grade because they needed more time to decide on a school uniform for teenage girls is an abhorrent organisation that is obsessed with virtue and purity. Taking months to brainstorm a uniform for school girls is objectively perverted.&nbsp;

Women have lost a great deal in the last year, on top of the cascading series of humanitarian crises. The UN&nbsp;estimates that 97 per cent&nbsp;of the population is at risk of sinking below the poverty line. A series of natural disasters like the ongoing drought has diminished the food production capacity of the country. Another massive earthquake in June and flooding just this month have exacerbated the fact that falling on a brand new Taliban is ill-equipped to take it on. The Taliban are a jihadist insurgency to a ruling group that spent 20 years building an organisation that is designed to fight and motivate people to engage in suicide bombings. People don't turn into government officials overnight as a militant insurgency group is low on the list of people you want leading a country's government.&nbsp;

Although the US occupation wasn't a perfect magical wonderland, it was awful in its way as the Afghans lived under the specter of hellfire being rained down from unmanned death machines every day. The continued presence of the US in Afghanistan was untenable, but the exact circumstances of America's departure were substantially worse. While some understandable decisions were made, they had huge ramifications for the Afghan people. The Taliban's government is sanctioned by the US because the Taliban is a specially designated terrorist group.Some pre-existing sanctions apply to only part of the Taliban government.

The US State Department has announced a 10 million dollar reward for any information that leads to the arrest of Taliban member Sirajuddin Haqqani, who also happens to be the current acting Interior Minister of Afghanistan. The whole Afghan government under the Taliban has made it impossible for banks, businesses, and charities to operate and keep the economy functioning. The massive problem is that 75 per cent&nbsp;of the Afghan government's budget relies on foreign aid, which makes up the salaries of vital government service employees, teachers, and public sector employees, and that aid has immediately disappeared.

One of the worst and most crucial sectors affected is healthcare, where doctors have a minuscule amount of medical supplies; their budget has been zero since the takeover by the Taliban. The US forced the assets worth 7 billion dollars of the Afghan Central Bank to be held in America. Primarily to kneecap the entire Afghan banking system. As Afghanistan can't print its currency, the actions have led to a literal cash shortage where citizens have been standing in line for three days to withdraw cash from their bank accounts.

An unusual state of affairs and a unique humanitarian crisis have resulted in food being technically available but there isn't enough liquidity in the economy and, therefore, enough availability of paper currency to purchase food. The situation is very grim as half the population of Afghanistan is under 15 years of age. Many Afghans have nowhere to turn for food or money, and their families are forced to make harrowing choices. An increasingly common decision that can be done precisely once in a person's life is selling kidneys. Some parents are even resorting to selling some of their children to feed others, which is unimaginably heartbreaking to even contemplate. The people of Afghanistan are in dire need of help.&nbsp;

US President, Joe Biden, has inherited this mess from an alarmingly blithe orange blob of human flesh (Donald Trump) who has a direct hand in aiding and abetting the situation in Afghanistan. While Biden's official statement is grammatically incorrect to "feel bad about the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan", it is pretty disheartening to see a US official foreign policy boil down to such a simplistic statement of " You can't win them all." While the US is directly responsible for the problems in Afghanistan. The Biden administration has begun issuing sanctions exemptions to allow the free flow of humanitarian aid. With a pledge of hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Afghanistan, more than any other company. In the face of stiff opposition from the right-wing politicians who argue against any kind of monetary assistance to the hands of the Taliban. The prospect of US aid falling into the hands of the Taliban is worrisome.&nbsp;

For years now, a couple of charities have managed to circumvent this concern to find ways with, through, or around to help ordinary Afghan citizens. Moreover, even when America was present in Afghanistan, the Taliban effectively still controlled large parts of the country. The Afghan director at the International Rescue Committee has been financially constrained to help which has left them feeling frustrated. If you look at the math, letting 38 million people suffer for the actions of a few thousand, doesn't work or make sense. There is a strong case to find ways to get humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.&nbsp;

While speaking as a long-term solution, no emergency aid is going to stand in for healthcare, education, and a functioning economy. Aid is bandaged, not a cure to the problems. A growing problem in offering humanitarian aid to just half the population, which is 20 million people under high and critical levels of food insecurity, is donor fatigue. But a sustainable way to help the country is by developing and building long-term solutions with a major focus on education, healthcare, and building infrastructure like investing in irrigation and waste management areas, especially areas affected by drought.

But the challenge is engaging with the Taliban in some shape or form. Additionally, there are mechanisms in place that don't benefit the Taliban, but none are perfect. It's hard to swallow that even one cent could go to the Taliban with their outward-facing life, laugh, live vibe, but they constantly remind us of their heinous treatment of women and the recent confirmation that the Taliban is harboring a known leader of Al Qaeda in a safe house. Withholding all forms of aid until the Taliban either give in or collapse isn't a viable strategy. Most importantly, waiting for a long period could potentially result in millions starving.

The sanctions will kill Afghan people faster than any violation of their rights, as a girl who is dying from hunger and her mother either sell her daughter from hunger or pressured her to marry. The issue of illiteracy and education is meaningless when people are dying of hunger.

The crisis in Afghanistan is at a fundamental level and the US&nbsp;is releasing billions in frozen money into a trust fund that the Taliban can't access to inject stability into the country's financial system, but it's conditional as this would only happen if the process is smoothly executed. The United Nations and World Bank have initiatives at work to try and bridge the gap between humanitarian assistance and long-term aid with adequate developmental funding.

The Afghans&nbsp;deserve better as they are feeling the effects of a government that they didn't choose.&nbsp;

In reality, there is no simple solution without taking any risks, as 38 million are at risk, and it would be a colossal mistake if we did nothing.

On August 15, 2022, marking one year since the US withdrew its forces from Afghanistan, the country has been suffering under the rule of the Taliban. The ongoing crisis may have even more to do with US decisions than you think.

On August 15, 2022, marking one year since the US withdrew its forces from Afghanistan, the country has been suffering under the rule of the Taliban. The ongoing crisis may have even more to do with US decisions than you think. Afghanistan has blessed the world with innumerable treasures like embroidery, traditional Pashto, Persian poetry, and the majestic Afghan hound. But the country now is struggling to feed its 38 million population as the ruling extremist organisation has forced people to the brink of starvation with rising malnutrition and lack of adequate healthcare, education, and financial facilities. You may remember the staggering images on your television and mobile screens that captured the scenes of complete mayhem marked by chaos and desperation of Afghan citizens running to depart Afghanistan when the US announced it was withdrawing its troops from the country. The indelible images of a US Marine lifting a baby over the barbed wire topped wall at the Kabul airport or the 800 people jammed-packed on a jet fleeing their country captured by Technical Sergeant Justin Triola are etched in the memory of the world as they are forever part of the dark chapter of the South Asian country. Everything happened so fast that, apparently, the Taliban was surprised by the superpower exiting. The Afghan government fell quickly, and the Taliban took over. Many top US military officials have struggled since then to justify their hasty actions, which they blame on bad calculations. As General Mark Milley put forth his statement, " All the intel assessments failed to indicate any justification for our actions and there is no question about it that all of us got it wrong. It was a swing and a miss." That is the expression that US intelligence failed to estimate that 11 days was enough for the troops to exit Afghanistan. There are a lot of aspects that you can criticise about the US exit strategy. However, they managed to migrate roughly 80,000 Afghans who worked with the US and Afghan governments, since the withdrawal. While on the other hand, the number of Afghans that remain in danger is somewhere in the hundreds of thousands, left stranded due to the limited time frame the United States had to execute a mammoth rescue operation. What happened was completely justified as it was the administration of the orange you're adorning despicable being who signed the deal to leave Afghanistan in the first place. His thought process to justify this action went something like this, the Bagram base is great, the lights are on, and dogs. No one likes dogs. The brave people of the Kabul Animal Rescue would disagree with his statement as they risked their lives to get as many dogs out of Afghanistan in the impossible time frame of 11 days before the Taliban took hold. The incoherent extraordinary brain function at full capacity failed to comprehend the after-effects of this complex situation and the people and animals it would impact. The turmoil that has unfolded since the US exit from Afghanistan may have faded as a hot topic of discussion. But the country is in a dire crisis that is getting worse for reasons and is in immediate need to be addressed. With the Taliban now in charge of the country, even though they tried to paint a slightly softer image for journalists through carefree photo ops, there is no denying that they are the epitome of radical extremism. Even if the Taliban members ride around in bumper cars on their visits to a fairground in Kabul and a trip to the zoo, it doesn't change the Taliban into a peace-loving organisation that will let anyone live under Islamic rule and security as long as everything is enjoyable and everyone can live in their own country the way they want. We do not associate the Taliban with the ideology of freedom to live and let live, but rather with fearmongers who terrorise and harass female journalists who report on the reality of their actions on the ground. The Taliban is not a monolith as different regional leaders rule with different degrees of severity, but there is no denying that they are an oppressive regime that chips away at the souls of innocent people who suffer at the hands of brutality. The brutal reprisals against US allies and former Afghan government employees have been taken up by the Taliban. 500 Afghan government employees have been killed or forcibly disappeared during the Taliban’s first six months in power. On the bigger level, the Taliban has taken an absolute sledgehammer to women’s rights. On one hand, with the legitimate criticism of America’s occupation, this period saw Afghan women making strides. In 2001, there were few, if any, girls in schools, whereas by 2020, this number grew to roughly 40 per cent of girl students. In the same year, the percentage of women in the Afghan parliament was more than in the current sitting US Congress, which has sunk to absolute zero. The Taliban decree tried to control nearly every aspect of women’s lives with orders such as these: no woman can leave their homes unless necessary, and only women who can’t be replaced by men will be allowed to keep working. Fortunately, one area where women are allowed to work in Afghanistan is healthcare, due to the situations where men aren’t allowed to treat women as patients. The midwives in Afghanistan made appeals to the Taliban that they shouldn’t meddle in women’s rights to education and employment as they are paralysing one arm of the body of society and a country can’t just be run by men. As history bears witness, the world tried to do so for thousands of years, and look where it has got us. We are in a global pandemic. The planet is on fire and, to add to everything that the world is dealing with right now, the world’s richest man is a ventriloquist dummy from hell. There I said it. In March, the Taliban went back on the promise after they took over and announced that girls would be prevented from receiving a secondary education in most areas. Even the Taliban members condemned this move and the reasoning behind it. Banning Afghan girls from attending school beyond 6th grade because they needed more time to decide on a school uniform for teenage girls is an abhorrent organisation that is obsessed with virtue and purity. Taking months to brainstorm a uniform for school girls is objectively perverted. Women have lost a great deal in the last year, on top of the cascading series of humanitarian crises. The UN estimates that 97 per cent of the population is at risk of sinking below the poverty line. A series of natural disasters like the ongoing drought has diminished the food production capacity of the country. Another massive earthquake in June and flooding just this month have exacerbated the fact that falling on a brand new Taliban is ill-equipped to take it on. The Taliban are a jihadist insurgency to a ruling group that spent 20 years building an organisation that is designed to fight and motivate people to engage in suicide bombings. People don't turn into government officials overnight as a militant insurgency group is low on the list of people you want leading a country's government. Although the US occupation wasn't a perfect magical wonderland, it was awful in its way as the Afghans lived under the specter of hellfire being rained down from unmanned death machines every day. The continued presence of the US in Afghanistan was untenable, but the exact circumstances of America's departure were substantially worse. While some understandable decisions were made, they had huge ramifications for the Afghan people. The Taliban's government is sanctioned by the US because the Taliban is a specially designated terrorist group.Some pre-existing sanctions apply to only part of the Taliban government. The US State Department has announced a 10 million dollar reward for any information that leads to the arrest of Taliban member Sirajuddin Haqqani, who also happens to be the current acting Interior Minister of Afghanistan. The whole Afghan government under the Taliban has made it impossible for banks, businesses, and charities to operate and keep the economy functioning. The massive problem is that 75 per cent of the Afghan government's budget relies on foreign aid, which makes up the salaries of vital government service employees, teachers, and public sector employees, and that aid has immediately disappeared. One of the worst and most crucial sectors affected is healthcare, where doctors have a minuscule amount of medical supplies; their budget has been zero since the takeover by the Taliban. The US forced the assets worth 7 billion dollars of the Afghan Central Bank to be held in America. Primarily to kneecap the entire Afghan banking system. As Afghanistan can't print its currency, the actions have led to a literal cash shortage where citizens have been standing in line for three days to withdraw cash from their bank accounts. An unusual state of affairs and a unique humanitarian crisis have resulted in food being technically available but there isn't enough liquidity in the economy and, therefore, enough availability of paper currency to purchase food. The situation is very grim as half the population of Afghanistan is under 15 years of age. Many Afghans have nowhere to turn for food or money, and their families are forced to make harrowing choices. An increasingly common decision that can be done precisely once in a person's life is selling kidneys. Some parents are even resorting to selling some of their children to feed others, which is unimaginably heartbreaking to even contemplate. The people of Afghanistan are in dire need of help. US President, Joe Biden, has inherited this mess from an alarmingly blithe orange blob of human flesh (Donald Trump) who has a direct hand in aiding and abetting the situation in Afghanistan. While Biden's official statement is grammatically incorrect to "feel bad about the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan", it is pretty disheartening to see a US official foreign policy boil down to such a simplistic statement of " You can't win them all." While the US is directly responsible for the problems in Afghanistan. The Biden administration has begun issuing sanctions exemptions to allow the free flow of humanitarian aid. With a pledge of hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Afghanistan, more than any other company. In the face of stiff opposition from the right-wing politicians who argue against any kind of monetary assistance to the hands of the Taliban. The prospect of US aid falling into the hands of the Taliban is worrisome. For years now, a couple of charities have managed to circumvent this concern to find ways with, through, or around to help ordinary Afghan citizens. Moreover, even when America was present in Afghanistan, the Taliban effectively still controlled large parts of the country. The Afghan director at the International Rescue Committee has been financially constrained to help which has left them feeling frustrated. If you look at the math, letting 38 million people suffer for the actions of a few thousand, doesn't work or make sense. There is a strong case to find ways to get humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. While speaking as a long-term solution, no emergency aid is going to stand in for healthcare, education, and a functioning economy. Aid is bandaged, not a cure to the problems. A growing problem in offering humanitarian aid to just half the population, which is 20 million people under high and critical levels of food insecurity, is donor fatigue. But a sustainable way to help the country is by developing and building long-term solutions with a major focus on education, healthcare, and building infrastructure like investing in irrigation and waste management areas, especially areas affected by drought. But the challenge is engaging with the Taliban in some shape or form. Additionally, there are mechanisms in place that don't benefit the Taliban, but none are perfect. It's hard to swallow that even one cent could go to the Taliban with their outward-facing life, laugh, live vibe, but they constantly remind us of their heinous treatment of women and the recent confirmation that the Taliban is harboring a known leader of Al Qaeda in a safe house. Withholding all forms of aid until the Taliban either give in or collapse isn't a viable strategy. Most importantly, waiting for a long period could potentially result in millions starving. The sanctions will kill Afghan people faster than any violation of their rights, as a girl who is dying from hunger and her mother either sell her daughter from hunger or pressured her to marry. The issue of illiteracy and education is meaningless when people are dying of hunger. The crisis in Afghanistan is at a fundamental level and the US is releasing billions in frozen money into a trust fund that the Taliban can't access to inject stability into the country's financial system, but it's conditional as this would only happen if the process is smoothly executed. The United Nations and World Bank have initiatives at work to try and bridge the gap between humanitarian assistance and long-term aid with adequate developmental funding. The Afghans deserve better as they are feeling the effects of a government that they didn't choose. In reality, there is no simple solution without taking any risks, as 38 million are at risk, and it would be a colossal mistake if we did nothing.

Afghanistan is crumbling under the rule of Taliban, US promises to send aid

The Taliban have warned Pakistan for claiming that #MasoodAzhar is hiding in Afghanistan. It has slammed Islamabad for making 'baseless claims' saying such terrorists can only operate on Pakistani soil. Priyanka Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Taliban warns Pakistan over request to arrest Masood Azhar

The Taliban on Wednesday (September 14) strongly denied Pakistani assertion that terrorist Masood Azhar is in Afghanistan and said that he was in Pakistan itself. Spokesperson of Taliban government Zabihullah Mujahid refuted Pakistani claims which appeared to shake off responsibility of arresting the terror lynchpin.

Pakistani media had previously reported that Pakistan's foreign ministry had written a letter to Taliban government asking it to arrest Azhar who it claimed was in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

"We have written a one-page letter to the Afghan Foreign Ministry asking them to locate, report and arrest Masood Azhar, as we believe that he is hiding somewhere in Afghanistan," said an unnamed Pakistani official quoted by Geo TV.

The Taliban strongly denied the claim.&nbsp;

“The leader of the Jaesh-e-Mohammad group is not here in Afghanistan. This is an organization which could be in Pakistan. Anyway, he is not in Afghanistan and we have not been asked anything like this. We have heard about it in the news. Our reaction is that this is not true,” said Zabihullah Mujahid who was quoted by Afghan news outlet Tolo News.&nbsp;

The Taliban have also warned Pakistan, without naming the country, to refrain from making unsubstantiated allegations.

“We also call on all parties to refrain from such allegations lacking any proof and documentation. Such media allegations can adversely affect bilateral relations,” said Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesman for Taliban's foreign ministry.

Pakistan has provided and continues to provide safe haven to terrorists and terror organisations responsible for terror attacks in the region. The country is &nbsp;currently trying tp get out of the 'grey list' of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), global watchdog keeping eye on money laundering and terror financing. 
 
The letter sent to Afghanistan is being considered to be yet another attempt by Pakistan to project that terrorists aren't present in the country.

The Taliban on Wednesday (September 14) strongly denied Pakistani assertion that terrorist Masood Azhar is in Afghanistan and said that he was in Pakistan itself.

The Taliban on Wednesday (September 14) strongly denied Pakistani assertion that terrorist Masood Azhar is in Afghanistan and said that he was in Pakistan itself. Spokesperson of Taliban government Zabihullah Mujahid refuted Pakistani claims which appeared to shake off responsibility of arresting the terror lynchpin. Pakistani media had previously reported that Pakistan's foreign ministry had written a letter to Taliban government asking it to arrest Azhar who it claimed was in Afghanistan. "We have written a one-page letter to the Afghan Foreign Ministry asking them to locate, report and arrest Masood Azhar, as we believe that he is hiding somewhere in Afghanistan," said an unnamed Pakistani official quoted by Geo TV. The Taliban strongly denied the claim. “The leader of the Jaesh-e-Mohammad group is not here in Afghanistan. This is an organization which could be in Pakistan. Anyway, he is not in Afghanistan and we have not been asked anything like this. We have heard about it in the news. Our reaction is that this is not true,” said Zabihullah Mujahid who was quoted by Afghan news outlet Tolo News. The Taliban have also warned Pakistan, without naming the country, to refrain from making unsubstantiated allegations. “We also call on all parties to refrain from such allegations lacking any proof and documentation. Such media allegations can adversely affect bilateral relations,” said Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesman for Taliban's foreign ministry. Pakistan has provided and continues to provide safe haven to terrorists and terror organisations responsible for terror attacks in the region. The country is currently trying tp get out of the 'grey list' of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), global watchdog keeping eye on money laundering and terror financing. The letter sent to Afghanistan is being considered to be yet another attempt by Pakistan to project that terrorists aren't present in the country.

Taliban deny Pakistani claim, say terrorist Masood Azhar may be in Pakistan

Pakistan wrote to the Taliban claiming that Jaish-e-Mohammad chief and UN-designated terrorist Masood Azhar is possibly hiding in a Province of Afghanistan. However, the foreign ministry of Afghanistan on Wednesday rejected the claim, adding that such unverified allegations can affect bilateral ties between the two nations.

WION Dispatch | 'Masood Azhar is on Afghan soil,' Taliban dismisses Pakistan's claim

The United States said it has set up a professionally run fund in Switzerland to manage $3.5 billion of Afghanistan's&nbsp;central bank's reserves that were frozen following the Taliban takeover of the country.

According to reports, the new Afghan Fund was created on Wednesday, and it would have an account at the Bank for International Settlements.

The primary aim of the creation of the fund is to strengthen Afghanistan’s macroeconomic stability, including covering Afghanistan's arrears in international financial institutions and paying for electricity imports, but it will not handle humanitarian aid or government salaries, the TRT World reported.

Around $7 billion of Afghanistan’s central bank foreign currency assets are held by the US and other foreign banks.

The decision to set up a fund comes months after intense negotiations to release the $3.5 billion Afghan funds that were set aside for Afghanistan by US President Joe Biden.

The remaining $3.5 billion has been withheld by the US Federal Reserve (FED) and it will be disbursed as compensation to the victims of the September 11 attacks, which led to the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, the report states.

A court decision on this matter is awaited and is expected in October.

Meanwhile, the Taliban have lambasted the United States for moving its reserves to the Bank of International Settlements (BIS),

A Taliban official with the country’s central bank (DAB) told TRT World, “We don't agree with the transfer of money to the account indicated, but [we wish for it] to be transferred to Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB).”

The spokesperson added that they are open to a third-party monitoring system as demanded by the US government.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The United States said it has set up a professionally run fund in Switzerland to manage $3.5 billion of Afghanistan's central bank's reserves that were frozen following the Taliban takeover of the country.

The United States said it has set up a professionally run fund in Switzerland to manage $3.5 billion of Afghanistan's central bank's reserves that were frozen following the Taliban takeover of the country. According to reports, the new Afghan Fund was created on Wednesday, and it would have an account at the Bank for International Settlements. The primary aim of the creation of the fund is to strengthen Afghanistan’s macroeconomic stability, including covering Afghanistan's arrears in international financial institutions and paying for electricity imports, but it will not handle humanitarian aid or government salaries, the TRT World reported. Around $7 billion of Afghanistan’s central bank foreign currency assets are held by the US and other foreign banks. The decision to set up a fund comes months after intense negotiations to release the $3.5 billion Afghan funds that were set aside for Afghanistan by US President Joe Biden. The remaining $3.5 billion has been withheld by the US Federal Reserve (FED) and it will be disbursed as compensation to the victims of the September 11 attacks, which led to the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, the report states. A court decision on this matter is awaited and is expected in October. Meanwhile, the Taliban have lambasted the United States for moving its reserves to the Bank of International Settlements (BIS), A Taliban official with the country’s central bank (DAB) told TRT World, “We don't agree with the transfer of money to the account indicated, but [we wish for it] to be transferred to Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB).” The spokesperson added that they are open to a third-party monitoring system as demanded by the US government. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US moves $3.5 billion of Afghan bank's reserves to Swiss-based trust, Taliban furious

On Tuesday, Taliban authorities reacted angrily to UN claims that they are denying Afghan women the right to work, despite the fact that thousands of them are engaged in the government.&nbsp;

However, because offices were not set up for effective sex segregation, Sharafuddin Sharaf, head of staff at the ministry of labour and social affairs, told AFP that many women were getting paid despite not showing up for work.&nbsp;

"Working together in one office is not possible in our Islamic system," he stated, a day after a United Nations rights expert claimed that since the Taliban's return to power in August of last year, there has been a "staggering regression" in women's rights.

Although Sharaf was unable to provide a number, she asserted that "not a single female employee has been fired" from the civil service.&nbsp;

However, there have been a number of demonstrations by women seeking the right to work and protesting the loss of their jobs, some of which the Taliban violently put an end to.&nbsp;

According to Sharaf, some women "once a week to their relevant offices to sign their attendance, and their salaries are paid at their homes."&nbsp;

He noted that this occurs in workplaces where "gender-based segregation is yet to be done" and that women were employed in the interior, health, and education ministries, all of which have a need for them.

However, the majority of girls' secondary schools nationwide have been ordered to close, so this generation of female university students may be the last.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/juxtapose-dramatic-expansion-of-bahrain-by-building-land-on-sea-1987-vs-2022-515720">Before and after images show dramatic expansion of Bahrain by building land on sea: 1987 vs 2022</a>

Many Taliban leaders claim the restriction is merely temporary, but they have also rolled out a vast list of justifications for the closures, ranging from a lack of resources to the time required to redesign the curriculum in accordance with Islamic principles.&nbsp;

Local media reported on Monday that the education minister claimed it was a cultural issue because many rural residents did not want their daughters to go to school.

To conform to their conservative interpretation of Islam since gaining power, the Taliban have placed severe restrictions on girls and women, virtually excluding them from public life.&nbsp;

The ministry of women's affairs was promptly abolished, and it was quickly replaced by the ministry for the encouragement of virtue and the suppression of vice.

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

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On Tuesday, Taliban authorities reacted angrily to UN claims that they are denying Afghan women the right to work, despite the fact that thousands of them are engaged in the government.

On Tuesday, Taliban authorities reacted angrily to UN claims that they are denying Afghan women the right to work, despite the fact that thousands of them are engaged in the government. However, because offices were not set up for effective sex segregation, Sharafuddin Sharaf, head of staff at the ministry of labour and social affairs, told AFP that many women were getting paid despite not showing up for work. "Working together in one office is not possible in our Islamic system," he stated, a day after a United Nations rights expert claimed that since the Taliban's return to power in August of last year, there has been a "staggering regression" in women's rights. Although Sharaf was unable to provide a number, she asserted that "not a single female employee has been fired" from the civil service. However, there have been a number of demonstrations by women seeking the right to work and protesting the loss of their jobs, some of which the Taliban violently put an end to. According to Sharaf, some women "once a week to their relevant offices to sign their attendance, and their salaries are paid at their homes." He noted that this occurs in workplaces where "gender-based segregation is yet to be done" and that women were employed in the interior, health, and education ministries, all of which have a need for them. However, the majority of girls' secondary schools nationwide have been ordered to close, so this generation of female university students may be the last. Also Read: Before and after images show dramatic expansion of Bahrain by building land on sea: 1987 vs 2022 Many Taliban leaders claim the restriction is merely temporary, but they have also rolled out a vast list of justifications for the closures, ranging from a lack of resources to the time required to redesign the curriculum in accordance with Islamic principles. Local media reported on Monday that the education minister claimed it was a cultural issue because many rural residents did not want their daughters to go to school. To conform to their conservative interpretation of Islam since gaining power, the Taliban have placed severe restrictions on girls and women, virtually excluding them from public life. The ministry of women's affairs was promptly abolished, and it was quickly replaced by the ministry for the encouragement of virtue and the suppression of vice. (with inputs from agencies)

Taliban say right to work for women not violated, condemn UN accusations

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan has made an accusation saying that the Taliban were harassing and intimidating its female staff in the country. The UN said that the regime detained three women for questioning on Monday (Spetember 12). Taliban have imposed strict restrictions on women since they came to power last year.&nbsp;

"There has been an emerging pattern of harassment of Afghan UN female staff by the de facto authorities," the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement.&nbsp;

Citing an example, UNAMA said three Afghan women working for the organisation were "singled out and temporarily detained for questioning" by armed security agents of the authorities on Monday.&nbsp;

Further details about the incident were not given.

"The UN calls for an immediate end to all such acts of intimidation and harassment targeting its Afghan female staff," UNAMA said, insisting the authorities provide guarantees for the security of all UN personnel in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

The Taliban have rejected UN's assertion.

"The information released by UNAMA is not true... nobody had been detained," said Bilal Karimi, spokeperson of the government.

"There was a gathering of women in Kandahar, and when the women were asked for an explanation, it was found that they were UN employees, after which they were released."&nbsp;

Karimi did not say what the gathering was about or how many women attended it.&nbsp;

United Nations' accusation was made just hours after a top UN expert said that the state of human rights in the country had deteriorated.

Women and girls, in particular, have seen a "staggering regression" in their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights since the Taliban came to power, Richard Bennett, the special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said in Geneva.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/even-as-it-struggles-for-recognition-taliban-claims-nations-behave-with-us-like-an-official-government-513910">Even as it struggles for recognition, Taliban claims nations 'behave with us like an official government'</a>

"There's no country in the world where women and girls have so rapidly been deprived of their fundamental human rights purely because of gender."&nbsp;

The Taliban have almost driven people out of public life in Afghanistan. Sticking to their ultra-orthodox interpretation of Islam, the regime has shut girls' secondary schools in most provinces. They have also barred women from many government jobs.

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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The United Nations mission in Afghanistan has made an accusation saying that the Taliban were harassing and intimidating its female staff in the country. The UN said that the regime detained three women for questioning on Monday (Spetember 12).

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan has made an accusation saying that the Taliban were harassing and intimidating its female staff in the country. The UN said that the regime detained three women for questioning on Monday (Spetember 12). Taliban have imposed strict restrictions on women since they came to power last year. "There has been an emerging pattern of harassment of Afghan UN female staff by the de facto authorities," the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement. Citing an example, UNAMA said three Afghan women working for the organisation were "singled out and temporarily detained for questioning" by armed security agents of the authorities on Monday. Further details about the incident were not given. "The UN calls for an immediate end to all such acts of intimidation and harassment targeting its Afghan female staff," UNAMA said, insisting the authorities provide guarantees for the security of all UN personnel in Afghanistan. The Taliban have rejected UN's assertion. "The information released by UNAMA is not true... nobody had been detained," said Bilal Karimi, spokeperson of the government. "There was a gathering of women in Kandahar, and when the women were asked for an explanation, it was found that they were UN employees, after which they were released." Karimi did not say what the gathering was about or how many women attended it. United Nations' accusation was made just hours after a top UN expert said that the state of human rights in the country had deteriorated. Women and girls, in particular, have seen a "staggering regression" in their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights since the Taliban came to power, Richard Bennett, the special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said in Geneva. Also Read | Even as it struggles for recognition, Taliban claims nations 'behave with us like an official government' "There's no country in the world where women and girls have so rapidly been deprived of their fundamental human rights purely because of gender." The Taliban have almost driven people out of public life in Afghanistan. Sticking to their ultra-orthodox interpretation of Islam, the regime has shut girls' secondary schools in most provinces. They have also barred women from many government jobs. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

UN says Taliban harassed its female staff in Afghanistan

Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has appealed the Taliban to reopen girls' high schools. He has also applauded the protests of female students in Paktia province which, the residents say are against the measure of closure of the schools.

"The voice of Paktia's female students is the voice of all our girls and of Afghanistan," said Karzai, who remained in Kabul after the Taliban took over just over a year ago, on Twitter.

"We ask the acting Islamic government to open the schools," he said.

Taliban had initially said that they would open girls' schools, but then made a U-turn in March this year.

Authorities in Paktia said this week that girls' high schools had re-opened, though the move had not been officially approved.

On Saturday, the head of Paktia's information department told journalists any suggestion schools were closed was "propaganda".

Reuters quoted three residents and three Taliban officials who said that schools were shut on Saturday. All of them declined to be named. Reuters said that one of the three residents was a teacher who said that closure of schools prompted some girls to protest.

Video footage shown by local broadcaster Tolo on its website and Twitter account showed dozens of girls in school uniform marching down a street while chanting.

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has appealed the Taliban to reopen girls' high schools. He has also applauded the protests of female students in Paktia province which, the residents say are against the measure of closure of the schools.

Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has appealed the Taliban to reopen girls' high schools. He has also applauded the protests of female students in Paktia province which, the residents say are against the measure of closure of the schools. "The voice of Paktia's female students is the voice of all our girls and of Afghanistan," said Karzai, who remained in Kabul after the Taliban took over just over a year ago, on Twitter. "We ask the acting Islamic government to open the schools," he said. Taliban had initially said that they would open girls' schools, but then made a U-turn in March this year. Authorities in Paktia said this week that girls' high schools had re-opened, though the move had not been officially approved. On Saturday, the head of Paktia's information department told journalists any suggestion schools were closed was "propaganda". Reuters quoted three residents and three Taliban officials who said that schools were shut on Saturday. All of them declined to be named. Reuters said that one of the three residents was a teacher who said that closure of schools prompted some girls to protest. Video footage shown by local broadcaster Tolo on its website and Twitter account showed dozens of girls in school uniform marching down a street while chanting. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Afghanistan: Ex-president Karzai openly supports protesting female students

Nearly all of Afghanistan's main online shopping services have closed, with the two biggest online shopping services, Click.af and Baqal, recently announcing their closure due to the country's financial turmoil.

The South Asian country has been in a complete state of turmoil for over a year now, ever since the Taliban seized power. The Taliban dismantled the system to address gender-based violence, erected new obstacles to women's healthcare and education, and even attacked women's rights protesters.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-ex-president-karzai-openly-supports-protesting-female-students-515230">Also read |&nbsp;Afghanistan: Ex-President Karzai openly supports protesting female students</a>

Click.af, a well-known online shopping app, announced its closure on Saturday (September 10). The firm posted a message on its Facebook page stating its closure due to financial issues.

Baqal on Sunday (September 11), a three-year-old company, declared its collapse owing to financial difficulties.

Both companies posted their closures on their respective Facebook pages.

The owner of Click, Masih Stanekzai, said, "The precarious economic situation, the capital flight, and the stalling of the economic cycle led sales in the market to be severely affected, and Click.af is no exception," ANI reported.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-the-unhappiest-nation-under-the-dictatorship-of-taliban-says-report-515006">Also read |&nbsp;Afghanistan: The unhappiest nation under the Taliban dictatorship, says report</a>

Baqal, on the other hand, a medium-sized investment, ultimately failed due to a decline in the purchasing power of locals and the freezing of customers' money due to the Taliban's restrictions on the banking industry.

Online services in Afghanistan have facilitated and improved communications between customers and retailers. The online taxi service, Bubbar, and Hindukosh, an online shopping website, were closed a few months after the collapse of the country's administration.

Afghanistan is in trouble, with nearly 59 per cent of the population currently requiring humanitarian aid—an increase of six million people since the beginning of the year 2021.

(With inputs from agencies)

Nearly all of Afghanistan's main online shopping services have closed, with the two biggest online shopping services, Click.af and Baqal, recently announcing their closure due to the country's financial turmoil.

Nearly all of Afghanistan's main online shopping services have closed, with the two biggest online shopping services, Click.af and Baqal, recently announcing their closure due to the country's financial turmoil. The South Asian country has been in a complete state of turmoil for over a year now, ever since the Taliban seized power. The Taliban dismantled the system to address gender-based violence, erected new obstacles to women's healthcare and education, and even attacked women's rights protesters. Also read | Afghanistan: Ex-President Karzai openly supports protesting female students Click.af, a well-known online shopping app, announced its closure on Saturday (September 10). The firm posted a message on its Facebook page stating its closure due to financial issues. Baqal on Sunday (September 11), a three-year-old company, declared its collapse owing to financial difficulties. Both companies posted their closures on their respective Facebook pages. The owner of Click, Masih Stanekzai, said, "The precarious economic situation, the capital flight, and the stalling of the economic cycle led sales in the market to be severely affected, and Click.af is no exception," ANI reported. Also read | Afghanistan: The unhappiest nation under the Taliban dictatorship, says report Baqal, on the other hand, a medium-sized investment, ultimately failed due to a decline in the purchasing power of locals and the freezing of customers' money due to the Taliban's restrictions on the banking industry. Online services in Afghanistan have facilitated and improved communications between customers and retailers. The online taxi service, Bubbar, and Hindukosh, an online shopping website, were closed a few months after the collapse of the country's administration. Afghanistan is in trouble, with nearly 59 per cent of the population currently requiring humanitarian aid—an increase of six million people since the beginning of the year 2021. (With inputs from agencies)

Amid economic crisis in Afghanistan, online shopping services to shut after Taliban takeover 

On Saturday, Taliban pilots tried to fly one of the American Hawk helicopters - that were left behind when US withdrew its troops from the country - which resulted in a crash that killed 3 people including 2 pilots. The crash happened during a training exercise.

3 dead after Taliban crashes US chopper in Kabul; crash due to technical failure

A little more than a year ago, the US troops haphazardly ditched the Afghanistan shores, leaving behind highly sophisticated military machinery that included state-of-the-art helicopters, tanks and armoured vehicles.

A little more than a year ago, the US troops haphazardly ditched the Afghanistan shores, leaving behind highly sophisticated military machinery that included state-of-the-art helicopters, tanks and armoured vehicles. Many believed that the Taliban might become unstoppable after gaining access to such machinery. However, fast forward today and three Talibanis have died trying to fly an American Black Hawk helicopter. Reportedly, during a Taliban training exercise in the capital city of Kabul, the terrorist operatives were attempting to fly the highly sophisticated helicopter. However, they lost control and died in the process, according to the defence ministry. "An American Black Hawk helicopter, which was for training, crashed due to a technical problem inside the campus of the National Defence University," said Enaytullah Khowrazmi, spokesperson, Taliban ministry of defence. Footage: the moment when black hawk helicopter crash in Kabul today. pic.twitter.com/Q39e1PzzQ2 — Wais Barakzai (@WaisBarakzai) September 10, 2022 × Read more: Afghanistan: The unhappiest nation under the Taliban dictatorship, says report It is pertinent to note that the US left behind more than $7 billion worth of military equipment in Afghanistan last year. A total of $18.6 billion of equipment was presented to the Afghani security forces in 16 years, starting from 2005. However, after Kabul collapsed as Talibani's descended upon the capital, the American troops could only salvage and ferry half of the equipment back to American shores. Aircraft worth $923.3 million, 9,524 air-to-ground munitions valued at $6.54 million, over 40,000 of the total 96,000 military vehicles, more than 300,000 weapons, and all night vision, surveillance, biometric and positioning equipment were left behind in Afghanistan. Despite that, it was always going to be a challenge for the Taliban to not only learn how to operate these machines and gadgets but also to service them. WATCH | Gravitas: 1 year of Taliban rule in Afghanistan × According to defence industry experts, much of the equipment remaining in Afghanistan requires specialised maintenance that US Department of Defense contractors earlier provided. Read more: US strike ‘destroyed everything,’ Zawahiri’s body not found, says Taliban (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Taliban fighters try to fly US Black Hawk helicopter, three get killed in crash

As per a recent study by a worldwide analytics organisation, Afghanistan has been declared the unhappiest country under the Taliban dictatorship in terms of physical pain, mental stress, mental disorders, poverty, unemployment, and wrath.

The survey results pointed out that Afghans' emotional states reflected the instability and uncertainty since the terrorist group seized power in the South Asian country after the US withdrew its troops.

According to Gallup's Negative Experience Index, a total of 8 percent of Afghans are concerned and disturbed, 74 per cent are experiencing mental strain due to unemployment and poverty, and 61 per cent are classified as sad.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-to-revise-media-laws-change-could-worsen-conditions-for-press-514112">Also read |&nbsp;Taliban to revise media laws, change could worsen conditions for press</a>

In addition to this, a study done in August-September 2021 published by Khaama Press showed that 53 per cent of Afghans wanted to leave the country.&nbsp;

The initial two months of the Taliban takeover in August 2021 were difficult for the citizens.

The UN agency for humanitarian affairs expressed worry over the situation, noting that 25 million people in the country experience crippling human rights violations.&nbsp;

The World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Office for Coordination Affairs (UNOCHA) were worried about the growing food insecurity and poverty in Afghanistan.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/even-as-it-struggles-for-recognition-taliban-claims-nations-behave-with-us-like-an-official-government-513910">Also read |&nbsp;Even as it struggles for recognition, Taliban claims nations 'behave with us like an official government'</a>

Abdul Naseer, a political analyst, said, "A nation cannot reach prosperity until poverty and unemployment are eradicated, so the way that can end poverty and unemployment is strengthening the private sector, attracting investment, and creating employment in the country," ANI reported.

An extraordinary national economic, financial, and humanitarian crisis has aggravated the human rights situation after the Taliban takeover last year. The group has destroyed the framework for combating gender-based violence, putting obstacles to women's healthcare, and attacking women's rights protesters.

Nearly 59 per cent of the population currently requires humanitarian aid, an increase of 6 million people since the beginning of the year 2021, the UNAMA reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

As per a recent study by a worldwide analytics organisation, Afghanistan has been declared the unhappiest country under the Taliban dictatorship in terms of physical pain, mental stress, mental disorders, poverty, unemployment, and wrath.

As per a recent study by a worldwide analytics organisation, Afghanistan has been declared the unhappiest country under the Taliban dictatorship in terms of physical pain, mental stress, mental disorders, poverty, unemployment, and wrath. The survey results pointed out that Afghans' emotional states reflected the instability and uncertainty since the terrorist group seized power in the South Asian country after the US withdrew its troops. According to Gallup's Negative Experience Index, a total of 8 percent of Afghans are concerned and disturbed, 74 per cent are experiencing mental strain due to unemployment and poverty, and 61 per cent are classified as sad. Also read | Taliban to revise media laws, change could worsen conditions for press In addition to this, a study done in August-September 2021 published by Khaama Press showed that 53 per cent of Afghans wanted to leave the country. The initial two months of the Taliban takeover in August 2021 were difficult for the citizens. The UN agency for humanitarian affairs expressed worry over the situation, noting that 25 million people in the country experience crippling human rights violations. The World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Office for Coordination Affairs (UNOCHA) were worried about the growing food insecurity and poverty in Afghanistan. Also read | Even as it struggles for recognition, Taliban claims nations 'behave with us like an official government' Abdul Naseer, a political analyst, said, "A nation cannot reach prosperity until poverty and unemployment are eradicated, so the way that can end poverty and unemployment is strengthening the private sector, attracting investment, and creating employment in the country," ANI reported. An extraordinary national economic, financial, and humanitarian crisis has aggravated the human rights situation after the Taliban takeover last year. The group has destroyed the framework for combating gender-based violence, putting obstacles to women's healthcare, and attacking women's rights protesters. Nearly 59 per cent of the population currently requires humanitarian aid, an increase of 6 million people since the beginning of the year 2021, the UNAMA reported. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan: The unhappiest nation under the Taliban dictatorship, says report

Taliban officials indicated that they are going to change certain cultural and religious text in books as well as revise mass media laws in Afghanistan, a move that could worsen the dire conditions of journalists in the country. According to Afghanistan Journalists Centre (AFJC), there have been at least 245 cases of censorship, detention and violence against journalists since the Taliban took over.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, in a press conference, Hayatullah Mohajir Farahi, deputy minister of information and culture, indicated that till now they have reviewed 80 books and found at least 150 books were against “the principle of Islam” while some others were against “unity”. He added, “95% of the visual and audio media outlets in the country have been reformed.” He was reiterating the announcement made by the acting minister of information and culture who had indicated that they need to revise books that are against Islamic values, reported local media.

The Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid also took to Twitter and said, “We will make some changes in the cultural and religious sections and send it to the Islamic Emirate leader to confirm, and in the near future it will be available to the media.” This comes weeks after AFJC, an independent watchdog for defending and promoting press freedom in Afghanistan, released a concerning report which outlines the state of media freedom in the first year of Taliban rule.&nbsp;

The report shows a significant increase in atrocities committed against media workers, rise in cases of violation of media freedom and deterioration of press freedom marked by censorship, detentions and assaults against journalists, particularly, female journalists. Furthermore, out of the 245 cases, 130 are of short-term detention of journalists lasting from a couple of hours to months and consisted of physical violence, torture and insults.&nbsp;

Notably, hundreds of journalists, both male and female, had fled Kabul when the Taliban took over last year on August 15. The aforementioned report also noted that half of the 600 media outlets in Afghanistan are in financial crisis and at least 60% of workers have been unemployed since August last year. About 30% of the operating media outlets are on the verge of collapse due to lack of funding and professionals. Media outlets are also required to seek permission before publishing any content.&nbsp;

Experts indicated that these so-called reforms have amounted to extensive censorship of Afghan media which has led to its weakened state. Among the several restrictions, one dictates female anchors to wear headscarves or facemasks, while female journalists have largely been banned from state-run media outlets.&nbsp;

On the other hand, though the Taliban maintains that no journalist has died in Afghanistan, a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) shows at least 10 journalists were killed between 2020 and 2021.&nbsp; 
The Taliban on Tuesday announced the establishment of a media violations commission, a department that will supposedly address complaints. While the commission reportedly has no female members or journalists, it does include several officials from the ministry of information and culture, media support groups and an Islamic scholar.

Since the Taliban took over, Afghanistan has witnessed several sporadic protests, but the media outlets have been told to stay away from these protests. “Recent protests were illegal and therefore filming and reporting on them is also illegal,” said the Taliban spokesperson. He added that protestors must seek permission from Taliban authorities before demonstrating on the streets.&nbsp;

This increase in restrictions has drawn widespread criticism from the United Nations and CPJ who have decried arrests of journalists and demanded that the Taliban stop harassing the local media workers and stifling freedom of speech with threats and detentions. Notably, despite restrictions and challenges, reports indicate that at least 210 TV and radio stations and over 100 publications are still active in Afghanistan.

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Taliban officials indicated that they are going to change certain cultural and religious text in books as well as revise mass media laws in Afghanistan, a move that could worsen the dire conditions of journalists in the country.

Taliban officials indicated that they are going to change certain cultural and religious text in books as well as revise mass media laws in Afghanistan, a move that could worsen the dire conditions of journalists in the country. According to Afghanistan Journalists Centre (AFJC), there have been at least 245 cases of censorship, detention and violence against journalists since the Taliban took over. On Tuesday, in a press conference, Hayatullah Mohajir Farahi, deputy minister of information and culture, indicated that till now they have reviewed 80 books and found at least 150 books were against “the principle of Islam” while some others were against “unity”. He added, “95% of the visual and audio media outlets in the country have been reformed.” He was reiterating the announcement made by the acting minister of information and culture who had indicated that they need to revise books that are against Islamic values, reported local media. The Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid also took to Twitter and said, “We will make some changes in the cultural and religious sections and send it to the Islamic Emirate leader to confirm, and in the near future it will be available to the media.” This comes weeks after AFJC, an independent watchdog for defending and promoting press freedom in Afghanistan, released a concerning report which outlines the state of media freedom in the first year of Taliban rule. The report shows a significant increase in atrocities committed against media workers, rise in cases of violation of media freedom and deterioration of press freedom marked by censorship, detentions and assaults against journalists, particularly, female journalists. Furthermore, out of the 245 cases, 130 are of short-term detention of journalists lasting from a couple of hours to months and consisted of physical violence, torture and insults. Notably, hundreds of journalists, both male and female, had fled Kabul when the Taliban took over last year on August 15. The aforementioned report also noted that half of the 600 media outlets in Afghanistan are in financial crisis and at least 60% of workers have been unemployed since August last year. About 30% of the operating media outlets are on the verge of collapse due to lack of funding and professionals. Media outlets are also required to seek permission before publishing any content. Experts indicated that these so-called reforms have amounted to extensive censorship of Afghan media which has led to its weakened state. Among the several restrictions, one dictates female anchors to wear headscarves or facemasks, while female journalists have largely been banned from state-run media outlets. On the other hand, though the Taliban maintains that no journalist has died in Afghanistan, a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) shows at least 10 journalists were killed between 2020 and 2021. The Taliban on Tuesday announced the establishment of a media violations commission, a department that will supposedly address complaints. While the commission reportedly has no female members or journalists, it does include several officials from the ministry of information and culture, media support groups and an Islamic scholar. Since the Taliban took over, Afghanistan has witnessed several sporadic protests, but the media outlets have been told to stay away from these protests. “Recent protests were illegal and therefore filming and reporting on them is also illegal,” said the Taliban spokesperson. He added that protestors must seek permission from Taliban authorities before demonstrating on the streets. This increase in restrictions has drawn widespread criticism from the United Nations and CPJ who have decried arrests of journalists and demanded that the Taliban stop harassing the local media workers and stifling freedom of speech with threats and detentions. Notably, despite restrictions and challenges, reports indicate that at least 210 TV and radio stations and over 100 publications are still active in Afghanistan. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Taliban to revise media laws, change could worsen conditions for press

One year since the United States withdrew its forces from Afghanistan, the Taliban government is still struggling for global recognition. On Wednesday, the group's foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi acknowledged that their government remains isolated.

However, AP reports that he claimed that in spite of that the former insurgents were able to conduct business and trade internationally "as if it were officially recognised on the global stage."

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Taliban, Pakistan spar over US drone strikes

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Since August 2021, the country has been gripped by an economic crisis that has pushed millions more Afghans into poverty and even famine. In the midst of it, the Taliban has been attempting to shift from insurgency and warfare to governance.

The Taliban's brutal rule when they were last in power, more than 20 years ago, has made the international community hesitant in giving the year-old government international recognition.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-woman-divorced-by-taliban-official-due-to-her-declining-faith-but-she-alleges-domestic-abuse-511853">Afghanistan: Woman divorced by Taliban official due to her declining faith but she alleges domestic abuse</a>

"This is true that no country has made an announcement of official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Muttaqi told reporters in the capital, Kabul.

He insisted, however, that "whatever interaction" is taking place between the Taliban and other countries is "official".

"Maybe they have some issues," he continued, this as per AP refers to the Taliban's treatment of minorities, women, and other concerns.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-crime-rate-rises-after-taliban-seized-power-millions-on-the-verge-of-hunger-508966">Afghanistan: Crime rate rises after Taliban seized power; millions on the verge of hunger</a>

Muttaqi's comments highlighted the challenges the Taliban has&nbsp;had since seizing control.&nbsp;Thanks to the delayed recognition Afghanistan's assets overseas have also been blocked.

However, Muttaqi claimed that other nations "behave with us like an official government."

In addition to citing his own attendance at numerous regional conferences and meetings in places like Pakistan, Moscow, Turkey, Qatar, and China, Muttaqi also noted that delegations from "many other countries" have visited Afghanistan.

(With inputs from agencies)

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One year since the United States withdrew its forces from Afghanistan, the Taliban government is still struggling for global recognition. On Wednesday, the group's foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi acknowledged that their government remains isolated.

One year since the United States withdrew its forces from Afghanistan, the Taliban government is still struggling for global recognition. On Wednesday, the group's foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi acknowledged that their government remains isolated. However, AP reports that he claimed that in spite of that the former insurgents were able to conduct business and trade internationally "as if it were officially recognised on the global stage." Watch | Gravitas: Taliban, Pakistan spar over US drone strikes Since August 2021, the country has been gripped by an economic crisis that has pushed millions more Afghans into poverty and even famine. In the midst of it, the Taliban has been attempting to shift from insurgency and warfare to governance. The Taliban's brutal rule when they were last in power, more than 20 years ago, has made the international community hesitant in giving the year-old government international recognition. Also read | Afghanistan: Woman divorced by Taliban official due to her declining faith but she alleges domestic abuse "This is true that no country has made an announcement of official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Muttaqi told reporters in the capital, Kabul. He insisted, however, that "whatever interaction" is taking place between the Taliban and other countries is "official". "Maybe they have some issues," he continued, this as per AP refers to the Taliban's treatment of minorities, women, and other concerns. Also read | Afghanistan: Crime rate rises after Taliban seized power; millions on the verge of hunger Muttaqi's comments highlighted the challenges the Taliban has had since seizing control. Thanks to the delayed recognition Afghanistan's assets overseas have also been blocked. However, Muttaqi claimed that other nations "behave with us like an official government." In addition to citing his own attendance at numerous regional conferences and meetings in places like Pakistan, Moscow, Turkey, Qatar, and China, Muttaqi also noted that delegations from "many other countries" have visited Afghanistan. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Even as it struggles for recognition, Taliban claims nations 'behave with us like an official government'

The Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) has claimed the attack outside the Russian embassy in Kabul that took place earlier on Monday.

The terror outfit has identified the suicide bomber as Waqas al Muhajir, the group announced on its channel on Telegram.

Two members of the embassy staff and an Afghan civilian were killed in the Monday suicide blast near the entrance of the embassy in Kabul. While at least 10 people were injured.

According to the local police, the attacker was shot dead by armed guards while approaching the gate, in one of the first such attacks since the Taliban took power last year.

"The suicide attacker before reaching the target, was recognised and shot by Russian embassy (Taliban) guards ... there is no information about casualties yet," Mawlawi Sabir, the head of the police district where the attack took place, told Reuters.

In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that an unknown militant set off an explosive device near the entrance to the consular section of the embassy around at 10.50 a.m. Kabul time

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, meanwhile, has condemned the “terrorist act”, saying that it was “absolutely unacceptable”.

In his daily press conference, Peskov said that "now the main thing that needs to be done is to get information from the ground about what happened to our diplomatic representatives".

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that security has been intensified at the embassy following the attack and added that "additional forces of the Taliban&nbsp;authorities" have been deployed.

"Let's hope that the organisers of this terrorist act and its perpetrators will be punished," Lavrov said.

Though it does recognise the Taliban government, Russia is one of the few countries that have maintained an embassy in Kabul after the militant organisation took over the country a year ago.

Moreover, Moscow has been in talks with Taliban officials over an agreement to supply gasoline and other commodities.

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The Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) has claimed the attack outside the Russian embassy in Kabul that took place earlier on Monday. The terror outfit has identified the suicide bomber as Waqas al Muhajir, the group announced on its channel on Telegram.

The Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) has claimed the attack outside the Russian embassy in Kabul that took place earlier on Monday. The terror outfit has identified the suicide bomber as Waqas al Muhajir, the group announced on its channel on Telegram. Two members of the embassy staff and an Afghan civilian were killed in the Monday suicide blast near the entrance of the embassy in Kabul. While at least 10 people were injured. According to the local police, the attacker was shot dead by armed guards while approaching the gate, in one of the first such attacks since the Taliban took power last year. "The suicide attacker before reaching the target, was recognised and shot by Russian embassy (Taliban) guards ... there is no information about casualties yet," Mawlawi Sabir, the head of the police district where the attack took place, told Reuters. In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that an unknown militant set off an explosive device near the entrance to the consular section of the embassy around at 10.50 a.m. Kabul time Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, meanwhile, has condemned the “terrorist act”, saying that it was “absolutely unacceptable”. In his daily press conference, Peskov said that "now the main thing that needs to be done is to get information from the ground about what happened to our diplomatic representatives". Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that security has been intensified at the embassy following the attack and added that "additional forces of the Taliban authorities" have been deployed. "Let's hope that the organisers of this terrorist act and its perpetrators will be punished," Lavrov said. Though it does recognise the Taliban government, Russia is one of the few countries that have maintained an embassy in Kabul after the militant organisation took over the country a year ago. Moreover, Moscow has been in talks with Taliban officials over an agreement to supply gasoline and other commodities. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Islamic State-Khorasan claims responsibility for Russian embassy suicide attack in Kabul

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