Afghanistan

Documents from Pakistan's Commerce Ministry show that the country's exports fell by $1.3 billion over the past 13 months amid trade disruptions with Afghanistan and border tensions.

Hamdullah Fitrat, the Taliban's deputy spokesperson, announced that Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk arrived in Kabul on Thursday, 12 November, leading a delegation.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov called for coordinated efforts among Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) members to counter cross-border threats from Afghanistan.

John Bass, a former US ambassador to Afghanistan, said ignoring Afghanistan could have consequences for US national security. He expressed hope that the new US Congress would learn from past mistakes and pave the way for a change in Washington’s policy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday, 11 November, that the situation in Afghanistan had received particular attention as part of efforts to strengthen security along the external borders of CSTO member states.

The Taliban's Foreign Ministry has confirmed that Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk will visit Kabul on Thursday, 12 November.

A spokesperson for the Afghanistan United Front told Afghanistan International that the group has executed six people following rulings by its military judge.

Tajikistan's Foreign Minister, Sirojiddin Muhriddin, has called for a peaceful political resolution to the crisis in Afghanistan through an inclusive national dialogue, stressing that the international community must not lose sight of the country's situation.

The Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) has warned of growing terrorist activity, drug trafficking and the risk of conflict in the region following a joint meeting of foreign and defence ministers, and security council secretaries in Moscow.

Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, a member of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, has called for an investigation into the Taliban's possible involvement in attacks on figures from Afghanistan's former government in Iran.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged the Taliban to prevent Afghan territory from being used for terrorist attacks against other countries, particularly Pakistan.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan was a disaster for American credibility and demanded a thorough, candid review. He said the US was humiliated in Kabul five years ago as its adversaries watched.

Afghanistan International has learned from an eyewitness and relatives of two victims that the number of Afghan migrants who died at the Iran-Türkiye border may exceed the eight whose bodies were discovered in recent days.

Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met Zamir Kabulov, Russia's Special Envoy for Afghanistan, in Kabul on Tuesday. They discussed bilateral relations, trade, counter-narcotics efforts and recent developments.

Democratic Representatives Jason Crow and Sam Liccardo announced on Monday that they would seek a House vote on legislation to prevent the deportation of Afghan refugees. Several Republican lawmakers have also backed the proposal.

Sources told Afghanistan International that Abdul Bashir Mohammadi, a former Afghan police officer, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Sar-e-Pul province. His body was discovered in a deep well. Mohammadi was 28 and lived in Sozma Qala district.

French member of European Parliament Mounir Satouri said negotiations with the Taliban over the return of Afghan migrants contradict Europe's democratic principles and fundamental values.

Local sources in Kabul told Afghanistan International that the Taliban's Ministry of Justice summoned and subsequently arrested several Hazara neighbourhood representatives and community elders in Omid-e-Sabz township, western Kabul, on Monday, 9 November.