Afghanistan

Salahuddin Salar, a Tajik commander and former deputy intelligence chief in the Taliban’s defence ministry, says they pledged allegiance “without seeing their leader” and did not fight for “ethnic supremacy”.

Several tribal elders in Kunar say that, following Pakistani artillery attacks and the evacuation of some villages, they have begun talks with elders in Bajaur to find a path towards a permanent ceasefire.

Taliban disaster management authority says at least 13 people have died and nine others were injured in the past 24 hours due to heavy rainfall and flooding across several provinces.

The UK home secretary has not ruled out returning rejected Afghan asylum seekers to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, saying the government is reviewing the issue and monitoring EU talks with the Taliban.

The Taliban have urged Afghan refugees facing possible relocation from Qatar to the Democratic Republic of Congo to return home, saying no one faces security threats in Afghanistan.

Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has urged caution in relations with Pakistan, warning against letting personal grievances influence ties with neighbouring countries.

Barcelona’s city council has expressed concern over the situation of Hazaras in Afghanistan, urging the international community to take urgent action to protect civilians and prevent further violence.

Deputy foreign ministers from Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member states met in Moscow to discuss multilateral cooperation and the situation in Afghanistan and the wider region.

Taliban officials say Tajik diplomats have met their governor in Badakhshan to discuss border security, economic ties and reopening a Tajikistan consulate.

Afghan political activists and experts have gathered in Ankara for talks on regional developments and Afghanistan’s role in a shifting geopolitical landscape.

A UN official says mass returns of Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan have increased Afghanistan’s population by about 10 percent, placing unprecedented strain on infrastructure and public services.

United Nation says clashes between the Taliban and Pakistan have disrupted schooling for about 12,000 Afghan students in border areas, with many displaced or unable to continue their education.

The International Committee of the Red Cross says it has delivered emergency aid to 17,000 families affected by clashes between the Taliban and Pakistan in Nuristan, including food, hygiene kits and essential supplies.

Uzbekistan Railways says it has built a 1,000-metre branch line at Naibabad station on the Hairatan–Mazar-i-Sharif railway to speed up cargo movement, ease congestion and boost trade.

Taliban minister of borders, ethnic groups and tribal affairs has warned that foreign intelligence activities are undermining Afghanistan’s security. He accused Pakistan of pursuing “negative and malicious” objectives in coordination with external powers.

Residents of Qaramqol district in Faryab have protested against what they describe as the illegal issuance of ID cards to unregistered individuals, local sources say.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has renewed its call for the immediate lifting of restrictions on education for Afghan women and girls, marking the International Day of Girls in ICT.

Amir Khan Muttaqi expressed concern over escalating regional tensions, warning that a “dangerous war” has begun.