Afghanistan | Pakistan

KABUL: A regional br­­a­­nch of the militant Is­­la­­mic State group has clai­med a rare deadly at­­tack on a Taliban official in northeastern Afghanis­tan, a monitoring group said. The head of the inform­ation and culture department in Badakhshan, Zabihullah Amiri, was shot dead on Tuesday while en route to the provincial capital Faizabad. The Islamic State-Kho­rasan (IS-K) group claimed on Wednesday that it had carried out the attack. “The soldiers of the Caliphate targeted a commander from the apostate Taliban militia… with machine guns, killing him along with one of his guards,” it said in a statement quoted by monitoring organisation SITE Intelligence Group. Amiri was a nephew of Amanuddin Mansur, the governor of southern Helmand. Afghanistan’s information and culture ministry said one of the assailants was killed and a second arrested after the “cowardly attack”. The ministry “reminds the enemies of the Islamic government that such cowardly acts will never weaken our firm resolve and steadfast determina...

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday that durable peace and stability in the region can only be achieved by eliminating the threat of terrorism emanating from neighbouring Afghanistan. “Durable peace, stability and economic development can only be achieved with the eradication of the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil,” he said while speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting. He said that Pakistan desired to see a “peaceful, stable, regionally integrated and prosperous Afghanistan which is at peace with itself and its neighbours”, adding that this would be in the best interest of all SCO member states and beyond. He said that currently, the threat of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan was one of the most serious security challenges for Pakistan. He said that terrorist organisations continued to recruit, train and operate from Afghan soil “under the watch and facilitation of the Afghan Taliban regime”. He said that...

Flash floods kill 20 in Afghanistan

WHEN the Taliban entered Kabul in August 2021, the world feared Afghanistan was heading towards an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. Those fears proved well-founded. Yet few imagined that nearly five years later, Afghanistan would remain one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises despite the absence of a nationwide civil war. The United Nations warned in 2022 that almost half the Afghan population was facing acute food insecurity. With the advent of the Taliban, the banking system had collapsed, millions had lost their livelihoods, and the sudden suspension of international assistance had pushed the economy into free fall. More importantly, professionals already in short supply started leaving the country. At the same time, women were progressively excluded from public life, girls were denied secondary education, and poverty became the defining feature of Afghan society. Those early warnings have not simply materialised; they have grown with each passing year. Today, Afghanistan presents one of the ...

KARACHI - Authorities on Tuesday said that terrorism perpetrated from Afghanistan was behind the militant attack in Karachi, where at least three personnel of the Pakistan Rangers were martyred last month.

PESHAWAR: Twenty-one of a total of 26 vehicles loaded with World Food Programme (WFP) aid items crossed into Afghanistan via the Torkham border on Tuesday. Since October 2025, the Torkham border — a key trade route between Pakistan and Afghanistan — has been closed due to the “escalating security situation” along the border. Torkham officials and agents said that all 26 vehicles carrying humanitarian assistance comprising food items for Afghanistan arrived in Torkham from Karachi on Monday. The vehicles then underwent the necessary electronic scanning and customs clearing process before these vehicles were issued gate passes for crossing over to Afghanistan. However, they were unable to cross the border on Monday evening due to the stipulated closure of the border at 8pm. The vehicles were taken to the Zero Point on Tuesday morning and later allowed to cross the border into Afghanistan. Officials said that the remaining five will also leave for Afghanistan later in the day. Custom clearing agents said that af...

Police on Tuesday said that the “mastermind” of the deadly attack on a Rangers camp in Karachi last month has been arrested, adding that the terrorists had training and “backing from Afghanistan”. On the night of June 27, terrorists attacked the local headquarters of the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar area, during which three security personnel were martyred and four were injured, according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). ISPR said the attack was carried out by terrorists “belonging to Indian proxy Jamaatul Ahrar” (JuA), adding that three terrorists were killed in retaliatory action while one was arrested, whom it identified as an Afghan national. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday alongside Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, City Senior Superintendent of Police Irfan Bahadur detailed the involvement of elements from Afghanistan in the “entire planning” and execution of the attack. The SSP identified the “mastermind” of the attack as Qari Basheer alias Qari Habib, add...

KHYBER: Pakistani customs authorities on Monday issued gate passes to as many as 26 World Food Programme (WFP) containers carrying food and essential supplies at the Torkham border to cross into Afghanistan. Since October 2025, the Torkham border — a key trade route between Pakistan and Afghanistan — has been closed due to the “escalating security situation” along the border. Customs clearing agents, who had earlier in the day submitted Goods Declaration (GD) documents to the customs authorities, told Dawn that the containers were issued gate passes for crossing into Afghanistan late in the evening, despite the fact that the gates had officially been closed for any cross-border movement. The agents said that the containers were made to wait throughout the day as officials awaited a final “nod” from the higher authorities after the containers arrived at the Torkham import terminal early on Monday morning. They said that the authorities had informed them that all cleared vehicles would be allowed to proceed to ...

KHYBER: Around 70 medical students, who had been stranded in Afghanistan since the closure of the Torkham border, returned home late on Saturday evening. Family members of the students said their academic sessions at various medical institutions in Afghanistan had ended a few weeks ago and they were eager to return to their cities. They said the students had reached the Afghan side of the Torkham border a few days earlier but were not allowed to cross into Pakistan due to restrictions on pedestrian movement that have been in place since October last year. According to their relatives, the students contacted several local elders and political leaders to facilitate their return. Sherin Khan Afridi, senior vice president of the Awami National Party (ANP) in Khyber district, played a key role in securing their return. The matter was taken up with government authorities and political leaders in Islamabad by Awami National Party leaders. Following official instr­uctions from Islamabad, the stranded students were al...

One of the attackers involved in the incident at the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) Camp in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar has detailed how the attack was carried out and revealed that he was trained in Afghanistan, according to security sources. The attack was carried out on Saturday night, following which three security personnel were martyred during an exchange of fire with the terrorists, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday. ISPR said in a statement that the attack was carried out by terrorists “belonging to Indian proxy, Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA)”, adding that three terrorists were killed in retaliatory action while one was arrested. Later, security sources said the arrested terrorist had identified himself as Usman Ali and revealed that he had come to Pakistan from Jalalabad in Afghanistan. They added that Ali identified the three other attackers as Abdul Hadi, Janaan and Umar Farooq. Moreover, the sources said, he admitted that he belonged to JuA, whose commander in Afghanistan he identified as Ahr...

One of the attackers of the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) Camp in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar has detailed how the attack was carried out and revealed that he was trained in Afghanistan, according to security sources. The attack was carried out on Saturday night, following which three security personnel were martyred during an exchange of fire with the terrorists, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday. The ISPR said in a statement that the attack was carried out by terrorists “belonging to Indian proxy, Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA)”, adding that three terrorists were killed in retaliatory action while one was arrested. Later, security sources said the arrested terrorist had identified himself as Usman Ali and revealed that he had come to Pakistan from Jalalabad in Afghanistan. They added that Ali identified the three other attackers as Abdul Hadi, Janaan and Umar Farooq. Moreover, the sources said, he admitted that he belonged to Jamaatul Ahrar, whose commander in Afghanistan he identified as Ahrar Mou...

ISLAMABAD - Large stockpiles of illicit opium accumulated in Afghanistan before the Taliban’s nationwide poppy ban continue to sustain the global heroin trade, delaying any immediate disruption to international drug markets despite a collapse in cultivation, according to the World Drug Report 2026 released by the United Nations Office on.

ISLAMABAD: Pakis­tan has the right under inte­rnational law to defend itself against atta­cks originating from Afgh­anistan, British Parlia­mentary Under-Secretary for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan Hamish Falconer said on Monday, while stressing the need for dialogue and regional stability. Speaking during a visit to Islamabad to discuss security concerns with senior Pakistani officials, the British official noted that any country facing cross-border threats was entitled to protect its citizens within the framework of international law. The remarks came amid rising tensions and recent incidents of violence that Pakistani authorities say were linked to terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory. Talking to Dawn, the visiting dignitary expre­ssed condolences over the recent loss of life in Pakistan, describing the security situation as deeply concerning. ‘Sustainable solutions’ “No one wants to see civilian casualties anywhere, whether in Pakistan or Afghanistan,” the official said, adding tha...

UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (Unama) until June 17, 2027, while highlighting concerns over Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, terrorism threats, human rights situation and regional stability. The resolution, drafted by China and adopted by all 15 UNSC members, reaffirms the UN’s central role in supporting peace and stability in Afghanistan and maintaining engagement with the country’s de facto authorities and other stakeholders. Although Pakistan is not mentioned by name in the text, several provisions of the resolution carry direct implications for Islamabad, particularly on refugee returns, regional security, counterterrorism cooperation and economic connectivity. The Security Council directed Unama to support efforts to create conditions conducive to the “voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return and reintegration of internally displaced persons and refugees,” a...

MALE: Pakistan ended a 74-year wait for a football tournament title on Wedn­esday, defeating Afghanistan 2–0 in the final of the Diamond Jubilee Intern­ational Football Tournament in at the National Stadium to claim a historic first stand-alone international crown. Shayek Dost produced a spectacular overhead kick to open the scoring in the first half before substitute Harun Hamid added a second in stoppage time to seal victory, as Pakistan lifted a tournament trophy for the first time since 1952 — when they shared the Asian Quadrangular title on a league basis. The triumph also marks the first time in Pakistan’s history that the men’s national team has won a tournament final outright. Afghanistan started brightly and tested Pakistan early, but the Shaheens gradually settled into rhythm. Otis Khan was influential down the left flank and it was from one of his moves that Pakistan struck in the 24th minute. A loose clearance and a misdirected cross fell kindly for Shayek, who adjusted brilliantly to execute an a...

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s envoy to the United Nations said on Monday that India’s key objectives in Afghanistan were “solely driven by the singular goal of destabilising Pakistan”. He made these remarks during a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan while responding to remarks by Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative to UN Nasir Ahmad Faiq. Earlier in the session, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad detailed the use of Afghan soil by terrorists and its impact on Pakistan, calling for the Afghan Taliban to take action against militants. He also spoke about Pakistan’s counter-terrorism measures. Responding to Faiq’s comments on Pakistan’s counter-terrorism operations, Ambassador Ahmad said: “Pakistan’s actions, including those conducted in March, were directed solely against the terrorist and military support infrastructure that is operating from Afghanistan. And it is in no way directed against the brotherly people of Afghanistan.” On March 16, the Afghan Taliban had acc...

ISLAMABAD - In a stark reminder of the persistent security challenges emanating from the neighborhood, Russia has reiterated that Afghanistan remains a hub of global terrorism and cross-border narcotics trafficking, severely threatening the stability of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) region.

The Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday that the Afghan chargé d’affaires was summoned and handed a “strong demarche” over the suicide attack in Bannu, which claimed the lives of 15 police personnel. In a statement, the FO said, “The Afghan chargé d’affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today to deliver a strong demarche regarding the cowardly vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (IED) attack carried out by terrorists of Fitna al Khawarij on the Fateh Khel police post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu District on May 9.” Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, while Fitna al Hindustan is a term designated by the state for terrorist organisations in Balo­chistan. “The ministry conveyed that a detailed investigation into the incident, along with evidence collected and technical intelligence, indicates that the attack was masterminded by terrorists residing in Afghanistan,” the FO said. “Reiterating Pakistan’s grave concern ...

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has alleged that India is conducting a proxy war against Pakistan through Afghanistan, intensifying already strained regional security rhetoric.

An Australian court granted bail on Friday to former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith, charged with murdering unarmed prisoners captured in Afghanistan following a sweeping war crimes probe. The towering soldier became a household name across Australia when he was awarded the Victoria Cross in 2011, a medal reserved for only the most courageous wartime exploits. But a landmark military report in 2020 revealed grave allegations against Australian troops sent to fight Taliban forces, accusing elite units of torture, summary executions and “body count” competitions. This month Roberts-Smith was charged with five counts of “war crime — murder”, with police alleging he was complicit in a string of unlawful killings between 2009 and 2012. After ten days behind bars he was granted bail, with Judge Greg Grogin telling a Sydney court that the former soldier faced the prospect of “years and years” in jail before his case went to trial. In court via video link, Roberts-Smith appeared impassive as he was shown on screen in a gr...