30

Sep

Internet blackout hits Afghanistan as Taliban enforce morality crackdown

Afghanistan's Islamist Taliban authorities have ordered a nationwide shutdown of the country's fiber optic internet "until further notice," according to a government source who spoke with French news agency AFP…

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21

Jan

Taliban say 2 Americans held in Afghanistan were freed in a prisoner exchange

A prisoner swap between the United States and Afghanistan’s Taliban freed two Americans in exchange for a Taliban figure imprisoned for life in California on drug trafficking and terrorism charges,…

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23

Aug

Taliban laws ban women’s voices and bare faces in public

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have issued a ban on women’s voices and bare faces in public under new laws to combat immoral behaviour and promote virtue. The laws were approved by…

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21

Oct

Taliban says plans to formally join China’s Belt and Road Initiative

By Joe Cash BEIJING, (Reuters) - The Taliban administration wants to formally join Chinese President Xi Jinping's huge 'Belt and Road' infrastructure initiative and will send a technical team to…

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16

Oct

Taliban to join China’s Belt and Road forum, elevating ties

KABUL (Reuters) - The Taliban will attend China's Belt and Road Forum next week, a spokesman said, underscoring Beijing's growing official ties with the administration, despite its lack of formal…

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28

Jan

Afghan female students not allowed to sit university entrance exam – Taliban ministry

KABUL (Reuters) - The Taliban-run Ministry of Higher Education ordered private universities in Afghanistan not to allow female students to sit university entrance exams next month, underscoring its policy to…

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03

Jan

Taliban seeks economic self-sufficiency and foreign investment for Afghanistan, minister says

The Taliban administration will encourage self-sufficiency and wants international trade and investment, the acting commerce minister said, as Afghanistan faces isolation and suspension of some humanitarian operations over restrictions on women. "We…

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25

Dec

Save the Children, others suspend Afghanistan effort as Taliban bans female NGO staff

KABUL (Reuters) -Four international aid agencies including Save the Children said on Sunday they were suspending their humanitarian programmes in Afghanistan in response to the Taliban-run administration's order to stop female employees…

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21

Dec

Taliban-led Afghan administration says female students suspended from universities

KABUL (Reuters) - The Taliban-run Afghan higher education ministry said on Tuesday that access to Afghanistan's universities would be suspended to female students until further notice. A letter, confirmed by…

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25

Aug

Taliban say they’ve not found body of al Qaeda leader

KABUL, Aug 25 (Reuters) - The Taliban have not found the body of Ayman al-Zawahiri and are continuing investigations, group spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on Thursday, after the United States…

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15

Aug

A year of Taliban rule gives Afghanistan security but little hope

KABUL, Aug 15 (Reuters) - The Taliban marked a year in power on Monday, but celebrations were muted as Afghanistan struggles with rising poverty, drought, malnutrition and fading hope among…

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06

Aug

Afghanistan a year after the Taliban occupation: An ongoing war on human rights

The word “anniversary” usually brings about happy and memorable moments. But Aug. 15 marks one year since the Taliban takeover and occupation of Afghanistan, and it’s not a happy occasion…

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19

May

Taliban say female Afghan TV presenters must cover face on air

KABUL (Reuters) - Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have asked television broadcasters to ensure that female presenters on local stations cover their faces when on air, an official said on Thursday.…

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08

May

Taliban order Afghan women to cover faces again

KABUL (Reuters) -Afghanistan's Taliban government ordered women on Saturday to cover their faces in public, a return to a signature policy of their past hardline rule and an escalation of…

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03

Apr

Taliban bans drug cultivation, including lucrative opium

KABUL/PESHAWAR, April 3 (Reuters) - The Taliban announced on Sunday a ban on the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan, the world's biggest opium producer. "As per the decree of the…

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23

Mar

Taliban orders girl high schools remain closed

KABUL, March 23 (Reuters) - The Taliban on Wednesday backtracked on its announcement that high schools would open for girls, saying they would remain closed until a plan was drawn…

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14

Dec

Taliban rule marked by killings, denial of women’s rights – U.N.

More than 100 former Afghan national security forces and others have been killed since the Taliban takeover in August, most at the hands of the hardline Islamist group which is recruiting boy…

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03

Dec

Taliban release decree saying women must consent to marriage

ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taliban government on Friday released a decree on women's rights which said women should not be considered "property" and must consent to marriage but…

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31

Oct

Taliban’s reclusive supreme leader appears, belying rumours of his death

KABUL, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Taliban's reclusive supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, made a rare public appearance in the southern city of Kandahar, Taliban sources said on Sunday, belying widespread rumours…

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15

Oct

At least 30 killed in Afghanistan mosque blast

A bomb blast hit a Shia mosque in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province during Friday prayers, killing at least 30 people, an official confirmed. Murtaza Zarifi, a security officer at the mosque, claimed…

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09

Oct

US and Taliban set for talks in Doha in first high-level talks since pullout

A U.S. delegation will meet with senior Taliban representatives in Doha on Saturday and Sunday in their first face-to-face meeting at a senior level since Washington pulled its troops from…

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05

Oct

Taliban say forces destroy Islamic State cell hours after Kabul blast

Taliban government forces destroyed an Islamic State cell in the north of Kabul late on Sunday in a prolonged assault that broke the calm of a normally quiet area of the…

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27

Sep

Taliban ask airlines to resume international flights to Afghanistan

The Taliban government in Afghanistan appealed for international flights to be resumed, promising full cooperation with airlines and saying that problems at Kabul airport had been resolved. The statement from…

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26

Sep

Russia’s Lavrov says Taliban recognition ‘not on the table’

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that international recognition of the Taliban was not currently under consideration. Lavrov was speaking on the sidelines of…

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26

Sep

Taliban hang up bodies of alleged kidnappers in Afghan city

Taliban authorities in the western Afghan city of Herat killed four alleged kidnappers and hung their bodies up in public to deter others, a local government official said on Saturday.…

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25

Sep

Taliban to resume executions and amputations as punishment

One of the founders of the Taliban has said that the group will resume executions and amputations as punishment. Mullah Nooruddin Turabi warned the world against interfering in the plans,…

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14

Sep

EU says it has no option but to talk to Taliban

The European Union has no option but to talk to the Taliban in Afghanistan, the bloc's top diplomat said on Tuesday, adding that Brussels would seek to coordinate with EU governments to organise a…

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14

Sep

Taliban deny their deputy prime minister, Mullah Baradar, is dead

The Taliban have denied that one of their top leaders has been killed in a shootout with rivals, following rumours about internal splits in the movement nearly a month after its lightning…

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07

Sep

Taliban name new Afghan government, interior minister on U.S. sanctions list

Sept 7 (Reuters) - The Taliban named Mullah Hasan Akhund, an associate of the movement's late founder Mullah Omar, as the head of Afghanistan's new government on Tuesday, with Mullah…

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06

Sep

Taliban tells Berlin it will welcome German companies, aid

The Taliban would welcome German investment in Afghanistan and help in areas including humanitarian aid, health care, education and infrastructure, the group's spokesman told Bild newspaper. The Taliban took power…

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06

Sep

UPDATED: Taliban claim complete control of Afghan province of Panjshir

The Taliban claimed victory on Monday over opposition forces in the Panjshir valley northeast of Kabul, completing their takeover of the country following the stunning capture of Kabul last month…

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04

Sep

Taliban sources say last Afghan holdout region falls; resistance denies claim

Sept 3 (Reuters) - Three Taliban sources said the Islamist militia had on Friday seized the Panjshir valley north of Kabul, the last province of Afghanistan holding out against it,…

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03

Sep

Taliban sources say Mullah Baradar to lead new Afghanistan government; Rebels hold out in Afghan valley

Mullah Baradar, the head of the Taliban's political office, will lead the new government in Afghanistan, at least three sources in the Islamist group said on Friday. Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob,…

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02

Sep

EU says it will not rush into recognising the Taliban

The European Union will need to engage with the Taliban but it will not rush into formally recognising the Islamist militant group as the new rulers of Afghanistan, a senior…

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31

Aug

Taliban would take back Europe’s Afghan deportees to face courts, says spokesman

The Taliban government in Afghanistan would accept any Afghan migrants whose applications for asylum were rejected in Europe and they would then face court, an Austrian newspaper quoted a Taliban spokesman as saying on Monday. Austria's conservative-led government…

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30

Aug

Islamic State attack signals West’s least bad option for Afghanistan: the Taliban

The deadly attack on Kabul airport has underlined the realpolitik facing Western powers in Afghanistan: engaging with the Taliban may be their best chance to prevent the country sliding into…

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29

Aug

Taliban prepare to set up new Afghan government as U.S. evacuation nears end

Aug 28 (Reuters) - The Taliban said on Saturday they would announce a new government for Afghanistan in the coming week and expected the economic turbulence and sharp currency falls…

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26

Aug

Taliban tells Germany, Afghans with legal papers will be able to travel beyond Aug. 31

The Taliban have told Germany that Afghans with legal documents will be able to travel on commercial flights beyond the Aug. 31 cut-off date after which evacuations from Kabul airport…

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24

Aug

U.N. rights boss says has credible reports of Taliban executions

Top U.N. human rights official Michelle Bachelet said on Tuesday that she had received credible reports of serious violations committed by the Taliban in Afghanistan, including summary executions of civilians and restrictions on women…

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24

Aug

G7 leaders plan to pledge unity on Taliban recognition, sanctions – sources

Leaders of the G7 advanced economies are expected to pledge unity on whether or not to officially recognise or sanction the Taliban when they meet virtually to discuss Afghanistan on Tuesday, according to two…

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23

Aug

Taliban ‘flog young Afghans for wearing jeans’

A group of young Afghans have said they were flogged by Taliban fighters for the crime of wearing jeans.In a post widely shared on Facebook, an Afghan youth said they…

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22

Aug

UPDATED: Taliban fire in the air to control crowd at Kabul airport

The Taliban fired in the air and used batons to make people line up in orderly queues outside Kabul airport on Sunday, witnesses said, a day after seven people were…

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20

Aug

Taliban carrying out door-to door manhunt, Relative of Deutsche Welle reporter killed by Taliban

The Taliban have begun rounding up Afghans on a blacklist of people they believe have worked in key roles with the previous Afghan administration or with U.S.-led forces that supported…

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19

Aug

Reports of several killed amid firing by Taliban and stampede during rally in Afghan city

Flag-waving protesters took to several Afghan cities on Thursday and several people were killed when Taliban fighters fired on a crowd, a witness said, in the first popular opposition to…

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18

Aug

EU says it will work with Taliban only if human rights respected

The EU will only cooperate with the Taliban if they respect fundamental rights, including those of women, and prevent the use of Afghanistan's territory by terrorists, the bloc's foreign policy…

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17

Aug

Taliban say they want peace, will respect women’s rights under Islamic law

The Taliban held their first official news conference in Kabul on Tuesday since the shock seizure of the city, declaring they wanted peaceful relations with other countries and would respect the rights…

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17

Aug

Taliban say they want peace, will respect women’s rights under Islamic law

KABUL, Aug 17 (Reuters) - The Taliban held their first official news conference in Kabul on Tuesday since the shock seizure of the city, declaring they wanted peaceful relations with…

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17

Aug

Taliban’s Afghanistan takeover presents fresh challenge for social media companies

The Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan poses a new challenge for big U.S. tech companies on handling content created by a group considered to be terrorists by some world governments. Social media giant…

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17

Aug

UPDATE – Evacuation flights resume at Kabul airport as Biden defends U.S. withdrawal

Aug 17 (Reuters) - Military flights evacuating diplomats and civilians from Afghanistan resumed early on Tuesday after the runway at Kabul airport was cleared of thousands of people desperate to…

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16

Aug

Joe Biden under fire over unfolding chaos in Afghanistan

Joe Biden is facing the worst crisis of his presidency as his plans for an orderly US withdrawal from Afghanistan crumbled. The frantic scramble to evacuate American diplomats before the…

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15

Aug

Taliban say they have control of Afghan presidential palace

KABUL, Aug 15 (Reuters) - The Taliban has taken control of Afghanistan's presidential palace, two senior Taliban commanders present in Kabul told Reuters on Sunday, after President Ashraf Ghani left…

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15

Aug

Taliban insurgents enter Afghan capital Kabul

KABUL, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Taliban insurgents entered the Afghanistan capital Kabul on Sunday, an interior ministry official said, as the United States evacuated diplomats from its embassy by helicopter.…

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15

Aug

Factbox: What to watch for as the Taliban inch closer to Kabul

Aug 14 (Reuters) - The insurgent Taliban have captured Afghanistan's second- and third-largest cities, and a town just south of Kabul, and now have their sights set on the capital.…

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11

Aug

Taliban could take Afghan capital in 90 days- U.S. intelligence

Taliban fighters could isolate Afghanistan's capital in 30 days and possibly take it over in 90, a U.S. defence official told Reuters on Wednesday citing U.S. intelligence, as militants took control…

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11

Aug

Taliban control 65% of Afghanistan, EU official says, after series of sudden gains

Taliban insurgents tightened their grip on captured Afghan territory on Tuesday as civilians hid in their homes, and a European Union official said the militants now control 65% of the country…

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10

Aug

Taliban tighten control of Afghan north as UN fears erasure of human rights

President Ashraf Ghani called on regional strongmen to support his government after a stunning string of Taliban gains as U.S.-led foreign forces pull out, while a U.N. official said the gains made…

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06

Aug

Taliban close in on two provincial Afghan capitals as U.S. forces exit country

Taliban fighters on Friday intensified clashes with Afghan forces and targeted militias allied with the government, officials said, stretching their dominance of border towns and closing in on two provincial…

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