Taliban release decree saying women must consent to marriage

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 failed to mention female access to education or work outside the home. The Taliban has been under pressure from the international community, who have mostly frozen funds for Afghanistan, to

Taliban says failure to recognise their government could have global effects

The Taliban called on the United States and other countries on Saturday to recognise their government in Afghanistan, saying that a failure to do so and the continued freezing of Afghan funds abroad would lead to problems not only for the country but for the world. No country has formally recognised the Taliban government since

Several killed in blast outside Kabul mosque – Al Jazeera

A bomb targeted the entrance of a mosque in the Afghan capital on Sunday leaving a “number of civilians dead,” a Taliban spokesman said. The bomb targeted the Eidgah Mosque in Kabul, where a memorial service was being held for the mother of Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. Though no group has claimed responsibility for the

Firefight involving Western forces erupts amid Kabul airport evacuation chaos

Afghan soldier killed in clash with unidentified assailants Biden says evacuation ‘hard, painful’, thousands getting out Taliban says no extension to Aug. 31 deadline sought yet WHO can’t send medical supplies because of airport disruption A firefight involving Western forces erupted at Kabul airport on Monday when Afghan guards exchanged fire with unidentified gunmen, Germany’s

Trump and some Republicans are praising the Taliban to criticize Biden despite years of chest-thumping over jihadist terrorism

A few Republicans praised the Taliban since it seized power in Afghanistan this month. Trump called them “smart” and “good fighters” and Rep. Gaetz said they were “more legitimate” than Biden. These statements come despite years of GOP chest-thumping about the threat of jihadist terrorism. Just weeks before the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks

Taliban Spokesman Accuses Facebook of Stifling Free Speech by Banning Group

At his first press conference in 20 years, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid joined the techlash, by complaining about Facebook censorship. THE TALIBAN SPOKESMAN, Zabihullah Mujahid, emerged from the shadows on Tuesday and devoted part of his first press conference to a rant about Facebook, in which he accused the tech giant of violating the Islamist group’s right

Female mayor in Afghanistan says she’s waiting for Taliban to ‘come … and kill me’

Zarifa Ghafari, 27, told the British newspaper i she has nowhere to go and can’t leave her family. One of Afghanistan’s first female mayors said Sunday that she is waiting for the Taliban to come and kill her as the Islamic militants reached the capital, Kabul. “I’m sitting here waiting for them to come. There

Taliban kill Afghan media chief in Kabul, take southern city

The Taliban ambushed and killed the director of Afghanistan’s government media center on Friday in the capital, Kabul, the latest killing of a government official just days after an assassination attempt on the country’s acting defense minister. The slaying comes amid significant Taliban advances. In a major but symbolic victory, the Taliban on Friday appeared

Reuters journalist killed covering clash between Afghan forces, Taliban

Reuters journalist Danish Siddiqui was killed on Friday while covering a clash between Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters near a border crossing with Pakistan, an Afghan commander said. Afghan special forces had been fighting to retake the main market area of Spin Boldak when Siddiqui and a senior Afghan officer were killed in what they described