Afghanistan
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Poll: Economic Recession Seen as Most Significant Consequence of Four Years of Taliban Rule
DID Press in an online poll asked participants to identify the most significant outcome of the Taliban’s four-year interim rule over Afghanistan. A majority—57%—cited economic recession and rising unemployment as the most pressing consequence of Taliban governance. Meanwhile, 36% of…
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Four Years of Taliban Rule: Street Displays Replace Bagram Military Parade
DID Press: Four years after the fall of Kabul and the Taliban’s return to power, the group marked the anniversary of its takeover with markedly different celebrations. For the first time in years, the strategic Bagram Airbase — once a…
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Ashraf Ghani’s Departure: End of Republic, Beginning of Multi-Generational Crises in Afghanistan
DID Press: Today (August 15) marks one of the most bitter days in Afghanistan’s modern political history: the day former President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai fled Kabul—a development that not only signaled the end of the republic, but also unleashed far-reaching…
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Corrupt UN Officials in Afghanistan Diverting Aid Through Bribes, says US Watchdog
DID Press: Corrupt UN officials in Afghanistan demanded bribes to divert humanitarian aid to favored groups, including those backed by the Taliban’s interim government, says a U.S. watchdog. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said senior UN officials…
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Is Afghanistan on Brink of New “September 11”?
DID Press: Michael Kugelman, Director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center, has likened the recent Pakistan–U.S. joint counterterrorism statement to the geopolitical atmosphere immediately after the September 11 attacks. The statement identified the fight against Balochistan Liberation…
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Afghanistan, Pakistan, China to Hold Meeting in Kabul Next Week
DID Press: Following the suspension of Amir Khan Muttaqi’s trip to Pakistan, he is set to host Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, as well as Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, in Kabul next week. The sixth…
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Taliban Leader: Religious Education Foundation for Islamic Governance
DID Press: Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader, has underscored the expansion of religious education as critical to consolidating Afghanistan’s Islamic governance. Speaking at the group’s fourth cabinet meeting in Kandahar, Akhundzada urged ministers to enhance public religious awareness,…
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Afghanistan’s Economy Over Past Four Years: From Crisis to Partial Recovery Amid Ongoing Challenges
DID Press: Since the Taliban assumed power in 2021, Afghanistan has experienced severe economic hardship. The abrupt suspension of international aid, the imposition of sanctions, reduced investment, and strict social restrictions—particularly affecting women—pushed the country into a deep economic crisis.…
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Rapid Urbanization Strains Afghanistan’s Infrastructure
DID Press: UN-Habitat issued a warning regarding the uncontrolled pace of urbanization in Afghanistan, particularly in Kabul, emphasizing that the country’s existing infrastructure is ill-equipped to handle such growth. In a statement, the organization highlighted that rapid, unplanned urban expansion…
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Chinese, Pakistani Officials Hold Consultations on Regional Developments
DID Press: Yue Xiaoyong, China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Affairs, met with Khalil Hashimi, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China. According to a post on his X page on Wednesday, August 13, the meeting, held yesterday, focused on exchanging views to further…
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