Afghanistan

China pledged to help the Taliban “rebuild the country” while reiterating calls for the U.S. to lift sanctions against the new leaders of Afghanistan as the economy worsens.

Russia on Monday urged Western countries to engage with the Taliban and for the European Union to re-open its embassy in Afghanistan, warning that the country was at risk of descending further into drug trafficking and terrorism. The call came after Moscow last week hosted members of the Islamist regime for international talks, and the Taliban agreed to work with Russia, China, and Iran on regional security.

An international Russia-hosted meeting Wednesday pressed the Taliban to form a “truly inclusive” government in Afghanistan and called for the United Nations to convene a donor conference as soon as possible to help avert a humanitarian catastrophe facing the war-torn country.

At a virtual conference to discuss the deteriorating economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan on Tuesday, G20 nations highlighted the importance of urgently channeling humanitarian aid to Afghans through independent international organizations without formally recognizing the Taliban government. 

At least 100 worshippers have been killed or injured after a suicide bomber targeted a Shia mosque, in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz, according to news reports, during Friday prayers. … According to news reports, the attack was claimed by the local Islamic State terrorist group affiliate, known as Islamic State Khorasan Province (IKSP).

The UN has voted to create a new special rapporteur on Afghanistan to probe violations carried out by the Taliban and other parties to the conflict, amid growing concerns for the erosion of civil rights as the country transitions to an “Islamic emirate”.

Russia will invite the Taliban to international talks on Afghanistan scheduled for October 20 in Moscow, the Kremlin’s envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said Thursday. In response to a question from Russian journalists on whether representatives of the hardline group would be invited to negotiations involving China, India, Iran, and Pakistan, Kabulov said: “Yes.”

Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban said Monday their security forces had destroyed an Islamic State Khorasan Province cell in Kabul and killed all the militants there.

The Taliban has warned of consequences if the United States did not stop flying drones over Afghan airspace. The statement on Wednesday, released on the Taliban’s Twitter account, said the “US has violated all international rights and laws as well as its commitments made to the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, with the operation of these drones in Afghanistan”.

Top US defence officials have said the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan can be traced back to a deal between the group and the Trump administration. The so-called Doha agreement was signed in February 2020 and set a date for the US to withdraw its troops. Gen Frank McKenzie said the deal had a "really pernicious effect" on the Afghan government and military. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin agreed, saying the agreement had helped the Taliban get "stronger".