Tag: afghanistan

“Open War” Breaks Out Between Afghanistan and Pakistan

Pakistan has declared it is in “open war” with Afghanistan’s Taliban government following a gradual escalation of tensions and cross-border clashes along the disputed Durand Line. Under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq (“Righteous Fury”), Pakistan launched airstrikes in response to what it called “unprovoked firing” from across the border.

Pakistani forces targeted at least 22 locations, including Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, Nangarhar, Khost, and Paktika, saying they struck Taliban headquarters, ammunition depots, logistics bases, and other key military installations. Explosions were reported in Kabul.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghan forces had launched “large-scale offensive operations” against Pakistani military positions in response to earlier Pakistani airstrikes. Afghan officials said they attacked Pakistani border troops in retaliation and claimed their drones successfully hit military targets inside Pakistan, though Islamabad said any drones were intercepted by anti-drone systems without damage.

Casualty figures are sharply disputed. Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said at least 274 Taliban fighters were killed and more than 400 injured since the operation began, while 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 27 wounded. Pakistan’s information minister gave a lower Taliban death toll of 133 and said two Pakistani soldiers were killed.

Afghanistan’s Taliban government claims 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed, eight Taliban fighters died, and 11 were injured. Kabul also said 13 civilians were wounded in a reported Pakistani strike on a refugee camp in Nangarhar and claimed to have captured Pakistani soldiers, which Islamabad denies.

Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said Islamabad had exhausted diplomatic options and would now take “decisive action,” blaming the Taliban for instability and terrorism. Asif accused the Taliban of turning Afghanistan into an Indian “colony,” exporting terrorism, and aligning with India, framing the conflict as a response to security threats and India’s growing ties with Kabul.

Mujahid said Afghanistan wants the fighting resolved through dialogue but warned it would respond to further Pakistani actions. Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Afghanistan would defend itself and urged Pakistan to change its policies and pursue good neighborly relations.

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For years the Taliban told women to cover up in public. Now they’re cracking down

In stop-start efforts since November, Taliban officials have cracked down on women and girls in the western city of Herat who have been ignoring the hardline group’s rules by showing their faces. Enforcement agents are preventing them from entering hospitals and seminaries and pulling them out of public transport.

Initially, women and girls were punished for not wearing a burka — the Afghan burka is typically blue, has a netted opening for the eyes and drapes down around the body, largely constraining the woman wearing it. Later, after what residents described as pushback, officials enforcing the rules relented and allowed women to wear the typical conservative dress in this part of Afghanistan, a voluminous cloak known as a chaddar, along with a face mask.

At the main hospital in the Western city of Herat, one health worker described female staff milling outside the entryway for hours, waiting for colleagues on the night shift to hand over their burkas so they could enter — like a token that allowed them “entry permission,” the worker said. In another incident, Human Rights Watch reported on a female surgeon, who was detained for several hours for not donning the burka.

Forcing women to don burkas, to cover their faces or even to wear a hijab, or head covering, “is part of the Taliban’s policy of controlling women’s bodies to make women invisible,” said Sahar Fetrat, a researcher in the women’s rights division of Human Rights Watch. She said in a statement: “Afghan women and United Nations human rights experts have called this “gender apartheid.”

In interviews conducted since November, more than a dozen Herat residents described different incidents to NPR. They all requested anonymity, or that we only use an initial of their first names, fearing reprisal from Taliban officials. The crackdown was run by officials of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which is tasked with the implementation of the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law.

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How MI6 backed ‘right-wing religious fanatics’ in Afghanistan

In 1980, journalist John Fullerton sat down for lunch in London with members of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), better known as MI6. The spooks asked the restless reporter to name five cities where he would like to work. He scrawled the answers unhesitatingly on a paper napkin.

“The top one was Peshawar in Pakistan,” he told Declassified, explaining his desire to move near the turbulent Afghan border. “The Soviets had invaded Afghanistan but I couldn’t find ways to be a freelancer out there. There were no journalists covering it. Everyone had left Kabul. So I wanted to cover the war and that’s how SIS employed me.”

He had been on good terms with SIS for many years already, after a chance encounter with Nicholas Elliott, one of the agency’s high fliers. Elliott, who famously confronted the KGB double agent Kim Philby, had just retired as an SIS director when he spotted an article by Fullerton exposing a power struggle between the police and military in apartheid South Africa.

Fullerton grew up in Cape Town, rising to night news editor on the Cape Times before migrating back to the UK, the country of his birth. After checking he was not a mole for the apartheid regime’s Bureau of State Security, British intelligence eventually took him on as a “contract labourer”, a cheaper option than a permanent SIS officer position.

“They employed quite a lot of these contract labourers, many from military backgrounds,” Fullerton commented. “SIS had gone through a period of retrenchment in the 1970s and early 80s and it had shrunk. From having three fully staffed stations in Latin America it went to having none.”

This all changed under Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who received informal advice on espionage from Elliott. “She took a great interest in foreign affairs and intelligence and she tried to beef it all up,” Fullerton remarked, adding that her Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington was eager to get “scenes of Afghans fighting communists onto television screens.”

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Taliban to jail barbers who shave men’s beards for up to 15 months under radical Islamic law

Barbers who cut off men’s beards in Afghanistan are set to be jailed under the Taliban‘s increasingly radical regime.

Some young men are also reportedly being beaten up and ‘humiliated’ for defying strict cultural laws by daring to pick a Western-style haircut.

Offending hairdressers will be referred to the Taliban’s feared judicial authorities and could face up for 15 months in prison.

The totalitarian regime claims it is merely laying down Islamic law.

Beard removal was already illegal under its dystopian-sounding Law on the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, but did not carry a prison sentence.

Some accused of crafting non-traditional styles have already faced temporary detention, however, meaning their businesses have ground to a halt for days.

Esmatullah, from the Balkh province, told the Telegraph: ‘We are branded as agents of the former government if we trim our beards or keep what they call a Western hairstyle. 

‘The Taliban interrogate and beat people simply for how they look.’

He said a local college student was beaten up by Taliban members who also lopped off his hair with scissors, because he had decided to shave the sides of this head.

Another barber in Balkh said that many of his customers now ask him to visit them at their homes for haircut or grooming sessions, because it is too risky to do in public.

Many have also seen a steep decline in business since the Taliban reestablished in August 2021.

Last week, Taliban morality enforcers detained eight barbers in Afghanistan’s Parwan province for shaving or styling beards.

Their shops were shuttered, and their have been families told they will be detained for a month.

Taliban officials summoned male barbers in the Balkh province on Friday to the drum home the message that the crackdown is on.

Another Balkh barber told the newspaper: ‘If people are not allowed to shave their beards or cut their hair as per their choice, who will come to our shops?

‘We live hand to mouth, and these edicts will leave us without enough food on our plates.’

Since sweeping back to power in the wake of the Western withdrawal, the Taliban has steadily tightened its grip on the people of Afghanistan and stripped away their freedoms.

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George W. Bush Institute Urges Americans to Sympathize with Afghans After D.C. National Guard Attack

Following the fatal shooting of one National Guard member and the injury of another in Washington, DC, the George W. Bush Institute is urging against broadly targeting Afghan immigration applicants in response to the actions of a single individual.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who previously worked with a CIA-backed partner force in Kandahar and entered the U.S. in 2021 through the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome, has been arraigned and is facing charges in the Thanksgiving-week ambush-style shooting that left 20-year-old Spc. Sarah Beckstrom dead and critically injured 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe. 

Following the attack, U.S. immigration authorities announced an immediate and indefinite pause on immigration processing for Afghan nationals and launched a broad reexamination of immigration, asylum, and green card applications from 19 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Venezuela, Sudan, Haiti, Cuba, and Laos.

In response, the George W. Bush Institute posted on X: “The actions of a man charged with a heinous crime have derailed the lawful U.S. immigration applications of people from 18 countries so far, including Afghanistan. Afghans are facing uncertainty at home and in the U.S.

“Read why we can’t turn our back on Afghans and other immigrants due to one man’s crime: ”

The post linked to a full policy piece authored by Bush Institute directors Natalie Gonnella-Platts and Laura Collins.  The article begins by condemning the D.C. shooting as “unconscionable,” calling it an act of terrorism, hate, and barbaric violence that “has no place in any civilized society.” 

“Going back on our word to Afghans who helped us is contrary to our values as Americans,” the authors write. They assert that many of these individuals “risked their lives over the last two decades” working in partnership with U.S. forces and, despite undergoing years of vetting before arrival, are now facing disruptions due to the government’s response — including paused visa issuance, halted asylum decisions, and canceled naturalization ceremonies. 

“Asylum seekers may continue to have court hearings, but they won’t receive a determination on their cases,” the authors explain. They urge elected leaders to investigate “what, if anything, could have been done to prevent this tragedy” rather than targeting all Afghans. “The suspect will be held accountable for his crimes,” they write, “but this man is responsible for his actions, not all foreign-born people.” They add: “The innocent shouldn’t bear the burden of someone else’s crimes.”

The article paints a grim picture of life under Taliban rule, portraying Afghans as having seen their “daughters, sisters, mothers, and nieces erased from every facet of public life” and suffering “unimaginable” deprivation due to tyranny and corruption.

The authors contend many of the displaced “have been forced to flee their homeland, many now for a second time,” and continue to resist extremism even from abroad. Despite refugee status, they claim these individuals are “leading the way in seeking justice,” preserving cultural identity, and resisting Taliban indoctrination.

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U.S. Intelligence Warns: More Than 2,000 Afghan Residents May Have Terrorist Links

The Director of National Intelligence of the United States, Tulsi Gabbard, raised alarms after revealing that more than 2,000 Afghan nationals currently residing in the country may have potential ties to terrorist organizations.

This announcement comes amid a thorough security review of approximately 190,000 Afghans who arrived in the United States following the withdrawal of U.S. troops in 2021, under the operation known as Welcome Allies.

U.S. intelligence agencies have launched a reevaluation process to thoroughly investigate the backgrounds of these individuals, with the goal of determining whether they pose a threat to national security.

Gabbard explained that part of the concern lies in the possibility that some of these Afghans “may be spreading radical Islamist ideologies within the United States,” and she argued that this scrutiny is essential to protect both the safety of the American people and the “fundamental freedoms” enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

The measure also follows recent violent incidents, including a shooting that occurred in late November in Washington, D.C., in which an Afghan national—identified by English-language media as Rahmanullah Lakanwal—opened fire on members of the National Guard, killing one and seriously injuring another.

This incident reignited the debate over the effectiveness of the “vetting” process (background checks) applied to evacuees after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

Additionally, officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have indicated that thousands of investigations involving Afghans admitted into the country have been reopened, and that visa processes and asylum applications for Afghan nationals have been temporarily suspended while the detailed review is completed.

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DNI Tulsi Gabbard Shreds Democrat Rep. Bennie Thompson for Calling Deadly Terror Attack on National Guard an ‘Unfortunate Accident’

During a Friday appearance on Fox & Friends, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard tore into Democrat Congressman Bennie Thompson for downplaying a recent terrorist attack on U.S. National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., as an “unfortunate accident.”

The incident, which left one Guardsman dead and another critically wounded, highlights the ongoing fallout from the Biden administration’s chaotic 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal and lax vetting of evacuees.

The attack unfolded on November 26, when 29-year-old Afghan evacuee Rahmanullah Lakanwal opened fire on West Virginia National Guard members near the White House.

Lakanwal, who entered the U.S. during the Kabul evacuation, shouted “Allahu Akbar” as he fired a revolver, killing 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and severely injuring SSgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24.

The troops were deployed to combat rising crime in the nation’s capital.

Lakanwal now faces charges including first-degree murder while armed and is being held without bond.

During a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Thursday, Thompson, the former chair of the committee, referred to the shooting as an “unfortunate accident” and an “unfortunate situation” while grilling Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Thompson blamed Noem for pinning the blame on Joe Biden, ignoring the broader context of inadequate vetting that allowed suspected terrorists into the country.

Secretary Noem pushed back immediately, stating, “Unfortunate accident? It was a terrorist attack. He shot our Guardsmen in the head.”

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DEM DISGRACE: Rep. Thompson Describes Terror Attack On Guardsmen As Mere “ACCIDENT”

In a stunning display of Democrat detachment from reality, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) downplayed a brutal terrorist attack by an unvetted Afghan national as nothing more than an “unfortunate accident” during a heated House Homeland Security Committee hearing.

This blatant dismissal of American bloodshed—perpetrated by a violent individual allowed to enter the country under Biden’s treasonous regime—drew immediate fire from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

The fireworks erupted during Noem’s testimony on global security threats, where Thompson pressed her on the department’s handling of Lakanwal’s case. Instead of acknowledging the gravity, Thompson casually referred to the deadly shooting as an “unfortunate accident.”

Thompson, scrambling under the scrutiny, later backpedaled to call it an “unfortunate situation”—but the damage was done. His words exposed the callous indifference that has defined Democrat immigration stances: downplaying terror to shield failed policies that cost American lives. 

Noem, defending the Trump administration’s tough vetting reforms, blamed the initial lapses squarely on Biden’s crew, refusing to let the left rewrite history.

This isn’t just tone-deaf; it’s dangerous. Thompson, as ranking member, should be championing protections for U.S. troops, not minimizing attacks by foreign radicals. His comments echo the broader leftist playbook—excusing threats from unassimilated migrants while demonizing efforts to secure the homeland.

The fallout was swift and furious. Americans across the board are now demanding Thompson resign.

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SURPRISE! Watchdog Claims U.S. Weapons Left Behind by Biden in Afghanistan Now Make Up ‘Core’ of the Taliban Military

A watchdog has now confirmed that American weaponry left behind in the botched 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan now makes up the ‘core’ of the Taliban military.

This means that if American soldiers are ever again put on the ground in an armed conflict in Afghanistan, there is a distinct possibility that they could be injured or killed by weapons paid for by the American taxpayer. Thanks, Joe Biden!

Joe Biden could have been impeached for a number of things, but he should have been impeached for this. All of this.

Just the News reported:

Afghan watchdog concludes billions in weapons U.S. left behind form ‘core’ of Taliban military

The inspector general responsible for scrutinizing U.S. reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan has detailed the billions of dollars wasted by the U.S. government during the 20-year war in the country and concluded that the arsenal of U.S.-provided military weaponry that was left behind now forms the “core” of the Taliban’s own military machine.

A massive number of U.S.-made and U.S.-supplied weapons and military facilities were left behind in Afghanistan as a result of President Joe Biden’s troop withdrawal announcement in April 2021, which resulted in the dissolution of the Afghan military, a chaotic U.S. evacuation, and a Taliban takeover in August 2021.

The Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR) issued its “final forensic audit report” this week more than four years after the U.S. withdrawal and evacuation from the country, concluding that “these U.S. taxpayer-funded equipment, weapons, and facilities have formed the core of the Taliban security apparatus.” SIGAR said in its final report that it will close its doors at the end of January 2026 as a result of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2025.

It’s simply maddening.

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US waste in Afghanistan revealed

The US lost up to $29 billion to mismanagement and misconduct during its occupation of Afghanistan, all while pursuing unrealistic goals in the country, according to a new report from a government watchdog.

Released on Wednesday, the report concludes a 17-year investigation by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), which identified 1,327 instances of waste, fraud, and abuse totaling $26-29.2 billion, most of it lost through inefficiencies and improper use of assets. Fraud accounted for around 2% of the total and abuse for 4%. The watchdog noted that more than $4.6 billion of taxpayer money could have been saved.

America’s “20-year mission to build a stable, democratic” Afghanistan was a failure, undermined from the start by unrealistic expectations and compounded by corruption and misuse of public funds, SIGAR said. According to the watchdog, Afghanistan should serve as a cautionary tale, warning policymakers that any future reconstruction effort of similar scale must acknowledge the risk of failure from the start.

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