Tag: afghanistan

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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Court Eases Sentence For Afghan Who ‘Showed Restraint’ After ‘Only’ Stabbing Teacher Six Times

A 29-year-old Afghan migrant has been sentenced to six years in prison for stabbing a 27-year-old teacher at random on the street, in the middle of the day, in the German city of Kirchheim unter Teck.

However, despite stabbing his victim four times in the back and twice in the thigh, the fact that the Afghan stopped stabbing her once she screamed was enough to convince the court in Stuttgart to drop the attempted murder charge.

On March 14 of this year, the teacher was seriously injured while walking home from work. The 29-year-old, who did not know his victim, walked up to her from behind in a residential area and grabbed her neck. With his other hand, he began stabbing her in the back with a 9.5-centimeter knife four times. He then stabbed her twice in her thigh.

The woman began screaming, at which time, her attacker let her go and ran away.

Based on the fact that he stopped stabbing her and ran away, the court claimed this was a “withdrawal from attempted murder,” according to reporting from Yvonne Kussman for Aktuelle Informiert. Therefore, since the man could have kept stabbing her but stopped, he was only convicted of the lesser crime of previous bodily harm.

A similar legal ruling was recently applied to another controversial case in Germany involving SPD Mayor Iris Stalze, who was tortured and stabbed by her adopted daughter from Africa, to the point that she almost died. In that case as well, the ruling of a “withdrawal” was also issued, and no arrest was even made, with legal experts calling the ruling into question.

Regarding the details of this case involving the Afghan stabbing, it is worth noting that this “withdrawal” clause in the German legal system can only be invoked when there is a “genuine” withdrawal.

As Remix News cited: “If the perpetrator believes they have done everything necessary for the victim to die, they must then perform a voluntary and genuine counter-act that causes the prevention of the victim’s death.”

In other words, while the Afghan stopped, the question is what motivated his “withdrawal.” Did he truly not want to kill her? A “genuine” withdrawal, in German legal tradition, would have likely meant he stopped stabbing the woman and then began treating her wounds and called the police. Instead, he just stabbed her and ran away, raising questions about whether this should constitute a “genuine” withdrawal of attempted murder. Nevertheless, that is how the court ruled.

The 27-year-old teacher suffered serious injuries, but they were not life-threatening and she was able to leave the hospital after three days. She also did not suffer from any permanent damage.

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Bombshell Report Reveals Shocking New Motive for DC National Guard Shooter

The shooting of two National Guard members in Washington last week has taken a jarring new turn, and the emerging theory about the gunman’s motive points to a far deeper national security threat.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the 29-year-old Afghan national accused of killing Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and critically wounding Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, had served alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan before Joe Biden’s botched withdrawal. If you’ve been wondering why someone who once helped American troops would suddenly target National Guardsmen, you’re not the only one asking that question. Federal investigators now believe the Taliban may have blackmailed Lakanwal into carrying out the attack.

“U.S. intelligence is investigating information that a Taliban hit squad threatened to murder Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s family in Afghanistan unless he opened fire on American troops in the nation’s capital,” reports the Daily Beast. “But investigators are asking themselves why a man who was vetted by two administrations, and with no criminal record and no history of extremism, should drive across the country on an apparent suicide mission to shoot at heavily armed U.S. military personnel with a revolver.”

One line of inquiry they are seriously pursuing, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation, is that Lakanwal was made an offer he could not refuse. Either he accepted the mission, or his family in Afghanistan would be beaten, murdered, and possibly beheaded.

Lakanwal was a member of the Afghan Scorpion Forces working closely with the CIA as a GPS tracking specialist. He helped the U.S. military escape from Kabul in the shambolic retreat from Afghanistan in August 2021. Between August 14 and 30, more than 123,000 people were airlifted from Kabul Airport. The Afghan fighter joined one of the last flights because he served the United States and due to the danger he would be in if he were left behind.

About 700 Scorpion Forces members are understood to be detained in Afghanistan because they worked with America and its allies.

According to the report, the fallout from Joe Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan is still unfolding. In the five years since the pullout, a Taliban military unit known as Yarmouk 60 has been hunting down—and in many cases killing—Afghans who worked with the United States and its allies. Earlier this year, a member of the “Afghan Triples,” an elite special forces unit created and backed by the U.K. to fight the Taliban, escaped to Germany in hopes of bringing his family to safety. Yarmouk 60 responded by murdering his wife and father, along with four of his children, including two young girls who were beheaded.

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UK soldiers executed toddlers in bed during Afghanistan war: Report

The former director of the British military’s special forces and other top UK army officials were involved in covering up war crimes, including the killing of children, carried out during the war on Afghanistan. 

A senior officer who worked with the UK Special Air Service (SAS) was cited as saying in an independent judicial inquiry that the special forces unit “shot toddlers in their beds” in Afghanistan. 

The inquiry was opened in 2023 and led by appeal court judge Charles Haddon-Cave. It has previously released findings on UK special forces’ involvement in 80 suspicious deaths in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013. 

The special forces officer, identified in the inquiry as N1466, said, “We were there in Afghanistan to bring law and order and human security and justice. We failed.”

“It’s not loyalty to your organization to stand by and to watch it go down the sewer,” the officer added, warning of a “cancer” of illicit behavior within a specific SAS unit. 

The officer went on to say that he was “deeply troubled” by the “unlawful killing of innocent people, including children, but also the absence of what I considered at the time should have been the response of all officers, including very senior officers in the chain of command, and I struggled to come to terms with what had happened.”

“When you look back on it, on those people who died unnecessarily … there were two toddlers shot in their bed next to their parents, you know, all that would not necessarily have come to pass if that had been stopped.”

The officer also says that extrajudicial killings were widespread and “known to many” within the special forces. 

He added that he expressed his concerns to the director of special forces at the time, who took a deliberate decision to suppress the information.

Another anonymous officer also told the inquiry that the war crimes being revealed are “probably just the tip of the iceberg.”

“The government is fully committed to supporting the independent inquiry relating to Afghanistan as it continues its work, and we are hugely grateful to all former and current defense employees who have so far given evidence,” a UK Defense Ministry spokesperson said. 

The ministry was initially reluctant to approve the investigation.

This is not the first time British troops have been implicated in indiscriminate attacks and extrajudicial killings during the Afghanistan war. 

Five years ago, a whistleblower disclosed to a UK court that a British army unit in Afghanistan carried out a “deliberate policy” of killing unarmed Afghan men. 

The US army has also been implicated in scores of similar incidents in both Afghanistan and Iraq, which the British army invaded as well, alongside Washington’s forces in 2003. 

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