Afghanistan: General News and Discussion

Taliban clampdown on women forces UN to close aid centres for Afghan returnees​


by The Frontier Post

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GENEVA (Reuters): The U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) has closed eight centres providing support to Afghan refugees forced back to the country because Taliban authorities are preventing female U.N. staff from entering them, an official said on Friday.

The United Nations says Pakistan is driving Afghan refugees back home against their will, warning that around 1 million people could be affected. In the first week of September alone, nearly 100,000 people crossed back, UNHCR data showed.

Arafat Jamal, UNHCR Representative to Afghanistan, said it closed eight centres providing cash and other support to returnees on Sept. 9 because of the ban on female aid workers.

“This was an operational decision. It is not a decision taken to punish anyone or to make a statement, but simply it demonstrates that we cannot work without female workers in certain circumstances,” he told a Geneva press briefing by video link from Kabul.

“It is a huge step, and it is creating an enormous amount of suffering for these people,” he said, adding that these centres typically helped around 7,000 people a day.

The work at the centres involves personal interviews and biometrics which he said cannot be done by men on Afghan women, he added.

Some of those deported from Pakistan recently are among those who have lost their homes in the country’s worst earthquake in years that struck on the night of August 31 into September 1 and was followed by powerful aftershocks.

The United Nations called on Thursday for the Taliban administration to lift restrictions on its local female staff, warning that aid for earthquake victims and other vulnerable Afghans is at risk.

While the restrictions have been in place for years, Jamal said they were now being more strictly enforced, adding that military observers had been placed outside its compounds to enforce the ban.

“The reasons now for the reinforcement are unclear, but what I can say is that it’s been done in quite a dramatic fashion,” he added. Negotiations with the Taliban continue on this point, he added, and he hopes to reopen the centres.
 

Kabul urges Japan to resume water project​


by The Frontier Post

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KABUL (Pajhwok): Afghan authorities have urged Japan to resume work on the New Kabul City water supply project, while the Japanese envoy has pledged to raise the matter with the relevant institutions.

Minister of Economy Qari Din Mohammad Hanif and Deputy Foreign Minister Dr Mohammad Naeem met Mikio Izawa, Chargé d’Affaires of Japan in Afghanistan, and Katy Webley, head of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) here, the Ministry of Economy (MoE) said.

Hanif expressed appreciation to Japan for its humanitarian assistance, noting that the New Kabul City water supply project, worth $24 million, had been suspended for the past four years.

The project, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and implemented by UNOPS, needed to be restarted, he emphasised.

He stressed that the project, overseen by the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MoUDH), was of fundamental and vital importance to Kabul.

Dr Naeem also highlighted the urgency of building drinking water infrastructure for Kabul and called for JICA’s approval to recommence the project.

Meanwhile, the Japanese envoy reaffirmed his country’s commitment to continuing humanitarian aid.
 

MoPH rejects WHO figures on cardiac deaths in Afghanistan​


by The Frontier Post

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KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has rejected the World Health Organisation (WHO) figures on cardiac-related deaths in Afghanistan, saying the number recorded with the ministry is far lower and urged international bodies to coordinate with it before releasing such data.

In a recent report, the WHO expressed concern over the rising death toll from non-communicable diseases in Afghanistan, stating that heart diseases alone claim 40,000 Afghan lives each year.

According to the report, 43 percent of deaths in Afghanistan are caused by cancer, heart disease, diabetes and respiratory illnesses. It forecast the figure would rise to 60 percent by 2030, with women making up the majority of cancer fatalities.

However, in a statement, the MoPH said: “Based on the information and figures available to us, these numbers are neither accurate nor correct. The statistics with the ministry are several times lower.”

It added that in 2024, around 20,000 cases of hospitalisation for heart patients were recorded, but this did not equate to deaths— only admissions for treatment.
 

Book market in Kabul struggles as Taliban restrictions, economic crisis hit sales​


by The Frontier Post

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KABUL (Amu tv): Booksellers in Kabul say Afghanistan’s book market is facing an unprecedented downturn, with dwindling sales, rising economic pressures and Taliban restrictions on publications leaving many unable to cover even their shop rents.

Several booksellers told Amu that the Taliban have banned and removed from shelves a number of titles that were once popular among young readers, a move they say has dealt a severe blow to the culture of reading in the capital.

“In the past four years since the Taliban takeover, the book market has completely lost its value,” said Mohammad Hassan Shariati, who runs a bookshop in Kabul. “Those few who still have the motivation to read no longer have the money to buy books.”

Another bookseller, Jawed, said customer numbers have dropped so sharply that many shopkeepers have been unable to pay rent for months.
 

10 new factories worth $62m added to Herat Industrial Park​


by The Frontier Post

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HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Ten new factories with more than $62 million investment have been inaugurated in the Industrial Park of western Herat province, creating hundreds of direct and indirect jobs. These factories produce medicines, food, dairy products, carpets and flour.

Abdullah Dayan, head of Arwin Pharma, told Pajhwok Afghan News he invested eight million US dollars to establish a pharmaceutical company. The company currently manufactures 78 types of medicines, he said, adding they plan to increase the number to 150 soon.

He said the factory provided direct jobs for 80 people and indirect work for about 1,000 others, while has representatives in 28 provinces.

Dayan identified land shortage as a major challenge and urged the government to allocate more plots for industrialists.

Separately, Nabiullah Azimi, CEO of Herat Bakhtar Carpet Company, explained they had invested five million US dollars in their facility, creating 50 direct jobs. The company produces 3,500–4,000 square metres of carpets daily and has a monthly capacity of 100,000 square metres.
 

EU delivers 250 tonnes of aid to quake-hit Afghans​


by The Frontier Post

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KABUL (Pajhwok): A plane carrying 250 tonnes of European Union (EU) humanitarian aid for earthquake-affected Afghans arrived in Kabul on Tuesday morning.

In a post on X, the EU Delegation to Afghanistan stated: “The EU humanitarian aid is on the ground in Afghanistan. Our fourth EU-funded flight has delivered over 250 tonnes of essential supplies to those impacted by the recent earthquake, with more flights on the way.”

Last month, a powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, Laghman, Panjshir, and Nuristan, with Kunar suffering the heaviest casualties and damage.
 

NSIA cuts ID card issuance fee for overseas Afghans​


by The Frontier Post

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KABUL (Pajhwok): The National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) has announced a fee reduction in issuing national ID cards to Afghans living abroad, cutting the cost from $200 to between $50 and $150.

In a statement, the NSIA said the decision was taken in line with a directive from the prime minister to facilitate overseas Afghans.

According to the NSIA, Afghans residing in neighboring countries, Central Asia, India and Turkey will pay $50, those in Arab, African countries and Russia will pay $70, while Afghans in Europe, the US, Canada and Australia will be charged $150.

The new fees apply to applicants who present valid foreign residency documents and apply in person, the statement added.
 
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New EU Envoy pledges strong support for Afghanistan’s women and girls​


by The Frontier Post

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KABUL (Khaama Press): Gilles Bertrand, the new EU Special Envoy for Afghanistan, pledged strong support for Afghan women and girls, prioritizing rights protection and humanitarian engagement amid ongoing restrictions.

Gilles Bertrand, the newly appointed European Union Special Envoy for Afghanistan, has declared that supporting Afghan women and girls facing unprecedented restrictions will be his top priority.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 30, the EU said Bertrand’s mandate will focus on supporting the Afghanistan people, safeguarding human rights, facilitating humanitarian aid, combating terrorism, and promoting regional stability.

The new envoy emphasized principled engagement with Afghanistan, stating: “One of my key priorities will be to ensure that the European Union remains a strong supporter of the Afghanistan people, especially women and girls.”

Bertrand added that he would work closely with EU member states, international partners, and civil society to ensure the Union’s stance is heard and understood at both regional and global levels.

A seasoned French diplomat, Bertrand previously served as head of the EU’s political section in Kabul from 2003 to 2004. He has also led EU delegations in Syria and Colombia.

Bertrand succeeds Tomas Niklasson, who served as the EU’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan from 2021 until March 2025. His appointment signals a continued EU commitment to Afghanistan issues despite ongoing challenges.

Observers say Bertrand’s experience in conflict and post-conflict environments may prove critical as the EU seeks to balance humanitarian concerns, women’s rights advocacy, and regional stability in its engagement with Afghanistan.
 
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