The World Briefly

September 14, 2023

Offering a Hand

Afghanistan

A new Chinese ambassador presented his credentials to the Taliban’s prime minister Wednesday, the first appointment of a foreign envoy in Afghanistan since the Islamist group took power two years ago, Reuters reported. Afghan officials confirmed that Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund accepted the credentials of...

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Need to Know

August 18, 2023

Promises, Betrayed

Afghanistan

This week, the Taliban marked two years since it returned to power following the US-led troop withdrawal. Men and boys waved Taliban flags from armored vehicles, played Taliban songs and spoke about how “happy” they were to finally have freedom, NBC News reported. Men wished each...

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The World Briefly

August 01, 2023

Banning Beauty

Afghanistan

The Taliban is forcing all beauty salons in Afghanistan to close, shuttering some of the last spaces available to women outside the home, the Associated Press reported. The Taliban said it decided to ban beauty salons because they offered services forbidden by Islam and caused economic hardship for the...

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The World Briefly

July 05, 2023

Don’t Go Out

Afghanistan

Taliban authorities Tuesday ordered the closure of beauty salons across Afghanistan, the latest shrinking of public access for Afghan women since the militant group returned to power nearly two years ago, Reuters reported. The Ministry of Prevention of Vice and Propagation of Virtue announced that all...

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The World Briefly

June 19, 2023

Sliding-Scale Morality

Afghanistan

The Taliban will start selling tickets to visit the site of an ancient monument the militant group blew up more than 20 years ago, a move seen as an attempt to shore up finances in the cash-strapped country, Insider reported. The new tickets will allow tourists...

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The World Briefly

June 16, 2023

The Killjoys

Afghanistan

The Taliban’s religious police will be monitoring wedding halls in the Afghan capital Kabul to enforce a ban on playing music, the latest crackdown by the religious group against activities they consider a violation of the teachings of Islam, Al Jazeera reported. The Ministry for the...

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The World Briefly

June 06, 2023

Of Cowards and Copycats

Afghanistan

Taliban authorities are investigating the suspected poisonings of more than 80 Afghan students and teachers in the past few days, in an incident that resembles an outbreak of attacks recently on schoolgirls in neighboring Iran, the Washington Post reported. Officials said the incidents took place at...

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Need to Know

May 24, 2023

Terrorist Vs. Terrorist

Afghanistan

Since the US exited Afghanistan nearly two years ago, the leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has embraced the titles of “commander of the faithful” and “scholar of the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.” His word is literally law....

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The World Briefly

April 27, 2023

Target Acquired

Afghanistan

Taliban forces killed the leader of the Islamic State (IS) cell responsible for the 2021 suicide bombing at Kabul’s international airport, an attack that killed almost 200 people and came shortly after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US-led foreign troops,...

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The World Briefly

April 06, 2023

Barefoot in the Kitchen

Afghanistan

Taliban officials banned women from working for the United Nations this week, the latest restriction the armed group has imposed on Afghan women since it took control of Afghanistan in 2021, the Wall Street Journal reported. The UN said Tuesday that Taliban authorities prevented female Afghan...

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The World Briefly

March 10, 2023

Militants & Terrorists

Afghanistan

A blast killed a Taliban provincial governor in northern Afghanistan on Thursday, the latest high-ranking official to be murdered since the new rulers took control of the country in 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led foreign troops, the Voice of America reported. Taliban authorities said Governor...

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The World Briefly

January 17, 2023

The Killing

Afghanistan

Unknown assailants killed a female former lawmaker and her bodyguard this week, the first assassination of a politician of the ousted Western-backed Afghani government since the Taliban takeover in 2021, Voice of America reported. Authorities said gunmen shot and killed Mursal Nabizada at her home in...

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The World Briefly

January 12, 2023

In Through the Outdoor

Afghanistan

A suicide blast outside the Afghan foreign ministry in the capital reportedly killed dozens of people Wednesday, the second major attack in Kabul this year, Al Jazeera reported. Taliban officials said a suicide bomber attempted to enter the ministry but failed. They added that the explosion...

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The World Briefly

December 22, 2022

True Colors

Afghanistan

The Taliban government banned women from attending universities this week, a move that received widespread condemnation and hurts the armed group’s efforts to win international recognition following their takeover of the country last year, CBS News reported Wednesday. On Tuesday, officials announced that all women must...

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The World Briefly

November 11, 2022

Sequestered, Not Silent

Afghanistan

The Taliban this week banned women from entering the capital Kabul’s public parks and funfairs, the latest move to sequester females at home despite promises to the contrary, Agence France-Presse reported. Officials introduced the rule just months after ordering access to public spaces to be segregated...

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The World Briefly

September 06, 2022

New Targets

Afghanistan

A suicide bomber killed at least six people outside the Russian embassy in the Afghan capital Kabul Monday, the first attack to target a foreign diplomatic mission in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover last year, the Associated Press reported. The explosion went off outside the embassy’s...

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Need to Know

August 16, 2022

Terror, Redux

Afghanistan

On Monday, the Taliban marked the first anniversary of their takeover of Afghanistan with a national holiday, small victory parades and televised speeches boasting of their “great achievements” over the past year, the Associated Press reported. “We fulfilled the obligation of jihad and liberated our country,”...

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The World Briefly

August 15, 2022

The Grim Anniversary

Afghanistan

Afghan women took to the streets of Kabul over the weekend to protest the Taliban regime, a rare show of defiance that came two days before the first anniversary of the group taking control of Afghanistan, NPR reported. Dozens of women chanted for “bread, work, freedom,”...

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The World Briefly

August 10, 2022

When Peace is a Casualty

AfghanistanPakistan

A bomb blast killed a top leader of the Pakistani Taliban in southeastern Afghanistan this week, an incident that paused the peace talks between the extremist group and Pakistani officials aimed at ending years of violence between the two sides, the Washington Post reported. Pakistan’s Tehrik-e-Taliban...

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The World Briefly

August 03, 2022

Target Acquired

Afghanistan

A US drone strike killed al Qaeda head Ayman al-Zawahri in Afghanistan’s capital this week, an attack that raised skepticism among Afghans that one of the world’s most-wanted terrorists was actually living in Kabul at the time of his death, NBC News reported Tuesday. US officials...

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