Maham Khan

ISLAMABAD: For decades, political leaders, generals, and commentators have leaned on a familiar phrase to explain repeated foreign failures in Afghanistan: &ldquo;the graveyard of empires.&rdquo; The expression suggests inevitability, that geography and culture doom any outside power to defeat, turning policy missteps into acts of fate. But scholars and analysts argue the phrase is less historical truth than convenient narrative. Abdul Basit, Senior Associate Fellow at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at Nanyang Technological University, calls it &ldquo;a very narrow framing which deprives the country of its diversity and the vitality it offers.&rdquo; He warns the implications extend beyond semantics: &ldquo;If Afghanistan is in trouble, because it is the heart of Asia, the entire Asia will be in trouble.&rdquo; A modern phrase, not an ancient truth The historical record does not support the idea that Afghanistan has consistently defeated foreign powers. The phrase itself only entered widespread use in November 2001, when former CIA station chief Milton Bearden wrote in Foreign Affairs that empires from Alexander the Great to the Soviet Union had been undone by &ldquo;unruly Afghan tribals.&rdquo; Historians R. Gerald Hughes and James Fergusson reject that thesis, arguing it is &ldquo;historically illiterate and empirically flawed.&rdquo; They contend the narrative distorts two millennia of regional history, though its resurgence in 2001 aligned closely with the United States preparing to invade Afghanistan. Research drawing on imperial records and studies by Thomas Barfield indicates the territory was under foreign rule for at least 75.95% of the past 2,000 years, rising to 87.85% under stricter definitions. Barfield describes an &ldquo;Afghan Paradox&rdquo;: stability historically depended on strong centralized authority, not resistance to it. Empires including the Mongols, Kushans, Mughals, and Safavids ruled successfully for extended periods. In this framing, Afghanistan was less a graveyard than a strategic corridor. A &ldquo;highway of conquest&rdquo; linking major regions. Origins in imperial failureThe roots of the myth trace back to the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839&ndash;1842). While the British invasion initially succeeded, it ended in catastrophe during a retreat in which thousands of soldiers and civilians were killed near Gandamak. According to Martin J. Bayly, colonial records framed the defeat in ways that shifted blame from military leadership to the environment and local population. Nivi Manchanda argues this narrative was deliberately constructed to shield decision-makers from scrutiny. Sahar Khan of the Stimson Center describes the pattern clearly: &ldquo;The term shifts the blame away from decision-makers and onto things like the terrain, decentralized power structures, and cultural norms.&rdquo; The British themselves undermined the myth during the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878&ndash;1881), adapting their strategy and ultimately imposing a protectorate over Afghanistan for decades. Repeating the narrativeThe Soviet experience followed a similar trajectory. Journalist Arshad Yousafzai notes: &ldquo;the Soviets didn&#39;t collapse solely because of Afghanistan, they fell apart because of deep economic rot and political shifts back in Moscow.&rdquo; Despite this, the &ldquo;graveyard&rdquo; framing persists, often simplifying complex geopolitical failures into cultural inevitabilities. Human consequencesAnalysts say the narrative carries real-world costs. By recasting policy failures as destiny, it obscures accountability and sidelines the lived realities of Afghans. Recent reporting by Amnesty International and the US State Department documents severe restrictions on women&rsquo;s rights, along with arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings. As Khan puts it, &ldquo;The phrase &lsquo;graveyard of empires&rsquo; transforms a policy failure into a destiny.&rdquo; The historical record suggests otherwise. What ended foreign campaigns in Afghanistan was not an immutable landscape or culture, but decisions made by those who led them.

Afghan men armed with guns and rifles march in the Zazai Maidan district of Khost province on March 27, 2026. (AFP)

Afghanistan

The phrase "graveyard of empires" is less a historical truth about Afghanistan than a piece of political cover; invented, sustained, and deployed by the very powers it flatters.

Graveyard myth shields empires from accountability in Afghanistan’s history

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Nine in ten Afghan men own a national identity card. Fewer than four in ten women do. That gap determines who can own land, see a doctor, send children to school, and claim what a father left behind. In Afghanistan, all of it comes down to a single document called a Tazkira. Without one, none of it is legally possible. The Statelessness Encyclopedia Asia Pacific, published by the organization Nationality For All in August 2025, put the disparity plainly: roughly 90% of men hold a Tazkira, compared to about 40% of women. The gap is worst in rural and conservative areas, where cultural norms and restricted mobility place the document further out of reach for women than almost anywhere else. Afghanistan&#39;s government has made measurable progress on issuance. Its National Statistics and Information Authority has distributed approximately 17.1 million electronic ID cards since the program launched in 2018, according to an official NSIA statement on Dec. 29, 2025. But the distribution tells its own story: 10.6 million of those cards went to men. 6.4 million went to women. Against a national population exceeding 40 million, the numbers leave a significant portion of the country unregistered. A December 2025 UNHCR protection monitoring report found that 50% of surveyed households had at least one member with no documentation at all. Women and children recorded the highest rates of exclusion. An earlier UNHCR household assessment from May 2024 put the share of affected households at 55% nationally. This rose to 77% in Uruzgan and Hilmand provinces. The barriers keeping women from the system are not incidental, they are structural. Afghanistan&#39;s 2024 Law on the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice reinforced the requirement for women to be accompanied by a male guardian to travel. That requirement directly obstructs visits to ID distribution centers, particularly for widows and female-headed households who have no male relative available. Government offices are predominantly staffed by men, adding another layer of practical difficulty for women seeking to apply. Then there is the cost. The fee for an electronic Tazkira was raised fivefold, from 100 Afghani to 500 Afghani. This follows a Taliban cabinet directive in April 2023, according to NRC&#39;s March 2026 briefing. Replacements and corrections now carry a fee of 1,000 Afghani. For families among Afghanistan&#39;s 22 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, those amounts force a calculation: which family members get documented, and which do not. UN Women reported in August 2025 that 76% of Afghan women face disparities in financial and social inclusion. The documentation gap sits at the root of much of that exclusion &mdash; blocking access to employment, banking, and legal services simultaneously. The consequences are not abstract. Without a tazkira, a woman returning home after years of displacement has no legal standing to reclaim property. Land taken by others cannot be contested. Inheritance cannot be asserted. NRC&#39;s March 2026 briefing describes families arriving back in Afghanistan to find their homes occupied and no legal avenue available to them. The 2025 return wave made all of this more acute. More than 2 million Afghans came back from neighboring countries during the year, many arriving without any paperwork. The agency described the situation as having reached a critical level. The women returning without documents are entering a country where the women who never left are already, on paper, largely invisible.

This photograph taken on February 17, 2026 shows an Afghan hospital medic, who studied public relations and journalism before universities were closed to women, standing next to a window inside a house in Afghanistan. (AFP)

A wide gender gap in Afghanistan’s ID system leaves many women without legal status, limiting access to healthcare, education, property, and jobs, while structural barriers and costs deepen exclusion.

Afghan women locked out as ID gap blocks rights nationwide

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan faces a nationwide learning crisis as the professional teaching workforce declines and millions of children stay out of school, according to reports from UNICEF and UNESCO. Data from late 2025 shows that over 90% of 10-year-olds in the country cannot read or understand a simple text. The figure was reported in the Afghanistan Education Situation Report 2025 published by UNESCO and UNICEF. More than 2.13 million primary school-aged children are currently out of school, according to UNICEF Afghanistan&#39;s late-2025 situational updates. When including secondary-aged youth, the total number of children out of the classroom reaches approximately 9 million. Workforce de-professionalization and staffing shifts The teaching workforce has undergone a significant shift since 2021. According to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) and Human Rights Watch, the system previously employed 220,000 teachers, including 80,500 women. But the ban on women teaching boys created a critical shortage. Human Rights Watch reported in December 2023 that women previously made up 90% of some school staff in urban centers like Kabul. In addition, specialized women educators, who often held degrees in physics, chemistry, and biology, have been frequently replaced. According to the Afghanistan Education Situation Report 2025, these roles are now often filled by male teachers in lower primary grades or by community members with only a high school diploma. New recruitment mandates now require applicants to pass tests on &quot;Emirate Studies.&quot; According to administrative records and a January 2025 report from a local Afghan news outlet, this booklet was written by Qari Abdul Sattar Said and Syed Noor Mohammad Mohib Korabi to promote the interim government&#39;s narrative. Economic instability for educators Public school teachers earn an average monthly salary of approximately 8,000 AFN ($127), according to Amu TV on March 23, 2025. Educators informed the news outlet that these wages are frequently delayed by two months or more. This leaves many unable to afford basic needs like rent or food. However, some relief has come through international projects. The World Bank&rsquo;s Education Emergency Response in Afghanistan (EERA) supported the recruitment of 5,050 teachers for community-based education. The group includes 1,868 women, as per project data. In a report released on March 15, UNICEF said that it invested in training 54,000 teachers in 2025. The program used multiple phases and structured follow-up to help teachers apply new methods. Crumbling infrastructure and curriculum changes School facilities remain in poor condition across the country. According to the Afghanistan Education Situation Report 2025, nearly 50% of schools lack safe buildings or sanitation facilities. Approximately 79% operate without electricity. Natural disasters and conflict have forced over 1,000 schools to remain closed, according to UNESCO in 2025. In Kunar province, roughly 25,000 children were still learning in tents six months after a major earthquake on August 31, 2025, according to a report from Save the Children. In a move that raised eyebrows, the Ministry of Higher Education overhauled the academic curriculum in late August 2025, removing a number of subjects. A directive issued by the deputy minister for academic affairs eliminated 18 subjects, including human rights, gender equality, and political science, according to local news outlets. Meanwhile, the BBC reported in September 2025 that 679 academic books were banned from universities for being &quot;inconsistent&quot; with &quot;local values.&quot; Systematic exclusion and economic impact Afghanistan remains the only country in the world to forbid girls and women from attending secondary and higher education. This ban is projected to cost the Afghan economy $9.6 billion by 2066, according to the Afghanistan Education Situation Report 2025. The restriction has also fueled a sharp rise in &quot;NEET&quot; rates (young women not in education, employment, or training). By 2024 alone, this rate reached 78%, nearly four times that of men, as reported in the 2024 Afghanistan Gender Index published by UN Women. This growing divide places a heavy burden on the nation&#39;s future economic stability and is seen by analysts as one that must be addressed immediately.

A situation report by UN in 2025 stated that the number of female university faculty members has plummeted by 70% since 2021. (UNICEF)

Millions of children remain out of school as professional educators are removed and university faculty numbers plummet across Afghanistan, according to reports from UNICEF and UNESCO.

Afghanistan’s education system faces collapse as professional teachers vanish

ISLAMABAD: At least four civilians were martyred in artillery fire from across the Afghanistan border in Pakistan&rsquo;s Bajaur district, while security forces separately killed five terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in the northwestern district of Lakki Marwat, officials said Sunday.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said Afghan Taliban positions fired mortar and artillery rounds toward a civilian area in the Salarzai region of Bajaur earlier in the day. &ldquo;Today on 15th of March 2026, around 1530 hours, the Afghan Taliban regime deliberately targeted the civilian population through artillery and mortar fire from across the border in Tabesta Letai, Salarzai area of Bajaur District,&rdquo; Tarar said in a statement posted on X.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 560px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 560px; height: 316px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2033217853353345146&lang=en&maxWidth=560px&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F4737%2F&sessionId=eee935c0debc328a727d0248144396cefff7c944&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>According to the minister, a house was struck during the attack, killing four civilians and seriously injuring a five-year-old child.&nbsp;&ldquo;The four martyrs Sajid, Ayaz, Riaz and Muaz are real brothers,&rdquo; Tarar said, adding that local residents strongly condemned the incident.&nbsp;Tarar described the shelling as a serious violation of international law and said Pakistan&rsquo;s armed forces were responding to the positions responsible.&nbsp;&ldquo;A befitting and aggressive response is being given to the Afghan Taliban regime positions and infrastructure responsible for this dastardly act,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The incident occurred as Pakistan continues Operation Ghazab lil Haq, launched in late February following cross-border attacks that Islamabad says were carried out by terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory.&nbsp;Operation against terrorists in Lakki MarwatIn a separate development, Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces killed five terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in Lakki Marwat, according to the military&rsquo;s media wing.&nbsp;The Inter-Services Public Relations said the operation was conducted after receiving intelligence reports about the presence of terrorists linked to the group described by authorities as Fitna al-Khawarij.&nbsp;&ldquo;Security forces effectively engaged the terrorist hideout, triggering an intense exchange of fire in which five terrorists were killed,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the site, the military added, noting that the slain terrorists had been involved in multiple attacks in the region.&nbsp;The ISPR said a sanitization operation was underway to ensure no other terrorists remained in the area.&nbsp;&ldquo;Security forces and law enforcement agencies will continue operations to eliminate terrorism from the country,&rdquo; the military said.&nbsp;Rising tensions along the western borderThe Bajaur attack and the Lakki Marwat operation come amid heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in recent weeks.&nbsp;Pakistani officials say their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/over-680-afghan-taliban-terrorists-killed-in-ongoing-operation-ghazab-lil-haq" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">military campaign</a>&nbsp;is aimed at dismantling terrorist infrastructure and networks used to launch cross-border attacks against civilians and security forces.&nbsp;Authorities maintain that the operations are based on verified intelligence and are focused on terrorist hideouts, logistical hubs and support infrastructure used by groups operating from Afghan territory.

Residents offer funeral prayers for children killed in cross-border fighting in Bajaur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on March 15, 2026 amid the ongoing clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Security

Pakistan says four civilians were killed and a child injured in cross-border shelling in Bajaur, while security forces separately carried out an intelligence-based operation in Lakki Marwat, killing five terrorists and recovering weapons and ammunition.

Afghan shelling martyrs civilians in Bajaur; Pakistan forces target terrorists

ISLAMABAD: More than 680 terrorists linked to the Afghan Taliban and affiliated terrorist groups have been killed, as its cross-border military campaign, Operation Ghazab lil Haq, continues into its third week targeting infrastructure used for attacks inside Pakistan. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in an operational update shared on X that Pakistani security forces have <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/527-afghan-taliban-killed-in-crossborder-strikes-under-operation-ghazb-lil-haq-pakistan-minister" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">killed 684 Afghan Taliban</a> and terrorists linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and injured more than 912 others since the campaign began in late February. According to the minister, the operation has also destroyed 252 terrorist posts, while 44 additional posts were captured and later demolished during the course of the campaign. Tarar added that Pakistani forces have destroyed 229 tanks, armoured vehicles, and artillery guns used by terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory. Air operations carried out by the Pakistan Air Force have so far t<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-strikes-kandahar-terrorist-infrastructure-after-drone-attacks-injure-civilians" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">argeted 73 locations across Afghanistan</a>, including sites described by officials as terrorist hideouts, logistical bases, and technical support infrastructure. &ldquo;Pakistan is targeting only the infrastructure of terrorists and their support networks,&rdquo; Tarar said, adding that the strikes are based on &ldquo;accurate intelligence information.&rdquo; Security officials said the latest actions occurred during the night of March 14-15, when Pakistani forces carried out precision strikes on installations linked to the Afghan Taliban and TTP groups described by authorities as Fitna al-Khawarij. Among the targets was a technical support facility and equipment storage site in Kandahar, which officials said had been used to facilitate attacks against civilians inside Pakistan. &ldquo;A tunnel housing technical equipment used by terrorists was also destroyed in Kandahar during the operation,&rdquo; Tarar said. In a separate development in the Chitral sector, Pakistani ground forces destroyed what officials described as a terrorist jump-off point at Afghanistan&rsquo;s Badini Post, which authorities say had been used to stage cross-border attacks. Pakistani officials say the campaign was launched after a series of attacks in recent weeks that Islamabad attributes to terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil. Tarar also rejected claims circulated by Afghan Taliban authorities and some media outlets alleging civilian casualties, saying the operations are conducted with precision and are directed solely at terrorist camps, infrastructure, and support networks. &ldquo;Pakistan is targeting only terrorist hideouts and their support infrastructure,&rdquo; he said.

A Pakistani army tank stands at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Chaman, Balochistan province on March 4, 2026, amidst the ongoing clashes between the two countries. (Photo: AFP/File)

Pakistan’s information minister says air and ground strikes have destroyed dozens of terrorist installations, vehicles and weapons across Afghanistan, targeting infrastructure used for cross-border attacks against Pakistani civilians and security forces.

Over 680 terrorists killed as Pakistan presses cross-border campaign

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has rejected the Afghan Taliban&rsquo;s claims about capturing posts and inflicting damage as &ldquo;false&rdquo; and &ldquo;fabricated&rdquo;.&nbsp;&nbsp;The official X account of Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting shared a post on Saturday rejecting claims attributed to what it described as the &ldquo;so-called Ministry of Defence of Afghan Taliban Regime,&rdquo; calling them false and misleading.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 745px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2032768048441262142&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=5230f194f2368e7167636f318bc33f78bb3fcf6e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2032768048441262142"></iframe></div></div>In the social media post, the ministry stated: &ldquo;This latest claim of the so called Ministry of Defence of Afghan Taliban Regime regarding capturing some post and made up damages etc is false as always, fabricated and designed to mislead Afghan internal public opinion, which are unfortunately first hand experiencing and suffering under these terror sponsors.&rdquo; The ministry further said that &ldquo;Damages and losses incurred by Master Proxy Afghan Taliban and their extension Fitna Al Khawarij are being regularly updated by MOIB.&rdquo; &lsquo;Video and pictorial evidence&rsquo;&nbsp;It added that &ldquo;Related video and pictorial evidence, where applicable, is also shared with media, rather than resorting to fake claims and propaganda.&rdquo; According to the post, &ldquo;Great care is being exercised to provide credible and timely information about the ongoing targeted operations against terrorist and support infrastructure inside Afghan Taliban regime occupation area.&rdquo; The statement also said that &ldquo;beyond the amplification cycle of terrorists and Indian media /social media networks, there has been no credible and verifiable evidence of such repeated frivolous claims made by the Taliban outlets.&rdquo; It added: &ldquo;These claims have in fact always fallen on their face once fact checked.&rdquo;

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting rejects the Afghan Taliban’s claims about capturing posts and inflicting damage as ‘false’ and ‘fabricated’.  

Pakistan rejects Afghan Taliban claims about capturing posts as ‘false’ 

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has strongly condemned the drone attacks targeting Pakistani civilian areas, saying the Afghan Taliban have crossed a red line.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;" id="isPasted"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">A statement shared by the Office of the President of Pakistan on X on Saturday, stated, &quot;Strongly condemn the drone attacks targeting the Pakistani civilian areas, saying the Afghan Taliban crossed a red line.&quot;<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 550px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2032697435286655189&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=352a96d14dbb750bd513963c7f59d2c89adca318&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 325px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">&quot;Pakistan will not tolerate its civilians being targeted. Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism against neighbors. Pakistan will defend its people,&quot; it said.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> Earlier, Pakistan&rsquo;s military said Afghan Taliban launched rudimentary drones toward Pakistani cities, injuring civilians after debris from intercepted devices fell in multiple locations, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The military&rsquo;s media wing said the incident occurred on March 13 when drones were launched toward Pakistani territory but were intercepted before reaching their intended targets. &ldquo;On 13 March 2026, the Afghan Taliban launched a few rudimentary drones to harass the brave people of Pakistan,&rdquo; the ISPR said. The military said Pakistani forces neutralized the drones through a combination of electronic and kinetic countermeasures. &ldquo;The drones were intercepted through soft and hard kills and did not reach their intended targets,&rdquo; the statement said. However, debris from the destroyed drones caused injuries to civilians in several locations. &ldquo;The debris from these drones resulted in injuries to two children in Quetta and a civilian each in Kohat and Rawalpindi,&rdquo; the ISPR said. The military described the attacks as an attempt to spread fear among civilians. &ldquo;These attacks were aimed at inducing fear in the public and remind us of the terrorist mindset which drives the Afghan Taliban,&rdquo; the statement said. Drones intercepted Earlier, Pakistani security sources had said two rudimentary drones were intercepted near Rawalpindi using electronic countermeasures, prompting a brief precautionary closure of local airspace. Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting also said the drones were linked to terrorists backed by the Afghan Taliban authorities, rejecting claims circulating from Taliban-linked sources. The incident comes as Pakistan&rsquo;s cross-border military campaign, Operation Ghazab lil Haq, enters its third week after being launched on Feb. 26 in response to persistent cross-border terrorism from Afghan territory. According to Pakistani officials, the operation targets terrorist camps, logistical bases and support infrastructure used by groups responsible for attacks inside Pakistan. Campaign to continue&nbsp; The ISPR said the campaign would continue until Pakistan&rsquo;s security concerns are addressed. &ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq shall continue till the Afghan Taliban address Pakistan&rsquo;s core concern with respect to terrorism originating from Afghan soil,&rdquo; the statement said. The military added that Pakistan&rsquo;s armed forces remained committed to protecting the country against terrorist threats. &ldquo;We shall keep defending the people of Pakistan against terrorists and their facilitators and shall not flinch in the face of such provocations by the Afghan Taliban,&rdquo; the ISPR said.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan’s military says the Afghan Taliban launched rudimentary drones toward Pakistani cities, injuring civilians after debris from intercepted devices fell in multiple locations.

Pakistan president condemns drone attacks, says Afghan Taliban crossed red line

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan security forces have killed 663 Afghan Taliban and affiliated terrorists and injured more than 887 others during the ongoing cross-border campaign conducted under Operation Ghazab lil Haq, as the operation enters its third week.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar released the latest operational summary on Friday, saying the military campaign continues to target terrorist infrastructure used for attacks against Pakistan.&nbsp;In a statement posted on X, Tarar said the operation has resulted in the destruction of 249 check posts and 224 tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery systems linked to the Afghan Taliban and associated terrorist groups.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2032430603661111557&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles&sessionId=40893888f87bca9bc9630755cd101612bb851e9b&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 786px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;According to the minister, 70 locations linked to terrorists and their support infrastructure across Afghanistan have also been effectively targeted through air operations.&nbsp;&ldquo;It is pertinent to mention that on the night of March 12&ndash;13, 2026, Pakistan successfully targeted terrorists&rsquo; affiliated installations in Afghanistan,&rdquo; Tarar said.&nbsp;He added that sites in Kabul, Paktia and Kandahar were struck, including terrorist logistical bases camps and operational hubs.&nbsp;Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil Haq following what officials described as repeated cross-border attacks from Afghan territory targeting security forces and civilian areas in Pakistan&rsquo;s northwestern regions.&nbsp;Islamabad says the campaign is aimed at dismantling terrorist networks operating from Afghan soil and preventing further infiltration into Pakistan.&nbsp;Pakistani officials have repeatedly stated that the strikes are directed at verified terrorist infrastructure rather than civilian targets.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan is targeting only the infrastructure of terrorists and their support networks,&rdquo; Tarar said, adding that the operations are conducted on the basis of &ldquo;accurate intelligence information.&rdquo;&nbsp;The information minister also rejected claims circulating from the Afghan Taliban authorities and reports attributed to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan suggesting civilian casualties from the strikes.&nbsp;Tarar said the UN mission&rsquo;s information in Kabul relies on data provided by the Taliban authorities and does not reflect Pakistan&rsquo;s operational assessments.&nbsp;He also dismissed battlefield claims made by Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim government, describing them as inaccurate.&nbsp;&ldquo;The claims of battlefield victories against Pakistan are incorrect and merely propaganda,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The escalation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border has drawn international attention in recent days, with several governments urging restraint and calling for dialogue to prevent wider regional instability.&nbsp;Pakistani officials, however, maintain that the operation is a defensive response to terrorism and that Pakistan remains committed to regional stability while safeguarding its national security.&nbsp;Islamabad has repeatedly said its demand to the Taliban authorities remains unchanged: verifiable action to ensure that Afghan territory is not used by terrorist groups to launch attacks against neighboring countries.

Pakistan says its forces continue precision strikes against terrorist infrastructure across Afghanistan, targeting camps, logistics hubs and support networks as Operation Ghazab lil Haq advances into its third week amid ongoing regional tensions.

Over 660 Afghan Taliban, terrorists killed as Pakistan operation enters third week

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan conducted airstrikes targeting the Taliban&rsquo;s military positions in Afghanistan last night, security sources said on Friday. According to the security sources, airstrikes targeted the Brigade Headquarters in the Pul-e-Charkhi area of Kabul, Afghanistan. The airstrikes also targeted the Kandahar Airport. The airstrikes targeted the Taliban&#39;s military positions in Chamkani District of Paktia Province of Afghanistan, the sources said. They said that Taliban positions in Khost have also been struck.

Pakistan conducted airstrikes targeting the Taliban’s military positions in Afghanistan last night, security sources said on Friday.

Pakistan conducts airstrikes targeting Taliban’s military positions in Afghanistan: Security sources 

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan&rsquo;s deepening food crisis has pushed some families to marry off their daughters at an early age to secure money for food, according to a report by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET).&nbsp;In its latest &ldquo;Afghanistan Food Security Outlook, February-September 2026,&rdquo; the organization said poor households facing emergency-level food shortages have adopted extreme coping measures, including arranging early marriages for underage girls to obtain cash for basic necessities.&nbsp;The report notes that the practice has been observed in several provinces, including Faryab, Ghor and Daykundi.&nbsp;According to FEWS NET, a USAID-funded program,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/afghan-traders-warn-food-could-run-out-by-april-due-to-taliban-pressure" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">emergency-level food shortages</a>&nbsp;represent the stage just below famine on the international food security scale. Families in affected areas are also resorting to distress sale of assets, borrowing at high interest rates and begging to survive.&nbsp;The report estimates that between 10 million and nearly 11 million people in Afghanistan will require humanitarian food assistance at the peak of the lean season between February and April 2026, one of the highest levels recorded since 2014.&nbsp;The crisis has been exacerbated by four consecutive years of drought between 2021 and 2025, which have severely depleted rural households&rsquo; savings, livestock and agricultural resources.&nbsp;By early 2026, the availability of daily wage work had declined by 26% compared to the previous year, while the purchasing power of unskilled labor, measured in wheat, dropped by about 40% year-on-year, further reducing families&rsquo; ability to buy food.&nbsp;FEWS NET also reported that a surge in returning Afghans has intensified pressure on the labor market. Around 287,000 people returned to the country in the first weeks of 2026, increasing competition for limited jobs and pushing wages even lower.&nbsp;Humanitarian assistance has also been constrained. According to the report, the World Food Program reached about 2.7 million people under its winter assistance program between December and January, but provided three months of food rations instead of the usual five months due to limited resources.&nbsp;Aid deliveries in remote provinces such as Ghor, Daykundi and Nuristan ended before the harsh winter peak, leaving many isolated communities without support during the coldest period.&nbsp;Even with the wheat harvest expected in May, FEWS NET warned that relief may be limited in the worst-affected provinces, where households remain burdened by debt, depleted assets and reduced purchasing power.&nbsp;The Famine Early Warning Systems Network, established by the United States Agency for International Development in 1985, monitors food security conditions and provides early warning of potential famine and hunger crises around the world.

In a report by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, up to 11 million Afghans may require food aid during the February–April lean season as drought, falling wages, returning migrants and reduced humanitarian assistance deepen the country’s food security crisis.

Articles tagged with "Afghan Taliban"