Afghanistan Archives - Voice of the Cape

Taliban court lashes 14 in latest shift to Sharia

INTERNATIONAL Fourteen people were lashed in a football stadium in eastern Afghanistan, the Taliban-led Supreme Court said on Wednesday, in the latest sign of the ruling group applying its strict interpretation of sharia (Islamic law) to criminal justice. It was the second confirmation of lashings by the Taliban this month, signalling a possible return to practices common in its hardline rule in the 1990s. "Fourteen people, including three women were […]

24 November 2022

International

Afghanistan refugees protest in UAE over stalled resettlement

Hundreds of Afghan refugees and migrants held a protest in the UAE where they have been living in limbo since they were evacuated from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover in August 2021. On Monday and Tuesday demonstrators carried banners and called for reprieve inside an Abu Dhabi facility, according to Reuters, citing two Afghans who reside there, where thousands are said to be awaiting resettlement to the US and other countries. "Nearly one […]

25 August 2022

International

UK military killed over 50 detainees, unarmed men in Afghanistan, investigation finds

More than 50 detainees and unarmed men were killed by British troops in Afghanistan, according to newly obtained military reports and an investigation by the BBC, Anadolu Agency reported. BBC Panorama program, which is to be aired on Tuesday night, looked into documents of operations by the Special Air Service (SAS) – a British elite unit used in special operations – and found they include "reports covering more than a dozen 'kill […]

13 July 2022

International

Afghanistan: UAE beats Qatar and Turkey to sign airports deal

INTERNATIONAL After months of talks between the Taliban, Qatar and Turkey over managing Afghanistan’s airports, the UAE has instead been confirmed as the preferred partner - signalling tensions between the Afghan group and Doha. On Tuesday, Afghanistan announced that the UAE has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate that will see the Emiratis manage three airports. Abdul Ghani Baradar, Afghan deputy prime minister for economic affairs, was present at the signing of the deal, which will […]

27 May 2022

International News

Aid group says 4,000-5,000 Afghans crossing into Iran daily

INTERNATIONAL As many as 4,000-5,000 Afghans have been crossing into Iran daily since the Taliban seized Kabul in August and hundreds of thousands more are expected to arrive in the coming winter, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said on Wednesday. The aid group said as many as 300,000 Afghans have crossed the border since the Taliban victory and it called for more international support for Iran, which is grappling with […]

10 November 2021

International News

Multiple rockets fired at Kabul airport, intercepted by defence system

As many as five rockets were fired at Kabul's international airport but were intercepted by a missile defence system, a US official told Reuters, as the US' nears the complete withdrawal of its troops from the city. The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the rockets were fired early Monday morning Kabul time, though it was unclear if all were brought down by the defence system. Initial reports […]

30 August 2021

International News

US scrambles to evacuate citizens and allies from Afghanistan

INTERNATIONAL The United States is scrambling to get its citizens and allies out of Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover of Kabul amid growing anxiety over the fate of the country. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said US officials are working around the clock at the airport in Kabul in an “enormously challenging and fluid situation” to ensure a safe departure for those seeking to leave the country. Washington had moved its […]

19 August 2021

International News

US freezes Afghan central bank’s assets of $9.5bn

The U.S. has frozen nearly $9.5 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank and stopped shipments of cash to the nation as it tries to keep a Taliban-led government from accessing the money, an administration official confirmed Tuesday. The official said that any central bank assets that the Afghan government has in the U.S. will not be available to the Taliban, which remains on the Treasury Department’s sanctions […]

18 August 2021

International News

As the Taliban seized cities, they sent women home

INTERNATIONAL In early July, as Taliban fighters were seizing territory from government forces across Afghanistan, some of them walked into the offices of Azizi Bank in Kandahar and ordered nine women working there to leave. The gunmen escorted them to their homes and told them not to return to their jobs. Instead, they explained that male relatives could take their place, according to three of the women involved and the […]

16 August 2021

Afghanistan

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