Topic
5 articles
A security cooperation memorandum signed on May 27 between the Taliban and Russia raises questions about Afghanistan's long-term national interests, as the country risks being drawn into regional geopolitical rivalries. The deal's tangible benefits may be limited while increasing risks of entanglement in great-power conflicts.
Afghanistan’s women refugee cricket team will tour England in June and attend the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s, marking a key step in rebuilding their sporting careers after the Taliban systematically excluded them from sport. The ECB announced the tour on May 22, highlighting its cultural and sporting significance and its role in standing up for women’s participation in sport.
Pakistan issued a strong warning to the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan after a series of attacks on its security forces caused casualties and raised bilateral tensions. Islamabad accuses Kabul of failing to control armed groups operating from across the border and threatens retaliation if violence continues.
According to UNAMA, 372 Afghan civilians died and 397 were wounded in cross-border clashes between the Taliban and Pakistani forces in the first quarter of 2026. More than half of the deaths resulted from a March 16 airstrike on a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul. The conflict has escalated since the Taliban's 2021 return to power, with Pakistan accusing the Taliban of harboring the Pakistani Taliban, while Afghan officials blame Pakistan for violating sovereignty.
The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of a cross-border airstrike that killed three civilians and wounded 14 in Kunar province, calling it a 'war crime'. Islamabad denies the charge, suggesting Kabul may be staging the incident to smear Pakistan. The incident tests a fragile China-brokered ceasefire between the two neighbors.
