Latest Afghanistan News

Pakistan postpones polio vaccination drive in southwest after health workers boycotted it

Dec. 18, 2024 05:37 AM EST

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani authorities on Wednesday postponed a polio vaccination campaign in the country's restive southern Balochistan province after health workers boycotted it to oppose a proposed privatization of hospitals. Authorities on Monday launched the final...

Russian lawmakers approve a bill that could remove the terrorist designation for the Taliban

Dec. 17, 2024 09:50 AM EST

MOSCOW (AP) — The lower house of Russia's parliament on Tuesday approved a bill that would set the stage for Moscow to remove the designation of the Taliban in Afghanistan as a terrorist group. Under the bill passed by the State Duma in the second and third readings, the official...

Militants attack police post in northwest Pakistan, killing 2 officers and wounding 3

Dec. 17, 2024 00:34 AM EST

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Militants on a motorcycle opened fire Tuesday at a police post in restive northwest Pakistan, killing at least two officers and wounding three others before fleeing the scene, officials said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in...

UN Security Council criticizes Taliban ban on Afghan women's medical education

Dec. 13, 2024 15:46 PM EST

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council said Friday it was deeply concerned about the recent decision by Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to ban women from medical education, which could leave millions of women and girls without health care in the future. The council...

Thousands attend the funeral of a Taliban minister killed by an Islamic State suicide bomber

Dec. 12, 2024 11:04 AM EST

GARDA SERAI, Afghanistan (AP) — Thousands of people attended the funeral on Thursday of a Taliban minister killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, the day before that was claimed by the Islamic State group. The funeral for Khalil Haqqani, the minister for...

Blinken faces GOP critics in Congress who say Afghanistan withdrawal 'lit the world on fire'

Dec. 11, 2024 14:51 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Under fire from congressional Republicans about one of the darkest moments of Joe Biden’s presidency, Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended the administration’s handling of the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying Democrats struggled to make the best of a...

An explosion in the Afghan capital kills the Taliban refugee minister

Dec. 11, 2024 09:45 AM EST

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A suicide bombing in the Afghan capital on Wednesday killed the Taliban refugee minister and two others, officials said, in the most brazen attack on a member of the Taliban inner circle since they returned to power three years ago. The explosion struck inside the...

Russian lawmakers advance a bill removing the terrorist designation for the Taliban

Dec. 10, 2024 10:05 AM EST

MOSCOW (AP) — The lower house of the Russian parliament gave initial approval Tuesday to a long-discussed bill that would set the stage for Moscow to remove the designation of the Taliban in Afghanistan as a terrorist group. Under the bill passed by the State Duma in the first of...

UN urges Taliban to embrace human rights obligations for Afghanistan’s protection and prosperity

Dec. 10, 2024 09:55 AM EST

The U.N. mission in Afghanistan urged the country’s Taliban rulers on Tuesday to embrace global human rights obligations for the protection and prosperity of future generations. The mission’s call follows increasing alarm over a reported suspension of medical education and...

Today in History: December 7, Japan attacks Pearl Harbor

Dec. 07, 2024 00:07 AM EST

Today is Saturday, Dec. 7, the 342nd day of 2024. There are 24 days left in the year. Today in history: On Dec. 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched an air raid on the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, killing more than 2,300 Americans. The United States...