Afghanistan International: The Afghanistan Freedom Front says its forces carried out a rocket attack on Taliban military and training facilities at Bagram airbase, causing casualties and damage. In a statement, the group said the attack took place on Thursday evening, 22 October, and was based on intelligence it had gathered about the military base. Citing its own sources inside Bagram, the front claimed that more than 10 Taliban members were killed or wounded in the attack. In recent months, the group has reported clashes with Taliban forces in Zebak district of Badakhshan, Kamdesh district of Nuristan and parts of Kunar, and has claimed to have captured some areas. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett has urged European countries not to deport Afghans to places where they may face danger, stressing that states must uphold their international human rights obligations. Bennett said in a statement that countries must respect the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning people to places where they face persecution or human rights abuses. 
Afghanistan International: The Afghanistan Freedom Front has claimed responsibility for Wednesday evening’s blast in Taloqan, saying one Taliban member was killed and three others wounded in an attack on the group’s city intelligence unit. In a statement on Thursday, 22 October, the front said a vehicle carrying Taliban members was also destroyed in the evening attack. 
Amu: The number of male university students in Afghanistan has fallen by about one-third since 2019, while women have disappeared from formal higher education and the country’s university teaching workforce has contracted sharply, according to a new report by UNICEF and UNESCO. The Afghanistan Education Situation Report 2026 says about 208,000 male students were enrolled in higher education in 2026, down from an estimated 306,000 in 2019. Female enrollment, meanwhile, fell from about 119,000 in 2019 to 89,000 in 2022, almost zero in 2023 and zero from 2024 onward. The figures show that the contraction in higher education extends beyond the Taliban’s ban on women attending universities and includes a substantial decline in participation among men. 
Khaama: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is gathering information about a security incident involving one of its staff members in Bamyan province, the mission said Thursday. A UNAMA spokesperson said the incident occurred on Wednesday evening and that the mission was still examining the details. The staff member was not injured and is safe, the spokesperson said. UNAMA has not yet released further details about the incident. The incident comes amid ongoing security concerns in Afghanistan, where despite the authorities’ claims of improved security, sporadic attacks, armed violence and unexplained security incidents continue to be reported in various parts of the country. 
Ariana: Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets to secure a place in Friday’s final of the UAE ODI Tri-Series against Zimbabwe, extending their winning streak against Bangladesh to five consecutive One-Day Internationals. The victory confirms Afghanistan’s place in Friday’s final against Zimbabwe, while Bangladesh have been eliminated from the tri-series.