Afghanistan International: A senior National Resistance Front official claims the Taliban has set up about 700 security posts and deployed nearly 30,000 forces in Panjshir, which he says the group views as its biggest strategic threat. Abdullah Khenjani, head of the NRF’s political office and its spokesman, wrote on X on Tuesday, 20 October, that no region in Afghanistan’s history had been as heavily militarised and repressed as Panjshir under Taliban rule. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – October 20, 2026
Australia Has Yet to Pay Compensation to Afghan War Crimes Victims
Khaama: Australia has yet to pay compensation to Afghan victims under a scheme established after a military inquiry identified credible information of unlawful killings and mistreatment by Australian special forces. In an investigation published on October 17, The Saturday Paper reported that more than 100 claims had been submitted, but dozens were deemed ineligible or rejected, while no applicants had received compensation. Click here to read more (external link).
US Supreme Court Declines Appeal in Disputed Afghan Girl Adoption Case
Joshua Mast
Khaama: The US Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal by Afghan relatives seeking to challenge the adoption of a seven-year-old girl whose parents were killed during a US military raid in Afghanistan in 2019. The decision leaves in place a ruling by Virginia’s highest court that favored Joshua Mast, a US Marine Corps officer and military lawyer, and his wife, who adopted the child. The Afghan relatives had asked the Supreme Court to review the case after years of legal disputes over the girl’s custody. Click here to read more (external link).
Arman FC begin second half of Afghanistan Champions League with 2-0 win
Ariana: Arman FC opened the second half of the Afghanistan Champions League Season 6 with a 2-0 victory over Ariana Khost at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium on Tuesday. Arman FC will next face league leaders Sorkh Poshan Khafi on October 24, while Ariana Khost are scheduled to take on Toofan Herat on the same day. Click here to read more (external link).
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Drug Trafficking Fuels Taliban Officials’ Finances as Synthetic Drugs Spread
8am: Farhad Basharyar, a counternarcotics expert, says drug trafficking is one of the Taliban’s sources of funding. According to him, the Taliban have set up drug processing laboratories inside Afghanistan. He claims that these laboratories previously operated in Pakistan’s tribal areas. The expert believes that the dependence of part of the Taliban’s revenue on the drug trade, together with broad demand in global markets, is among the factors behind the continuation of trafficking. He adds that alongside natural drugs, the spread of synthetic drugs, including narcotic tablets, methamphetamine (known as “shisha”) and crystal meth, has also become a serious challenge in Afghanistan. Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban Builds Second Drone Operations Centre in Badakhshan
Afghanistan International: Sources say the Taliban has opened a second drone operations centre near the governor’s office in Badakhshan amid rising insecurity and repeated attacks on Taliban facilities in the province. According to the sources, the Taliban plans to establish additional drone operations centres across Badakhshan. The main purpose of the new centre is said to be protecting the governor’s office and Taliban institutions in the old city of Faizabad, the provincial capital. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – October 19, 2026
Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade Plunges 74 Precent To $358 Million
Afghanistan International: New figures in Pakistan show bilateral trade with Afghanistan fell by more than 74 percent in the latest financial year, dropping from $1.3 billion to around $358 million. According to data from the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, the diplomatic deadlock and the continued closure of major border crossings, including Torkham, Chaman, Kharlachi, Ghulam Khan and Angoor Ada, are the main reasons for the unprecedented decline in trade. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan’s Ali Sajad Hamraz Defeats Myanmar Opponent in Para Taekwondo
Khaama: Afghanistan’s para taekwondo athlete Ali Sajad Hamraz will compete for a bronze medal at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan after winning his opening bout against a Myanmar opponent and losing his second match to Taiwanese representative. He will now face a competitor from Mongolia in a match for the bronze medal, the committee said. The Asian Para Games bring together athletes with disabilities from across Asia to compete in a range of sports. The 2026 edition features 18 sports and participants from more than 40 countries and territories, according to reports. Click here to read more (external link).
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