Afghanistan International: United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said arrests and killings of former Afghan security personnel continued in early 2026, documenting 23 arbitrary detentions, nine torture cases and five killings. UNAMA said former government officials and members of the former Afghan National Defence and Security Forces were being forcibly deported to Afghanistan and faced rights abuses upon their return. Click here to read more (external link).
UN reports 372 civilian deaths in Taliban-Pakistan clashes
Amu: At least 372 civilians were killed and 397 wounded in Taliban-Pakistan clashes during the first three months of 2026, according to a new report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. The report said most of the civilian casualties occurred after Pakistan launched what it called “Operation Ghazab al-Haq” on Feb. 26, following a series of militant attacks inside Pakistan that Islamabad blamed on armed groups operating from Afghanistan’s territory. The UN documented 95 separate incidents of cross-border violence between Jan. 1 and March 31, attributing 94 of them to Pakistani security forces and one to Taliban. Airstrikes accounted for nearly two-thirds of the civilian casualties, while the remaining deaths and injuries were caused mainly by cross-border artillery and mortar fire. According to the report, the casualties included 72 women, 554 men, 48 girls and 95 boys. The provinces with the highest numbers of casualties were Kabul, Kunar and Paktika. Click here to read more (external link).
Related
ACB opens bidding for return of Afghanistan Premier League
Amu: The Afghanistan Cricket Board announced on Tuesday that it had opened the franchise acquisition process for the return of the Afghanistan Premier League, the country’s flagship Twenty20 competition, which is scheduled to resume later this year in the United Arab Emirates. The cricket board said it would formally issue requests for proposals for franchise ownership on May 15, with submissions due by June 30. The tournament, known as the APL T20, is expected to feature five franchise teams representing Kabul, Kandahar, Balkh, Paktia and Nangarhar. Click here to read more (external link).
Iran moved aircraft to Afghanistan to escape U.S. airstrikes: CBS Claims
Khaama: CBS News, citing U.S. officials, reported that Iran transferred some civilian aircraft to Afghanistan during recent tensions with the United States in an apparent effort to protect aviation assets. Two U.S. officials told the network it remained unclear whether military aircraft were also moved to Afghanistan. However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied the report, telling CBS News that Iran had no need to move aircraft to Afghanistan. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – May 12, 2026
“Forbidden for People, Permissible for Taliban”: Nimroz Baloch Decry Discrimination
8am: Baloch residents of Nimroz province are raising complaints about what they describe as discriminatory and double-standard treatment by the Taliban. They say that years of drought had pushed most people in Nimroz to rely on informal fuel imports for their livelihoods, while others worked in passenger transport or guided laborers crossing smuggling routes into Iran in search of work. These sources of income, they say, have now been stripped from them and handed over to Taliban members drawn from a single ethnic group. The Baloch accuse the Taliban of ethnocentrism and of converting fuel imports and human smuggling into a mafia-style operation, declaring such activities forbidden for ordinary people while treating them as permissible for themselves and their close associates. These concerns over the Taliban’s double-standard treatment in Nimroz come as residents of several other provinces, including Badakhshan, raise similar grievances. Click here to read more (external link).
Frequent and Unjustified Power Cuts in Kabul; Residents Bear the Burden of Taliban Irresponsibility
8am: Several Kabul residents say that in recent days, electricity workers under Taliban control have been cutting power to their homes for no clear reason. They add that despite paying their bills on time, the problem recurs every few months. According to these residents, household power is being disconnected without prior notice, and in some cases, reconnection takes days. They stress that to restore service, they are forced to spend hours visiting offices run by the Taliban. Speaking with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, the residents say that the sudden outages have created serious problems in their daily lives. They add that the repeated cuts have damaged household appliances and imposed extra costs on families. According to them, the conduct of Taliban electricity workers has been irresponsible, and the process for handling subscriber complaints is marked by disorder. They insist that families should be notified through an official notice or warning before their power is cut, and that subscribers who pay their bills on time should be treated fairly. Click here to read more (external link).
Clashes in Badakhshan leave at least four dead, sources say
Amu: At least four people have been killed and 32 others wounded in a series of clashes across Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province, local sources said on Monday, amid growing tensions involving Taliban forces, local residents and armed opposition activity. Residents and local sources told Amu TV that the violence has continued since late last week in several districts, including Argo, Shukai, Khash and Jurm. The clashes stemmed from separate disputes involving poppy cultivation, control of mining sites and what sources described as armed resistance against the Taliban. Restrictions on independent reporting and limited access to the affected districts have made it difficult to verify the full scale of the violence. Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban Order Cut To Residential Fibre-Optic Internet In Kabul, Say Sources
Afghanistan International: According to the officials, participants at the meeting were informed that, on the orders of Mullah Abdul Ahad Fazli, public access to the internet would be further restricted and residential fibre-optic internet services disconnected. One company official said the move could have serious economic consequences. “If this order is implemented, not only will residential Wi-Fi services be cut off, but hundreds of employees will lose their jobs and companies will suffer heavy financial losses,” the official said. Click here to read more (external link).
Ancient Buddhist-Era Archaeological Site Discovered In Eastern Afghanistan
Khaama: A newly discovered Buddhist-era archaeological site in Afghanistan’s Laghman province contains ancient stone carvings, structures and historical remains. According to the statement, the site was discovered in Qarghayi district near a permanent migrant settlement and along the foothills of the Siyah mountain area. Officials said the location contains stone-carved statues, ancient wall structures, niches and other historical remains linked to Afghanistan’s Buddhist past. Click here to read more (external link).