At least 12 people were killed and three others seriously injured when a minibus plunged into a ravine in northeastern Afghanistan, local officials said on Saturday. The accident occurred as the vehicle was traveling toward the provincial capital, Faizabad, along a road in Badakhshan province. According to a provincial police spokesperson, the bus lost control before falling into the ravine. The victims included men, women, and children, and the injured were reported to be in critical condition.

Fatal road accidents are common in Afghanistan, where decades of conflict have left road infrastructure weak and safety regulations poorly enforced. Reckless driving and the lack of traffic discipline further contribute to frequent tragedies on the country’s highways.

Previous major accidents include an August crash in Herat province that killed 78 people, many of them children, and another near Kabul later that month that left 25 dead after a bus overturned due to driver negligence.

Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) reported that recent heavy snowfall and rain have killed 61 people across multiple provinces. According to a report by Tolo News, 110 others were injured and 458 houses were damaged or destroyed. The affected provinces include Kabul, Parwan, Panjshir, Bamiyan, Daikundi, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Herat, Ghor, Badghis, Faryab, Sar-e Pol, Balkh, Samangan, and Nuristan.

Residents in several areas said that blocked roads and severe weather have made it difficult to reach hospitals and emergency services. They appealed to the government for urgent assistance. Locals described worsening conditions due to extreme cold and unemployment, with many lacking warm clothing and basic supplies.

Experts warned that Afghanistan needs long-term planning, stronger infrastructure resilience, and improved early warning systems to better handle such disasters, which threaten thousands of lives each winter.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that around 270,000 children in Afghanistan are at serious risk of cold-related illnesses due to extreme winter weather and heavy snowfall. In a statement, the agency said children in eastern Afghanistan, already affected by last year’s earthquake, are facing worsening conditions as prolonged exposure to cold and damp weather increases the risk of respiratory infections, hypothermia, and other preventable diseases.

UNICEF noted that children living in temporary shelters are particularly vulnerable to rain, snow, and poor sanitation, which further heighten health risks. The organization also reported that the United Kingdom has provided a donation of 10.8 million dollars to support child nutrition programs in Afghanistan.

According to local authorities, heavy snowfall and rain over the past two days have killed at least 11 people and injured three others across several provinces, including Parwan, Wardak, Kandahar, Jawzjan, Faryab, and Bamiyan. The national weather department expects precipitation to continue in most parts of the country in the coming days.

Afghanistan clinched the three-match T20 series against West Indies after a 39-run victory in the second match held in Dubai. Spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s hat-trick and four-wicket haul led the team to a 2–0 lead, securing the series with one game remaining. Afghanistan had earlier won the first match of the series.

Batting first, Afghanistan posted 189 for 4 in 20 overs, with Darwish Rasooli scoring 68 off 39 balls and Sediqullah Atal adding 53 off 42. The pair shared a 115-run partnership for the third wicket. In reply, West Indies were bowled out for 150 in 18.5 overs despite a fifty from Brandon King and 46 from Shimron Hetmyer.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman was named Player of the Match for his performance, taking 4 wickets for 21 runs in four overs. The win marked Afghanistan’s second consecutive bilateral T20 series victory over West Indies.

Afghanistan began their final T20 preparation series for the upcoming T20 World Cup with a convincing 38-run victory over the West Indies at the Dubai International Stadium. Batting first, Afghanistan recovered from an early collapse at 19 for 2, thanks to a 162-run partnership between Ibrahim Zadran and Rasooli. Ibrahim remained unbeaten on 87 off 56 balls, while Rasooli scored 84 off 59, guiding Afghanistan to 181 for 3 in 20 overs.

In reply, the West Indies struggled from the start, losing five wickets for just 50 runs. Despite late efforts from Sampson, Ford, and Motie, who scored 30, 25, and 28 respectively, the Caribbean side could only manage 143 for 9 in their 20 overs. For Afghanistan, Ziaur Rahman took three wickets, while Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Rashid Khan, and Noor Ahmed claimed two each.

The win gives Afghanistan a 1–0 lead in the three-match series, setting a strong tone ahead of the T20 World Cup.

At least seven people were killed and more than twenty others injured in a powerful explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, according to the country’s Interior Ministry. The blast occurred on Monday, January 19, in the Shahr-e-Naw area, which is known for housing foreign residents and is considered one of the city’s relatively secure zones. Taliban officials confirmed the incident through news agencies AFP and Reuters, stating that further details would be released later.

The Italian NGO Emergency, which operates a hospital in Kabul, reported that the explosion took place near its facility. The organization said twenty victims were brought to its surgical center, seven of whom were already dead upon arrival. The cause of the explosion has not yet been disclosed.

Since the Taliban took power following the 2021 withdrawal of U.S. forces, the frequency of explosions in Kabul has decreased. However, Islamic State–linked militant groups remain active in Afghanistan and have continued to carry out sporadic attacks, including several suicide bombings in 2025.

Trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan has fallen by 40 percent due to ongoing tensions and border clashes, according to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce. The closure of key border crossings has disrupted the movement of goods, severely affecting bilateral trade. Official Afghan data show that total trade between the two countries declined from 2.461 billion dollars in 2024 to 1.766 billion dollars in 2025, a decrease of 695 million dollars.

During the same period, Afghanistan’s exports to Pakistan dropped from 817 million dollars to 505 million dollars, while imports fell from 1.644 billion dollars to 1.261 billion dollars. Economic analysts have emphasized that Afghanistan should not rely on a single trade partner or transit route. They suggest developing alternative corridors through Iran, Central Asia, and air routes to reduce dependence on Pakistan and achieve long-term economic stability.

Major trade crossings such as Torkham and Spin Boldak have remained completely closed for about three months, halting cargo transport and causing financial losses for traders on both sides.

At least 17 people have been killed and 11 injured after sudden floods struck several regions of Afghanistan following heavy rain and snowfall, according to reports on Thursday. In Herat province’s Kabkan area, five members of a single family died when their house roof collapsed. The governor’s spokesperson, Mohammad Yusuf Saeedi, confirmed that two of the victims were children.

Mohammad Yusuf Hammad, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), said the casualties occurred in flood-affected districts since Monday. The floods have disrupted daily life across northern, southern, and western parts of the country. Infrastructure damage and livestock deaths have been reported, with around 1,800 families affected. Observation teams have been deployed to the worst-hit areas.

The report noted that decades of conflict, weak infrastructure, deforestation, and the intensifying effects of climate change have worsened the impact of natural disasters, particularly in remote regions. In August, a 6.0-magnitude earthquake killed more than 1,400 people in Afghanistan.

Amnesty International has called on Pakistan, Iran, and several European countries to immediately stop the forced deportation of Afghan refugees, warning that such actions violate international law. The organization stated that many Afghans are being returned unlawfully to a country facing severe economic, climate, and humanitarian crises. According to UN Special Representative Georgette Gagnon, around 2.5 million Afghans have returned so far this year, intensifying the strain on Afghanistan’s fragile infrastructure.

Amnesty emphasized that deported individuals face heightened risks of human rights abuses, particularly under the Taliban’s restrictive governance, which continues to impose harsh limitations on women and minorities. The group urged all governments to respect the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning anyone to a place where they face serious threats to their life or freedom.

Observers warn that continued deportations could worsen Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation, leaving returnees without jobs, shelter, or safety. International agencies are calling for coordinated action to ensure protection and support for displaced Afghans.

Afghanistan has threatened to retaliate against Pakistan following deadly airstrikes in Khost province that killed at least 10 people, including nine children, according to the Taliban government. The strikes came hours after a suicide bombing in Pakistan’s Peshawar killed six people, three of them security personnel. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that defending Afghanistan’s territory and people is its legitimate right and promised an appropriate response at the right time. Pakistan claims that militants from Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) use Afghan territory to launch attacks, a charge the Taliban denies. Relations between the two neighbors have deteriorated since the Taliban took power in 2021, with cross-border violence escalating in recent months despite mediation efforts by Qatar and Turkey.

At least nine Afghan civilians, including eight children and one woman, were killed in Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan’s southeastern Khost province, according to the Taliban government. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that the attacks occurred at midnight and also targeted Kunar and Paktika provinces, killing four more civilians. Mujahid accused Pakistan of bombing civilian homes, causing casualties and property destruction. Pakistan has not officially commented on the civilian deaths. However, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said its forces conducted operations against members of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whom it described as ‘Khawarij militants,’ killing 22 of them. The ISPR emphasized that Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations would continue against foreign-backed militants. The incident underscores escalating cross-border tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, with both sides trading accusations over harboring militants.

Pakistan carried out midnight airstrikes in Afghanistan’s southeastern Khost province, killing at least 10 people, including nine children and one woman, according to Taliban authorities. The attack reportedly targeted the home of a local resident named Waliat Khan in the Gurbuz district. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the strike, calling it an act of aggression by Pakistan’s forces. He also reported additional airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Kunar and Paktika provinces, which left at least four civilians injured. The Taliban government has not yet specified whether it plans to respond militarily or diplomatically. The incident has heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, two neighboring countries that have frequently accused each other of harboring militant groups operating across their shared border. Pakistan has not issued an immediate statement regarding the reported strikes.

Afghanistan’s Taliban government has imposed a strict ban on the import of medicines from Pakistan, citing poor quality and frequent trade disruptions. The decision, announced by state media Alemarah News, directs Afghan traders to terminate existing contracts with Pakistani suppliers within three months and to seek alternative sources from other countries. Officials said the move aims to protect Afghanistan’s economic interests and safeguard the rights of local businesses. Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar urged business leaders in Kabul to reduce dependence on Pakistan and explore new trade routes. The ban comes amid deteriorating relations between the two neighbors. Afghanistan currently imports pharmaceuticals from Pakistan, India, Turkey, and Bangladesh, with an estimated annual import value of around one billion dollars before the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

In an exclusive interview with Jugantor, Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Information and Culture, Muhajir Farahi, firmly rejected claims that India is Kabul’s “regional boss,” emphasizing that the Taliban government maintains an independent foreign policy guided by Islamic and national values. Farahi stated that Afghanistan wants friendly relations with all neighboring countries, including Pakistan, Iran, China, and Bangladesh, while refusing to be drawn into regional rivalries.

Addressing the recent Pakistan–Afghanistan border conflict, Farahi accused Pakistan’s military of violating Afghan airspace and attacking civilians but stressed that Kabul seeks peaceful solutions. He dismissed Islamabad’s claims that the Taliban shelters Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), calling it “Pakistan’s internal problem.” Farahi also defended Taliban governance, saying Sharia-based laws are implemented fairly through qualified judges.

On economic issues, he said Afghanistan now runs on domestic revenue without foreign aid and has achieved major success by eliminating opium cultivation. Farahi further expressed optimism about improving ties with Bangladesh, describing it as a “brotherly Muslim nation.” Regarding India, he reiterated that cooperation does not imply subordination. “No one dictates our policies,” he said, adding that Afghanistan wants harmony with all regional powers.

In a significant diplomatic meeting held in Kabul, senior Iranian and Taliban officials discussed enhancing security cooperation and ensuring stability along their shared border. The talks, reported by Mehr News on Friday, included Iran’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Alireza Bikdeli, Director-General for South Asia at Iran’s Foreign Ministry Mohammad Reza Bahrami, and Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. The meeting focused on countering cross-border drug trafficking, preventing illegal movements, and reinforcing coordination mechanisms between Iran and Afghanistan. Both sides emphasized the importance of maintaining border stability and continuing dialogue to resolve emerging issues through mutual understanding and respect. The Iranian delegation called for sustained cooperation to promote peace and regional stability, while Haqqani reaffirmed the Taliban’s commitment to fostering strong, respectful relations with neighboring countries, particularly Iran. The meeting marks another step in regional efforts to balance security and diplomacy in post-withdrawal Afghanistan.