Afghan Witness Reports

The IOC shuns the Taliban, Taliban ignores Afghan female athletes

Non-payment of pensions in Kabul, crippling new law on money exchangers in Herat and Taliban harassment of women in Jowzjan.

On 28 July 2023, clashes erupted in Ghazni province when Taliban forces sought to disperse crowds, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries. Rejecting responsibility, the Taliban instead blamed the violence on "evil elements" in the crowd. AW investigates the events.

While commemorations were repressed, varied responses to Wazir’s death highlight factional divides within the Taliban.

The local population's opposition to the Taliban's new mining deal with Namak Kalfgan has led to clashes, highlighting the tensions over resource control and employment.

While no deaths were reported this year, the level of repression has increased, with ceremonies barred from public spaces amid reports of violence, arrests and protests.

Images show the Taliban’s destruction of murals representing religious or national figures conflicting with official values.

Local residents of Kargian village protested the Taliban's destruction of poppy fields, leading to reported gunfire and injuries.

Claims emerge in the media that the Taliban has allowed the operation of certain girls' schools, which the Taliban later denies.

The Taliban's decree to cap female salaries has caused widespread confusion and sparked protests among women employees.

The Taliban's decision to delay Eid-ul-Adha in 2024 sparked widespread defiance and criticism from Afghan communities and leaders.

Calls for armed resistance against the Taliban at a conference of Shia Afghans in Germany were largely met with reticence from Shias both in Afghanistan and abroad.