Abubakar Siddique, a journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Azadi, specializes in the coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is the author of The Pashtun Question: The Unresolved Key To The Future Of Pakistan And Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is the only country in the world where teenage girls are not allowed to go to school, even though girls and women have a right to education under Islam. So why has the Taliban banned girls from attending school after sixth grade? Part of the answer lies in its interpretation of Islam.
Erstwhile allies Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban are on the cusp of a major breakdown in their relations as they trade accusations over the Taliban's alleged support for Islamist militants fighting Islamabad.
Afghanistan's minority Shi'a are increasingly marginalized under the hard-line rule of the Taliban, a Sunni militant group. The Taliban last week prevented members of the Shi'ite community, which makes up around 15 percent of the population, from marking an important religious festival.
A court in Pakistan recently ordered the government to grant citizenship to the Afghan husbands of four Pakistani women. While it sets a precedent for a few hundred similar cases, the huge majority of Afghan refugees cannot get Pakistani nationality -- even those who were born there.
Another public execution in Afghanistan has highlighted the Taliban's use of corporal and capital punishments and retributive justice to underscore its commitment to imposing strict Islamic Shari'a law.
The Taliban is exerting its control over thousands of rural classrooms as it tightens its stranglehold on education in Afghanistan.
Zhwandoon TV is the latest independent media outlet to come under pressure in Afghanistan, where the Taliban has tried to stamp out all forms of dissent.
The Taliban appears to have significantly reduced opium cultivation in Afghanistan, where the militant group has banned illicit narcotics.
International donors and aid agencies have suspended operations in three provinces in Afghanistan after accusing the Taliban of attempting to divert or manipulate aid distribution. The move has deprived tens of thousands of people of crucial assistance as the country grapples with the world's largest humanitarian crisis.
China and Afghanistan's Taliban rulers appear keen on deepening their relationship, with the sides expanding trade links and pushing for deeper cooperation on security. But experts say there are limits to the relationship.
The Taliban is trying to revive the Afghan Air Force by using and repairing aircraft inherited from the former Afghan government. But the scarcity of trained pilots, a spate of deadly accidents, and international isolation are hampering the effort.
Also: The UN warns of Afghan water scarcity
A tussle between Pakistan's powerful military and former Prime Minister Imran Khan threatens to aggravate a severe economic crisis and growing insecurity in Pakistan. This week, deadly protests broke out after Khan was arrested on graft charges, pushing the nation toward the breaking point.
The Taliban has ordered all taxi drivers in Afghanistan to change the color of their vehicles from yellow to turquoise. The decision has angered taxi drivers and residents, who say the move is unnecessary, considering the more significant issues the country is facing.
The Taliban has intensified its crackdown on independent reporters and media outlets in Afghanistan, where dissent is not tolerated.
Attacks and intimidation against journalists are rising in Pakistan, where one reporter was recently abducted and allegedly tortured.
Welcome to The Azadi Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that unpacks the key issues in Afghanistan. I'm Abubakar Siddique, a senior correspondent at RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. Here's what I've been tracking and what I'm keeping an eye on in the days ahead.
The southern Afghan city of Kandahar, known as the birthplace of the Taliban, has become the de facto capital under the militant group’s rule. Meanwhile, the Taliban chief, who resides in Kandahar, is tightening his grip on power.
The Taliban has not been recognized by any country since forcibly seizing power in Afghanistan in 2021. But the militant group has tried to boost its legitimacy by gaining control of Afghan diplomatic missions abroad.
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