Yaqoob Akbary

The blast in Mazar-i-Sharif, one of Afghanistan’s economic hubs, was the latest in a series of attacks on one of its religious minorities and was claimed by an ISIS affiliate.

Widespread flash floods have left more than 40 dead and 100 others injured in recent days, battering a country already reeling from an economic crisis, terrorist attacks and other natural disasters.

The Taliban said it had freed an American engineer, Mark R. Frerichs, in exchange for the release of a prominent Afghan tribal leader convicted of drug trafficking.

Blast at Education Center in Kabul Kills at Least 19 (Published 2022)

Hundreds have died in plunging temperatures, and malnutrition has been rampant as the Taliban government’s ban on female workers has hampered international aid.

Traversing the Sabzak Pass in Afghanistan is treacherous. But for travelers in distress, one innkeeper, who personifies Afghan generosity, is there to help — with a cup of tea, a meal or car repair.

One Afghan was also injured in the attack, which many expect will hinder the government’s recent efforts to lure foreign visitors.

Celebrations marking the third year since the U.S. withdrawal are amplifying a divide in Afghanistan over what principles it should be governed by.