The Week of December 1-7
Security and Conflict
Cross Border Fighting at Chaman – On Friday evening, clashes erupted at two locations along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border near Chaman–Spin Boldak, lasting roughly four hours. Fighting first broke out at the Badini border crossing, followed by intense exchanges involving heavy weapons at the Friendship Gate. Civilian casualties were reported in Kandahar, where one man was killed and a woman and her three children were injured by Pakistani mortar fire. Pakistani authorities also reported three civilian deaths, including a woman, a child, and an elderly man. While the situation has since calmed, tensions remain high. Pakistani security sources accused the Taliban of initiating the conflict, calling it a destabilizing act, while the Taliban blamed Pakistan for starting the hostilities.
Afghans Killed Attempting to Cross into Iran – On Sunday, November 30, near the Mil-78 border area in Farah province, Iranian border guards reportedly opened fire on a group of approximately 35 Afghan migrants attempting to cross into Iran illegally. Conflicting accounts indicate that between 10 and 12 people were killed, with locals reporting the recovery of 12 bodies. The Taliban’s police command confirmed 10 deaths and two missing individuals. Iranian authorities have not commented.
Updates on Cross Border Attacks in Tajikistan – A series of cross-border attacks launched from Afghanistan into Tajikistan over the past week has sharply raised tensions, leaving at least five people dead, including three Chinese nationals. On November 30, two Chinese workers were reportedly attacked near Shadak after traveling from Badakhshan’s Maimi district, with Taliban border forces allegedly involved. Days earlier, a drone and firearm attack originating from Afghan territory struck a gold-mining site in Khatlon province, killing three Chinese citizens. The Taliban condemned the attacks and blamed unidentified groups seeking to destabilize the region, while pledging cooperation with Tajikistan. The Afghan and Tajik foreign ministers have since discussed strengthening border security, launching joint investigations, and maintaining bilateral cooperation. Badakhshan police reported the arrest of two suspects related to the Maimi incident, though casualty details remain unverified. China has advised its citizens to leave the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border area as regional stability continues to deteriorate.
Human Rights and Civil Liberties
Public Execution Held in Khost – On Tuesday, the Taliban publicly executed a man convicted of murder at the central stadium in Khost province, marking at least the 11th such execution since their return to power in 2021. The man, identified as Mangal, was found guilty of killing Abdul Rahman. Local sources report that the execution was carried out by a 13-year-old boy, Rahman’s relative, after he declined to pardon the convict.
Five Former Soldiers Arrested – On Thursday, the Taliban detained five former Afghan security personnel in Parwan province after their deportation from Iran. The detainees, Shirmullah, Gulbuddin, Aleem, Jan Mohammad, and Suleiman, are all relatives from a single Panjshiri family and previously served as soldiers or officers under the former Afghan government.
Reports on Detention of Former Soldiers – According to 8 AM News, the Taliban have detained at least 12 former Afghan security personnel across Parwan, Kabul, and Panjshir over the past two months, most of them from Panjshir. Several were arrested at home, at roadside checkpoints, or after returning from Iran. Many have reportedly been transferred to undisclosed locations, with some allegedly held and tortured in private detention sites run by Taliban commanders.
Medical Student Detained for Criticism of Execution – On Wednesday, the Taliban arrested a medical student in Kandahar for a Facebook post criticizing the public execution in Khost. The student, identified as Ahmadullah from Ghazni’s Nawa district, was expelled from his university and taken to an undisclosed location. His post argued that Afghanistan needs education rather than violence. Taliban authorities later released an audio recording of his confession, saying he would be dealt with under their laws.
Floggings – Public floggings continued this week. On Monday, one person was flogged in Balkh, one in Ghazni, and two in Helmand. On Wednesday, three people were flogged in Paktika and one in Balkh. On Thursday, 15 people were flogged in Kabul. On Sunday, 34 people were flogged in Faryab and one in Khost.
Taliban Force Women Owned Vendors to Move in Daikundi – On Thursday, the Taliban closed 150 women-owned shops in Nili, Daikundi, ordering them to relocate to a segregated “Family Park” area. Local officials cited directives from the Taliban leader barring women from public markets. Many women say they cannot afford relocation costs and that this effectively shuts down their businesses.
International Developments
Former NDS Arrested in US – On Wednesday, U.S. authorities arrested former Afghan intelligence officer Jaan Shah Safi in Virginia on allegations of supporting ISIS-K; charges widely viewed as unfounded by former colleagues, Afghan officials, and former U.S. intelligence personnel. Safi, a longtime NDS officer who led counter-ISIS operations in Kunar and served as Deputy Director of Operations in Nangarhar, was regarded as a trusted partner of U.S. forces. His family, former NDS chief Rahmatullah Nabil, ex–Special Forces commander Sami Sadat, and U.S. counterterrorism analysts reject the allegations, noting that internal intelligence communications and Taliban documents identify him as an ISIS adversary, and even a Taliban target.
US Increasing Arrest and Detention of Afghans – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that several Afghan nationals admitted under humanitarian and refugee programs have been arrested over the past year. Those detained include Qismatuddin Zafaran, Mansoor Wali Zada, Mohammad Tayeb Rasouli, Javed Ghamgin, Asirullah Khalid, and Syed Mohammad Tani, all cited as having prior criminal convictions. DHS emphasized national security and public safety concerns, but the arrests come amid heightened scrutiny of Afghan evacuees, raising concerns about broader impacts on the resettled Afghan population.
UN Denounces Taliban Policy of Forced Displacement of Hazaras – UN human rights envoy Richard Bennett urged the Taliban to halt the forced displacement of Hazara families from Nowabad township in Ghazni, home to around 18,000 families. The Taliban recently declared the land “Emirati,” ordering residents to vacate. Bennett expressed concern over unfair legal proceedings and called for legal aid and due process. Residents maintain they legally purchased their homes, but Taliban courts have rejected ownership claims without properly reviewing documents.
German Ministry Approves Admission of Former Afghan Staff – On Thursday, Germany’s Interior Ministry announced that most Afghans in Pakistan with binding admission approvals, including roughly 200 former local staff and 930 others under the Federal Admissions Program, will be granted entry by year’s end, pending security checks. However, around 700 others, including judges and activists, are now unlikely to receive visas. One Afghan judge has filed a constitutional complaint after being denied entry despite previously receiving written approval.
Australia Sanctions Taliban Officials – On Saturday, Australia imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on four senior Taliban officials, citing worsening human rights conditions, especially for women and girls. The sanctions target Muhammad Khalid Hanafi (Minister for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice), Neda Mohammad Nadeem (Minister of Higher Education), Abdul-Hakim Sharei (Minister of Justice), and Abdul Hakim Haqqani (Chief Justice). Australia also introduced an arms embargo and new restrictions under its autonomous sanctions framework. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid dismissed the sanctions as “unwarranted,” calling instead for engagement.
UN Holds Talks on Counter Narcotics with the Taliban – On Sunday, The UN Office on Drugs and Crime held technical-level talks with Taliban officials and member states under the UN-led Doha process, focusing on counter-narcotics, money laundering, and terrorism financing. Aimed at boosting regional cooperation, the December session included UNAMA, the OIC, and Qatar. While the venue was undisclosed, the UN stressed ongoing dialogue as key to tackling cross-border crime. Qatar emphasized engagement does not equal recognition but supports regional peace efforts.
Regional Developments
Pakistan Border Remains Closed – Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that border crossings with Afghanistan will remain closed for trade until the Taliban provide guarantees to prevent terrorist activity from Afghan soil. At present, Torkham and Chaman are open only for humanitarian aid. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the closures as unlawful and politically motivated.
Pakistan/Afghanistan Talks Held in Saudi – On Sunday, November 30, Afghan and Pakistani delegations reportedly held a brief high-level meeting in Riyadh, mediated by Saudi Arabia. The Taliban delegation included senior figures such as Anas Haqqani, Rahmatullah Najib, and Abdul Qahar Balkhi. Discussions centered on easing tensions after recent border clashes and Pakistan’s demand for action against militant groups operating from Afghanistan. Both sides agreed to uphold the ceasefire, but no agreement was reached on border issues or matters related to TTP.
Head of DABS Meets with Iranian Officials – On Monday, Abdul Bari Omar, head of DABS, met with Iran’s acting ambassador in Kabul, Alireza Bikdeli, to discuss expanding cooperation in renewable energy and electrical equipment production. Omar highlighted increasing investment opportunities in Afghanistan’s energy sector and encouraged Iranian companies to participate. According to a DABS press release, Bikdeli expressed support for closer cooperation, including easing visa procedures for technical engineers.
Taliban Acting Minister of Education Visit to Iran – On Saturday, Taliban acting Higher Education Minister Sheikh Neda Mohammad Nadeem led a delegation to Iran following an official invitation. According to the Ministry of Higher Education, the visit aims to strengthen academic ties, exchange expertise, and explore avenues for cooperation. Nadeem is scheduled to meet Iranian officials and tour universities.
Uzbek Delegation Meets with Ministry of Agriculture – On Monday, a delegation from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture met with Afghan Deputy Minister Mawlawi Sader Azam Usmani in Kabul to discuss agricultural cooperation. Uzbek Deputy Minister Jamshid Abduzukhurov stated that their visit aims to purchase meat, establish orchards in Faryab province, and explore partnership opportunities in agricultural seed development.
US Visa Processing Information/US Legal Information:
Major changes have taken place in the past week to US policy related to Afghans
SIV Processing – As of November 27, the U.S. State Department has paused the issuance of all visas for Afghan passport holders. This includes SIVs, follow-to-join applications, and family-based petitions. On December 2, the U.S. government also announced a pause on COM decisions for SIV applicants. Both actions are described as temporary pauses, not terminations of the SIV program. It remains unclear how long these measures will be in effect. More detailed information can be found Here
Travel Ban and Benefit Review – The U.S. has introduced stricter immigration rules for nationals of 19 countries, including Afghanistan. Immigration applications are now paused, and pending cases, such as Green Cards and citizenship, are on hold. Individuals who entered the U.S. on or after January 20, 2021, may have their previously approved immigration benefits reviewed again. Additional security checks will also apply. Issues with identity documents or perceived risks linked to one’s country may now negatively affect cases. The full guidance is available in Dari or Pashto
Refugee Review – The U.S. government will re-examine refugee approvals for individuals admitted between January 20, 2021, and February 20, 2025, even for those who already hold Green Cards. USCIS may review both the initial refugee determination and the Form I-485 application. Green Card applications for refugees from this period are currently paused. Refugees from one of the 19 travel-ban countries will also be subject to the stricter review and enhanced security checks noted above. More information is available in Dari or Pashto
Asylum Cases Paused for Afghans – USCIS has paused decisions on all new and pending affirmative asylum applications. No approvals or denials will be issued during this period. However, this pause does not affect asylum cases in immigration court, which will continue moving forward. New asylum applications may still be filed, but no decisions will be made until the pause is lifted. No end date has been announced.
Work Permit Changes – Most new Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) will no longer be valid for five years. Under a new rule, many applicants will now receive EADs valid for 18 months, while others may receive permits valid for one year or less. These changes apply to applications submitted or pending on or after December 5, 2025 (for 18-month permits) and July 22, 2025 (for one-year permits). Existing EADs remain valid until their printed expiration dates.
ICE Raids – ICE detentions involving Afghans, including some lawful permanent residents, have increased sharply over the past week. A recent Supreme Court ruling expanded enforcement authority, allowing stops based on factors such as language, appearance, workplace, or location. Reports indicate that Afghans with criminal records or pending asylum cases are being targeted. Individuals should carry proof of legal status at all times, know their rights, and review available legal support resources. Rights information is available here.
Last Day to File New SIV Case – The deadline to submit a new SIV application remains December 31, 2025. For detailed guidance on eligibility and next steps for new and current applicants, please refer to IRAP’s guide here
US Bill Introduced to End SIV Program – On Thursday, U.S. Congressman Wesley Hunt introduced a bill seeking to end the SIV program for Afghans. At this time, there is no change in official policy, and Afghans should not be alarmed or change their plans. This proposal is still in its earliest stage and has not become law. It’s important to note that similar bills have been introduced in the past, but none have ever moved forward or passed. In contrast, the SIV program has historically received strong bipartisan support and has been consistently extended and maintained by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. This new bill has not progressed beyond introduction and will take months, if at all, to move forward through Congress. The current application deadline of December 31, 2025, remains in place, and applicants should continue preparing as usual, even during the processing pause.
NEXT WEEK
In the U.S., Afghans are expected to face increased pressure from ICE over the coming weeks. Raids have been planned in a number of areas across the United States. Afghans in removal proceedings or those with criminal records are most likely to be targeted, though others may still be affected. It is extremely important that all Afghans understand their rights at this time. Please review the ICE raid section of the U.S. processing guidance and refer to the IRAP guide here.
In light of increased pressure and public backlash following the D.C. National Guard shooting and several highly publicized arrests, we urge the Afghan community to remain calm. Ethnic tensions within the Afghan community in the U.S., especially those expressed publicly, are unproductive and may contribute to broader anti-Afghan sentiment. All community members are encouraged to remain diplomatic, particularly on social media.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban’s primary focus over the past several weeks has been the escalating conflict with Pakistan rather than internal governance. However, the Taliban have once again increased targeting of former soldiers, particularly those recently returned from Iran. This pattern is likely to continue in the coming week. As tensions with Pakistan remain high, the possibility of Pakistan coordinating with resistance forces against the Taliban increases. Heightened resistance activity or additional arrests of returnees from Pakistan suspected of having ties to resistance groups are likely in the weeks or months ahead. Domestically, the Taliban sharply escalated corporal punishment this week, carrying out an execution and numerous floggings. These public displays of violence, often forcing local populations to watch, serve as tools of coercive control designed to deter dissent. Arrests of individuals who publicly question such measures are likely to continue.
Tensions with Pakistan remain high. This week’s fighting and the failure of negotiations between Afghanistan and Pakistan make additional border clashes likely in the coming days. Those in border areas should remain aware of the increased risk of fighting. If TTP launches more attacks in border regions, drone strikes or other forms of retaliation by Pakistan are likely.
The border remains closed, though deportations of Afghans continue. With the U.S. processing pause in effect, those awaiting visas should expect additional delays. Pakistan is currently not extending visas for Afghan nationals. Any Afghan with an expired visa is at heightened risk of extortion, detention, or deportation at this time.
SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS
From 2002 through mid-2021, the United States Congress appropriated approximately $144.7 billion for Afghanistan reconstruction—far more than it spent on the post World- War-II Marshall Plan in inflation adjusted terms. The mission promised to bring stability and democracy to Afghanistan, yet ultimately delivered neither.
The Afghan government’s stunningly rapid collapse in August 2021 laid bare a fragility concealed by years of confident assertions of progress. The gap between ambition and reality was vast, with deteriorating conditions continually stymying objectives that proved to be unrealistic.
Multiple factors contributed to the failure of the U.S. effort to transform a war-torn, underdeveloped country into a stable and prosperous democracy. For example, early and ongoing U.S. decisions to ally with corrupt, human-rights-abusing powerbrokers bolstered the insurgency and undermined the mission, including U.S. goals for bringing democracy and good governance to Afghanistan. Efforts to improve Afghanistan’s economic and social conditions also failed to have a lasting impact. And, despite nearly $90 billion in U.S. appropriations for security-sector assistance, Afghan security forces ultimately collapsed quickly without a sustained U.S. military presence.
Costs were immense. Tens of thousands of people—including more than 2,450 U.S. servicemembers—were killed. Many more were injured, among them more than 20,700 U.S. servicemembers. SIGAR will close its doors on January 31, 2026, pursuant to Section 7809 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025. Before then, SIGAR’s authorizing statute requires us to prepare “a final forensic audit report on programs and operations funded with amounts appropriated or otherwise made available for the reconstruction of Afghanistan.”
AFGHAN NEWS
Taliban Reports Rising Healthcare and Commodity Prices Amid Prolonged Pakistan Border Closure
Kabul Now
Afghanistan is grappling with increasing costs in medical care, food, and other essential goods as border crossings with Pakistan remain closed for nearly two months, according to the Taliban-run National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA).
In a statement, NSIA stated that the cost of medical treatment rose by 13.9% over the past solar month, while food prices increased by 2.3%. Grain prices climbed 1.3%, meat by 1.6%, fruit by 10.3%, and vegetables by 2.1%. Non-food items also saw a 1.2% rise, including a 3.2% increase in the housing index and a 1.3% rise in the healthcare and treatment index. Monthly inflation was recorded at 1.6%, with year-on-year inflation up 8.5% compared with the same month last year.
UN Says 1.5 Million People in Afghanistan Live with ‘Serious Disabilities’
Kabul Now
An estimated 1.5 million people in Afghanistan are living with serious disabilities, most of them caused by decades of conflicts, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Wednesday.
UNAMA, marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, said children bear a disproportionately heavy burden of these disabilities.
REGIONAL NEWS
Pakistan deports more than 2,800 Afghan migrants in a single day
Habib Mohammadi
Pakistan deported 2,843 Afghan nationals on Saturday as part of its ongoing crackdown on undocumented migrants, the Taliban commission for refugees said on Sunday.
The commission said another 291 Afghans were returned from Iran, both forcibly and voluntarily. The returnees entered Afghanistan through the Torkham, Spin Boldak, Bahramcha, Pul-e Abrisham and Islam Qala border crossings.
Pakistan expelled 2,543 Afghans the previous day, according to the commission.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
From Welcome to Worry: Afghans in the U.S. Face Uncertainty and Backlash
Miriam Jordan
In the frenzied American exit from Afghanistan, Obaidullah Durani, a fighter pilot who had been trained by U.S. forces, was scrambling to get his family out, too. His daughter, Hela, was hoisted over the fence by a Marine at the Kabul airport as the family rushed to make a departing plane. But Mr. Durani’s wife, Shafaro, was separated from him and their two children and never made it onto an evacuation flight.
Allowed to enter the United States through a special program for people who worked with American forces, Mr. Durani settled in Arizona, with his infant daughter and toddler son. He had never changed a diaper in his life, he said, but he was now a single father juggling parenting with delivery jobs. Yet he felt safe in the United States and hopeful that the family would eventually be reunited.
That all changed with the deadly attack on National Guard members last week in Washington, D.C., which authorities say was carried out by a 29-year-old Afghan man.
The National Guard shooting was horrific. Vilifying Afghans is the wrong response
Kristen L. Rouse
One does not need to be an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan and a former National Guard soldier, as I am, to want to hold accountable the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., last week — as well as to seek broader solutions to prevent future extremist violence. But President Donald Trump’s promise to shut down immigration processes for entire nationalities of people who are innocent of any wrongdoing is not the way to go.
For three years, Congress has had the chance to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would ensure more stringent vetting of Afghan evacuees — but it has failed to do so. Acting on that bipartisan measure would be much more in line with American values than betraying our nation’s promises to those who risked their lives alongside our troops.
Afghani to US Dollar: $1 – 66.10 AFN (As of December 7)