Stories from Kabul · Afghanistan

Anne-Marie Schwarzenbach and Ella Maillart embarked on a journey from Geneva to Kabul by car in the lead-up to World War II. The trip was financially supported by Schwarzenbach's father. Upon their arrival in Kabul in the autumn of 1939, the two women parted ways permanently. Maillart described feeling estranged from Schwarzenbach in their daily lives during the journey.

The Taliban have denied allegations of providing shelter to individuals who carry out attacks in Pakistan.

Afghanistan's foreign ministry stated that citizens who fled the country after assisting the U.S. war effort can safely return home. These individuals are currently located on a U.S. military base in Qatar. The resettlement support organization Afghani Vag noted that the U.S. State Department is involved in the process. No specific timeline for repatriation was provided in the announcement. The organization Afghani VAC, which supports resettlement efforts, reported that the U.S. State Department held discussions regarding this matter on Wednesday. The Afghan government is attempting to facilitate the repatriation of these specific groups. The Afghan government is communicating this safety assurance to those stuck abroad.

Children in Afghanistan, particularly girls, are facing severe challenges in accessing education due to ongoing political instability and the pervasive threat of landmines. Decades of conflict, including Soviet and US occupations and the Taliban regime, have left millions of landmine victims, with estimates suggesting over 100,000 children have lost limbs. This situation highlights the severe humanitarian crisis in the region.

France has dispatched 42 tons of humanitarian aid to support civilian populations in Afghanistan. The mission comes as the country faces severe malnutrition, with approximately half of the population requiring urgent humanitarian assistance. The aid is intended to mitigate the ongoing crisis affecting vulnerable groups. The United States has provided financial aid totaling more than 8.6 billion US dollars to its allies in Afghanistan.