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Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says that Iran does not recognize the Taliban government in Afghanistan due to the lack of an inclusive government as well as recent tensions between Iran and the Taliban over border incidents and a dispute over the Helmand River.
2023-05-25

Afghanistan's permanent representative to the United Nations Ghulam Isaczai withdraws from the list of speakers at the United Nations General Assembly. The move comes after the Taliban nominated a delegation to represent Afghanistan at the United Nations, although the UN continues to recognize the Ashraf Ghani-led government as the country's permanent mission.
2021-09-27

Ahmad Massoud, who is leading the Panjshir resistance along with self-proclaimed acting president Amrullah Saleh, refuses to surrender the Panjshir Valley to the Taliban and says that war is "unavoidable" if the Taliban refuse dialogue on the formation of a comprehensive government.
2021-08-22

The Taliban enters Lashkargah, the provincial capital of Helmand Province, capturing large areas of the city, according to a provincial government spokesman, who reported heavy fighting between government forces and the Islamist group as civilians flee the city.
2021-07-30

The government imposes a nighttime curfew between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. in 31 of the country's 34 provinces in an attempt to reduce both the level of violence as well as the surveillance of the Taliban and its movements.
2021-07-24

The government and the Taliban begin a three-day truce to start intra-Afghan talks. Early today, President Ashraf Ghani ordered the release of 500 Taliban prisoners to "show goodwill" to start the talks.
2020-07-31

The Taliban accuse the government of re-capturing freed Taliban prisoners, a claim Kabul denies as "incorrect". A Taliban spokesman tells the government to "bear responsibility for the consequences", as fears grow that some of the prisoners are returning to the battlefield. As part of the peace process, the government has freed around 5,000 prisoners.
2020-07-26

The government and the Taliban agree to start intra-Afghan talks by mid-July after the issue of releasing the "most dangerous" Taliban prisoners has been solved, according to a government spokesman. The group did not comment on the announcement.
2020-06-26

President Ashraf Ghani pledges to speed up the release of more Taliban prisoners, and asks that the Taliban release more government prisoners in return.
2020-05-24

Six insurgents kill at least 18 people, including 4 Afghans and 14 foreigners, in a 13-hour gun battle. The Afghan Interior Ministry says that the siege ended when the last gunman was shot dead. NATO reports that "no foreign troops" died. The Taliban claim that they sent five suicide bombers armed with hand grenades and AK-47 assault rifles. The Afghan government blames the attack on the Pakistan-based Haqqani network.
2018-01-21