The Taliban government says Pakistani airstrikes hit civilian homes, two days after insurgents killed seven Pakistani soldiers in a suicide bombing. A Taliban government spokesperson said on Monday that Pakistani airstrikes killed at least eight people, including three children, in border regions of Afghanistan. Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesperson, said Pakistani aircraft struck civilian homes in Khost and Paktika provinces near the border with Pakistan at around 3:00 a.m. local time (2230 GMT).  According to Mujahid, all eight people killed were women and children. Exchange of fire The airstrikes targeted multiple suspected hideouts of Pakistani Taliban inside Afghanistan, two Pakistan security officials told AP. The Pakistani Taliban is a separate militant group but allied with the Afghan Taliban. Mujahid condemned the airstrikes and warned that such a "violation of Afghanistan's sovereignty" would bring "bad consequences" beyond its neighbor's control. In a separate statement, the Taliban's Defense Ministry said its security forces had targeted Pakistani troops on the border with heavy weapons later Monday in response to the airstrikes. The Associated Press (AP) news agency reported, citing Pakistani officials, that  Afghan Taliban's shots wounded four people and that some villagers in the northwestern Kurram district were moving to safer areas.  The officials added that Pakistan fired back, according to the AP report.  This is the latest escalation as tensions between Islamabad and Kabul simmer. Pakistan president promised retaliation Monday's escalation came two days after a suicide bombing targeted a Pakistan army post near the Afghan border. On Saturday, a suicide bomber had rammed a truck filled with explosives into a military checkpoint in northwest Pakistan, killing seven soldiers. During the funeral of the soldiers, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari promised a strong response. "The blood of our martyred soldiers will not go in vain," Zardari said. Saturday's suicide attack was claimed by the Jaish-e-Fursan-e-Muhammad group, though security officials in Pakistan believe that the organization largely consists of members from the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. 'Pakistan shouldn't blame Afghanistan' Both neighbors have been sparring over recent militant activity in Pakistan. Islamabad claims these attacks originated in Afghan territory, a claim that Afghanistan's ruling Taliban has denied. "Pakistan shouldn't blame Afghanistan for the lack of control, incompetence and problems in its own territory," Mujahid said in the Taliban statement. A Pakistani official in the border regions said in light of recent developments, "announcements have been made in mosques to empty some areas in Kurram and North Waziristan as clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan continue on and off at the border."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will chair the two-day event aimed at aiding Afghan society. The prospects of progress remain uncertain as the ruling Taliban have boycotted over fear of criticism of its rule. A two-day UN conference on Afghanistan kicked off in Qatar on Sunday. The event, chaired by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, will address approaches to increasing international engagement with the impoverished and war-torn Muslim country. The prospects of success appear limited from the start, as the country's ruling Taliban has refused to attend after its demand of being "the sole official representative of Afghanistan" at the conference was turned down. Another demand that was not met was a guarantee that no one at the conference would criticize the militant Islamic theocrats and how they have run the country since returning to power in August 2021. Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, a humanitarian organization, took to X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday to write, "Disappointing that the Taliban declined to attend the special envoy meeting for Afghanistan in Doha this week." Human rights groups invited to Afghan conference, will it matter? Instead, the meeting will give a forum to women and civic groups concerned with the dire human rights situation in the country. UN Special Coordinator Feridun Sinirlioglu, for instance, recently released a report recommending reintegrating Afghanistan into the international economic and political system. Sinirlioglu made that reintegration contingent upon the Taliban meeting its international obligations but the religious militants — whom Washington dislodged from power in 2001 and then allowed to return when the US withdrew its troops after ending a 20-year war in the country — have utterly rejected calls for the creation of an "inclusive government." The Taliban has also continued, among other things, its brutal oppression of women, whom it does not allow to attend school or work, something the UN has previously described as "gender apartheid." The UN Working Group on Women, Peace and Security called the Doha meeting, "an opportunity for the UN, the Security Council and the international community to reaffirm that the rights of Afghan women are not negotiable." The Taliban's strict Islamist governance has resulted in Western nations refusing to recognize the group as legitimate rulers and caused nations, donors and aid organizations to withdraw from the country, further imperiling Afghanistan's already dire economic situation. A list of international participants scheduled to attend the meeting included the US, China, Pakistan and the European Union but with the Taliban rejecting international calls for change — including its continued rejection of the idea of appointing a special UN envoy — the prospects of the "meaningful and inclusive meetings" envisioned by UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan Richard Bennet seem questionable.

Star India batsman Virat Kohli will miss the first of three internationals against Afghanistan due to "personal reasons", coach Rahul Dravid said Wednesday (Jan 10). Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma both returned to the T20 squad after more than a year's absence for the series starting Thursday in Mohali, as the teams prepare for the T20 World Cup in June. "Virat Kohli will miss the first game due to personal reasons," Dravid said at a press conference.   "He will be playing from the second and third T20." Kohli and Rohit last played a 20-over international in November 2022, when India lost to England in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in Australia. The second T20 will be played in Indore on Sunday with the final match in Bengaluru on January 17.   Source: BSS

Afghanistan pulled off one of the greatest World Cup shocks on Sunday when they defeated defending champions England by 69 runs in New Delhi. Chasing 285 to win, after opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz had hit a blistering 80, England were bowled out for 215 despite Harry Brook's 66 with spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan claiming three wickets each. "It's a very proud moment to be here in the World Cup beating the last champions, it is a good moment for the whole nation and the team. A wonderful performance for the bowlers and the batters," said Mujeeb. The stunning upset gave Afghanistan just their second World Cup win to add to a lone victory over Scotland at the 2015 tournament. They came into Sunday's clash having lost their opening two games in India and on a 14-match losing World Cup streak. After Gurbaz and the recalled Ikram Alikhil, with 58, had given them a decent target to defend, Afghanistan's bowlers went to work, striking at regular intervals. "It was disappointing, having won the toss and elected to bowl," said England skipper Jos Buttler. "Congratulations to Afghanistan, they outplayed us today." Jonny Bairstow (two) was lbw to Fazalhaq Farooqi in the second over before Joe Root was clean bowled by 22-year-old man of the match Mujeeb for 11. Mohammad Nabi got rid of Dawid Malan, who made 140 against Bangladesh, for 32 to precipitate a slide which saw England slump to 138-6. Buttler was clean bowled by seamer Naveen-ul-Haq for nine, Rashid Khan had Liam Livingstone lbw on 10 before Nabi also dismissed Sam Curran (10). England were tied down, at one stage going more than eight overs without hitting a boundary until Brook managed the team's lone six of the innings in the 31st over. Mujeeb sent back Chris Woakes before effectively sealing the game in his next over, having Brook caught behind by Alikhil with England at 169-8. Brook's 66 came off 61 balls with seven fours and a six. Late fireworks from Adil Rashid (20), Reece Topley (15) and Mark Wood (18) only served to take England past the 200-mark. Earlier, Gurbaz, 21, piled up his runs off 57 balls with eight fours and four sixes to register his eighth score in excess of fifty in his ODI career. However, he was furious that he was unable to go on to make a sixth century when he was involved in a disastrous run-out mix-up with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi in the 19th over. Gurbaz failed to make his ground and Buttler whipped off the bails from a throw by substitute fielder David Willey. - Gurbaz run-out anger - An angry Gurbaz smashed his bat into a chair as he departed with his team on 122-3. Gurbaz had needed just 33 balls to get to his half-century as Afghanistan, put into bat, stormed to 100 without loss from 77 deliveries. Once Gurbaz was dismissed, England's spinners dragged the champions back into the contest in the middle overs. The impressive Adil Rashid finished with 3-42 from his 10 overs having initially broken Afghanistan's 114-run opening stand when he had Ibrahim Zadran (28) caught. But Alikhil chimed in with a 66-ball 58 after surviving being hit on the shoulder by a 147 km/h delivery from fast bowler Mark Wood. Mujeeb added 28 to the total off 16 balls as Afghanistan finished strongly. England's seamers endured a day to forget with Sam Curran conceding 46 runs off four overs and new ball bowler Chris Woakes coughing up 41 off his four. England went into Sunday's game after a loss to New Zealand and victory over Bangladesh while Afghanistan suffered heavy defeats by six wickets to Bangladesh and eight wickets to India. Source: BSS

Afghanistan has been hit by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, its third in a week, according to BBC. The powerful earthquake has been at Herat province, north of the city of Herat - the last quakes also the same region. Earlier in October 7, more than 2,445 died and thousands had been killed and injured by 6.3 magnitude scale as Taliban officials said.  3 days later, another same magnitude  earthquake occured in the country.  

A powerful earthquake in Afghanistan in the early hours of Wednesday, October 11. European Mediterranean Seismological Center confirmed the information. According to EMSC, the epicenter was located at the depth of 10 km, 34 km northwest from the city of Heart, the country's third largest city with a population of over 272,000 people. It said, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake was registered on that area.

There have been appeals for the the global community to help Afghanistan following Saturday's deadly 6.3 magnitude earthquake which the Taliban government said killed more than 2,000 people in the west of the country. Aid group CARE USA — a member of CARE International umbrella  — said in a statement that the country was already in the grip of a humanitarian crisis when the latest earthquake struck and was desperately underfunded. "The current Humanitarian Response Plan that aims to support 23.7 million people in the country is only 33.9% funded, while needs are increasing rapidly," the organization said in a statement. OCHA frees up $5 million The Unins Officted Natioe for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that humanitarian partners "are ramping up response efforts" while search and rescue efforts continued. The agency said that $5 million (€4.74 million) had been approved in emergency funds and would be allocated and said further allocations "will be dependent upon additional donor resources being received, for which related advocacy and outreach is ongoing." Pakistan, Iran and China are among the countries that have pledged to send in food, blankets, medicines, tents and funds. According to an OCHA statement, 1,023 people were reported to have been killed and another 1,663 people injured across eleven villages In Herat province. Meanwhile, on Monday, Taliban officials were visiting Afghanistan's western province of Herat which was most affected by the quake. The Taliban said in a statement that the deputy prime minister for economic affairs, Abdul Ghani Baradar, and his team would visit the quake-affected region to deliver "immediate relief assistance" and ensure "equitable and accurate distribution of aid." Hundreds of people are still believed to be trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed homes, and authorities were waiting for an update on the latest casualty figures. Another 4.9 magnitude earthquake reported At the same time, another 4.9 magnitude earthquake rattled western Afghanistan on Monday, with the latest tremors confirmed by the US Geological Survey and residents in the area. "It was quite intense," a doctor in the area told the German press agency, DPA. "People took shelter in parks, open spaces, and gardens." According to the health worker, the deadly earthquake on Saturday has negatively affected people's mental health. "Most of the patients are those who have mental shocks," he added. In June last year, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people in the province of Paktika. The Taliban's seizure of power in August 2021 worsened the country's humanitarian emergency. "The fast-approaching winter, combined with this new disaster, is likely to exacerbate the existing challenges," the organization stressed.

More than 2,000 people were killed by several strong earthquakes that struck western Afghanistan, the Taliban administration said Sunday.  The tremors hit Saturday morning and were mostly focused in the country's western region, with many felt in neighboring Iran. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quakes — one of which measured 6.3 magnitude — hit some 35 kilometers (20 miles) northwest of the city of Herat, causing panic in the city. What do we know about the quakes? The earthquake and its subsequent, strong aftershocks left 2,053 people dead and 9,240 more injured, a spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Authority said. Several villages in Herat province were completely destroyed, including at least 600 houses, according to the World Health Organization. Hundreds of civilians have been buried under the debris, with the Taliban government calling for urgent help. "We ask our wealthy compatriots to give any possible cooperation and help to our afflicted brothers," the Taliban said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Authorities expected the number of casualties to rise, as the search operation for those under the rubble continues. The earthquake is among the worst to have hit Afghanistan in decades. However, the country, which lies in a region where the Arabian, Indian and Eurasian plates meet, is no stranger to quakes. In 2022, over 1,000 people were killed in a devastating tremor. Decades of conflict have also left the country with poorly built structures, making it all the more vulnerable to disasters.

Bangladesh has given 156 runs to Afghanistan in their World Cup opener. Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz took three wickets each. Bangladesh chose to bowl first and secured the initial breakthrough after 8.2 overs. Although Afghan provided a fantastic start, Shakib's delivery dismantled Zadran for 22 After crossing the 100-run mark, Afghanistan's wickets went regularly. Afghanistan's highest scorer is Rahmanullah with 47 runs before falling to Mustafizur Rahman.

Bangladesh will face Afghanistan in their second 2023 Asia Cup match, which is a do-or-die situation. The match will take place at Gaddafi Stadium on September 3 at 3:30 PM (Bangladesh time).  Who will won the match Afghanistan will begin their Asia Cup 2023 by playing against Bangladesh. In the last two ODI editions in 2014 and 2018, Afghanistan’s cricket team confirmed in the in the Super Four of Asia Cup. Besides, it is the 'do or die match' for Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s Probable XIs Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Naim, Anamul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman. Afghanistan’s Probable XIs Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Gulbadin Naib, Rahmat Shah, Shahidullah Kamal, Karim Janat, Abdul Rahman, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi.