On paper, there is a wide mismatch between the military capabilities of two sides. At 172,000, the Taliban have less than a third of Pakistan‘s personnel.
The Taliban do possess at least six aircraft and 23 helicopters but their condition is unknown and they have no fighter jets or effective air force.
Pakistan‘s armed forces include more than 600,000 active personnel, have more than 6,000 armoured fighting vehicles and more than 400 combat aircraft, according to 2025 data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Archiv: Taliban
Airstrikes hit Afghan capital of Kabul, hours after Afghanistan attacks Pakistan
Afghanistan said its military launched its attack across the border into Pakistan late Thursday in retaliation for deadly Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border areas Sunday, and claimed to have captured more than a dozen Pakistani army posts.
Pakistan’s government, which had described last Sunday’s airstrikes as an attack on militants harbored in the area, described Thursday’s Afghan attack as unprovoked, and dismissed claims that army posts had been captured.
Taliban sends first envoy to India in diplomatic milestone as regional tensions reshape alliances
(February 26, 2026)
The renewed political and economic engagement with the Taliban comes at a time of surging cross-border violence between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which has plunged relations between the two neighbors to a dangerously low point. Just this week, tensions flared back up after a fresh round of deadly strikes and clashes. And nuclear-armed India wasted no time in strongly condemning Islamabad over the attacks and voiced support for Kabul’s sovereignty.
Pentagon to revisit Kabul airport bombing with new witness interviews
Gen. Michael E. Kurilla, who oversees U.S. Central Command, ordered the additional interviews “to ensure we do our due diligence” with information that came to light after the military closed its investigation of the incident, Michael Lawhorn, a Central Command spokesman, said in a statement. By itself, the move does not formally reopen the investigation, completed in November 2021, but the general could determine that doing so is necessary once the additional interviews are complete.
(…)
The attack’s suspected mastermind was killed by the Taliban earlier this year, U.S. officials disclosed in April.
Taliban Sign Multibillion-Dollar Afghan Mining Deals
(August 31, 2023)
Shahabuddin Dilawar, the Taliban minister of mines and petroleum, said the seven contracts cover the extraction and processing of gold, copper, iron, lead and zinc in four Afghan provinces — Takhar, Ghor, Herat and Logar.
The nationally televised signing ceremony occurred as the de facto Afghan authorities marked the second anniversary of the withdrawal of all U.S.-led NATO troops from the country after nearly 20 years of war with the then-insurgent Taliban.
The Taliban are sitting on $1 trillion worth of minerals the world desperately needs
(August 19, 2021)
Afghanistan is one of the poorest nations in the world. But in 2010, US military officials and geologists revealed that the country, which lies at the crossroads of Central and South Asia, was sitting on mineral deposits worth nearly $1 trillion.
Supplies of minerals such as iron, copper and gold are scattered across provinces. There are also rare earth minerals and, perhaps most importantly, what could be one of the world’s biggest deposits of lithium –
Taliban: Neue Abkommen für Betrieb von sieben Bergwerken
Welche Firmen den Zuschlag erhielten und aus welchen Ländern die Investitionen genau stammen, war nicht klar. Laut einer Mitteilung des Taliban-Wirtschaftsministeriums handelt es sich um den Abbau von Gold, Kupfer, Blei und Eisenerz. Die Investitionen stammen demzufolge aus Asien und Europa. Genauere Details nannte das Ministerium zunächst nicht.
McChrystal raus, Petraeus degradiert: Die “Warlord AG” Afghanistan bekommt einen neuen Geschäftsführer
(23.06.2010)
Der Präsident der Republik USA, Barack Obama, zitiert seinen Afghanistan-Kommandeur Stanley McChrystal erst nach Washington, um ihn dort zu feuern. Angeblich geht es um harsche Worte gegen die zivile Regierung im „Rolling Stone“. Am gleichen Tag erscheint ein Bericht des Kongress-Unterausschusses für Nationale Sicherheit und Auswärtige Angelegenheiten, welcher unter der Überschrift „Die Warlord AG“ minutiös belegt, dass die Militärs des von den USA angeführten Nordatlantikpaktes jeden einzelnen Versorgungstransport in ihre Besatzungszone von Kriegsfürsten bewachen lassen, Milizen finanzieren und dass diese Gelder eine „signifikante potentielle Quelle für die Finanzierung der Taliban“ darstellen.
Dann stellt sich der Präsident in die mittwöchentliche Abendsonne – sein Generalstabschef Michael Mullen darf am Rande stehen – und verkündet die Degradierung seines bisherigen Militärdiktators David Petraeus vom Chef des Zentralkommandos zum Nachfolger seines bisherigen Untergebenen McChrystals in Afghanistan.
Taliban unterzeichnen Handelsabkommen mit Russland
Russland solle nun jährlich etwa eine Million Tonnen Benzin, eine Million Tonnen Diesel, 500.000 Tonnen Flüssiggas (LPG) und zwei Millionen Tonnen Weizen an Afghanistan liefern.
Regional powers back aid for Afghanistan as Russia hosts Taliban
On Wednesday, Russia, China, Pakistan, India, Iran and formerly Soviet Central Asian states Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan joined the Taliban in calling for the UN to convene such a conference as soon as possible to help rebuild the country.
Taliban celebratory gunfire turns deadly, Pakistan’s spy chief arrives in Afghanistan
Amid reports of intense fighting in the Panjshir, Pakistan‘s powerful intelligence chief made a surprise visit to Kabul on Saturday.
Hameed arrived in Kabul Saturday morning, leading a delegation of „senior Pakistani officials“, to discuss security, economic and trade issues, according to Pakistani media reports.
Taliban appoints acting head for Afghan central bank: spokesman
The Taliban appointed Hajji Mohammad Idress as acting general director of the central bank „in efforts to align and arrange banking procedures and find a solution to people‘s trade problem and difficulties,“ Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on his social media account.
Biden says safe zone around Kabul airport to expand, as Pentagon enlists commercial airlines to aid evacuations
In recent days, the Qatari ambassador to Afghanistan has escorted small groups of Americans into the airport, according to two people familiar with the effort who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive operation. American citizens have been instructed to meet at rally points in the city, and the ambassador then accompanies them to guarantee safe passage, these people said. Qatar has served as an intermediary between the United States and the Taliban at several stages of the American withdrawal, sponsoring peace talks and serving as the first point of refuge for many evacuees.
Here is Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, meeting with Mullah Abdul Ghanu Baradar – the co-founder of the Taliban who has taken over Kabul – on November 21, 2020, after the Trump administration helped to secure his release from prison.
Pompeo: Biden ‚has refused‘ to show leadership during Afghanistan ‚debacle‘
„I didn’t hear a single thing that would give comfort to the very allies you spoke about. I’ve heard from people in the region. They are frightened by the American collapse—the American collapse of temerity and strength and power that we demonstrated for four years that had frankly kept the Taliban at bay and prevented precisely what you’re precisely seeing happen today, and I didn’t hear a single thing that would frighten a single Taliban who thinks there’s any risk that this administration would impose any cost on them for their activities, for what they are doing to Americans today and holding them hostage—not permitting them to get into the airport in Kabul so that we can get them home to their families. „
McChrystal raus, Petraeus degradiert: Die „Warlord AG“ Afghanistan bekommt einen neuen Geschäftsführer
(23. Juni 2010)
Am Montag, den 22.Juni, veröffentlichte die Washington Post auf ihrer Webseite den neunundsiebzig Seiten langen Bericht des „Unterausschusses für Nationale Sicherheit und Auswärtige Angelegenheiten“ mit dem Titel „Warlord, Inc.: Extortion and Corruption Along the U.S. Supply Chain in Afghanistan“, für den der Leiter des Ausschusses, der Republikaner John F. Tierney (D-Mass.), verantwortlich zeichnete (1, 2).
Der „Unterausschuss für Nationale Sicherheit und Auswärtige Angelegenheiten“ ist ständiger Teil des „Ausschuss für Aufsicht und Reform der Regierung“ des Repräsentantenhauses.
Die Veröffentlichung des Berichts fällt mit den Machtkämpfen um die Kompetenzen der CIA, der Geheimdienste des US-Verteidigungsministeriums und den eigenmächtigen Spionagediensten des US-Militärs (wie diejenigen des General Petraeus) um die Kontrolle der Oberhoheit in den besetzten Gebieten zusammen, in denen sich Geschäfte mit Hilfe korrupter Politiker in mehrfacher Milliardenhöhe abwickeln lassen – die Möglichkeiten zum Geldverdienen reichen von der Opiumproduktion, den Rüstungsgeschäften und Waffenhandel, Lizenzen für die Ausbeutung der Rohstoffe, Aufträge für die Bauunternehmen bis hin in alle Bereiche des öffentlichen Lebens einer Gesellschaft. Es geht um die reine Ausbeutung eines Landes.
Billions in US weaponry seized by Taliban
Among the items seized by the Taliban are Black Hawk helicopters and A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft.
Photos have also circulated of Taliban fighters clutching U.S.-made M4 carbines and M16 rifles instead of their iconic AK-47s. And the militants have been spotted with U.S. Humvees and mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles.
Deutscher Botschafter führt erste Gespräche mit Taliban
Maas zufolge versucht die Bundesregierung derzeit, auch über Drittstaaten wie Katar Einfluss auf die Taliban zu nehmen. Derzeit gebe es aber noch „keine belastbaren Sicherheitszusagen“, dass die Taliban afghanische Staatsangehörige frei zum Flughafen in Kabul passieren lassen, sagte Maas.
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai holds talks with senior Taliban leader
A Taliban commander and senior leader of the Haqqani Network militant group, Anas Haqqani, met for talks with former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, a Taliban official told Reuters on Wednesday. Karzai was accompanied by Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the Afghan National Reconciliation Council.
So much for ‚Taliban 2.0‘: Fighters shoot dead journalist as he raises Afghan flag in defiance at Jalalabad protest as Kabul ‚car thief‘ is tarred and locals claim woman was shot dead for not wearing a burqa in rural province
A journalist who raised the Afghan national flag in defiance at a protest in the northern city of Jalalabad on Wednesday was shot dead by the jihadists, according to local reports. Zahidullah Nazirzada had joined defiant crowds in raising the tricolour, now outlawed and replaced by the Taliban‘s white banner.
Footage from Kabul showed a car thief on Tuesday with his face covered in tar, strapped up to the back of a truck and his hands tied behind his back as people gathered around to gawp. A traffic cop stood nearby apparently powerless.
A young woman was shot dead for allegedly refusing to wear a burqa by marauding jihadists when they captured the northern town of Taloqan in Takhar province last week, according to a post widely shared on social media.
Top Taliban leader leaves Qatar for Afghanistan
(17.08.2021)
A top Taliban official has met with a Qatari official before leaving the country for Afghanistan.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar met with Qatar‘s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Tuesday.
Transcript of Taliban’s first news conference in Kabul
“We have expelled the foreigners and I would like to congratulate the whole nation on this.
This is pride, not only for a limited number of people. This is a proud moment for the whole nation. This kind of pride is rare when it can be achieved. The whole nation, after the whole history of the nation and therefore, on the base of this I would like to congratulate the whole nation and I would like to welcome you.
Freedom and independence seeking is a legitimate right of every nation. The Afghans also use their legitimate right after 20 years of struggle for freedom and for emancipating the country from occupation, this was our right and we achieved this right.“
Machtübernahme in Afghanistan: Taliban verkünden Kriegsende und Amnestie
Frauen sollen arbeiten, sie seien Teil der Gesellschaft. Man werde allen verzeihen, „die gegen uns waren“, so die Taliban bei ihrem ersten offiziellen Auftritt. An den versöhnlichen Worten haben viele Menschen in Afghanistan Zweifel.
Meet Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who may become next president of Afghanistan
Baradar, who was reported to have been one of Taliban founder Mullah Omar`s most trusted commanders, was captured in 2010 by security forces in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi and released in 2018 and was relocated to Qatar.
Billions spent on Afghan army ultimately benefited Taliban
(today)
The Taliban captured an array of modern military equipment when they overran Afghan forces who failed to defend district centers. Bigger gains followed, including combat aircraft, when the Taliban rolled up provincial capitals and military bases with stunning speed, topped by capturing the biggest prize, Kabul, over the weekend.
A U.S. defense official on Monday confirmed the Taliban’s sudden accumulation of U.S.-supplied Afghan equipment is enormous.
McChrystal raus, Petraeus degradiert: Die „Warlord AG“ Afghanistan bekommt einen neuen Geschäftsführer
(23. Juni 2010)
Am Montag, den 22.Juni, veröffentlichte die Washington Post auf ihrer Webseite den neunundsiebzig Seiten langen Bericht des „Unterausschusses für Nationale Sicherheit und Auswärtige Angelegenheiten“ mit dem Titel „Warlord, Inc.: Extortion and Corruption Along the U.S. Supply Chain in Afghanistan“, für den der Leiter des Ausschusses, der Republikaner John F. Tierney (D-Mass.), verantwortlich zeichnete (1, 2).
Der „Unterausschuss für Nationale Sicherheit und Auswärtige Angelegenheiten“ ist ständiger Teil des „Ausschuss für Aufsicht und Reform der Regierung“ des Repräsentantenhauses.
Die Veröffentlichung des Berichts fällt mit den Machtkämpfen um die Kompetenzen der CIA, der Geheimdienste des US-Verteidigungsministeriums und den eigenmächtigen Spionagediensten des US-Militärs (wie diejenigen des General Petraeus) um die Kontrolle der Oberhoheit in den besetzten Gebieten zusammen, in denen sich Geschäfte mit Hilfe korrupter Politiker in mehrfacher Milliardenhöhe abwickeln lassen – die Möglichkeiten zum Geldverdienen reichen von der Opiumproduktion, den Rüstungsgeschäften und Waffenhandel, Lizenzen für die Ausbeutung der Rohstoffe, Aufträge für die Bauunternehmen bis hin in alle Bereiche des öffentlichen Lebens einer Gesellschaft. Es geht um die reine Ausbeutung eines Landes.
Krieg in Afghanistan: Warlord Inc. – freies Geleit gegen Geld
(23. Juni 2010)
Die USA verteilen in Afghanistan Milliarden Dollar an Firmen, damit schwerbewaffnete Söldner für Sicherheit sorgen. Die Dienstleister verdienen prächtig – und bestechen mit dem Steuergeld zwielichtige Kriegsfürsten und möglicherweise auch Taliban.