The Taliban announced in August that it had destroyed over 20,000 musical instruments in Afghanistan in the past year. The extremist group considers instruments un-Islamic and permits only unaccompanied singing. In an interview with RFE/RL, an exiled Afghan musician condemned the move.
U.S. authorities say they have arrested an Afghan citizen and charged him with conspiring to conduct a terrorist attack on Election Day in the United States in the name of the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) extremist group. Experts say the case highlights the growing threat posed by IS-K to the West.
The wife of a French-Afghan journalist held in custody by the Taliban in Afghanistan says she's deeply concerned for his physical and mental well-being. Aleksandra Mostovaja told RFE/RL's Zhakfar Ahmadi that she had spoken to her husband Mortaza Behboudi only once since his detention in January.
Afghan authorities are troubled by a new radio station that has been broadcasting antigovernment propaganda in the eastern province of Nangarhar and seeking recruits for the militant group Islamic State.
