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Abubakar Siddique

Abubakar Siddique, a journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Azadi, specializes in the coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is the author of The Pashtun Question: The Unresolved Key To The Future Of Pakistan And Afghanistan. He is also one of the authors of the Azadi Briefing, a weekly newsletter that unpacks the key issues in Afghanistan.

Also by Abubakar Siddique

May 03, 2024
The Azadi Briefing: Deadly Floods Wreak Havoc Across Afghanistan

Heavy rains in Afghanistan have killed more than 100 people and damaged thousands of hectares of land in recent weeks. I'm Abubakar Siddique, senior correspondent at RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. Here's what I've been tracking and what I'm keeping an eye on in the days ahead.
May 03, 2024
This Is What It's Like To Be A Journalist Under Taliban Rule

The Taliban's crackdown on the free press has transformed how journalists work in Afghanistan, where reporters face restrictions on what they can cover, how they can cover it, and who they can interview.
April 26, 2024
The Azadi Briefing: Afghans Protest Taliban's Decision To Abolish Pension System

An estimated 150,000 Afghan retirees have not received their pensions since the Taliban seized power in 2021.
April 23, 2024
What's Behind The Deadly Surge Of Violence In Pakistan's Balochistan?

Pakistan's volatile province of Balochistan has seen a sharp increase in deadly attacks in recent months. Most of the attacks have been claimed by a Baluch separatist militant group.
April 19, 2024
The Azadi Briefing: Taliban Deals Another Blow To Afghan Media

Welcome to The Azadi Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that unpacks the key issues in Afghanistan. To subscribe, click here. I'm Abubakar Siddique, senior correspondent at RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. Here's what I've been tracking and what I'm keeping an eye on in the days ahead.
March 26, 2024
From Offshoot To 'Spearhead': The Rise Of IS-K, Islamic State's Afghanistan Branch

U.S. officials have blamed IS-K, the Afghanistan branch of the Islamic State extremist group, for the attack on a concert hall near Moscow. Experts say the attack demonstrates the affiliate's growing ambitions and capabilities as well as its leading role in the umbrella organization.
March 22, 2024
The Azadi Briefing: Deadly Bombing In Taliban's De Facto Capital Deals A Blow To Militants

A deadly suicide bombing in Afghanistan’s southern city of Kandahar is a blow to the Taliban, which claims to have restored security in the country since seizing power in 2021.
March 18, 2024
'I Feel Like An Alien': Afghan Muslims Decry India's New Citizenship Law

India’s new immigration law grants citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, including Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians. But the law excludes Muslims, including thousands of Afghans who have lived in the South Asian country for decades.
March 15, 2024
The Azadi Briefing: Taliban's Investment In Iranian Port Signals Shift Away From Pakistan

The Taliban government has invested $35 million in the southern Iranian seaport of Chabahar to end Afghanistan's dependence on Pakistani ports for trade transit.
March 08, 2024
The Azadi Briefing: Taliban Appears Split Over Women's Education Ban

A former senior Taliban official has criticized the group’s ban on women’s education.
March 05, 2024
Taliban Returns Its 'Eye For An Eye' Justice To Afghanistan

The increasing number of public executions being carried out under the Taliban marks a return to the Islamist group's infamous approach to meting out justice and underscores its renewed commitment to its strict interpretation of Shari'a law.
March 01, 2024
The Azadi Briefing: Afghan Poet Languishes In Taliban Captivity

A popular Afghan poet is languishing in a Taliban prison in what his family and rights activist sees as another attack on freedom of expression by the hard-line Islamist group.
February 23, 2024
The Azadi Briefing: Public Executions On The Rise Under Taliban Rule

The Taliban’s use of corporal and capital punishments and retributive justice underscores its commitment to imposing strict Islamic Shari'a law.
February 20, 2024
Taliban's Boycott Of Key UN Meeting A Blow To Hopes Of Increased Engagement

The Taliban refused to attend a major conference sponsored by the United Nations. The meeting came amid a standoff between the extremist group and the international community, which is keen to improve dialogue with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
February 16, 2024
The Azadi Briefing: Why Does The Taliban Oppose Appointment Of A UN Special Envoy To Afghanistan?

The Taliban opposes the appointment of a UN special envoy, a leading international interlocutor who would promote dialogue among Afghans.
February 14, 2024
Wounded Ex-Lawmaker Among Scores Of Candidates Challenging Results Of Disputed Pakistani Elections

Former lawmaker Mohsin Dawar was shot and wounded when he protested the results of the election in northwestern Pakistan. He is among scores of candidates who are challenging the results of the disputed February 8 general elections, which were marred by widespread allegations of vote rigging.
February 12, 2024
What's Next After Pakistan's Inconclusive Elections?

Rival political parties are in talks to form a coalition government after no clear winner emerged from the February 8 general elections. Experts say the most likely outcome is a coalition between former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan People's Party.
February 09, 2024
Analysis: Pakistanis Defy Powerful Army In Elections

Pakistan’s powerful army was accused of orchestrating the jailing of opposition figure Imran Khan and the crackdown on his Pakistan PTI party ahead of the February 8 general elections. Despite the obstacles, independent candidates backed by Khan appear poised to win the most seats in the vote.
February 09, 2024
The Azadi Briefing: Taliban Minister Under Fire For Alleged Nepotism

See also: Calls for release of Afghan education activists
February 06, 2024
'Nothing Will Change': Pakistani Army's Alleged Election Meddling Dashes Hopes For Real Transformation

Many Pakistanis are disillusioned by the powerful army’s alleged meddling ahead of the February 8 general elections.

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