Photographers in Afghanistan

Kandahar honey production up by 40% due to basil cultivation

Reporting style, Informative: The article presents factual information about honey production and basil cultivation in Kandahar.

Kandahar's honey production has surged by 40% this year, attributed to the increased cultivation of basil. The province is expected to harvest 80,000 kilograms of honey, doubling last year's output. Kandahar's basil honey is renowned for its quality, fetching high prices domestically and internationally. Beekeepers are advocating for more training and support to maintain bee colonies, as well as for exhibition opportunities to promote their products. The increased production is also expected to lower honey prices, benefiting both producers and consumers.

Displaced Once More

Reporting style, Balanced: The article presents factual information about the deportation of Afghans from Pakistan, but includes personal stories and quotes that add subjective elements.

Political context, Left: The article highlights human rights concerns and the plight of migrants, which aligns with left-leaning perspectives on social justice and humanitarian issues.

Thousands of Afghans, including Shigofa Amiri, have been deported from Pakistan, facing uncertain futures as they return to Afghanistan. The United Nations reports a significant influx of returnees, many of whom are children, amid desperate conditions. Pakistani authorities' deportation threats have drawn criticism from Human Rights Watch, citing risks of persecution. Returnees like Khudabakhsh and Hussain express relief at leaving Pakistan but face challenges in Afghanistan, where economic conditions remain dire. The situation underscores ongoing humanitarian and human rights concerns in the region.

Campaigners call for end to “horrible war” in Ukraine

Reporting style, Informative: Primarily factual reporting with quoted personal views

A rally in Norwich marked the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine, with Ukrainian community members and supporters urging continued international backing and calling for an end to the conflict. Speakers highlighted worsening conditions in Ukraine, the need for unity, and fears that Russian aggression will continue unless confronted. The event concluded with the Ukrainian national anthem and a moment of silence for those killed in the war.

The US left $7 billion worth of military equipment in Afghanistan

Reporting style, Informative: Mostly factual reporting based on a Pentagon report, with limited interpretive language.

Political context, Centre: Primarily factual coverage of the equipment left behind, with attributed criticism of the US withdrawal.

After the US withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, military equipment valued at about $7 billion was left behind and came under Taliban control. Citing a Pentagon report, the article lists 78 aircraft, 22,000 Humvees and thousands of advanced weapons, as well as bombs, missiles and communications equipment. The Taliban celebrated its takeover with US weapons, while social-media footage of armored vehicles reportedly moving through Pakistan and Iran fueled speculation that equipment had been sold across borders. The Pentagon said the US had supplied Afghan security forces with $18.6 billion in equipment between 2005 and 2021. US officials said they had no plans to return to recover or destroy the equipment, despite reports that functioning aircraft remained at Kabul airport.

How severely Afghanistan is affected by the climate crisis

Reporting style, Informative: Mostly factual description of climate impacts with minimal subjective commentary

Severe flooding in May devastated large parts of Afghanistan, killing hundreds and destroying entire regions. A farm affected by the catastrophe is visited to illustrate the human toll and the growing vulnerability of the country to the escalating climate crisis.

Covering the earthquake response in Afghanistan

Reporting style, Informative: Mostly factual project description with minimal subjective commentary

A Fairpicture project was commissioned after flooding prevented the client, Cordaid, from traveling to Afghanistan. Photographer Sayed Aman Sadat and editor Mickael Franci documented the first six months of humanitarian response to the October 2023 Herat earthquakes. The work highlights the efforts of Dutch Relief Alliance partners supporting affected communities amid Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. The project includes interviews and documentary photography depicting aid workers, local populations, and rebuilding efforts. The collected material will be used in print and online publications targeting policymakers, humanitarian professionals, and advocates for continued support in Afghanistan.

Child malnutrition crisis worsens in Afghanistan

Reporting style, Factual: Factual news footage description reporting malnutrition figures and hospital conditions.

A video report describes a worsening child malnutrition crisis in Afghanistan. UNICEF estimates that 3.7 million children suffer acute malnutrition, including about one million with severe, potentially life-threatening cases. Hospitals, especially in the south, are reporting more admissions while facing limited treatment capacity; children under two are among the most affected. Footage shows children receiving treatment at Kabul’s Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital.

Kabul Marks Five Years of Taliban Rule

Reporting style, Factual: Factual description of a commemoration ceremony and its attendees.

A ceremony at Kabul’s Loya Jirga Hall marked five years since the Taliban returned to power after U.S. troops withdrew in 2021. Senior Taliban officials, diplomatic representatives—including Arab and Western diplomats—and media attended. The video also shows streets in Kabul on the anniversary.

Ban on Girls’ Education: How Afghan Women Continue Learning in Secret

Reporting style, Informative: Predominantly factual reporting, though it uses critical framing about Taliban repression and the risks faced by Afghan girls and teachers.

Political context, Centre-left: Critical coverage of Taliban rule and emphasis on women’s rights, access to education, and humanitarian consequences.

More than 2.6 million Afghan girls are barred from attending regular school from seventh grade onward under Taliban restrictions. Women and teachers continue education through secret schools and online classes, including a program run by Cologne-based Anar Academy that enrolled more than 1,400 girls this year. Unstable internet, poverty, and the threat of raids and violence force many students to abandon their studies, while Taliban officials claim that basic, religious, home-based, and online education remains permitted. The restrictions are compounded by Afghanistan’s worsening humanitarian crisis, but many girls continue to assert their right to learn.

School ban under the Taliban: How Afghan girls continue learning in secret

Reporting style, Informative: Predominantly factual reporting, with critical accounts of the Taliban's education restrictions and humanitarian conditions.

Political context, Centre: Fact-based coverage of Taliban education policy that emphasizes its consequences without adopting a clearly partisan political position.

Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, girls in Afghanistan have been barred from secondary schools and universities, excluding around 2.6 million from further education. Some schools continue teaching older girls discreetly, while the Cologne-based Anar Academy offers online classes for grades seven through twelve. More than 1,400 students joined the program this year, although internet problems, poverty and security threats prevent many from completing it. Students and teachers say education, particularly English and vocational training, is essential, but they stress that online lessons cannot replace safe in-person schooling. Taliban officials claim that home, online and religious education remain permitted, creating a narrow and uncertain space for such initiatives.

New generation of Afghan women shift from burqa

Reporting style, Balanced: The article presents a mix of factual reporting and subjective perspectives from individuals.

Political context, Far right: The article discusses the Taliban's strict enforcement of Islamic law and gender roles.

Since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, Afghan women have faced strict dress codes, but many young women are opting for abayas and hijabs over the traditional burqa, citing comfort and freedom of expression. The Taliban's enforcement of Islamic law has led to a gender apartheid, with women being erased from public spaces. Despite the restrictions, the new generation is influenced by social media and fashion trends from Gulf nations. The article highlights the cultural shift and the challenges women face under the Taliban's rule.

A Storied Female Warlord Surrenders, Taliban Say, Exposing Afghan Weakness

Bibi Ayesha, also known as Commander Kaftar, a rare female warlord in Afghanistan, has been a formidable figure in the country's long-standing conflict. Despite her age and health issues, she maintained an undefeated record in the wars she fought. However, the Taliban recently announced that Commander Kaftar has surrendered to them, as confirmed by local officials in Baghlan Province and her relatives. The surrender was seen as a necessary move for survival, given that her position was heavily compromised with surrounding militias defecting to the Taliban, leaving her with no viable options to continue her resistance.

How the Taliban’s “War on Drugs” Could Backfire

Reporting style, Balanced: Fact-based investigative analysis with a strongly critical interpretation of the Taliban’s drug ban and its consequences.

Political context, Centre-left: The article is critical of Taliban governance and coercive policies, emphasizes humanitarian and economic harms, and advocates pragmatic drug-policy analysis without presenting a broader partisan platform.

The Taliban’s bans on opium cultivation and ephedra processing are eliminating vital cash income for impoverished rural families amid Afghanistan’s economic collapse, without clear evidence that drug availability or addiction has fallen. Farmers, dealers, and analysts report that Taliban members continue to control or profit from parts of the trade, while addicts face violent arrests and severely abusive rehabilitation conditions. The policy may be intended to secure international legitimacy and humanitarian aid, but the lack of viable agricultural alternatives or income support risks starvation, alienating Taliban supporters, increasing corruption, and destabilizing the regime. A sustained reduction in heroin supply could also encourage synthetic-drug production and worsen overdose risks in Afghanistan and international markets.

Afghanistan: The Taliban “Hunt” Drug Addicts

Reporting style, Informative: A reportage headline frames the Taliban’s actions, but the limited text provides little subjective commentary.

A reportage from Kabul by Ilario Piagnerelli and Andrea Vaccarella concerns the Taliban’s pursuit of people with drug addictions in Afghanistan.

Destruction of Poppy Fields and Shooting at Farmers in Badakhshan

Reporting style, Interpretive: The article contains subjective statements and personal accounts, indicating a mix of opinion and fact.

Political context, Far right: The article discusses actions and policies of the Taliban, a far-right group.

In Badakhshan's Khash district, Taliban forces, not native to the area, initiated a violent operation to destroy poppy fields, the primary income source for many families. The operation led to clashes, resulting in multiple farmer casualties and injuries. Despite local protests and mediation by some Taliban members, the destruction continued, exacerbating the economic plight of the farmers. The Taliban's actions have been met with criticism for their harshness and lack of alternative solutions for the impoverished farmers. The situation highlights the ongoing conflict and human rights issues in the region.

Taliban, Gold, and China; Power Play in Takhar Mines

Reporting style, Balanced: The article presents a mix of factual reporting and subjective viewpoints, particularly regarding the impact of Chinese involvement and Taliban control.

Political context, Far right: The article discusses the Taliban's control and policies, which are often associated with far-right ideologies.

Chinese citizens are heavily involved in gold mining operations in Takhar, Afghanistan, under Taliban protection. The operations have sidelined local workers, leading to protests and accusations of exploitation and environmental damage. The Taliban have granted mining rights to Chinese companies, raising concerns about transparency and local economic impact. Despite local opposition, the Taliban maintain strict control over the mining areas, prioritizing foreign investment over local interests.

Bus crash kills more than 70 Afghans deported from Iran, including 17 children

Reporting style, Balanced: The article presents factual information but includes some subjective statements about the situation of Afghan migrants.

Political context, Centre: The article discusses international relations and human rights issues without a clear political bias.

A tragic bus accident in Afghanistan resulted in the deaths of at least 75 people, including 17 children, who were Afghan migrants deported from Iran. The accident occurred in Herat province when the bus collided with a motorbike and another vehicle, both of which caught fire. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Afghan migrants returning from Iran and Pakistan, where they have faced discrimination and forced deportations. The mass expulsions have raised concerns about further destabilization in Afghanistan, with international rights groups and the Taliban criticizing the actions as violations of international norms. The U.N. reports a significant increase in returnees, creating a human rights crisis, particularly for women and girls. Despite Taliban assurances of support for returnees, Afghanistan struggles to provide basic services amid reduced international funding.

Afghanistan: Donations for Families in Need

Reporting style, Interpretive: The text is a call for donations and contains subjective statements about the humanitarian situation.

Political context, Centre: The text discusses the humanitarian impact of political and military actions without taking a clear political stance.

Afghanistan is facing a severe humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by the withdrawal of NATO and US troops and the resurgence of the Taliban. Many families, particularly women and children, are in dire need of food, water, and medical care. The organization Help is actively providing aid, including support for returning refugees from Iran, but faces challenges due to international aid cuts. The text calls for donations to support these efforts.