Kate Clark
@clarkkate.bsky.social
Senior analyst with the Afghanistan Analysts Network. Also swims, sings and enjoys the birds singing.
Reposted by Kate Clark
We spend a lot of time asking questions about Afghanistan.
Today, we'd like to ask one of our readers.
What do you value most about AAN's work?
Tell us through our 10-minute readers' survey.
www.surveymonkey.com/r/RD59N85
Today, we'd like to ask one of our readers.
What do you value most about AAN's work?
Tell us through our 10-minute readers' survey.
www.surveymonkey.com/r/RD59N85
June 18, 2026 at 2:20 PM
We spend a lot of time asking questions about Afghanistan.
Today, we'd like to ask one of our readers.
What do you value most about AAN's work?
Tell us through our 10-minute readers' survey.
www.surveymonkey.com/r/RD59N85
Today, we'd like to ask one of our readers.
What do you value most about AAN's work?
Tell us through our 10-minute readers' survey.
www.surveymonkey.com/r/RD59N85
Reposted by Kate Clark
Nigel Farage Listens to the News
June 6, 2026 at 7:48 AM
Nigel Farage Listens to the News
Reposted by Kate Clark
The decline of ashar in rural Afghanistan is about more than labour. When reciprocal community work disappears, part of the village's social contract disappears with it. #Afghanistan #RuralDevelopment bit.ly/43fRlQd
The Decline of Ashar: How collective labour is fading in rural Afghanistan
For generations, the tradition of ashar – voluntary, unpaid communal labour – was one of the strongest expressions of solidarity in rural Afghan society. Whether harvesting a neighbour’s wheat, buildi...
bit.ly
June 8, 2026 at 9:40 AM
The decline of ashar in rural Afghanistan is about more than labour. When reciprocal community work disappears, part of the village's social contract disappears with it. #Afghanistan #RuralDevelopment bit.ly/43fRlQd
Reposted by Kate Clark
Climate change in Afghanistan is a story of drought, floods, water scarcity and survival. On #WorldEnvironmentDay, explore our new dossier bringing together our reporting on the environmental challenges shaping Afghanistan's future. bit.ly/43erfgs
Water, Climate and Survival in Afghanistan: A dossier of reports on the environment
The pressures on Afghanistan’s environment are increasingly urgent as the climate crisis bites. Our last dossier of reports on this subject was published in November 2022 when Afghanistan – one of the...
bit.ly
June 3, 2026 at 11:45 PM
Climate change in Afghanistan is a story of drought, floods, water scarcity and survival. On #WorldEnvironmentDay, explore our new dossier bringing together our reporting on the environmental challenges shaping Afghanistan's future. bit.ly/43erfgs
Reposted by Kate Clark
“Affordable” used to mean something a family could comfortably buy. Now it means something they can still manage after cutting back, borrowing, and going without.
A striking personal account of life in today’s Afghanistan.
bit.ly/3RE57cO #Afghanistan #CostOfLiving
A striking personal account of life in today’s Afghanistan.
bit.ly/3RE57cO #Afghanistan #CostOfLiving
What Affordable Means in Today’s Afghanistan: Choosing what to give up and what to hold on to
What happens when a family that once enjoyed a comfortable life can no longer afford the things it once took for granted? This is the situation for many Afghan households still struggling in the wake ...
bit.ly
May 31, 2026 at 5:10 PM
“Affordable” used to mean something a family could comfortably buy. Now it means something they can still manage after cutting back, borrowing, and going without.
A striking personal account of life in today’s Afghanistan.
bit.ly/3RE57cO #Afghanistan #CostOfLiving
A striking personal account of life in today’s Afghanistan.
bit.ly/3RE57cO #Afghanistan #CostOfLiving
Reposted by Kate Clark
“This was more than a bird count. It was a reconnection of Afghanistan to the global flyway.”
Powerful report from #Afghanistan documents disappearing wetlands, migratory birds and fragile ecosystems across - and the urgent fight to protect what remains.
#Conservation #Afghanistan
bit.ly/4uL2KTP
Powerful report from #Afghanistan documents disappearing wetlands, migratory birds and fragile ecosystems across - and the urgent fight to protect what remains.
#Conservation #Afghanistan
bit.ly/4uL2KTP
No Flamingos, but Ducks, Geese and Grebes: Afghanistan joins an international bird census
The first survey of birds to be carried out by an Afghan organisation since the fall of the Islamic Republic has taken place. It was also the first time that Afghanistan has taken part in the annual I...
bit.ly
May 11, 2026 at 5:40 AM
“This was more than a bird count. It was a reconnection of Afghanistan to the global flyway.”
Powerful report from #Afghanistan documents disappearing wetlands, migratory birds and fragile ecosystems across - and the urgent fight to protect what remains.
#Conservation #Afghanistan
bit.ly/4uL2KTP
Powerful report from #Afghanistan documents disappearing wetlands, migratory birds and fragile ecosystems across - and the urgent fight to protect what remains.
#Conservation #Afghanistan
bit.ly/4uL2KTP
Reposted by Kate Clark
Afghanistan’s courts have been transformed & defence lawyers are being pushed to the margins. In our new report, we hear from lawyers about what this means for fair trials and access to justice. #Afghanistan
bit.ly/4ukcDYb
bit.ly/4ukcDYb
Practising Law Under the Emirate: Afghan defence lawyers fight for space in a transformed justice system
After the fall of the Islamic Republic, the newly empowered Islamic Emirate radically overhauled the courts and the criminal justice system, elevating sharia as the sole source of law, along with the ...
bit.ly
May 3, 2026 at 6:15 AM
Afghanistan’s courts have been transformed & defence lawyers are being pushed to the margins. In our new report, we hear from lawyers about what this means for fair trials and access to justice. #Afghanistan
bit.ly/4ukcDYb
bit.ly/4ukcDYb
Reposted by Kate Clark
Latest Daily on Monocle Radio. @clarkkate.bsky.social and @charleshecker.bsky.social on Moscow's lo-fi plans for Victory Day, the James Comey indictment and other stories, plus Charlotte McDonald-Gibson on diplomatic dining etiquette. monocle.com/radio/shows/...
Nothing to see here: Russia plans military parade with no weaponry on show - Monocle
We discuss the drivers behind Putin scaling back this year’s Victory Day commemorations. Then: The Afghanistan-Pakistan ceasefire teeters and former...
monocle.com
April 29, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Latest Daily on Monocle Radio. @clarkkate.bsky.social and @charleshecker.bsky.social on Moscow's lo-fi plans for Victory Day, the James Comey indictment and other stories, plus Charlotte McDonald-Gibson on diplomatic dining etiquette. monocle.com/radio/shows/...
Reposted by Kate Clark
Reposted by Kate Clark
A young woman in #Afghanistan lost her education, her job & her future in 2021. After her family arranged a marriage to a man in Europe she had never met, she found herself trapped with abusive in-laws. Her story is one of many.
#Afghanistan #Women #HumanRights
bit.ly/4w8zcRF
#Afghanistan #Women #HumanRights
bit.ly/4w8zcRF
A Marriage I Didn’t Choose: An Afghan girl’s journey into despair and back
After the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan returned to power in August 2021, women and girls were barred from continuing their education beyond grade six. Women were also banned from working in most gov...
bit.ly
April 25, 2026 at 5:39 AM
A young woman in #Afghanistan lost her education, her job & her future in 2021. After her family arranged a marriage to a man in Europe she had never met, she found herself trapped with abusive in-laws. Her story is one of many.
#Afghanistan #Women #HumanRights
bit.ly/4w8zcRF
#Afghanistan #Women #HumanRights
bit.ly/4w8zcRF
Reposted by Kate Clark
11 judges and prosecutors at the International Criminal Court have been sanctioned by the US government. Some have come public about how it's deeply affected their daily life. And it’s unclear what protection they may enjoy.
www.justiceinfo.net/en/156847-li...
#InternationalCriminalCourt
www.justiceinfo.net/en/156847-li...
#InternationalCriminalCourt
“Living with US sanctions means living in constant uncertainty”
A total of 11 judges and prosecutors at the International Criminal Court have been sanctioned by the US government. Some have come public about how it's deeply affected their daily life. And it’s uncl...
www.justiceinfo.net
March 23, 2026 at 10:49 AM
11 judges and prosecutors at the International Criminal Court have been sanctioned by the US government. Some have come public about how it's deeply affected their daily life. And it’s unclear what protection they may enjoy.
www.justiceinfo.net/en/156847-li...
#InternationalCriminalCourt
www.justiceinfo.net/en/156847-li...
#InternationalCriminalCourt
Reposted by Kate Clark
Sultan Ali Keshtmand (1935–2026), #Afghanistan’s former prime minister during the Soviet era, has died. A key figure of PDPA’s Parcham faction, he later became a vocal advocate for Hazara rights and ethnic inclusion. @thomasruttig.bsky.social reflects on his life and complex legacy. bit.ly/4uK6OnV
Obituary for Sultan Ali Keshtmand (1935-2026): Afghanistan’s Soviet-era political leader and Hazara rights advocate
Few Afghan politicians from the era of the Soviet-backed People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) regime combined technocratic skill with a clear focus on combatting ethnic inequality, as Sulta...
bit.ly
March 21, 2026 at 12:21 PM
Sultan Ali Keshtmand (1935–2026), #Afghanistan’s former prime minister during the Soviet era, has died. A key figure of PDPA’s Parcham faction, he later became a vocal advocate for Hazara rights and ethnic inclusion. @thomasruttig.bsky.social reflects on his life and complex legacy. bit.ly/4uK6OnV
Reposted by Kate Clark
We had the privilege of knowing Nicholas (Fink) Haysom in Afghanistan, his compassion and wisdom were a constant inspiration, and his steadfast commitment to peace left lasting mark on all who worked with him or knew him. He will be remembered with great warmth and respect, and deeply missed.
March 20, 2026 at 7:06 AM
We had the privilege of knowing Nicholas (Fink) Haysom in Afghanistan, his compassion and wisdom were a constant inspiration, and his steadfast commitment to peace left lasting mark on all who worked with him or knew him. He will be remembered with great warmth and respect, and deeply missed.
Reposted by Kate Clark
Sick of war destroying us, our beautiful planet and our future… The world needs more peace movements, anti-militarism groups, green & feminist movements and less unhinged, greedy rich men killing children and destroying our shared home
March 17, 2026 at 12:24 AM
Sick of war destroying us, our beautiful planet and our future… The world needs more peace movements, anti-militarism groups, green & feminist movements and less unhinged, greedy rich men killing children and destroying our shared home
Reposted by Kate Clark
What’s behind the UN Security Council’s decision to renew the UNAMA's mandate for only three months? AAN’s @jb_AAN unpacks the diplomacy behind the move — from US pressure for a “technical rollover” to wider debates about the future of international engagement with #Afghanistan.
bit.ly/4uwNlXJ
bit.ly/4uwNlXJ
US pressure on the UN: UNAMA gets only a three-month mandate renewal
The mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is due to be renewed by the UN Security Council on Monday, 16 March. Although the penholder on Afghanistan, China, had not i...
bit.ly
March 15, 2026 at 5:05 PM
What’s behind the UN Security Council’s decision to renew the UNAMA's mandate for only three months? AAN’s @jb_AAN unpacks the diplomacy behind the move — from US pressure for a “technical rollover” to wider debates about the future of international engagement with #Afghanistan.
bit.ly/4uwNlXJ
bit.ly/4uwNlXJ
Reposted by Kate Clark
Among other more obvious horrors, this war is closing our window to mitigate climate breakdown
🔴 Shahr Rey Oil Refinery Ablaze in Tehran
Footage reportedly shows a roaring fire at the Shahr Rey oil refinery in Tehran this evening. According to reports
#iran #warupdate
Footage reportedly shows a roaring fire at the Shahr Rey oil refinery in Tehran this evening. According to reports
#iran #warupdate
March 7, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Among other more obvious horrors, this war is closing our window to mitigate climate breakdown
Reposted by Kate Clark
I no longer live in war, but war lives in me forever. I put the kids to sleep and am shaking with a cocktail of emotions, as if I am not hearing the distant sound of birds but rockets overhead.
February 28, 2026 at 8:56 PM
I no longer live in war, but war lives in me forever. I put the kids to sleep and am shaking with a cocktail of emotions, as if I am not hearing the distant sound of birds but rockets overhead.
Reposted by Kate Clark
Also very difficult to effectively conduct dynamic targeting without boots on the ground
Which means this is likely a 1-2 week heavy bombing campaign followed by a short period of strat comms bravado, some months of wishful thinking, and a long slog of diplomatic repairs with our allies & partners
Which means this is likely a 1-2 week heavy bombing campaign followed by a short period of strat comms bravado, some months of wishful thinking, and a long slog of diplomatic repairs with our allies & partners
fwiw at the tempo of a high intensity air campaign everyone involved will be out of remotely useful targets one way or the other in under 2 weeks
According to CBS News, the current US military campaign could last around 10 days, citing a source familiar with the matter.
February 28, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Also very difficult to effectively conduct dynamic targeting without boots on the ground
Which means this is likely a 1-2 week heavy bombing campaign followed by a short period of strat comms bravado, some months of wishful thinking, and a long slog of diplomatic repairs with our allies & partners
Which means this is likely a 1-2 week heavy bombing campaign followed by a short period of strat comms bravado, some months of wishful thinking, and a long slog of diplomatic repairs with our allies & partners
Reposted by Kate Clark
In our new report, @clarkkate.bsky.social examines the implications of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's new penal code for human rights and the rule of law, including concerns about discrimination, confession-based convictions and the concentration of authority.
bit.ly/4cgPro1
bit.ly/4cgPro1
Inside the Islamic Emirate’s Penal Code: Crime, punishment and authority in Afghanistan
The Islamic Emirate has circulated a new penal code to Afghanistan’s courts, standardising punishments for everything from insulting the ulema to forgery, taking and giving bribes and casting the evil...
bit.ly
February 26, 2026 at 6:11 PM
In our new report, @clarkkate.bsky.social examines the implications of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's new penal code for human rights and the rule of law, including concerns about discrimination, confession-based convictions and the concentration of authority.
bit.ly/4cgPro1
bit.ly/4cgPro1
Ramadan Mubarak to all friends fasting this month.
February 17, 2026 at 10:00 PM
Ramadan Mubarak to all friends fasting this month.
Reposted by Kate Clark
Kabul’s smog is only part of the story. Across Afghanistan, air pollution, contaminated groundwater, open dumping and persistent noise reflect deeper governance and infrastructure gaps.
Read the full report: bit.ly/4am5Vsj
Read the full report: bit.ly/4am5Vsj
Pollution in Afghanistan: Air, water, waste and noise under weak governance
Kabul’s winters bring a suffocating haze, as residents burn coal, wood and even plastic to heat their homes and use outdated vehicles, releasing toxic fumes into the city’s dry air. However, perhaps ...
bit.ly
February 11, 2026 at 9:23 AM
Kabul’s smog is only part of the story. Across Afghanistan, air pollution, contaminated groundwater, open dumping and persistent noise reflect deeper governance and infrastructure gaps.
Read the full report: bit.ly/4am5Vsj
Read the full report: bit.ly/4am5Vsj
Reposted by Kate Clark
In #Afghanistan, marriage is rarely a personal choice. In Panjshir, some girls refuse forced marriages by turning up at a man’s door and asking to marry him. It’s called shingari.
This is the story of a young woman who said no and claimed her own future.
🔗 bit.ly/4agaTrQ
This is the story of a young woman who said no and claimed her own future.
🔗 bit.ly/4agaTrQ
When a Girl Turns Up at the Door: How an Afghan custom helped one young woman refuse a forced marriage
For women – and often not for men either – marriage is rarely a personal choice. It is usually decided by families, most often by fathers. In Panjshir province, some young women try to escape unwanted...
bit.ly
January 27, 2026 at 6:35 PM
In #Afghanistan, marriage is rarely a personal choice. In Panjshir, some girls refuse forced marriages by turning up at a man’s door and asking to marry him. It’s called shingari.
This is the story of a young woman who said no and claimed her own future.
🔗 bit.ly/4agaTrQ
This is the story of a young woman who said no and claimed her own future.
🔗 bit.ly/4agaTrQ
Reposted by Kate Clark
We begin the year with a review of Shabnam, a newly translated novel by Bengali author Mujtaba Ali - a lyrical novel set in the tumultuous period of the reign and overthrow of King Amanullah & rooted in Persian literary traditions of mysticism and epic love. #Afghanistan #Literature
bit.ly/451wH7H
bit.ly/451wH7H
Reviewing a Unique Mystical Novel Set in 1920s Afghanistan: Shabnam, a pathway to the sun
The recently published English translation of the Bengali novel Shabnam, written by Syed Mujtaba Ali and drawing on his experiences of Kabul during the 1920s, deserves a closer look from anyone intere...
bit.ly
January 7, 2026 at 8:40 AM
We begin the year with a review of Shabnam, a newly translated novel by Bengali author Mujtaba Ali - a lyrical novel set in the tumultuous period of the reign and overthrow of King Amanullah & rooted in Persian literary traditions of mysticism and epic love. #Afghanistan #Literature
bit.ly/451wH7H
bit.ly/451wH7H
Reposted by Kate Clark
In 2025, the Emirate ordered books removed from bookstores and libraries in Afghanistan and set up a committee to ban texts deemed “incompatible” with official beliefs.
bit.ly/4q2Zst2
bit.ly/4q2Zst2
What Afghans May Read: Banned books under the Islamic Emirate
In 2025, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan intensified its efforts to circumscribe the information available to Afghan citizens, following its October 2024 order to libraries and bookstores to remove...
bit.ly
December 30, 2025 at 12:02 PM
In 2025, the Emirate ordered books removed from bookstores and libraries in Afghanistan and set up a committee to ban texts deemed “incompatible” with official beliefs.
bit.ly/4q2Zst2
bit.ly/4q2Zst2
Very sad to see that the Two Wheels Good bike shop in London N4 has closed. They've been helping me out since the mid-1990s, Jon and Paddy. Brilliant people: friendly, helpful and always had great music playing.
December 10, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Very sad to see that the Two Wheels Good bike shop in London N4 has closed. They've been helping me out since the mid-1990s, Jon and Paddy. Brilliant people: friendly, helpful and always had great music playing.