Afghan Shoppers Go Online to Avoid Bombs

Afghan shopkeepers work on their laptop at their online shop in Kabul, Afghanistan June 4, 2018. Picture taken June 4, 2018. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani
Afghan shopkeepers work on their laptop at their online shop in Kabul, Afghanistan June 4, 2018. Picture taken June 4, 2018. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani
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Afghan Shoppers Go Online to Avoid Bombs

Afghan shopkeepers work on their laptop at their online shop in Kabul, Afghanistan June 4, 2018. Picture taken June 4, 2018. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani
Afghan shopkeepers work on their laptop at their online shop in Kabul, Afghanistan June 4, 2018. Picture taken June 4, 2018. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani

Esmatullah, 27, earns good profile during the month of Ramadan through his e-shop "Afghan Mart" , which he set up just over a year ago, with 500,000 afghanis ($7,000) worth of goods.

Esmatullah says that during Ramadan he receives an average of 50 calls.

" An average of 50 customers call me daily and we deliver,” he said, according to Reuters, adding that he is looking to expand into the provinces by the end of the year.

His shop's success reflects a broader trend among shoppers in the Afghan capital who are keen to buy everything from food to fashion.

It is believed that online shopping is on the rise due to people's attempt to avoid bomb attacks and harassment.

One of the delivery drives said riding a motorcycle in the streets of a city like Kabul, where danger is at every corner surrounding citizens, is a big challenge.

“We have seen more bomb blasts in Kabul that delayed our delivery services,” Esmatullah said. “When that happens, we stop delivering in that direction or that part of the city.

“But the insecurity is one of the reasons that our business has found its way. And besides the insecurity, there is a bad culture of street harassment that unfortunately our women face in cities.”



No Known Intelligence that Iran Moved Uranium, US Defense Chief Says

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine, speak during a press conference at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, US, June 26, 2025. REUTERS/Idrees Ali
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine, speak during a press conference at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, US, June 26, 2025. REUTERS/Idrees Ali
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No Known Intelligence that Iran Moved Uranium, US Defense Chief Says

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine, speak during a press conference at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, US, June 26, 2025. REUTERS/Idrees Ali
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine, speak during a press conference at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, US, June 26, 2025. REUTERS/Idrees Ali

US defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday said he was unaware of any intelligence suggesting Iran had moved any of its highly enriched uranium to shield it from US strikes on Iran's nuclear program over the weekend.

"I'm not aware of any intelligence that I've reviewed that says things were not where they were supposed to be, moved or otherwise," Hegseth said, Reuters reported.

After the strikes, several experts also cautioned that Iran likely moved a stockpile of near weapons-grade highly enriched uranium out of Fordow before the strike early Sunday morning and could be hiding it and other nuclear components in locations unknown to Israel, the US and UN nuclear inspectors.

They noted satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showing "unusual activity" at Fordow on Thursday and Friday, with a long line of vehicles waiting outside an entrance to the facility. A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Sunday most of the near weapons-grade 60% highly enriched uranium had been moved to an undisclosed location before the US attack. Hegseth's comments denying those claims came at a news briefing where he accused the media of downplaying the success of US strikes on Iran's nuclear program following a leaked, preliminary assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency suggesting they may have only set back Iran by months.

Hegseth said the assessment was low confidence, and, citing comments from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, said it had been overtaken by intelligence showing Iran's nuclear program was severely damaged by recent US strikes, and that it would take years to rebuild.