[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
- IN NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE, CHINA ASKS TALIBAN TO PROTECT ITS CITIZENS – Weeks after an ISIS-K attack on a Kabul hotel that catered to Chinese nationals, China’s Foreign Minister called on his counterpart in Afghanistan to prioritize the protection of Chinese citizens in the country. He also told Minister Muttaqi that Beijing would be willing to expand cooperation when the Taliban form an inclusive government.
- NATIONAL MOVEMENT FOR PEACE & DEMOCRACY FORMED – The NMPD issued a lengthy statement on the current political situation in Afghanistan and claimed the movement had formed with 5 political parties but was seeking to build a broader anti-Taliban coalition. The statement is critical of the Taliban’s ability to govern the country effectively and intends to use elections as a basis for a return to normalcy. It is not clear how much support the NMPD has.
- 2 MILD EARTHQUAKES REPORTED IN LAST 24HRS – A 3.9 magnitude earthquake was reported in Badakhshan on Monday and was followed by a second earthquake of 4.9 magnitude in Bamyan. Neither event has caused notable damage or casualties.
- THE SILENT KILLER – In addition to hundreds of deaths attributed to the recent cold spell in the country, at least 100 additional deaths have been reported in 15 Provinces from monoxide poisoning resulting from the use of natural gas and petroleum-fueled heaters in Afghan homes. With power outages and ‘brown-outs’ in many provinces, local residents have turned to propane, kerosene, and other forms of heat to stay warm. The use of such methods requires ventilation in confined spaces that can kill entire families. The total casualty count from this period of adverse weather is thought to be hovering around 500, but rural communities often do not report such deaths in their communities and the number may be significantly higher.
- BIZARRE ARREST IN PAKTIKA FOR ONLINE CRITICISM OF TALIBAN – The Taliban continue to monitor social media feeds with two specialized cyber-investigation cells in the Ministry of the Interior. In the Paktika case, the brother of an anti-Taliban Afghan who is living in exile was arrested for his brother’s Facebook posts. The brother under arrest, Ayaz Bacha, is not thought to have expressed any anti-Taliban sentiment online but fell victim to a Taliban plan to intimidate exiled Afghans by harassing friends and family. Mr. Bacha’s condition is currently unknown. The arrest follows on the heels of an incident where a prominent Paktika poet was detained for writing a critical poem.
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