[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
- PAKISTAN COUNTER TERRORISM OPERATION IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA RESULTS IN SEVERAL ARRESTS – Police from Doaba launched a successful counter-terrorism operation that resulted in the arrests of 4 TTP Militants near Torawari. One of those arrested was a suspected Commander. Police recovered a treasure trove of intelligence that the group had in their possession. SIM Cards, mobile phones, remote-controlled explosives, and other arms and ammunition were confiscated. The SIM cards and mobile phone recharge cards were said to have come from Afghanistan. At least some of the four militants were known to the Police and had been involved in several kidnapping and extortion scams. The men were taken without a fight and no casualties were reported on either side.
- HUNDREDS OF AFGHANS RETURN FROM PAKISTAN OVER LAST THREE DAYS – News outlets affiliated with the Taliban regime have claimed that nearly 1,000 Afghans returned to Afghanistan by way of Torkham and Spin Boldak gates. It is thought that only about 100 were deported from Pakistan and the remainder were returning home after celebrating Eid al-Adha with friends and relatives.
- RUMORS THAT FORMER PRESIDENT KARZAI IS UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE TALIBAN – Insiders with access to both the Taliban and former Afghan President Karzai’s staff say the Taliban have directed the leader to refute criticisms of human rights abuses or he will be added to the travel exclusion list.
NEXT 24 HOURS
TURKISH CRACKDOWN ON AFGHAN REFUGEES POSSIBLE – Reports and video have been received of Turkish police and immigration officials visiting neighborhoods in Ankara and Istanbul where many Afghan refugees have congregated. The videos depict arrests of whole families and it is not clear what violations those taken into custody were charged with. It is too early to tell how many Afghans may have been rounded up in yesterday’s operations. It is also not clear if the program is specifically directed at Afghan refugees and whether it will expand to other areas of the country. At-risk Afghans sheltering in Turkey are advised to maintain an extraordinarily low profile until the situation becomes clearer. |