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2023-04-10 Afghanistan
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Daily Evacuation Brief April 8 - 10, 2023
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[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
- MORE FIGHTING ERUPTS IN NIMRUZ – A home that purportedly housed an ISIS-K cell operating in Zaranj was targeted on Sunday morning by Taliban security forces. The clash lasted between 30-60 minutes and both heavy and light weapons were employed. 2 suspected ISIS-K fighters were killed and 1 was taken prisoner by the Taliban. Unlike earlier clashes, local sources indicated those targeted were indeed members of ISIS-K.
- PASSPORT DIRECTORATE SAYS IT IS WORKING TO MAKE DISTRIBUTION EASIER – Noorullah Patman, a spokesman for the new Directorate, says the goal is to increase the daily quota of passports being issued to 15,000. Currently, the Directorate says it is issuing 8-10,000 passports per day. The Directorate also says it has assisted in the arrests of over 200 people who were fraudulently issuing passports in a corrupt scheme (these arrests have been verified by sources familiar with the situation). One of the main concerns voiced by those applying for passports is the limited number of banks authorized to accept payment for travel documents. The lines are extremely long for the process and the Directorate spokesman said they are working to authorize select private banks to process the payments.
- HERAT BANS FOREIGN FILMS AND MUSIC FROM BEING SOLD – The Ministry of Vice and Virtue announced that non-Islamic materials can no longer be sold in shops across the Province. Aziz Rahman Mahajar, the head of the Ministry in the Province claimed that much of the banned material violated the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islam and was no longer allowed to be sold. The ban has been in effect for 11 days and shopkeepers have reported heavy financial losses as a result of the ban.
- MASS ENROLLMENT OF TALIBAN APPROVED – The Minister for Education and Prime Minister has approved a plan that allows Taliban fighters who have fought as mujahadeen over the last two decades to be enrolled in the 12th grade of local schools. First, they must pass an exam and once they pass, they will be admitted to the 12th-grade classes at local high schools and can complete their studies. Upon graduation, they will receive the 12th-grade certificate required to continue their education or apply for government positions.
- GALLUP POLL OF MUSLIM COUNTRIES SHOWS MOST ARE SKEPTICAL OF US INTENTIONS – A survey implemented by Gallup was distributed in 13 Muslim countries. The poll sought to ascertain people’s perception of US intentions to encourage democracies in countries around the world. Majorities of those surveyed in 11 of the 13 countries expressed skepticism. Only 14% of those surveyed in Afghanistan believe the US truly supported democracy in the country.
CONFLICT TRACKER
Nimruz: Taliban security forces besieged a suspected ISIS hideout in Zaranj on Sunday morning. The fighting lasted for approximately an hour. 2 ISIS-K terrorists were killed and 1 was captured. No additional casualties were reported.
NEXT 24 HOURS
PAKISTAN’S COUNTER-TERRORISM OPERATIONS APPEAR TO BE REAL – Major counter-terror operations were launched across many of the Provinces in the country since the announcement of the new ‘all-agency’ approach. A source in Rawalpindi says the Army and Police have been given more latitude to conduct operations without approval from the intelligence service (ISI). The source said the week ahead is likely to see several operations in North/South Waziristan and Baluchistan. A source in Islamabad says that private polling of citizens in areas most affected by terror groups is overwhelmingly supportive of the new initiative. At-risk Afghans residing in Pakistan do not seem to be the focal point for these operations but should continue to remain situationally aware and follow social media groups made up of the diaspora and expatriate communities. These groups often have accurate and timely reporting on potential threats and have been helpful in alerting at-risk Afghans to potential threats.
Daily Evacuation Brief | April 9, 2023
[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
- CRACKS APPEAR IN THE NRF – Unconfirmed rumors began circulating last week about possible dissatisfaction in the ranks with Ahmad Massoud’s leadership of the largest Resistance group. Some say he is subjected to constant criticism by many senior leaders from the previous regime who are living in exile over his youth and relative inexperience with strategy and tactics. Apparently, this criticism may have seeped into the NRF rank and file. It is not clear if these sentiments are widely shared or only held by those who may have loyalties to the exiled leaders.
Regardless, several online news sources claim the group’s spokesperson, Sibghatullah Ahmadi, was asked to resign on Saturday and that he no longer represents the organization. We assess that the rumors concerning a potential loss of confidence in the leadership do not express the sentiment of the majority of the NRF fighters. However, based on the numerous posts of support that have emerged online, we do believe there are factions who do question the current status quo.
- UNIFORM RULES RELEASED BY MINISTRY OF EDUCATION FEED HOPES FOR FEMALE STUDENTS – The recently released draft that outlines the uniform requirements for students attending schools included dress codes for both boys and girls. Local news outlets say that sources familiar with the situation are confident that girls will be allowed to go to school eventually and that is why the codes were included. The report has been circulated widely on social media and is fueling hopes that a reversal of the bans could be in the works.
- AFGHAN MAN BREAKS INTO THE PAKISTANI PM’S HOME, IS ARRESTED – Reputedly, an Afghan citizen has been arrested and turned over to the Counter Terrorism Directorate after being apprehended in Prime Minister Sharif’s residence on Saturday. Security officials responsible for protecting the Prime Minister were attempting to determine how the man gained entry to the premises. It is not clear what the man’s intentions were and he is currently being questioned in an undisclosed location.
- 2 PAKISTANI SOLDIERS KILLED IN IED BLAST IN KP – The incident occurred in the Bara Tehsil District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday. The IED was triggered as the patrol vehicle passed its location. A response team arrived shortly after the blast but no arrests were made and no group claimed credit for the attack.
NEXT 24 HOURS
COUNTER-TERRORISM OPERATIONS PLANNED FOR 2 PROVINCES IN PAKISTAN TODAY – Pakistan’s Security Forces are prepared to launch counter-terrorism operations in both North Waziristan and Baluchistan in the next twenty-four hours. Surveillance and intelligence sources have reputedly identified two houses in each Province that are suspected of housing militants of TTP (Waziristan) and BLM (Baluchistan). We assess the threat to at-risk Afghans in Pakistan from these templated operations to be low.
Daily Evacuation Brief | April 8, 2023
[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
- BOMB BLAST REPORTED BY IRANIAN MEDIA DEEMED ‘FAKE NEWS’ – The Mehr News Agency referenced a report, purportedly made by The Kabul Times on its Telegram channel, about a massive blast at the Grand Mosque in Kandahar. The report went on to say that several senior Taliban figures were in the Mosque when the blast struck. The reports have since been discredited and eyewitnesses in Kandahar say no such event took place.
- PAKISTAN’S NEW ANTI-TERROR OFFENSIVE HAS BEGUN – Pakistan’s National Security Committee announced it had launched a comprehensive counter-terror operation that involves nearly every sector of the federal government. The goal is to rid the country of terror groups. Many in the government have blamed a soft-touch approach with TTP that was reputedly spearheaded by the intelligence services for the chaos that has crippled the country. Based on the press release, it appears that security forces have been ordered to adopt a much more aggressive approach to dealing with militant groups. A primary focus of the new strategy will be to break the bond that has formed between Baluchistan separatists and the TTP.
- THE ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC COOPERATION WEIGHS IN ON FEMALE WORKERS BAN – Leaders of the OIC called on the Taliban to take a fresh look at the ban on female aid workers. The OIC said the ban is counterproductive and will have negative effects on the citizens of Afghanistan.
- WASHINGTON ‘BLAME GAME’ IN FULL SWING – First the Republican-led House launched an inquiry into the US’s involvement in Afghanistan. Now, the Biden administration has released a report that claims to have determined what led up to the disastrous departure of US and partner forces. Both of these efforts are heavily influenced by politics and both are attempting to simultaneously deflect/assign blame. While other nations have announced similar efforts to try and understand what mistakes were made, they lack the back-alley switchblade panache of the US political circus the world is currently witnessing. Ultimately, the accusations and counter-accusations are likely to be unproductive and certainly won’t help those at-risk Afghans who are struggling to survive. One would hope that these US ‘leaders’ could put the knives away and focus on ameliorating the problems for those they called allies for nearly 20 years.
CONFLICT TRACKER
Parwan: Taliban security forces from Police District 1 conducted a raid on a suspected ISIS-K building near Shhrak-e Mu’alimin in Charikar City. 1 ISIS-K terrorist was reportedly killed in the operation. 3 women and 7 children were reportedly detained.
NEXT 24 HOURS
PAKISTAN’S NEW STRATEGY AGAINST TERROR TO BEGIN – While we have no specific details about potential counter-terrorism operations in Pakistan, we assume the government would not have made the announcement without having an operation or two prepared to launch. We do not assess any direct threat to at-risk Afghans sheltering in Pakistan but feel obliged to mention that operations are likely.
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Posted by trailing wife 2023-04-10 03:01||
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