[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
- HAQQANI’S REMARKS IN KHOST MAY BE AT ODDS WITH SUPREME LEADER – The Minister of the Interior, Sirajuddin Haqqani, spoke to a crowd of several thousand after a graduation ceremony at the Manba Al-Jihad Madrasa. His comments were allowed to be recorded and his tone was in stark contrast to addresses by the Supreme Leader. He criticized the regime’s inflexibility and seemed to suggest a change in policies was sorely needed if the country was to emerge from the economic and security crisis. A snippet of his speech can be found HERE.
- CONFLICTING MESSAGES FROM PAKISTAN REGARDING AFGHAN REFUGEES – Pakistan’s Interior Ministry announced it had named a new special envoy for Afghan Refugee Affairs and called on the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad to discuss a strategy to help ameliorate the Afghan refugee problem in the country. The issue of visas was discussed and the envoy pledged that Afghans would no longer face imprisonment. However, in Punjab, the local government announced it intended to speed up deportations of Afghans in the coming weeks and law enforcement officials in the Province were working on a plan to facilitate this goal. In recent months, Sindh Province witnessed a similar effort to round up unwanted Afghans and deport them.
- PROMINENT WOMEN’S RIGHTS ACTIVIST KIDNAPPED FROM HOME IN TAKHAR – Parisa Mobarez, the founder of the Takhar Women’s Protest Movement was taken from her home yesterday by unidentified men driving vehicles similar to those in use among the Taliban Security Forces. Her brother was also reportedly taken by the men. Their disposition and whereabouts are currently unknown.
- UZBEK TALIBAN COMMANDER IN FARYAB DENOUNCES TALIBAN AND RESIGNS – Maulvi Abdul Baqi Omari, a Commander of an Uzbek Taliban unit in the Province has reportedly broken ties with the Taliban and has taken several hundred of his men with him. Omari has complained of bigotry in the Taliban security forces against Panjshiris, Uzbeks, Tajiks, and Hazaras. He is also said to be enraged by the seizure of Uzbek lands and has questioned the competency of the Taliban leadership. He is thought to have gathered his force of over 200 fighters in the Belcherakh Faryab District. This information has yet to be confirmed but would mark the first significant defection from the Taliban for 2023.
- DIPLOMATIC SQUABBLE IN IRAN OVER TALIBAN AMBASSADORSHIP – The Taliban has reputedly appointed Mohammad Afzal Haqqani as the new Ambassador in Tehran. The resident Ambassador, Abdul Qayum Sulaimani, disputed the appointment and denied Haqqani entry to the Afghan embassy. It is not clear who will lead the Taliban’s diplomatic efforts in Tehran at this time.
CONFLICT TRACKER
Kabul: An attack was carried out on a Taliban checkpoint established at the Maiwand Square traffic circle. 2 Taliban security forces personnel were killed in the attack and 1 was wounded, A group identifying itself as the Islamic National Movement of Afghanistan said its A-024 unit was responsible for the attack, but this information has yet to be confirmed.
NEXT 24 HOURS
- PUNJAB GOVERNMENT THREATENING AFGHAN REFUGEES WITH DEPORTATION – Law enforcement officials say they plan to act on the Provincial government’s edicts to speed up deportations of Afghan refugees who do not possess passports. The move is seen as a means of consoling Punjabi residents who blame Afghans for the increase in street crime and for the rise in terrorist attacks. The plan has not been made public and seems to be at odds with the government in Islamabad which signaled they were working on longer-term solutions for the Afghan refugees in Pakistan. If the Punjab government’s threats are credible, we expect to see searches of hotels, guest houses, and apartment complexes frequented by Afghans in the coming days.
- REPORTS OF HARASSMENT AND BRIBERY AT SPIN BOLDAK-CHAMAN ON THE RISE – Several Pakistani and Afghan travelers who habitually use the crossing were interviewed by several news outlets and claim they to have witnessed increased harassment of Afghans (and some Pakistani nationals) by the security forces of Pakistan recently. The reports indicated that travelers are often made to wait for several hours in order to force a bribe payment, some people were beaten before paying a bribe, and others are turned back for no reason. Spin Boldak-Chaman continues to be one of the more difficult crossing points and we are advising at-risk Afghans to use the Torkham Gate if at all possible.
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