[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
- AFGHAN REFUGEES REPORTEDLY KILLED BY IRANIAN BORDER SECURITY FORCES IN BALUCHISTAN – Several reports indicate that as many as 11 Afghan citizens were killed five days ago in Sistan and Baluchistan Provinces. They were reputedly killed by Iranian Border Guards. Most of those killed were thought to be below the age of 20 and most accounts say they were all males. The bodies were passed to Taliban border forces at the Nimroz crossing. The Iranians claimed the men were killed when they attempted to cross the border illegally. It is not clear how many were killed in either Province. No further information was available.
- NOWRUZ MAY BE CANCELED AGAIN – Reports from Balkh Province say that Taliban leaders have forbidden the Jahenda Bala Ceremony scheduled at the Blue Mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif for 21 March.
- PAKISTAN HIGH COURT GRANTS 1 DAY REPRIEVE TO FORMER PM KHAN, ARREST SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY – The Lahore High Court told Police to suspend the arrest operation until Friday after a plea by the former PM’s legal team had asked for the delay. While an order was also issued for Police and other National Security Forces personnel to withdraw from the Zaman Park neighborhood, many either ignored the order or had not received the edict. The area was mostly peaceful on Thursday but the PTI supporters remain in force and many are walking the streets carrying clubs. Rumors that many of the supporters had brought rifles and pistols to the defensive line continue to circulate. The supporters have brought in multiple shipping containers to restrict access to the former PM’s home. For his part, the former PM has signaled he would surrender to the court in Islamabad on 18 March. As the High Court in Lahore issued the warrant for his arrest, it is unlikely he will be allowed to make such a political move.
- US GENERAL WARNS THAT ISIS IN AFGHANISTAN GROWING STRONGER, COULD FEASIBLY STRIKE THE US OR OTHERS IN 6 MONTHS – General Kurilla, Commander of US Central Command, informed US Senators that ISIS-K has rapidly gathered strength in Afghanistan and could strike the US or US citizens living abroad within the next six months. He admitted that US intelligence operations had been seriously degraded since the US pulled out and made a call for more resources to conduct intelligence-gathering activities by other means. He expressed his opinion that any forthcoming strikes would likely fall on US citizens and/or facilities overseas.
CONFLICT TRACKER
Jawzjan: NRF sources say an attack on Taliban personnel in the Faiz Abad district resulted in the deaths of 2 Taliban fighters. Weapons and communications equipment were reportedly captured.
NEXT 24 HOURS
POSSIBLE RESUMPTION OF CLASHES BETWEEN POLICE AND PTI PARTY FAITHFUL AS ARREST OF FORMER PM EXPECTED – The tense standoff in Lahore continues to raise the specter of violence and Police are expected to make another attempt to arrest the former PM. Based on the number of PTI supporters who have remained in and around Zaman Park, it seems likely that any attempt will turn violent. We assess that any violence will be restricted to Lahore, but could spread to other cities as PTI seeks to make a statement. At-risk Afghans in Lahore are urged to avoid the Zaman Park area and the surrounding neighborhoods. A source has indicated that some PTI supporters were discussing burning down the buildings where the High Court sits in response to any Police operation and at-risk Afghans are encouraged to avoid any judicial facilities. |