[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
- THE TALIBAN NEUTRALIZED THE ISIS-K PLANNER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOMBING AT HAMID KARZAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN AUGUST 2021 – Taliban officials announced that the man responsible for the planning and execution of the deadly Abbey Gate bombing that killed nearly 200 people in August 2021 had been killed in a security operation in Southern Afghanistan in April. At the time, the Taliban could not confirm the man’s identity but a subsequent investigation of captured documents indicates he was the ISIS-K mastermind behind the attack. Several US officials have anonymously confirmed the report to several news outlets but the man’s name has yet to be released.
- TURKEY VOLUNTEERS TO LOBBY FOR IEA RECOGNITION…MAYBE – A spokesman for the Taliban said that recent talks with Turkey’s Ambassador in Kabul had yielded a pledge from Ankara to work on the IEA’s behalf for the much-desired international status. If true, there are still several obstacles to overcome. The elections in Turkey next month could see Erdogan replaced by a pro-Europe leader and the Taliban could find itself without a champion in NATO. The IEA has made grand announcements such as these before and Nations have been forced to ‘clarify’ what was actually said so, it is advisable to take this pronouncement with a grain of salt.
- US ENVOY SAYS NORMAL RELATIONS WITH AFGHANISTAN IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT A CHANGE IN STANCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS – Rina Amiri, the special envoy for women, girls, and human rights said on Tuesday that the Taliban will only be recognized when it commits to respecting the rights of all Afghans. Her comments echo those of other State Department functionaries who have sought to clarify the US’s stance after the UN’s Deputy Secretary General seemingly indicated that recognition would be on the table at a May meeting.
- COST OF FLIGHTS FROM AFGHANISTAN DOUBLES OVER PAST YEAR – Citizens are now paying twice as much as it costs to fly from Kabul compared to last year and the expenses have caused consternation among business leaders in particular. Travel agents in Afghanistan say the number of people purchasing tickets had fallen in 2023 and a lack of competition from other international carriers has contributed to the rise in prices. Business leaders have asked the Taliban to look into the situation or, they say they will not be able to secure deals to improve the economy. It is not clear what the Taliban could do beyond offering a subsidy to offset costs. A spokesman for the Taliban said they would consider implementing cost controls, similar to what was put into practice with regional carriers in early 2022.
NEXT 24 HOURS
REPORT FROM THE CONFERENCE IN VIENNA EXPECTED TODAY – The second round of talks with largely anti-Taliban leaders and experts are expected to conclude with a statement that outlines strategies for the International Community to engage with the Taliban regime. A source present at the talks in Austria says that a number of meetings have been scheduled after the conference concludes which may be pivotal. The source declined to say who would attend the post-conference meetings. The Taliban cast doubt on the efficacy of the Austria meetings and continued to heap criticism on Afghan leaders living in exile.
|