[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS- PAKISTAN’S PATIENCE IS REPORTEDLY WEARING THIN AFTER LATEST CLASH ALONG THE BORDER WITH TTP – A fight between Pakistani Army troops and suspected members of the TTP took place in the Miran Shah region of North Waziristan on Saturday. In the battle, 3 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 3 militants were said to have lost their lives. 4 additional militants were said to have been wounded. Army troops recovered a modest weapons cache from the site of the fighting. Sources in Pakistan say the weapons recovered from the battle had come from Afghanistan and at least two of the suspected TTP had documents and currency from Afghanistan on their bodies.
- AFGHANISTAN’S AMBASSADOR TO TAJIKISTAN’S HOME BURNED IN ROKHA DISTRICT, PANJSHIR – The ancestral home of General Zaher Aghbar, the Afghan Ambassador to Tajikistan and a former military officer under the previous regime, was reportedly burned by unknown arsons on Sunday evening. The home was situated in the town of Piyawesht. Prior to the fire, the house was said to be occupied by Taliban security personnel.
- TAJIKISTAN ARRESTS SEVERAL DOZEN AFGHAN CITIZENS IN THE KHATLON REGION – Government officials confirmed the arrests were made on 8 June and involved former Afghan military personnel who were reportedly armed. The Afghans were reportedly transported to a detention facility in Dushanbe sometime between the 8th and 10th of June. Some speculation in local press outlets says the Afghans were part of various Resistance groups or, had recently broken with said groups, and were making plans to return to Afghanistan.
- TALIBAN FIRES BACK AT THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL OVER ‘BASELESS’ REPORT – Several of the senior leaders within the Taliban chose to criticize a report compiled by the United Nations Security Council which makes the following claims:
- The Taliban, in its current form, is overwhelmingly dominated by the Pashtun ethnic group and other ethnic groups lack representation.
- Dissent exists between the leadership but the Supreme Leader is consolidating his power. The existing dissent was not likely to cause a factional division for the next 1-2 years.
- The Supreme Leader has weathered international/regional/Islamic pressure to adopt modern policies and those who offer different views for the country are not strong enough to challenge him.
- Terrorists have greater freedom of maneuver since the Taliban’s return to power and are likely ignoring threats posed to neighbors by these groups.
- The Taliban’s official spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, categorically rejected each of the claims in a statement. Mujahid resorted to the same denials, deflections, and counter-accusations that now typify the regime’s response to any criticism.
NEXT 24 HOURS
CYCLONE BIPARJOY STRENGTHENS, PAKISTAN’S COASTAL REGIONS BRACE FOR IMPACT – The cyclone picked up significant strength as it moved toward land and is now called ‘an extremely severe cyclonic storm’. The storm is expected to lose some strength before intensifying again and moving toward the Northwest. Emergency managers in Sindh Province have urged residents to stay indoors and have ordered billboards to be taken down in urban areas. The main threats for Pakistan are heavy rains that will cause flooding, storm surges that could cause waves to peak at 30 feet or more, and dangerous winds. At-risk Afghans staying in the affected areas are urged to remain indoors and should cover any glass windows in their residences. If no material is available to cover windows, people should avoid standing, laying, or sitting near them as the winds are expected to be strong enough to blow the glass inwards. Meteorologists expect the system to begin losing strength on Tuesday morning however, the risk of flooding is expected to persist throughout the coming week. Power, cellular, and internet outages will likely occur in some areas and it may take several days to reestablish communications.