[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS- TALIBAN OPEN DOORS TO AZERBAIJAN, ANNOUNCE THEY ARE READY TO OPEN DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS – The main Taliban spokesman announced that Kabul wants Azerbaijan to open its embassy as soon as possible. Presumably, the announcement was made after the Taliban opted to support Azerbaijan recently in its border dispute with Iran. From a foreign policy perspective, the move illustrates growing competence in the conduct of international affairs. Clearly, some in the regime are learning lessons from the past two years. It is not clear if Azerbaijan will accept Kabul’s offer.
- BRITISH AID WORKER HELD BY THE TALIBAN NEARLY RELEASED ON TWO OCCASIONS – A British news outlet has reported that Kevin Cornwell, a British aid worker and medic who was arrested by the Taliban and who is seriously ill was told on two previous occasions that he would be released. Cornwell was arrested for allegedly possessing an illegal firearm and the details of the charges against him are murky and contested by his wife and co-workers. According to the Daily Mail, Mr. Cornwell was scheduled to have been released in both July and August but in both cases, his release was halted by the Supreme Leader. Cornwell suffers from kidney problems and has lost a significant amount of weight and his family and friends fear that he could develop additional medical issues or perish if he is not transported to a location with healthcare facilities capable of treating his condition. The Taliban released a video yesterday touting the new security situation in the country and which specifically said that foreigners would not be captured and held for ransom. The timing of the media/marketing push appears to be in conflict with what some are experiencing in the country.
- KABUL POWER OUTAGES INCREASING IN FREQUENCY AND DURATION – Residents in Kabul say that electricity outages are now occurring more often and seem to last longer than during the summer months. The national power authority says the outages are normal and that citizens have been warned in advance that the ‘load shedding’ was necessary to deal with problems in the transmission system. The problem has affected access to water as most pumping stations are having difficulty with the on-again, off-again routine.
NEXT 24 HOURS: No Threats Reported