Daily Evacuation Brief | April 10, 2023

Apr 10, 2023

MORE FIGHTING ERUPTS IN NIMRUZ – A home that purportedly housed an ISIS-K cell operating in Zaranj was targeted on Sunday morning by Taliban security forces. The clash lasted between 30-60 minutes and both heavy and light weapons were employed. 2 suspected ISIS-K fighters were killed and 1 was taken prisoner by the Taliban. Unlike earlier clashes, local sources indicated those targeted were indeed members of ISIS-K.
PASSPORT DIRECTORATE SAYS IT IS WORKING TO MAKE DISTRIBUTION EASIER – Noorullah Patman, a spokesman for the new Directorate, says the goal is to increase the daily quota of passports being issued to 15,000. Currently, the Directorate says it is issuing 8-10,000 passports per day. The Directorate also says it has assisted in the arrests of over 200 people who were fraudulently issuing passports in a corrupt scheme (these arrests have been verified by sources familiar with the situation). One of the main concerns voiced by those applying for passports is the limited number of banks authorized to accept payment for travel documents. The lines are extremely long for the process and the Directorate spokesman said they are working to authorize select private banks to process the payments.
HERAT BANS FOREIGN FILMS AND MUSIC FROM BEING SOLD – The Ministry of Vice and Virtue announced that non-Islamic materials can no longer be sold in shops across the Province. Aziz Rahman Mahajar, the head of the Ministry in the Province claimed that much of the banned material violated the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islam and was no longer allowed to be sold. The ban has been in effect for 11 days and shopkeepers have reported heavy financial losses as a result of the ban.
MASS ENROLLMENT OF TALIBAN APPROVED – The Minister for Education and Prime Minister has approved a plan that allows Taliban fighters who have fought as mujahadeen over the last two decades to be enrolled in the 12th grade of local schools. First, they must pass an exam and once they pass, they will be admitted to the 12th-grade classes at local high schools and can complete their studies. Upon graduation, they will receive the 12th-grade certificate required to continue their education or apply for government positions.
GALLUP POLL OF MUSLIM COUNTRIES SHOWS MOST ARE SKEPTICAL OF US INTENTIONS – A survey implemented by Gallup was distributed in 13 Muslim countries. The poll sought to ascertain people’s perception of US intentions to encourage democracies in countries around the world. Majorities of those surveyed in 11 of the 13 countries expressed skepticism. Only 14% of those surveyed in Afghanistan believe the US truly supported democracy in the country.

NEXT 24 HOURS

PAKISTAN’S COUNTER-TERRORISM OPERATIONS APPEAR TO BE REAL – Major counter-terror operations were launched across many of the Provinces in the country since the announcement of the new ‘all-agency’ approach. A source in Rawalpindi says the Army and Police have been given more latitude to conduct operations without approval from the intelligence service (ISI). The source said the week ahead is likely to see several operations in North/South Waziristan and Baluchistan. A source in Islamabad says that private polling of citizens in areas most affected by terror groups is overwhelmingly supportive of the new initiative. At-risk Afghans residing in Pakistan do not seem to be the focal point for these operations but should continue to remain situationally aware and follow social media groups made up of the diaspora and expatriate communities. These groups often have accurate and timely reporting on potential threats and have been helpful in alerting at-risk Afghans to potential threats.

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

IRAN

A US submarine has been dispatched to the Persian Gulf amid continuing tensions with the Iranian-backed militias operating in Syria. The USS Florida is an Ohio-class guided missile boat.
Rumors are circulating that the head of Iran’s Budget office will be replaced as the economy continues to oscillate wildly. Masoud Mirkazemi had continually claimed to have controlled inflation, but most observers believe he did so by printing money.
Speculation continues to build over a potential war between Israel and Iran. Many observers are watching to see if the IRGC makes good on its promises to ‘avenge’ its advisors who were killed in Israeli attacks.

PAKISTAN

A joint-intelligence operation in Sindh Province is said to have resulted in the arrest of 2 TTP terrorists in Karachi. The 2 were accused of masterminding an extortion plot to raise money for the terrorist group.
The national effort to counter terrorism seems to be having an effect and multiple sources have confirmed that additional security has been provided to Mosques, shopping centers, and Imam Bargahs.
Army sources say 1 soldier and 2 terror suspects were killed in separate counter-terrorism operations in North and South Waziristan on Sunday.

SPOTLIGHT GENDER

‘My only sin is being a girl’: Four Afghan women talk about 500 days of being denied education by the Taliban

By Marjan Sadat - Toronto Star

Another school year is underway in Afghanistan, but missing from classrooms across the country are girls and young women.

AFGHAN NEWS

Two Islamic State Militants Killed By Forces Of Taliban-Led Afghan Government

By RFE

An operation on April 9 carried out by forces of the Taliban-led Afghan government killed two Islamic State (IS) fighters and took a…

Winds of resistance blowing? Afghan religious scholars criticise Taliban's diktat banning female education

By WION

Two prominent religious scholars on Saturday urged the Taliban to reconsider its decision and allow women back into…

Doctor Criticizes Media for Misreporting His Death

By Nazir Shinwari - TOLO News

“They took my photo from my Facebook profile and then the media published it on Twitter, saying that the Taliban killed a…

REGIONAL NEWS

Soldier martyred, two terrorists killed in NW, SW operations

By Tariq Saeed - The Pakistan Observer

Bloody encounters between the security forces and the militants in North and South Waziristan tribal districts Saturday late evening resulted in…

Pakistan finance minister cancels US trip due to political crisis

By Ariana News

Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday said he had canceled his trip to Washington for the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank on the…