LAST 24 HOURS
HAND GRENADE BLAST IN KABUL’S KHAIR KHANA REPORTED – No casualties have been reported so far but Police confirmed that a hand grenade was detonated at an unidentified location in the neighborhood on Monday. Some home searches have been reported in the area and the Taliban have stationed additional vehicles at many of the checkpoints after the clashes that were reported on Sunday. We are still waiting for information regarding the clashes but nothing has been released as of yet. A source in Kabul has said that Taliban leaders have been warning staff in the Ministries of Defense and the Interior to minimize discussions about operations against ISIS-K with the press over concerns it is having a negative impact on the regime’s efforts to gain regional and/or international recognition.
RUSSIA AND TAJIKISTAN CONDUCT MILITARY EXERCISES NEAR AFGHANISTAN BORDER – In what may be a ‘demonstration of force’ Russia and Tajikistan began military training exercises at the Kharbmaydon training facility. The facility is located about 20 kilometers from the Afghanistan border. The stated purpose of the training is to practice combined operations focused on eliminating ‘outlaw gangs’ intruding into the territory of an allied state and also exercising command and control to block/destroy illegal armed formations. Taking part in the training are electronic mobile warfare groups, armored units, artillery units, radiation/chemical/biological units, and motor rifle units. Troop participation from both countries is estimated at approximately 700-1000 troops. The exercise comes on the heels of a joint statement from Russia and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), last Friday, which specifically highlighted security threats that could come from Afghanistan. In conjunction with the military exercises, the Deputy Chief of the CSTO, Takhir Khairulloyev, visited the border with both Tajik and Russian military commanders to assess security requirements along the border. The exercises are scheduled to conclude on 7 April.
RECENT ISIS-K ARREST POINTS TO A TAJIK NATIONAL AS THE SUICIDE BOMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR BALKH GOVERNOR’S DEATH – The Taliban GDI continues to release more information concerning the arrest of Aynuddin Mohammad. Results of interrogations appear to have resulted in more information about the operation to kill the former Governor of Balkh. Aynuddin admitted that ISIS-K had used a Tajik citizen in the attack. This information raises many questions about security at Taliban facilities and the ability of non-Afghans to enter sensitive areas. There are rumors that ISIS-K had inside assistance from the Taliban to pull off the bombing but nothing has been confirmed. It is possible that an insider could have facilitated the bomber’s entrance to the Governor’s personal offices.
JOURNALISTS MUST REGISTER WITH THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND CULTURE – A spokesman for the Ministry announced that all journalists will be forced to register if they want to continue their journalism careers. After registration and a ‘reliability assessment’, they will receive a press credential card. Only registered journalists will be authorized to report on news within the country. The spokesman did not specify what punishments might be imposed on those who fail to comply.
NEXT 24 HOURS
SEARCHES IN KABUL LIKELY TO CONTINUE – A source in Kabul has said that the GDI has received a virtual treasure trove of information from the arrest of the ISIS-K mastermind behind several attacks in the North. ISIS-K locations, some vehicular information, and nearly 20 identities of ISIS operatives in Afghanistan have been gleaned from the interrogation process. With this information, at-risk Afghans are likely to see stepped-up security activities across Kabul and potentially in other cities. This information may have had something to do with the security activity in the Khair Khana neighborhood on Sunday and the deployment of GDI agents to Jalalabad that took place on Monday. More house searches are likely and the possibility of violence remains high.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Reports indicate the Biden administration is preparing to issue an ‘interim’ nuclear deal. No details on the deal were available as of publication.
The 2 Pakistani men accused of planning attacks against Jewish targets in Greece appeared in court and admitted to working for an Iranian-based ‘mastermind’.
The Iranian Ministry of Education announced it would not allow females who do not adhere to the hijab dress code to attend public schools.
PAKISTAN
The Prime Minister has called for an emergency meeting with his cabinet over the judicial crisis.
Interest rates are expected to be raised in order to comply with IMF conditions for a loan. The rise will almost certainly exacerbate the economic situation for average citizens.
Pakistan and China announced they will open the border between their two countries. It has remained closed for nearly 3 years.
UZBEKISTAN
A national scandal is brewing after the news broke about an orphanage that reputedly let government officials have sex with 3 young girls. Several government officials have been caught up in the scandal and the courts are reportedly fast-tracking the cases.
SPOTLIGHT OPINION
Forgetting Afghanistan? An Enquiry into an Inquiry
By Chloe - The Wavell Room
A report published by the House of Commons Defence Committee in February 2023 titled, ‘Withdrawal from Afghanistan’ reminds us of the significant, costly, and lengthy British intervention within the country.1 150,000 British military personnel served in Afghanistan, with 457 losing their lives. Operations cost over £27 billion between 2001 and 2021.2 The report highlights that there must be an ‘open, honest and detailed review of the UK’s involvement in the country’ with a response from the British Government expected in April 2023.3 To date, no holistic British inquiry which encompasses military and political decisions from 11 September 2001 to the evacuation in August 2021 has happened.
AFGHAN NEWS
Women’s hostel handed over to male students in Badakhshan
By AMU TV
A women’s hostel at Badakhshan University in north-eastern Afghanistan has been handed over to male students in a move seen as yet another attempt to restrict the role of women in…
Trafficking of Military Equipment Abroad Prevented: MoD
By Banafsha Binesh - TOLO News
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, Enayatullah Khwarizmi, said that dozens of people were arrested on charges of trafficking the…
Afghanistan Only Country That Bans Girls from Secondary School: HRW
By Mitra Majeedy - TOLO News
This comes as Sheikh Abdul Sami Ghaznawi, an instructor from Central Jihadi Madrassa in Kabul, said in a video that there is no conflict regarding girls'...
REGIONAL NEWS
CSTO deputy chief visits Tajikistan-Afghanistan border
By AMU TV
According to a statement issued by the CSTO on Monday, Khairulloyev visited the Tajik-Afghan as a member of the Working Group on the finalization of the CSTO Special Interstate…
Nationals imprisoned in Afghanistan to be handed over to Iran
By MEHR News Agency
The Afghan government will soon complete the list of Iranians detained in Afghanistan, he said, adding that Afghanistan will commence the process of…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
By WFP
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a US$5 million contribution from the Government of Japan towards its…
Why ‘danger tourist’ Miles Routledge, from Birmingham, is in Taliban custody in Afghanistan
By Asmita Sarkar - Birmingham World
Miles Routledge, 23, is one of the three British nationals being held in Afghanistan and has been described as a…
THE DAILY WTF
Mujahid Claims Daesh Threat in Afghanistan is ‘Propaganda’
By Fidel Rahmati - Khaama Press
In an interview with state-run TV RTA, Mujahid stressed that some countries are attempting to exaggerate and take advantage of the false propaganda about…
‘If I keep repeating it, maybe they will believe it is true.’ TAD STAFF
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 86.88 AFN (as of 4 APR 2023)