Daily Evacuation Brief | August 1, 2022
Discover more from The Afghan Digest
LAST 24 HOURS
A border clash between Taliban and Iranian border security forces in Nimroz province resulted in the death of 1 Taliban security force member (video footage HERE). Taliban sources said Iranian forces initiated the clash when they fired artillery across the border on a Taliban vehicle that was conducting a patrol. A Taliban spokesman claimed Taliban forces did not return fire. Several border incidents have taken place during 2022, and Tehran announced it would seek to establish a joint Afghan-Iranian border commission to resolve disputes more effectively.
A sizable explosion(s) that the Taliban have characterized the strike as a rocket attack occurred in the Sherpur area of Kabul early on Friday morning. Initial rumors suggested the strike came from a US drone, but the Taliban and other credible sources have denied this. The rocket(s) hit an empty house, and no casualties have been reported. Several Kabul residents close to the impact site claim that multiple explosions occurred; it is possible that secondary detonations resulted from propane tanks or other combustibles that may have been near the blast. Very little information has been released from official sources and journalism outlets have been barred from the area. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
TOLOnews has reported that a total of 120 Afghans died during July’s floods. Observers have suggested this number is an underestimate given that rural communities and those who have been displaced have difficulty reporting these losses. Furthermore, the estimate does not account for deaths due to cholera where potable drinking water has been contaminated.
A respected muezzin from the Abu Bakr Sediq mosque in Kartenew Shahr in Kabul was murdered when his throat was cut by unknown assailants on Sunday. Eyewitnesses say he was killed as he was sleeping in the mosque.
NEXT 24 HOURS
200 Taliban fighters are expected to depart Kandahar for Nimroz to reinforce the border security post after yesterday’s fighting. They will be transporting a Ministry of Defense camera team who are under orders to document any further aggressive acts by Iranian forces.
Following Friday’s rocket attacks, Kabul’s Sherpur neighborhood has a massive security force presence. Pedestrians and vehicles are being stopped and searched, and some house-to-house searches have been reported. These additional security measures are expected to last for several days. Additional house-to-house searches related to Friday’s attack are being planned for an undisclosed area of Police District 4 by Ministry of Interior agents. At-risk Afghans should avoid the areas and use extreme caution if travel must be conducted.
SPOTLIGHT PERSPECTIVE
Chabahar – The Ace Up Tehran’s sleeve
By Valerio Fabbri – Modern Diplomacy
A convergence of interests (read: opposition to the U.S.) is bringing Iran, China and Russia closer together than ever. As their relations with the West deteriorate, Russia and China are seeking to rewire global power flows in ways that will work to their advantage. Iran’s integration into the China–Russia Eurasian architecture is as complicated as it is consequential for economic and security relations across Eurasia. As Beijing and Moscow seek to advance their respective strategic objectives while cooperating within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization framework, Iran’s integration carries the potential to shift the strategic balance between the two. Iran has for long struggled, both economically and geopolitically, due to persistent sanctions imposed upon it, and the hostile attitude it has faced from the U.S. and other Western countries. However, a silver lining has recently arrived in the form of the commencement of operations at the Chabahar Port. Located in south-eastern Iran at the mouth of the Gulf of Oman, the Port is blessed with an ideal strategic location connecting the Indian subcontinent with both Afghanistan as well as Central Asian countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
AFGHAN NEWS
Afghanistan: Taliban denies US drone attack in Kabul
By ANI
The Taliban on Sunday denied a US drone attack amid reports of a rocket hitting a vacant house in the Sherpur area of…
Electronic ID Card Applicants Criticize Delays
By Banafsha Binesh – TOLOnews
Some applicants for electronic identification cards raised their concerns about not getting their ID cards, saying that it has been two weeks since the…
Haqqani: World Should Support Afghan Education, Despite Politics
By Waheeda Hasan – TOLOnews
Acting Minister of Higher Education Abdul Baqi Haqqani, in the inaugural ceremony for Kabul University's educational complex and auditorium, asked the international…
REGIONAL NEWS
Border force member killed in cross border shooting in Nimroz
By Ariana News
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has confirmed that one of its soldiers was killed and another one wounded on Sunday when Iranian border forces…
Afghan Refugees in Iran, Pakistan Call for UNHCR to Act
By Waheeda Hasan – TOLOnews
Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan have once more voiced their concerns about the lack of progress being made in their applications for…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
China calls on the world to encourage IEA to form inclusive govt
By Ariana News
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Afghanistan is still facing challenges and countries need to encourage the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to…
Economic debacle in Pakistan: Bajwa asks U.S to help with IMF loan
By Ayanangsha Maitra – Khaama Press
Shehbaz Sharif-led hung-parliament, which assumed power in April’s parliamentary election in Pakistan, has daunting challenges to…
THE DAILY WTF
The Taliban has achieved political stability, says Suhail Shaheen
By Kallol Bhattacherjee – The Hindu
The Taliban has proved detractors wrong and has achieved political stability within a year of coming to power in Kabul, Suhail Shaheen, head of the…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 89.99 AFN (as of 1 AUG 2022)