Daily Evacuation Brief | August 7, 2023
LAST 24 HOURS
HOUSE SEARCHES REPORTED IN SEVERAL NORTHERN KABUL NEIGHBORHOODS – Intensive search efforts have been reported across several of the neighborhoods in Northern Kabul over the past 24 hours. Unlike in previous search efforts, Taliban security forces are not searching for people but seem to be looking for documents or technology. It is not clear what has prompted the recent search effort and there has been no information provided about how long the searches will continue. As of publication time, there has been no word of any arrests that may have resulted from the searches.
RECENT US/TALIBAN TALKS POSSIBLY BEARING SOME FRUIT – Taliban officials announced the establishment of a new Economic Commission on Saturday and sources in Kabul say the new body was formed in answer to criticisms by US officials during the recent round of talks in Doha. The US and both of the major international financial institutions (IMF and World Bank) have criticized the lack of expertise and transparency in the banking and finance sector. A senior source said that senior Taliban leaders believed the establishment of the new commission would allow the Taliban officials who serve in leadership roles at the Central Bank to continue in their roles while satisfying the international community’s concerns.
FORMER AFGHANISTAN PRESIDENT, ASHRAF GHANI, PLANS TO GIVE A SPEECH ON THE SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY TODAY – Several social media sites have indicated that the former President plans to address the situation in Afghanistan at 0900hrs local time (Kabul). It is not clear what platform the former President will use and what has prompted his remarks.
AT SOME POINT, PAKISTAN MUST PROVIDE DEFINITIVE EVIDENCE THAT TERROR ATTACKS IN THE COUNTRY COME FROM AFGHANISTAN – Pakistan continues to implicate Afghanistan in terror attacks that are taking place in the country. While most are apt to believe the announcements that come from Islamabad, Pakistani leaders would have a much stronger case if they were able to provide more public evidence to back up these claims. It is possible that such evidence is consistently circulated among Pakistan’s allies and shared with the Taliban, but international observers are not privy to these exchanges, and very little evidence has been uncovered by the press.
NEXT 24 HOURS
SEARCHES MAY CONTINUE IN NORTHERN KABUL – Without definitive information regarding the purpose of the recent search operations, it is logical to assume they may continue. At-risk Afghans residing in these neighborhoods should be prepared to have their homes searched should Taliban security forces arrive on their streets.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
4 Afghans die from inhaling toxic fumes while working at a waste facility in Shiraz. All four fatalities were from the same family and perished while trapped in a septic tank.
Candidates hoping to stand in parliamentary elections next March will begin registering today.
The MEK Resistance group is reportedly expanding operations across the country in recent weeks and the group used video projectors in several cities to project the images of Resistance leaders in public areas.
Britain’s Home Secretary said that Iran is currently the biggest threat to the United Kingdom and was infiltrating organized criminal groups in the country.
PAKISTAN
Lawyers for former PM Khan say they have been denied access to their client by police and military personnel. The matter was referred to local leaders in Punjab responsible for the administration of the Attock prison.
The Senate passed the Official Secrets Bill on Sunday which empowers intelligence agencies by allowing them to detain any citizen deemed a threat. The bill was modified but is expected to be put into law before the National Assembly is dissolved on 9 August.
Rahim Kakar, a former Mayor of Quetta and a senior leader of the PTI party was arrested with 2 of his sons on Sunday for having taken part in a protest against Imran Khan’s detention on Saturday.
SPOTLIGHT EDUCATION
By S. Reza Kazemi - AAN
Since the takeover around two years ago in August 2021, the Taleban have sought to overhaul and reinvent Afghanistan’s higher education. They have put their affiliates in charge at the ministry and many public universities, created new bodies to promote religious institutions and incorporate them into the higher education system and reshaped curricula with a focus on religious studies. They have undertaken to monitor conduct and imposed strict rules on appearance and behaviour on both male and female students, before banning women from higher education altogether in December 2022. This report, based on research by guest author Said Reza Kazemi* details this steady process of Talebanisation, theocratisation and instrumentalisation, fuelled by the Taleban concept of the fekri jagra, or ‘war of thoughts’, and explores its wide-ranging impact on students, lecturers and staff. It concludes that the Taleban-defined university, where reorientation is enforced from the top and unquestioning obedience is required, has already emerged, but questions about its (near) future are far from settled.
One can download the report in its entirety by clicking HERE.
AFGHAN NEWS
Taliban Enforces Ban On Girls Over 10 From Attending Primary School In Afghanistan
By Outlook India
The directive from the Taliban-ruled Ministry of Education has sparked widespread concerns over women's rights and access to…
Afghan supreme leader warns fighters against attacks abroad: defence minister
By The New Arab
Afghanistan's supreme leader has warned Taliban members against carrying out attacks abroad, the defence minister said, days after Pakistan said…
IEA to establish national economic advisory board
By Ariana News
The office of the economic deputy prime minister said in a statement that the National Economic Advisory Board of Afghanistan will advise the government on…
REGIONAL NEWS
Taliban embassy in Tehran announces gradual commencement of passport distribution
By AMU TV
Officials from the Taliban embassy in Tehran met with representatives from the consular affairs division of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss a phased rollout of passport distribution to…
Pakistan train derailment death toll rises to 30
By The New Daily
A train has derailed in southern Pakistan killing 30 people and injuring more than 90 others but rescue operations have been completed, officials…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan’s Olympic Champion appointed coach of New Zealand’s national team
By Fidel Rahmati - Khaama Press
Since he previously served as the head coach of Afghanistan’s youth national taekwondo team, Nekpa brings a wealth of expertise to his new…
Questions surround US raid in Afghanistan in 2019
By Military Times
The military refuses to talk about its own account of the raid, and asked the AP to instead use a redacted version that blacks out certain details, including…
THE DAILY WTF
Foreigners, Including Americans, Detained for Various Issues: Mujahid
By Mitra Majeedy - TOLO News
The detainees will be released if they are proved innocent, Mujahid said, without providing details about the exact numbers of the…
TRANSLATION: “We will hold them as political capital until the international community recognizes us.” TAD Staff
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 85.22 AFN (as of 7 AUG 2023)