Daily Evacuation Brief | August 8, 2022

Aug 8, 2022

Another bombing was reported in Kabul’s Chandawal neighborhood. Eyewitnesses claim a bomb detonated inside a passenger car in front of the Hazara Castle (possibly on Asmayi Street), and an unknown number of people are dead and wounded from the blast. No group has claimed credit for the attack yet.
Internet and cellular service in Kabul is said to be out in several districts throughout the city.
Fighting between Taliban and Pakistani forces has been reported in Kunar province. Sources state that Taliban border security forces investigated a border structure that Pakistani Army engineer units were erecting when an argument broke out and shooting began. Both sides are said to be sending additional reinforcements to the area adjacent to Dangam. If fighting escalates, it could force a closure of the border.
A second drone strike has been reported in the Chahar Diwar area of Ghazni province (Andar district) on Saturday evening by local eyewitnesses, but the circumstances remain unclear. A few photos are circulating on social media that allegedly show the strike on a building. As the situation develops, the Afghan Digest will continue to report.
- The Taliban vehemently denied the strike but have not stated what may have actually occurred. Sources have verified that a large security force presence is active in the area and are not allowing private citizens near the site of the blast.
- Resistance-aligned news services claim the strike was carried out on a camp hosting ‘foreign forces’ but have not provided any more detail to support their accusations.
- The US has not claimed responsibility for the purported strike.
The Taliban have made good on their threats to crack down on Ashura celebrations and are denying worshipers in Mazar-i-Sharif the ability to celebrate the holiday openly. The Taliban have cited security concerns, but an earlier edict that removed major Shia-centric holidays from the national calendar lends support to voices claiming that the Taliban intend for Afghanistan to be a Sunni nation. Based on recent ISIS-K activity, our analysis indicates that Taliban security concerns are justified, and those in areas where Ashura celebrations are planned ought to be wary of potential terrorist attacks.
Several convoys under heavy armed escort have been reportedly leaving Kabul and heading to Kandahar over the past 24 hours. Sources indicate that many of the Taliban leadership are traveling with the convoys. It is unclear where they are going and why, but the movements have given rise to many conspiracy theories on social media. Some are extremely far-fetched, and we urge restraint until the situation becomes clearer.
Dysentery has affected approximately 1,000 people in Takhar, and the number around the country is expected to be in the tens of thousands. The outbreak in Takhar is said to be severe, but there have been no reports of deaths from the disease yet. As many of the communities who are most at-risk are rural, providing sanitation materials is a daunting task for relief agencies. We suggest reading about basic preventative and treatment options HERE.
Three high-ranking TTP (Pakistani Taliban) commanders, including the notorious Omar Khalid Khorasani, were reportedly killed in the Birmal district of Paktika province when their car hit a roadside mine. The three commanders were believed to be based in Afghanistan. It is unclear who placed the mine, but their deaths could increase tensions given ongoing peace negotiations between the TTP and the Pakistani government.

`NEXT 24 HOURS`

The Iranian Foreign Minister is expected to call the Taliban representative to the Ministry to demand details about efforts to protect Shiites living in Afghanistan. Sources close to the situation claimed that Tehran’s patience is at an end with the Taliban.
As reinforcements arrive on both sides of the border near Kunar, there is potential for an escalation of violence. It may also force a closure of the border while the dispute is settled. At-risk Afghans attempting to cross into Pakistan should stay informed about the situation and be prepared for delays.
The Central Bank intends to auction another $12 million USD on Monday to bolster the afghani.

`SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS`

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The killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri

By Amina Khan – Middle East Monitor

For some time now, Al-Qaeda had stopped being the primary target of policy and counterterrorist experts. The erstwhile most dangerous terrorist group in the war on terror following its attacks on the United States on 9/11 had largely been inactive, particularly in Afghanistan. No longer responsible for any incident of violence, let alone a major terrorist attack, it had been replaced by other more powerful entities. Its leader after Osama bin Laden, the Egyptian Ayman al-Zawahiri remained at best a symbolic threat limited to propaganda jihadist videos. But his very existence – albeit in the background – remained a constant reminder of the US failures in the war against terror even he no longer seemed to pose a threat to the US. After all, even during Osama bin Laden's lifetime, al-Zawahiri had been one of the few al-Qaeda leaders whose name was synonymous with terrorism.

`AFGHAN NEWS`

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Increasing Security Threats; Taliban Places Restrictions on Ashura Ceremony in Northern Afghanistan

By Saqalain Eqbal – Khaama Press

Locals in Mazar-e-Sharif, in Balkh province of northern Afghanistan, say that the Taliban has prevented Ashura ceremony preparations at the…

Umar Khalid Khorasani, 9 associates confirmed killed by US drone strike - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

Three Senior Pakistani Taliban Commanders Killed In Blast In Afghanistan

Three senior commanders of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) – also known as the Pakistani Taliban -- have been killed in a blast in southeastern Afghanistan…