LAST 24 HOURS
LATEST DECREE POLARIZES COUNTRY – While the Taliban have shown little interest in condemnation from the international community, it has consistently fretted over support from local leaders and 2022 saw several domestic missions by high-ranking Taliban leaders that were dispatched to the Provinces in order to quell potential resistance and assure local leaders of the IEA’s inviolability. However, many in Kabul say this latest move will put more pressure on local leaders than at any time previously and it could widen existing cracks.
NRF SEES PLEDGES OF SUPPORT AFTER TALIBAN DECREE ON WOMEN – Sources in the Resistance say their ranks will swell with new recruits this Spring after many have become disillusioned with the Taliban 2.0. Sources claimed the recent announcement that bars women from attending Universities has prompted many new potential recruits to contact Resistance members and commit to joining the group for the Spring campaign season. While some of the predictions seem far-fetched, most analysts seem to agree that they could double the numbers in their ranks to approximately 6,000 and they will likely be able to form cells in Provinces across the country.
POSSIBLE SECURITY THREAT IN MAZAR-I-SHARIF – Taliban security forces appear to be at an elevated security status in Mazar-i-Sharif. Taliban security vehicles were observed to be stationed across all districts of the city on Wednesday. Taliban security personnel have been congregating around the vehicles and the vehicles remained in their positions all day and into the night. It is not clear what threat may have prompted the deployment. Typically, Taliban vehicles congregate at the established checkpoints and conduct sporadic patrols throughout the city. The Taliban may be taking precautionary measures in anticipation of protests against the recent announcement regarding the ban on women attending Universities. We are attempting to verify that other cities across the country are seeing similar deployments.
FORMER PRESIDENT KARZAI RETURNS TO KABUL – His return puts to rest several rumors which stated that he had planned on fleeing the country.
THE SALANG PASS HAS REOPENED FOR SMALL VEHICLE TRAFFIC – Local officials are debating instituting new rules for commercial traffic that could involve inspections of safety equipment and/or establishing a schedule that would keep commercial traffic from traversing the tunnel while civilian traffic is present. A source with the emergency services who have been clearing the wreckage from the tunnel is concerned the tunnel was damaged from the intense heat and has requested a structural evaluation be completed prior to reopening but the advice appears to have been ignored by the Taliban.
NEXT 24 HOURS
TALIBAN DEPLOYMENT IN MAZAR-I-SHARIF — While there is no information concerning a possible threat, it is advisable to warn those at-risk Afghans in the city of the Taliban deployment and we recommend people remain indoors until the situation becomes clearer.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
The national currency has dipped lower and there are reports that several large container and tanker ships are anchored offshore and are awaiting resolution over payment issues.
Pakistan is looking at ways to purchase oil from Iran and avoid trouble with sanctions.
Russia announced a bilateral investment plan totaling $20 billion dollars to set up a transportation network that will avoid sanctions.
PAKISTAN
The bilateral initiative between Pakistan and China has hit several snags and the proposed corridor between Xinjiang Province and the Gwadar port appears to be on hold. Trust between the two countries is eroding due to unpaid Pakistani debt and a lack of transparency.
The new Army Chief is hailing the recent counter-terror operation in Bannu as the ‘new path’ for Pakistan’s strategy to take on terrorism.
Two unconfirmed reports of potential terrorist attacks arrived from North Waziristan that may have targeted security personnel but the information is extremely fragmented.
TAJIKISTAN
The Government is weighing cuts to power exports in a bid to satisfy domestic shortfalls anticipated over the next three months. While Afghanistan has not been specifically named, local press has indicated it would likely be the primary candidate. It is not clear if the Taliban have a plan in place to deal with such a situation.
SPOTLIGHT GENDER
Timeline: Taliban crackdown on Afghan women’s education, rights
By Al Jazeera
The group, which took over Kabul 16 months ago, argues its rules are in keeping with their interpretation of Islam, although Afghanistan is the only Muslim country that prohibits girls from being educated.
AFGHAN NEWS
Taliban enforce women university attendance ban at gunpoint
By Eltaf Najafizada - War is Boring
Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government barred women from attending universities across the country and enforced the order at gunpoint in some…
#LetHerLearn: Afghans use social media to protest university ban
By RFI
fghans voiced outrage on social media Wednesday over the Taliban's ban on women attending university, using the hashtag #LetHerLearn -- one of the only…
Male medical students boycott exams in protest over Taliban’s university ban on women
By AMU TV
A group of male medical students at Nangarhar University walked out of exams on Wednesday in protest against the Taliban’s ban on women getting a university…
REGIONAL NEWS
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan lead global condemnation for Taliban university education ban
By The National
Saudi Arabia said it is "astonished and shocked" at a Taliban decision to ban women from attending universities in…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Reaction to Taliban-led Afghanistan suspending university access for women
By Reuters
Afghanistan's Taliban-run government on Tuesday suspended university access for female students, drawing condemnation from foreign governments and complicating…
Taliban release two Americans in 'goodwill gesture' after US condemns treatment of Afghan women
By Michael Lee - Fox News
The State Department announced that the Taliban released two Americans that were being held in Afghanistan as a…
THE DAILY WTF
Humanitarian Aid Should Not Be Linked to Political Conditions, Urges Muttaqi
By Bakhtar News Agency
Foreign Minister, Muttaqi, said that today the world has changed to a village of sorrow, joy, problems, and hardships shared by all, we have a common…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 89.17 AFN (as of 22 DEC 2022)
