LAST 24 HOURS
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON TOP PAKISTAN DIPLOMAT IN KABUL – At least three unidentified gunmen carried out an attack that appears to have targeted the Pakistan Charge d’Affaires in Kabul on Friday. Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani is said to have survived the attack but a Pakistani security guard was gravely injured. Many have alleged the attack was the work of the TTP and comes days after the militant group called off a ceasefire with the government of Pakistan. The Taliban have vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice but the gunmen remain at large as of publication. The attack puts the IEA in a difficult position with regard to its close association with its Pakistani counterpart (TTP) and a desire for continued relations with Pakistan.
SUICIDE BOMB ATTACK ON HEKMATYR’S PARTY OFFICES THWARTED – Another suicide bomb attack was foiled when two burqa-clad suicide bombers attempted to gain entry to a Mosque used by members of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami political party. The bombers were thwarted when they were challenged by security guards and both were killed along with a bodyguard of Hekmatyar. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
US PUTS A TTP LEADER ON THE GLOBAL TERROR WATCHLIST – Qari Amjad was added to the Specially Designated Global Terrorist list. Amjad is said to be the Deputy Chief of the TTP and is thought to be hiding in Afghanistan. The other 3 names added to the least are suspected of serving with Al Qaeda and may also be hiding in Afghanistan.
MINISTER FOR REFUGEES AND REPATRIATION SAYS IRAN IS RECRUITING AFGHANS FOR CONFLICTS IN OTHER REGIONS – Khalil Rahman Haqqani, current Minister for Refugees and Repatriation, while visiting Parwan said that he is aware of certain cases where Afghans had been recruited by the Iranian regime and sent to fight in Syria, Iraq, and possibly to Ukraine. He did not elaborate on details about the program. His announcement marks the first instance of a senior Taliban official confirming the practice.
NEXT 24 HOURS
ALL DIPLOMATIC FACILITIES IN AFGHANISTAN INCREASE SECURITY – Embassies and Consulates across Afghanistan are expected to increase security postures in the wake of the attack on the Embassy of Pakistan. Some may even suspend operations for a time to assess the threat. The Taliban are sending more armed security to patrol the areas around diplomatic facilities and security checks will likely include more scrutiny of individuals and vehicles as a result of the attack.
POSSIBLE KABUL CLEARING OPERATION – A source with the Ministry of Defense says the identities of at least one of the men responsible for the attack on the Pakistan Embassy are known. They are searching his last known residence and have questioned 2 neighbors about his whereabouts. Officials do not believe he, or his accomplices, have fled the city. A clearing operation in Kabul could take place soon. At-risk Afghans should avoid large concentrations of Taliban vehicles and personnel. If vehicles and Taliban security forces are seen loitering in areas where they are not frequently observed, it is best to leave the area as soon as possible.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
A leading Sunni Cleric has defied the regime and is advocating for commuting the death sentences handed down to protestors.
The 78th day of the protests saw large demonstrations in most major cities and the regime’s security forces opened up fire on the crowds in Zahedan.
Thursday night saw youth groups attack the Basij base on Kermanshah with Molotov cocktails. Youth groups in Gorgan assaulted the Basij base with hand grenades.
PAKISTAN
A massive weapons cache was seized near Kashmir by Army troops.
Some troop movements were reported in Pakistan as several Battalions were moved to positions closer to the border and to bases near Waziristan and Balochistan. Military aircraft were also reported to be repositioning to western airfields.
TAJIKISTAN
The 201st Russian base received a new Commander and he assumed his duties yesterday. Colonel Andrey Marushkin arrived on 28 November to take over command of the base. It is not clear if the new Commander is the same Andrey Marushkin accused of ordering artillery strikes against civilian settlements in the Brovary District of Kyiv.
SPOTLIGHT: LIFE UNDER THE TALIBAN
The Daily Hustle: Going to the bank
By Roxanna Shapour & Rama Mirzada - AAN
In the wake of the Taleban takeover in August 2021, the Afghan banking system, which up to then had been linked to the global banking network, collapsed. Reportedly very little money had been left in the treasury, and then overnight, the United States stopped flying in dollars, the central bank’s reserves held in the US and Europe were frozen and US and United nations sanctions made getting money into Afghanistan difficult. Along with the sudden shortage of dollars afghani bank notes also began to wear out and could not, until recently, be replaced with newly printed ones. The new Taleban authorities closed the banks to stop people taking out all their savings, thereby saving the banking sector. Eventually, they lifted some, but not all restrictions. For Afghans trying to use the banking system, it remains a hellishly difficult proposition. In this episode of our series on how one aspect of a person’s daily life has changed since the takeover, we hear from a young man about going to the bank.
AFGHAN NEWS
‘Assassination attempt’ on Pakistan envoy in Afghan capital
By Al Jazeera
An “assassination attempt” targeted Pakistan’s top diplomat in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s prime minister said, as tensions between the…
Six Members of Kabul Family Die From Inhaling Gas Fumes
By Fatema Adeeb - TOLO News
In the winter season, many of Kabul’s residents use gas heaters to heat their homes, especially those who are…
Attack Targets Hekmatyar's Building in Kabul
By TOLO News
An attack on Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's office, the leader of the Hizb-e-Islami party, resulted in one death and two injuries…
REGIONAL NEWS
Twitter account of Pakistan’s consulate in Kandahar ‘hacked’
By Dawn
The official Twitter account of the Pakistani consulate in the Afghan city of Kandahar was “hacked”, Consul General Tariq Ali said on…
Inheriting the Storm: Beijing’s Difficult New Relationship with Kabul
By Raffaello Pantucci - The Diplomat
The Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021 left China with a…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
US Lists Top TTP, Regional al-Qaida Commanders as Global Terrorists
By Ayaz Gul - VOA
The United States has designated several commanders of militant groups, including a top anti-Pakistan militant leader, operating in…
Slovenia to receive 50 Syrian, Afghan refugees from Turkey
By Sebastjan Macek - EurActiv
Fifty refugees from Afghanistan and Syria will be moving from Turkey to Slovenia as part of a resettlement plan that will be finalised at the end…
THE DAILY WTF
Afghanistan: Woman Flogged For Going To Shop Without Male Guardian
By Outlook
A woman in Afghanistan was seen being brutally flogged in public for allegedly flouting the Taliban's…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 88.25 AFN (as of 3 DEC 2022)