LAST 24 HOURS
PAKISTAN MOSQUE BOMBING RAISES QUESTIONS – Exactly who carried out the suicide bomb attack that has now claimed over 100 lives in Peshawar is a topic of debate among Pakistan’s intelligence and security forces. The TTP initially claimed credit for the attack but later retracted the claim. Some think it could have been ISIS and meant as a riposte to the death of their leader in Africa at the hand of US forces. Even others say it was al-Qaeda’s message that they were back. The dominant theory is that it was a TTP attack and analysts have pointed to other instances where religious targets were hit and TTP never claimed credit but was found to be responsible later. Many say it is a ploy that has been used to get around their often-stated claims that they do not target Islamic religious sites. The reason it is important is that the new Pakistan regime seems inclined to take wider actions against the TTP and those actions could easily result in air strikes in Afghanistan. Further information is needed regarding this matter.
TALIBAN LESS CORRUPT THAN PREVIOUS REGIME ACCORDING TO REPORT – A recent report by Transparency International saw Afghanistan rise in the rankings of corrupt nations by several spots. The rankings use several metrics as criteria for creating the Corruptions Perceptions Index. It is likely the Taliban will use the report to attempt to reestablish some credibility lost after the gender restrictions imposed in the country.
TURKEY ASSISTING TALIBAN WITH DEVELOPING NEW UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAMS – An Afghan team of educators is heading to Turkey to review the system of exams used there for potential adoption in Afghanistan. Several journalists were keen to ask if the new system would be used for women’s exams, but the delegation spokesman dodged the question. Turkey and its leader in particular have been critical of the Taliban’s decision to bar women and girls from education. It is possible that Turkey extended the invitation in a bid to convince the members of the delegation to lobby for a reversal of policies.
US SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN PAKISTAN FOR TALKS – As a part of a three-country visit, Thomas West, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan met with his counterpart and other select officials in Islamabad. All agreed that further engagement was key to ameliorating security concerns. Some analysts ridicule West for continuing to meet with, “...everyone but Afghans.” The US Representative will travel to Germany and Switzerland next for further discussions about economic aid.
NEXT 24 HOURS
SEARCHES EXPECTED IN JALALABAD – Ministry of the Interior agents were dispatched to Jalalabad sometime over the previous days to try and root out a cell of ISIS-K operatives reputedly located in the eastern portion of the city. The Ministry officials have reportedly been operating out of the Nangarhar Customs offices and had visited the Jalat Apartment complex last night. No further information was available.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Iran sent part of its naval fleet into international waters which has set many in the international community on edge.
Iran’s permanent mission to the UN threatened the US with War in New York on Monday should the US launch any operations against the country. Curiously, Iran did not specifically blame the US or Israel for the recent drone attacks in the country.
Iran and Russia finalized plans to link banking systems. Observers say it will create a means of avoiding sanctions.
PAKISTAN
Police and security officials blame a lapse in security that allowed the suicide bomber to gain entry to the Mosque.
Pakistan confirmed the first recorded case of BF.7 Omicron (COVID) in Karachi on Tuesday.
Several counter-terrorism operations were carried out in the last 24 hours. We are waiting on details for each.
TAJIKISTAN
Tajikistan sent the first convoy of commercial goods to China in over three years. The border was closed in response to the pandemic.
Leaders are concerned that 10-12% of domestic food supplies were destroyed during the recent cold spell. It is not clear whether enough stocks are on hand to see the civilian population through the winter.
SPOTLIGHT OPINION
Is Isis to blame for the Pakistan mosque bombing?
By James Snell
The Islamic State may have been driven out of its capitals in Iraq’s Mosul and Syria’s Raqqa but that doesn’t mean it has disappeared. In the Philippines, West Africa, and most obviously in Afghanistan, the terror group is thriving. Isis’s tentacles have also spread to Pakistan.
AFGHAN NEWS
Afghanistan jumps 24 places to 150th in global corruption index
By Ariana News
Afghanistan has jumped as many as 24 places in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2022 compared to the…
Taliban's Grip on Women and Girls Tightens
By VOA
The United States supports the Afghan people’s call for women to return to work and women and girls to return to school and…
The Taliban And The Systematic Return To The Middle Ages – Analysis
By Dr. Mohamed Chtatou - EurAsia Review
Reconquering Afghanistan in a matter of weeks, the Taliban achieved their goal of subjecting the Afghan people to a medieval, ultra-Islamist regime with…
REGIONAL NEWS
'Our Situation Is Terrible': Ex-Afghan Military Officers Stuck In Limbo In India
By Sana Kakar Fayeza & Ibrahimi Abubakar Siddique - RFI
Just weeks before its collapse, the Western-backed Afghan government sent dozens of army officers for training to India, a…
Can Pakistan face down a growing Taliban insurgency?
By Haroon Janjua - Deutsche Welle
The suicide bombing at a mosque in northwestern Pakistan that killed dozens of officers is the country's worst terrorist attack in…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Broadway's Mazin Akar to Star in Regional Production of Selling Kabul
By Leah Putnam - Playbill
Arlington, Virginia's Signature Theatre has its cast and creative team in place for its upcoming production of the Pulitzer Prize finalist Selling Kabul by…
Envoys West, Sadiq Meet on Afghanistan in Islamabad
By Nazir Shinwari - TOLO News
Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan's special envoy for Afghanistan, said that Islamabad supports the continuous engagement with the current…
THE DAILY WTF
Taliban continue to collect traditional taxes from Kunduz farmers
By AMU TV
A number of farmers in Kunduz province of Afghanistan have said that despite a dismal harvest this year, the Taliban still collected Usher and Zakat, the traditional…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 89.17 AFN (as of 1 FEB 2023)