Daily Evacuation Brief | February 12, 2023
LAST 24 HOURS
HAQQANI’S REMARKS IN KHOST MAY BE AT ODDS WITH SUPREME LEADER – The Minister of the Interior, Sirajuddin Haqqani, spoke to a crowd of several thousand after a graduation ceremony at the Manba Al-Jihad Madrasa. His comments were allowed to be recorded and his tone was in stark contrast to addresses by the Supreme Leader. He criticized the regime’s inflexibility and seemed to suggest a change in policies was sorely needed if the country was to emerge from the economic and security crisis. A snippet of his speech can be found HERE.
CONFLICTING MESSAGES FROM PAKISTAN REGARDING AFGHAN REFUGEES – Pakistan’s Interior Ministry announced it had named a new special envoy for Afghan Refugee Affairs and called on the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad to discuss a strategy to help ameliorate the Afghan refugee problem in the country. The issue of visas was discussed and the envoy pledged that Afghans would no longer face imprisonment. However, in Punjab, the local government announced it intended to speed up deportations of Afghans in the coming weeks and law enforcement officials in the Province were working on a plan to facilitate this goal. In recent months, Sindh Province witnessed a similar effort to round up unwanted Afghans and deport them.
PROMINENT WOMEN’S RIGHTS ACTIVIST KIDNAPPED FROM HOME IN TAKHAR – Parisa Mobarez, the founder of the Takhar Women’s Protest Movement was taken from her home yesterday by unidentified men driving vehicles similar to those in use among the Taliban Security Forces. Her brother was also reportedly taken by the men. Their disposition and whereabouts are currently unknown.
UZBEK TALIBAN COMMANDER IN FARYAB DENOUNCES TALIBAN AND RESIGNS – Maulvi Abdul Baqi Omari, a Commander of an Uzbek Taliban unit in the Province has reportedly broken ties with the Taliban and has taken several hundred of his men with him. Omari has complained of bigotry in the Taliban security forces against Panjshiris, Uzbeks, Tajiks, and Hazaras. He is also said to be enraged by the seizure of Uzbek lands and has questioned the competency of the Taliban leadership. He is thought to have gathered his force of over 200 fighters in the Belcherakh Faryab District. This information has yet to be confirmed but would mark the first significant defection from the Taliban for 2023.
DIPLOMATIC SQUABBLE IN IRAN OVER TALIBAN AMBASSADORSHIP – The Taliban has reputedly appointed Mohammad Afzal Haqqani as the new Ambassador in Tehran. The resident Ambassador, Abdul Qayum Sulaimani, disputed the appointment and denied Haqqani entry to the Afghan embassy. It is not clear who will lead the Taliban’s diplomatic efforts in Tehran at this time.
NEXT 24 HOURS
PUNJAB GOVERNMENT THREATENING AFGHAN REFUGEES WITH DEPORTATION – Law enforcement officials say they plan to act on the Provincial government’s edicts to speed up deportations of Afghan refugees who do not possess passports. The move is seen as a means of consoling Punjabi residents who blame Afghans for the increase in street crime and for the rise in terrorist attacks. The plan has not been made public and seems to be at odds with the government in Islamabad which signaled they were working on longer-term solutions for the Afghan refugees in Pakistan. If the Punjab government’s threats are credible, we expect to see searches of hotels, guest houses, and apartment complexes frequented by Afghans in the coming days.
REPORTS OF HARASSMENT AND BRIBERY AT SPIN BOLDAK-CHAMAN ON THE RISE – Several Pakistani and Afghan travelers who habitually use the crossing were interviewed by several news outlets and claim they to have witnessed increased harassment of Afghans (and some Pakistani nationals) by the security forces of Pakistan recently. The reports indicated that travelers are often made to wait for several hours in order to force a bribe payment, some people were beaten before paying a bribe, and others are turned back for no reason. Spin Boldak-Chaman continues to be one of the more difficult crossing points and we are advising at-risk Afghans to use the Torkham Gate if at all possible.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Iran has freed Farhad Meysami, a prominent critic of the regime after photos of his emaciated body were released on social media and caused an uproar.
Some analysts say the IRGC has sent additional troops to Northern Syria under the guise of providing earthquake relief. It is believed the Quds Force personnel will be inserted to prepare for expanded foreign operations.
Regime officials have called on the population to participate in pro-regime gatherings to mark the anniversary of the Islamic Republic today.
PAKISTAN
Inflation rose to a near fifty-year high, and businesses say sales are down by as much as 50% over the winter months. Personal loans have begun to creep up as citizens turn to credit to pay for living expenses.
The assembly in Sindh Province lashed out at law enforcement agencies for, what they say is a rise in street crime and kidnapping plots. The opposition parties primarily voiced these complaints.
Facing uncertain economic conditions, 2 major corporations have decided to temporarily halt operations. The Ghandhara Tyre and Rubber Company will halt operations for at least a week starting on February 13th and Khalid Siraj Textile Mills said it will close operations until the end of March.
TAJIKISTAN
The number of Tajiks seeking Russian citizenship has grown from approximately 63,000 in 2020 to 174,000 in 2022 and is expected to rise further in 2023.
As more Central Asian immigrants head to Russia for work, Russia plans to open pre-migration centers in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan in 2023 to train labor migrants in skills needed across Russia. The center in Tajikistan is expected to open in late 2023.
SPOTLIGHT OPINION
A Peshawar Bombing Reveals Pakistan’s Worsening Terrorism Predicament
By Abdul Basit - New Lines Magazine
Last week’s suicide attack on a mosque in a tightly guarded area in Pakistan’s Peshawar — which included a police headquarters, in addition to intelligence and counterterrorism bureaus — left more than 100 dead and many others injured, making it one of the deadliest attacks in the country in years. While the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, distanced themselves from the Jan. 31 attack, one of its hardline factions, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, claimed responsibility for it, calling it revenge for the killing of its leader, Omar Khalid Khorasani, who died in a roadside bomb last year in Afghanistan. Irrespective of who was behind it, the attack has brought into sharp focus the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Pakistan’s northwestern areas near the border with Afghanistan.
AFGHAN NEWS
Taliban Uphold Their Promises While Engaging With the World: Haqqani
By Nizamuddin Rezahi - Khaama Press
While speaking at the ceremony in Khost for those who had memorized the Holy Quran, Haqqani said that monopolizing power and…
Mujahid Says Education is Essential for Everyone
By Mohammad Farshad Daryosh - TOLO News
The Islamic Emirate spokesperson said the caretaker government considers learning science necessary for everyone in the nation and…
Taliban blocks VOA, Azadi Radio websites across Afghanistan
By AMU TV
“Social media users told us that they do not have access to our websites, and we were made sure yesterday that Radio Azadi’s websites were closed [by the Taliban],” Habib…
REGIONAL NEWS
KP Hazara Division’s Status Will Change into a Province, Maryam Nawaz Says
By Nizamuddin Rezahi - Khaama Press
Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s remarks about changing the status of the “Hazara Division” of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into an independent province…
Pakistan Has Pledged Help With Visas for Afghans: Embassy
By Nazir Shinwari - TOLO News
The Embassy of Afghanistan in Pakistan said that Pakistani officials have pledged to address the issues with issuing visas to Afghan citizens and…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Dozens of Ill Afghan Children to be Treated in Germany
By Banafsha Binesh - TOLO News
A delegation of Germany’s Peace Village International arrived in Kabul on Thursday to assess children who need to be taken to…
German groups suspend Turkey quake rescue over security
By Ariana News
Two German aid organizations suspended rescue operations in quake-hit Turkey on Saturday, citing security problems and reports of clashes between…
THE DAILY WTF
UNAMA Urges World Countries to Open Their Embassies in Afghanistan
By Bakhtar News Agency
For her part, Mrs. Otunbayeva the head of UNAMA announced support for the country’s lawyers said that office ask the countries of the world to open their…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 89.17 AFN (as of 12 FEB 2023)