Daily Evacuation Brief | February 17, 2023
Daily Evacuation Brief | February 17, 2023
LAST 24 HOURS
SENATOR FROM FORMER REGIME ARRESTED – Qais Khan Wakili was arrested early on Thursday by Taliban security forces. There was no reason given for his arrest. The Senator represented Bamyan Province in the former regime. His current whereabouts and disposition are unknown.
MINISTER OF DEFENSE REMARKS AT ODDS WITH SUPREME LEADER IN SPEECH – After the Minister of the Interior made controversial remarks in Khost, the Minister of Defense (Yaqub) reportedly echoed the Interior Minister’s remarks and expressed sympathy with the people of Afghanistan. The first speech drew a rebuke from the Supreme Leader’s spokesman and it is likely Minister Yaqub’s comments will elicit similar criticism. Both Ministers have been rumored to be at odds with the Supreme Leader over the imposition of gender bans on women.
EARTHQUAKE REPORTED IN BADAKHSHAN – A 4.7 magnitude earthquake was reported in the Province and residents in Faizabad said their homes were shaking. The quake hit the region at approximately 2300hrs local on Thursday night. No reports of casualties or damages have yet arrived.
CSTO LEADER’S COMMENTS ON AFGHANISTAN – In a prepared release, leaders of the CSTO member states pledged to come to Tajikistan’s aid should any attack be made on its soil from Afghanistan. In an ancillary announcement, the organization opined that over 6,000 ISIS-K militants are operating in Afghanistan and that 4,000 of them are concentrated along the Tajik border.
UPTICK IN RESISTANCE UNIT ACTIONS – There has been a notable increase in violence between Resistance forces and the Taliban over the last several days. Some are wondering if the ‘campaign season’ has already begun.
NEXT 24 HOURS
SECURITY OPERATIONS IN KABUL STILL BEING PLANNED – Yesterday’s reports about security operations on suspected ISIS-K safe houses (or apartments) have continued according to a source familiar with the situation. Apparently, there is confusion about the identities and nationalities of the suspected ISIS-K members. We still do not know which police districts are the focal points of these operations.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Youth in Tehran went through the capital and other cities and burned the anniversary banners that had been hung for the anniversary.
UK counter-terrorism police say that terrorism plots by Iran have quadrupled in the past two years.
Jewish media sites are claiming there is a centralized Iranian plan to begin targeting the Jewish diaspora around the world.
PAKISTAN
The Rupee continued to recover a bit against the dollar. More good news came as the foreign reserve balance rose by nearly $300 million dollars.
A US delegation concluded their visit to Pakistan and released several statements upon their return to the US about the immense security challenges the country faces.
SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS
Why does the CIA keep getting blindsided by insurgencies?
By Michael Rubin - Washington Examiner
While it is fair to blame both President Joe Biden for the decision to abandon the country and former President Donald Trump for crafting a deeply flawed peace process, Washington has yet to address a broader problem: Until the last minute, the intelligence community assessed the Afghan government could survive. However, their fall was less military than political.
AFGHAN NEWS
Arrests made in Kabul over Turkey flight rumors
By Ariana News
Abdulhaq Hammad, the head of the monitoring unit of media publications, says that the people who spread the rumors of free flights to…
Two former army commanders arrested by Taliban in Kabul: Sources
By Bilal Khodadad - AMU TV
Two former commanders of Afghanistan’s national army under the republic government were arrested by the Taliban in Kabul’s Police District 17 on Monday, sources confirmed on…
Karim Janat and Afsar Zazai lead Afghanistan to T20 victory over UAE
By Amith Passela - The National News
Afghanistan made a positive start to the three-match T20 series against the UAE as they eased to a five-wicket win at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in…
REGIONAL NEWS
Another 200 Afghans released from Pakistani prisons
By Ariana News
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) consulate in Karachi said another 200 Afghan nationals have been released from…
China, Iran urge Afghanistan to end restrictions on women’s work, education
By Al Arabiya
China and Iran have urged mutual neighbor Afghanistan to end restrictions on women’s work and…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
US backs UN assessment that new al-Qaida leader is in Iran
By Ariana News
The United States said Wednesday its assessment aligns with a United Nations report that the new head of the al-Qaeda terror group, Saif al-Adel, is…
Tens of thousands of Afghans in U.S. could lose deportation protections unless Congress acts
By Camilo Montoya-Galvez - CBS News
Tens of thousands of Afghan refugees who were evacuated to the U.S. after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 are at risk of losing their work…
THE DAILY WTF
Mujahid: The World is looking for excuses not to recognize IEA government
By Ariana News
The spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), says that the Islamic Emirate has fulfilled all the conditions for recognition, but the…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 89.17 AFN (as of 17 FEB 2023)