Daily Evacuation Brief | February 18, 2022
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Daily Evacuation Brief | February 18, 2022
Daily news about Afghanistan and the surrounding region powered by Operation Snow Leopard
Last 24 Hours
The additional checkpoints added between Kabul and Jalalabad are an attempt to stop the carjackings and banditry that have plagued the route for the last month.
The Pakistan Embassy in Kabul announced visas would be temporarily suspended while material supplies are sent from Islamabad.
Tensions continue to simmer over Ukraine. NATO continues to reinforce countries around Ukraine, while Moscow continues to deny any intention of invading.
Next 24 Hours
We have had no reports of potential security issues in the next 24 hours.
THREAT ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
CONTEXT: The man on the left in the photo is purported to be Abdul Haq al-Turkistani, a Uyghur militant who reportedly leads the Turkistan Islamic Movement and has been on Al Qaeda's shura (central committee) since 2005. He was thought to be operating in Waziristan over the last few years but has been seen in Badakhshan recently.
Sources within the Taliban have stated he is working with a Haqqani sponsored cell to develop biological and chemical weapons in labs at the American University of Kabul. The cell is purported to contain 6 unnamed Arab Al-Qaeda members who specialize in biological weapons.
ANALYSIS: At this time we are unable to confirm or deny whether the man pictured is Haq al-Turkistani. However, there have been enough reports about cooperation between the Haqqani network and Al-Qaeda to begin tracking potential WMD development. We will continue to monitor and report.
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 91.18 AFN (as of 18 FEB 2022)
Afghan News
US General: Daesh “Concerns Us in Afghanistan”
By TOLO News
A top US military official expressed concerns about Daesh in Afghanistan, saying the US is still…
Afghanistan: It isn’t just about the girls
By Sushant Sareen – Observer Research Foundation
The issue in Afghanistan isn’t about the US or the West and the rest being either mean or…
Ex-Security Officer Released, Calls for Amnesty to be Honored
By TOLO News
Javad Jafari, a former member of the Security Forces who was detained by the Islamic Emirate, was released on…
Regional News
How the Rise of Islamic State Khorasan in Afghanistan Feeds Uyghur Militancy
By Barbara Kelemen – The Diplomat
Six months into the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, the conditions facilitating Islamist militancy are…
Pakistan struggles to quell violence on its Afghan border
By Asif Shahzad – Reuters
Pakistan's military has stepped up operations along the Afghan border in recent weeks after…
Desperate to escape the Taliban, Afghans are being exploited by smugglers and Pakistani military
By Emma Batha & Bahaar Joya – Thompson Reuters
As a female prosecutor in Afghanistan, Shafiqa Sae knew she had to flee for her life when the Taliban seized…
International News Relating to Afghanistan
U.S. and EU Officials Begin Aid Talks With the Taliban
By Trevor Filseth – National Interest
Representatives of Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government met with U.S. and European Union representatives in…
UN Secretary-General Emphasizes regional cooperation to Afghanistan
By Bakhtar News Agency
Antonio Guterres, “Without decisive action, severe economic, rising unemployment and the escalation of the humanitarian crisis will fuel…
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