Daily Evacuation Brief | February 22, 2023

Feb 22

LAST 24 HOURS

BLAST IN KABUL, NO CASUALTIES REPORTED – A magnetic mine damaged a vehicle in Police District 2 yesterday morning near the shrine of Abu Fazl. No casualties had been observed or reported as a result of the blast. It is not clear who may have triggered the explosive device and no group has claimed credit.
RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS HAVE DOUBLED IN CHILDREN – Medical professionals blame the severe winter weather and likely nutritional deficiencies brought on by the economic crisis for the problem. Hospitals are facing a lack of beds, pediatric specialists, and medicines to treat the ailment.
KAM AIR SAID IT PLANS TO RETRIEVE THE REMAINS OF THE 18 AFGHANS WHO DIED IN BULGARIA – The victims were discovered in a truck with scores of other Afghans in what authorities have called a ‘human smuggling’ operation gone awry.
TALIBAN WILL CREATE 27 NEW DISTRICTS – The new districts will be located in Helmand, Farah, Baghlan, Faryab, Sar-e-pul, Ghor, Badghis, Paktika, Zabul, Nuristan, and Kandahar. It has been rumored the additions serve no purpose other than to create employment for the Taliban loyalists.
TORKHAM GATE NEGOTIATIONS ONGOING, TRUCKS LINED UP FOR MILES – Local estimates say as many as 6,000 trucks are stacked up behind the border waiting for the crossing to be reopened. Negotiations continued but it was not clear what was holding an agreement up. Pakistani officials attempted to divert some of the cargo traffic to smaller border crossings but drivers feared taking the detour over fears of banditry along the roads.

NEXT 24 HOURS

TORKHAM GATE SECURITY CONCERNS TO LINGER – Even though negotiations have continued, local eyewitnesses say that border forces on the opposing sides have continued to make threatening and aggressive gestures at each other. A late report yesterday said an additional Pakistani checkpoint had been fired on in a neighboring Province but no proof was provided. Still, the crossing could easily devolve into violence. Exacerbating the tensions, many transport drivers who are facing significant losses as their loads of vegetables and perishables expire may choose to demonstrate and cause a commotion on either side of the border. Such actions have notably fomented cross-border altercations on three occasions in 2022. At-risk Afghans are once again advised to remain away from the area until traffic and border operations return to normal.

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

IRAN

The currency hit another all-time low yesterday as concerns over inflation drove the Rial to its lowest point in history.
Scientists representing the regime downplay the recent announcements concerning the discovery of 84% pure uranium in Iran. They say it often occurs naturally at such purities.
A leaked document from the regime warned of looming civil unrest over food shortages. The letter was dated 5 February and predicted the country would face significant internal turmoil over the coming year.

PAKISTAN

The government announced that interest payments on external debt had jumped by 70% in the first part of 2023.
After modest gains, the rupee slid against the dollar.
While some terror arrests have been made since the commencement of the government crackdown, police continue to reign in street gangs and crime.

SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS

Threats to Pakistan could be threat to United States

By Asia Maqsood - Modern Diplomacy

In the coming decade, US-Pakistan security relations will be more important than any other type of relationship. After Pakistan’s impending elections this year, the US cannot turn a blind eye to engage Pakistan in healing bilateral US-Pak relations, whether the subject is Afghanistan or the TTP. Throughout the past 75 years, both nations have cooperated in a variety of areas, including energy, commerce and investment, health, clean energy, climate, stabilizing Afghanistan, and counterterrorism.

AFGHAN NEWS

IED detonated against car in Kabul city

By Ariana News

Police confirmed a sticky bomb was detonated against a car in Kabul on Tuesday morning but said there were…

Busiest Crossing on Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Remains Closed for Third Day

By Ayaz Gul - VOA

Islamabad — Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities were in talks Tuesday to resolve differences that led to…

Efforts Underway for Standard Education System: Nadim

By Nazir Shinwari - TOLO News

The acting Minister of Higher Education, Neda Mohammad Nadim, said that efforts are underway to form a…

REGIONAL NEWS

Moscow Multilateral Security Dialogue: Regional Consensus Elusive on Afghanistan

By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza - The Diplomat

Afghanistan under the Taliban continues to raise security concerns among regional powers, yet there is little sign of any…

INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN

Time is running out for Afghan evacuees. Pass the new Afghan Adjustment Act

By Kawser Amine - Press-Telegram

Last fall, tens of thousands of Afghan refugees waited hopefully for the outgoing Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act and finally provide them…