Daily Evacuation Brief | January 10, 2023

Jan 10, 2023

THE CASH AID CONTROVERSY CONTINUES – Pajhwok Afghan News reported again that no cash assistance flights had arrived in Kabul since 14 December 2022. This report follows an earlier report by AMU TV that quoted a Da Afghanistan Bank official making the same claim. However, another DA Bank spokesman gave a conflicting statement in a subsequent press announcement that the aid had not been halted. The United Nations issued a fact sheet yesterday that outlined the procedures used to transport funds to Afghanistan but failed to disclose whether transfers had been halted. The Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, announced on a BBC radio show on Friday, 6 January that funds had been ‘temporarily suspended’.
PAKISTAN RELEASED ANOTHER 300 AFGHANS FROM PRISON IN SINDH – An additional 303 Afghans were released from Pakistani prisons on Monday, following an earlier release of approximately 500 previously detained Afghans. The refugees were seen loading on busses that were scheduled to transport them to a temporary holding area near Spin Boldak Gate where they will likely be deported in the coming days.
SEVERAL STRANDED TRAVELLERS RESCUED ALONG GHOR-KABUL HIGHWAY – Hundreds of travelers are thought to be stuck along snow-clogged Afghan highways after a heavy storm dropped several inches across the country over the previous forty-eight hours. Approximately 50 were rescued by citizens and security forces personnel along the Ghor-Kabul Highway. The road remains closed and a new storm system is expected to drop more snow across the country. One child succumbed to exposure as a result of the
SOME WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES IN BALKH PROVINCE ORDERED TO CLOSE DOWN – Women proprietors of businesses in Balkh Province have reported they were visited by Ministry of Vice and Virtue representatives and were told to be prepared to close their shops by Thursday. Balkh Province has the highest concentration of women-owned businesses in Afghanistan and accounts for a significant portion of economic activity.

NEXT 24 HOURS

MORE SNOW/RAIN IN THE FORECAST – A second storm front is expected to bring more rain and snow to Afghanistan. The severe weather is expected to affect 22 Provinces and will continue until January 11th. At-risk Afghans are cautioned to avoid travel and to check on the conditions of roads if travel is absolutely necessary.

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

IRAN

Facebook announced the slogan “Death to Khamenei” would be allowed on its social media platform starting on Monday.
3 more protestors were handed death sentences by the regime.
In what appeared to be a coordinated action, several European countries summoned their respective Iranian Ambassadors over the most recent executions of condemned protestors.

PAKISTAN

The US announced a $100 million dollar aid package to assist Pakistan to recover from the historic flooding of 2022. Other international entities pledged a total of $9 billion in recovery funding.
Pakistan’s military chief visits the President of UAE during a mysterious trip to the Gulf region.

SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS

Why Isis offshoot is still a threat for China’s businesspeople in Afghanistan

By Amy Chew - South China Morning Post

Chinese nationals will remain a target in 2023 for an Islamic State offshoot operating in Afghanistan, because of China’s alleged suppression of ethnic Uygur minorities in Xinjiang, according to analysts.

AFGHAN NEWS

Taliban's internal squabbles are ‘paralysing’ humanitarian aid in Afghanistan, Norwegian Refugee Council warns

By The Morning Star

Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) secretary-general Jan Egeland is on a week-long trip to the country to meet…

Afghans Struggle To Heat Homes Amid Soaring Winter Fuel Prices

By Austin Malloy - RFE

Many people in Afghanistan's central province of Daikundi are struggling to heat their homes this winter with fuel costs…

Taliban (IEA) Minister Speaks on Altering Journalism Curriculum

By Nizamuddin Rezahi - Khaama Press

The Ministry of Higher Education of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced that initial initiatives have…

REGIONAL NEWS

Stop arresting Afghans residing in Pakistan: Afghanistan diplomatic representative in Pakistan

By ANI

The charges d’affaires (diplomatic representative of state) of Afghanistan’s embassy in Islamabad, Sardar Ahmad Shakib, has asked the Pakistani government…