LAST 24 HOURS
PAKISTAN COMMUNITIES HOLD SEVERAL RALLIES FOR PEACE IN AREAS WHERE THE TTP OPERATE – Over the past week, many communities (large and small) in Pakistan have held open rallies calling for peace. Organizers have said the rallies have two goals:
To signal to the TTP that a return to the violence of earlier times is not supported by these communities.
To show the regime that they want assistance to keep the TTP from running amok.
An ancillary goal that has been stated by a few of the organizers is to support a new dialogue between the government and the TTP. There are fears that the current regime intends to deal with the threat exclusively with military force and the citizens in these communities say they are already dealing with enough economic hardship without having their lives further disrupted by gun battles in their streets. Many of the demonstrations concluded on 12 January but there is talk of sending a group of local citizens (not politicians) to meet at parliament and have their concerns heard. The demonstrations passed peacefully by all accounts.
MORE POWER OUTAGES REPORTED – Several media outlets have reported power disruptions along the Uzbekistan power distribution grid. Several cities and towns have reported complete power loss for over twenty-four hours and with a severe cold front moving in, there is a risk of exposure and frostbite. Employees of Breshna (national power company) said the cuts are due to technical difficulties that they are working to resolve. A source in the Ministry of Communications said that it may be the result of unpaid bills to Uzbekistan.
TALIBAN TELLS THE UNSC TO STOP LINKING HUMANITARIAN AID TO ITS DOMESTIC POLICIES – Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, gave the regime’s response to the UN Security Council’s condemnation of the gender policies and called for patience as the Taliban instituted its particular brand of Sharia principles across the country. He said the international community should not award humanitarian aid based on political differences.
NEXT 24 HOURS
DANGEROUS COLD SPELL IN THE FORECAST – Temperatures are expected to plummet to lows of -35 degrees celsius in parts of Afghanistan. Local authorities are advising citizens to prepare for the cold spell and to ensure animals are protected from what could be a 3-day period of intense cold. With several power outages affecting much of Western Afghanistan, citizens are turning to alternative heating methods and at-risk Afghans are encouraged to take appropriate security precautions if using internal combustible fuels inside sleeping areas.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Iran defied Great Britain and executed Alireza Akbari, a dual citizen of Iran and the UK, on Saturday.
Additional executions of protestors are expected in Esfahan Province.
London recalled its Ambassador from Tehran in protest of the execution of Alireza Akbari.
PAKISTAN
3 Police were killed by militants in Peshawar when they attacked a police station. Counter-terrorism forces acted on a tip and claim to have killed 2 of the attackers in a follow-up operation.
Cold weather will continue to affect several Provinces across the country for the next few days.
SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS
A Rift Getting Deeper: TTP and IEA parting their ways?
By Abdul Mussawer Safi - Modern Diplomacy
A few days ago, an alleged audio of Tahreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief, Noor Wali Mehsud has caught the attention of those who keep a close eye on terrorist groups operating in Pakistan, especially Tahreek e Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Through this audio, Noor Wali has sent a message, to TTP fighters to pick up arms against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) after its search operation in provinces along the Pak-Afghan border. Since the takeover of Kabul, some security analysts had predicted the possible collaboration of IEA with TTP. Still, the evolution of TTP strategies and its ideological shift from being a branch of IEA to being an opponent of IEA was observed. Only those who have kept a sharp eye on TTP activities know that TTP is now a threat to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
AFGHAN NEWS
By Syed Zabiullah Langari - Buzzfeed
It was early morning in Kabul, Afghanistan, when Fatima Amiri first heard the gunshots from inside her…
$40 Million Aid Package Reaches Kabul After a Long Delay
By Hasht-e Subh Daily
The Taliban-run Central Bank of Afghanistan or Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) said in a newsletter issued on Saturday, January 14 that a cash aid package worth…
Afghanistan: Taliban Proving They Will Never Change – Analysis
By Luke Coffey - Arab News
The winter months are a time of hardship and hunger for many Afghans, of whom an estimated 97 percent are threatened with…
REGIONAL NEWS
The Taliban woo China as ISIS threat grows
By Beth Bailey - Restoring America
While turning a blind eye to the starving Afghan population, on Jan. 4, a Taliban senior leader professed the group has an " obligation " to protect Chinese nationals…
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Is Back. Washington Should Take Note.
By Harris Samad - The Diplomat
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as the TTP or simply the Pakistani Taliban, has wreaked havoc since the…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan hurt the prestige of America: Pompeo
By Ariana News
In an interview on Friday, Pompeo said: “President Trump campaigned on getting out of Afghanistan and the American people wanted them out…
By Raymond Keene - The Article
Close observers of the Spare saga will have observed Prince Harry’s claim to have terminated twenty-five Taliban fighters during his…
THE DAILY WTF
Arabs pay Taliban top dollar to hunt rare birds in Afghanistan
By AMU TV
A source familiar with the matter said that Arab nationals hunt Afghan rare birds, including bittern; vulnerable species called a houbara bustard; red-breasted merganser…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 90.03 AFN (as of 15 JAN 2023)