LAST 24 HOURS
IRAN LAUNCHES STRIKE ON PAKISTAN – Tehran has continued a series of regional strikes and Pakistan was the latest target. After previously firing ballistic missiles into Iraq’s Kurdistan and Syria, Iran has now struck a reputed Sunni militant camp in Pakistan’s Balochistan (Turbat). The camp is said to have been occupied by members of the Jaish al-Adl group which Tehran has accused of being behind several terrorist attacks along its border over the past four months. The group is thought to have carried out the attack on Iranian Police in December that resulted in at least 14 deaths. Pakistan has condemned the strikes and warned Iran that it would consider retaliation if needed. 2 children were killed in the missile strike and 3 others were reportedly wounded. It seems strange that these attacks would take place so soon after a bilateral discussion concerning the threats each country faces from Afghanistan. Those discussions specifically mention the area that came under attack as a potential ‘terrorism breeding ground’. When one considers the nearly identical policy shifts concerning expelling Afghan refugees in both countries, it could suggest that Tehran and Islamabad are coordinating efforts to modify Kabul’s behavior. A source in the region who is familiar with the situation implied that coordination between Iran and Pakistan took shape on the sidelines of the most recent SCO meeting and hinted that mutually beneficial military operations directed at militant groups would eventually be launched along the shared border. It will be interesting to see how things play out between the two countries over the next several days.
PAKISTAN CONSIDERING DISENGAGEMENT WITH AFGHANISTAN – The recent visit to Afghanistan by Fazil Rehman of Pakistan appears to have upset Islamabad after an audience with the Taliban’s Supreme Leader is rumored to have resulted in ‘nothing but an insult’. All commercial traffic between the two countries has been halted and emergency negotiations at the border have failed to reopen the crossings. There are rumors that Pakistan has/will halt or reduce the visa process. Observers are now closely monitoring the Taliban’s diplomatic staff in Pakistan to see if there will be expulsions or if Pakistan will recall some of its personnel. A source in Rawalpindi said that the caretaker regime is perfectly suited to conduct a disengagement strategy as it will not face any long-term consequences.
TALIBAN ANNOUNCE NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM – After two years, the Education Ministry told reporters on Monday that the new curriculum was ready. Without providing specific details, a spokesman for the Ministry said that all subjects that conflict with the Taliban’s version of Sharia law had been removed. Few believe the curriculum will be composed of much in the way of ‘education’ and critics are eager to see the new curriculum. A source in Kabul who has seen the new curriculum said it would likely offend other Islamic countries as it adhered to the strictest interpretations of Sharia and was even more regressive than the offerings under the Taliban’s first stint in power.
NEXT 24 HOURS
NO THREATS REPORTED
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Iran’s head of its counter-narcotics apparatus said that the drug trafficking from Afghanistan has continued, despite the Taliban’s crackdown on opium. He said that where opium has fallen, synthetic drugs have increased.
Iraq filed a complaint in the United Nations Security Council yesterday for the attacks on its soil by Iran.
Canada announced it would look into government funding for researchers working in Canadian Universities on Defence and Security priorities. China, Iran, and Russia were mentioned by name.
PAKISTAN
2 soldiers were killed and 4 others wounded in an attack carried out by the Baloch Liberation Army in the Kech District.
A local court in Rawalpindi indicted former Prime Minister Khan and his wife (Bushra Bibi) for having organized an un-Islamic marriage ceremony. The presiding judge in the case expressed frustration with Mrs. Khan’s absence in court.
The US Ambassador met with the head of Pakistan’s Air Force to discuss potential joint air exercises in the future. Such meetings typically do not involve US Ambassadors and his presence may signal the US’s dependence on Pakistan as an ally in the region.
SPOTLIGHT TERRORISM
Unraveling Extremism In Pakistan: Historical Roots And Contemporary Evaluation
By M A Hossain - EurAsia Review
Over the past two years, the TTP underwent a transformative series of mergers, centralizing its organizational framework and recalibrating its operational strategy, exclusively focusing on a war against the Pakistan. The ideological and tribal nexus cultivated between the Afghan Taliban and the TTP has conferred an unprecedented level of ‘strategic depth’ in its history. This has amplified the complexity of Pakistan’s struggle against terrorism amidst concurrent political and economic challenges. Interestingly, the genesis of this contemporary terrorism rooted in a protracted historical perspective that necessitates scrutiny to unearth its foundational causes.
AFGHAN NEWS
Taliban ‘attacks’ radio station in Khost, sources say
By AMU TV
Taliban members attacked the office of Nan FM radio in Khost province on Tuesday, detaining and threatening several employees, according to local…
Worsening economic insecurity under Taliban rule in Afghanistan: UNDP Report
By Fidel Rahmati - Khaama Press
Released on Sunday, the organization report reveals that 69% of Afghanistan’s population faces a shortage of necessities, including healthcare, essential goods, suitable living conditions, and…
Taliban revises primary school curriculum based on ‘Sharia’
By AMU TV
Mansour Ahmad Hamzah, the Taliban spokesperson for the Education Ministry, told the Taliban-run broadcaster RTA on Monday that subjects not conforming to the “Sharia and culture of Afghanistan” have been removed from…
REGIONAL NEWS
After Failed Talks, Busiest Border Crossing Between Afghanistan And Pakistan Remains Shut
By RFE
Taliban and Pakistani officials have failed to agree on reopening the busiest border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan following its…
India reiterates interest in trade with Afghanistan via Iran
By Ariana News
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Monday reiterated his country’s interest in benefiting from…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Royal Yorkshire Regiment's Private Kieran Heaney dead at 20
By Patrick Gouldsbrough - The Northern Echo
Tributes have been paid to a young soldier from the Royal Yorkshire Regiment after he was found dead in his barracks a…
THE DAILY WTF
Selling girls as child brides in Taliban-Controlled Afghanistan raises concerns
By Fidel Rahmati - Khaama Press
The increase in forced marriages and underage marriages of girls in Afghanistan has become one of the most serious…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 71.85 AFN (as of 17 JAN 2024)