Daily Evacuation Brief | January 18, 2023

Jan 18

LAST 24 HOURS

TALIBAN RECOMMENCE PUBLIC PUNISHMENTS IN KANDAHAR PROVINCE – 9 Afghan men were publicly flogged in the sports stadium of Kandahar city yesterday. The men had been sentenced for adultery and theft. Several media outlets had reported the punishments included amputations (hands) but those reports seem to be in dispute at the moment. The public lashings are thought to be the first after a break of nearly fourteen days. Photos of the stadium showed it at near capacity.

RUMORS OF ANOTHER PURGE IN THE MILITARY – Senior officials in the Ministry of Defense have long expressed concern over a lack of discipline in the ranks. Virtually from the moment the Taliban took power, there have been expressions of concern that some among the security forces consistently act with malice towards citizens and most in the Taliban leadership have expressed outrage over the reported atrocities committed against both civilians and Resistance prisoners. On at least three occasions, the Taliban have publicly admitted to removing several thousand of their fighters. In a signal that another purge is in the works, Deputy Minister of Defense, Mullah Mohammad Fazel Mazloum, has ordered leaders within the security apparatus to identify those ‘abusers’ within the force.

TEACHERS AND STAFF IN NANGARHAR MUST OBSERVE NEW DRESS AND GROOMING RULES – Taliban education officials in Nangarhar have ordered all staff to grow beards and wear hats/turbans for prayers. Those who fail to observe the new standards will face immediate dismissal.

NEXT 24 HOURS

TEMPERATURES SHOULD NORMALIZE SOON – Most of the meteorological forecasts indicate that temperatures should warm up over the next few days and should bring a bit of respite to those who have been exposed to the cold. Rural roadways may be unpassable due to mud.

ALERT

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

IRAN

The American citizen who has been arrested in Iran has begun a 7-day hunger strike to gain awareness of his situation.
Several of the larger protest groups in Iran have asked the international community to name the IRGC as a terrorist organization in a jointly composed letter. The United Kingdom is expected to be the first to label the IRGC this week.
The Iranian military released details about its new military doctrine in the region. The strategy has been titled, “The Sea of Blood”. Presumably, in reference to naval actions, it would take in a future conflict.

PAKISTAN

The speaker of the National Assembly has reputedly accepted some of the PTI party MPs resignations.
The National Assembly passed a law allowing life sentences to be handed down for blasphemy.
After the murder of a noted lawyer (Afridi) in a Peshawar court, several law groups have gone on strike for upgraded security measures in courts.

SPOTLIGHT OPINION

Levine: Mursal Nabizada's slaying must spur Canada to help female Afghan MPs

By Corey Levine - Ottawa Citizen

Nabizada’s assassination is the latest tragedy for Afghan women and girls, who have been experiencing their erasure from public life, and it serves as a stark reminder of the gender apartheid system the fundamentalist Taliban have imposed. Girls are not allowed to attend school beyond grade six, and are forbidden from going to parks or gyms. They have been forced out of most government institutions and all non-governmental organizations. They are also not allowed to leave their homes without a male to accompany them.

AFGHAN NEWS

NGOs resume some Afghan operations with women workers

By Al Jazeera

Three foreign aid groups restore work in the health sector after the Taliban bans women from working with NGOs in…

Forming New Parties Outside Afghanistan Not a Solution: Islamic Emirate

By Imran Danish - TOLO News

In reaction to the formation of a new political party by former intelligence chief Rahmatullah Nabil, the Islamic Emirate said that the…

Taliban (IEA) Authorities Flog Nine People in Kandahar

By Nizamuddin Rezahi - Khaama Press

Kandahar province’s court of appeals announced in a press release on Monday that nine individuals allegedly accused of committing adultery and theft have…

REGIONAL NEWS

Foreign Female Students Protest Ban by Afghan Taliban

By Munaza Shaheed - VOA

The Afghan Taliban’s ban on women attending universities has been devastating for foreign students who had been studying medicine in…

‘Qatar is waring Taliban (IEA) from taking the recent decision that will worsen the situation for the Afghan People and the International community’: Al Thani

By Fidel Rahmati - Khaama Press

On Tuesday, 17 January, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Qatar tweeted a short video of External Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani while talking at the…