Daily Evacuation Brief | January 23, 2023

Jan 23, 2023

IN NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE, CHINA ASKS TALIBAN TO PROTECT ITS CITIZENS – Weeks after an ISIS-K attack on a Kabul hotel that catered to Chinese nationals, China’s Foreign Minister called on his counterpart in Afghanistan to prioritize the protection of Chinese citizens in the country. He also told Minister Muttaqi that Beijing would be willing to expand cooperation when the Taliban form an inclusive government.
NATIONAL MOVEMENT FOR PEACE & DEMOCRACY FORMED – The NMPD issued a lengthy statement on the current political situation in Afghanistan and claimed the movement had formed with 5 political parties but was seeking to build a broader anti-Taliban coalition. The statement is critical of the Taliban’s ability to govern the country effectively and intends to use elections as a basis for a return to normalcy. It is not clear how much support the NMPD has.
2 MILD EARTHQUAKES REPORTED IN LAST 24HRS – A 3.9 magnitude earthquake was reported in Badakhshan on Monday and was followed by a second earthquake of 4.9 magnitude in Bamyan. Neither event has caused notable damage or casualties.
THE SILENT KILLER – In addition to hundreds of deaths attributed to the recent cold spell in the country, at least 100 additional deaths have been reported in 15 Provinces from monoxide poisoning resulting from the use of natural gas and petroleum-fueled heaters in Afghan homes. With power outages and ‘brown-outs’ in many provinces, local residents have turned to propane, kerosene, and other forms of heat to stay warm. The use of such methods requires ventilation in confined spaces that can kill entire families. The total casualty count from this period of adverse weather is thought to be hovering around 500, but rural communities often do not report such deaths in their communities and the number may be significantly higher.
BIZARRE ARREST IN PAKTIKA FOR ONLINE CRITICISM OF TALIBAN – The Taliban continue to monitor social media feeds with two specialized cyber-investigation cells in the Ministry of the Interior. In the Paktika case, the brother of an anti-Taliban Afghan who is living in exile was arrested for his brother’s Facebook posts. The brother under arrest, Ayaz Bacha, is not thought to have expressed any anti-Taliban sentiment online but fell victim to a Taliban plan to intimidate exiled Afghans by harassing friends and family. Mr. Bacha’s condition is currently unknown. The arrest follows on the heels of an incident where a prominent Paktika poet was detained for writing a critical poem.

NEXT 24 HOURS

NO POTENTIAL THREATS REPORTED

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

IRAN

Protests have resumed in several cities with rallies held at night and greater coordination with worker’s unions to protest the regime. Tehran saw groups chanting anti-regime slogans in several districts.
Families of condemned protestors facing execution rally for the third time outside of the judiciary building. Children were photographed holding up placards stating “Don’t Execute My Dad” on them.
The regime decided not to release a list of buildings in Tehran deemed unsafe and a danger to the public over concerns it would spread panic. The list is rumored to be exhaustive and those who have seen it say there are more than 200 buildings on it.

PAKISTAN

Pakistan welcomed a visit of Iranian Navy ships in Karachi for a scheduled exercise.
Amnesty International released a letter calling on Pakistan to immediately halt the deportations of Afghans. A copy of the letter can be found HERE.
Another terror attack in Peshawar fell short when an IED exploded near a passing police vehicle. There were no casualties and police say the IED was detonated remotely and was hidden in a paint can.

UZBEKISTAN

The Taliban Foreign Minister criticized Uzbekistan for failing to adhere to a recently signed agreement to export 400 megawatts to Afghanistan. According to Minister Muttaqi, the power has been completely cut.
The Mayor of Tashkent, a politically powerful figure in Uzbekistan, was fired from his post on 16 January for failing to adequately prepare the capital for a harsh winter. His firing surprised many who had thought he was untouchable in the power structure.

SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS

Implications of TTP Attack on Counter Terrorism Department Compound in Bannu

By Ali Zahid - The Jamestown Foundation

TTP insurgents attacked the CTD compound in Bannu because dozens of TTP members were in CTD custody; reportedly, TTP militants overpowered security guards and snatched their weapons. They freed not only their inmates but also held several security officials in the building and demanded the government provide a safe path to Afghanistan (Pakistan Today, December 19, 2022). After two days of the Pakistani government refusing to negotiate, Pakistan’s Special Services Group (SSG) commandos launched an operation and killed all the militants. However, the incident raised concerns in the Pakistani security apparatus. The attack was so severe that it prompted the U.S. State Department spokesperson to offer assistance to Pakistan and declare that counter-terrorism was a shared goal between the two countries (The Express Tribune, December 20, 2022).

AFGHAN NEWS

21 die of 'mysterious disease' in northeastern Afghanistan

By Sayed Khodaiberdi Sadat - Anadolu Agency

The disease spread in the Wakhan area of the mountainous Pamir region, where medical teams are working to determine the exact nature of…

UN Deputy Chief Urges Inclusive Govt in Afghanistan

By Fidel Rahmati - Khaama Press

Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Sunday, in an interview with Tolonews, called on the de facto authorities to the formation of an…

Cold Wave, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Cause Over 100 Deaths in Afghanistan

By Nazir Shinwari - TOLO News

More than 100 people have died of exposure to severe cold weather and carbon monoxide poisoning over the past two weeks, the State Ministry for Disaster Management said…