LAST 24 HOURS
THREE MONTHS AFTER ANNOUNCING A LARGE-SCALE AFGHAN REFUGEE INITIATIVE, GERMANY HAS YET TO RECEIVE PEOPLE – After making several public announcements about the new program in the Fall of 2022, German authorities were forced to admit that no Afghans had yet been processed under the new program. At the time of the announcement, Germany had successfully transported nearly 1,000 Afghan refugees a month but things have slowed to a crawl since October 2022. It is not clear when a resumption is expected.
GREAT BRITAIN ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO AFGHAN REFUGEE PROGRAM – Parliament announced a few changes to the UK immigration routes for Afghan nationals. The changes have added special immigration provisions for Afghan civilians who the government had employed. Scroll down to the International News section to find the article and a link to the report.
UZBEKISTAN POWER EXPORTS HAVE YET TO RESUME – Several cities, including the capital, remain without power as another technical issue appears to have caused a delay in the resumption of electricity transmissions from Uzbekistan. Residents in Kabul expressed their outrage over the lack of current and have lost the means to communicate as cellular services have been affected as well.
JUST OVER A YEAR AFTER JAILS WERE EMPTIED, THE TALIBAN HAVE FILLED THEM BACK UP – Most of Afghanistan’s jails were emptied after the Taliban swept back into power in 2021. However, Taliban officials have been busy filling them back up in the intervening period. The Taliban claim to be holding 14,000 prisoners across its jail system and has said that nearly 30,000 were confined at one point in 2022. They say that most are not political prisoners and are being held for crimes punishable under Sharia law. Conditions in jails are a concern to human rights organizations. The suspension of aid is thought to have worsened the plight of many prisoners. ICRC and UNAMA do have periodic access to the facilities.
SEVERAL PROTESTS STAGED IN CITIES TO PROTEST BURNING OF QURAN IN SWEDEN – Several thousand people took part in the protests aimed at criticizing Sweden’s failure to act when a far-right Danish politician publicly burned the Muslim holy book outside of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm. Demonstrations in Logar, Kunar, and Uruzgan provinces drew roughly 3,000 protestors to city centers. Sweden has come under fire from many in the international community for failing to ban the act.
NEXT 24 HOURS
THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON AFGHANISTAN TODAY – The meeting will include a briefing from several UN officials who have just returned from Afghanistan. The report is expected to be negative. While no resolutions are on the table, it is believed that a tougher line is being sought from many on the council with the Taliban and discussions may hint at additional steps to isolate the group.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
ISIS operatives are said to have killed an Iranian army soldier in Al-Mayadin, Syria. It is believed the operatives were based in Iran.
The regime released dissident journalist, Keyvan Samimi, who had been held since late 2020. His family has confirmed his release.
Israel urged NATO officials to confront the threat from Iran.
PAKISTAN
The rupee fell to a new low and the IMF announced a visit to discuss the extended fund facility (EFF) program with Pakistan officials. Fears over a default are creating chaos with the currency and domestic economy. A bailout is possible.
The Italian oil giant, ENI, said it would not be able to supply the February scheduled shipment of natural gas to Pakistan due to ‘unforeseen disruptions’. The government is negotiating with Qatar to make up the shortfall.
SPOTLIGHT HIERARCHY
Profiling Hibatullah’s ‘right hand man’
By AMU TV
Habibullah Haqqani had been a friend of Jalaluddin Haqqani, the founder of the Haqqani Network, during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. He was also a key figure in circles close to the Taliban’s founder and former leader Mullah Omar and his successor Mullah Mohammad Mansoor; and he played an active role as an advisor over the years to Mullah Hibatullah. Sources close to him say he enjoys an elevated status within the leadership ranks as he also played a key role in the formation of the group.
AFGHAN NEWS
Kabul still ‘in the dark’ as Uzbekistan fails to reconnect power supplies
By AMU TV
On Tuesday, Uzbekistan’s ministry of energy assured Afghanistan that Tashkent would resume exports on Wednesdays, however, a source from Afghanistan’s power utility…
Photos: More than 150 dead as Afghans battle cold wave
By Al Jazeera
More than 160 people have died from a cold wave in Afghanistan this month in the worst winter in more than a decade, authorities said on…
Twenty terrorist groups 'with foreign objectives' operating in Afghanistan
By Laura O’Callaghan - The National News
In a chilling warning to the international community, Arian Sharifi suggested the landlocked country has become a breeding ground for…
REGIONAL NEWS
Iran Deports More Than 3000 Afghan Refugees in a Week
By Nizamuddin Rezahi - Khaama Press
In a statement, the Ministry of Refugee announced that 3123 Afghan migrants have been expelled from Iran on January 24th and 25th…
Al-Qaeda threat, blowback for Pakistan increasing from an Afghanistan in chaos
By Nirmal Ghosh - The Straits Times
Afghanistan is again in chaos, with the Taliban severely restricting women and fighting elements of the Islamic State Khorasan…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Top UN official urges Muslims: Move Taliban into 21st century
By Al Arabiya
The highest-ranking woman at the United Nations said Wednesday she used everything in her “toolbox” during meetings…
UK immigration routes for Afghan nationals
By House of Commons - UK
The UK has introduced special immigration provisions for some Afghan civilians who were previously employed by the UK government, and a resettlement scheme for…
THE DAILY WTF
Taliban to Deduct Teachers’ Salaries, Justifying That They Received UNICEF Aid 2 Months Ago
By 8AM Media
The Taliban will return the salaries of the school teachers for the next two months to the treasury of its finance department, justifying that the…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 89.06 AFN (as of 27 JAN 2023)