LAST 24 HOURS
SUPREME LEADER VISITS MILITARY BASE – In a move that some analysts are saying was a bid to shore up support among the rank and file of the Taliban security forces, Hibatullah Akhundzada visited the garrison of the 215th Azam Corps on Saturday. During his visit, the Supreme Leader told the assembled personnel that they should maintain readiness and then met privately with the unit’s leaders.
PAKISTAN RELEASES 524 AFGHANS FROM PRISON – The Afghan Embassy in Islamabad announced that 524 Afghan nationals had been released from prisons after an international outcry over the detention of women and children made headlines around the world. Efforts to release more are being pursued by the Taliban, international aid organizations, and several human rights legal groups.
RESCUE OPERATIONS CONTINUE FOR TRAPPED MINERS IN BADAKHSHAN – 1 miner was rescued on Saturday after surviving for forty hours under dirt and rubble. It is not known how many others may be trapped but there are concerns that they will have perished by the time diggers can get to them.
CASH AID SHIPMENTS HALTED OVER TALIBAN GENDER POLICIES – Officials from the Central Bank have admitted that financial transfers from the international community and UN agencies had not been received in some weeks. The UN’s chief humanitarian coordinator, Martin Griffiths confirmed that UN flights that had previously brought much-needed hard currency into Afghanistan had been suspended. The halt in financial assistance is likely part of the ‘consequences’ that many in the international community referenced after the draconian policies were announced.
NEXT 24 HOURS
HEAVY STORMS FORECASTED FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PROVINCES AND NORTHERN BADAKHSHAN – Heavy rain and snowfall is predicted in 15 Provinces today and tomorrow. The storms are expected to affect the South-Central Provinces and a portion of Northern Badakhshan. The inclement weather is expected to disrupt travel and will be followed by cold temperatures that will last into mid-week. At-risk Afghans who may be planning travel should adjust their schedules accordingly.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Iran hanged 2 protestors who had been convicted in the slaying of a member of the regime’s security forces. The punishments were met with outrage by many in the international community.
The regime swears in a new Chief of the Iranian Law Enforcement Command. Brigadier General Ahmadreza Radan was appointed to succeed the outgoing chief on Saturday.
A gunman entered the offices of the Gachsaran Oil and Gas Production Company in southwestern Iran and opened fire on employees. Officials say that 1 person was killed and 2 were injured. A motive for the act was not provided.
PAKISTAN
Power disruptions have continued in many cities across the country and citizens are demanding longer durations of supply as cold weather begins to grip the country.
Inflation grew by nearly 30% over the previous year.
4 militants were gunned down in Peshawar by local law enforcement. It was not clear which group the men may have belonged to.
SPOTLIGHT OPINION
TTP’s Resurgence: A Long Unsettled Battle That Is Yet To End
By Dr. Momina Talib & Hamza Khan - Midstone
The ceasefire had been in effect since November 2021, when talks between the government and the banned outfit began. However, the government’s gamble with a lenient approach towards the militants backfired; the statistics show that TTP did not halt operations. According to IPRI, around 250 attacks occurred between mid-August 2021 and mid-August 2022. While these numbers include all terrorist groups, TTP remains the most prominent in the area. The numbers do not add up if they were respecting the ceasefire for around 9 of those 12 months.
AFGHAN NEWS
IEA’s supreme leader visits 215 Azam Army Corps in Helmand
By Ariana News
“The efforts of the security forces in protecting the land and maintaining the security of the country are appreciated, and the forces have the…
UN Afghan Envoy Makes Urgent Plea For Taliban To Lift Recent Restrictions On Women
By RFE
The deputy head of the United Nations aid office in Afghanistan has called for the Taliban to immediately lift bans on women attending…
Tribal Elder Killed by Unidentified Armed Men in Parwan
By Bakhtar News Agency
Security officials on Saturday said that a tribal elder was killed by unknown armed people in Jabal Alsaraj district…
REGIONAL NEWS
Pakistani police: Militants kill officer near Afghan border
By ABC News
Militants opened fire on a security van killing a policeman Saturday in northwestern Pakistan, a region bordering Afghanistan where…
Hanging Protestors Continue in Iran
By Nizamuddin Rezahi - Khaama Press
The convicts were hanged without even getting a chance to meet their family members and…
Iran, Pakistan Ministers Call for Inclusive Govt in Afghanistan
By Nazir Shinwari - TOLO News
The foreign ministers of Iran and Pakistan in a telephonic conversation emphasized the need for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Brit dog rescuer airlifted out of Afghanistan after Prince Harry's Taliban brag
By Danny Gutmann - Daily Star
Pen Farthing, 53, who works to get animals out of shelters in Afghanistan, said he has been evacuated after Harry revealed he killed…
'We Don't Have Food To Eat': Afghans Pay The Price As Foreign NGOs Suspend Aid After Taliban Ban
By RFE
Zahra has relied on handouts of cooking oil, rice, and flour from local and foreign aid agencies to feed…
THE DAILY WTF
Displaying Images of Living Things Banned by Taliban in Zabul
By 8AM Media
Displaying and hanging images of living creatures are prohibited by the Taliban in southern Zabul…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 89.13 AFN (as of 8 JAN 2023)