LAST 24 HOURS
TALIBAN ISSUE THREAT WARNING TO LOCAL LEADERS – A leaked memorandum that has been attributed to the Taliban Ministry of the Interior is warning local leaders across all Provinces of possible impending ISIS suicide attacks. The memorandum says the leaders themselves could be targeted directly and warns of ISIS-K infiltrators who may infiltrate official ceremonies while concealing suicide vests on their persons. Provincial leaders were ordered to remain alert and put special emphasis on local security for any public events. If the document is real, it certainly puts a dent in the Taliban’s continual assertions that ISIS-K has been defeated or, does not exist in the country any longer.
FORMER CIA OFFICIAL IN PAKISTAN CRITICIZES PAKISTAN’S INTELLIGENCE SERVICE FOR SUPPORTING THE TALIBAN – Robert Greiner, a former CIA official in Islamabad participated in an interview where he criticized Pakistan’s government for attempting to maintain ties to the Taliban and supporting them. He claimed the goal of intelligence officials in Islamabad was to ‘keep the door open’ for future options.
PAKISTAN ENVOY’S REMARKS PUT TALIBAN IN DIFFICULT POSITION – When Asif Ali Durrani, Pakistan’s envoy to the IEA heaped praise on the relocation project to remove perceived threats from the Durand Line to the interior of Afghanistan, he inadvertently started a firestorm. The Taliban immediately fired back in an attempt to make clear that only refugees from Waziristan were being relocated in the moves. Several photos and videos have been shared on Afghan social media sites showing trucks laden with armed men, families, and personal belongings arriving in Northern Provinces. The armed men in the photos do not appear to be dressed in traditional Taliban clothing. While it is entirely possible the Taliban allowed the refugees to keep personal weapons, it is highly unlikely. However, the bigger problem here is that Pakistan’s announcement makes the Taliban look as if they are appeasing Pakistan and those TTP militants who are in Afghanistan may view this as a betrayal. Allowing these refugees to keep personal weapons while gun confiscations have accelerated under Taliban rule sends a negative message to Afghan citizens.
AFGHAN CITIZEN AMONG THOSE ARRESTED IN FOILED TERROR PLOT IN BAKU, AZERBAIJAN – Azerbaijan’s security service announced they had arrested Fawzan Mosa Khan for reportedly planning a terrorist attack in the country. Apparently, his motives were to spread panic, influence political decision-making, and disrupt public order. His arrest follows on the heels of an arrest in February when an Azerbaijani man was taken into custody and charged with providing support to ISIS.
VISA EXTENSION PROCESS FOR AFGHANS IN IRAN SIMPLIFIED – Iran has taken measures to assist Afghans in Iran with extending their visas. Up to this point, the procedures for gaining an extension have been costly and difficult. The new process is meant to make it easier and affordable. A report about the new process can be accessed HERE.
NEXT 24 HOURS
POSSIBLE PAKISTANI COUNTER-TERROR OPERATIONS ALONG DURAND LINE – As the TTP offensive against government forces in Pakistan continues to intensify in July, multiple reports are spreading on social media of TTP members attempting to cross back into Pakistan. Drone patrols over the border along the Durand line have intensified over the past three days and scattered reports continue to assert that Pakistan’s military forces are deploying closer to the border. While this information is not confirmed, those at-risk Afghans who live in the area could see a potential border clash.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
A new US intelligence assessment says Iran is not developing a nuclear weapon at this point in time but is developing the capacity that could help it make one in the near future.
A fire broke out at a refinery in Hormozgan Province early yesterday morning. The refinery handles about 300,000 barrels of production per day. No information was provided concerning the cause or extent of damage from the fire.
A popular Iranian rapper, Toomaj Salehi, who was tried for anti-regime remarks made in support of the protests avoided the death penalty and was sentenced to 6 years in prison yesterday.
PAKISTAN
Ousted Prime Minister, Imran Khan gave statements to investigators yesterday in 12 legal cases that are related to the May 9th riots. He continued to claim that PTI had no part in the riots and said they were the result of a government conspiracy.
The international rating agency, Fitch, upgraded Pakistan’s rating in the wake of the recent IMF loan.
The son of the current Prime Minister, Suleman Shehbaz, was formally acquitted in a money laundering case yesterday for lack of evidence. The PM and two of his sons were accused by investigators of conspiring to launder Rs 16.3 billion over ten years.
Police in Karachi have arrested protestors from the MQM-London party after demonstrations turned violent on Sunday. 89 members of the party face charges stemming from the protests.
UZBEKISTAN
President Mirziyoyev won reelection with nearly 90% of the popular vote on Monday. With the win, he will be allowed to sit for 7 years under a new constitution that was put into effect in May.
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan announced that the new joint border demarcation was acceptable to both countries. The announcement ends a nearly two-decade-long process to redraw the border.
SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS
By Dawn
By late 2020, as it became apparent that the US was certainly withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan, talk around the table of Pakistan’s security establishment and political decision-makers related to the consequences of the withdrawal and its possible aftermath.
AFGHAN NEWS
Forceful Displacement Leads to Human Trafficking in Afghanistan, Says Afghan Envoy
By Nizamuddin Rezahi - Khaama Press
Mohibullah Taib, Counsellor of Human Rights at the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan in Geneva has said that the Taliban continue to forcefully displace ordinary people in…
IEA refutes claims of abandoned US weapons being sold to Iran and Palestine
By Ariana News
Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid on Monday refuted claims by US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul that the IEA is…
National Budget Confirmed But No Itemized Amounts Given
By Bibi Amina Hakimi - TOLO News
The national budget for the solar year of 1402 was approved nearly one month ago by the Islamic Emirate’s leadership but the specific financial amounts have yet to be…
REGIONAL NEWS
Afghan Citizen Arrested in Azerbaijan for Alleged Terrorist Plot
By Ilham Karimi - Caspian News
A citizen of Afghanistan was arrested on Monday in Azerbaijan on charges of planning to commit a terrorist act within the…
Islamic Emirate Denies Pakistan Envoy’s Remarks on TTP Relocation
By Mitra Majeedy - TOLO News
The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, denied the remarks of the Pakistan special envoy for Afghanistan about the relocation of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan into…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Prince Harry should be ashamed and brought to justice: Shaheen
By Ariana News
Suhail Shaheen, head of the political office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) in Qatar, has said that Prince Harry should be brought to…
US Says It's Working to Hold Afghan Taliban to Anti-Terror Pledges
By Ayaz Gul - VOA
A senior U.S. official says the Biden administration is "working tirelessly every day" to ensure the Taliban stick to their pledges to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a haven for…
THE DAILY WTF
Taliban's Haqqani wades into ‘Twitter vs Threads’ war. ‘…intolerant policy like Meta’
By The Hindustan Times
Amid the ongoing debate over ‘Twitter vs Threads’, the microblogging platform owned by billionaire Elon Musk has found an unlikely supporter in the Haqqani Network, the Islamist…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 86.22 AFN (as of 11 JUL 2023)