LAST 24 HOURS
TALIBAN BEGIN ENFORCING BEAUTY SALON BANS – The ban officially went into effect yesterday and initial reports from locals say the shops in their neighborhoods remained shuttered. While some salon owners promised to oppose the ban and keep their shops open, the violent dispersal of protests against the ban may have caused many to remain cautious.
RESISTANCE FORCES BECOMING MORE ACTIVE – The National Resistance Front reportedly launched three coordinated attacks spanning three Provinces yesterday and says they have launched operations in five additional Provinces over the last seven days. The NRF has adopted a more conservative approach in 2023 and does not publicize its operations as they were wont to do in 2022. It is too early to tell if the recent activity may indicate a larger campaign may be underway. There were indications in the Spring that a major campaign season was to be undertaken but the offensive never quite got off the ground. Some analysts speculate this may have been a strategic decision to let the international community take the full measure of the ‘new’ Taliban.
JOURNALIST IRFANULLAH BIDAR RELEASED – Bidar was reportedly taken outside of a Mosque in Jalalabad on 12 July by unknown men. Information after the abduction pointed to the Taliban as the ones who had ordered his arrest. Specifically, the General Directorate of Intelligence. The circumstances leading up to his arrest are still unknown. A family member confirmed his release on either Sunday or Monday.
US SECRETARY OF STATE CHATS WITH QATARI AND PAKISTANI COUNTERPARTS – The focus of the group call was Afghanistan and both the humanitarian crisis and the political situation were discussed.
AFGHAN REFUGEES PROTEST UNHCR IN ISLAMABAD – Another group gathered outside of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees offices in Pakistan to protest a lack of support. The primary grievance voiced to reporters was the slow case progression and local sources say the partner NGO the UN office uses in Pakistan routinely asks for bribes to begin processing a case. Protestors said the delays in processing their cases place them in a difficult position as they are unable to work and the struggle to extend their Pakistan visas leaves them at the mercy of unscrupulous police and government officials who sometimes attempt to extort ‘fees’ from them. The Taliban continue to call on Afghans in Pakistan and elsewhere to return home but those with female family members say that is not an option.
NEXT 24 HOURS
FLOOD RISK WILL PERSIST BUT LANDSLIDES POSE ADDITIONAL THREATS – Forecasters are now predicting that rains will persist in locations across Pakistan and Afghanistan until Sunday. The prolonged saturation exponentially increases the risk of landslides along roadways and populated areas adjacent to hills and mountains. Flooding will continue to pose the primary risk of loss of property/life. However, travelers and inhabitants in areas close to hillsides/mountain slopes with steep grades remain at risk as well. Slopes that have had timber harvested over the last few decades are particularly prone to such events. The moderate geologic activity in the region could serve as a catalyst for a large slide.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Iranian-backed militias in Syria continue to reinforce their bases and many are wondering if an offensive is being planned based on the number of vehicle and fuel deliveries made over the past week.
IRGC Intelligence units say they have arrested a Bahai spy ring in Gilan Province. The official statement regarding the arrests was confusing as the charges don’t appear to involve actual spying but are focused more on halting missionary activities.
Popular singer, Gholamali Koveitipor, who composed and sang several patriotic songs for Iran during the war with Iraq has released a new song that is critical of the regime’s crackdown on protestors. Officials have not taken action against him yet.
PAKISTAN
The Prime Minister made a promise to curb government spending in remarks to a crowd in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa yesterday. The PM did not provide specifics about any cost-cutting measures he intended to take in the time he has left in office.
Police in Islamabad say they have arrested approximately 20 criminals who had been terrifying the capital city. Most of the arrests involved narcotics traffickers but several weapons and ammunition was also recovered during subsequent searches.
The forecast for rain has now been adjusted and precipitation can be expected across the country until 30 July as the monsoon system has stalled and is expected to lay over the country longer than expected.
SPOTLIGHT AID
The Taliban Have ‘Infiltrated’ U.N. Deliveries of Aid
By Lynne O’Donnnell - Foreign Policy
The United Nations is the custodian of billions of dollars of international assistance meant for the hungry and needy of Afghanistan, where around half the population is said to depend on outside help just to stay alive. Yet the agencies entrusted with delivering that aid have been “effectively infiltrated” by the terrorist-run Taliban, who regard foreign charity as just another revenue stream, according to a report prepared for the U.S. government that has not yet been made public.
AFGHAN NEWS
Taliban Enforcing Ban on Afghan Beauty Salons
By Ayaz Gul - VOA
Taliban authorities in Afghanistan enforced a nationwide ban on beauty parlors Tuesday after the expiration of a one-month deadline for…
Blind Students Call For Educational Opportunities
By TOLO News
Bushra is a student in the third class at Roshan Dilan Technical Institute in Kabul and she hopes to be a teacher in the…
Muttaqi asks Aga Khan Foundation to step up help to preserve historical sites
By Ariana News
Foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met with the Aga Khan Foundation’s CEO on Tuesday and asked for further cooperation over the restoration and…
REGIONAL NEWS
Afghan Refugees in Pakistan Hold Protest at UNHCR Office
By TOLO News
Dozens of Afghan refugees held a protest in front of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Islamabad, saying that despite many promises by…
Suicide bomber kills police officer inside mosque near Pakistan-Afghanistan border
By Fox News via AP
A suicide bomber blew himself up inside a roadside mosque when a police officer tried to arrest him after a chase in…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Senators seek to attach Afghan resettlement to annual defense bill
By Andrew Dyer - KPBS
An almost two-year effort to help displaced Afghans gain permanent residency in the United States has new life in Washington, D.C., as a…
United Nations Report Spells Trouble: Tether on Tron Under Terrorism Lens
By Jack Williams - ETH News
A burgeoning trend is causing unease within the crypto-landscape as a blend of investigative reports and on-chain data analysis indicate that the world’s most notorious…
THE DAILY WTF
Haqqani: Efforts Underway to Find Solution for Girls' Schooling
By TOLO News
Haqqani made the remarks at a gathering of religious scholars, private sector representatives and tribal elders in Herat, where he…
“Deeds, not words.” TAD Staff
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 85.78 AFN (as of 26 JUL 2023)