LAST 24 HOURS
TALIBAN CONFIRMS AFGHAN REFUGEES KILLED ON IRANIAN BORDER, IRAN DENIES CLAIM – A controversy had erupted between the two countries over claims that 5 Afghan refugees were killed by Iranian border forces when they attempted to cross the border illegally. Photos of the bodies of those reportedly killed were questioned by skeptics as the depictions appeared to have been staged. Iran immediately dismissed the claims and attributed them to ‘those bent on mischief’. The Taliban did not initially comment on the incident but appeared to accept the accusations on Sunday. A source in Kandahar said the Taliban were having trouble finding out what happened to the bodies and a team from the GDI was quietly attempting to locate any family/friends of the alleged victims.
JAPAN ANNOUNCES PROGRAM TO OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS TO AFGHANS – Prospective Master and Doctoral students will soon have an opportunity to apply for fully funded programs to study in Japan. The new program was announced on 2 July at the Embassy of Japan in Kabul. The program will be administered jointly with the Aga Khan Foundation and we are waiting for more information about the application process. Those interested in applying can follow the Aga Khan Foundation’s International Scholarship Programme page.
UNITED NATIONS UNVEILS NEW STRATEGIC PLAN FOR AFGHANISTAN – Facing one of the more difficult humanitarian and human rights issues in the world, the UN has redesigned its strategies for future cooperation and has been forced to prioritize the most vulnerable while recognizing the challenges put in its path by the Taliban. To its credit, the UN has placed the onus for the delivery of these programs on the Taliban and has not capitulated on its demands to allow its female workforce to administer the projects.
TALIBAN CONFIRM REPORT THAT WOMEN’S BEAUTY SALONS TO BE CLOSED – In yesterday’s reporting, we included a reference to a memo that had been widely shared on social media which was attributed to the Ministry of Vice/Virtue that ordered the closure of all beauty salons by the end of the month. The report was confirmed today but it is currently unclear if the edict will be imposed across the country or only in Kabul.
FLOODING IN NANGARHAR KILLS 2 AND DESTROYS FIELDS – The majority of the flooding occurred in the Hesarak District after heavy rains on Monday overflowed canals and irrigation ditches. It is not known how the 2 individuals died but they were believed to be a married couple from the District. Over 200 acres were destroyed but the damage is expected to climb to 4-500 acres as the high waters continue to make their way downstream.
NEXT 24 HOURS
NO THREATS REPORTED
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
The Iranian regime berated France for hosting an anti-Iranian conference. The Iranian Foreign Ministry called the opposition group a terrorist organization.
Kuwait is pressing Iran for talks after Iran said it would proceed with plans to drill for oil in the Dorra block of reserves. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia claim the maritime drilling rights remain exclusively in their hands.
Iran said it is done talking over the Palestinian issue and has promised to support them with arms and advisors in their struggle against Israel.
PAKISTAN
The popular Chinese competitor to Amazon, Alibaba, announced that it was opening verified supplier memberships in Pakistan. The move is intended to support small businesses in Pakistan.
Monsoon rains that hit the country on Monday caused the death of 3 family members in Lahore when a roof collapsed in their home after rains blanketed the Province. Elsewhere, 7 people were injured when a wall collapsed in a restaurant due to strong winds.
Government attorneys announced they were charging some of the human traffickers involved with the tragic Greek shipwreck last month, with money laundering. Other charges have already been levied against many of those indicted.
SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS
Biden can’t ignore the Taliban’s terrorist links for ever
By David Lyon - The Spectator
President Joe Biden is either not being briefed on what is going on in Afghanistan, or more likely choosing not to believe what he is being told. In an unscripted aside at the end of a press conference on Friday he said, ‘Remember what I said about Afghanistan? I said al-Qaeda would not be there. I said we’d get help from the Taliban. What’s happening now? What’s going on? Read your press. I was right.’
AFGHAN NEWS
Islamic Emirate Bans Women's Beauty Salons
By TOLO News
The Islamic Emirate’s leader in a new verbal decree banned women's beauty salons in Kabul and other provinces across the country, a spokesman for the Ministry of Vice and…
UN unveils new strategic framework for supporting Afghans
By Ariana News
The United Nations in Afghanistan on Monday released its Strategic Framework for Afghanistan for the period 2023-2025 outlining the…
Teacher Provides Free Education for Children in Kabul
By TOLO News
Wazir Khan is the founder of the "Mobile School" in Kabul and said that he does this work with the aim of providing education for children who are left out of…
REGIONAL NEWS
Five Afghanistan nationals, including one woman, killed in Iranian border shooting
By AMU TV
Five citizens of Afghanistan were killed in a shooting by Iranian forces along the border between the two countries on Saturday night, a…
Afghan Students Accepted at Indian Universities Lack Visas
By Mitra Majeedy - TOLO News
Some of these students interviewed by TOLOnews said that the Indian government stopped issuing visas for Afghan students after the…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Inquiry hears 80 civilians may have been summarily killed by SAS in Afghanistan
By AMU TV
The fresh claims are cited in a document submitted by the law firm Leigh Day, based on previous Ministry of Defence court disclosures, to a new public inquiry into…
Japan to provide scholarships to Afghan students
By Ariana News
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan announced on Sunday that it will grant scholarships to Afghan students for master’s and…
THE DAILY WTF
Mike Pence Says Trump Would Not Have Withdrawn Troops From Afghanistan
By Nicole Silvero - Daily Caller
Former Vice President Mike Pence said in an interview Sunday he believes former President Donald Trump would have kept a…
“Unlikely” TAD Staff
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 85.96 AFN (as of 4 JUL 2023)