Daily Evacuation Brief | July 5, 2023
LAST 24 HOURS
SCO SUMMIT HAS AFGHANISTAN VERY MUCH FRONT AND CENTER – The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit was held virtually on Tuesday and Afghanistan played a central role in the discussions. Some of the key points that grew out of the discussions were:
The situation in Afghanistan is still bad and there was a consensus that terrorist groups continue to find shelter in the country.
The formation of an inclusive government was key to bringing more stability.
Russian President Putin called for the establishment of a regional counter-terrorism center to respond to threats in and around the region.
Several members committed to providing additional foreign aid to Afghanistan in light of the deteriorating humanitarian conditions.
Iran was formally admitted as a member of the organization on Tuesday and the organization’s members supported several measures aimed at Western powers.
CURFEW IMPOSED IN GHAZNI – A curfew has been put in place for select Districts in Ghazni Province until further notice. Residents who live in villages around Ghazni City and in the following Districts: Khaja Omari, Jeghato, Naw-Abad, Qala-e Shahada, Tawhid-Abad, and Rawza. Residents are being told they are not allowed to be out of their homes after 2200hrs local time in these areas. It is not clear why the curfew has been put in place or for how long it will be enforced.
NEW FEMALE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCED – Education of Afghan Girls is a new movement that seems to have broad support among women’s rights activists, professors, and religious leaders. The goal of the movement is to reopen education opportunities for women in the country. The Taliban continue to hint that a ‘new curriculum’ has been devised that will allow females to go back to school but most analysts view this as a simple delaying tactic that will not be implemented. The new movement is rumored to be the largest grassroots effort to reverse the discriminatory policies implemented by hardliners in the regime.
PAKISTAN’S PRIME MINISTER CALLS FOR MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH TALIBAN – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said during remarks made on Tuesday that the status quo is not working with regard to Afghanistan and a change would be needed to produce results. While he placed the majority of the blame for the current impasse on the Taliban’s backward policies, he said the international community would need to evolve to the reality of the situation in Afghanistan.
FURTHER CLARIFICATION OF THE TALIBAN’S BAN ON BEAUTY SALONS – Initial reporting suggested that all beauty salons were to be closed in Kabul (potentially, across the country). However, after analysis of the edict, it appears the ban will only affect those salons owned by women. Presumably, beauty salons owned by men will be allowed to continue operations. It is thought that over 90% of beauty salons in Afghanistan are owned by women so, the ban could wipe out one of the few remaining career paths for women in the country.
NEXT 24 HOURS
NO THREATS REPORTED
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Kuwaiti lawmakers roundly rejected Iranian claims to several offshore oil blocks (the Durra field) on Tuesday. A new round of talks to discuss the maritime borders has been called for.
The hacking group, Ghiyam ta Sarnegouni has released a batch of documents it claims to have stolen in a hacking incident. The documents detail lavish home renovations for senior leaders that have been classified as investments in companies.
The regime hanged 6 prisoners on Sunday and it was revealed that a fifty-year-old woman who was arrested during the protests was among them.
PAKISTAN
The government is calling for nationwide protests against the burning of a Quran in Sweden that will take place on Friday.
Federal government employees were notified they will receive a 23-35% salary increase that will be retroactively dated to 1 July.
Power outages are being imposed as temperatures have risen significantly in the country. The outages vary in duration from city to city but most average between 5-9 hours per day.
SPOTLIGHT OPINION
No soldier should have been above the law in Afghanistan
By Robert Lyman - The Spectator
The public inquiry into alleged SAS war crimes in Afghanistan hears fresh evidence this week. Lawyers representing Afghan families argue that up to 80 civilians may have been victims of ‘summary killings’ by UK special forces between 2010 and 2013 in night raids in search of Taliban fighters.
AFGHAN NEWS
Potzel Calls for Access to Education, Work for Afghan Women
By Fatema Adeeb - TOLO News
The UN deputy special representative for Afghanistan Markus Potzel said that if the issue of female education, and their work for…
Azizi: Afghanistan needs ‘industrial revolution’ to be self-sufficient
By Ariana News
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s acting minister of commerce and industry, Nooruddin Azizi, says that Afghanistan will not achieve self-sufficiency until…
Kabul and Islamabad want to move Pakistani Taliban north: ethnic tensions feared
By Asia News
In addition to locals, a spokesman for the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan party also said the situation is likely to get out of…
REGIONAL NEWS
Pakistan prison break: 13 escape from jail near Afghan border, one shot dead by police
By WION News
According to Muhammad Naeem Achakzai, the district officer cited by the CNN, the incident unfolded when 17 prisoners, who had been taken out of their cells for…
Action Against ETIM Remains Stumbling Block as China Woos Taliban to Make Afghanistan Inroads
By Manoj Gupta - News 18
Seeking to enhance its role in Afghanistan, China has been prodding the Taliban administration to crack down on the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a separatist…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Situation in Afghanistan Remains Tense: Putin
By Fidel Rahmati - Khaama Press
“I would like to recall the Russian proposal to transform the SCO’s regional anti-terrorist organization into a multi-purpose centre that would…
Homelessness fears as LGA warns that resettlement and asylum housing at crisis point
By Dan Benn - Public Sector Executive
The Local Government Association’s (LGA) annual conference starts today amid a warning to the government from the association over current refugee and asylum housing…
THE DAILY WTF
Five-year-old Afghan child assaulted in Pakistan’s Kohat
By Ariana News
Zulfiqar, father of the victim, Samiullah, reported to the police that his son came home crying and complaining that a man he could identify took him to fields and abused…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 86.68 AFN (as of 5 JUL 2023)