Daily Evacuation Brief | June 10, 2022
Discover more from The Afghan Digest
LAST 24 HOURS:
The US State Department released a statement here reaffirming the US government’s commitment to processing SIV visas. They highlighted the steps they have taken to speed up the process, such as increased staffing, streamlining the processing steps, and surging staff to support third-country embassies and consulates processing visa applications. They also revealed that they are seeking to revise reporting requirements to free up additional resources.
The Taliban appears to have launched a large-scale offensive in several northern provinces, leading to heavy fighting reported across the region. Panjshir saw the most activity with engagements reported in Lara, Tabeh, Nilan, and Qazilyaz. Casualty estimates vary between 35-100 Taliban killed (including one commander) and a smaller number of NRF fighters. Reportedly, the fighting was led by the newly appointed Taliban governor Mohammad Nasim Noori.
Deborah Lyons is wrapping up her time as Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNAMA.
Taliban police authorities stated that 1,800 female officers would be accepted into the police forces. Several police officers from the previous regime (both men and women) have been reinstated.
Two prominent Afghan judges who had been barred from entry into the UK won their case with the High Court in London. The UK is now working on arranging their transport.
Human Rights Watch has called for the reinstatement of travel bans on Taliban leaders for human rights abuses. The UN Security Council is expected to review the exemptions to the travel bans by the end of the month.
Iran continues to return military equipment to Afghanistan. The supplies reportedly previously belonged to the ANDSF and were taken across the border after the Taliban takeover. Sources report that Rangers, Humvees, tanks, firearms, and more are being handed over to Taliban forces based near the Iranian border.
Kyrgyz MP Sultanbai Aijigitov accused Tajikistan of deliberately provoking Kyrgyz security forces after Tajik security forces hit a Kyrgyz border facility with a mortar. Several cross-border incidents have occurred between the two countries in the past 12 months, and tensions remain heightened.
NEXT 24 HOURS:
The Taliban are expecting a flight of several high-profile former leaders to return late on Friday night. An extensive security review has been called for, and additional security personnel are expected to be stationed at the airport and other areas around Kabul. The identities of the returnees is being kept secret for now.
SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS:
What it means to ‘be disappeared’ in the Taliban’s Afghanistan
By Nikhil Kumar – GRID
They were all men, all armed, and they came in the dead of night. Fawzia Sayedzada, a former academic at a university in Kabul, was at home with her family — her 12-year-old son and 29-year-old brother — when the men broke in, storming through her front door as though they were hunting dangerous criminals. “They didn’t knock,” the 32-year-old told Grid.
AFGHAN NEWS
Taliban Welcome, Others Criticize Return of Former Afghan Officials
By Akmal Dawi – VOA
While many Afghans have desperately sought ways to flee the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, a handful of former…
Ariana Airlines to Resume Flights to India, Other Nations
By Tamim Shahir – TOLO News
Rahmatullah Agha, head of Ariana Afghan Airlines, says that Afghanistan's trade level with India is high and the company will soon start flights to India, China and Kuwait.
REGIONAL NEWS
Afghanistan on Agenda of China-Central Asia Meeting
By Madina Morwat – TOLO News
The meeting was chaired by Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi, and was attended by the Turkmen Deputy…
Saudi Arabia extends $30 million grant to Afghanistan
By Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia on Thursday provided a $30 million grant to support the Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund (AHTF), which works under Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and in…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Waive biometric, document requirements for families of Afghan interpreters, committee urges
By Sarah Ritchie – The Globe and Mail
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada needs an emergency mechanism to respond quickly to humanitarian crises, according to a new report from the…
What are the prospects for Afghan-US relations?
By al Jazeera
Former US diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad has had a front-row seat to relations between Washington and Kabul…
THE DAILY WTF
Afghan employees of Dutch embassy have to pay for stay in asylum center
By NL Times
Afghan former employees of the Dutch embassy in Kabul who were evacuated to the Netherlands in August last year now have to pay for their accommodation in…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 88.69 AFN (as of 10 JUN 2022)