Daily Evacuation Brief | June 28, 2022
Discover more from The Afghan Digest
LAST 24 HOURS
SCAM ALERT: Several Afghan families reported receiving official looking emails from canvcaafghansivapplication@statesgov.org. We have confirmed that this is a scam account, and people are cautioned against providing any information or engaging with the senders. Scam emails are unfortunately very common. Please review the “Afghan Evacuee Safety Tips” section of our most recent Evac Corner article, which can be found HERE, for tips on how to identify fake emails and stay safe.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services department has made some official changes to the guidance regarding the Humanitarian Parole application process. The major changes concern the evidentiary requirements to prove a group is targeted. The new guidance can be found on the USCIS website HERE.
Although the Ministry of Defense has claimed that Sar-e-Pol is back under Taliban control, we continue to receive reports from surrounding towns and cities that fighting is continuing. Most analysts agree that only the Balkhab district has been pacified. To our knowledge, very few prisoners have been taken from Mullah Mehdi Mujahid’s forces, and we think it is unlikely the Taliban would not have publicized even a moderate capitulation of forces. Fighting is expected to continue.
The Digest has received many reports about the atrocities being committed, primarily against Hazaras, in the Balkhab district, and the UN and international human rights organizations are hinting they have received information about non-combatants being executed and abuses. However, the details of the situation remain confused. As the picture becomes clearer, we intend to print any credible reports we receive from our sources.
An additional 14 non-combatant deaths were reported as a result of extreme flooding in Kunar province.
Pakistani security forces claim to have engaged militants in North Waziristan. Officials claim they killed 4 of the militants and lost 2 Pakistani soldiers in the operation. Another source claimed that 7 militants were killed. The area is home to the TTP, but no official announcement about who the militants were aligned with has been made yet.
NEXT 24 HOURS
Security precautions are in high gear in advance of the Loya Jirga scheduled to start on Wednesday. The Taliban have warned police and fighters to be on their best behavior throughout the assembly. There are major concerns that ISIS is hurriedly trying to put together an operation to disrupt the event. At-risk Afghans should expect heightened security at all checkpoints with an emphasis on vehicle searches. As ISIS has demonstrated a proclivity to attack public transportation in the past, it is recommended to avoid using bus transport if possible.
The Central Bank is planning to auction off $11 million USD in order to bolster the Afghani.
SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS
Amid Afghanistan’s Emergency, Its Neighbors Need Support
By Evan Jones – The Diplomat
While the conditions inside Afghanistan are indeed alarming, ongoing efforts must also be directed to address the situation for millions of Afghans in neighboring countries, primarily Iran and Pakistan. The number of registered Afghan refugees in these countries is estimated at nearly 2.1 million, with another 4 million undocumented Afghans living within their borders. To put this in perspective, the number of Afghans in these countries is greater than the entire population of Norway.
AFGHAN NEWS
MoD Says Clashes in Balkhab Have Ended
By Banafshu Binesh – TOLO News
Following reports of clashes between the Islamic Emirate forces and Commander Mawlawi Mahdi in Balkhab district of Sar-e-Pul, the MoD stated that…
Human Rights Watch: Taliban’s Jirga Lacks Legitimacy If It Excludes Women
By Saqalain Eqbal – Khaama Press
While human rights advocates claim they do not anticipate and expect significant improvements from the Taliban Jirga in Kabul, Heather Barr, co-director of…
Medical Supplies Lacking in Paktika, Khost: MoPH
By Fakhria Radfar – TOLO News
Officials within the Ministry of Public Health expressed concerns over the shortage of medical supplies for the people affected by the earthquake in the…
REGIONAL NEWS
Pakistani army says shootout with militants killed 2 troops
By The AP
ISLAMABAD -- A shootout between Pakistani soldiers and militants in the country’s northwest, near the border with Afghanistan, has killed two soldiers and seven militants, the…
Fault lines in Pakistan-Taliban relationship emerge over Durand Line
By Catch News
The refusal to accept the status of the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan (Durand Line) by the Taliban regime has clearly shown the cracks in…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Good Immigration News On Green Cards And Afghan Parole
By Stuart Anderson – Forbes
Action in Congress on green cards and an administrative change on humanitarian parole by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has injected a rare bit of…
Taliban’s Alleged Extrajudicial Killings in Afghan District Worry UN, Rights Groups
By Ayaz Gul - VOA
Taliban authorities in Afghanistan are being accused of carrying out extrajudicial killings and other human rights abuses as they attempt to quell an…
THE DAILY WTF
Acting Higher Education Minister Reacts to UN Travel Ban
By TOLO News
Instead of imposing sanctions, Haqqani said that the world must engage in positive interactions with various…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 89.15 AFN (as of 28 JUN 2022)