Daily Evacuation Brief | June 4, 2023

Jun 04, 2023

RISING CONCERNS OVER THE SPREAD OF CONGO FEVER – Fatalities have continued to climb at a slow but steady rate as the disease seems to be spreading in select areas of the country. Most recently, a physician died after reportedly contracting the disease from an infected teenager. The World Health Organization is tracking the outbreak but its hands are tied with the prohibition against women aid workers in the country. There has not been an accurate or definitive account of how many Afghans may have contracted the deadly disease and health workers are scrambling to prepare their communities to deal with the problem. With the warm weather, ticks are out and about and the disease is thought to be spreading directly through bites but also through the ingestion of viraemic animal tissue (flesh that has had the disease in the bloodstream). A listing of the signs and symptoms of the disease can be accessed HERE.
NOTED HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST REARRESTED AND IN TALIBAN CUSTODY – Shams al-Rahman Rahiq was reportedly arrested for the second time last Monday and it is believed he is being held by GDI agents in an undisclosed facility. Relatives and friends say he was under surveillance for at least a portion of the time after his first arrest in April. He was thought to have continued his organizing work for protests and that may be why he was pulled in.
EARTHQUAKE REPORTED NORTH OF KABUL – A moderate earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale struck yesterday afternoon but no damage or casualties have been reported. There was initially some concern as the quake’s epicenter was at a shallow depth but it appears to have passed without incident.

NEXT 24 HOURS

NO THREATS RECEIVED

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

IRAN

Many scoffed at Iran’s recent call to form a naval alliance among Persian Gulf states to improve stability and have pointed to Iran’s actions in the Gulf as the primary cause of instability.
Leaders from the US and Europe are continuing talks on how to deal with Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Azerbaijan has officially warned its citizens against traveling to Iran and warns that Azerbaijan’s diplomatic capabilities to assist citizens have been curtailed.

PAKISTAN

A clash between a terror group and the Pakistani Army in the Bannu District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has resulted in the deaths of 2 soldiers and 2 terrorists. Security operations were not complete in the District and sweeps are continuing.
Ousted Prime Minister Khan was served with another summons over a case stemming from statements he made in a speech that potentially threatened police and a female judge.
The PTI party in Islamabad/Rawalpindi says they have succeeded in gaining the release of nearly all of the over 700 party members arrested during the May riots.

SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS

Blind spot

By Vivek Katju - The Telegraph

The situation in Afghanistan impacts India’s interests and should be under the government’s constant scrutiny. It seems, however, that it has fallen off the radar, especially at the higher political levels. This may be because of the preoccupations arising out of India’s rotational leadership of the G20 which is consuming inordinate diplomatic and political attention. It may also be because of the government’s continuing sensitivity in openly dealing with the Taliban although India re-established a diplomatic presence in Kabul last June but in the guise of a ‘technical team’ ostensibly to coordinate humanitarian assistance being sent for the Afghan people by New Delhi.

AFGHAN NEWS

Kabul Residents Complain of Slow Passport Distribution

By Fatema Adeeb - TOLO News

They said that every person has an unalienable right to a passport and that the Islamic Emirate should provide better facilities in…

Over 2.5 million girls deprived of education in Afghanistan: US special envoy

By The Hindustan Times

More than 2.5 million girls are deprived of education in Afghanistan, US Special envoy for Afghan women, girls and human rights…

The survival discourse and engagement in Afghanistan

By Chayanida Saxena - Observer Research Foundation

Amidst controversial observations about the Taliban’s potential recognition, the world is yet to arrive at an understanding on what to make of the…

REGIONAL NEWS

TTP launching attacks using Afghan soil, says Pakistan’s interior minister

By Ariana News

“The position of the Afghan government is that they say we do not support Tehreek-e-Taliban against the government of Pakistan, but we have complaints about…