LAST 24 HOURS
SCHOOL POISONINGS IN SAR-E PUL – A few reports have come in from the Sancharak District where approximately 70 young students and 2 female teachers have become sick. Local residents believe the students and teachers were poisoned and say that most began to report feeling unwell on Saturday (3 June). Provincial health officials stated that they have not been able to trace any substances that may have caused the sickness. However, the officials admitted that there were ‘gaps’ in the testing equipment and personnel that would normally be able to identify potential toxic agents.
MAJOR RELOCATION PROGRAM SLATED FOR REFUGEES ALONG THE DURAND LINE – In a move to ease worries in Islamabad, the Taliban has said it plans to relocate as many as 70,000 people living near the Durand Line to other Provinces in the country. If the Taliban follows through, it would likely be the largest social engineering program it has undertaken since coming to power. Critics of the plan point out that it is in line with the Taliban’s goal of diversifying Districts and Provinces where Tajik and Uzbek majorities live. Pakistan will likely greet the news with gratitude but the logistics involved with such a move could prolong any actual resettlement.
4.6 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE STRIKES IN BADAKHSHAN – The earthquake struck near the Provincial capital (Fayzabad) yesterday morning at a depth of 150km. Residents of Kabul felt the quake but no damage has been reported nor were there reports of any casualties. This quake follows a 4.2 magnitude one that struck a day prior between Fayzabad and Kabul.
TALIBAN PAY ALL THE ELECTRIC BILLS – The Central Bank announced it had made good on electricity payments to regional countries and has signed a new agreement for the importation of 5.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity through the end of the year. Many observers had expected the Taliban to default on some of the unpaid bills. However, revenue has been steady and the regime appears to be prioritizing essential services after the unpopular power outages experienced over the winter months.
REGIME SPURNS IRANIAN OFFER OF BORDER SECURITY TRAINING – Iran had extended an offer to provide training to border security personnel after the deadly skirmishes took place in May. A source in Kabul said the Iranian offer was considered but some in the Ministry of Defense objected to allowing Iranian military/police personnel to have access to its facilities and especially to the communications equipment.
NEXT 24 HOURS
NO THREATS RECEIVED
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
The Supreme Leader placed the blame for the protests on ‘thugs and villains’ rather than targeting University students and workers. Places overall blame on the West.
A merchant vessel radioed a distress call on Sunday saying it was being attacked by Iranian gunboats. US and UK naval vessels responded to the call but the Iranian boats had departed the area before the military ships arrived.
The Deputy Commander of Police quipped that border guards are young and inexperienced and that has what has led to many of the recent incidents along its frontiers.
PAKISTAN
The Balochistan Liberation Front claims to have killed 9 Pakistani soldiers in Mashkay and 1 in Mand.
The IMF has reportedly rejected Pakistan’s request to reduce the securitization of the $6 billion dollar loan. The Ministry of Finance is exploring new options to get the bailout back on track.
The TTP say they ambushed an Army checkpoint in the Bannu District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and killed 2 soldiers while losing 2 of their own.
SPOTLIGHT GENDER
The Daily Hustle: Being a widow in Afghanistan
By Roxanna Shapour - AAN
The word most often used by Afghans to refer to widows is bisarparast (without someone to take care of you). In Afghanistan’s highly patriarchal society, where men are expected to be the breadwinners and opportunities for women to work are relatively few, being a widow is likely to be socially and economically precarious. They are often stigmatised, passed over for jobs and considered burdens on their families. One of the legacies of almost a half-century of war in Afghanistan it the high number of widows – there are no official statistics, but news reports put their number at two million or more. The position of widows without sons is even more insecure, especially since the Taleban takeover has intensified the requirement for women to have a close male relative to act as a chaperone (mahram) and legal guardian. The subject of our latest Daily Hustle is such a widow, an older woman who never had children and who has learned to live on her wits to survive widowhood, economic upheaval and her marginal status in society.
AFGHAN NEWS
Afghanistan’s Current Power Need Is 1,500 Megawatts: MoEW
By Bibi Amina Hakimi - TOLO News
The Ministry of Energy and Water said that the current power demands of Afghanistan are 1,500 megawatts—with up to 720 megawatts being…
Afghanistan: Over 100,000 Passports Are Issued to Applicants Each Month
By Nizamuddin Rezahi - Khaama Press
Perhaps, Afghanistan’s passport is one of the weakest ones in the world, however, ordinary Afghans are plagued with overwhelming challenges in…
Ministry: All Airfields in Afghanistan Operational
By TOLO News
At the Transportation and Aviation Institute's graduation ceremony, Hamidullah Akhundzada, the acting minister of transportation and civil aviation, said that twenty…
REGIONAL NEWS
Afghan Customs Prevent Smuggling Tons of Precious Stones to Pakistan
By Nizamuddin Rezahi - Khaama Press
Taliban’s Ministry of Finance announced that customs officials at the Torkham border have prevented the smuggling of at least ten tons of…
Pakistan, Afghanistan among global food shortage 'hotspots': Report
By ANI
Two United Nations bodies Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
This is what the Taliban says on allowing Australian war crime investigators into Afghanistan
By Abdullah Alikhil, Lucy Murray, Finn McHugh - SBS News
The Taliban says it is prepared to facilitate Australian law enforcement investigating war crimes in Afghanistan, provided it believes the probe…
UNSC to hold meeting on Afghanistan’s situation
By Ariana News
The United Arab Emirates’ Permanent Representative to the UN Lana Nusseibeh said the UN Security Council will hold a meeting on Afghanistan later…
THE DAILY WTF
Abandoned by UK: Afghans with Taliban targets on their backs denied sanctuary
By Holly Bancroft - The Independent
Afghans who worked for the British army are being denied sanctuary in the UK despite being at risk of execution by the Taliban, an Independent investigation has…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 87.18 AFN (as of 5 JUN 2023)