Daily Evacuation Brief | March 13, 2022
Open source daily news about Afghanistan and the surrounding region powered by Operation Snow Leopard
Threat Analysis
LAST 24 HOURS:
A man was killed by security forces in Mazar-i-Sharif when eyewitnesses say he attempted to evade a checkpoint. No further information is available at this time.
It has been confirmed that a video released on social media, depicting the execution of an Afghan man in Panjshir was taken six months ago. The family confirmed the details to several news outlets.
A former police officer was killed in Uruzgan province. The motive for the shooting and who may have killed him are currently unknown.
NEXT 24 HOURS:
The Afghan Post announced it will resume international mail and parcel services on March 12, 2022. It is not clear if there are restrictions in place for certain locations. Afghans are encouraged to check their Facebook page for updates.
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey is scheduled to conclude, and several announcements are expected to be made by the Taliban.
Several sources have stated former members of the Afghan police are being looked at closely for the next several days. Whether this is directly related to the murder of a former policeman in Uruzgan is unknown at this time. At-risk Afghans who were affiliated with the police should take heed.
ANALYSIS SPOTLIGHT: The Beginning of a Thaw
CONTEXT:
The hard-line the US has taken with the Taliban seems to be softening. Remarks made by both the Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum suggested the bilateral talks had been both cordial and productive.
The Taliban Foreign Ministry claimed that $3.5 billion of the $7 billion in Afghan assets that were frozen in US banks in the aftermath of the previous regime’s fall would now not be given to international humanitarian aid groups and will not be spent as humanitarian assistance. They claimed West had agreed to this demand, but we have yet to corroborate the fidelity of this claim. It has not been made clear where the $3.5 billion will be directed, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs appears to believe that the funds may be given to the Afghan Central Bank.
The fate of the remaining $3.5 billion that President Biden ordered be reserved for legal recompense for families of the 9/11 victims did not appear to be decided. The Foreign Ministry called again for the release of the second half of the funds. This highly unpopular and nearly universally condemned act has been a thorn in the side of the US administration virtually from the moment it was announced.
DISCUSSION:
Special Representative West has adopted a pragmatic approach to the Taliban regime and continues to maintain healthy communications with Foreign Minister Muttaqi. Although the carrot and the stick strategy are as old as diplomacy itself, he has skillfully employed it to address some of the major concerns of the international community, especially education for women and girls.
While international recognition seems to be the primary goal of the Taliban, the need for funding presents a greater and more immediate challenge. The Taliban could easily remain in power without being recognized, but they will face huge internal opposition if their people starve and government salaries go unpaid. It is the one major issue that could hamstring their domestic agenda and result in their removal from power.
Interestingly, in this situation, the “stick” is not military action or further sanctions. There appears to be no appetite for direct or indirect military involvement, and additional sanctions are meaningless at this point. In this case, the frozen assets represent both carrot and stick.
ANALYSIS:
We believe that the U.S. government will release the funds to the central Afghan bank in chunks over an extended period of time. A measured and phased approach to freeing up the frozen funds is America’s best opportunity to achieve moderate gains for gender equality and stave off widespread violence. It should also facilitate more amenable conditions to continue evacuations for those Afghans who desire to leave the country. Releasing the funds en masse would be detrimental and removes any assurance of good governance.
Once the Taliban have received the funds, they will likely be directed toward the essentials to keep their government running and secure, such as paying public servants and the 110,000 strong army they are building up. However, it is unclear how much will be directed toward humanitarian relief or infrastructure projects. The Taliban may still attempt to rely on international organizations and aid for these initiatives and retain the released funds for projects that the international community will not get involved in, such as defense spending.
Afghan News
Man shot dead by intelligence agents in Mazar-i-Sharif
By Seerat – Pajhwok Afghan News
Security forces have shot dead a man after he refused to stop at a…
Blast wounds seven members of family in Helmand province
By Najibullah Lalzoy – Khaama Press
Provincial officials of Helmand province said that an explosion wounded seven members of a…
Officials: 4 People Arrested Over Killings of Vaccination Workers
By TOLO News
The detainees have confessed to killing seven vaccinators and two members of…
In Series of Humanitarian Aid 18th package of Cash “USD” Arrived Kabul
By Bakhtar News Agency
Da Afghanistan Bank said in a press release this afternoon that $32 million in cash had been…
Regional News
Afghanistan, Pakistan to establish cross-border bus services
By Ariana News
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation said on Saturday that passenger bus services between…
Taliban hopeful for deal on Kabul airport with Turkey, Qatar
By Yeni Safak
While attending the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Afghanistan's acting foreign minister told Anadolu Agency on…
Robbers stab two Afghan students in India
By Najibullah Lalzoy – Khaama Press
Police in Bangalore said that four bike-borne robbers attacked two Afghan students and…
International News Relating to Afghanistan
By Damon Martin – MMA Fighting
Javid Basharat would love nothing more than to walk to the octagon for his UFC debut this weekend with the flag of Afghanistan wrapped around his shoulders.
US’s West, Muttaqi Discuss Afghan Funds, Human Rights
By Rajab Taieb – TOLO News
The US special envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West, and the Islamic Emirate’s acting Foreign Minister…
By The Irish Independent
Russian forces have shelled a mosque in the southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, where more than 80 adults and children, including Turkish citizens, have taken refuge…
Absurdity of the Day
Muttaqi urges World Community to contribute to stable, self-reliant Afghanistan
By Najibullah Lalzoy – Khaama Press
Acting Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi asked the…
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