LAST 24 HOURS
COUNTER ISIS-K SECURITY OPERATIONS IN KABUL – Taliban security forces appear to have conducted two counter-terrorism operations in Kabul on Saturday. Both operations reportedly targeted ISIS-K cells. The first operation was conducted in Police District 12 and an ISIS-K leader, Asad Laghmani, was reportedly killed in a raid on a suspected safe house. Laghmani is thought to have planned the attack on the Ministry of the Interior Mosque several months ago. The second operation appears to have targeted a safe house in Police District 5 and began when Taliban forces used a ‘barrel mine’ to breach the building. The only reported casualty so far has been Laghmani but sources say several other ISIS-K personnel were killed and the body count is expected to rise as more information is made available. A source present for the first operation claims a satellite phone (Iridium 9575 model) was found in the house and the call logs were intact. Such information could shed light on the potential external support ISIS-K has been receiving.
TALIBAN REPAIR APPROXIMATELY 300 MILITARY VEHICLES – The Taliban Ministry of Defense reported that 300 vehicles that had been sabotaged by US forces prior to the retreat from Afghanistan had been repaired and were being sent to select military districts. The repairs were conducted by the 205th Al Badar Corps. Attrition among the vehicles used by the Taliban has been high and a source in the Ministry of Defense said that leaders are concerned by a lack of bench stock parts (alternators/generators and electrical components in particular). The source went on to say that efforts to procure replacement parts had not been successful and a plan to manufacture the parts in Afghanistan had been on the table for nearly a year but had not been acted upon.
ISLAMIC SCHOLAR BEHEADED IN JAWZJAN PROVINCE – Reportedly, the incident took place on Friday in the village of Qarqin. The man’s name was said to be Abdul Wadood and is said to have been the son of a senior Commander under Marshal Dostum. This information has not been confirmed yet but is being reported on several news and social media sites.
AFGHAN CHILDREN SENT TO GERMANY FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT RETURN OVER WEEKEND – 50 children who had been sent to Germany for medical treatment last year returned to Afghanistan this weekend. The children required treatment for a variety of conditions and a second return flight is scheduled for next month. The children had been medically evacuated by the German Peace Village Foundation.
FORMER PRESIDENT KARZAI MEETS WITH MEMBERS OF FORMER REGIME IN LONDON – The BBC has reported on a meeting in London between the former President and several elected and cabinet officials from the former regime in London to discuss engagement strategies for the Taliban.
NEXT 24 HOURS
MORE SECURITY OPERATIONS POSSIBLE – The Taliban is enjoying a string of successes against ISIS-K over the past few months and it is possible that another operation(s) could be launched soon. Based on the precise nature of the counter-terrorism operations in 2023, the Taliban appear to have gotten much better at intelligence gathering. In many instances, the locations of the operations has been exact and the Taliban typically come away from the operations with computers, phones, and/or prisoners. They have learned to conduct effective surveillance operations and many analysts believe the Taliban may have penetrated ISIS-K and have used a network to target the group across the country. At-risk Afghans should be watchful of occupied vehicles that appear to loiter in areas they frequent. Concentrations of Taliban security vehicles with large troop contingents could also mean an operation is about to take place.
PAKISTAN: PTI RALLY AT MINAR-I-PAKISTAN A POTENTIAL FLASHPOINT – Police have been busy in Lahore as they station shipping containers and commandeer trucks to block routes to the Minar-i-Pakistan location. Truck drivers have been ordered to park their trucks along thoroughfares and have been told to remain until noon today. Internet services have been down across much of the city in a presumed attempt to disrupt the rally. The former PM claimed several times on Saturday that the rally would be the largest in the history of the country and has promised to divulge his plan to retake the country. Police in Punjab issued a threat stating that ‘Hostile Intelligence Agencies” were planning to take action against the rally in order to destabilize the country. They say that intercepted messages to the terrorist group, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar asked Commander Mukarram Khurasani to “Cause instability in the country by whatever means.” The threat alert also mentioned that terrorists might wear police uniforms. At-risk Afghans in Lahore are advised to shelter at home until the rally concludes and is dispersed as any incident could provoke general mayhem under such tense conditions.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Al-Alam television reported new attacks against US outposts in Syria. A US official said a second rocket attack was reported near a US facility in the Al-Omar oilfield. 8 rockets were said to have been fired at the US checkpoint.
The latest death toll from the recent US Air Strikes on Iranian-backed militia groups has risen to 19.
Tehran made several direct threats to the US after the recent air strikes and warned of further actions should attacks continue.
PAKISTAN
Heavy rains are forecasted in several parts of the country raising fears of more deadly flooding. 4 people have drowned already and more reports of fatalities are expected to come in over the next twenty-four hours.
The former PM, Imran Khan, appeared in front of a court in Lahore to seek bail on 3 terrorism-related charges. He made several anti-regime remarks and doubled down on his call for immediate elections.
Lahore is basically an armed camp in anticipation of today’s rally at Minar-i-Pakistan and security forces appear prepared for violence.
SPOTLIGHT AID
Life for Afghans got worse after the Taliban seized power. Now foreign aid is drying up
By Nathan Southern & Lindsey Kennedy - South China Morning Post
Right now, we are locked in this toxic relationship where the outside world is trying to help the people without helping the Taliban. Which is a farce. It can’t be achieved.
Graeme Smith, senior Afghanistan consultant at the International Crisis Group
AFGHAN NEWS
IEA Security Forces Carried Out Operation on ISIS Hideout in Kabul
By Nizamuddin Rezahi - Khaama Press
The department on Friday said in a series of Tweets that Taliban security forces conducted a special operation on an ISIS hideout in the ‘Butkhaak’ district of Kabul city, adding that…
Taliban dismiss US claim of Islamic State growth in Afghanistan
By The New Arab
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has dismissed US claims that the Islamic State Khorasan Province have grown more active in Afghanistan as…
Under Taliban regime, Afghan businesswomen complain of lack of markets
By ANI
Afghan businesswomen have called out the Taliban once again for not getting ample market opportunities for their…
REGIONAL NEWS
Islamabad open to ‘non-transactional dialogue’ with Imran Khan’s party
By Ariana News
Pakistan’s Minister of Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Friday Islamabad was ready to hold comprehensive dialogue with former prime minister…
147 Afghan Migrants Return Home From Iran: Ministry of Refugees
By Nizamuddin Rezahi - Khaama Press
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation on Saturday announced that 147 Afghan refugees returned to the country from Iran through the…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Taliban push for control of more Afghan diplomatic missions
By PBS
The Taliban government is trying to take charge of more Afghan embassies abroad, a spokesman said Saturday, amid their…
In a twist of fate, Afghanistan military dog set to reunite with its owner in the U.S.
By Cara Tabachnick - CBS News
During a tour in Afghanistan in 2019, Kristen St. Pierre, a female platoon commander for the Georgia Army National Guard, became really…
THE DAILY WTF
Mujahid: 'Countries That Failed in Afghanistan' Hindering Intl Relations
By Mohammad Farshad Daryosh - TOLO News
The Islamic Emirate spokesperson said that “some countries that failed in Afghanistan” over the past 20 years are…
Headline Edit: “Spokesman for Country Currently Failing Afghanistan Says Countries That Previously Failed Afghanistan are Failing Afghanistan.” TAD Staff
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 86.67 AFN (as of 26 MAR 2023)