LAST 24 HOURS
SUICIDE BOMBER KILLS AT LEAST 6 NON-COMBATANTS IN BLAST NEAR THE FOREIGN MINISTRY – Taliban security forces personnel reportedly attempted to kill a suspected suicide bomber at a checkpoint near the Foreign Ministry building in Kabul. It was not immediately clear if the bomber detonated the device he was wearing or if the Taliban caused the blast when they fired on the individual. The blast occurred as Ministry personnel were leaving their offices for the day. At least 6 non-combatants were killed and 12 were injured (3 Taliban guards were among the injured). Police initially speculated the Foreign Ministry was the intended target, but this may be inaccurate. The bombing is considered the first terrorist incident of the Remadan fasting period. ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack on its Telegram attack.
FLOODING KILLS 9, INJURES 74 MORE – Flooding reported across over twenty provinces has resulted in at least 9 deaths so far and scores more are injured. At least a portion of the deaths occurred when houses collapsed as their foundations were swept away. An engineer in Herat speculated that the recent earthquake had likely destabilized many homes across the country and added to the risk posed by flooding. Estimates from the Ministry of Natural Disasters say that 1,800 houses have been destroyed and over 20,000 acres of cropland have been damaged. However, it is not clear if these figures include flooding from the Fall of 2022. The death toll is expected to rise as more reports come in.
TALIBAN CLAIMS IT HAS KILLED KEY ISIS-K LEADERS IN MAZAR-I-SHARIF OPERATIONS – In several statements released online and on social media, the Taliban claims to have eliminated Abu Omar Afridi (council member), Ustad Salman Tajikistani (bomb production chief), and Mawlawi Ziauddin (ISIS-K leader in Balkh Province). The men were reputedly killed in recent security operations in Mazar-i-Sharif. Several longtime Afghanistan analysts were quick to point out that Ziauddin was not a leader in the group. It is possible the Taliban have misidentified the individual or, may be holding him up as a leader to show the international community they are taking the fight against ISIS-K seriously. A new source reported to journalists that ISIS-K had suffered a schism among its leadership over the strategic direction the group should take in Afghanistan. While the low-level conflict has been a norm in the terrorist group, major factions have not been previously reported.
CENTRAL BANK DECERTIFIES ALL INDIVIDUAL CURRENCY EXCHANGE LICENSES – Considered to be the first major policy change since taking the reigns of the Central Bank, the move affects nearly 900 small currency exchanges. The bank announced it had undertaken the measure for transparency purposes. Some observers claim the move is probably a means of bringing the currency market under tighter Taliban control and is also a way to prohibit the exchange of Pakistan’s currency (long a goal of the Taliban). A disruption to small businesses is expected as currency exchanges were a popular method of ‘banking’ at local markets.
NEXT 24 HOURS
FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ACROSS MUCH OF AFGHANISTAN – Additional rainfall, much of it in the mountains, continued on Monday and emergency planners continue to warn Afghans to delay travel and to conduct periodic ‘walk arounds’ of their homes and buildings to search for signs of potential weak points. Several roads have washed out and a few reports say vehicles have been carried away when attempting to ford swollen streams and rivers. Travel at this time is considered extremely hazardous and the rain/snow is expected to continue in parts of Afghanistan through a portion of Tuesday.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
The regime released an 83-page report on the protests and claim that foreign countries actively participated in the murder of Iranian police forces by using proxy agents inserted into the demonstrations.
Clashes between Iranian-backed militias in Syria leave several dead. The cause of the fighting is unknown but some rumors suggest it was related to drug shipments.
Iranian activists in Europe are reportedly tired of waiting for Europe to label the IRGC a terrorist group. They have resolved to continue lobbying governments on the continent until the designation is made.
PAKISTAN
Pakistan Cricket rebounded and won the third match (final match) in the series.
Claims made by former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, that 84 cases had been brought against him by the government were disproved by an investigative journalist who perused all court records. The actual number of cases lodged has been 37. In most cases, citizens filed complaints.
Healthcare professionals raised alarms over a shortage of critical medications due to the devaluation of the rupee. Some basic drugs required to sustain life (diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol reducers, etc) may only have a 2-week supply.
SPOTLIGHT OPINION
Afghanistan’s Crises Require a Clear Statement of U.S. Policy
By Madiha Afzal - Lawfare
The United States may be out of Afghanistan, but America’s dilemmas on Afghanistan policy continue. Political and general public discussions about Afghanistan since August 2021 have focused mainly on the botched withdrawal (with Congress now conducting hearings on the issue), the evacuations of Afghan partners and allies, and how to engage in counterterrorism with the Taliban in charge. Meanwhile, other key questions of policy, particularly those relating to the country’s human rights and humanitarian crises, get little high-level attention. That’s not surprising—it’s clear that President Biden wants to move on from Afghanistan and the failures associated with it—but the United States needs a better articulation of its current policy approach toward Afghanistan and the 40 million Afghans dealing with both a repressive regime and economic hardship.
AFGHAN NEWS
Blast Near Afghan Foreign Ministry Kills 6, Hurts Several
By Reuters
At least six civilians were killed by a suicide attack in Afghanistan’s capital on Monday, near a security checkpoint leading to the…
Afghan Girls Complain About Lack of Internet access For Online learning
By Fidel Rahmati - Khaama Press
Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in mid-August 2021, several decrees have been issued as a result; girls and young women were…
3 Key Daesh Members Killed: Intelligence Directorate
By TOLO News
The General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) said on Twitter that three key members of Daesh were killed in operations by Islamic Emirate forces in…
REGIONAL NEWS
Tajikistan Faces Threat from Tajik Taliban
By Sudha Ramachandran - CACI Analyst
In July 2022, social media and Telegram channels were abuzz with discussions about the formation of a new militant group in northern Afghanistan, the…
Tajikistan: Taliban take control of consulate
By EurAsia Net
The Afghan consulate in the eastern Tajikistan city of Khorog has passed under the control of the Taliban regime, while staff at the main embassy in the Tajik…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Foreign Devils on the Road to Afghanistan
By M.K. Bhadrakumar - Consortium News
Late last month, the Western powers huddled together in Paris for a restricted meeting on the Taliban and…
Japan pledges over $21 million to UNICEF in support of Afghanistan
By AMU TV
UNICEF announced Monday that the government of Japan has donated over $21 million for life saving vaccines for mothers and children and water and sanitation facilities in…
THE DAILY WTF
'Bulls***' excuses: McCaul threatens to subpoena State Department over Kabul dissent cable
By Jerry Dunleavy - Washington Examiner
A top House Republican dismissed Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s “bulls***” excuses for not handing over a July 2021 dissent cable from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, and…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 86.63 AFN (as of 28 MAR 2023)