The Afghan Digest

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Daily Evacuation Brief | March 5, 2022

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Daily Evac Brief

Daily Evacuation Brief | March 5, 2022

Open source daily news about Afghanistan and the surrounding region powered by Operation Snow Leopard

Mar 5, 2022
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Daily Evacuation Brief | March 5, 2022

afghandigest.substack.com

Threat Analysis

LAST 24 HOURS: 

  • 2 separate terror attacks took place at mosques in both Peshawar, Pakistan and Paktia, Afghanistan. The first killed scores of people, and the latter killed two.  Hundreds were injured. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in Pakistan. No group has claimed responsibility for the Paktia attack yet.

  • The security clearing operation continued across Afghanistan, but far fewer Taliban personnel and vehicles were observed in many districts of Kabul. Sources indicated that threats about a bombing had been received on Thursday morning and may have drawn some of the Taliban forces away from the search operations.

  • A notable Pakistani Pashtun activist, Qazi Tahir, was given a life sentence for allegedly speaking out against Pakistan’s government and taking part in a protest in 2020. He was convicted and sentenced by an anti-terror court in Karachi, and the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, a non-violent protest movement demanding equal rights for Pashtuns, protested the conviction and called on their members to protest. Tahir was supported by Pashtuns in Afghanistan and his arrest may cause further tensions between the Taliban and Pakistani government.

NEXT 24 HOURS:

  • More Taliban reinforcements will depart Kabul for Gardez and Khost. Additional checkpoints along the roadways are planned to be manned, and a source indicated motorcycles are to be stopped and searched. It is unclear if this motorcycle policy will affect other provinces and towns in Afghanistan or if it is limited to the areas where the reinforcements are to be deployed. At-risk Afghans who may be traveling by motorcycle should be prepared for additional security screening.

  • Pakistan is said to be planning large scale police and military operations across the country in response to the deadly bombing attack. Increased security detachments are also expected to deploy to the border areas. Afghans in Pakistan are advised to limit travel on roads and in cities for the duration of these operations.

ANALYSIS SPOTLIGHT:

THE RECENT BOMBINGS

CONTEXT:  The terror attacks at two mosques on Friday had a combined death toll of nearly sixty and wounded hundreds of people. The attacks took place approximately 100 miles apart and targeted people as they were at prayers. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack on the Shiite mosque in Pakistan, while no group had yet laid claim to the attack in Afghanistan’s Paktia Province.

In the Peshawar Mosque incident a suicide bomber detonated approximately 5kgs of explosive (to include metal balls for fragmentation effect) with possible gunmen in support, whereas the attack in Paktia employed an explosive rigged motorcycle that had been stationed near where worshipers would exit.

Although the method of the attacks differed, the timing and distance suggest a coordinated operation. Most sources believe ISIS will claim responsibility for the Paktia mosque attack within the next few hours. It is generally believed that both attacks were planned and coordinated by ISIS in an effort to demonstrate the capability to carry out synchronized campaigns in both countries.

ANALYSIS:  Security forces in both countries will adopt elevated security postures for the next several days. There will be an increased presence at checkpoints, border crossings, and Mosques. Security personnel may be more nervous and could react preemptively toward any perceived threat. Heightened tensions could result in cross-border exchanges between Taliban and Pakistani Army personnel. At-risk Afghans in the affected areas are encouraged to limit their time in areas where people congregate and avoid any unnecessary travel.

Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 90.19 AFN (as of 05 MAR 2022)


Afghan News

3 people killed, 18 injured in Paktia blast

By Sahil Mangal – Pajhwok Afghan News

Three people were killed and 20 others injured in a bomb blast in the Dand-i-Patan district of…

Breaking the bias in Afghanistan: A radio station for women returns to the airwaves

By Mursal Abrar – BBC

I vividly remember  the month of September 2021. After the collapse of the former government, I was receiving…

Afghan Journalist Among 12 Women Honored by Time Magazine

By TOLO News

Zahra Joya, an Afghan female journalist, was listed among 12 women recognized by Time Magazine for…

6 Humvees Seized in House Searches in Kabul

Farshad Daryush – TOLO News

The house-to-house searches or so-called clearing operations were launched by the Islamic Emirate last week in…


Regional News

At least 56 killed in suicide bombing at Shi'ite mosque in Pakistan

By Jibran Ahmad - Reuters

A suicide bombing at a Shi'ite Muslim mosque during Friday prayers in the…

Uneasy Relations: Geopolitical Challenges for Iran on its Eastern Border

By Umer Karim – The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington

Iran’s relationship with its eastern neighbors, Afghanistan and Pakistan, has become particularly important since the Taliban takeover in…

Pashtun Activists Decry Pakistan’s Anti-Terror Trials

Akmal Dawi – Voice of America

By A key leader in the Pashtun rights movement in Pakistan was sentenced this week to life in…


International News Relating to Afghanistan

UNICEF Raises 15% of $2 Billion Goal for Afghan Children

By TOLO News

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said 15% fund of the appeal – a $2 billion goal-- aimed at countering the…

U.S. Diplomat Apologizes to 12,000 Afghans Stranded After Taliban Takeover

By Erin Brady – Newsweek

A U.S. diplomat has formally apologized for thousands of stranded Afghan citizens in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after…

U.S. calls for help to rehome Afghans who fled chaos of Taliban takeover

By Alexander Cornwell – Reuters

The United States still needs other nations to take Afghans who fled their homeland last year, a senior…

U.S. Plans to Complete Resettlement of Afghan Refugees by August

By Zainab Fattah = Bloomberg News

The U.S. is hoping to complete in August the resettlement of Afghan refugees stranded by its exit from…


The Absurdity of the Day

Vladimir Putin Says Russia Has 'No Ill Intentions,' Pleads for No More Sanctions

By Brendan Cole – Newsweek

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia has no "ill intentions" towards Ukraine, hours after…


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Postscript.

We believe in sharing many opinions and looking from many different perspectives. This means we do not necessarily agree with everything shared in the news or contributor articles, but we believe it’s important to treat other perspectives with respect and to consider their point of view.


The Fine Print:

The materials and information on this newsletter are intended for general informational purposes only and do not constitute professional advice. Information shared may or may not reflect the most current developments on the ground; accordingly, information on this newsletter is not promised or guaranteed to be correct, complete, or current. Where appropriate, users should seek their own legal or other professional advice. Roseline LLC, Operation Snow Leopard, and all website contributors accept no responsibility for loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of material contained in this website and/or newsletter.

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Daily Evacuation Brief | March 5, 2022

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