LAST 24 HOURS
FINANCE MINISTER STEPS DOWN – Hedayatullah Badri, the Minister of Finance for the Taliban has resigned from his position. Sources told AMU TV that the cause of his departure was related to differences with the Supreme Leader. If this report is true, he is believed to be the highest-ranking Taliban official to resign since they took power.
RAID IN MAZAR-I-SHARIF KILLS 8 – Taliban forces reportedly raided a house in Police District 7 of Mazar-i-Sharif on the night of 7 March and killed 8 men they said were ‘rebels’ and ‘kidnappers’. There was concern that photos from the scene that were distributed by the Taliban had been staged and the weapons that were placed in the hands of the dead looked unnatural and were extremely clean. There has been speculation that the Taliban may have staged a similar incident in a security clearing operation in Herat.
ISIS-K CLAIMS ATTACK THAT KILLED THE CHIEF OF THE WATER DEPARTMENT IN HERAT – Nader Kakar and 2 friends were killed in a targeted attack in Herat City yesterday by an unidentified gunman. 3 others were injured in the attack and it is not known if the gunman was apprehended. Kakar was serving as the head of the water department in Herat and had previously led the same department in Kandahar. ISIS-K claimed credit for the attack on its website, The Khorasan Diary. However, there has been some speculation the murders were carried out by another group.
THE UNITED NATIONS WARNED THAT A DROP IN AID IS COMING DUE TO GENDER BANS – The UN envoy in Afghanistan warned the Taliban that aid was likely to be cut as a result of the draconian policies in place for women. A source in Kandahar said the Supreme Leader dismissed the threat as ‘rhetoric’.
NEXT 24 HOURS
PESHAWAR’S COUNTER-TERRORISM DEPARTMENT ISSUES ALERT OF IMMINENT TTP ATTACK – The Department issued the alert to all police and military forces and also posted copies of it on their social media site. The Department said it expects an action similar to the January Police Mosque bombing. The warning states that a threat of a ‘high-intensity’ attack was expected within the coming days and that the following would be likely targets:
Police gatherings
Police stations
Police establishments
Police lines
Traffic headquarters
While the threat is expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, it could easily focus somewhere else in the country. At-risk Afghans are advised to avoid Police facilities or checkpoints until the threat has passed.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Saudi Arabia announced they were interested in dialogue with Iran. Low-level talks are expected soon.
Several women were honored by international organizations for their parts in the protests in Iran.
Some IRGC personnel are thought to be among the dead after a drone strike on a Syrian arms factory.
PAKISTAN
Supporters of former PM Khan clashed with police in Lahore. Several were injured on both sides of the fracas.
The forecast was expected to reach into the lower 30s across the country.
Several women’s day programs highlighted issues women face in Pakistan.
SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS
Is Iran Distancing Itself From the Taliban Government?
By Hamza Boltaev - The Diplomat
For the past few years, Iran-Taliban relations have been very strong. When Kabul fell to the Taliban in August 2021, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei publicly, although with carefully crafted words, welcomed the new reality. Iran was one of just a handful of countries that kept its embassy open when the Taliban took over in Kabul, demonstrating Iran’s great expectations.
AFGHAN NEWS
Afghan TV's rare broadcast features an all-female panel to discuss rights on Women's Day
By WION
An all-female panel was featured in a show of Afghan broadcaster Tolo News aired on Wednesday from its studio along with a female audience to mark…
Intl Women’s Day Brings Renewed Calls for Afghan Women’s Rights
By Mitra Majeedy - TOLO News
As the world recognized International Women’s Day, many famous figures inside and outside the country expressed criticism over the…
Virtual tour supports female education in Afghanistan
By Jessica Reid - Wanderlust
Tour operator Untamed Borders has teamed up with an Afghan female guide to present exclusive virtual tours around the country’s third largest…
REGIONAL NEWS
Pakistan Security Forces Kill Six TTP Members in North Waziristan
By Fidel Rahmati - Khaama Press
Security forces killed six Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan members on Wednesday during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Datta Khel general region of…
Ex-PM Khan’s Supporters Clash with Police in Pakistan, Injuring Several
By Fidel Rahmati - Khaama Press
Violence broke out between police and former Prime Minister Supporters in Lahore, Pakistan, injuring several on both sides on…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
By Jennifer Hansler - CNN
US Marine Corps Sergeant Tyler Vargas-Andrews can remember in specific detail the moment that a…
EU Humanitarian Air Bridge delivers medical aid to Afghanistan
By The EU
Today, a new EU Humanitarian Air Bridge flight has arrived in Kabul and delivered close to 100 tonnes of life-saving cargo to support the…
THE DAILY WTF
IEA committed to ensuring women’s rights under Islamic law: Karimi
By Ariana News
UNAMA said in a statement that these restrictions are at odds with human rights obligations set forth in instruments concerning human rights and fundamental freedoms to…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 87.93 AFN (as of 9 MAR 2023)
