LAST 24 HOURS
TALIBAN URGES TALKS TO RESUME BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND THE TTP – The Afghan Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi called for a new round of talks between the TTP and the Pakistani Government after the conclusion of the Trilateral conference in Islamabad. Muttaqi reiterated that the Taliban do not have as much influence over the TTP as many seem to think. Whether this is true or not, the Afghan Taliban did play an important role in talks during the ceasefire and are justifiably terrified of having a regional or international terrorism event traced back to the country.
AFGHANISTAN’S FROZEN FUNDS REMAIN A LIGHTENING ROD – China and Russia continue to press the US administration for the release of the frozen Afghan funds. Their respective motivations likely have nothing to do with the welfare of Afghans and more to do with sniping at the US for sanctions and flexing its economic muscle. Such was the case after the Trilateral conference in Pakistan where both the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and China used their turns at the podium to once again demand the funds be released. The US appears unwilling to do so for a myriad of reasons, the main one being it represents leverage over the Taliban. However, a geopolitical factor that is likely influencing the US stance is the recent diplomatic triumph China achieved by brokering the rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The announcement of the deal in Beijing sent shockwaves through Washington DC and is largely considered an embarrassment for US prestige abroad. The bottom line is, the US is unlikely to bow to these demands in the near future, no matter how many calls are made.
IRANIAN BORDER FORCES SHOOT AND KILL AFGHAN TEENAGER IN NIMROZ PROVINCE – Several news outlets reported an incident that occurred on 7 May in the Province where Iranian border guards fired at a group of Afghans who were reputedly attempting to cross the border illegally at night. The young man who was killed, named Najib and from Badghis Province, was killed by a stray bullet. Local sources say that illegal crossings have become increasingly dangerous in 2023.
MAN SETS HIMSELF ON FIRE IN KANDAHAR OVER FINANCIAL DESPAIR – A 25-year-old man poured fuel on himself and set himself on fire near the Patyal cemetery in Kandahar City on Monday, 8 May. Friends of the man said he was distraught over his economic situation and the lack of prospects for work. The man was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.
NEXT 24 HOURS
TALIBAN SECURITY OPERATIONS/SEARCHES TO CONTINUE IN BAGHLAN – As hostilities between the NRF and Taliban have reportedly concluded, Taliban GDI agents are expected to widen searches in and around the Khost District. Early reports indicate the searches are intended to find weapons caches and to intimidate local citizens so they report Resistance sympathizers. Scattered reports say that between 50-100 men and boys had been rounded up and taken to an undisclosed location in the Province. Based on the intensity and duration of the clashes, we expect the searches to continue throughout the week. Activity on pro-Resistance social media accounts has picked up significantly over the last two weeks and many observers expect an increase in Resistance combat operations in May and June.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
An Iranian national was indicted for conspiracy to commit visa fraud and running an illegal visa ring that charged significant fees to Iranian citizens for US visas. If convicted, he could face ten years in prison.
Satellite imagery has confirmed that both oil tankers which had been seized by Iranian naval forces are currently anchored near Bandar Abbas (in Iranian territorial waters).
After a 60-day delay, the regime released inflation data for the previous year. The rate came in at 45.8%, which is extremely high and could signal a move into a hyperinflation phase sometime in 2023. Many observers believe the report was suppressed.
PAKISTAN
1 Police Officer was killed at a security checkpoint in Bara. Authorities said the police came under fire from a militant faction.
Leadership from the Army has rebuked former PM Khan after he made accusations implicating a serving Pakistani Army General in the assassination plot against him.
Some arrests have reportedly taken place after a religious cleric was beaten and lynched at a PTI rally on Saturday. It is not clear how many arrests were made and whether they included the actual perpetrators or not.
SPOTLIGHT OPINION
Pakistan’s Multi-Dimensional Counterterrorism Strategy In Flux Against The TTP – OpEd
By Asma Khan Durrani - EurAsia Review
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) a militant organization is fighting against the state in Pakistan. It is responsible for numerous terrorist attacks throughout the country, including targeting civilians and the Pakistan Army. The group, which is an umbrella organization of various militant groups, aims to overthrow the Pakistani government and impose Sharia law. In response, the Pakistan Army launched numerous military operations, on large-scale aimed at eliminating TTP and other terrorist groups from the region. The TTP also boasts several thousand fighters in Afghanistan, with strongholds on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Although Pakistani military actions, U.S. drone warfare, and factional infighting led to the TTP’s decline. The militant group has been experiencing a resurgence since the Afghan Taliban come into the helm of affairs in Afghanistan.
AFGHAN NEWS
Taliban Diplomat Defends Policies, Insists Afghan Women Education Ban Not 'Permanent'
By Ayaz Gul - VOA
The chief diplomat of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban insisted Monday that his government had not banned girls' education "permanently,” while women…
Destroyed 4,000 hectares of poppy fields in Afghanistan, claims Taliban
By ANI
The counter-narcotics department of the Taliban-led Ministry of Interior (MoI) has said that so far, it has destroyed…
Corporal Punishment on the Rise in Afghanistan
By Patricia Gossman - Human Rights Watch
A new report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) highlights Taliban human rights violations that have…
10 Fascinating Facts About Khaled Hosseini's 'The Kite Runner'
By Erin McCarthy - Mental Floss
The Kite Runner is set in Afghanistan against a backdrop of the country’s tumultuous history—from the fall of the monarchy to the rise of the…
REGIONAL NEWS
Taliban recognizes Iran's water rights: Muttaqi
By MEHR News Agency
Afghanistan is determined to develop relations with the friendly and neighboring country of Iran, especially in the fields of trade and economic…
Pakistan, China, Afghanistan vow action against terrorist outfits including TTP
By Geo News
Pakistan, China and Afghanistan have resolved that no terrorist organisation, group or individual will…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Japan’s envoy to Kabul reiterates continued support to Afghanistan
By Ariana News
The ambassador of Japan in Afghanistan said during a trip to Kandahar province that the political representation of his country will…
Taliban's public executions and corporal punishments must cease, UN official says
By Adla Massoud - The National News
In a scathing report released on Monday, the UN condemned the Taliban for their implementation of public executions, lashings and stonings since…
THE DAILY WTF
Republicans threaten Blinken with contempt over Afghanistan withdrawal cables
By Stephen Neukam - The Hill
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is threatening to hold Secretary of…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 87.40 AFN (as of 9 MAY 2023)