Daily Evacuation Brief | November 1, 2022
LAST 24 HOURS
CRIME STATISTICS CLIMB IN URBAN AREAS – Even some pro-Taliban organizations are complaining about a surge in crime across many cities in Afghanistan. The most common complaint is robbery and many residents claim the criminal acts are now taking place in broad daylight. Many urban leaders are urging the Taliban police and military to crack down on crime.
A FORMER GENERAL ARRESTED IN KABUL – General Mohammad Ibrahim Jahadyar, a former senior leader under the previous regime was arrested by the Taliban on Sunday. The General was arrested in front of his family and no charges were presented to his family. His current whereabouts are unknown.
TALIBAN DISPERSE PLANNED WOMEN’S MARCH IN KABUL – Several women had planned to demonstrate on Monday and had assembled at the Shahr-e Naw Park in downtown Kabul. The women had brought documentation showing their qualifications and had prepared several banners and posters. The Taliban security detail destroyed the materials (including the diplomas and certificates) and dispersed the crowd before they could begin their protest. It is not clear if any violence or arrests took place.
TALIBAN SECURITY PATROL FLIPS AND KILLS 2 – A routine Taliban security patrol overturned in the Shindand District of Herat Province. 2 Taliban fighters were killed and 10 others were injured. 3 of the injured were not expected to live.
INTNL CRIMINAL COURT REOPENS INVESTIGATIONS – A panel of judges announced they had approved a request by the International Criminal Court to proceed with investigations of possible war crimes and/or human rights abuses in Afghanistan. Investigations had been put on hold while the court determined if the Taliban would carry out effective and transparent domestic investigations. Sources within the Palace claimed the news was most unwelcome by the senior leadership of the Taliban. One source said the Taliban would request advice from Iran on how to minimize any potential negative fallout from the investigation. All sources said the announcement was communicated directly to Kandahar immediately upon receipt.
PAKISTAN LONG MARCH DAY 4 – After a pause to honor a reporter who had been killed by an overturned shipping container, the march paused for the night near Punjab Sadhoke. Simultaneously, a convoy of supporters gathered at the Toll Plaza near Karachi and began moving North to join Khan’s marchers in Islamabad. Videos surfaced of Pakistani Police beating journalists with canes near Kamoke. It was unclear what the journalists had done to provoke the punishments but no serious injuries were reported from the fracas.
NEXT 24 HOURS
PAKISTAN LONG MARCH DAY 5 – Former Prime Minister Khan plans to restart the Long March on Tuesday at 11 AM local time from Gujranwala. Based on reports of violence over the previous twenty-four hours, it is probable that more clashes between police, media and the marchers will occur and may intensify the closer the protest moves to Islamabad. At-risk Afghans are urged to continue monitoring the situation closely.
AFGHAN ROUNDUP IN PAKISTAN – We are waiting to verify the reports coming out of Sindh Province where 100s of people were said to have been rounded up by police and are being held. Those caught in the police action were said to be in Pakistan illegally and did not possess passports. At-risk Afghans sheltering in Pakistan are encouraged to travel with their documents in their possession.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
PAKISTAN
Reports of mass arrests of Afghan citizens living illegally in Pakistan’s Sindh Province were received. Pakistani police apparently conducted a roundup of Afghan nationals who did not possess passports and are holding them in an undisclosed location.
Police were filmed beating journalists covering the Long March in Kamoke.
2 Pakistani Army soldiers were killed in a clash with Baloch separatists. 4 militants were also reportedly killed in the clash.
IRAN
Iran’s stock exchange saw a mass exodus of capital as a result of its crackdown on protests.
Students continue to lead protests and staged more sit-in demonstrations on campuses across the country.
Iranian courts indicted 1,000 protesters and plan public trials.
FIFA was barraged by requests to remove Iran from the sporting body.
TAJIKISTAN
Leaders issued a flat denial of assembling Iranian drones for sale to Russia. The announcement follows on the heels of a similar denial by Uzbek authorities.
SPOTLIGHT GENDER
'Women, life, freedom:' Defying Taliban, Afghan women remove burkas
By Tzvi Joffre - Jerusalem Post
The chant "Women, life, freedom," one of the central slogans in the protests sweeping Iran in recent weeks, has now been heard in Afghanistan as women protested against being blocked from universities for not wearing burkas on Sunday, according to footage shared on social media.
AFGHAN NEWS
Child malnutrition cases rise nearly 50% in Afghanistan as hunger hits record levels
By ReliefWeb
The number of dangerously malnourished children admitted to Save the Children’s mobile health clinics in Afghanistan has increased by 47% since January this…
Taliban Rips Academic Documents as Women Displayed Them in Protest
By Saqalain Eqbal - Khaama Press
The Taliban allegedly interrupted and suppressed the demonstration of women in Kabul, the Afghan capital, held by the…
Criminal Activities Increased Recently in Kabul: Residents
By Banafsha Binesh - TOLO News
Criminal activity, particularly of armed robbery, has recently surged in Kabul, residents…
REGIONAL NEWS
Air Corridor Between Delhi and Kabul to Resume Soon: MoCI
By Amina Hakimi - TOLO News
An agreement was signed between Kabul and Delhi to boost bilateral trade, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) said, adding that…
Nearly 5,000 Afghan refugees return from Iran in 2 days
By Noorullah Zazai - Pajhwok Afghan News
Nearly 5000 Afghan refugees returned from Iran during the past two days, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Judges give green light for ICC prosecutor to resume Afghanistan atrocities probe
By Al Arabiya
Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday ruled that prosecutor Karim Khan can resume his investigations into atrocities in Afghanistan, a…
‘Effective System’ for Asylum Seekers Demanded in Open Letter to UK Home Secretary
By Saqalain Eqbal - Khaama Press
More than 100 refugee assistance organizations have written an open letter to the British Home Secretary Suella Braverman urging…
THE DAILY WTF
MoIC Committed to Protect Cultural Heritage & Freedom of Speech in the Country: Khairkhah
By Bakhtar News Agency
During the meeting, Minister Khairkhah acknowledged his full support for the freedom of speech and the free operation of contemporary media in the country, considering the…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 88.17 AFN (as of 1 NOV 2022)