LAST 24 HOURS
OUTRAGE IN DAIKUNDI, 10-12 NON-COMBATANTS REPORTEDLY KILLED – Multiple reports have been circulating on social media of a possible massacre of civilians in the village of Siuk (near Nili). The majority of the reports agree that members of 2 Hazara families composed the victims and the Taliban had reputedly beheaded one of the victims. 4 other members of the families were reportedly arrested. 3 of those who were killed were children. There are several conflicting accounts concerning the Taliban’s motives for the operation but many suggest a Taliban Commander (Sadaqat) initiated the raid to punish an unidentified rival. Several videos and photos of the dead are circulating on the internet and a list of the victims has been published widely on social media.
POWER REPORTEDLY RESTORED TO SEVERAL COMMUNITIES IN AFGHANISTAN – The national electric company announced that technical repairs had been completed along power distribution lines from Uzbekistan and some areas have seen power restored. However, other areas continue to report that outages and unpredictable supplies plague their neighborhoods.
THE UNITED NATIONS CONSIDERS WHETHER THE TALIBAN’S STANCE AGAINST WOMEN CONSTITUTES A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY – A panel of human rights experts with the UN have issued a report that calls for an investigation into the Taliban’s gender policies and to potentially prosecute the regime. The Taliban have pushed back against the report.
NEXT 24 HOURS
LONG MARCH RALLY APPROVED IN RAWALPINDI – The District Government of Rawalpindi has granted conditional permission for former PM Imran Khan’s rally to be held in the city on Saturday. The permit authorizes the rally to take place along the Muree Road from Faizabad to Rehmanabad. Some of Khan’s supporters were aggravated by the last-minute change of locations and were also upset that his helicopter would not be able to land at a nearby parade ground. The agreement is based on a 56 point permit that outlined the permissible acts that can take place at the rally. The Faizabad bus station and metro service was halted yesterday evening. Supporters are approaching Rawalpindi from across the country with the main convoys coming up from Karachi in the South and accompanying the primary route of the Long March from the North. Police are stationed throughout the area in force. Khan had sent advance detachments to Rawalpindi and they were observed to be filing up tubs with water which has traditionally been used to douse tear gas canisters fired by Police. Traffic has already become congested and a short standoff took place when police officials halted the construction of a speaking stage for the former PM. Some reports of congested cellular networks and a lack of internet were reported as early as Friday afternoon. The situation is tense and police are said to be expecting to have to clear the supporters out of the city immediately after the permit expires in order to facilitate the upcoming English cricket match. There has been an uptick in reports of theft and some car-jackings were reported. The rally represents an opportunity for terrorist groups to act in front of multiple media outlets and we assess the threat of a bombing or another terror attack as high. At-risk Afghans are advised to maintain a low profile and stay off the streets and should expect the rally to run late into Saturday night and possibly into Sunday. If tear gas is used, it can be helpful to wet cloth and hold it over children and the elderly’s noses and mouths to assist with breathing.
SUBSIDIZED COAL SALES TO BEGIN IN KABUL – Residents of Kabul who have the necessary paperwork from community leaders will be able to purchase stockpiled coal at a heavily reduced price. The regime has stockpiled approximately 9,000 tons of coal at various sites around the city.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Iranian fans clash at the World Cup event.
Day 71 of the protests continued in Sistan and Baluchistan provinces and security forces opened fire on protestors in at least five cities which left dozens killed or wounded.
The regime has condemned an announced UNHCR probe of the security crackdown on the protests.
PAKISTAN
Former PM Khan received conditional permission to hold a rally in Rawalpindi. Khan’s supporters will have permission to rally from Faizabad to Rehmanabad (along Murree Road).
Multiple convoys of supporters of Imran Khan are converging on Rawalpindi for today’s rally. An accurate count of potential attendees was not available but news outlets believe it will number 100,000 or more.
Security forces in Rawalpindi and Islamabad are on high alert.
SPOTLIGHT OPINION
4 Types of Diplomats Involved in Afghanistan
By Jason Criss Howk - Clearance Jobs
“Following Afghan news is sad exercise. I have always been supporter of dialogue. It has been a basic instinct in me for 50 years. But with bad news from Kabul almost every day, I conclude any meaningful dialogue is impossible. Some will call me naive. To me it is just sad.”
AFGHAN NEWS
11 Civilians Killed by Taliban in Central Afghanistan’s Daikundi Province
By 8am
Taliban forces attacked a village in the vicinity of Nili city, Daikundi province, killing at least 11 residents and…
UNAMA Calls on Taliban to End Gender-Based Violence in Afghanistan
By Arif Ahmadi - Khaama Press
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Friday called on Taliban leadership to end violence against women and…
Rural Residents Forced to Bring Sick Children to Kabul
By Hadia Ziaei - TOLO News
Due to lack of health centers, Afghan families are obliged to bring their children to Kabul for medical…
REGIONAL NEWS
Pakistan Taliban racketeering hits borderlands
By Iraqi News
A lawmaker in Pakistan’s rugged northwest was sipping tea with voters when his phone chirped to life — the Taliban were calling with a demand for…
Taliban urges Afghan refugees to refrain from protesting in Iran and Pakistan
By ANI
Abdul Rahman Rashid, the Taliban’s Deputy Minister of Refugees, urged Afghan refugees to avoid taking part in…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Islamic Emirate: Policy of Isolation Will Not Bring Results
By Mohammad Farshad Daryosh - TOLO News
The Islamic Emirate's deputy spokesperson, Bilal Karimi, said that an isolating approach would not work and that there should be less of…
Taliban's treatment of women may be crime against humanity: UN experts
By Reuters
The Taliban's treatment of Afghan women and girls, including their exclusion from parks and gyms as well as schools and universities, may amount to a…
THE DAILY WTF
Islamic Emirate Says It Has Upheld Women's Rights
By Fatema Adeeb - TOLO News
The Islamic Emirate said on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women that women's rights are respected in Afghanistan more…
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 89.17 AFN (as of 26 NOV 2022)