LAST 24 HOURS
A BLAST REPORTED IN KABUL KILLS 2, 9 INJURED – Early reports say that a boxing gym was the site of an explosion in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood of Western Kabul yesterday evening. The gym was located on the third floor of a commercial center and a fire swept through the facility immediately after the blast occurred. At least 2 people were killed in the blast and 9 others were injured. Some of the injured reportedly suffered serious wounds and were not expected to live through the night. The gym is located in a predominantly Shiite community and the gym catered to youth groups among the Hazara community. The cause of the explosion is under investigation and residents fear it may have been the work of ISIS-K who has long targeted the community.
PAKISTAN’S NEW VISA POLICY PROMPTS MASS PROTESTS ALONG BORDER – Thousands of people protested on both sides of the border over the recently announced policies concerning documentation needed to travel across the frontier. Islamabad recently revoked a policy that allowed both Afghans and Pakistanis to use their national ID cards to traverse the border. The new policy mandates that a valid visa must be shown in order to pass customs. Protestors say that the difficulties involved with getting a passport (especially on the Taliban side) would make it difficult and expensive and are calling on the government in Islamabad to reverse the policy. For its part, the government has dug its heels in and says the new policy will remain in effect. Pakistan has long been signaling it would tighten security in the country after the spate of TTP and ISIS-K attacks over the course of 2022-23. It appears that it intends to make good on these reforms.
IRAN FORCED TO CLARIFY IT’S POLICY REGARDING AFGHAN REFUGEES AFTER CITIZENS PROTEST – A plan that involved offering amnesty to Afghans legally residing in the country provoked a significant backlash among Iranians and the Interior Minister was forced to clarify Tehran’s position. He said that no citizenship offers would be made to Afghans living in the country and that those who lacked valid documentation to stay in Iran would be forced to leave. At the root of the problem are concerns among many in Iranian society over rumors that Afghans would be used to supplement the security forces and/or offset population decline.
FORMER AFGHAN MP REPORTEDLY ARRESTED IN KABUL – Mullah Tarakhel, a former member of the Parliament in the former regime was reputedly arrested on charges of ‘land usurpation’ on Thursday. He stands accused of appropriating approximately one thousand acres of land. The former MP had previously been summoned to appear before a Taliban commission charged with recovering stolen land.
NEXT 24 HOURS
NO THREATS REPORTED
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Iran dropped a bombshell announcement earlier this week when it said it planned to privatize the national oil industry. Analysts are saying it will invite corruption on an unprecedented scale.
The US and Iran traded threats yesterday when Biden warned Tehran about attacks against US posts in the region and Iran’s Foreign Minister stated that the US ‘would not be spared from this fire.’
The regime has continued to arrest members of the Baha’i religion and announced that 26 had recently been sentenced to 126 years in prison and another 13 were charged on Thursday.
PAKISTAN
Both China and Pakistan announced they intended to conduct joint Naval exercises in the Arabian Sea throughout the month of November.
The popular social media service TikTok announced it had removed 14 million videos in Pakistan for violating its community guidelines. The company said most of the videos in question included misinformation or other harmful content.
Islamabad assembled a team of investigators to probe the case of over 12,000 Pakistani passports that had been recovered from Afghan nationals living in Saudi Arabia. The team is focusing on uncovering an underground network of ‘passport centers’ in Pakistan that reportedly provided the documents to the Afghans for a substantial fee.
SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS
Why China wants Taliban regime in Afghanistan to thrive
By Dewey Sim - South China Morning Post
All eyes were on high-profile guest Russian President Vladimir Putin when China recently hosted the belt and road forum. However, away from the spotlight, there were others present – rarely seen on the diplomatic stage but vital to Chinese geopolitical and regional interests.
AFGHAN NEWS
Blast reported in west of Kabul; at least two civilians killed
By Siyar Sirat - AMU TV
Preliminary reports suggest that the explosion occurred at a boxing gym situated on the third floor of a building adjacent to…
Afghanistan sets up commission to manage possible refugee influx from Pakistan
By Amir Latif Arain - Anadolu Agency
Afghanistan has formed a commission to respond to a possible influx of refugees from Pakistan against Islamabad’s deadline to deport illegal immigrants to their…
Afghanistan girls education activist Matiullah Wesa released by Taliban
By Al Jazeera
An Afghan rights campaigner who advocated for girls’ inclusion in education has been released by Taliban authorities after seven months in…
REGIONAL NEWS
Pakistan sets up deportation centers to hold migrants who are in the country illegally
By Munir Ahmed - Associated Press
Pakistan is setting up deportation centers for migrants in the country illegally, including an estimated 1.7 million Afghans, officials said…
Bugti reiterates warning as first flight of Afghans refugees departs for UK
By Samaa
Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti has said that the plan to expel illegal foreigners has been completed, and they will be shifted to 'holding centers' in…
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
UNSC Members Condemn ‘Exclusion of Women, Girls in Afghanistan’
By Fateema Adeeb - TOLO News
In a statement, the UNSC members said that “when we ensure conditions for women to fully participate in all decision-making processes we help…
Muttaqi tells Afghans in Moscow all ethnic groups included in IEA cabinet
By Ariana News
“If inclusiveness means that there should be Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Balochs, Nuristanis in it, then our cabinet has everyone,” said…
THE DAILY WTF
IEA’s army chief says the West’s claim of human rights abuses is ‘a lie’
By Ariana News
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s Chief of Army Staff Qari Fasihudin Fitrat says the West, including the US, is using the issue of…
“Another Taliban scholar.” TAD Staff
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 74.15 AFN (as of 27 OCT 2023)