The Week of April 22-28
Security and Conflict
Former Police Family Killed – On Thursday, in Takhar province, Taliban forces raided the home of Mosur, a former Afghan Local Police member, resulting in his sister's death and his mother's injury. Recently deported from Iran, Mosur faced this assault shortly after returning. His family attempted to defend him during the Taliban's operation to arrest him. This led to a violent encounter with fatal consequences. In a second incident, Fawad, a former military member deported from Iran, died from injuries inflicted during Taliban torture. Arrested upon his return to Parwan province, he succumbed to his injuries two days after his release from Taliban custody, on April 29.
Human Rights and Civil Liberties
Civil Rights Activist Arrested – Local sources in Helmand report that the Taliban arrested civil activist Abdul Ghafar and his son Rafiullah last Saturday. Abdul Ghafar, previously involved in anti-Taliban political activities, was detained in the eighth district of Lashkargah and taken to an undisclosed location. The Taliban have not commented on the arrest.
Flogging in Kapisa – The Taliban’s supreme court publicly flogged six individuals in Kapisa, Ghazni, and Logar provinces for robbery and extramarital affairs. In Kapisa, two individuals were lashed and received prison sentences. In Ghazni, three were lashed and jailed, while in Logar, one man was lashed for extramarital affairs.
Teeneager killed by Taliban Intelligence – On Saturday, local sources in Paktika reported that 14-year-old Mohammad Rafiq was killed by Taliban intelligence in the Wazikhwa district following his arrest in Ghat village. He was shot inside the Taliban intelligence building and succumbed to severe abdominal gunshot wounds at Khairkot district hospital. The Taliban have yet to comment on his arrest or death.
Internal Politics
Meetings on Returning Refugees – On Monday, Maulvi Saeed Ahmad Banuri, the Deputy Governor of Nangarhar Province, met with military, intelligence, and camp representatives at Torkham Omari camp. The meeting aimed to address the influx of Afghan immigrants returning from Pakistan and discuss logistics and security measures. This was to prevent issues that arose during the first wave of deportations.
Hekmatyar Meets with Iranian Officials – Jihadi leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar reportedly met with Iranian envoy Hassan Kazemi Qomi at his residence, despite Taliban restrictions on his activities, including displacing him and closing his office and TV channel.
International Developments
US Opens Field Processing Locations in Qatar and Turkey – USCIS is set to open new field offices in Doha, Qatar, and Ankara, Turkey, to enhance refugee processing and interagency cooperation. This move aims to align with the Biden-Harris administration's goal of admitting 125,000 refugees in fiscal year 2024, thereby boosting the infrastructure for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program in the region.
Freedom of the Press
Three Journalists Arrested in Khost – On Tuesday in Khost, the Taliban's virtue and vice department arrested three journalists—Ehsanullah Tasal, Mashal Hashemi, and Wahed. They were charged with allegedly playing music and contacting women during radio programs over the Eid celebrations. These journalists now face charges in criminal court. This incident follows previous Taliban restrictions on radio broadcasters, including bans on broadcasting school curriculum without permission and female interactions with media, based on allegations of immorality and inappropriate conduct.
Television Station Owner Thrown from Building – On April 24, Aref Noori, the head of Noreen TV and owner of Noreen University, was reportedly thrown from the third floor of his house in Kabul by members of the Taliban, critically injuring him. He is now in a coma and receiving treatment in Pakistan. Noori also founded Masood House School.
Regional Developments
OIC Meeting in Kabul — On Monday, a four-member delegation from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), led by Tariq Ali Bakheet, met with the Taliban's Deputy Chief Minister, Abdul Kabir, in Kabul. They urged him to lift the ban on education and employment for women and girls. Despite their call for change, Kabir indicated that the Taliban would adhere to its existing policies on women. Additionally, the OIC announced a fund to assist Afghanistan, aiming to provide further support in the region.
Iranian Border Guards Detained – On April 25, six Iranian border guards were arrested by the Taliban for illegally entering the Sheikh Abu Nasr Farahi area in Farah province, Afghanistan. Despite initial efforts by Iranian authorities to secure their release, the guards had remained in Taliban custody for several hours. However, they were released later that day. Sources within the Taliban in Farah have confirmed the incident.
Deportations from Türkiye – According to a report by Anadolu News Agency on May 4th, the Turkish Gendarmerie detained 1,096 immigrants in Edirne over the past month, predominantly Afghans and Pakistanis. Following their arrest, they underwent legal proceedings and were subsequently transferred to the immigration office. This surge in detentions reflects the ongoing migration prompted by Afghanistan's unstable conditions.
Pakistan and Iran Deportations – Over 3,000 Afghan refugees returned from Iran and Pakistan in just two days, according to reports from the Taliban's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation. These returns, a mix of voluntary repatriations and forced deportations, occurred through the Torkham, Spin Boldak, and Islam Qala border crossings. This surge coincides with a new round of forced deportations by Pakistan.
NEXT WEEK
Deportation of Afghans from Pakistan, Iran and Türkiye will continue. Afghans in those countries should exercise caution.
Last week, the U.S. Consulate General in Karachi released an ongoing and credible warning about a terrorist threat targeting high-end hotels in the city. This advisory prohibits U.S. government personnel from visiting these areas and extends caution to other densely populated venues, including markets, shopping malls, and restaurants. Individuals are advised to avoid these crowded areas, remain inconspicuous, and exercise increased vigilance, especially in places frequented by Western visitors. The warning is still in effect.
REGIONAL ROUNDUP
IRAN
Student Protests – Students at Tehran's Amir Kabir University of Technology launched a strike after the morality police banned over 200 of their peers for not adhering to mandatory hijab rules. The action, coordinated through an independent student newsletter on Telegram, reflects broader resistance to the Iranian government's stringent enforcement of dress codes, reinvigorated by nationwide protests in 2022-2023 sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini. The strike highlights significant pushback against policies perceived as suppressing student rights and freedoms.
Singer Sentence to Death – On Wednesday, an Iranian court sentenced dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi to death for supporting protests linked to Mahsa Amini's death in 2022. Salehi, 33, was arrested in October 2022 after endorsing demonstrations triggered by Amini's detention and subsequent death under Iran's strict dress codes. The Revolutionary Court convicted him of multiple charges, including sedition and propaganda against the system.
PAKISTAN
Raids in Dera Ismail Khan and North Waziristan – On Monday, in two separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Dera Ismail Khan and North Waziristan districts, Pakistani security forces killed eleven terrorists, according to the military's ISPR. The actions, which included intense exchanges of fire, were based on intelligence reports of terrorist activities. Arms and ammunition were also recovered.
Attack on Frontier Corps –At least nine Frontier Corps personnel were injured by an improvised explosive device in Tirah, Khyber Merged District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Wednesday. The attack occurred as they were returning from their positions, according to local officials.
SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS
Afghanistan: Humanitarian Update, February 2024
OCHA
Afghanistan continues to face a complex humanitarian crisis characterized by an array of challenges, ranging from the longterm effects of decades of war to protracted displacement, chronic underdevelopment, poverty and food insecurity to natural disasters and climate change. Despite a reduction in active hostilities, the country remains in dire need of assistance to address the pressing needs of the population.
In 2024, an estimated 23.7 million people, including 5.9 million women and 5.4 million men, require humanitarian aid. To address these needs, humanitarian partners in Afghanistan released the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) in December 2023 prioritizing life-saving assistance such as food aid, safe drinking water, healthcare, education and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) assistance for the 17.3 million most vulnerable individuals. However, despite the scale and severity of needs now present, only US$238 million has been received towards the HNRP's requirements of $3.06 billion to date, representing just 7.8 per cent of overall resourcing. This severe funding gap jeopardizes the implementation of vital humanitarian interventions.
AFGHAN NEWS
Freedom Now supports Afghan activist Zholia Parsi’s nomination for Martin Ennals Award
Amu TV
Freedom Now, a human rights organization, has announced its support for the nomination of Afghan women’s rights defender Zholia Parsi for the Martin Ennals Award.
Parsi, who spent approximately 80 nights in Taliban prisons, is recognized for her efforts in challenging the group’s gender apartheid policies.
“We stand in solidarity with her and her colleagues in their fight against Taliban oppression,” Freedom Now stated. “Zholia was imprisoned for challenging the Taliban’s gender apartheid.”
The Martin Ennals Award honors human rights defenders who demonstrate extraordinary commitment and service to human rights while facing significant risks.
8 AM
The US State Department, in its annual report citing findings from an investigative report by the Hasht-e Subh Daily, has stated that women prisoners in the provinces of Jawzjan, Faryab, and Samangan have endured torture and sexual abuse. According to the report, Taliban prison guards in Jawzjan, Faryab, and Samangan have sexually assaulted women prisoners. The department added that the Taliban have executed at least four women in the province of Samangan after repeated rapes by their fighters. The report reveals: “During the day, 10 female staff members performed duties such as body inspections, cleaning, and general prison tasks. Only male guards were on duty at night, leading to cases of sexual assault against women prisoners.”
Malaria cases rise by 30% in Afghanistan, WHO reports
Nisar Ahmad Nabil
The World Health Organization reported a 30% increase in malaria cases in Afghanistan in 2023. The announcement, made in conjunction with World Malaria Day, indicated that Afghanistan recorded 180,718 malaria infections last year.
Afghanistan ranks fifth in the Eastern Mediterranean region in terms of malaria prevalence, with 77% of the population living in areas at risk of the disease.
The majority of malaria cases in Afghanistan are concentrated in the eastern part of the country, particularly in Nangarhar.
Pakistan's prolonged ban on X exposes fear of dissent, critics say
VOA
“I have a sword hanging over my head,” says journalist Asad Ali Toor. A vocal critic of Pakistan’s state institutions, Toor was arrested February 26 for, among other charges, running a malicious campaign against government officials. He has pleaded not guilty and is out on bail, awaiting trial.
As Pakistan enters a third month of suspension of social media platform X — formerly Twitter — Toor, with nearly 300,000 followers, said disrupting access to the platform is an embarrassment for the state.
Pakistan suffers more due to Afghan problem than wars with India: Ambassador Durrani
Dawn
Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan Ambassador Asif Durrani said on Wednesday that the former has suffered more due to the latter’s internal situation than its three wars with India in terms of blood spilt and finances drained.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Nick Paton Walsh and Mick Krever,
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations, the latest of which was released last week, into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
The incident was a gruesome coda to America’s longest war, leaving dead 13 United States military service members and about 170 Afghans who were desperately seeking US help to flee the Taliban takeover of Kabul. For two years, the US military has insisted that the loss of life was caused by a single explosion, and that troops who reported coming under fire and returning it were likely confused in the chaotic aftermath, some suffering from the effects of blast concussion.
But video captured by a Marine’s GoPro camera that has not been seen publicly in full before shows there was far more gunfire than the Pentagon has ever admitted. A dozen US military personnel, who were on the scene and spoke to CNN anonymously for fear of reprisals, have described the gunfire in detail. One told CNN he heard the first large burst of shooting come from where US Marines were standing, near the blast site. “It wasn’t onesies and twosies,” the Marine said. “It was a mass volume of gunfire.”
Rishi Sunak's Rwanda bill to become law after late-night showdown
Jennifer McKiernan & Ben Wright
Rishi Sunak's Rwanda bill will finally become law after a parliamentary showdown ended late in the night.
Plans to send some asylum seekers to Africa have met with fierce criticism, but the bill passed on Monday when the Lords dropped their opposition.
Mr Sunak said in a statement "nothing will stand in our way" now of getting flights off the ground.
But the scheme could still be held up by challenges in the courts.
Ahead of the bill passing, the prime minister said flights to Rwanda would take off within 10 to 12 weeks, missing his original spring target.
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 72.11 AFN (as of 28 April 2024)