[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS- TALIBAN/PAKISTAN BORDER CLASH, 7 REPUTEDLY KILLED – The Taliban clashed with Pakistan’s border security forces Sunday night in the Barmal District of Paktia Province. The clashes reportedly continued until mid-afternoon on Monday (although, sporadically). Local sources said that 2 Taliban security forces members were killed and another 4 were injured. 5 Pakistani border security forces members were said to have been killed in the clashes. Several accounts of the fighting are circulating on social media, no official confirmation has been given.
- HACKING GROUP IN IRAN RELEASES LATEST TROVE OF DOCUMENTS AFTER 4TH MAJOR INTRUSION – GhyamSarnegouni, considered to be the most hardcore anti-regime hacking operation has claimed to have penetrated the government’s servers and has released multiple documents from senior Iranian leaders and gathered from sensitive government departments. While many hacking groups are operating both for and against Tehran, GhyamSarnegouni is considered the most dangerous and has demonstrated a level of access that likely makes intelligence agencies jealous. The group announced its formation in January of 2022 and has successfully hacked national broadcasts, the national CCTV camera system and defaced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs websites. Many have suspected the group is tied to the anti-regime MEK group in Albania and point to the raid on the MEK refugee camp earlier this month as proof positive the hackers are working with the exiled critics. As the talks with the US over the nuclear program continue, many are concerned that the group will release damaging information that could derail an agreement.
- TAJIKISTAN EXPRESSES CONCERNS OVER CONCENTRATED TERROR GROUPS IN AFGHANISTAN AT MOST RECENT SCO MEETING – The Shanghai Cooperation Organization met on 21 June and Afghanistan played a central role in the discussions. However, member state Tajikistan reputedly told the other delegates that it had never witnessed as large a concentration of terror groups on any of its borders in its history. The Tajikistani envoy listed 6 terrorist organizations who, he said, pose a cross-border threat to SCO members.
- GDI AGENTS RESCUE KIDNAPPING VICTIM AND ARREST 3 KIDNAPPERS IN KABUL – The General Directorate of Intelligence announced that its agents had successfully apprehended 3 kidnappers belonging to an organized criminal network in Kabul. The agents had freed a victim who the kidnappers had been holding for ransom. The GDI and Taliban police have been effective in dealing with many of the kidnapping crimes in the country and appear to have made a priority of stamping out the crime.
CONFLICT TRACKER
Nangarhar: Sources say that 2 TTP militants were wounded in an IED blast near the border on Monday. The circumstances of the attack and who may have been responsible are currently unknown.
NEXT 24 HOURS
DEPENDING ON PAKISTAN’S RESPONSE TO THE RECENT BORDER SKIRMISH, THERE COULD BE MORE CLASHES ALONG THE DURAND LINE – Not enough information is available to draw any conclusions about a possible recurrence of fighting between border security elements in Paktia. However, we felt it prudent to warn at-risk Afghans who may be in the area to be watchful and avoid prolonged contact with Taliban elements. Historically, these flare-ups have often resulted in a second exchange of fire.