- [AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
- ASHURA MOURNERS DISPERSED IN WESTERN KABUL – Taliban security personnel used gunfire to disperse Shiite mourners who attempted to observe Ashura in several neighborhoods in Western Kabul on Friday. There were reports of similar events in Ghazni and Herat. Mobile networks were reportedly cut in Western Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat, and Ghazni sometime on Thursday night. There was an unconfirmed report that a child was killed when Taliban forces fired in the air at an unidentified location in Ghazni to disperse a crowd of mourners.
- PAKISTAN’S COUNTER-TERRORISM DEPARTMENT ARRESTS 10, SAYS THEY WERE PLOTTING TERROR ATTACK AGAINST FOREIGNERS – Police say they arrested the 10 suspected terrorists in multiple Provinces as part of a nationwide roundup. Police say the cell was planning several attacks but had specifically targeted Chinese nationals. The arrested individuals were said to belong to several different terror groups and at least 4 had ties to both TTP and ISIS. Several explosive devices and bomb-making materials were seized during the arrests.
- TALIBAN DEPUTY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS SAYS ‘WOMEN MUST CONFORM’ TO RECEIVE RIGHTS – Mohammad Yunus Rashid, the Deputy of Youth Affairs in the Ministry of Information and Culture said that women and girls will not be granted rights until they conform to the Taliban’s ‘established framework’. Rashid made the remarks at an event in Khost on Thursday. Sources in Kabul say that Rashid is widely considered to be one of the less intelligent appointed leaders in the Taliban regime, but that he is extraordinarily well connected to Kandahar which allows him to continue holding his post.
- US LAWYERS FORM GROUP TO TRY AN RESCUE 1,500 AFGHAN PROSECUTORS AND THEIR FAMILIES – The group calls itself the Prosecutors for Prosecutors Campaign and appears to be based in Utah. However, the group is supported by several organizations. The group is looking to raise $15 million dollars in order to finance the plan.
CONFLICT TRACKER
Kapisa: An NRF strike force reportedly carried out a night operation in the Pul Miros area. NRF fighters used rockers to strike a building and claimed to have killed 3 Taliban during the onslaught.
Nangarhar: The National Battle Front provided video evidence of an engagement with Taliban forces in the Shirzad district of Jalalabad last night. An NBF spokesman said that 4 Taliban had been killed in the operation.
NEXT 24 HOURS
SECURITY FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN ARE ON EDGE — After the recent round of civil disturbances from both women’s groups protesting the closing of beauty salons and the Shiite mourners who are attempting to observe their religious traditions, the Taliban security forces are definitely on edge. A source in Kabul said it has been difficult to maintain control of units that kept asking to be given permission to fire into crowds at three different locations in Kabul. Mercifully, leaders forbade any such actions. The situation in Shiite areas may see further gatherings which could provoke the Taliban.
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