[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS - KUNDUZ HOUSE SEARCHES — House-to-house searches have been reported in Kunduz province, primarily in predominantly Tajik neighborhoods. No information has been provided about what the searches are intended to discover. Similar searches have been reported in Mazar-i-Sharif, which are reportedly more thorough than ongoing searches in Kunduz.
- NEW PAKISTANI AMBASSADOR — Pakistan appointed Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani as their new ambassador to Afghanistan. Nizamani is a career foreign service officer with significant experience in the diplomatic realm, including serving as second in command at Pakistan’s Embassy in Washington, DC. It is unclear if the new ambassador will take on the difficult task of attempting to curtail the corrupt practices within the embassy’s visa unit.
- IMPENDING TTP CONFLICT — Pakistan appears to be gearing up for combat actions against the TTP after a recent round of peace talks appear to have failed. Significant troop movements have been reported in western Pakistan.
CONFLICT TRACKER:
Baghlan: In a dispute between Taliban groups of different ethnicities, the Intelligence Chief of Tala Wa Barfak district was killed along with two of his bodyguard by a relative of local Talib commander Qari Meraj.
Takhar: 2 Talib turbans killed in Taleqan city overnight. Also, a Talib security checkpoint on the outskirts of Taleqan was shot at around midnight. |