[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
- RELATIONS BETWEEN IRAN AND AFGHANISTAN CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE – General Mubeen Khan, a former Taliban spokesman and leader of police shared a social media post where he openly mocks the Iranian President over escalating tensions about water rights. In the video, Khan fills a jug of water and tells his followers he will send it to the Iranian President. Such gibes appear to be resonating in Tehran where government leaders are under pressure from the agrarian sector to replenish drought-stricken land in the Eastern portion of the country. For its part, Tehran ratcheted up pressure on the Taliban when the Foreign Minister flatly rejected any talk of recognition for the regime until it forms an inclusive government. While Iran has staunchly maintained its call for inclusivity, the Taliban now could be at risk of losing a sometimes ally in its search for legitimacy. Bizarrely, the standoff over the water rights could alienate Iran and cause it to, if not support the tough line taken by the international community, at least not oppose it.
- PAKISTAN CONTINUES TO DEAL WITH SPIKE IN TERRORIST ATTACKS – Yesterday in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provinces, Pakistan’s Police and Military forces engaged with various terror groups. At least three operations were conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two were reported in Balochistan. At least 3 police were killed and an unknown number of military personnel have been wounded in the operations. A source in Peshawar says a prisoner that had been captured in the wake of the attack on a Hungarian oil facility may have provided vital information regarding those who participated in the attack and that Police and Military forces were busy tracking down the suspects when the clashes took place.
- THE GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN HAS PLACED THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER AND HIS WIFE ON THE NO-FLY LIST – A spokesman explained the move was taken after a meeting of the various prosecutors involved in a multitude of cases came to a consensus that the couple presented a flight risk.
- HOUSE SEARCHES REPORTED IN POLICE DISTRICTS 17 AND 4 – Several bystanders in the neighborhood reported active Taliban searches along secondary roads in the Districts and some noted that a few roads had been blocked off by Taliban security vehicles. The searches began yesterday evening and continued well into the night. It was not clear what the Taliban were looking for and a few residents complained that some had asked for bribes while the searches were conducted. Some locals say the searches are related to the Spring Festival of Badam Bagh and that Taliban units were told to look for places playing music and/or serving alcohol but this has not been confirmed.
- WOMEN’S PROTEST IN TAKHAR DISPERSED – A protest called The Unity and Solidarity Wave of Takhar Women took place on Thursday and was attended by a mix of former University professors, activists, and businesswomen. The marchers chanted slogans related to employment opportunities, education, and better overall gender equity. Taliban security personnel blocked the route of the marchers and eventually dispersed the crowd by force. There were no reports of casualties or injuries as of publication time.
CONFLICT TRACKER
Kabul: A vehicle was reportedly hit by an unknown explosive device in Police District 4. It was not clear why the vehicle was targeted or if it was related to the searches in the district that took place later in the day.
Kabul: An ALM team has claimed to have targeted and assassinated an unidentified Taliban intelligence operative. The action reportedly took place last night.
NEXT 24 HOURS
HOUSE SEARCHES TO CONTINUE IN KABUL – Taliban searches are expected to spread to other Police Districts today after operations in PD 17 and 4 that continued overnight. We have no information about what the searches are focused on but approximately 100 Taliban personnel and 30 vehicles are involved. At-risk Afghans in Kabul should be cognizant of the operations that are taking place. |