[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
- HIGH-FUEL PRICES CAUSING PAIN ACROSS ALL SECTORS OF SOCIETY – The price of petrol rose again this week by 10-15 Afghanis per liter. The transport sector has called upon the Taliban to step in and regulate fuel pricing and now, other sectors of society are joining the call. Many taxi drivers and truck drivers say they have been forced to pass their costs along to customers or they will simply go broke. The recent spike in fuel costs has been attributed to the closure of the Salang Pass for much-needed repairs. The main sources of supply for gas and diesel are Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan which used the Salang Pass to transport much of the fuel to Kabul and other Provinces. With the repairs in the tunnel expected to continue for some time, the problem could grow worse as Winter approaches.
- TALIBA DELEGATION DEPARTED YESTERDAY FOR RUSSIA, KAZAKHSTAN – The Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi is leading a delegation from the Taliban to attend the Moscow Format meeting in Kazakhstan on 29 September. The group will stop in Russia for a few days before the meeting. The Taliban is ecstatic they have been invited but many observers say they will likely face tough questions from Central Asian states as well as from Russia over the issues of an inclusive government and women’s roles in society.
- NATIONAL CAMERA GRID STILL BEING DISCUSSED – A spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior confirmed to Reuters that the Taliban regime intends to implement a national grid of surveillance cameras in cities and other critical locations deemed strategically important. They have dusted off a plan that was drafted by international forces before the 2021 pullout. The plan will take approximately four years to complete and details of how the project will be carried out have not been released. Representatives from Huawei (China) visited Afghanistan earlier in 2023 to conduct a feasibility assessment and to discuss particulars with the Taliban government.
- QATAR ENCOURAGING THE WORLD TO ENGAGE WITH THE TALIBAN – The government of Qatar has taken a leading role in mediating disputes with the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Foreign Ministry is now recommending a new path of engagement with the Taliban. The small country has played an outsized role virtually since the beginning of the crisis and has relied on its long-standing ties with the Taliban to maintain open channels of communication. Several sources at the United Nations say that a consensus was beginning to form among certain nations that a policy of ‘engagement, not recognition’ is what will likely be implemented over the remainder of this year or into 2024.
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