8am: Haqqani’s purpose in building this monument is to keep the culture of suicide bombing alive in Afghanistan. The Taliban, particularly the Haqqani faction, cannot tolerate the idea of letting this banner of suicide attacks fall. Even if they were recognized officially, they would still keep the flag of suicide bombing raised, as they view this tactic as the easiest way to intimidate or defeat their enemies. Over the past twenty years, suicide bombings have proven effective for the Taliban. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – November 9, 2024
Afghan Women Not Barred From Speaking To Each Other, Says Taliban
AFP: Women in Afghanistan are not forbidden from speaking to one another, the Taliban government’s morality ministry told AFP on November 9, denying recent media reports of a ban. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan falls to Bangladesh in second ODI, series tied 1-1
Amu: Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan by 68 runs in the second match of their One Day International series, tying the series at 1-1. Winning the toss, Bangladesh elected to bat first. The team was anchored by captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who scored 76 runs off 119 balls, while Jaker Ali contributed a quick 37 off 27 balls. Their efforts helped Bangladesh set a target of 253 runs. Click here to read more (external link).
John Sopko calls for closure of SIGAR agency due to decline in US aid to Afghanistan
Ariana: John Sopko, the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), has called for the agency to be closed due to the Islamic Emirate’s takeover of the country and the reduction in assistance. Sopko has recommended to the Office of Management and Budget in the White House that SIGAR’s oversight operations be ceased on September 30, 2025. Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban Leader Strips Haqqani, Yaqoob, & Wasiq Of Arms Distribution Authority
Amu: According to a new decree attributed to the Taliban leader, the Ministries of Defence, Interior and the General Directorate of Intelligence have been stripped of the authority to distribute weapons, ammunition and military equipment. According to the decree, only the Taliban leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, can decide on the distribution of military equipment. Some see the decision as a sign of mistrust among the Taliban leadership and divisions within the group. A source told Afghanistan International that the decision was made after the Taliban’s interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, distributed quantities of military equipment among his supporters in the eastern provinces. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – November 8, 2024
CSTO warns of terrorist threats from Afghanistan persist
Khaama: The Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) warned that the risk of terrorism spreading in Central Asia remains persistent. Imangali Tasmagambetov emphasized that the CSTO continues to monitor the challenges and threats emanating from Afghanistan. On Thursday, November 7, Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that Tasmagambetov, referring to Afghanistan, stated that the threats of expanding terrorist activities, illegal migration, and the trafficking of weapons and drugs still exist in Central Asia. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan’s cricket star Mohammad Nabi to retire from ODIs after Champions Trophy
Amu: Mohammad Nabi, one of Afghanistan’s cricket legends, plans to retire from One-Day Internationals after the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, which will be held in Pakistan. Nabi, 39, has been an integral part of Afghanistan’s rise in international cricket, making his ODI debut in 2009 with a half-century against Scotland during the nation’s first official match. Nabi has not only contributed significantly in the ODI format but was also part of Afghanistan’s first teams in Test and T20 Internationals. He captained the national side from 2013 to 2015 but stepped down following a period of poor form. Despite relinquishing the captaincy, Nabi continued to be a crucial player for Afghanistan, showcasing his skills with both bat and ball across three ODI World Cups. Click here to read more (external link).
More Cricket News
Taliban leaders in Afghanistan host rare official talks with India
Ayaz Gul
VOA News
November 7, 2024
Islamabad — Afghanistan’s Taliban government has held talks with India on improving bilateral ties and seeking increased humanitarian assistance for the impoverished country, officials reported Thursday.
Jitender Pal Singh, the Indian foreign ministry’s point-person for Afghanistan, led his delegation’s meetings with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and a rare interaction with Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob, among others, during the November 4-5 visit to Kabul.
“Yes, this was the first meeting with” Yaqoob, Indian media quoted Randhir Jaiswal, the foreign ministry spokesperson, as telling a weekly news conference in New Delhi on Thursday.
Jaiswal stated that “humanitarian assistance from India was the centerpiece of the meetings of JP Singh with Afghan officials.” He added that the Indian delegation also met with representatives of the United Nations agencies in Kabul.
The spokesperson discussed the visit a day after Yaqoob’s office publicly shared details of his meeting with the visiting Indian delegation. It read that “both sides declared their common desire to enlarge the bilateral relations … and expressed their interest in further reinforcing the interactions between Afghanistan and India.”
Both sides reported that the discussions in Kabul also focused on how the Afghan business community could access the India-operated Chabahar port in Iran, which borders landlocked Afghanistan, to increase bilateral trade.
On Thursday, Muttaqi’s office released details of his talks with Singh, saying the Taliban chief diplomat emphasized the need to improve bilateral political and economic relations and sought better visa facilitation for Afghan businessmen to help boost trade ties with India.
The Taliban statement quoted Singh as describing New Delhi’s relations with Kabul as historic and “important for his country.” He promised to enhance Indian visa facilities for Afghans, it added.
The de facto Afghan leaders swept back to power in August 2021, when the United States and NATO troops left the country after almost two decades of war with the then-insurgent Taliban.
The Taliban takeover prompted New Delhi and Western countries to close their embassies in Kabul and mostly moved their diplomatic missions to Qatar.
No country has formally recognized the Taliban as the legitimate ruler of Afghanistan, but several neighboring and regional countries, including China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, and Qatar, have retained their embassies. India recently reopened its diplomatic mission in Kabul, manned by low-level diplomats.
The International community has refused to recognize the Taliban regime over human rights violations, particularly its restrictions on Afghan women’s access to work and education.
India’s engagement with the de facto authorities in Afghanistan is expected to raise apprehensions in neighboring Pakistan, as noted by analysts.
Kabul’s ties with Islamabad lately have been strained over allegations that the Taliban harbor and support fugitive anti-Pakistan militants responsible for deadly “terrorist” attacks against Pakistani civilians and security forces.
The Pakistani military reported a fresh militant attack Thursday in a district on the Afghan border, saying the ensuing clashes killed four soldiers and five assailants.
Taliban officials have denied Islamabad’s allegations, stating that no foreign militants are present in Afghanistan, and no one is allowed to use their territory to threaten neighboring countries.
Pakistan officially recognized the first Taliban government in Kabul in the 1990s. It allegedly harbored and supported Taliban leaders, who directed years of insurgent attacks against U.S.-led international forces in Afghanistan after being dislodged from power in late 2001.