Kabul Air Pollution will Increase by 50 Percent Over Winter: NEPA

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Photo: Akmal Dawi/IRIN

Photo: Akmal Dawi/IRIN

Tolo News: The National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) on Thursday warned that the air pollution in Kabul will increase by 50% over the next four months. According to the National Environmental Protection Agency, the reduction of air pollution in Kabul depends on both the cooperation of the people and the government, because one of the main reasons for the production of smoke and dust is the common use of air-polluting fuels. The burning of coal in iron smelting plants and brick-and-mortar factories is one of the main sources of air pollution in Kabul, the agency said. Click here to read more (external link).

Abdullah’s Team Calls for Kabul Protest

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A. Abdullah

A. Abdullah

Tolo News: The Stability and Convergence election campaign, led by Presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah, has announced a protest in Kabul city on Friday to demand “transparency” in the election process. “The protest is aimed to defend the valid votes of the people, and the people will not allow fraud to once again dominate the country,” said Abdullah’s team. Click here to read more (external link).

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15 Civilians Killed in Kunduz Roadside Blast

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kunduzTolo News: At least 15 civilians among them six women, one man, six young girls and two children were killed and two others were wounded as after their vehicle hit a roadside mine in Khan Abad district of Kunduz province, said Abdul Jabbar Naeemi, the governor of Kunduz province. He said that the roadside bomb was planted by the Taliban insurgents and the civilians were travelling to Imam Sahib district of the province to participate in a wedding ceremony. Meanwhile, in another incident in Sar-e-Pul province, 13 civilians were injured in a car bomb explosion. Click here to read more (external link).

Taliban Delegation Visits Iran to Discuss Afghan Peace

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Sohail Shaheen

Sohail Shaheen

Tolo News: Suhail Shaheen, a Taliban spokesman, said on Tuesday in a tweet that the Taliban deputy leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, along with his delegation, met with Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and discussed a “peaceful solution” to the “Afghan issue” and migrant problems in Iran. Ambassador Pierre Mayaudon, the head of the EU’s delegation to Afghanistan, mentioned the peace talks in an interview with TOLOnews: “We should soon hear some good news,” Mayoudon said, because the “US is fully supporting this process and we hope to see very soon the concretization of these expectations because more than ever it is important that Afghans start talking” He reiterated that the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban should “start negotiating.” Click here to read more (external link).

Abdullah Questions IEC’s Neutrality

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Dr. Abdullah

Dr. Abdullah

Tolo News: Abdullah Abdullah, chief executive and presidential candidate, on his Facebook page on Wednesday said “The IEC is acting according to the order of one electoral team,  and its (IEC’s) neutrality is in question, and their work is illegitimate.” Abdullah said his team will make every effort to prevent the formation of “an illegal government.” “Those people who committed fraud in 2014 might think they can do it again, but it won’t happen,” said Abdullah.  Click here to read more (external link).

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Afghanistan Releases Activists Who Exposed Alleged Pedophile Ring

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Afghanistan Independent Human Rights CommissionRFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan
November 27, 2019

Afghanistan’s main intelligence agency says it has released two activists who helped expose an alleged pedophile ring operating in the country’s schools, a scandal that has sparked national outrage.

The National Directorate of Security (NDS) has come under fire for arresting last week the two human rights defenders — Musa Mahmudi and Ehsanullah Hamidi — who gave interviews about the purported pedophile ring.

The NDS said on November 27 that it had handed over the two men to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).

In a statement, the AIHRC confirmed it had received Mahmudi and Hamidi and said their release was a “step towards strengthening democracy and institutionalizing human rights values” in the war-torn country.

The rights group called for the creation of a “competent and independent body” to investigate and document the alleged sexual abuse cases at schools in Logar Province, south of Kabul.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said a day earlier that he had ordered an investigation into the situation and criticized the NDS.

In a series of tweets, Ghani said he was “deeply disturbed about the recent reports on sexual abuse” in schools in Logar Province, south of Kabul, and that he instructed the Education Ministry to provide him with a “thorough report” on the matter “ASAP.”

The British newspaper The Guardian earlier this month reported that at least 546 boys from six schools have allegedly been abused by a pedophile ring involving teachers and local officials.

The NDS on November 26 described the Guardian report as “baseless” and said Mahmudi’s claims in the article were part of a scheme aimed at securing asylum in a foreign country.

But Ghani said he had instructed the intelligence agency to “stop the proceedings” against Mahmudi and Hamidi, adding: “The protection of civil society and human rights defenders is the sole responsibility of the security forces.”

The AIHRC expressed deep concern about the detention of the two activists, calling it a “clear contradiction of national laws and human rights standards.”

London-based Amnesty International had also called for their immediate release, saying the authorities should hold the suspected perpetrators of “these horrific crimes” accountable, rather than punishing Mahmudi and Hamidi for speaking out against them.

John Bass, the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, said he was “deeply disturbed by these Soviet-style tactics” of the NDS.

The ancient practice of “bacha bazi” — literally, dancing boys — is common in Afghanistan among wealthy and powerful men who exploit underage boys as sexual partners.

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.

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‘Forgiving, forgetting will bring peace to Afghanistan’

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Koofi

Koofi

AA: Having survived the bloody conflict, the story of Fawzia Koofi, 44, Afghanistan’s first woman member of parliament over the past three decades, encapsulates the trials and tribulations of an ordinary woman under different regimes in the war-torn country. Of late, she has emerged as a crucial and vibrant voice for Afghan women.  Click here to read more (external link).

Ghani warns Taliban of facing same fate as Daesh

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Ghani

Ghani

1TV: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday warned the Taliban they would face same fate as Daesh militant group, which he said, was obliterated in its eastern stronghold Nangarhar province. “Taliban should consider whether they could make this hero nation surrender through violence,” Ghani said at concluding ceremony of the First Women Peace and Security Conference in defense ministry. “You would only encourage people to deal with you the same you as they did with Daesh.” Click here to read more (external link).

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