Hundreds of veterans and others urge Trump to continue resettling Afghans
Donald Trump
Ariana: Hundreds of veterans and current and former U.S. officials want President-elect Donald Trump to preserve U.S. special visa and resettlement programs for Afghans at risk of retribution for working for the United States during the 20-year war against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters. The letter, signed by the veterans, officials and others, will be sent to Trump and congressional leaders and was organized by #AfghanEvac, the leading coalition of groups that work with the U.S. government to help Afghans start new lives in the United States. Click here to read more (external link).
US warns citizens to avoid traveling to Afghanistan
Khaama: The U.S. State Department has issued a travel warning for its citizens, advising them not to visit 20 countries, including Afghanistan, due to “increased life-threatening risks.” On Wednesday, January 8th, the U.S. Consular Section shared the message on Facebook, urging American citizens to avoid traveling to these countries, especially those marked as “Level 4.” Previously, several countries, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, and the U.K., had issued similar travel warnings for Afghanistan due to “security concerns.” Click here to read more (external link).
India boosts diplomatic contacts with Afghanistan’s Taliban
Ayaz Gul
VOA News
January 8, 2025
ISLAMABAD — India pledged Wednesday to collaborate with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan to undertake development projects in the impoverished nation that has endured years of devastating war and natural disasters.
The pledge stemmed from a Wednesday meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi as the two countries move to strengthen bilateral trade and political ties.
Misri conveyed New Delhi’s “readiness to respond to the urgent developmental needs of the Afghan people,” India’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said after he met with Muttaqi.
The Taliban said in a post-meeting announcement that the two sides reviewed the security situation in the region. Mutaqqi appreciated and thanked New Delhi for its sustained humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
“In view of the current need for development activities, it was decided that India would consider engaging in development projects in the near future, in addition to the ongoing humanitarian assistance program,” said the Indian statement.
It added that in response to the Taliban’s request, New Delhi also agreed to provide additional material assistance to the health sector and the rehabilitation of refugees in Afghanistan.
The Afghan delegation “underlined its sensitivities to India’s security concerns.” Both countries agreed to remain in touch and continue regular contact at various levels, the Indian ministry stated.
The Taliban stated that Muttaqi assured the Indian delegation that his government is pursuing a “balanced and economy-oriented foreign policy.” He expressed his desire for political and economic relations with India, recognizing its significance as a prominent economic country in the region.
“[Our] foreign minister assured the Indian side that there is no danger to anyone from Afghanistan and expressed hope for strengthening diplomatic relations and creating facilities related to visas for businessmen, patients, and students,” said the Taliban statement.
It added that the Indian foreign secretary “praised the Islamic Emirate’s fight against drugs and corruption in the country,” referring to the Taliban’s official name for Afghanistan. Misri said India was willing to expand relations with Afghanistan in political and economic areas and to promote trade through the port of Chabahar in neighboring Iran.
The Taliban returned to power in August 2021 when all U.S.-led international troops withdrew from the country.
No countries have formally recognized the Taliban as legitimate rulers 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 lower-level diplomats.
New Delhi’s stepped-up engagement with de facto Afghan leaders is expected to raise tensions with neighboring archrival Pakistan, as noted by analysts.
Kabul’s ties with Islamabad have lately been strained over allegations that the Taliban harbor and support fugitive militants linked to the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, in carrying out “terrorist” attacks against Pakistani civilians and security forces.
Last month, the Pakistani military allegedly carried out airstrikes against suspected TTP hideouts in an Afghan border province, drawing strong condemnation from the Taliban. Kabul claimed the bombardment took the lives of nearly 50 “refugees” from Pakistan.
Islamabad has publicly refrained from acknowledging the cross-border attack, but Pakistani officials anonymously confirmed it and reported the death of more than two dozen TTP commanders and operatives.
India also objected to Pakistan’s military aggression against Afghanistan.
“We unequivocally condemn any attack on innocent civilians. It is an old practice of Pakistan to blame its neighbors for its own internal failures,” an Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said while responding to Pakistan’s aerial attack on Dec. 24.
Several days later, Taliban security forces said they launched retaliatory fire against multiple locations on the Pakistani side of the border that they claimed were servicing “as centers and hideouts for malicious elements and their supporters who organized and coordinated attacks in Afghanistan.”
Pakistani officials reported the death of one security personnel and injuries to several others due to the Taliban military action, marking a sharp escalation in bilateral tensions.
ISIS Claims Responsibility for Attack on Pro-Taliban Religious Figures in Baghlan
Afghanistan International: Local sources from Baghlan province report that armed assailants carried out an attack on Tuesday night in the Baghlan-e-Markazi district, killing a pro-Taliban cleric and wounding another individual. The attack was claimed by ISIS. According to reports received by Afghanistan International, the attack targeted Abdul Razzaq, an imam and religious teacher, while Hamdullah Mohammadi, the district’s Friday prayer cleric, sustained critical injuries. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – January 8, 2025
The Pashdan Dam: Sowing Seeds of Discord
8am: Following the Taliban’s announcement that the construction of the Pashdan Dam in Herat is 80% complete and will soon become operational, a wave of criticism emerged from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Eisa Bozorgzadeh, spokesperson for Iran’s water industry, stated that this dam would severely affect the drinking water supply for millions of Iranians in the city of Mashhad, urging the Taliban to reconsider their decision. Iranian newspapers also adopted a sharp tone. For instance, Farheekhtegan a publication affiliated with Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of Iran’s Parliament featured the headline, “The Taliban’s Obscenity Knows No Bounds” on its front page. Similarly, the Khorasan newspaper displayed the headline, “Taliban Following in Türkiye’s Footsteps,” claiming that the Taliban are drawing inspiration from Türkiye’s dam-building policies against Iran. Additionally, Farheekhtegan highlighted Azerbaijan’s alleged role in constructing the Pashdan Dam. Further fueling the controversy, Abolfazl Zohrevand, a member of Iran’s Parliament and a former ambassador to Afghanistan, strongly criticized the Taliban while pointing to Türkiye and Azerbaijan’s involvement in dam construction. He called for a shift in the Islamic Republic’s approach to dealing with the Taliban regime in Kabul. So far, the Taliban have not responded to the Iranian statements. Click here to read more (external link).
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WHO records 92 Polio Cases in Afghanistan and Pakistan last year
Khaama: The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that out of 92 confirmed cases of polio in 2024, 25 cases were recorded in Afghanistan and 67 in Pakistan. On Tuesday, January 7, WHO released a report indicating an increase in polio cases in Afghanistan and Pakistan compared to the previous year. According to the report, most of the confirmed polio cases were documented in the provinces of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Punjab. Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only two countries globally where polio has not been eradicated, continuing to affect children. Click here to read more (external link).
Trump claims US sends billions to ‘Taliban Afghanistan’
Donald Trump
Amu: President-elect Donald Trump sharply criticized the Biden administration on Tuesday, claiming that billions of U.S. dollars are being funneled to “the Taliban Afghanistan”. “It’s not even believable. Billions of dollars, not millions—billions,” Mr. Trump said. “We pay billions of dollars to essentially the Taliban Afghanistan. And that’s given by Biden.” This comes after debate among some US congressmen, including Tim Burchett, who in a letter to Trump, has outlined his concerns about U.S. financial aid allegedly benefiting the Taliban, citing reports of funds transferred to Afghanistan under the Biden administration. He has also pointed to large cash shipments sent to Afghanistan’s central bank, suggesting they are difficult to track and vulnerable to exploitation by the Taliban. “These cash shipments are auctioned off, and after that, they are nearly impossible to trace. This is how the Taliban is being funded and plans to fund terrorism around the world,” he alleged. Click here to read more (external link).
ISIS-K Has Been Revived In Afghanistan, Claims Prominent American Politician
Afghanistan International: Michael McCaul, former chairman of the US House Foreign Relations Committee, warned that ISIS has been revived in Afghanistan under the control of the Taliban. McCaul said that the Trump administration, which will begin its work soon, should take the growing threat of ISIS-K seriously and take action against it. “Another issue that I’m very concerned about is the fall of Afghanistan and the catastrophe that happened there,” McCaul told ABC News on Monday. We are witnessing the revival of ISIS-K in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This really worries me.” Click here to read more (external link).
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