31 Types of Torture Techniques Used in Taliban’s Intelligence Agency Prisons

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Taliban militants (file photo)

Afghanistan International: According to research by Afghanistan International – Pashto, detainees at the Taliban’s intelligence Agency prisons are subjected to 31 different types of torture during their custody. This research is based on interviews with 38 individuals who had been detained and tortured by the agents of the Taliban’s intelligence agency. It also includes data from petitions given to the Taliban’s Administrative Office of Appeals, wherein released detainees documented their imprisonment and the torture they suffered at the hands of the Taliban’s agents. Click here to read more (external link).

Pakistan’s bet on Taliban backfires as violence surges

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FT: When the Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021, Pakistan’s then-prime minister Imran Khan lauded Afghanistan for breaking “the shackles of slavery”. Khan’s spymaster Faiz Hameed was photographed drinking tea with leaders of the Islamist militant group in a Kabul hotel. But with violence surging to a nine-year high, Islamabad’s hope that the new regime would prove a more co-operative ally than their US-backed predecessor has been replaced by concern about security. Click here to read more (external link).

Over 1,500 emerald mines discovered in Panjshir: Local officials

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Ariana: Local officials in Panjshir have announced the discovery of over 1,600 emerald mines in the province, with extraction currently underway at 600 sites. Over the past year, the extraction of emeralds from 600 mines in Panjshir has yielded 100,000 carats, valued at approximately $6.9 million. Click here to read more (external link).

Russia: NATO Countries Concealing War Crimes in Afghanistan

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Maria Zakharova

Tolo News: The Russian foreign ministry has accused Britain and other NATO member states of concealing war crimes and imposing restrictions on investigating war crimes committed by their forces in Afghanistan. Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that existing evidence demonstrates brutal actions by NATO member states against Afghan civilians. She said: “I would like to point out what has been secretly halted. Evidence literally shows the most brutal retaliatory actions against civilians, which NATO carried out with impunity during the occupation of Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021. During a closed investigation, a former British special forces officer admitted that the British Special Air Service (SAS) essentially had special authorization to kill Afghans.” Click here to read more (external link).

Amnesty International Calls On Pakistan To Immediately Release Afghan Refugees

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Afghanistan International: Amnesty International issued a statement on Friday calling for the immediate release of Afghan refugees held by Pakistani police. Pakistani police have detained hundreds of Afghan refugees in the cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in recent days and deported a number of them. Click here to read more (external link).

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Rashid Khan tightens grip as top ODI spinner in new ICC rankings

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Rashid Khan

Amu: Rashid Khan, Afghanistan’s spin maestro, continues to hold the top spot in the ICC Men’s One-Day International Bowling Rankings, narrowly leading a competitive field in the latest update. The 25-year-old leg-spinner, known for his sharp turns and match-winning performances, has 669 rating points, keeping him just ahead of India’s Kuldeep Yadav (665) and Sri Lanka’s rising star Maheesh Theekshana (663). Click here to read more (external link).

Other Afghan Cricket News

39 Security Incidents In Afghanistan In December, Reports Afghanistan Security Watch

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Taliban militants (file photo)

Afghanistan International: The Afghanistan Security Watch said there were at least 39 security incidents in Afghanistan in December. It said on Thursday that 25 of the incidents had been confirmed by independent sources. According to the Afghanistan Security Watch, the Afghanistan Freedom Front has organised 12 attacks against the Taliban, while the National Resistance Front has carried out six attacks on the Taliban during this period. The Afghanistan Security Watch said in a statement on Thursday, January 16, that one security incident during this period was carried out by ISIS-K and six other incidents were carried out by unknown factors. The attacks took place in Kabul, Badghis, Herat, Parwan and Nangarhar provinces, the organisation said. Click here to read more (external link).

Pakistan Continues To Be A Victim Of Terrorism From Afghanistan, Says US

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Kirby

Afghanistan International: John Kirby, the White House National Security Spokesperson, said that the people of Pakistan continue to be victims of terrorist attacks from the Afghan border. Kirby said that the United States will continue to work with Pakistan on counterterrorism. Kirby said at a news conference on Wednesday that Islamabad has never been a “technical ally” of the United States and that no formal treaty has been signed between the two countries. He added that the United States has cooperated with Islamabad over the past two decades in countering terrorist threats on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Click here to read more (external link).

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