Torkham border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan
Khaama: According to reports, on Saturday January 20, thousands of Afghan trucks were waiting on both sides of the Torkham border for passage. Many of these trucks are carrying goods such as fruits and vegetables which are perishable and will resulted in significant financial losses for both the countries traders, amounting to millions. Click here to read more (external link).
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Khaama: The U.S. Department of State has confirmed that it sends $80 million in cash to Afghanistan under Taliban control every 10 to 14 days. This comes as the Taliban, since June does not disclose the receipt of $40 million packages through the media to avoid criticism. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) reported on Friday, January 19th, citing the United Nations Office (UNAMA) that this cash is held in a dedicated account at a private bank and is not transferred to the Central Bank under the Taliban control. However, critics argue that the Taliban still influence how this money is spent. Click here to read more (external link).
Arif
Khaama: On Friday, January 19th, the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence revealed that Adel Arif, the perpetrator of the Kabul University attack in 2020, had a role in the recent attacks in Kerman, Iran. Despite being sentenced to execution by the previous Afghan government, Adel Arif was released from Bagram Prison following the Taliban’s resurgence in August 2021. Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence announced that Adel Arif, also known as Adel Panjshiri, has been in western Tehran and is currently under pursuit. Click here to read more (external link).
Khaama: Officials in Afghanistan’s Laghman Province, under Taliban administration, have reported that four people were killed during a dispute between two families at a volleyball game in the Alishing District. It should be noted that sports events in various provinces have previously led to conflicts and violence. Earlier, a teenager was killed during a football match in Baghlan. Click here to read more (external link).
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Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada
Khaama: Mulla Hibatullah, the Taliban leader, has claimed in his latest statements that women’s rights in Afghanistan have been fully secured. Tahira Nasiri, a women’s rights activist and founder of the women’s liberation movement, however, says that the leader of the Taliban is making these statements while girls in Afghanistan are being detained and transferred to security offices on charges of “dress code violations” and released in exchange for bail. Nasiri told Khaama Press, “Not only are women deprived of their basic rights such as work and education, but women have also faced forced and early marriages, murder, detention, and suppression for over two years.” Click here to read more (external link).
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TOI: It’s no secret that Pakistan has provided unspoken patronage to terror groups for decades. Now, the “terror” chickens are finally coming home to roost with a violent payback from neighbours like Iran and Afghanistan. “You can’t keep snakes in your backyard and expect them to only bite your neighbor,” former secretary of state Hillary Clinton had warned Pakistan in 2011 for providing safe haven to terror groups. The warning seems to have turned into a grim reality for the country. Now, Iran’s attack in Balochistan has escalated into another serious crisis for Pakistan. Jaish al-Adl, also known as the “Army of Justice,” is a Sunni militant faction established in 2012 with a significant presence in Pakistan. Click here to read more (external link).
Khaama: Hassan Kazemi-Qomi, Iran’s special representative in Kabul, believes that despite the U.S.’s clear failure in Afghanistan, they continue to try to destabilize the country and support terrorism, especially ISIS. Qomi made these statements on Tuesday, January 16th, during an interview with the IRNA news agency in Islamabad. He added, “The more Afghanistan moves toward instability and insecurity, we will witness a flood of Afghan refugees towards neighboring countries, including Iran. If Afghanistan’s economy worsens and poverty intensifies, we will see an increase in drug cultivation and recruitment of forces for terrorist groups like ISIS.” Click here to read more (external link).
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