8am: The U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has uncovered that the Taliban indirectly access U.S. educational assistance, generating tax revenues for the group. The report highlights the taxation of the income of employees of U.S.-funded educational programs and the tax revenue generated from the sale of American aid items by the Taliban. Click here to read more (external link).
UK Govt advises British citizens to avoid travel to Afghanistan
Khaama: The United Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry issued a solid advisory to its citizens, strongly discouraging travel to Afghanistan due to elevated security concerns. In an official statement, the ministry cautioned that terrorists are highly likely to attempt attacks within Afghanistan. Click here to read more (external link).
Oman win T20I series against Afghanistan A
Ariana: Oman defeated Afghanistan A by 15 runs in the third T20I on Friday to take unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. Sent to bat first by Afghans who won the toss, the hosts posted 171/7 in the 20 overs at Al Amerat Cricket Ground, with Aqib Ilyas (84) and captain Zeeshan Maqsood (40) emerging as top scorers. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – October 20, 2023
Over 3,000 Afghan refugees expelled from Pakistan in one day
Khaama: The state-run radio of Pakistan reported that 3,248 Afghan refugees have been returned to Afghanistan from this country. According to Pakistani authorities, since the deadline for the expulsion of undocumented migrants was set, more than 51,000 Afghans have been deported. Click here to read more (external link).
More Afghan Refugee News
Uzbek delegation to hold talks with IEA over Qosh Tepa canal
Ariana: A delegation from Uzbekistan is expected to travel to Afghanistan in the upcoming months in order to discuss Qosh Tepa canal with the Islamic Emirate’s officials, Uzbek media reported. The country’s media quoting Ulugbek Kosimov, the governor of the Surkhandarya region in Uzbekistan, which borders Afghanistan’s northern province of Balkh, saying that the negotiations are expected to be held by the end of this year. Kosimov said that although the Qosh Tepa canal is being built from the border with Tajikistan, it will affect all the countries in this area and the volume of water will decrease. Click here to read more (external link).
Uyghurs in Afghanistan fear Taliban buying Huawei surveillance tech
The China Project: Facial-recognition analytics that China uses to oppress the marginalized peoples of Xinjiang could soon spread through Central Asia. So far, the 3,000 Uyghurs living in Afghanistan have slipped under the radar of the government’s Islamic fundamentalist gaze. Many of them have lived there peacefully since the 1950s, when they fled religious persecution at the hands of the ascendant Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Now, an August 2023 agreement between the Taliban and Huawei, China’s giant telecommunications and surveillance technology company, could soon see the rollout of cameras equipped with facial-recognition capabilities in every province of Afghanistan, putting Uyghurs on high alert. Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban Says Plans to Formally Join China’s Belt and Road Initiative
Nooruddin Azizi
Reuters: The Taliban administration wants to formally join Chinese President Xi Jinping’s huge ‘Belt and Road’ infrastructure initiative and will send a technical team to China for talks, Afghanistan’s acting commerce minister [Nooruddin Azizi] said on Thursday. Click here to read more (external link).
NZ vs AFG: New Zealand win by 149 runs against Afghanistan
Mint: New Zealand made it four wins from four at the Cricket World Cup on Wednesday with a 149-run thrashing of Afghanistan who came crashing back down after their shock win over defending champions England. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – October 19, 2023