Veiled rebellion: Female medical students go underground in Afghanistan
Al Jazeera: One year ago, the Taliban told women they couldn’t study medicine. Now, some are doing it in secret. Lima was just weeks away from graduating from a medical school in Kabul when the Taliban banned higher education for women last December, interrupting her studies and that of thousands of other women. Women already qualified as doctors, nurses and other medical workers are permitted to continue in their jobs, but no new women may enter the field or undertake training. Click here to read more (external link).
Discrepancy in Bird Hunting Policies: Qatari Sheikhs Roam Free, While Three Afghans Detained by the Taliban in Nimruz Province
8am: While announcing the detention of three individuals on charges of bird hunting by the Taliban in Nimruz province, local sources highlighted that Qatari sheikhs had been engaged in hunting rare birds in the province over the past two months. Sources from the Chahar-Borjak district of Nimruz informed the Hasht-e Subh Daily that Qatari sheikhs hunt rare birds directly and without restraint. According to these sources, the Qatari sheikhs, whom the Taliban also support, hunt rare birds in various parts of Nimruz, particularly in Chahar-Borjak. Click here to read more (external link).
UN Security Council adopts new resolution on Afghanistan
Khaama: The United Nations Security Council approved a new resolution on Afghanistan on Friday. The resolution was adopted with 13 votes in favour and two abstentions from Russia and China. The resolution calls on the Secretary-General of the United Nations to appoint a special envoy for Afghanistan. According to the resolution, the UN Secretary-General is to appoint a new representative in consultation with the Security Council, Afghan political actors, including Taliban officials, Afghan women, civil society, and countries from the region and the world in a timely manner. Click here to read more (external link).
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Kazakhstan To Remove Taliban From List Of Terrorist Groups
By RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service
December 29, 2023
Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesman Aibek Smadiyarov said in a televised interview on December 29 that the Central Asian state’s Security Council had decided to remove the Taliban group now ruling Afghanistan from its registry of terrorist organizations. Smadiyarov said Astana will continue to adhere to United Nations decisions and resolutions regarding Afghanistan. Kazakhstan officially designated the Taliban as a terrorist organization in March 2005. Kazakhstan has sent several official delegations to Kabul since the Taliban took over Afghanistan after the U.S.-led military withdrawal in mid-2021. In September, some 300 Afghan businessmen and Taliban representatives attended a business forum in Astana.
Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.
Other Political News
Tolo News in Dari – December 29, 2023
Trade of Suicide: Pakistan’s Bloody Year 2023
8am: Yesterday, the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) published a report, probing the security situation in Pakistan and specifically the number of suicide attacks in the country in 2023… This report and several other reports, including the report dated May 31, 2023, of the same organization, presented that after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, terrorist activities in Pakistan increased drastically. The May report showed a 73% increase in suicide attacks in this country, which continued until the end of 2023, marking a 93% increase in suicide attacks for Pakistan. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan beat UAE by 72 runs in first T20I
Ariana: Afghanistan defeated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 72 runs in the first match of the T20I series in Sharjah on Friday. The sides will meet for their second T20I on Sunday. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari -December 28, 2023
Kabul faces surge in armed crime and robberies
Khaama: A resident of Kabul expressed to Khaama Press that they feel like they are living in the world’s scariest and most insecure place. This feeling is likely shared by many others in the city, troubled by the constant threats of armed robbers, kidnappers, terrorist groups, and the daily occurrence of mysterious murders, all contributing to the widespread fear and unrest among the people. Click here to read more (external link).
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