Ariana: Pakistan defeated Afghanistan by 181 runs in their first match of the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa on Saturday. Pakistan skipper Saad Baig won the toss and opted to bat first in East London. The Pakistan openers were patient against the new-ball pairing of Bashir Ahmad and Allah Mohammad Ghanzafar. Click here to read more (external link).
By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi
January 21, 2024
Four people survived the crash of a Moscow-bound chartered ambulance flight in a mountainous area of northeastern Afghanistan, according to the Russian aviation authority on January 21.
Six people were aboard the flight, and four of them were found alive with various injuries when rescuers reached the remote site of the crash, said Rosaviatsia, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency in a statement quoted by TASS. It said the fate of the two other people was “being clarified.”
The Russian-registered charter plane disappeared from radar screens on January 20, Rosaviatsia said. The ambulance flight originated in Thailand and made stops in India and Uzbekistan before crashing, Rosaviatsia said.
The four survivors were found by rescuers who reached the remote site of the crash on January 21, according to the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan. Two people died, according to provincial officials.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban-led government, said the pilot of the plane, which Rosaviatsia said was a French-made Falcon 10 jet manufactured in 1978, was among the survivors.
The Afghan Islamic Press news agency quoted Zabihullah Amiri, head of the provincial information department, as saying the plane went down between the Karan wan Munjan and Zebak districts of Badakhshan Province.
Initial reports about the crash indicated that it was an Indian passenger plane, but the Indian Ministry of Aviation said the aircraft was neither scheduled nor chartered in India.
The flight was a private medical evacuation from Thailand’s Pattaya, a popular tourist destination for Russians, TASS reported, citing the Russian Embassy in Bangkok.
“On board was a bedridden patient in serious condition, a Russian citizen, who was transported from one of the hospitals in Pattaya to Russia,” the RIA news agency reported, citing a source at Thailand’s Utapao International Airport.
With reporting by Reuters
Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada
8am: Given Mullah Hibatullah’s significance in the Taliban’s leadership hierarchy, ensuring his security is a top priority for the group. Those responsible for protecting him have not yet concluded that his life is not seriously endangered, allowing him to appear in public, and his images and videos to be disseminated… The seclusion of Mullah Hibatullah might be a skillful manipulation of mass psychology. When a figure remains hidden among the masses, alongside the potential threat to their life, their charisma may diminish. People, in the absence of a visible presence, rely on imagination and speculation. This approach allows for easy manipulation and the instillation of fear or hope. Click here to read more (external link).
NIKKEI Asia: Afghan women say they are afraid to leave their homes, after the Taliban began intensifying its wide-ranging crackdown on hijab-wearing and making arrests across the country at the start of the year. Kabul resident Farkhunda, 27, told Nikkei Asia that since she and four others were arrested, her sister has been too scared to even attend classes at a religious seminary. “As you know, there is a complete ban on girls’ education in schools and universities and one of my sisters was attending a religious seminary. After our arrest, she refused to go there too,” Farkhunda said. Click here to read more (external link).
8am: Applicants are risking their lives to obtain passports at a time when, according to global assessments, Afghanistan’s passport was recognized as the “most worthless passport” in the world in 2023. Most people view the sacrifice of people with their lives for the world’s most worthless passport as a sign of dissatisfaction with the Taliban. They emphasize that the citizens of the country are suffering from the oppression of the Taliban, who are incapable of providing even the most basic government services and lack the wisdom and knowledge to do so. Click here to read more (external link).
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).
Related
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).