Ariana: Officials at Herat Regional Hospital say around 260 people have been injured as a result of traffic incidents in this province over the last five days. Reckless driving, overspeeding, decline to follow traffic rules are said to be the main reasons for road accidents. Click here to read more (external link).
Attack by the National Resistance Front in Parwan: One Taliban Fighter Killed, Another Injured
8am: A senior member of the Front, who requested anonymity, informed Hasht-e Subh that the attack took place on Friday night, June 30, in the Joy-e Prozha area of the Bagram district. According to the source, as a result of the attack, at least one Taliban fighter was killed, and another individual sustained injuries. This event follows a previous incident where the National Resistance Front forces conducted an attack on a Taliban outpost in the “Robat” area of the Bagram district, Parwan province, on Monday night, June 26. The attack resulted in the death of one Taliban member and injuries to another. Click here to read more (external link).
Eighty Afghan civilians may have been summarily killed by SAS, inquiry told
The Guardian (UK): Eighty Afghans may have been victim of summary killings by three separate British SAS units operating in the country between 2010 and 2013, lawyers representing the bereaved families have told a public inquiry. One of the elite soldiers is believed to have “personally killed” 35 Afghans on a single six-month tour of duty as part of an alleged policy to terminate “all fighting-age males” in homes raided, “regardless of the threat they posed”. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – July 2, 2023
Pence says Trump administration would have kept U.S. troops in Afghanistan despite withdrawal deal with Taliban
Mike Pence
CBS News: “Candidly, it was always my belief that it would be prudent to keep a couple of thousand American forces there to support our efforts against terrorist elements, both in Afghanistan and in the region,” Pence, who is running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, told “Face the Nation” in an interview that aired Sunday. Under the terms of the Trump administration’s 2020 agreement with the Taliban, the U.S. agreed to a conditions-based withdrawal of all remaining forces from Afghanistan if the Taliban lived up to its own commitments. The former vice president argued that the Taliban had breached those terms, and thus the U.S. need not honor the deal. Click here to read more (external link).
Removing Women, Girls from Public Life is a Crime Against Humanity: AI
Khaama: The situation of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime is deteriorating as women’s voices have been silenced and their dreams shattered, reported Amnesty International. On Saturday, July 1, Amnesty International released a video on Twitter showcasing the desperate situation of Afghan women and girls and stated that “sidelining women and girls” from public life can be considered a crime against humanity, and the ruling regime should be accountable for it. Click here to read more (external link).
School Buildings Used as Military Outposts in Panjshir: Residents
Tolo News: “This is a reality, and it should not be ignored that they are settled in the schools. We are witnessing that the military has settled in the schools, and it affects the morale of the students and people,” said Samiullah Sadeqqi, a resident of Panjshir. “The military is in a school in Bazarak and thus there is less attention to schooling,” said Abid, a resident of Panjshir. A military commander in Panjshir, Shir Hamza, said that 700 checkpoints have been established in the province. Click here to read more (external link).
Northern Afghanistan Transforming into a Waziristan-like Situation: Insecurity in the Vicinity of Central Asia
8am: The Taliban’s transfer of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) forces to the northern provinces of Afghanistan, as agreed upon with Pakistan, has resulted in numerous national issues and exacerbated ethnic divisions. However, this development also poses a regional alarm for the security of Central Asian countries. With the resurgence of the Taliban, the security in Central Asian nations has become increasingly fragile and unstable, rendering them more vulnerable than ever. Compounding this fragility is the engagement of power-balancing forces in Central Asia in the ongoing war in Ukraine, diverting Russia’s energy and attention away from the escalating threat of fundamentalism and terrorism. Click here to read more (external link).
Amid Criticisms, Afghan Authorities Reluctant to Publicize Cash Aid on Media
Khaama: The international community’s $40 million cash aid packages are shipped to Kabul, however, the Taliban authorities do not publicize it on media anymore, a source in Afghanistan Central Bank on Saturday said. The sources added that international organizations and aid groups transfer their required money to Afghanistan, and there has not been any change in the procedure so far. Click here to read more (external link).
The Taliban’s Interference Takes Toll: UN Aid Distribution in Balkh Province Plunges by 50%
8am: Abdul Habib highlights the Taliban’s interference as a key factor in the decrease of aid distribution to vulnerable citizens by the United Nations. He reveals that the Taliban exert considerable effort to ensure that a significant portion of the aid reaches their own families. According to him, during aid distribution programs, they often encounter an extensive list of Taliban members, including their relatives and families, at the forefront. Due to the risks involved, they are unable to voice any objections. Abdul Habib personally witnessed cash assistance being provided to individuals in a district, only to see the Taliban, in collaboration with village elders, demand 2,500 Afghanis from each recipient, claiming it as the cost of their inclusion on the list. Click here to read more (external link).