Ariana: The Afghan Judo Federation organised a refereeing seminar at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul as part of developing judo in the nation, insidethegames. Juan Carlos Barcos and Paul Camacho Perez, experts from the International Judo Federation, were present to help with the seminar, which was the first of its kind in Afghanistan. Click here to read more (external link).
Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada
Ayaz Gul
VOA News
April 21, 2023
ISLAMABAD — The reclusive Taliban chief said Friday that he would not allow foreign interference in his Islamic governance in Afghanistan, come what may.
Hibatullah Akhundzada spoke to worshippers in a mosque in the southern city of Kandahar at the start of the three-day Eid al-Fitr festival to mark the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Akhundzada hailed the establishment of what he described as an Islamic “Sharia-based” government in Afghanistan after the Taliban reclaimed power in August 2021.
“It is the success and good fortune of the Afghan nation that Allah has blessed them with an Islamic Sharia system,” he said. “I have promised Allah that so long as I am alive, not a single law of infidelity will find a place in Afghanistan.”
Akhundzada, officially referred to as the leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and commander of the faithful, said that he would forbid “any action that threatens or negates Islam and is against Islamic principles.”
Media was, as usual, not allowed to cover the speech of the unseen Taliban leader, an Islamic scholar who rarely leaves Kandahar, the Taliban heartland. His spokesman officially released audio of the sermon late Friday.
Taliban not recognized as legitimate
The Taliban waged a deadly insurgency for almost two decades. They seized control of the country 20 months ago from the then-internationally backed Afghan government as the United States and NATO troops withdrew after two decades of involvement in the war.
Akhundzada has since issued a series of edicts, banning girls’ education beyond the sixth grade and barring most Afghan women from public life and work across Afghanistan. The ban has recently been extended to nongovernmental organizations and the United Nations despite severe global criticism and demands to end restrictions on women.
The international community has refused to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate rulers, citing bans on women’s access to education and work, among other human rights concerns.
Friday’s defiant speech by the Taliban leader came as U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres plans to host a meeting of envoys on Afghanistan from countries around the world in Qatar early next month to discuss the way forward in the wake of intensifying restrictions on Afghan women.
The United States has rejected any discussions about recognizing the Taliban at the U.N.-hosted meeting scheduled for May 1-2.
“The intent of — purpose of this meeting was never to discuss recognition of the Taliban, and any discussion at this meeting about recognition would be unacceptable to us,” Vedant Patel, the principal deputy spokesperson of the U.S. State Department, told reporters on Thursday.
The rebuttal came after U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed shared details of the planned meeting in the Gulf state, suggesting the recognition issue would also be on the agenda.
“We hope that we will find those baby steps to put us back on the pathway to recognition … of the Taliban — in other words, there are conditions,” Mohammed told a seminar at Princeton University on Monday.
That discussion must happen because Taliban authorities demand diplomatic recognition, and “that’s the leverage we have,” she stressed.
Taliban demands UN ‘fulfill its responsibility’
U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq, speaking to reporters in New York on Thursday, attempted to downplay Mohammed’s remarks, saying the deliberations at the meeting in Qatar’s capital, Doha, would not focus on recognition of the Taliban.
“The point of the discussion, which will be held in a closed, private setting, is to build a more unified consensus on the challenges at hand,” Haq said.
“There’s a need to reinvigorate international engagement around the sort of common objectives that the international community has on Afghanistan. We consider it a priority to advance an approach based on pragmatism and principles to have a constructive engagement on the issue,” he said.
Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has demanded that the U.N. “fulfill its responsibility” toward the people of Afghanistan.
“Islamic Emirate wants the recognition process to be completed soon. It will build mutual trust with world countries and help resolve all issues that can benefit regional security and stability,” Mujahid told VOA. He used the official title of the Taliban government.
Khaama: Friday marked the beginning of Eid-ul-Fitr in Afghanistan, which was celebrated across the country. Afghanistan people celebrated the Eid-ul-Fitr on Friday across the country after the supreme court confirmed the 21st of April as the first day of Eid in the country. Click here to read more (external link).
Related
Taliban militant (file photo)
CNN: “They tried to choke and suffocate me by tying a plastic bag across my face, telling me to confess to working with the NRF,” he said. “But as I was never part of it, I didn’t confess … Then they hung me upside down, one time by my feet, another by my hands.” He added: “I screamed so loud, I blacked out because of the trauma.” Click here to read more about (external link).
8am: According to local sources in Balkh province, a young man in the Dawlat Abad district of the province ended his life with a gunshot to his head. The incident took place on Thursday, April 20, in Dahr-Abad village of Dowlat Abad district. The incidence of suicide, mostly attributed to mental health issues, has increased following the Taliban’s takeover of the country. People say that poverty and economic problems are the main reasons behind these incidents. Click here to read more (external link).
Related
Tolo News: Residents of Panjshir have expressed concerns over the settlement of [Taliban] military personnel in residential areas including private houses, educational centers and mosques. The residents of Panjshir also said that many school compounds in Panjshir are being used as military bases and that the students have been deprived of their schools for nearly two years. Click here to read more (external link).
Amina Mohammed
Ayaz Gul
VOA News
April 20, 2023
ISLAMABAD — The United States has rejected discussions about recognizing Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership at a U.N.-hosted meeting scheduled for May 1-2.
“The intent and purpose of this meeting was never to discuss recognition of the Taliban, and any discussion at the meeting about recognition of the Taliban would be unacceptable,” a U.S. official told VOA on Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The rebuttal came after U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed shared details of the planned meeting in Qatar, suggesting the recognition issue would be on the agenda.
“We hope that we will find those baby steps to put us back on the pathway to recognition … of the Taliban. In other words, there are conditions,” Mohammed told a seminar at Princeton University on Monday.
That discussion has to happen because Taliban authorities demand diplomatic recognition, and “that’s the leverage we have,” she stressed.
Doha meeting
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will host the two-day meeting in Doha of envoys from countries around the world, but the deliberations will not focus on recognition of the Taliban, his office reiterated Thursday.
“The point of the discussion, which will be held in a closed, private setting, is to build a more unified consensus on the challenges at hand,” U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters in New York.
“There’s a need to reinvigorate international engagement around the sort of common objectives that the international community has on Afghanistan. So, we consider it a priority to advance an approach-based pragmatism and principles to have a constructive engagement on the issue.”
Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid demanded Thursday that the U.N. “fulfill its responsibility” toward the people of Afghanistan.
The “Islamic Emirate wants the recognition process to be completed soon. It will build mutual trust with world countries and help resolve all issues that can benefit regional security and stability,” Mujahid told VOA by phone. He used the official title of the Taliban government.
Mohammed’s remarks sparked a backlash from Western critics and self-exiled members of the Afghan diaspora, including rights activists and former government officials, citing restrictions the Taliban have imposed on women’s access to public life.
On Wednesday, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric attempted to explain Mohammed’s comments, saying the recognition issue was “clearly in the hands of the member states” and that she was reaffirming the need for an internationally coordinated approach.
“She was not in any way implying that anyone else but member states have the authority for recognition,” Dujarric said.
The 193-member U.N. General Assembly in December postponed for a second time a decision on whether to recognize the Taliban government by allowing its leaders to appoint their ambassador to the United Nations.
The Taliban seized power in August 2021 from the then-internationally backed Afghan government as U.S.-led NATO troops withdrew following 20 years of engagement in the country.
The Taliban’s men-only administration has since banned most female government employees from work and teenage girls from seeking education beyond grade six.
Afghan female staffers have recently been barred from working for the U.N. and nongovernmental organizations in a country where millions of families need urgent assistance.
The Taliban dismiss criticism of their governance, saying it aligns with Afghan culture and Islamic law.
Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report.
Related
The sidewalks outside bakeries in the Afghan capital are packed with desperate mothers and children hoping for a bite to eat. The Taliban has banned women and girls from many jobs, secondary schools, and universities since returning to power in August 2021, worsening the country’s economic crisis, according to United Nations studies.
John Sopko
Al Jazeera: The head of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has decried a lack of transparency from United States agencies that he said has made it impossible to determine if aid allocated to the people of Afghanistan is instead “currently funding the Taliban”. Sopko also accused the Taliban of diverting funds away from groups it “considers hostile”, such as the Hazaras ethnic minority, “and toward groups they favour”. Click here to read more (external link).