Dostum
8am: On Thursday, May 19, a number of exiled Afghan politicians gathered and met at the residence of Abdul Rashid Dostum, including Mohammad Mohaqiq, Abdu Rab Rasool Sayyaf, Atta Mohammad Noor, Karim Khalili, Ahmad Wali Masoud, Mir Rahman Rahmani, and Mohammad Alam Ezidyar in Turkey’s capital Ankara. Click here to read more (external link).
Hamid Karzai
Tolo News: Former President Hamid Karzai in an interview with CNN said that covering faces is not Hijab and the use of the Burqa is not Afghan tradition but “Burqa has come to Afghanistan probably 200-300 years ago, and countryside women don’t wear” it. Karzai was also critical of the Islamic Emirate’s decision to ban female students in grade 7-12 and said that the Afghan people will never accept the decision to ban girls from going to the school. Click here to read more (external link).
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Ahmad Shah Massoud
Euraisanet: The year was 2001, the month was September and Tajik reporter Khurshed Nazarov was a man on a mission. His bosses at Russia’s state-funded RTR broadcaster had dispatched him to northern Afghanistan to get the interview that every journalist traveling there wanted: Ahmad Shah Massoud. The legendary anti-Soviet turned anti-Taliban commander was a figure of global renown. He even overshadowed ally Burhanuddin Rabbani, the man who was recognized by much of the world as Afghanistan’s president, even as the hardline Taliban controlled the vast bulk of the country’s territory. Click here to read more (external link).
ANI: According to Khalid Pasoon, spokesman for the Tahreek-e-Azadi Afghanistan, ten civilians lost their lives in the blast while twelve people sustained serious injuries. The spokesperson further stated that the targeted truck, transporting civilian personnel of the Taliban forces was completely ruined by the blast, reported The Khaama Press. A magnetic mine explosion was attributed to the cause of the attack. Click here to read more (external link).
8am: The National Resistance Front in Panjshir province has claimed that its forces have killed 17 Taliban fighters in an ambush in this province. According to Sibghatullah Ahmadi, the NRF spokesman, the attacks were carried out on the Taliban fighters in the Hesa-e-Awal district, Chawbak area. “In the clashes, no Resistance forces are killed or injured,” he said. Click here to read more (external link).
Ariana: While urging talks with IEA, the politicians issued a statement and declared support for the conflict that is underway in some provinces in the country. “Such a large meeting was held in Turkey with the Turkish police providing security. They will meet again in Austria two weeks later and then in Geneva. There is certainly something fishy going on,” said Ahmad Saeedi, a political analyst. Habibullah Janibdar, another political analyst, however, said that such meetings would not help Afghanistan as Afghans have already tested these politicians. Click here to read more (external link).
8am: Taliban on the bases of vague allegations against Uzbek and Tajik Taliban members have been trying to remove them from their ranks. This is one of the reasons that have escalated internal conflicts and tensions among the Taliban members. As a result of internal conflicts among the Taliban fighters in Barka district of Baghlan province, 3 Taliban rebels are killed. Click here to read more (external link).
Hamdullah Mohib
Tolo News: Hamdullah Mohib, former National Security Advisor (NSA) for the republic government, apologized during an interview focused on the collapse of the Afghan government. “Anything that is related to my failures, I take full responsibility for it and apologize for it, and I hope everyone involved will be able to come forward and explain … the situation … we owe it to the Afghan people, we owe it to history, we owe it to the partnership and the sacrifices that we made that we clear the history and learn from it so that we can offer a better future to the Afghan people.” Click here to read more (external link).
Ariana: Hindukush Strikers were crowned Green Afghanistan One-Day Cup champions after beating Pamir Legends in the final match on Friday. Batting first after winning the toss at Khost Cricket Stadium, Pamir Legends posted 172-4 in 39 overs before bad weather stopped play. Click here to read more (external link).