143 Afghan Pilots are in Custody in Tajikistan

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8am: One of the pilots arrested in Tajikistan told the media that several thousand pilots, crew members, and other Afghan Air Force personnel are currently hiding and feeling abandoned by the US military. According to him, now these pilots and aircrew and their families are hidden and are in serious danger. Click here to read more (external link).

New Governors Appointed in 17 Provinces

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Tolo News: Based on a statement released on Monday evening, the new governors have been appointed for the provinces of Badakhshan, Paktia, Kabul, Kunduz, Baghlan, Logar, Paktika, Bamyan, Uruzgan, Farah, Sare Pul, Jawzjan, Faryab, Maidan Wardak, Zabul, Nimroz and Ghazni. The deputy provincial governors have been appointed for the provinces of Kabul, Baghlan, Kunduz, Logar, Laghman, Balkh, Farah, Sare Pul, Jawzjan, Maidan Wardak, Zabul, Samangan, Ghazni, Kunar and Daikundi. Click here to read more (external link).

Pakistan Reaches ‘Complete Cease-Fire’ With Local Taliban

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TTP Flag

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
November 8, 2021

Pakistan has reached a “complete cease-fire” with the banned Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a government minister has said.

State television on November 8 quoted Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry as saying negotiations with TTP, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, were ongoing and the cease-fire would be extended, depending on the progress of talks.

“The talks will focus on state sovereignty, national security, peace, social and economic stability in the areas concerned,” he said.

Chaudhry added that Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers played a role in facilitating the talks.

The announcement comes a little over a month after Prime Minister Imran Khan said the government was holding talks with factions of the Pakistani Taliban to end nearly two decades of conflict.

“There are different groups which form the TTP and some of them want to talk to our government for peace. So, we are in talks with them. It’s a reconciliation process,” Khan told Turkish television channel TRT World on October 1.

The TTP is a separate militant group from the Afghan Taliban, which toppled the Western-backed government in Kabul in mid-August.

However, Pakistan’s militant groups are often interlinked with those across the border in Afghanistan and both follow the same hard-line Sunni Islam.

With reporting by Dawn and PTV News

Copyright (c) 2021. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.

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Hekmatyar: Iran trying to prevent recognition of Taliban

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Aamaj: The Hezb-e-Islami leader, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, says that Iran is trying to preclude recognition of Taliban, whilst China, Russia, Pakistan and some other nieghboring countries are willing to recognize the Taliban, but Iran to preclude this measure held a summit in Tehran.

Minaret of Jam on the Verge of Overturning

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8am: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had pledged $2 million to restore the world heritage site, following widespread petitions for the preservation and restoration of the minaret. However, after two years, there is still no news about the restoration and protection of the minaret of Jam and its budget of two million dollars. Click here to read more (external link).

Trump slams Biden’s ‘surrender’ of Afghanistan, warns China could take Bagram

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Donald Trump

Fox News: Former President Donald Trump slammed the Biden administration’s “surrender” of Afghanistan, warning that China could take hold over Bagram Air Base. Trump told Fox News that even while he planned to eventually withdraw from Afghanistan, he would have maintained hold over the Parwan Detention Facility—a military prison at the Bagram Air Base. Click here to read more (external link).

Taliban appoint members as 44 governors, police chiefs around Afghanistan

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Taliban militants (file photo)

Reuters: The Taliban appointed 44 of its members to key roles including provincial governors and police chiefs on Sunday, a key step in shoring up its governance as the country grapples with growing security and economic problems. Click here to read more (external link).

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Taliban wanted ICC to replace Afghanistan flag, make changes to national anthem

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Declan Herald: The national cricket team of Afghanistan is quite lucky to participate in the ongoing T20 World Cup in the UAE. Next time, the 11-member squad may not be able to compete in such a high-profile event because the International Cricket Council (ICC) is yet to decide whether to suspend the Afghan team’s membership or let them play, TRT World reported. Click here to read more (external link).