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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Syrian regime shelling kills two in Idlib: Rescue group
2023-09-25
[Rudaw] At least two non-combatants were killed on Saturday when an alleged Syrian regime rocket barrage struck a displacement camp in the northwestern rebel-held Idlib province, a rescue group reported.

"Two non-combatants were killed (an elderly man and a woman) and two others were maimed (a child at death's door and a man) by regime forces rocket strikes that targeted a camp in a residential area on the outskirts of Sarmin in the eastern countryside of Idlib," the White Helmets rescue group said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"The bombing also led to a fire in the camp," the group said, adding that they had put out the fire, treated the injured, and removed the bodies of the dead.

The area is among a stretch of frontline between Syrian government forces and the jihadist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else
...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...
(HTS), the former Syrian branch of al-Qaeda.

HTS is the prominent force among dozens of rebel factions operating in the area and has been internationally recognized as a terrorist organization.

Half of Idlib province, as well as parts of Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia provinces, are the last rebel-held bastions in the country after Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
Light of the Alawites...
, with Russian and Iranian support, seized back swathes of territory over the course of the brutal Syrian civil war, which erupted in 2011.

Last month, at least eight HTS members were killed when Russian Arclight airstrike
...KABOOM!...
s targeted their base on the outskirts of Idlib.

In June, artillery shelling by Syrian government forces killed three civilians in rebel-held areas of Aleppo province.

Over 13 million Syrians have been displaced since the start of the civil war, more than six million of which are refugees who have fled the war-torn country, according to a report from the United Nations
...an organization conceived in the belief that we're just one big happy world, with the sort of results you'd expect from such nonsense...
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Related:
Idlib: 2023-09-20 Gunmen target HTS members in Syria's Aleppo
Idlib: 2023-09-19 Daily Evacuation Brief September 18-19, 2023: Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s political party Hizb-e-Islami shut down
Idlib: 2023-09-18 Germany: Migrant deportations rise sharply
Related:
Sarmin: 2023-08-30 Military escalation causes casualties in NW Syria
Sarmin: 2023-08-18 Government forces shelling of NW Syria causes casualties
Sarmin: 2023-08-15 Unknown attackers wound 2 HTS militants in Syria’s Idlib
Link


Afghanistan
Daily Evacuation Brief September 18-19, 2023: Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s political party Hizb-e-Islami shut down
2023-09-19

Daily Evacuation Brief | September 19, 2023

[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
  • TALIBAN EXPECTS SANCTIONS TO BE LIFTED AT UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIS WEEK – Bilal Karimi, a spokesman for the regime says the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) expects the UN to remove sanctions and to recognize the defacto regime based on its record of success over the past two years during this week’s meeting of the General Assembly in New York. No representative from Afghanistan has been invited to the meeting but there are rumors that some states may lobby on their behalf in the corridors between sessions. The topic of gender discrimination in Afghanistan is scheduled to be discussed but there were no indications that sanctions relief or recognition would be on the table. Even if it were, it does not appear likely that any real support would be forthcoming while the Taliban policies remain in place. Clearly, the Taliban brain trust believes that limited success against ISIS-K and incremental economic advances are enough to outweigh the draconian domestic policies they have instituted. Ultimately, this regime has been imposed on the people in an undemocratic transfer of power, is not ethnically/religiously/gender inclusive, and has relegated half of the population to a faceless existence. Even nations that are prone to overlooking such flaws will be loathe to support recognition.

  • KABUL-JALALABAD HIGHWAY STILL CLOSED, ALTERNATE ROUTE ESTABLISHED – The Taliban Ministry of Defense said it had opened an alternative route to Jalalabad from Kabul and was directing traffic that has been backed up for several days due to a landslide to use the new route. We are waiting on details about the new route and there are rumors that busses that normally make the daily runs between the two cities have instituted temporary price hikes for fees in order to offset the additional fuel required to negotiate the new detour.

  • AFGHAN COMMANDER IN SYRIA ARRESTED FOR COOPERATING WITH COALITION FORCES – An unidentified Afghan citizen who is reputedly a Commander of a militia in the Idlib Province of Syria was taken into custody along with 2 unidentified companions and stands accused of working for the Coalition forces. The Afghan Commander was arrested by the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militia forces which have ties to al-Qaeda and evolved from the Nusra Front. It is not clear where the men are being held and what their disposition is.

  • BODY OF AFGHAN MINER DISCOVERED IN BALOCHISTAN – The body of a man identified only as Saifullah who was reportedly an Afghan coal miner working in the Duki District was discovered Sunday near the Malizai coal mine. The man’s body had been mutilated and his feet and hands had been tied behind his back. Authorities took the body to a hospital in Duki and an investigation has been launched.

CONFLICT TRACKER
Parwan: The Afghanistan Liberation Front (ALF) has claimed credit for an attack on a Taliban facility in Parwan that reportedly took place Sunday night. Sources said that 3 Tqliban were killed and 6 others wounded in the attack.
Bagram: An AFF strike team launched two operations in two separate locations in the province, claiming to have inflicted 5 casualties among the Taliban on Sunday night. The attack reportedly began at approximately 2030hrs local and continued for nearly an hour.


NEXT 24 HOURS: No Threats Reported


Daily Evacuation Brief | September 18, 2023

[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
  • TALIBAN MOVES TO ERADICATE GULBUDDIN HIKMATYAR’S POLITICAL PARTY – Several reports on social media show Taliban security forces removing office equipment and forcing employees out of Hikmatyar’s political party offices. The Hizb-e-Islami party was blacklisted by the Ministry of Justice earlier in 2023 but the day-to-day operations had continued.

  • INDIA ANNOUNCES ESTABLISHMENT OF 1,000 SCHOLARSHIPS DESIGNATED FOR AFGHAN STUDENTS – The Indian Council for Cultural Relations announced a new initiative to offer 1,000 scholarships for both graduate and undergraduate students from Afghanistan. To be considered for the scholarships, applicants must:

    • Be Afghan nationals;

    • Have an age between 18 and 35 years as of July 1, 2023;

    • Possess adequate English language proficiency;

    • Meet the minimum academic qualifications required by the respective Indian Universities/Institutes for their chosen program or course.

    Applications will begin being accepted on 22 September 2023 and must be completed online through the iLearn Portal.

  • TALIBAN TO CRACK DOWN ON YOUTUBERS – A source in Kabul said that Taliban Ministers were alarmed at the recent spike in YouTube accounts that had been registered in Afghanistan over the past four months and intended to establish a procedure to regulate the accounts by mid-October. Many of the accounts have released content that is critical of the Taliban and subscriptions for some of the more popular channels have exceeded 100,000 people. The Taliban have been largely unsuccessful at controlling online social media activity and the source said that China has failed to provide assistance in this regard but things could change soon.

  • MINISTRY OF VICE AND VIRTUE HALTS SALE OF ‘THIN, TIGHT, SHORT’ CLOTHING IN BAMYAN – Shopkeepers in the Province received notification from the Provincial Vice and Virtue offices to remove any women’s clothing that was deemed to be ‘too revealing’. The Department has been ordering residents to stop wearing such clothing in public. It is not clear what penalties will be imposed for ignoring the new rules.

CONFLICT TRACKER
Laghman: An AFF offensive in the Garhran valley (Daulat Shah district) took place on Sunday evening. The Taliban guard post referred to as Shalom was hit by a strong force. 2 Taliban were reportedly killed and 4 others were wounded, Among the dead was said to be the local commander.

NEXT 24 HOURS
KABUL - JALALABAD HIGHWAY CLOSED TEMPORARILY – A rockslide occurred on the thoroughfare and blocked traffic in both directions. Work crews have arrived and are using heavy equipment to clear the road. Any considering travel between the two cities should consult local sources before embarking on travel.


Link


Afghanistan
Daesh has ‘very few militants’ in Afghanistan: Hekmatyar
2023-02-21
[ArianaNews] The leader of Hizb-e-Islami says that ISIS does not have a significant presence in Afghanistan and that the group carries out its attacks by "buying people who are ignorant and uninformed about Islam".

At a meeting in Kabul, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
... who used to be known in intelligence circles as The Most Evil Man in the World but who now seems merely run-of-the-mill evil...
said that terrorist groups including ISIS do not have a physical footprint in Afghanistan, and the attacks claimed by this group are organized outside the country.

"Their numbers are very few who carry out terror acts and operations," said Hekmatyar.

"Those who commit such actions are ignorant and unaware of Islam and they are being paid."

He has described the concerns of Russia and Central Asian countries about possible attacks against nations in the region emanating from Afghanistan as "pointless". He called on the Islamic Emirate to take measures to thwart the plots of the country’s enemies.

According to him, Russia is forming a front against Afghanistan under the pretext of ISIS.

The Islamic Emirate meanwhile said that Dash has been suppressed in Afghanistan and is not considered a serious threat.
Link


Afghanistan
Daily Evacuation Brief February 4, 2023
2023-02-04
[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
  • RUMOR OF BAN ON SUNNI-SHIITE MARRIAGES IN BADAKHSHAN DENIED – Early reports had suggested the District Governor in Nasi had issued a proclamation banning marriages between Sunni and Shiite Muslims. The Taliban head of Information and Culture said the ban was fake and that a letter circulating on social media was a forgery.

  • TALIBAN SUPPORTER ATTACKED IN TURKEY BY ENRAGED AFGHAN REFUGEES – Dr. Harif Mokhtar, a prominent supporter of the Taliban regime, was reputedly attacked and beaten by a group of Afghan refugees. Mokhtar’s son confirmed the attack and posted on his personal Twitter account that the attack was carried out by supporters of the Resistance. It is believed the attack took place in Istanbul but efforts are being made to find out additional information.

  • PAKISTANI TROOPS CONDUCT RAID IN NORTH WAZIRISTAN, KILL TWO MILITANTS – The Pakistani Army conducted the raid on a suspected militant hideout in the district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday. The ensuing shootout was short and the 2 militants were killed by gunfire. While the Pakistani forces have not released the identities of the militants and did not say which terror group with which they were affiliated, they did say the two were implicated in previous attacks against security forces. The incident took place very close to the Afghanistan border. No additional information was available.

  • KABUL-GHOR HIGHWAY CLOSED DUE TO SNOW – Travelers have been stopped from both directions as work crews attempt to clear heavy snow from the route. Some reports indicate that as many as 25 vehicles were stranded along the route when the conditions reduced visibility and the vehicles drove off the road into deeper snow. Rescue crews have been on-site to assist.

  • ISIS-K REMAINS INACTIVE IN AFGHANISTAN – The ISIS propaganda weekly, Al-Naba, published its most recent addition on ISIS social media outlets, and for the third week, no actions were proclaimed in Afghanistan. The lack of activity has security officials fretting that a major attack is in the works while Taliban leaders continue to say the threat from ISIS-K has been eliminated in some areas and will soon be eradicated throughout the country.

  • SUPREME LEADER SAYS INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE A MINOR NUISANCE AND WILL NOT FORCE DEVIATION FROM HIS POLICIES FOR FEMALES – In a meeting with military commanders in Kandahar on Friday, Hibatullah Akhunzada said he remains resolute in adhering to his Deobandi beliefs and that global pressures would not force a change. He went on to say that trust between his regime and the world had decreased significantly. Sources say the Minister of Defense was notably absent from the meeting.

  • HEKMATYAR UNDER THREAT FROM THE TALIBAN – It has been reported that the political party of Golbaduddin Hekmatyar, Hizb-e-Islami has been banned by the Taliban. It is not clear if the ban is a temporary measure, for security reasons, or a permanent ban. It has been rumored for some time that Hekmatyar had fallen out of favor and many viewed his increasingly critical sermons against the Taliban as seditious.


NEXT 24 HOURS
HOUSE SEARCHES LIKELY TO BEGIN AGAIN IN KABUL – As previously reported, Taliban security forces stood down their search efforts on Friday in observance of prayers. However, operations are expected to pick back up today with a focus on completing ongoing searches in Police Districts 11 and 15. Other Districts may also see activity today. At-risk Afghans are reminded to try and remain calm should a search party arrive at their residence and keep documents and money hidden while also ensuring any items that may be evidence of links to the former regime are not on open display in their homes.

ALERT
Alert 032, 3 Feb 2023 — (SECURITY THREAT) Several reports have come in over the previous 24 hours of searches being conducted in Islamabad, Pakistan. Local sources say that Pakistani police have come to apartment buildings and dwellings where Afghan refugees reside and have reputedly taken the male head of household away with them. The men were taken to local police stations and held until a bribe was paid, at which time [the men] were released. So far, twenty cases had been reported and the epicenter of the searches was in the Barakahu area of Islamabad (Northeast side of the city). However, it could be taking place elsewhere. Of the twenty cases reported, all had valid passports and visas as this was made known to the Police who had come to the apartments. We assess this situation is likely a localized incident and involves an illicit scheme to collect bribes. Several media outlets in Pakistan have picked up on the story and it is running rampant on social media. Some of the men were released without a bribe being paid and the timing of their release we did seemed to coincide with the media uproar. To our knowledge, this did not result in any legitimate arrests and we have heard that all those who were picked up have been released. However, we have only had contact with those involved in the twenty cases. (TAD STAFF)
Link


Afghanistan
Hekmatyar: 'We Urge The Supporters Of Hizb-i-Islami To Prepare For Another War'
2023-01-03
MEMRI] In his first sermon following the failed coordinated attack on his party's headquarters in Kabul, which also hosts a mosque where the former warlord delivers sermons every Friday, Hekmatyar said: "We urge the supporters of Hizb-e-Islami to prepare for another war. The heavy trust [responsibility] of this jihad is on your shoulders."

"You are capable of getting the nation rid of this criminal, country-seller, traitor and faith-seller group and accepting [this responsibility]," said the former prime minister, who is known as "the Butcher of Kabul" for HIA's attacks on rival factions during the civil war in the 1990s that followed the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan.

In the sermon, a recording of which is available on YouTube, Hekmatyar tells his party's supporters and members that Allah is with them, and they will succeed in the new war as they had succeeded in the previous two wars.[1] "We believe that the Hizb-e-Islami mujahideen can defeat this disgraced enemy by having trust in Allah. The same enemy that the others have failed to fight and defeat," he said.

Hekmatyar criticized the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the ruling Taliban
...Arabic for students...
jihadi organization) for closing a Hizb-e-Islami-affiliated university in Kabul and forcing its students to shift to other universities, along with cutting off the supply of electricity to the HIA headquarters, mosque, television, and other facilities provided by the previous government.

On December 2, 2022, two button men, each wearing 11-kilogram explosive vests, attacked the central office of Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan in Kabul, seeking to reach the mosque inside the compound where Hekmatyar and other leaders of his party pray on Friday.

The Hizb-e-Islami emir said security guards at his headquarters killed both the jacket wallahs, adding that preliminary investigations revealed that both the attackers were from Tajikistan and a black flag of Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(ISIS) was recovered from the bombers' controller.

Link


Afghanistan
Daily Evacuation Brief December 3, 2022
2022-12-03
[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
  • ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON TOP PAKISTAN DIPLOMAT IN KABUL – At least three unidentified gunmen carried out an attack that appears to have targeted the Pakistan Charge d’Affaires in Kabul on Friday. Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani is said to have survived the attack but a Pakistani security guard was gravely injured. Many have alleged the attack was the work of the TTP and comes days after the militant group called off a ceasefire with the government of Pakistan. The Taliban have vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice but the gunmen remain at large as of publication. The attack puts the IEA in a difficult position with regard to its close association with its Pakistani counterpart (TTP) and a desire for continued relations with Pakistan.

  • SUICIDE BOMB ATTACK ON HEKMATYR’S PARTY OFFICES THWARTED – Another suicide bomb attack was foiled when two burqa-clad suicide bombers attempted to gain entry to a Mosque used by members of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami political party. The bombers were thwarted when they were challenged by security guards and both were killed along with a bodyguard of Hekmatyar. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

  • US PUTS A TTP LEADER ON THE GLOBAL TERROR WATCHLIST – Qari Amjad was added to the Specially Designated Global Terrorist list. Amjad is said to be the Deputy Chief of the TTP and is thought to be hiding in Afghanistan. The other 3 names added to the least are suspected of serving with Al Qaeda and may also be hiding in Afghanistan.

  • MINISTER FOR REFUGEES AND REPATRIATION SAYS IRAN IS RECRUITING AFGHANS FOR CONFLICTS IN OTHER REGIONS – Khalil Rahman Haqqani, current Minister for Refugees and Repatriation, while visiting Parwan said that he is aware of certain cases where Afghans had been recruited by the Iranian regime and sent to fight in Syria, Iraq, and possibly to Ukraine. He did not elaborate on details about the program. His announcement marks the first instance of a senior Taliban official confirming the practice.


NEXT 24 HOURS
  • ALL DIPLOMATIC FACILITIES IN AFGHANISTAN INCREASE SECURITY – Embassies and Consulates across Afghanistan are expected to increase security postures in the wake of the attack on the Embassy of Pakistan. Some may even suspend operations for a time to assess the threat. The Taliban are sending more armed security to patrol the areas around diplomatic facilities and security checks will likely include more scrutiny of individuals and vehicles as a result of the attack.

  • POSSIBLE KABUL CLEARING OPERATION – A source with the Ministry of Defense says the identities of at least one of the men responsible for the attack on the Pakistan Embassy are known. They are searching his last known residence and have questioned 2 neighbors about his whereabouts. Officials do not believe he, or his accomplices, have fled the city. A clearing operation in Kabul could take place soon. At-risk Afghans should avoid large concentrations of Taliban vehicles and personnel. If vehicles and Taliban security forces are seen loitering in areas where they are not frequently observed, it is best to leave the area as soon as possible.

Link


Afghanistan
Attack Targets Hekmatyar's Office in Kabul
2022-12-03
[ToloNews] Attack on Hekmatyar's Office in Darulaman Area of Kabul Leaves 1 Dead, 2 Wounded

An attack on Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
... who used to be known in intelligence circles as The Most Evil Man in the World but who now seems merely run-of-the-mill evil...
's office, the leader of the Hizb-e-Islami party, resulted in one death and two injuries, Hekmatyar said.

Hekmatyar said that after the attack two jacket wallahs went to enter a mosque that was near to the Hizb-e-Islami office.

The Hizb-e-Islami party's leader confirmed that the attackers were killed by his security guards before they could reach their target.

Witnesses said that the attackers entered the office area wearing a burqa, but they did not reach the target.

This incident took place at the same time as Friday's prayer.

Hamid Maybe I'll join the Taliban Karzai
...A product, and probably the sole product, of the Southern Alliance...
, former president of Afghanistan, condemned the attack on Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's office in Kabul and said on Twitter that the attacks on Afghan citizens and leaders are an effort by the enemies to "weaken and divide" the country.

So far no one has grabbed credit for the incident.
Link


Afghanistan
Islamic Clerics’ Gathering Issues 11-Point Resolution, Hekmatyar kibbitzes in the background
2022-07-03
[ToloNews] The participants of the holy mans' gathering held at the Kabul Loya Jirga Hall released a resolution comprised of 11 principles, in which they called on the world to lift sanctions on Afghanistan and to recognize the Islamic Emirate.

The resolution did not directly mention the reopening of girls’ schools, but a part of it called for the Islamic Emirate to attend to modern and religious education for men and women.

Resolutions from holy mans' gathering at Loya Jirga Hall:

  • Participants pledged allegiance to the Islamic Emirate leader.

  • The international community is called on to release Afghan assets.

  • The participants called the current government 'legitimate" and called for its recognition.

  • Support announced for decree of Islamic Emirate on drugs.

  • Support given for the Islamic Emirate policy to not interfere with other countries and to expect the same from other countries.

  • Any type of cooperation with ISIS is forbidden.

  • Armed opposition against the current government is rebellion.

  • Islamic Emirate called on to attend to religious and modern education, health, agriculture, rights of ethnic minorities and women and kiddies and economic development, within the structure of Sharia.

  • Islamic holy mans who cause provocations via media must stop.

  • Islamic Emirate called on to incentivize national unity.

  • Clerics support the Islamic Emirate’s efforts to facilitate the return of Afghan figures from abroad.

Talking to participants of the holy mans' gathering, the Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund said that the people of Afghanistan want Hijab and an Islamic government and there are less people who oppose it.

Hekmatyar Asks Why Women Not Included in Gathering

[ToloNews] Following reactions over women's absence in the "Gathering of Islamic Clerics", Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
... who used to be known in intelligence circles as The Most Evil Man in the World but who now seems merely run-of-the-mill evil...
, the leader of Hizb-e-Islami, questioned the reasons for the exclusion of women from the meeting, stating the Islamic Emirate should provide a clear response to the people and the world.

According to Hekmatyar, women's rights are clearly recognized in Islam.
Dawn adds more about the rebellion point:
Nearly 3,000 Afghan religious scholars, at the conclusion of a three-day meeting on Saturday in the capital Kabul, declared the militant Islamic State group and others' armed resistance against the Taliban government as "rebellion" and said the country was duty-bound to repel such elements.

A joint declaration issued after the conclusion of the grand moot said: “We call on the nation that the so-called Isis (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) is a 'Kharijite'
...an insult that dates back to the Third Caliph, and one the Talibs are particularly fond of...
group of this age that spreads corruption in our Islamic country. Any help or association with them is illegal."

The IS and the National Resistance Front
...NRF for short. They’re the reincarnation of the primarily Tajik Northern Alliance that drove back the Taliban a generation ago...
of Afghanistan are fighting the Afghan Taliban. Another little-known group was involved in a failed attempt on Thursday that targeted the participants of the scholars' meeting but all three suspects were killed by the Taliban special forces.

The participants, as per the declaration, also declared allegiance to Taliban supreme leader Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada.

“We renew our allegiance to the Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Sheikh Al-Hadith Hibatullah Akhundzada and strongly support him. We have accepted him as the Sharia ruler of Afghanistan and the emir of the Islamic emirate. And from Allah in all religious and worldly matters we wish you success,” the declaration said.

Akhundzada arrived in Kabul this week for the first time since the Taliban took over control of the country in August last year. He also made his first public appearance since then and delivered a speech on Friday in which he rejected foreign pressure on his government.
Related:
Kharijite: 2022-06-15 The Taliban Claims Killing a Prominent ISIL Commander
Kharijite: 2017-12-25 Beida government’s Awqaf and Islamic affairs department warns against celebrating Christmas
Kharijite: 2017-10-28 37 dead bodies found east of Benghazi
Related:
National Resistance Front: 2022-06-30 3-Day Grand Assembly of the Taliban to Start Thursday, Men Will Represent the Women of Afghanistan
National Resistance Front: 2022-06-18 National Resistance Front (NRF) claimed it has shot down a Taliban helicopter in Panjshir
National Resistance Front: 2022-06-16 Three people had been arrested on charges of being involved in recent attacks and explosions in Kabul
Link


Afghanistan
Pakistan's ISI Chief in Kabul for Bilateral Relations: Taliban
2021-09-06
[ToloNews] A day after the arrival in Kabul of the head of the Pakistain Inter-Services Intelligence
...the Pak military intelligence agency that controls the military -- heads of ISI typically get promoted into the Chief of Army Staff position. It serves as a general command center for favored turban groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, tries to influence the politix of neighboring countries, and carries out a (usually) low-level war against India in Kashmir...
(ISI), Lt Gen. Faiz Hamid, the Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
on Sunday said that Hamid is in Afghanistan to improve bilateral relations between Kabul and Islamabad.

Earlier, Pak media reported that Hamid was in Kabul at the invitation of the Taliban, but the Taliban said that Pakistain had proposed his visit to Kabul.

Ahmadullah Wasiq, deputy head of the Taliban’s Cultural Commission, said the Taliban leaders talked with Hamid about bilateral relations and the problems of Afghan passengers at Torkham and Spin Boldak passes between Afghanistan and Pakistain.

"This Pak official has come to solve Afghan passengers’ problems at the border areas, especially in Torkham and Spin Boldak. They wanted (his visit to Kabul) and we accepted," Wasiq said.

When asked by a news hound about his visit to Kabul, Hamid said: "Don’t worry, everything will be okay."

Hamid also said that his country will provide technical support for Afghanistan to restart operations at Hamid Maybe I'll join the Taliban Karzai
...Former president of Aghanistan, part of the problem not part of the solution...
International Airport in Kabul.

Meanwhile,
...back at the argument, Jane reached into her purse for her .38...
sources close to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
... who used to be known in intelligence circles as The Most Evil Man in the World but who now seems merely run-of-the-mill evil...
, the leader of Hizb-e-Islami party, said that Hamid also met with Hekmatyar, and they discussed the current situation in the country.

"Although Hamid says his visit is for Afghanistan-Pakistain issues and for the Afghan passengers, I think his trip to Kabul has caused concerns among the Afghans and it means Pakistain will recognize the government that the Taliban will announce," said Sami Yousufzai, a journalist.

Hamid arrived in Kabul on Saturday and is the only high-ranking foreign official to visit Kabul following the Taliban’s takeover of the city.
Related:
Inter-Services Intelligence: 2021-08-19 BBC liveblog: Taliban step up hunt for collaborators - UN report
Inter-Services Intelligence: 2021-06-08 CIA Looks to Afghan Neighbors to Support US Mission: Report
Inter-Services Intelligence: 2021-03-13 Pakistan’s Secret ‘Proxy War’ Impedes Afghan Peace: Ex-envoy
Related:
Faiz Hamid: 2021-09-04 Taliban celebratory gunfire turns deadly, Pakistan's spy chief arrives in Afghanistan
Faiz Hamid: 2021-02-04 Army, ISI chiefs meet PM Imran third time in a month
Link


Afghanistan
Report: Corrupt Ex-President Hamid Karzai Slinks onto Taliban Ruling Council
2021-08-26
[Breitbart] Notoriously corrupt former President Hamid Maybe I'll join the Taliban Karzai
...A product, and probably the sole product, of the Southern Alliance...
and political partner Gulbuddin Hekmatyar,
... who used to be known in intelligence circles as The Most Evil Man in the World but who now seems merely run-of-the-mill evil...
popularly known as the “Butcher of Kabul,” will reportedly govern Afghanistan as part of a Taliban ruling council, Afghan media reported on Wednesday.

Karzai and Hekmatyar, alongside former Afghan government peace negotiator Abdullah Abdullah,
...the former foreign minister of the Northern Alliance government, advisor to Masood, and candidate for president against both Karzai and Ghani. Dr. Abdullah was born in Kabul and is half Tadjik and half Pashtun. He also held the meaningless salaried sop position as CEO of Afghanistan, while Ghani was president...
had announced the formation of their own “coordination council” last week to help Taliban jihadists organize a functional government following their ouster of the U.S.-backed government in Kabul on August 15. Karzai went on a media tour including both legitimate outlets like the Associated Press and Chinese state propaganda outlets like the New York Times this summer, disparaging America – despite its pivotal role in his ascent to power – and calling for China to play a bigger financial role in the future of Afghanistan.

Karzai became president in the aftermath of the American invasion of Afghanistan in autumn 2001, which resulted in the ouster of the then-incumbent Taliban regime. He served as president until 2014, running a government defined by rampant corruption, nepotism, and record-breaking narcotics cultivation. Estimates of how much money Karzai and his family stole from U.S. taxpayers range into the billions.

Taliban jihadists took over Afghanistan again on August 15, surrounding Kabul and prompting ex-President Ashraf Ghani to flee the country. Taliban spokesmen have repeatedly promised in press statements that the jihadists would commit to building a functional state apparatus, suggesting that the regime would likely consist of a supreme council, directed by radical Islamist clerics, that would ensure “inclusive” government.

The Russian news agency Tass reported on Wednesday, citing Afghanistan’s Ariana News TV, that the Taliban had agreed to give seats on its governing council to Karzai, Abdullah, and Hekmatyar. Taliban spokesmen have yet to confirm the report at press time. Tass also reported, citing Foreign Policy, that the three men are likely to be part of a “a 12-man council to rule Afghanistan.” Foreign Policy also predicted that members of the former government may also surface as ministers in charge of various government agencies, in addition to having seats on the council, as a concession to international observers.

Joining Karzai and his coordination council will likely be members of the Haqqani network, one of Afghanistan’s deadliest terrorist organizations. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a Taliban co-founder and most powerful man in the organization, will likely serve as supreme leader.

The Washington Post reported this week that Baradar, in an attempt to transform his terrorist organization into a government, met with CIA leader William Burns this week. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied the report during a press conference Tuesday.

The appointments the Taliban has made public since taking over the country indicate that the group does not have a significant number of people with political management experiment among its ranks to promote. Khaama Press reported on Tuesday that Taliban leaders had announed the appointment of several jihadis to key positions such as minister of education and head of the central bank. Karzai and his team would appear to fill a void of experience.

Karzai was Afghanistan’s head of state for 13 years. In an in-depth report published in 2010, the New York Times, revealed that Karzai largely used that power to appoint unqualified members of his family to high-ranking government positions, resulting in the disappearance of billions, much of it American money offered as aid to keep the Afghan government afloat.

“American officials say the Karzais and a handful of other well-connected families have benefited from the billions of dollars that the United States has poured into the country since 2001,” the Times reported.

Confronted by the Associated Press over the widespread corruption he presided over in 2019, Karzai blamed the U.S. government for tempting him with aid for years.

“What could we do?” Karzai shrugged.

Last month, Karzai described the U.S. government’s role in Afghanistan – not his own as president – as “total disgrace and disaster.” He urged the Chinese Communist Party to fill the void of U.S. aid in the country, calling it “a very constructive player.”

Unlike Karzai, Hekmatyar offers less in the way of formal government experience. A mujihadeen by trade, the “butcher of Kabul” developed a reputation as “a sociopath and a warlord” in the 1990s.

Hekmatyar, journalist Terry Galvin described, “almost single-handedly turned Kabul to rubble during the early 1990s,” according to Australia’s News.com.au. Hekmatyar is believed to be responsible for the deaths of 50,000 people.
Related:
Hamid Karzai: 2021-08-24 Mark Steyn: Dead Superpower Walking
Hamid Karzai: 2021-08-24 Firefight at Kabul airport kills Afghan guard; 16,000 more leave Afghanistan,US chopper picks up 16 Americans in Kabul
Hamid Karzai: 2021-08-23 Afghan staff at US Embassy losing hope of rescue: Report
Related:
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: 2021-08-18 Rashida Tlaib: ''...the horrible consequences of endless war and failed US policy going back to the 1980s when we backed the Taliban against the Soviets...''
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: 2021-07-15 We had fought for Islam before you born: Hekmatyar to Taliban
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: 2021-04-04 Hizb-e-Islami rally demanded transfer of power, security improvement
Related:
Abdullah Abdullah: 2021-08-23 Abdullah, Karzai, Taliban discuss inclusive political process
Abdullah Abdullah: 2021-08-17 Taliban announces 'amnesty,' urges women to join government
Abdullah Abdullah: 2021-08-17 Reports say Ghani in Oman to escape to US
Related:
Abdul Ghani Baradar: 2021-08-23 Trump blasts Biden over 'total surrender' in Afghanistan at massive Alabama rally
Abdul Ghani Baradar: 2021-08-18 Deutsche Welle live updates, Day 2: UN casts doubt on Taliban promises
Abdul Ghani Baradar: 2021-08-17 Meet the next leader of Afghanistan
Link


Afghanistan
Dostum Urges Govt to Support Local Forces Under His Command
2021-07-17
[ToloNews] Former vice president Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum
...ethnic Uzbek warlord who distinguished himself fighting the Soviets and the Taliban. The story that he had a bad guy run over with a tank is an exaggeration. It was an armored personnel carrier...
on Friday urged the central government to ensure the delivery of sufficient support and equipment to public uprising forces under his command in the fight against the Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
Talking to a gathering of his supporters via phone, Dostum said the government so far has not provided sufficient support to these forces.

Dostum also persuaded the Taliban to return to negotiations and said they should not get excited by taking over districts.

"The morale of the boys is very high," said Dostum, referring to the forces under his command.

"Unfortunately, poor management of the war has led to this situation," said Dostum, referring to fall of distircts.

He also expressed his dismay over what he described it government’s unwillingness to hear his military advices.

The National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan party led by Dostum organized a gathering in Kabul where speakers urged the government to provide sufficient aid to public uprising forces.

"When the Taliban firstly appeared in the northern part of the country, their presence was not too much strong in villages and vicinities and cities, they should have been suppressed at the time, because they had not a good spirit for war," said Kanishka Turkistani, a member of the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan.

Meanwhile,
...back at the palazzo, Don Smilzo looked for an avenue of escape. The only window opened a hundred feet above the moat. The nearest of the hired assassins hold a bloody axe.
The window was looking better all the time....

Ata Mohammad Noor, head of the splinter faction of Hizb-e-Islami and former governor of Balkh, announced the formation of a command center for public forces under his command and urged them to avoid commuting inside the city.

"You shouldn’t interfere into the affairs of the people, their legal and judicial issues, avoid walking around in the city, stay in your bases, you will be asked for service whenever there is a need for," Noor told his fighters.
Related:
Dostum: 2021-07-14 '261 Taliban Killed' in Past 24 Hours: MoD
Dostum: 2021-07-12 Public Forces in North Lack Weapons: Sources
Dostum: 2021-07-07 Tajikistan deploys more troops in Afghan border as Taliban get closer to its territory
Link


Afghanistan
Public Forces in North Lack Weapons: Sources
2021-07-12
[ToloNews] Amid questions over the formation of public uprising forces and doubts about their capability, sources from within these fighters' ranks said on Sunday that they are struggling with a lack of military equipment to fight against the Taliban
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
They said they have repeatedly asked the government’s high-ranking officials to provide military equipment and weapons to the forces, but their requests have not been heard so far.

While dozens of fighters have pledged loyalty to former vice president Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum
...ethnic Uzbek warlord who distinguished himself fighting the Soviets and the Taliban. The story that he had a bad guy run over with a tank is an exaggeration. It was an armored personnel carrier...
in the northern provinces against the Taliban, an aide to Dostum said that the government has not met its commitment to support the public uprising forces.

"We contacted them repeatedly. We asked senior security authorities, including the defense minister, the national security adviser, the NDS chief and the interior minister from the address of the High Council for National Reconciliation and the parliament, but unfortunately, they are not paying the required attention to equip and supply the public uprising forces," said Enayatullah Babur Farahmand, a member of the leadership council of Junbish-e-Milli and the deputy head of the High Council for National Reconciliation.

"These forces will prove effective and the enemy will not succeed if they are not provided more support," said Murtaza Jalali, a media adviser to Jamaat-e-Islami
...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores...
’s faction led by Ata Mohammad Noor.
...alternately Atta Muhammad Noor, the ethnic Tajik from Balkh province who fought against the Soviets in the Mujahideen — they called him The Teacher for his passion for educating the fighters — then against the Taliban in the Northern Alliance. After the Taliban were defeated Hamid Karzai appointed him governor of Balkh, whereupon he introduced stability and erased poppy cultivation...
Thousands of people have taken up arms in recent weeks in various provinces of the country to fight the Taliban following advances by the group in many provinces. Most of these forces have been formed in northern Afghanistan.

"We are defending our soil. We are defending the people, the flag and this homeland," said a public uprising forces member.

"We have police, NDS and army forces. They are faced with problems in management. How will we manage those people who have taken up arms to fight the Taliban?" asked Mirza Mohammad Yarmand, a military analyst.

The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces front man Gen. Ajmal Omar Shinwari confirmed in a briefing with news hounds that public uprising forces have not received equipment.

"Weapons and equipment are not handed over to anyone except when they have military training," he said.
Related:
Public uprising forces: 2021-07-10 Two Border Towns in Western Afghanistan Fall to Taliban, Md Ismail Khan Mobilizes Pop.Uprising Forces to Protect Herat City
Public uprising forces: 2021-07-09 1,500 Public Force Members in Place to Defend Balkh
Public uprising forces: 2021-07-05 Dozens of Ghor Women Take Up Arms in Support of ANDSF
Related:
Ata Mohammad Noor: 2021-03-23 Ismail Khan Calls Jamiat Party's Congress, Election 'Fake'
Ata Mohammad Noor: 2021-02-16 Politicians Slam Hekmatyar for Threatening Statements
Ata Mohammad Noor: 2020-02-20 An insight into wavering stance of the so-called Emperor of Balkh amid controversial elections
Related:
Atta Muhammad Noor: 2021-07-11 Good Morning
Atta Muhammad Noor: 2021-07-11 Possibility of civil war in Afghanistan, sez Atta Muhammad Noor
Atta Muhammad Noor: 2016-10-02 Tension Reported Between Hizb-e-Islami, Jamiat-e-Islami In Badakhshan
Link



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