Afghanistan |
Pakistan Bombs Afghanistan, Claiming Taliban Is ‘Actively Patronizing' Terror Across Border |
2024-03-20 |
[Breitbart] The government of Pakistan confirmed the execution of “intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations” within Afghanistan on Monday, outraging the Taliban, which claimed to have responded by bombing Pakistani military bases “with heavy weapons.” The relationship between Pakistan and the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan has been tense since the terrorists seized Kabul in August 2021, the direct result of leftist American President Joe Biden’s decision to extend the already two-decade-old war in Afghanistan beyond the May 2021 deadline set by predecessor former President Donald Trump. A report published in February 2023 found that Biden left an estimated $7.2 billion in military equipment in Afghanistan, now believed to be under the control of Taliban terrorists and their allies. Islamabad has blamed the Biden administration’s poorly executed extension of the war and the subsequent abrupt withdrawal of U.S. troops for a “recent resurgence in terrorism” on the Pakistani border. Evidence indicates that the weapons Biden abandoned in Afghanistan have fallen in the hands of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or the Pakistani Taliban, which is a separate entity from the Afghan Taliban (the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan”) but enjoyed an alliance with the Kabul-based terror organization. Pakistan has increased its military operations against the TTP and other jihadist elements on the Pakistani-Afghan border, as well as launched a massive campaign to deport nearly 2 million Afghans present in the country illegally. On Monday, the Pakistani Foreign Office confirmed the execution of airstrikes on Afghan soil allegedly targeting the Hafix Gul Bahadur Group, which it claimed was affiliated with the TTP. The statement from the Foreign Office angrily condemned the Taliban for allowing a threat to Pakistan’s national security to persist on the soil it claims to control. Pakistani officials claimed that they had successfully neutralized a TTP terrorist named Abdullah Shah, but a man claiming to be Shah published a video shortly after the attacks declaring himself alive and active in jihad. “Pakistan has repeatedly conveyed its serious concerns to the interim Afghan government [the Taliban] over the presence of terror outfits, including TTP, inside Afghanistan,” the Office statement read, according to the Pakistani newspaper Dawn. “These terrorists pose a grave threat to Pakistan’s security and have consistently used Afghan territory to launch terror attacks inside Pakistani territory.” “Pakistan has great respect for the people of Afghanistan. However, certain elements among those in power in Afghanistan are actively patronising TTP and using them as a proxy against Pakistan,” the Foreign Office statement continued. “Such an approach against a brotherly country, which stood with the people of Afghanistan through thick and thin, manifests shortsightedness. It ignores the support extended by Pakistan to the people of Afghanistan over the last several decades.” The Taliban’s top spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, confirmed that the Pakistani military had encroached into Afghan territory in a statement published to his Twitter account on Monday. Mujahid claimed that Pakistan “bombed the houses of civilians, as a result, 6 people including 3 women and 3 children were martyred and a house destroyed in Paktika, as well as, two women were martyred due to the collapse of a house in Khost province.” Mujahid’s statement went on to threaten attacks on Pakistan. “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns these attacks and calls this reckless action a violation of Afghanistan’s territory,” the spokesman declared. “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which has a long experience of freedom struggle against the superpowers of the world, does not allow anyone to invade its territory.” “Pakistan should not blame Afghanistan for the lack of control, incompetence and problems in its own territory. Such incidents can have very bad consequences which will be out Pakistan’s control,” Mujahid added. Mujahid also claimed that the terrorist Pakistan alleged was the target of the operations, Abdullah Shah, “is in Pakistan.” Later on Monday, the Taliban “ministry of defense” claimed that it had bombed Pakistani military targets within Pakistan. “In response to that aggression, the border forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan targeted military bases of Pakistan’s army across the artificial Durand Line with heavy weapons,” Taliban officials announced. Reports at press time have not offered any details on the scope of the damage from the Taliban attacks. The Afghan broadcaster Tolo News reported on Monday that “a military confrontation between the Islamic Emirate and Pakistani soldiers started this morning (Monday) at seven and is ongoing, according to sources.” Pakistan announced the mass deportation of 1.73 million Afghans in the country illegally in October, a move the Taliban angrily denounced as “unacceptable.” |
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Afghanistan |
Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to expand 'counter-terrorism' cooperation |
2024-03-17 |
[GEO.TV] Pakistain and the Taliban ...the once and current oppressors of Afghanistan... -led Afghan government Saturday agreed to expand "counter-terrorism" cooperation and continue working together in building fraternal bilateral relations. The development came during a telephonic conversation between Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi. "Expanding cooperation in connectivity, trade, security, counter terrorism and people-to-people contacts is a top priority for Pakistain," Dar posted on X, as he received a congratulatory call from the Afghan interim minister. Pakistain, Afghanistan agree to expand ’counter-terrorism cooperation Earlier this week, Kabul emphasised maintaining relations with Islamabad, saying that it was a necessity to have improved relations with all its neighbouring countries. Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid urged the new government of Pakistain to show flexibility towards the deportation of Afghan refugees. "First, the Islamic Emirate has always sought good relations with all its neighbours, including Pakistain, where a new government has emerged. Afghanistan also needs good relations with Pakistain. "We want Pakistain to make good progress in various sectors with Afghanistan and ask the future government to solve all its problems," the spokesperson said. The development comes amid a tense relationship between the two countries with acting Prime Minister of Afghanistan Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund assuring Pakistain earlier this year that his country did not have any intention of inflicting damage upon or creating problems for the neighbouring country. During a meeting with a delegation of Pak religious leaders led by Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...the political wing of the Pak Taliban... -Fazl (JUIF) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman ...Deobandi holy man, known as Mullah Dieselduring the war against the Soviets, his sympathies for the Taliban have never been tempered by honesty. Fazl seldom misses a meal and is now so large he has his own gravitational pull... in January this year, Akhund said they dealt each issue in Afghanistan as per the Islamic Sharia, as the country was governed by Sharia, and Sharia did not allow hurting anyone or any other country including Pakistain. The Afghanistan acting PM also reiterated that they would not give permission to use their soil against any other country. |
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India-Pakistan |
Fazl tight-lipped on 'fruitful' meeting with Taliban chief Akhunzada |
2024-01-12 |
[GEO.TV] Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...a Pak religious party. It is usually part of the govt, never part of the solution... - Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman is tight-lipped on his one-on-one meeting with Taliban ...Arabic for students... supreme leader Maulvi Sheikh Haibatullah Akhunzada and has not even updated the other members of his delegation what the two discussed, reported The News on Friday. According to the publication, the Maulana Fazl-led delegation is likely to conclude the visit and return to Pakistain today (Friday). However, the way to a man's heart remains through his stomach... it reported that there were rumours in Afghanistan that Akhunzada refused to meet the whole delegation and it was only Fazl who was taken to Kandahar, where the Taliban supremo is based, for the meeting. "He told us that he had held a detailed and fruitful meeting with Sheikh Haibatullah Akhunzada and discussed multiple issues but Maulana sahib avoided sharing details of the discussion with the Taliban supreme leader," a member of the delegation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told The News. He also confirmed that none of the delegation members accompanied the JUI-F chief to the meeting. "Maulana sahib (Fazlur Rahman) was taken alone to Kandahar for the meeting. Well, all of us had a great desire for this important meeting with Sheikh Haibatullah, but we had to obey what our elders wanted us to do," said another member of the delegation. He added they realised from Fazl’s reaction that the meeting was fruitful. "Maulana sahib is otherwise quite an easy person and never hides things. But since this is a very sensitive subject, therefore, he didn’t share anything with members of his delegation," a close aide of the JUI-F chief told The News. Senior members of the Afghan Taliban have confirmed Fazl’s meeting with Akhunzada but Taliban front man Zabihullah Mujahid neither confirmed nor denied their meeting. When asked if the delegation held talks with the Pak Taliban, the sources said that they held individual meetings with some of them but so far they are yet to hold any official meeting. "Since some members of the Afghan and Pak Taliban have studied in madaris in Pakistain where some members of the delegation were their teachers, therefore, they came to visit their teachers whom they met after a long time. However, the way to a man's heart remains through his stomach... there has been no official meeting with them but before leaving for Pakistain, Maulana Fazlur Rahman and his colleagues are expected to meet with some representatives of the Pak Taliban," he explained. |
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India-Pakistan |
'TTP on agenda' as Fazl gears up for visit to Afghanistan |
2024-01-07 |
[GEO.TV] Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is set to embark on his maiden visit to Afghanistan in nearly 10 years tomorrow (Sunday), sources told Geo News. The senior politician has banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Pak-Afghan bilateral relationship among other issues on the visit's agenda, the sources said. Interim Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Sardar Ahmed Jan Shakib on December 16, met the senior politician and invited him to visit Afghanistan. Later, Taliban government's spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed Fazl's upcoming visit. This will be Fazl's first visit since the Taliban takeover of the war-torn country following the United States withdrawal in 2021. Fazl first visited Afghanistan in 2013 during the government of former president Hamid Karzai. The sources said that former member of the National Assembly Jamaluddin Mehsood will accompany the JUI-F chief on the trip. Continuous use of Afghan soil against Pakistan — an issue that Islamabad has time again raised before the Taliban-led Afghan administration — will also be discussed on the visit, sources added. Speaking on Geo News' programme "Jirga", which will be aired tomorrow, Fazl said that he has the government's mandate for the Afghanistan visit. "I believe in negotiations but one can move towards a comprehensive strategy only by looking at the ground realities for talks with TTP," Fazl said. Related: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl: 2010-12-30 Govt has no intention to repeal blasphemy law, NA told Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl: 2009-03-24 Religious parties demand sharia in other NWFP areas after Malakand Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl: 2008-07-26 JUI-F jirga in Tirah Valley to seek Fazl's advice Related: Fazlur Rehman: 2024-01-03 JUI-F ready to work with PML-N for Pakistan's prosperity, says Fazl Fazlur Rehman: 2024-01-02 Fazl doesn't see election happening on Feb 8 after DI Khan attack Fazlur Rehman: 2023-12-12 JI announces no-trust motion against PPP's Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab Related: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan: 2023-12-12 Suicide bomber attacks police station in northwest Pakistan, killing 23 officers and wounding 32 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan: 2023-09-20 Over 100 Afghan Security Outposts Built Along Durand Line Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan: 2023-09-12 Kalash youth extend helping hand to security forces Related: Taliban: 2024-01-04 Ex-MNA Mohsin Dawar survives gun attack in North Waziristan Taliban: 2024-01-04 Death toll of the terrorist attack near a cemetery in Iran more than 200 people Taliban: 2024-01-03 At least 103 killed in Iran 'terrorist attack' at event honoring general taken out in US drone strike |
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Afghanistan |
Spokesperson: Muttaqi Temporarily to Assume Some Duties of Deputy PM |
2023-11-26 |
[ToloNews] The acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, has temporarily taken on the task of regulating the Islamic Emirate's internal and external policy, which was one of the duties of the Prime Minister's political deputy. The Islamic Emirate's spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, told TOLOnews that Muttaqi will temporarily take over for Political Deputy Prime Minister Mawlawi Abdul Kabir due to his illness. "Following up on domestic and foreign policy have been entrusted to the minister of foreign affairs, and the head of the political deputy PM's office should carry out the other work and activities," Mujahid said. It has been almost three months that the political deputy of the Prime Minister has not been present in meetings and visits with officials from other countries. "We hope that he will return to his duties in the coming days. He participates in consultations and gave advice to the government, but he did not visit his office because the physicians had urged him to take a rest," said Hassan Haqyar, head of the media directorate of the political deputy of the PM. Some political analysts said that the Islamic Emirate's leaders' presence is important in meetings, and urged that the current government provide an explanation for the officials' attendance and absence. "I hope the Islamic Emirate shares with the nation every issue, including changes and meetings, travel abroad and inside ... so that some propaganda and worries will be removed," Kamran Aman, a political analyst, told TOLOnews. Mawlawi Abdul Kabir most recently met on September 4, 2023, with the former Ottoman Turkish ambassador. However, if you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning... he did not have any formal meetings following that. |
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Afghanistan | |
Daily Evacuation Brief October 25-26, 2023 | |
2023-10-26 | |
[AfghanDigest LAST 24 HOURS
CONFLICT TRACKER Kandahar: An ALF strike team reportedly struck a Taliban security checkpoint in front of the provincial prison in Kandahar City (6th police district). ALF sources said they killed 1 Taliban and 2 others were injured in the fray. NEXT 24 HOURS: No Threats Reported Daily Evacuation Brief October 25, 2023 [AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
NEXT 24 HOURS No Threats Reported | |
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Afghanistan |
Daily Evacuation Brief October 5, 2023 |
2023-10-05 |
[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
CONFLICT TRACKER Nuristan: NRF forces launched two separate attacks against Taliban personnel yesterday. The first attack targeted a Taliban checkpoint in Mandol and lasted well into the night. The second attack targeted a building used by the Taliban in Doab. Additional skirmishes were reported but not confirmed at several checkpoints in the province. 2 Talib fighters were killed and 5 were wounded in both operations. NEXT 24 HOURS: No Threats Reported |
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Afghanistan |
Taliban govt urges Pakistan to 'reconsider' drive to expel illegal Afghan immigrants |
2023-10-05 |
[GEO.TV] Taliban ...Arabic for students... administration in Kabul on Wednesday said that they strongly condemn Pakistain's threat to forcibly expel illegal Afghan im Pakistain's caretaker government had set a November 1 deadline for approximately 1.73 million Afghan im Zabihullah Mujahid, the front man for the Taliban administration in Kabul, expressed their disapproval on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). He emphasised that Afghans should not be held responsible for Pakistain's security issues. Pakistain's Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti had alleged that Afghan nationals were responsible for 14 out of 24 suicide kabooms in Pakistain this year, using this as a justification for the crackdown. However, today is that tomorrow you were thinking about yesterday... the Taliban front man rebuffed this claim, asserting, "The Pak side should reconsider its plan. Afghan refugees are not involved in Pakistain's security problems. As long as they leave Pakistain voluntarily, that country should tolerate them." The ultimatum issued by Pakistain to Afghan im Bugti alleged that one of the jacket wallahs was an Afghan national and also accused India's intelligence agency of involvement. Relations between the Taliban and the Pakistain government have deteriorated, with border festivities leading to the temporary closure of the main trade route between the two countries last month. |
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Afghanistan |
Daily Evacuation Brief September 25, 2023 |
2023-09-25 |
[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
CONFLICT TRACKER Balkh: A grenade was tossed toward the entrance of the central municipal offices in Mazar-i-Sharif yesterday by an unknown individual. While no injuries or deaths occurred, Taliban leaders in the province voiced concerns to the security forces leadership about the act, complaining that security personnel have gotten complacent, Balkh: A team of ALF fighters attacked the Central Prison complex in Mazar-i-Sharif yesterday evening, The team fired on the Taliban guards stationed above the prison entrance, 1 Talib was reportedly killed and 3 others were wounded in the engagement. Baghlan: A night attack was reportedly carried out on a Taliban-fortified position in the Deh Salah district at around midnight. The ALF strike tram opened fire in the position, claiming to have killed 2 Taliban and wounded 3 more. The base is viewed by Resistance forces as a key target, facilitating communications for the Taliban in the area. NEXT 24 HOURS: No Threats Reported |
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Afghanistan |
Islamic Emirate Rejects Report of Torture in Prisons |
2023-09-21 |
[ToloNews] 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... Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said it has documented hundreds of cases of torture and other "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment" committed by the current authorities in Afghanistan during the arrest and subsequent detention of individuals. UNAMA said in a report on Wednesday that it had documented over 1,600 cases of human rights ...not to be confused with individual rights,mind you... violations -- nearly half of which comprised acts of "torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment" -- committed by the current authorities in Afghanistan during arrests and detentions, and the deaths of 18 individuals while in jug. The report covers the period from January 2022 until the end of July 2023, with cases found across 29 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. "The personal accounts of beatings, electric shocks, water torture, and numerous other forms of cruel and degrading treatment, along with threats made against individuals and their families, are harrowing. Torture is forbidden in all circumstances," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement issued with the report. The report acknowledges steps taken to ensure stronger oversight of places of detention, including the continued work of the MOI and GDI Human Rights Directorates, OPA’s monitoring committee, the Supreme Court’s committees, as well as the creation of a new High Directorate of Supervision and Prosecution of Decrees and Edicts mandated to monitor places of detention and investigate allegations of abuse. "Although there have been some encouraging signs in terms of leadership directives as well as an openness among many de facto officials to engage constructively with UNAMA, and allow visits to prisons, these documented cases highlight the need for urgent, accelerated action by all," said Roza Otunbayeva, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Head of UNAMA. "To resolve this issue, it is essential that the prisoners have access to a defence attorney, and international organizations like the Red Thingy and other human rights institutions should provide monitoring of the prisons in meetings with the prisoners," said Abdullah Ahmadi, expert in human rights issues. Meanwhile, ...back at the wine tasting, Vince was about to start on his third quart... the Islamic Emirate said the UNAMA report on prisons in Afghanistan is "propaganda and far from reality." Zabihullah Mujahid, the Islamic Emirate's spokesperson, said in a statement: "UNAMA has stated in a report that prisoners are being mistreated in prisons and detention centers in Afghanistan. We strongly reject this propaganda. It is not permissible to beat, mistreat and or torture anyone in the Islamic Emirate's military and civil institutions, including prisons and detention centers." Previously, some international organizations have criticized human rights violations and arbitrary arrests in Afghanistan, an issue that has always been denied by the Islamic Emirate. |
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Afghanistan |
Daily Evacuation Brief | September 16, 2023: US Rules Out Support For Resistance Groups |
2023-09-16 |
A NOTE TO OUR READERS: The Daily Evacuation Brief will now be published at 0630hrs Kabul time on Saturdays and Sundays. [AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
NEXT 24 HOURS: No Threats Reported |
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