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 Pencilneckal-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 ![]() 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). |
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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
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
Applications will begin being accepted on 22 September 2023 and must be completed online through the iLearn Portal. 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. |
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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, ![]() ... who used to be known in intelligence circles as The Most Evil Man in the Worldbut 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. |
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Afghanistan |
Daily Evacuation Brief February 4, 2023 |
2023-02-04 |
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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) |
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Afghanistan |
Hekmatyar: 'We Urge The Supporters Of Hizb-i-Islami To Prepare For Another War' |
2023-01-03 |
![]() "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 ![]() 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 Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not reallyMoslems.... (ISIS) was recovered from the bombers' controller. |
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Afghanistan |
Daily Evacuation Brief December 3, 2022 |
2022-12-03 |
[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
NEXT 24 HOURS
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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 ![]() ... who used to be known in intelligence circles as The Most Evil Man in the Worldbut 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 TalibanKarzai ...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. |
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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:
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", ![]() ... who used to be known in intelligence circles as The Most Evil Man in the Worldbut 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.
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'
The IS and the National Resistance Front
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 | |||
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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 intelligenceagency 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 ![]() 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 TalibanKarzai ...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 ![]() ... who used to be known in intelligence circles as The Most Evil Man in the Worldbut 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 |
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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 TalibanKarzai ...A product, and probably the sole product, of the Southern Alliance... and political partner Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, ![]() The Most Evil Man in the Worldbut 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, ![]() 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 |
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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 ![]() 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. |
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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![]() 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 independentbranch 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.
"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 | |
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