Recent Appearances...

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Recent Appearances...

Afghanistan

Torkham Crossing Fully Reopens After One-Month Closure

2025-03-23

[ToloNews] The Torkham crossing, which was reopened to cargo trucks last Wednesday, was fully reopened to passengers as well this morning (Saturday).

The deputy governor of Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
told TOLOnews that Pakistain had closed the crossing in response to construction work on the Afghan side of the hypothetical Durand Line. Now that the construction has been completed, the crossing has been reopened for all forms of movement.

Azizullah Mustafah, the deputy governor of Nangarhar, told TOLOnews: "The road has been officially reopened to passengers today, and transit operations are ongoing. The Islamic Emirate is working to prevent the closure of this route because people and traders on both sides are affected, and this crossing should not be politicized."

Meanwhile,
...back at the saloon, Butch got the bill for the damage caused by the fist fight, the mirror broken in the shootout, and drinks for everyone......
a number of passengers and traders are calling for better facilities at the crossing. Their main demand is for the crossing to remain permanently open.

Hundreds of cargo trucks pass through the Torkham crossing daily. Traders operating through this route are urging officials in both Afghanistan and Pakistain to resolve the challenges and boost trade between the two countries.

According to the Chamber of Commerce and Investment, traders on both sides suffered an estimated $70 million in losses during the one-month closure of the Torkham crossing.

Link

India-Pakistan

Torkham border talks collapse as Afghan jirga walks out over ''unserious approach''

2025-03-13

[GEO.TV] Talks between Pak and Afghan jirgas aimed at resolving the 19-day Torkham border dispute broke down after the Afghan delegation walked out, accusing Pakistain of not taking the negotiations seriously, according to sources.

They said the dispute began nearly three weeks ago when Afghan forces started constructing structures inside Pak territory near the Torkham border, The News reported on Thursday.

Pakistain objected to the construction, leading to rising tensions and the suspension of trade and cross-border movement. The closure has caused severe disruptions to businesses and travellers on both sides.

To resolve the issue, both countries formed jirgas four days ago, comprising tribal elders, businessmen, and officials.

In the first meeting two days ago, both delegations agreed to a ceasefire and further dialogue to address the controversial construction and restore border operations. The ceasefire has been upheld since the initial talks.

After consulting Afghan authorities in Kabul and Jalalabad, the Afghan jirga led by Afghan Chamber of Commerce Chairman Younus Mohmand returned to the Torkham border for a decisive round of negotiations.

The meeting was expected to determine the next steps for reopening the border and resolving the territorial dispute.

However,
there is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened...
the Afghan delegation said Pakistain had expanded its delegation list without prior consultation. The Afghan jirga waited for two hours but ultimately decided to leave without holding talks.

They returned to Kabul, expressing their disappointment with Pakistain's jirga approach and accusing it of undermining serious negotiations.

Pak jirga leader and Federation of Chambers of Commerce adviser Sayed Jawad Hussain Kazmi acknowledged the Afghan concerns, admitting that the expansion of the delegation had not been communicated properly.

He explained that Pakistain had originally submitted a list of 17 members, but another list with over 50 additional names was unexpectedly sent to the Afghan delegation.

Kazmi stressed that the Torkham border dispute was a critical issue affecting trade, economic stability, and diplomatic relations between the two countries.

He reiterated that dialogue remained the only way to resolve the matter and assured that efforts would continue to bring the Afghan jirga back to the negotiating table.

Link

Afghanistan

Clashes, Shelling in Torkham Displace Around 800 Families

2025-03-07

[ToloNews] Around 800 families in Torkham have been forced to leave their homes due to intermittent festivities and shelling attacks by Pak forces.

Local residents told TOLOnews that Pakistain’s missile attacks have caused massive damage to their homes and shops.

Abdul Haq, a resident of Torkham Township, said that four nights ago he was forced to leave his home due to attacks by Pak forces and seek shelter in a safer area.

Abdul Haq added: "Shells were coming from Pakistain, I didn’t know where they would land, but we fled and found shelter here. That night, it was also raining, and we bravely ran away with our children and women."

"We left under very difficult conditions while bullets were being fired. We took the children out, but we didn’t even have blankets or quilts with us," said Roqil, another displaced person in Torkham.

Some of the displaced people claim that Pak forces do not have the capability to fight face-to-face with the forces of the Islamic Emirate, which is why they target civilians and workers.

"It is the month of Ramadan; whether we had dry or fresh food, we should have been able to eat it in our homes, but now we are displaced here," Nasib Gul, a resident of Torkham, told TOLOnews.

Meanwhile,
...back at the shootout, Butch shot Black Bart's knife out of his hand......
local officials have announced efforts to provide urgent assistance to the displaced people.

Baz Mohammad Abdul Rahman, head of the Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
department of refugees and repatriation, told TOLOnews: "Around 800 families have been displaced from the areas near Torkham. Organizations under the supervision of the department of refugees and repatriation are conducting surveys, and assistance will be provided shortly."

Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal, head of the Omari camp in Torkham, said about the aid to the displaced: "Several organizations have arrived, and the survey process is ongoing to assist them."

This comes as the Torkham crossing has been closed to all movement by Pakistain for the past 13 days, leaving hundreds of passengers, emergency patients, and thousands of cargo trucks stranded at the crossing.

Link

Afghanistan

Torkham Closure Trade Losses Mount as Afghan-Pakistani Tensions Persist

2025-03-06

[ToloNews] The closure of the Torkham crossing for the past twelve days has created serious challenges for travelers and traders, while Afghan and Pak officials continue their efforts to find a solution.

Torkham, one of the most important crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistain, handles the largest volume of trade and movement between the two countries. This situation has inflicted millions of dollars in losses on traders.

Khanjan Alokozay, the head of the Afghanistan-Pakistain Joint Chamber of Commerce, stated: "Around 800 trucks pass through both sides daily; today marks the twelfth day, meaning more than six thousand trucks have been halted. We hold conferences and video calls through the joint chamber, and we are in discussions with them. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce and Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
officials are also making efforts, but so far, these efforts have yielded no results."

Local officials in Nangarhar and the Afghan Chamber of Commerce have held multiple meetings with Pak authorities to reopen the crossing, but no progress has been made, and border festivities continue.

Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, stated on X that the tensions between Afghan and Pak forces at Torkham should be resolved through diplomatic means.

Khalilzad wrote: "People are dying, and others are becoming refugees. Traders on both sides are losing millions of dollars. Each is accusing the other of sheltering bully boy groups inimical to them. Diplomacy is a better option."

Some political analysts believe that keeping border crossings closed is not a suitable solution and that Pakistain should send a delegation to Afghanistan for high-level negotiations.

"I urge the government to engage with Pakistain based on our national interests and the legitimate demands of our people—not for the benefit of a single group, ethnicity, or region," said Yousuf Amin Zazi, a political analyst.

"The Pak government has historically used the Torkham border to pressure the Islamic Emirate and the Afghan people, and it continues to do so. As a result, people in Afghanistan, Pakistain, and Central Asia are suffering widespread losses," said Fazl Rahman Oria, another political analyst.

In recent years, relations between Kabul and Islamabad have deteriorated, exacerbated by the expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistain and Pak attacks on Afghan soil.

Link

Afghanistan

Islamic Emirate Confirms Prisoner Exchange with the US

2025-01-22

[ToloNews] The Islamic Emirate has confirmed the exchange of an Afghan prisoner for two American detainees.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Afghan prisoner released by the US, identified as Khan Mohammad, had been held in jug in Caliphornia, an impregnable bastion of the Democratic Party,.

While the Islamic Emirate has not disclosed the identities of the released American citizens, US media reports suggest they are Ryan Corbett and William McKinty. The exchange took place in the final hours of Joe The Big Guy Biden
...46th president of the U.S. Old, boring, a plagiarist, fond of hair sniffing and grabbing the protruding parts of women, and not whatcha call brilliant....
's presidency.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the exchange was facilitated by Qatar
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
, and the Islamic Emirate views any US initiatives aimed at normalizing relations positively.

Zia Ahmad Takal, head of public relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: "The Islamic Emirate welcomes steps by the United States that help normalize and expand relations between the two countries."

US media reported that Ryan Corbett's family has expressed gratitude to Qatar for its efforts in securing his release.

CNN
...formerly the Cable News Network, now who know what it might stand for...
said: "The Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
agreed to swap two Americans being held in Afghanistan for one Taliban member serving a life sentence in a US prison. But there was an unexpected delay (at least in part due to bad weather in Washington and Kabul) and Donald Trump
...The cad! Twice caught beating wimmin!...
was officially back in the White House when Americans Ryan Corbett and William McKenty were handed over and on their way home early Tuesday, exchanged for Afghan Taliban member Khan Mohammed who was convicted in 2008 on narco-terrorism charges."

Zalmai Afghan Yar, a military analyst, said: "The prisoner exchange, based on diplomatic dialogues, is considered a positive step. Solutions can be found for all conflicts through negotiations. We hope that continued talks will help Afghanistan emerge from isolation."

Previously, the US State Department identified three American citizens—Ryan Corbett, George Gelsman, and Mahmood Habibi—in the custody of the Islamic Emirate, citing the issue as a major obstacle to US engagement with Afghanistan's interim government.

Sayed Qaribullah Sadat, a political analyst, expressed hope that, "Through mutual understanding, the issue of prisoners and other existing challenges between Afghanistan and the U.S. can be resolved. This process could help eliminate misunderstandings."

According to the US Department of Justice, Khan Mohammad was arrested in Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
province on October 29, 2006, on drug-related charges and was transferred to the US in November 2007. In 2008, he was sentenced to two life terms.

Khan Mohammad Released After Nearly Two Decades in US Prison

[ToloNews] Khan Mohammad, an Afghan prisoner released by the United States in exchange for two American detainees, has spoken about his years of imprisonment.

He was arrested by US forces in Jalalabad in 2006 on charges of drug trafficking and plotting attacks against foreign troops. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment in a prison in California.

The 55-year-old, a resident of Chaparhar district in Nangarhar province, was freed following efforts by Afghanistan’s interim government and has now reunited with his family in Nangarhar.

Recalling his ordeal, Khan Mohammad, a former Guantanamo detainee, said: “I was accused of selling drugs and financing the Islamic Emirate. They also claimed I was involved in a major plot to attack Nangarhar airport to kill US forces. Based on these allegations, I was sentenced to two life terms.”

His son, Rafiullah, expressed relief upon hearing his father’s voice after years of separation. However, he insists that his father was innocent and demands compensation from the US government.

“No crime was ever proven against him. He spent twenty years in prison unjustly. Our demand is that the US government compensate us for the long years my father was wrongfully imprisoned,” said Rafiullah.

Meanwhile, local authorities have said that the interim government continues to work towards securing the release of other Afghan prisoners held abroad.

Azizullah Mustafa, the deputy governor of Nangarhar, said: “The Islamic Emirate is making efforts to secure the release of another detainee, Haji Mohammad Rahim, and reunite him with his family.”

Khan Mohammad’s release from a California prison comes as another Afghan, Rahimullah, remains detained at Guantanamo Bay. The interim government is actively pursuing his release as well.

Link

Afghanistan

Taliban Oppression: 80 Arrested, 38 Executed in One Month

2024-09-29

[8am] Despite their promises of a general amnesty, the Taliban
Taliban

...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
continue to arrest former military personnel and civilians. In September 2024, they arrested around 81 people across 18 provinces and executed more than 25 individuals in 13 provinces. Some of these killings have been attributed to unidentified gangs. Among those executed, 14 were killed by 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....
— Khorasan Province (ISKP) at the Daykundi-Ghor border. The victims included former military personnel and civilians, accused of various offenses. The Taliban detained individuals for spreading critical content, being affiliated with anti-Taliban fronts, shaving their beards, or having ties to ISKP or the "Hizbut Tahrir
...an al-Qaeda recruiting organization banned in most countries. It calls for the reestablishment of the Caliphate...
" group. These figures, based on reports from the Hasht-e Subh Daily, suggest that due to widespread repression and censorship, the actual number of executions and imprisonments may be higher.

In September 2024, 25 people were executed in Takhar, Ghor, Ghazni, Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
, Faryab, Daykundi, Khost, Badakhshan, Nuristan, Laghman
...Afghan province with a population of about 445,600, which is multi-ethnic and mostly a rural society. During the invasions of Alexander the Great, the area was known as Lampaka, wich is apparently Olde Macedonian for Laghman.The city of Mihtarlam serves as the bucolic capital of the province. The population is half Pashtun, the remainder Tadjik and Pashai. It had a repution for great wealth until it was conquered in the tenth century by Abu Mansur Sabuktigin.

He conquered it and set fire to the places in its vicinity which were inhabited by infidels, and demolishing the idol-temples, he established Islam in them, He marched and captured other cities and killed the polluted wretches, destroying the idolatrous and gratifying the Musulmans. After wounding and killing beyond all measure, his hands and those of his friends became cold in counting the value of the plundered property.

After that it was mostly notable for the production of dirt, rocks, and holy men...
, and Balkh provinces. Of these, around 15 killings were attributed to unidentified gangs, but sources and relatives of the victims accused the Taliban of being responsible. Additionally, 13 Hazara
...a grouping of Dari-speaking people of Sino-Tibetan descent inhabiting Afghanistan and Pakistain. They are predominantly Shia Moslems and not particularly warlike, which makes them favored targets...
s from Daykundi were executed near the Ghor border, along with a Sunni resident from Ghor who was passing through the area. ISKP grabbed credit for the attack.

Last week, the Taliban shot six people in Takhar province and displayed their bodies in a market in the Baharak district center. Local sources reported that the Taliban left the bodies on public display in "Qayoom Bazaar" in Baharak district on Friday, September 20, for several hours. The group did not provide details about the victims’ identities, but sources claimed that the Taliban executed them on charges of theft.

Before these six executions, the Taliban killed Amanullah, a former local police commander of the previous government, in Rustaq district, Takhar province. Sources stated that the Taliban shot Amanullah, the leader of former local uprisings, in the village of Sarjoy as he was returning home.

The Taliban’s campaign of civilian killings continues, with reports of them brutally murdering a student in Ghor province. Sources say Kamaluddin Nizami, an accounting student at a university in Shiraz, Iran, had returned to Ferozkoh, the capital of Ghor, for the holidays. Taliban intelligence tortured him for three days before killing him.

In Badakhshan province, sources report that the Taliban’s head of education in Ishkashim district killed a teacher. The victim, Wali Mohammad Mosamim, taught mathematics and was about to be appointed as the district’s head of education. However,
today is that tomorrow you were thinking about yesterday...
a Taliban official killed him in his office, according to sources.

Since the Taliban’s takeover, extrajudicial, serial, and mysterious killings have surged. After many of these incidents, sources and victims’ relatives often accuse the Taliban, though the group frequently blames unidentified gangs while also claiming they have established nationwide security.

In the past month alone, three individuals were killed in Ghor, a former military member in Babaji district, Helmand
...an Afghan province populated mostly by Pashtuns, adjacent to Injun country in Pak Balochistan...
province, a former security officer in Faryab province, a man and a woman in Shahristan district, Daykundi province, a young man in Mandol district, Nuristan province, another young man in Faryab province, the head of the previous government’s Directorate of Transportation in Nangarhar province, a student in Khost province
... across the border from Miranshah, within commuting distance of Haqqani hangouts such as Datta Khel and probably within sight of Mordor. Khost is populated by six different tribes of Pashtuns, the largest probably being the Khostwal, from which it takes its name...
, a teacher in Mazar-e-Sharif, Balkh province, a man in Rashidan district, Ghazni province, a young man in Laghman province, and a driver in Kunduz. The Taliban attribute these attacks to unidentified gangs, but sources accuse the Taliban of being responsible for most of these killings.

ARRESTS OF FORMER MILITARY PERSONNEL AND CIVILIANS BY THE TALIBAN
The Taliban have arrested a former military officer in Baghlan province, two former security forces members in Kabul, and one other individual in Nangarhar province. While the group offers no explanation for these arrests, sources close to the detainees report that the Taliban frequently target former military personnel, often accusing them of being involved in anti-Taliban activities as part of their broader Dire Revenge against those who once opposed them.

In addition to former security forces, the Taliban have arrested civilians and former ~~babus~~ government employees on various charges. Over the past month, they have detained around 65 individuals for reasons ranging from alleged collaboration with the National Resistance® Front of Afghanistan to shaving their beards, clashing with nomads, publishing satirical content, and criticizing the Taliban. Many detainees were coerced into making confessions. The Taliban have also arrested some of their own members on charges of affiliation with Islamic State — Khorasan Province (ISKP), as well as members of the "Hizbut Tahrir" group.

Reports show these arrests took place in Kabul, Takhar, Nangarhar, Ghazni, Herat
...a venerable old Persian-speaking city in western Afghanistan, populated mostly by Tadjiks, which is why it's not as blood-soaked as areas controlled by Pashtuns...
, Panjshir, and Baghlan, and the whereabouts of many detainees remain unknown. Sources confirm that the families of those arrested are unaware of their relatives’ locations, and the Taliban have provided no further information. It has been reported multiple times that the Taliban arrest individuals on various pretexts, demanding money or weapons for their release.

In recent weeks, the Taliban have detained three civilians in Baghlan, four in Takhar, 25 in Ghazni, 17 in Panjshir, 15 in Badghis, and three in Herat. Although the Taliban regime employed some of these individuals after being hired during the previous government, the group has given no reasons for the arrests, which appear arbitrary. Sources claim many detainees have been tortured and coerced into making confessions.

INTERNAL PURGES AND ALLEGATIONS OF ISKP AFFILIATION
The Taliban are grappling with severe internal divisions, leading to multiple festivities among their commanders and fighters across various provinces. These confrontations have escalated into the use of both light and heavy weapons. Amid rising tensions, the Taliban have arrested several of their fighters in some provinces, accusing them of belonging to the Islamic State — Khorasan Province (ISKP).

On Saturday, September 14, sources informed Hasht-e Subh Daily that the Taliban arrested seven of their members on charges of collaborating with ISKP. According to these sources, the arrests targeted individuals within the Taliban’s military ranks, reflecting the group’s ongoing concerns about ISKP infiltrators in their ranks.

Taliban intelligence forces also arrested Amirjan Fouladi, a former military officer, in Bamyan province and transferred him to an undisclosed location. Fouladi’s family has not been informed of his whereabouts. Sources indicate he had recently served as the "Plan and Operations Manager" for the Taliban police command.

For over three years, the Taliban have openly supported commanders and fighters accused of crimes. When a video leaked showing a Taliban commander in Takhar province committing sexual assault, the group arrested the person who filmed the incident, not the perpetrator.

In addition, members of "Hizbut Tahrir," who previously collaborated with the Taliban before their rise to power, have also faced arrests. On Thursday, August 22, Taliban intelligence in Takhar province detained several members of the group in Kalafgan district, rejecting mediation attempts by local elders. The Taliban had previously arrested other members of this ideological group.

Meanwhile,
...back at the cheese factory, all the pieces finally fell together in Fluffy's mind...
the UN Secretary-General recently presented a quarterly report on Afghanistan to the UN Security Council, revealing that between May 14 and July 31, 2,127 security incidents were recorded, marking a 53 percent increase from last year. The report also highlighted the ongoing torture, arrests, and killings of former military personnel, despite the Taliban’s promise of general amnesty. The arrest and killing of former government military personnel continue unchecked.

Link

Afghanistan

RUMINT: Hamza, son of Osama bin Laden, alive and preparing attacks on the West

2024-09-15

[KhaamaPress] According to new intelligence reports, the late Osama bin Laden
...... who is no longer with us, and won't be again......
’s son, who was reported to have been killed in 2019, is alive and is allegedly taking control of al-Qaeda while planning attacks against Western targets.

The Daily Mail, citing defense experts, reported that Hamza bin Laden is alive and secretly leading the terrorist organization. According to the reports, his brother Abdullah is also connected to the group. al-Qaeda is reportedly regrouping and preparing for future attacks on the West.

In September 2019, former U.S. President Donald Trump
...The tack in the backside of the Democratic Party...
confirmed that Hamza bin Laden had been killed in a U.S. counterterrorism operation in an area between Afghanistan and Pakistain.

However,
a lie repeated often enough remains a lie...
on Thursday, the Mirror reported, based on intelligence analysis, that Hamza bin Laden survived the U.S. attempts to kill him.

Colonel Richard Kemp, the former head of British forces, has warned that Hamza is using Afghanistan’s territory, where "he seems to have a wide and open field for activity" and "intends to avenge his father’s death and achieve victory."

It is noteworthy that Osama bin Laden, the criminal mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, was later killed in a 2011 operation in Abbottabad
... A pleasant city located only 30 convenient miles from Islamabad. The city is noted for its nice weather and good schools. It is the site of Pakistain's military academy, which was within comfortable walking distance of the residence of the late Osama bin Laden....
, Pakistain.

The report suggests that Hamza, along with his brother Abdullah bin Laden, is secretly leading and reviving al-Qaeda.

Under Hamza bin Laden’s leadership, al-Qaeda has reportedly established around 10 training camps in Afghanistan and has built ties with other anti-Western terrorist groups.

This bit matches other reports we’ve seen.

The report states that Hamza bin Laden, 34, spends most of his time at a terrorist base in Jalalabad, Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
Province. The report claims that the Taliban
Taliban

...mindless ferocity in a turban...
leaders are reportedly aware of Hamza bin Laden’s efforts to revive al-Qaeda and regularly meet with him.

Yet, the Taliban has not issued any comment regarding the report.

Despite the assumption that Saif al-Adel
...holed up in Iran from 2002 until 2010, when he made bail and moved back to the Pak-Afghan border...
now leads al-Qaeda after Ayman al-Zawahiri
...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra...>
’s death, the Mirror reports that Hamza bin Laden is becoming a prominent figure in the group’s resurgence, aiming to carry on his father’s legacy and planning attacks on Western targets.

The resurgence of al-Qaeda under Hamza bin Laden’s leadership raises concerns about the group’s renewed strength and capacity to orchestrate global terror attacks. The possibility of coordinated efforts with other terrorist organizations, like ISIS, amplifies the threat.

Reports claim that the situation is eerily similar to the conditions that preceded the 9/11 attacks, highlighting the growing threat to global security.

Link

Afghanistan

35 years ago: 'We were the last to leave Kabul airfield'

2024-02-14

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[RedStar] February 15 is the Day of Remembrance of Russians who performed their official duties outside the Fatherland.

by Alexander Kolotil

All wars come to an end. 35 years ago, Soviet troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan. This military campaign lasted 3,341 days - just under nine years and two months. At one time, the author of these lines had the opportunity to interview a famous military leader, former commander of the 40th Army (in 1982–1984), Army General Viktor Fedorovich Ermakov, Chairman of the Council of the All-Russian Public Organization of Veterans of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. They started talking about the withdrawal of the limited Soviet contingent.

I asked Viktor Fedorovich a question:
“The Soviet troops were sometimes accused of leaving weapons and military equipment for the Afghan army, which were then used by the Taliban...

“This is nonsense,” answered Army General Viktor Ermakov. – Such statements have no basis in reality. Let me start with the fact that the limited Soviet contingent was equipped with weapons that were modern by the standards of that time. Afghan government troops also had Soviet weapons, but, as a rule, one step lower.

If, for example, we had T-62 tanks, then the Afghans had T-55. When the 40th Army left Afghanistan, it left in full force, with its standard weapons and equipment. And the weapons and military equipment that later ended up with the Taliban came to them from the Afghan government troops. This was easy to notice even from television reports.

Thus, the 40th Army “did not give anything to the dushmans,” and blaming us for this is completely unjustified. We left only prepared and equipped residential camps and administrative buildings, which for the most part were looted in the very first days after the signing of the acts on their transfer. We also took property from our warehouses, which were mainly located in Puli-Khumri and Termez...

***

Five years ago, I had the opportunity to publish an interview with the former commander of the 40th Combined Arms Army, Hero of the Soviet Union, full holder of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, Colonel General Boris Vsevolodovich Gromov. I will give a fragment regarding the withdrawal of troops.

I asked the following question:
“You said that the withdrawal of troops from Kabul began on January 2, 1989.” When did the last unit leave the Afghan capital?

“The last unit of the 40th Army left Kabul on February 4,” Colonel General Boris Gromov answered me. – On January 25, 1989, there were still 30,000 soldiers and officers of the Limited Contingent of Soviet Forces in Afghanistan. At the final stage of the withdrawal, the 40th Army was still a fairly powerful formation. While ensuring the withdrawal of troops, units of the 40th Army continued to carry out tasks to protect communications, sensitive zones and other facilities. In particular, 26 battalions were deployed to guard roads in the eastern direction.

More than 4,500 military personnel served at 199 outposts and posts. As before, the command of the 40th Army paid great attention to the protection of Kabul. One hundred and two outposts surrounded the city within a radius of twenty-five kilometers. In addition, special forces units and the 103rd Airborne Division conducted search and reconnaissance operations along the probable routes of movement of the Mujahideen.

Twenty-seven outposts and outposts were used to protect and defend the capital's airfield. In total, more than four and a half thousand people operated in the vicinity of Kabul. As I already said, the last unit of the 40th Army left Kabul on February 4th. And on February 8, the sequential removal of the personnel of the 40th Army from the outposts on the Kabul-Salang Pass road was completed. Two days later, our units were completely withdrawn from the pass section, and the route itself was transferred to the protection of government troops. And on February 15, 1989, the withdrawal of units of the 40th Army from the territory of Afghanistan was completed. Thus, the Soviet Union fully complied with the Geneva Agreements.

***

I will focus on this phrase of the military commander: “Twenty-seven outposts and outposts were used to protect and defend the capital’s airfield.” The last military units of the 40th Army were already at the State Border of the USSR, and in Kabul, at the airfield, the paratroopers of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division still remained until the end of the day - February 14th.

***

The other day I met with two colonels, veterans of the Airborne Forces - Alexander Grigorievich Golota and Vladimir Petrovich Savitsky. I had the opportunity to participate with Colonel Vladimir Savitsky in the entry of troops on December 25, 1979. Then he commanded the 105th separate anti-aircraft missile artillery division. But Colonel Alexander Golota participated in the withdrawal of troops. From September 1987 to January 1989, he performed international duty in Afghanistan. Both officers have military awards: Colonel Savitsky - the Order of the Red Star and "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" III degree, and Colonel Golota - the Order of the Red Star and "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" III degree, as well as the medal "For military merits."

I asked Colonel Alexander Golot to talk about how the personnel of the 3rd Parachute Battalion of the 357th Guards Parachute Regiment of the 103rd Airborne Division, who were the last to leave, were withdrawn from the Kabul airfield.

“I served as the deputy commander of this battalion for political affairs, at that time my military rank was guard captain,” Alexander Grigorievich began his story. – I was no longer at the Kabul airfield that day – February 14th. The fact is that on January 18, 1989, the bulk of the personnel under my leadership left for the territory of the Soviet Union. First it was the Uzbek city of Fergana, and then we arrived at the permanent location of the 357th Guards Parachute Regiment - in the Belarusian settlement of Borovukha-1. But everything connected with the final withdrawal of my battalion is known to me down to the very last detail.

It should be noted that our battalion for a long time carried out tasks to ensure the daily safe operation of the international airport in Kabul and the military airfield located in direct contact with it. The most important task was to prevent the Mujahideen from shelling them with MLRS and various artillery pieces from the north-eastern side of the outskirts of Kabul. The daily combat activities of the battalion at outposts, mainly mountain ones, also included the elimination of any possibility of illegal armed groups entering its area of responsibility - Deh-Sabz, which means “Green Village” - to carry out terrorist and subversive activities among the civilian population.

Each village, mountain range and land plots of farmers, as well as caravan routes were under the supervision of battalion personnel. All points of possible penetration of the Mujahideen into the area of responsibility and delivery of rockets for shelling the airfield and Kabul airport were targeted. Together with the armed units of the Afghan army, enormous explanatory and propaganda work was carried out with the local population. All this allowed the international airport of Kabul to function for a long time - without emergencies.

At the beginning of January 1989, the second and final phase of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan began. Units of the 3rd battalion also began the phased transfer of outposts, buildings located there, some property and equipment to units of the Army of the Republic of Afghanistan.

It was the 3rd Parachute Battalion, commanded by Guard Major Vladimir Viktorovich Boltikov, as the most well-coordinated and combat-ready unit, whose personnel knew all the features of the terrain around the airfield and airport, and had the opportunity to protect and defend them. In addition, until January 15, 1989, the battalion was supposed to ensure the daily evacuation of the management of the Limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan, as well as civilian specialists. Based on the assigned tasks, it was necessary to supplement and strengthen the battalion with other units of the 357th Guards Parachute
Regiment.

The battalion tactical group, in addition to three understaffed parachute companies (company commanders - guard captains Vasily Semyonov, Alexander Zhadan, guard senior lieutenant Nikolai Nikulnikov), included artillerymen, sappers, fire fighters, and reconnaissance officers.

This tactical group was headed by the chief of staff of the 357th Guards Parachute Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Mikhailovich Voitko.

For almost a month, the personnel of this battalion tactical group successfully carried out tasks to ensure the smooth operation of Kabul airport. One more thing needs to be noted. At the beginning of February 1989, this battalion group was left alone at the airport, without regimental support. The main units of the Guards 357th Parachute Regiment, as part of a convoy or by air, left the territory of Afghanistan. Until the last days of this battalion's stay in Afghanistan, its personnel continued to serve at the 17th, 18th and 19th outposts located near the Paymunar pass, on the mountain ridge running along the airport.

From these “high-rise buildings” he was visible as if in the palm of his hand.

Finally, it’s time for “H”. Morning of February 14, 1989. From 9.00, all the armored vehicles remaining in the battalion were handed over to the Afghan side, and to demonstrate the departure of the last Soviet OKSVA soldiers from the Republic of Afghanistan, two dozen of the most photogenic paratroopers were selected and presented to Soviet and Western correspondents of various media. Right on the runway of the Kabul airfield, in front of the opened ramp of the An-26 aircraft, the commander of the 8th parachute company of the guard, Captain Alexander Zhadan, reported to the senior commander about the readiness of the personnel to leave for the territory of the Soviet Union.

At 12.00, the personnel were solemnly thanked for their military work and international assistance to the Afghan people and, boarding the plane, were sent to the territory of the USSR. The last Soviet soldier to leave Afghan soil in this long-term war was Junior Sergeant Sergei Ryabinin from the 8th Airborne Company. His photo from the An-26 plane spread all over the world. Due to the fact that each fighter of the battalion group was accountable and had his own combat mission, the plane was supposed to circle over the territory of Afghanistan and return back after the press left...

But something went wrong again... Seeing that the press representatives did not leave runway and airport territory, and watching the circling plane, the pilots headed for the airfield of the city of Osh, located on the territory of the Kyrgyz SSR.

This is how driver-mechanic of BMP No. 782 Alexander Poryadin from the 8th parachute company told me about the last minutes of his stay in Afghanistan:

“I handed over my car to representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Afghanistan (tsaranda) literally a few minutes before takeoff. It was a pity to the point of tears. This was the last military equipment of our battalion transferred to the local military. We boarded the IL-76 directly with weapons. The “bras” (unloading), as well as the RD-54 (paratrooper’s backpack) with full ammunition, were with us and were located directly on the floor of the aircraft.”

WE WERE THE LAST TO LEAVE KABUL AIRFIELD
By evening, the loading and mooring of vehicles with special communications on one of the sides of the Il-76 was completed. The staff serving it were also there. The other two airships housed the personnel of the battalion tactical group, their weapons, equipment and ammunition.

And this is how the former deputy commander of the 3rd parachute battalion for armament of the guard, Major Kurbon Gupronovich Yusupov, recalled those last minutes of being on the territory of the Afghan airport: “When the loading of equipment and weapons, property, ammunition and personnel was completed, it began to get dark.

Aircraft technicians began to close the ramps of their winged machines. Running from plane to plane, I suddenly saw that right on the runway, near the landing gear wheel, there was a button accordion left by someone! I just felt sorry for the musical instrument. Grabbing him and hugging him to me, I jumped onto the ramp of the plane and began to squeeze inside with difficulty. The ship’s flight engineer turned on the lift mechanism, and the ramp began to slowly rise upward, hiding the lights of the Kabul airport from us forever.”

At 18:10 local time, the planes, one after another, began to take to the sky and head for the State Border of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. A few minutes later, all three aircraft flew over that ominous place where nine years ago the Afghan mountains forever took the lives of forty-seven people who were the first on the “Afghan Frontier” to defend the southern borders of our Motherland...

Colonel Vladimir Savitsky enters the conversation:
- Yes, We recently opened a memorial to these heroes, on the day of the 44th anniversary of the entry of troops, in Borovukha-1, Vitebsk region... It is very noteworthy that it was from the Kabul airfield on December 25, 1979 that the main stage of Operation Baikal began for the 103rd Guards Airborne Division -79,” here, at the Kabul airport, nine years later, the military stay of the Vitebsk paratroopers on Afghan soil ended...

I’ll add a little to Alexander Grigorievich’s story.

It is clear that the paratroopers returning home to their native land still did not believe that the time had come for the end of hostilities and that the war was over for them. After some time, the ship’s commander announced via loudspeaker that the plane had crossed the border of the USSR. Joy lit up on the faces of the fighters. Everyone rejoiced... Already late in the evening the paratroopers flew to the city of Fergana, in the Uzbek SSR. A new, as it seemed to many, peaceful stage was approaching in the life of the personnel of the 3rd battalion of the 357th Guards Parachute Regiment.

Upon the arrival of the battalion on Soviet soil, measures began to pass border and then customs control. All other issues were immediately resolved - storage of existing weapons and equipment, equipment, availability and accounting of ammunition, temporary accommodation of military personnel on the territory of a military camp. This is how the former commander of the 9th parachute company, who in the future will become the commander of the 31st Guards Airborne Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, holder of six military orders, reserve colonel Nikolai Sergeevich Nikulnikov, recalls the events of 35 years ago:

“Immediately after landing the aircraft on the runway of the Fergana airfield, we had to solve a lot of “unusual”, or rather, half-forgotten issues of the life and activities of military units in peaceful conditions during the Afghan war. This lasted for several hours. When the company sergeant major, after placing weapons in the gun room and checking personnel, gave the command “all clear,” the clock showed half past twelve on the night of February 15, 1989.”

And the battalion headquarters, under the control of Guard Major Viktor Vladimirovich Yasonov, continued to work, sum up the results of the withdrawal, and clarify the tasks for the upcoming transfer of the battalion to the point of permanent deployment. However, in the morning, the commander of the 3rd battalion was informed of an unexpected decision by the command of the Airborne Forces - the personnel would be involved in conducting a military operation to assist the government of the Republic of Afghanistan in the event of an aggravation of the situation in general in the country and in particular in the city of Jalalabad.

Units of the Fergana 387th separate training parachute regiment of the Airborne Forces (regiment commander - Hero of the Soviet Union, then Guard Colonel Alexander Petrovich Soluyanov) were also on high alert. It was on the basis of this regiment that the 3rd Parachute Battalion of the Guards 357th Parachute Regiment had to be located and prepare to carry out the assigned task.

For almost a month and a half, the battalion tactical group was actively engaged in combat training and was in readiness “number one” for its immediate transfer again to the territory of Afghanistan.

Psychologically, it was very, very difficult for everyone to withstand this. Especially against the backdrop of the fact that all the media reported the reaction of both the world community and the Soviet people to the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the territory of Afghanistan.

However, after the withdrawal of Soviet troops, the Afghan government still managed to keep the internal political and military situation in the country under its control, and the battalion personnel finally received an order to leave for their permanent deployment point.

On March 25, 1989, three Il-76 aircraft, taking off from the Fergana airfield, headed for the Borovtsy airfield, which is located a few kilometers from the Belarusian military town of Borovukha-1. Towards evening, having softly landed and turned around, they froze on the airfield runway. The side ramps began to slowly open. The first to be seen by the soldiers who returned from the war were the commander of the 357th Guards Parachute Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Sergeevich Filippov, and the deputy regiment commander for the political part of the Guard, Lieutenant Colonel Sergei Evgenievich Ivanov. Like two fathers, they greeted their soldier sons, who had finally returned to their homeland “from that undeclared Afghan war.” For the 3rd Parachute Battalion of the Guards 357th Parachute Regiment, wartime life is finally over.

During the withdrawal of troops on the Battle Banner of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division, among the front-line awards was the Order of Lenin, which the personnel of the illustrious formation were awarded for valiantly performing combat missions, and one of the division’s regiments - the Guards 350th Parachute Airborne Division - was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. The 345th Separate Guards Parachute Regiment was also awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

Link

Britain

Radicalised Birmingham brothers who prepared to join terrorist group in Afghanistan sentenced

2023-11-28

[ITV News] Two radicalised Birmingham brothers who applied to join a terrorist group and planned to travel to Afghanistan to join terror activities, have been given custodial sentences for terrorism offences.

Muhammad Abdul Haleem Heyder Khan, 21, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and four years on license.

Muhammad Hamzah Heyder Khan, 18, was handed an eight year sentence in a youth detention centre, with four years on license.

The brothers made plans to travel to Afghanistan by buying clothes and equipment, obtaining documents and even completing application forms, from the bedroom they shared at St. Josephs Road in Ward End.

When they were arrested on 2 November 2022, they both claimed the bully boy material found on their phones and computers was for 'research purposes' because they were investigative journalists.

The brothers, referred to as Haleem and Hamzah, went on trial earlier this year but ended up pleading guilty to engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorism.

During the trial, Prosecutor Harpeet Sandhu Kc said: "Over the course of 2022 these two brothers became increasingly radicalised and prepared to travel to Afghanistan so they could join in and support terrorist activity. They intended to be part of terrorist organization 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....
Khorasan Province (ISKP).
"That organization was recognised by Islamic State as one of its regional branches. It received support and direction from Islamic State's core leadership."

In 2015 ISKP publicly declared its allegiance to Islamic State, which was prescribed as a terrorist organization the previous year.

Mr Sandhu continued: "The defendants had a keen interest in Islamic State activities. They sympathised with Islamic State issues. They intended to become deaders."

Hundreds of files were flagged on the brothers' mobile phones, computers and storage devices. Mr Sandhu said: "The defendants' preparations for joining and supporting terrorist activity included the purchase of clothing and equipment, conducting research into how they might travel to Afghanistan, obtaining documents so they could travel and completing application forms to join Islamic State. Their plans were advanced."

The brothers used messaging app Telegram to share bully boy views and also used browsers designed to hide their search history. Mr Sandhu added: "They discussed preparations for Jihad. There was mutual encouragement."

Link

Afghanistan

Over 100 Afghan Security Outposts Built Along Durand Line

2023-09-20

[TOLONEWS] The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has established more than 100 security outposts alongside the Durand Line in the eastern parts of the country.

These outposts were built by the order of acting Minister of Defense Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob.

In close vicinity to the outposts, several roads are also being built in addition to the outposts themselves. One of these roads is being built in the Salaleh neighborhood of Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
province's Goshta district.

"Previously, the border outposts were very far away. We have established more than 100 outposts in the eastern provinces on the Zero Line. These outposts have been established in Nangarhar, Kunar and Nuristan provinces," said Qari Meraj, commander of the border brigade of the eastern zone.

"In the previous government, the road near the Durand Line either did not exist, or if it did, it was destroyed. The people who live in these areas and the forces who were in the outposts in these areas were facing problems," said Wahidullah Mohammadi, front man of the 201 Khalid bin Walid Army Corps.

The residents of Salalah area, are also happy about the construction of this road.

"Before, we had many problems here. There was no road, and people were shooting from the neighboring areas, and people were moving from this area," said Imran, a resident of Goshta district.

According to officials of 201 Khalid bin Walid Army Corps in the eastern zone, efforts are still being made to provide facilities for both the military and people.

"We try our best to provide services to our people," said Qudratullah Barkat, the head of the engineering department of the 201 Khalid bin Walid Army Corps.

The news of the construction of military outposts along the Durand Line comes just two weeks after festivities broke out at the Torkham crossing between Pak border guards and Islamic Emirate forces. An event that caused the Torkham crossing to be closed for nine days.

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.

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

Former Jihadist Commander Assassinated in Nangarhar Province Amid Escalating Targeted Killings

2023-09-12

[8am] Unknown assailants have reportedly assassinated a former jihadist commander in front of his wife in Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
, according to local sources.

Sources in Nangarhar have informed Hasht-e Subh that the individual in question was known as "Sheikh Muqaddas Bilal," and unidentified button men killed him on Saturday, September 9th, in the seventh district of Jalalabad city.

According to these sources, the former jihadist commander was ambushed while he was inside his personal vehicle with his wife and children. He was a prominent figure in the Rodat district of Nangarhar province.

The motive behind the liquidation remains unclear at this time, and the Taliban
Taliban

...mindless ferocity in a turban...
have not yet commented on the incident.

Link

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