Recent Appearances...

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Hello !
Recent Appearances...

Afghanistan

Taliban and Ethnic Discrimination: Uzbeks Frustrated with Symbolic Role in Taliban Regime

2024-10-11

I suppose I’d feel more sympathy were they not so eager to be part of the freaking Taliban government.
[8am] Many Uzbek citizens in Afghanistan argue that the Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
’s ethnic biases have excluded them from political power, denying them a meaningful role in national decision-making. They criticize the Taliban’s mono-ethnic regime, which they claim has failed to provide any significant benefits to Uzbeks over the past three years. Instead, they say, the Taliban have forced competent Uzbek leaders and representatives out of the country through threats and coercion. Even Uzbeks who supported the Taliban and fought as commanders or fighters against the former republic and foreign forces now hold no authority in political, economic, or social matters, serving only symbolic roles within the group. The former deputy of the European Union
...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...
’s special envoy to Afghanistan noted that these actions have prompted influential Uzbek figures to seek opportunities to form an independent force against the Taliban.

Tamkin, a 43-year-old Uzbek from Balkh province, shared her views with the Hasht-e Subh Daily on the Taliban’s discriminatory treatment of ethnic groups in Afghanistan. She said the Taliban have denied Uzbeks any political power. "The Taliban’s behavior has shaped perceptions to the point that when their regime is mentioned, only the Pashtun ethnicity comes to mind. High-ranking government positions, from ministries to even minor departments, are all dominated by Pashtuns. Uzbeks are overlooked, both in terms of ethnicity and the talent and qualifications of their youth and elders."

Tamkin added, "The Taliban should have learned from their previous rule, avoided repeating past mistakes, and formed a government where the Afghan people could see their qualified representatives in leadership positions, supporting the establishment of an Islamic government." He pointed out that the country is now under the control of a mono-ethnic regime, with other ethnic groups in Afghanistan not supporting it.

Mohammad Rozi, an Uzbek resident of Samangan province, echoed these sentiments, stating that the Taliban have done nothing to improve the lives of Uzbeks over the past three years. "The Taliban have not served the Uzbek people in any way. They threatened our elders, forcing them to flee the country, and made no positive contributions to education or higher learning. Uzbeks who fought alongside the Taliban against the republic and foreign forces now feel powerless and alienated under their rule," he said. He further added, "This government lacks legitimacy and cannot be called inclusive. Our country needs a truly inclusive government where all ethnic groups participate in national decision-making, leading Afghanistan toward progress and prosperity."

Uzbek dissatisfaction stems from the Taliban’s creation of a mono-ethnic government that has, over the past three years, fueled ethnic tensions and excluded other groups from political power, decision-making, and the pppcountry’s development. Many influential Uzbek representatives have been forced into hiding or exile outside Afghanistan.

Additionally, according to a report by the Middle East Research Institute (MERI), Uzbeks make up less than 3% of Taliban officials and hold no decision-making power, serving only symbolic roles in the regime.

In an interview on Monday, September 25, Michael Semple, the former deputy of the EU’s special envoy to Afghanistan, stated that the Taliban are using Uzbeks in Afghanistan as "tools of war and cannon fodder." He explained that the Taliban use Uzbeks in symbolic roles to claim their government is inclusive falsely. "The Taliban neither grant Uzbeks privileges nor share power with them, and they do not value them. The presence of Uzbeks in high government positions has steadily diminished," he said. Semple added that some influential Uzbeks critical of the Taliban are seeking opportunities to form an independent force against the group.

Semple’s remarks came shortly after the recent departure of Salahuddin Ayubi, an Uzbek Taliban commander, from the group. In 2022, Ayubi was appointed by the Taliban’s Supreme Leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, as the police chief of Zabul province.

Ayubi played a key role in the Taliban’s capture of Afghanistan’s northern provinces and was one of the first individuals to enter Kabul after the fall of the republic, seizing the Presidential Palace. The Taliban have yet to comment on his departure.

Meanwhile,
...back at the cheese factory, all the pieces finally fell together in Fluffy's mind...
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...
, the leader of the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, currently in ~~The Sick Man of Europe~~ Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire...
, recently called for the formation of a parallel government to oppose the Taliban. He urged exiled Afghan political parties to unite and save Afghanistan from what he describes as the "Taliban occupation."

Link

Afghanistan

The Territory of the Jihadists: Who Are the Foreign Fighters of ISIS in Afghanistan?

2023-08-13

[8am] Based on the findings of the Hasht-e Subh Daily, IS-K in Afghanistan has not only recruited local fighters but has also added a significant number of imported muscle to its ranks. Paks have consistently been considered primary leaders of IS-K and currently hold notable roles in the council of the group, which is the decision-making body for IS-K, evaluating and finalizing the leader’s decisions. Despite some Pak IS-K commanders being killed in Afghanistan, certain Paks still operate as nominal leaders in some provinces, including Kunar and 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...
Recently, Uzbek fighters from the Jundallah
..."Soldiers of God," a name used by ~~two~~ multiple separate terror outfits, one active in Iran and the other in Pakistain. Both are Sunni organizations that target Shiites. The Pak version has close relations with al-Qaeda and the Pak Talibs and is probably a false nose and mustache for Lashkar-e-Jhangvi...
group have joined IS-K. After the liquidation of their leader by the Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
, these Uzbek holy warriors, with around two thousand fighters, pledged allegiance to ISIS and joined its Khorasan branch to seek Dire Revenge against the Taliban.

Meanwhile,
...back at the shootout, Butch clutched at his other shoulder......
ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K) has escalated efforts to attract Pak and Uzbek fighters. The leadership of this branch of ISIS continues to strive towards enlisting dissatisfied Uzbek fighters from the Taliban. Notably, with the presence of these fighters, ISIS activities have expanded across Central Asia, resulting in rocket attacks on other countries.

The ISIS group launched its branch’s activities in Afghanistan and the region under the name "ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K)" for the first time in 2015. The geographical scope envisioned by ISIS for its Khorasan region included parts of Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistain. However,
some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them...
the activities of this group have expanded since then, extending its attacks to Central Asia. The latest United Nations
...an organization which on balance has done more bad than good, with the good not done well and the bad done thoroughly...
statistics indicate that the ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K) branch currently has between four to six thousand fighters in Afghanistan.

Noted.

Previous reports suggested that considering the geographic scope of ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K), most of its members are Afghan nationals and hold key positions within the group.

However,
some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them...
findings of the Hasht-e Subh Daily indicate that a significant portion of ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K) is composed of foreign jihadists; individuals who, due to dissatisfaction with other jihadist groups, including the Afghan Taliban and Tahrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP), have pledged allegiance to ISIS. Some members of al-Qaeda also have connections with ISIS, and given the presence of both groups in Afghanistan, it’s possible that they might have dual affiliations.

Why not? The leadership of the Haqqani faction of the Afghan Taliban also have places on the Al Qaeda table of organization.

But the question remains: which specific groups’ fighters are currently part of ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K), and what role do they play in expanding the group’s operational reach?

PAKS: FROM FOUNDING IS-K TO ACTIVE ROLE IN LAJNA COUNCIL
Despite the presence of Afghan fighters within IS-K, the branch was initially founded by dissident Pak Taliban members on Afghan soil. Hafiz Saeed
...founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and its false-mustache offshoot Jamaat-ud-Dawa. The United Nations declared the JuD a terrorist organization in 2008 and Hafiz Saeed a terrorist as its leader. Hafiz, JuD and LeT are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Pak intel apparatus, so that amounted to squat. He is periodically placed under house arrest so it looks like the govt is doing something. Once the heat is off they let him go....
Orakzai, a former Pak Taliban commander, pledged allegiance to ISIS in October 2014 due to dissatisfaction with both the Afghan and Pak Taliban. He served as the leader of IS-K for about one and a half years until he was killed by U.S. forces in August 2016. After a year of leadership by Abdul Hasib Pashtun-infested Logari, the leadership of ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K) (IS-K) once again shifted to Pak fighters. At that time, Abdullah Orakzai, also known as Aslam Farooqi, assumed this responsibility in April 2017 until he was eventually detained and imprisoned by authorities of the former government in the year 2020.

Since then, some dissident Pak Taliban fighters have remained part of ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K) and have played crucial roles as commanders in the current IS-K conflict. Even some of the "amirs" or (leaders) of IS-K in Afghanistan are Pak fighters. For example, Qari Faateh, who operated as the nominal amir of IS-K in Kunar province
... which is right down the road from Chitral. Kunar is Haqqani country.....
, was announced to have been killed by the Taliban in Kabul in February of this year. At that time, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban front man, stated that Qari Faateh was the head of intelligence and operations for IS-K, and the Taliban accused him of orchestrating attacks on mosques and diplomatic sites.

Continuing, in early June of this year, the Taliban announced the killing of an ISIS commander named Tarab Bajauri in the province of Laghman. This Pak commander was operating as the "amir" (leader) of the IS-K branch in Laghman province and was considered one of the individuals who joined ISIS alongside Hafiz Saeed Orakzai. Bajauri had a long military background and was among those responsible for ISIS’s significant influence in Kunar province. The Taliban regarded him as a key member of the ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K) in Afghanistan. Such stances by the Taliban indicate that Pak fighters are significant pillars of IS-K and actively operate within Afghanistan under Taliban control.

Currently, Asadullah Orakzai is another prominent Pak commander of ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K). He operates as the amir of ISIS in Laghman province and is also a member of the Lajna Council. According to the Hasht-e Subh Daily’s findings, this council holds the leadership responsibility for ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K) and decides on the group’s activities in the "Khorasan region." Most of the IS-K commanders, especially the Pak ones who are currently active members of ISIS, are actively involved in the Lajna Council. Qari Faateh, who was also a member of this council, participated in making decisions for the future of IS-K. Additionally, Saifullah Orakzai, another prominent commander of IS-K, is a member of this council.

In this way, the findings indicate that Pak fighters are active members of the ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K) operating in Afghanistan. They have experience in leading the ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K) on two occasions and are currently serving as commanders in provinces as well as engaging in military and intelligence activities.

According to additional information, ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K) is vigorously striving to increase its Pak fighters. This branch of ISIS has included the issue of recruiting Pak fighters as part of its future plans. In this process, individuals dissatisfied with their activities alongside the Tahrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) are being targeted for recruitment by ISIS to expand its activities in eastern Afghanistan and certain areas of Pakistain. It’s noteworthy that most Pak members of the ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K) have joined the group due to dissatisfaction with their previous affiliations, and given the extent of this dissatisfaction, the increase in the number of Pak fighters for ISIS is probable.

JUNDALLAH UZBEK JIHADISTS AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH IS-K
The findings indicate that members of the Uzbek group Jundallah have also joined IS-Khorasan (IS-K) in the northern regions of Afghanistan. According to the information, currently, except for a small fraction of the group, most of the Uzbek commanders and fighters have become part of IS-Khorasan (IS-K). ISIS has incorporated a segment of the Jundallah group, consisting of Uzbek fighters in northern Afghanistan, into its ranks. Consequently, Mullah Saad, an Uzbek national, has assumed leadership of this group within IS-Khorasan (IS-K), and Uzbek holy warrior Osama Ghazi serves as his deputy. In addition to these two leaders from the Jundallah group, around two thousand fighters from this group and thousands of their supporters in Takhar, Kunduz, Badakhshan, and Faryab provinces have also become part of IS-Khorasan (IS-K).

This significant shift occurred as Uzbek fighters in Jundallah grew disillusioned with the Taliban regime. According to the Hasht-e Subh Daily’s findings, the Uzbek holy warriors played a major role in the Taliban’s takeover in the north of Afghanistan. However,
some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them...
following the Taliban’s return, Jundallah’s leadership and members faced hostility from them. The Taliban resorted to assassinations of some Jundallah leaders to control the group. Notably, Uzbek migrant Osman Ghazi, who entered Afghanistan with five thousand of his Uzbek followers during Baranuddin Rabbani’s rule, later joined Jundallah at the request of Abdul Malik Rigi, a Jundallah member. Rigi, who operated in Iran, was executed after being arrested by the Islamic Theocratic Republic of Iran.

After the first fall of the Taliban regime, Ghazi went to Pakistain to lead his group’s terrorist attacks alongside the Afghan Taliban against the previous government. Following orders from Mullah Mohammed Omar, the founder of the Taliban, Ghazi returned with hundreds of his followers to the province of Zabul and, in 2016, made an informal allegiance to ISIS during a consultation with some Taliban leaders. This move seemingly served as part of the plan to eliminate him, as shortly after, Ghazi became the target of an ambush by Taliban commanders and was killed in Zabul province along with his wife and several children.

Based on the findings of the Hasht-e Subh Daily, this action led Osama Ghazi, his son, and 150 other Jundallah members from Zabul province, where his father was present, to go to the provinces of Kandahar and Badakhshan and then leave those areas too. However,
some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them...
he waited for Dire Revenge from the Taliban until, following the Taliban’s resurgence, he and all members of his group joined ISIS. It should be noted that ISIS has utilized Jundallah members in expanding its activities in Central Asia. For instance, a member of this group, who previously operated under Salahuddin Ayubi’s command in Faryab province, launched a rocket attack on the soil of Uzbekistan.

On the other hand, IS-K’s efforts to gain the allegiance of Salahuddin Ayubi, a commander of Uzbek origin and dissatisfied with the Taliban, have intensified. He has close relations with the northern hard boyz and appears to be able to establish connections with other gangs in Tajikistan and other northern regions of the country. Moreover, ISIS, pursuing its plans for expanding activities in Central Asia, seeks to establish further communication with Uzbekistan fighters. This endeavor highlights the group’s intention to engage with some commanders and fighters of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.

Meanwhile,
...back at the shootout, Butch clutched at his other shoulder......
based on available information, ISIS has previously designated a commander for Tajikistan as well. It is worth recalling that, in addition to Khorasan, the group is also seriously focused on the Indian subcontinent. According to the findings, in mid-2022, the leadership of ISIS instructed its members in the "Province of Hind" to intensify their activities in India and Pakistain. Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, the then-leader of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, had urged Sheikh Zubair Ahmed, the ISIS governor in India, to bring about positive changes in that geography. Subsequently, Sheikh Zubair Ahmed decided to activate his media unit and conduct activities through Telegram, following the same directive.

The 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....
of Iraq and Syria, known as ISIS, was originally formed in the late 20th century under the name "Jamāʿat al-Tawḥīd wal-Jihād." It merged with al-Qaeda in 2004 but adopted the name "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" in 2013. In 2014, ISIS declared a caliphate, with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as its first recognized leader. Currently, besides Iraq and some Arab countries, ISIS also operates extensively in Afghanistan. These activities have intensified after the return of the Taliban to power, and they encompass attacks on diplomatic sites and rocket attacks on countries in Central Asia. With recent changes in ISIS and the joining of imported muscle to its Khorasan branch, it appears that the group has significant plans for further infiltration into the "Wilayah of Khorasan." Previously, information indicated that IS-K was seeking to seize control of Kunar Province
...one of the four N2KL provinces (Nangarhar, Nuristan, Kunar and Laghman). N2KL is the designation used by US and Coalition Forces for the rugged and very violent region opposite Pakistain's Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Northwest Frontier Province. Kunar is the center of the N2KL region. Its population is 95% Pashtun. It is adjacent to Bajaur Agency..
, a move that has been delayed after the assessment by its Lajna Council.

Link

Afghanistan

Taliban Seize Wedding Musicians’ Drums After Assaulting Ceremony in Zabul Province

2023-08-07

Taliban Seize Wedding Musicians’ Drums After Assaulting Ceremony in Zabul Province
@HashteSubhDaily https://t.co/VxsdJYKmai pic.twitter.com/BGLqtvd0La
— Hasht E Subh English (@8AM_Media) August 6, 2023

Reports emerging from Zabul province indicate that following an attack on a wedding ceremony, Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
fighters have confiscated the drums of female musicians, subjecting them to humiliation and degradation.

Sources have provided details to Hasht-e Subh, stating that this incident transpired on the evening of Friday, August 5th, within the city of Qalat, the center of Zabul.

The Taliban fighters not only forcefully seized the drums used by the female musicians but also carried out aggressive acts against several attendees, resulting in injuries to one individual.

Local Taliban officials have refrained from making any statements regarding these events thus far.

In recent times, the Taliban’s campaign against wedding ceremonies held in hotels and private residences has escalated.

Over the past two days, the Taliban’s enforcers of virtue and prevention of vice have launched attacks on wedding ceremonies and women’s beauty salons, which operate within homes, in the provinces of Ghazni 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..
. These assaults have resulted in the brutal mistreatment of participants, including a bride and a female beautician.

Link

Afghanistan

Two Children Killed in Afghanistan Mortar Mine Blast

2023-04-03

[KhaamaPress] Two children were killed when the unwent kaboom! device from a past war went kaboom! in the eastern province of Wardak in Afghanistan on Saturday, according to local sources.

The explosion caused by a mortar mine of past wars resulted in the death of two children in Sayedabad district on Saturday evening while the children were playing with it, Yusuf Israr, the provincial police spokesperson, said.

A similar incident occurred Friday evening in the Sarkhakan area of the Shah Joi district of Zabul province, resulting in one child’s death and three others’ injuries.

Meanwhile,
...back at the pie fight, Bella opened her mouth at precisely the wrong moment...
according to local sources, another blast that happened on Tuesday, March 28, caused the death of two children and injured four others in the northern Jawzjan province.

Recently, the incidence of unwent kaboom! devices from past wars has increased in several parts of the country, resulting in the death and hurt of men and women, including children.

The presence and existence of unwent kaboom! devices and the remnant in war-torn Afghanistan pose significant threats to people’s lives, particularly children.

Since last November, international bodies have contributed to support demining in the country, including Australia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Sweden, the United States, the UK, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

However,
the difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits...
Afghanistan is still reportedly one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world, taking the lives of scores of people monthly, including children, due to the earth-shattering kaboom of unwent kaboom! devices left over from the four decades of civil war.

Link

Afghanistan

Explosion in Zabul Kills a Child, Injures 3 More

2023-04-02

[KhaamaPress] A child was killed and three others injured when an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) went kaboom! in Southern Zabul province, according to local sources.

The explosion caused by an IED of past wars resulted in the death of one child and the injury of three others in the Sarkhakan area of the Shah Joi district of Zabul province on Friday evening, Qari Zabiullah Jawhar, the provincial police front man said.

It is reported that a group of children from nomad families were playing next to a tractor in a field when the bomb went off, killing one and injuring three others.

On Tuesday (March 28), a similar blast claimed the lives of two children and injured four others in the northern Jawzjan province according to local sources.

In recent days, the incidents caused by the earth-shattering kabooms of unwent kaboom! devices have increased in some parts of the country, resulting in the death injury of men, women and kiddies.

Afghanistan reportedly is one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world. Dozens of people, mostly children, are killed and maimed every month due to blasts of unwent kaboom! ordnances left over from the past four decades of wars and internal conflicts.

Despite the efforts of 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...
Mine Action Services (UNMAS) in direct collaboration with UNAMA and other relevant government bodies, the presence of land mines and unwent kaboom! devices poses major threats to the lives of ordinary people.

Since November 2022, Afghanistan’s international partners have generously contributed to support demining in the country. These countries include Australia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Sweden, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Link

Afghanistan

Displaying Images of Living Things Banned by Taliban in Zabul

2023-01-08

[8am] Displaying and hanging images of living creatures are prohibited by the Taliban
Taliban

...mindless ferocity in a turban...
in southern Zabul province.

Local sources confirmed that the Taliban’s Vice and Virtue Agents in Zabul warned shopkeepers in Qalat city, the capital city of Zabul province, to avoid displaying any kind of photos in their shops, in a virtue promotion campaign on Friday, December 6.

Based on the new order, it is forbidden to even hang photos of Taliban leaders on shop walls and cars.

The Taliban in Zabul have warned that the violators of this order will be strictly punished.

The Taliban’s Vice and Virtue Department in Zabul had previously prohibited women from rejoicing in wedding ceremonies.

Link

Afghanistan

Taliban reveal burial place of founder Mullah Omar, nine years after death

2022-11-07

[La Belle France24] The Taliban on Sunday revealed the final resting place of the movement's founder, Mullah Omar, whose death and burial they kept secret for years.

Rumours surrounding Omar's health and whereabouts abounded after the Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
were kicked out of power in 2001 by a US-led invasion, and they only admitted in April 2015 that he had died two years earlier.

Taliban front man Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP Sunday that big shots of the movement attended a ceremony at his gravesite earlier in the day near Omarzo, in Suri district of Zabul province.

The Taliban returned to power in August last year, routing government forces as the US-led military that propped up the regime ended a 20-year occupation.

"Since a lot of enemies were around and the country was occupied, to avoid damage to the tomb it was kept secret," Mujahid said.

"Only the close family members were aware of the place," he added.

Pictures released by officials showed Taliban leaders gathered around a simple white brick tomb, covered with what appears to be gravel and enclosed in a green metal cage.

"Now the decision has been made... there are no issues for the people to visit the tomb," Mujahid said.

Omar, who was aged around 55 when he died, founded the Taliban in 1993 as an antidote to the internecine civil war that erupted following the decade-long Soviet occupation.

Under his leadership the Taliban introduced an extremely austere version of Islamic rule, barring women from public life and introducing harsh public punishments -- including executions and floggings.

MASSOUD TOMB REPORTED VANDALISED
Omar's ceremony comes a day after provincial Taliban officials denied reports that the Panjshir Valley tomb of resistance hero Ahmad Shah Massoud had been vandalised, an act Mujahid said would be "punished" if true.

Massoud has a mixed legacy in the country, where he is hailed by ordinary Afghans for leading the resistance against the Soviet occupation, but loathed by the Taliban he also fought until his 2001 liquidation by al-Qaeda.

His tomb is in an imposing granite and marble mausoleum overlooking the picturesque Panjshir Valley, and guarded by Taliban fighters since their takeover of the country in August last year.

Local residents said a newly arrived contingent of fighters smashed the tombstone, and video of the desecrated grave -- which could not be verified -- was published by local media and circulating widely on social channels.

"It happened when the new forces entered Panjshir. The new forces from Helmand
...an Afghan province populated mostly by Pashtuns, adjacent to Injun country in Pak Balochistan...
and Kandahar destroyed the tombstone of the national hero," one resident told AFP.

Nasrullah Malakzada, head of information and culture of Panjshir, province, denied the tomb had been damaged and issued a video purporting to show it intact.

The clip, however, pointedly did not display the entire structure -- particularly the part seen damaged in the original video.

Malakzada refused requests by journalists to visit or photograph the tomb for themselves.

Mujahid told news hounds that nobody had the right to insult the dead.

"Previously we had punished those who committed such acts," he said, adding "this will be investigated as well and necessary action will be taken"

Link

Afghanistan

Hundreds of People in Southern Afghanistan Contract Tuberculosis

2022-09-23

[Khaama (Afghanistan)] Local Taliban
Taliban

...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
health officials in the southern Afghan province of Zabul said that at least 600 people have fallen ill with tuberculosis in the past few months.

Dr. Abdul Hakim Hakimi, the Taliban Director of Public Health in Zabul province told the media that the prevalence of tuberculosis has "unfortunately" increased in several villages and districts in Zabul province.

The Taliban health official further added that hundreds of people have contracted the disease in remote places of the province, stating that their treatment continues.

A clinic for the treatment of tuberculosis has been established by Doctors Without Borders in the province, where scores of patients are being treated, according to Zabul’s director of public health.

The tuberculosis-hit Zabul, according to local health officials, has also recorded cases of measles and acute watery diarrhea, mostly affecting children.

Although many children in Zabul have recovered from measles, several of them have reportedly died.

Currently, Afghanistan is dealing with various disease outbreaks, including Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD), measles, Congo fever, dengue fever, and Covid-19, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report.

While the financially strapped Taliban dominate the nation, Afghanistan continues to rely on foreign assistance, and international humanitarian aid

, and the Afghan people are affected by the Taliban’s political isolation and international sanctions.

Link

Afghanistan

Daily Evacuation Brief September 2, 2022

2022-09-02

[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS

TALIBAN-PAKISTAN CLASH — Unconfirmed reports of cross-border fighting between Taliban and Pakistan have been received from Zabul province. There has been no official confirmation of the clashes, but several local eyewitnesses have shared video and photos of the skirmishes. One source claimed a Pakistani military vehicle strayed across the border and caused the Taliban border security element to open fire. Some deaths and injuries have been reported.

ELAHA ARRESTED — Elaha Dilawarzai, the young woman who posted on social media about being forcibly married to ex-Taliban official Qari Saeed Khosty, was arrested and charged with defamation of her former husband. #justiceforelaha has erupted on social media in response to the Taliban’s arrest

DRONE RUMORS IN PANJSHIR — An offensive in Panjshir was reportedly canceled at the last minute when local Taliban leaders were notified that a drone (thought to belong to the US) was seen conducting patrols over the area. Sources stated the Taliban’s special military commander for Panjshir feared the drone would support the NRF defenders. No confirmation of a drone operating in the area has been received, and Resistance sources claim there was no drone observed in Panjshir.

RAID IN HERAT (CORRECTED) — In previous reporting, the Afghan Digest shared information about a possible terrorist threat in Mazar-i-Sharif that caused the Ministry of the Interior to send an intelligence team to the city. It appears that the information was incorrect, and the threat was actually an ISIS-K terrorist cell in Herat. The General Directorate of Intelligence carried out a raid on a suspected safe house in Police District 4 of Herat City and is said to have killed 3 suspected ISIS-K operatives. We do not have any information about a specific threat in Mazar-i-Sharif at this time.

CONFLICT TRACKER
Zabil: Reports of skirmishing between Taliban and Pakistani forces near the Zanir area — eyewitnesses claim 3 Pakistani soldiers killed and 2 Talibs wounded.
Kapisa: The AFF claims to have executed a night attack on a Taliban fortified position near Jesa-e-Dwom (near the Mirwais Karzi Bridge). The AFF claims to have killed 6 Talibs and wounded 8 in the action.

NEXT 24 HOURS
ESCALATION AT THE BORDER — If the reports of Afghan-Pakistan fighting in Zabul province are true, there could be an upcoming escalation. At-risk Afghans located along the border should be wary of potential shelling or other retaliatory measures.

INTERESTING ARTICLES:
The Historical Evolution of al-Qaeda’s Positions on China

[HudsonInstitute] Over al-Qaeda’s more than 30 years of existence, the organization’s public stance on China has changed quite dramatically. Al-Qaeda has moved from trying not to agitate Beijing, to fleetingly listing “East Turkestan” (i.e., Uyghur-dominated lands, primarily China’s Xinjiang province) amongst a host of other locations where Muslims are oppressed, to directly criticizing, and at times even threatening, China for its domestic security measures in Xinjiang as well as its foreign policy actions in the Islamic world. Furthermore, al-Qaeda’s grievances against China have become markedly more numerous and nuanced and purveyed by a wider range of individuals, branches, and publications in recent years.

Afghanistan next in Abraham Accords? Taliban refuses to rule it out

They’ll say anything if it’ll get them donations, but it’s nothing more than taqqiya.

[Jpost] A spokesman for the Taliban refused to rule out establishing relations with Israel during an interview with Al-Jazeera on Wednesday, despite earlier statements by the movement ruling this out, according to a clip shared by MEMRI.

"Our policy is to resolve problems through dialogue and mutual understanding with everybody. Whoever has a problem and wants to resolve it, we are perfectly ready," the spokesman of the Taliban’s Political Bureau, Dr. Muhammad Naeem, told Al-Jazeera.

China's economic footprint steadily expanding across Afghanistan

[ANInews] China is focusing firmly on business and cultural diplomacy to expand its economic footprint across Afghanistan. It is also sparing no effort to promote and support the Taliban, which finds itself in near diplomatic isolation.

Latest media reports from Kabul and Beijing indicate 'good' progress on Chinese investments and reconstruction projects, reported Policy Research Group - Poreg.

Chinese businessmen like Yu Minghui, who have stayed put after the US-led Nato's withdrawal, have reaped benefits. He has four steel processing lines. The China Town, a 10-storey building is the hub of Chinese business activity.

An industrial estate is coming up in Kabul suburbs as the first Sino-Afghan joint venture at a cost of USD 216 million. There is talk of extending China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan and beyond. China has exempted 98 per cent of its Afghan buys from import duties.

U.S. to discontinue quick humanitarian entry for Afghans and focus on permanent resettlement programs

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Afghanistan

Al-Qaida and Islamic Emirate Relationship 'Remains Close’: UN

2022-05-30

[ToloNews] "The relationship between the Taliban
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
and al-Qaeda remains close, with the latter celebrating the former’s success and renewing its pledge of allegiance to [Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada]," a UN report said.

The Islamic Emirate has yet to comment on this latest claim but has earlier denied reports of the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

The report estimated an approximate presence of "180 to 400 fighters affiliated with Al-Qaeda" from "Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistan" who are settled in "Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar, Nimruz, Paktika and Zabul provinces."

The UN Security Council released a report by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team which assessed the presence of al-Qaeda and ISIS groups in Afghanistan.

"Member State assessments thus far suggest that al-Qaeda has a safe haven under the Taliban and increased freedom of action. 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...
has issued more frequent recorded messages since August, and there is now proof of life for him as recently as February 2022," the report said.

The report estimated an approximate presence of "180 to 400 fighters affiliated with al-Qaeda" from "Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistain" who are settled in "Ghazni, Helmand
...an Afghan province populated mostly by Pashtuns, adjacent to Injun country in Pak Balochistan...
, Kandahar, Nimruz, Paktika
...which coincidentally borders South Wazoo...
and Zabul provinces."

"The Islamic Emirate has yet to reach a final discussion regarding this issue. The officials of the Islamic Emirate should provide final assurances in this regard," said Shir Hassan Hassan, an international relations analyst.

"After the killing of (the late Osama bin Laden

...... who used to be alive but now he's not......
), the al-Qaeda has become a diminished organization. In fact, al-(Qaeda) is not an important danger to the world," said Torek Farhadi, a political analyst.

"These are the excuses for the Islamic Emirate. The Islamic Emirate should clarify its stance about whether it has a link with al-Qaeda or not. If not, then clearly deny it," said Sayed Ishaq Gailani, leader of the National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan.

The report said that " Taliban are starting to see the National Resistance® Front challenge fading while recognizing ISIS-K as a more long-term and serious threat."

Link

Afghanistan

Head of Govt’s Media, Information Center Assassinated

2021-08-07

[ToloNews] Dawa Khan Menapal, head of the Afghan government’s media and information center, was killed in an attack by unknown button men in Kabul on Friday, sources confirmed.

The incident happened at Darul Aman Road in the west of Kabul on Friday afternoon, sources said.

Before his job as head of the media and information center, he worked as deputy presidential front man from 2016 to 2020.

Menapal also served as head of the government’s media and information center in Kandahar in 2015.

He is from Zabul province in the south of Afghanistan. He had a bachelor’s degree in law and political science from Kabul University.

The attack happened when Menapal left a mosque and was in a car, probably driving home, eyewitnesses said.

Menapal served as a journalist at Radio Azadi besides prior to his assignments in the government.

Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
grabbed credit for the attack.

Al Ahram adds:

The Taliban rubbed out the head of the Afghan government's media information centre Friday at a mosque in the capital, the ministry said, days after warning they would target senior administration officials in retaliation for increased air strikes.

"Unfortunately, the savage murderous Moslems have committed a cowardly act once again and martyred a patriotic Afghan," interior ministry front man Mirwais Stanikzai said of the death of Dawa Khan Menapal.

The Taliban grabbed credit for the death, with front man Zabihullah Mujahid sending a message to media saying "he was killed in a special attack carried out by mujahideen".

The gunnies warned Wednesday of more attacks targeting Afghan government leaders, a day after the defence minister escaped an liquidation attempt.

The bomb-and-gun attack on Defence Minister Bismillah Mohammadi Tuesday night brought the war to the capital for the first time in months.

The Afghan and US militaries have stepped up air strikes in their fight against the ~~bandidos~~ murderous Moslems in a string of cities, and the Taliban said Wednesday the Kabul raid was their response.

Link

Afghanistan

Afghan Army Fuel Sold in Zabul in Major Embezzlement Case

2021-08-02

[ToloNews] Officials at an army corps base in Zabul province in southern Afghanistan illegally sold at least 300,000 liters of Afghan forces' aviation gasoline at local markets, and then created a cover story that the fuel was lost in a rocket attack at their base, said sources.

Abdul Ghafoor Hotaki, the commander of Zabul garrison, and Sefatullah, the commander of the 2nd regiment of the Afghan Army’s Atal Corps, were allegedly involved in the sale. These two officials sold 300,000 liters of fuel that was kept in storage tanks reserved for the second regiment and was intended for use by the security forces, said sources from security agencies and from Zabul.

Another official allegedly involved in the selling of the fuel is Rahmatullah, the commander of a local forces group led by the NDS that are known as Mofreza forces, sources said.

The fuel was stored in a reserve area that belonged to a private contractor that sold aviation fuel to the army.

"The government’s fuel is sold because these people have become accustomed to embezzlement," said Abdul Alim Kharoti, a Zabul resident.

"The government is damaged... that’s why there are many problems in this sector," said Esmatullah Safi, a Zabul resident.

When the storage tanks at the 2nd regiment area were empty, those involved in the case detonated three magnetic IEDs to claim the tanks were damaged in a rocket attack and that the fuel was lost due to leaks, sources said. The attempt was made to mislead the newly appointed commander of the regiment. However,
a woman is only as old as she admits...
photos and video footage from the area show that the fuel tanks were damaged on the bottom, not the top.

"There might be some people who sell or purchase the fuel," said Taoos Khan, a shopkeeper.

"The fuel is purchased by those who have the ability to buy it, or sell it," said Mohammad Nabi, a shopkeeper.

Zabul officials did not comment on the matter. But a government front man said the matter will be investigated.

"It is an issue that needs to be investigated. Our first response is that we are not convinced, and we don’t think such an issue exists," said ANDSF front man Omar Shinwari.

This is not the first time that fuel belonging to the security and defense forces has been sold. Reports also exist of the selling of arms and food belonging to army forces. Some officials have been put on trial for selling military resources.

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