Category: Afghanistan

At least three people were reportedly killed and six others injured in the clashes….reports Asian Lite News

Days after tit-for-tat attacks between Iran and Pakistan, Pakistan border guards and Afghan’s ruling Taliban clashed on the Durand Line on Saturday, leaving at least three dead, reports said.

Following sporadic clashes over the past year, a new incident was reported as Taliban and Pakistani personnel clashed on the border in Afghanistan’s Kunar province, TOLOnews reported, citing local sources.

At least three people were reportedly killed and six others injured in the clashes.

As per the report, Pakistani forces used artillery to shell Taliban positions in Kunar province as the clashes broke out after Pakistani forces violated the border.

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The social and economic situation in Afghanistan has darkened since the emergence of the Taliban administration, resulting in severe economic insecurity for the population….reports Asian Lite News

The economic insecurity in Afghanistan has worsened under the Taliban rule, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said in its latest report, Khaama Press said.

The UNDP report released on Sunday reveals that 69 per cent of Afghanistan’s population faces a shortage of necessities, including healthcare, essential goods, suitable living conditions, and vital job opportunities.

As per the report, the social and economic situation in Afghanistan has darkened since the emergence of the Taliban administration, resulting in severe economic insecurity for the population.

The UNDP report states that currently, seven out of every ten people in Afghanistan are unable to meet their basic life requirements and are grappling with economic insecurity, as per Khaama Press.

The organisation’s findings highlight the attack on women’s rights and its consequences, alongside the collapse of the banking system in Afghanistan, as undeniable setbacks that have raised serious concerns.

Since coming to power in Afghanistan, the Taliban has imposed severe restrictions on women, including bans on education and working with aid agencies, both domestic and international.

These restrictions have further aggravated the economic plight of the Afghan population, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis in the country, as per Khaama Press.

Meanwhile, UNDP, in a report highlighted that Afghans are dealing with extreme hardships, and about 85 per cent of them live on less than one dollar a day, as reported by TOLO News.

According to the report, the situation became markedly worse after the Taliban took control over Afghanistan in August 2021, particularly for women who are currently facing severe restrictions that bar them from education and jobs.

Moreover, the latest UNDP research indicated that the real GDP of Afghanistan has declined by 29 per cent since 2020 and still continues to decline, TOLO News reported.

Reportedly, the decrees on women’s rights alone are estimated to have caused an economic loss between USD 600 million and USD 1 billion.

According to the report, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director, Asia-Pacific, Kanni Wignaraja, said that they aim at supporting women-owned businesses, job creation, and basic social services, among other goals.

“We focus on direct support to women-owned businesses, job creation, basic social services, renewable energy and disaster risk management to keep local economies running, ensure food and energy security, improve people’s wellbeing and protect them from disasters,” Wignaraja said.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) said that one in three Afghans do not know where their next meal will come from, as reported by TOLO News.

In its report, the WFP emphasised that it urgently needs USD 670 million to reach 15.2 million men, women and children with lifesaving food, nutrition, and livelihood support.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, highlighted that the WFP warns that every province of Afghanistan is currently facing severe food insecurity.

“WFP warns that every province in the country is currently in crisis or worse levels of food insecurity. Previously, large-scale and sustained donor contributions helped carry millions of Afghans through two difficult winters and pulled back more than 5 million people from the brink of famine,” Dujarric said.

Moreover, the Ministry of Economy said that it is trying to solve the economic challenges by attracting investment and supporting domestic production and small businesses in the country, according to TOLO News.

The spokesman of the Ministry of Economy, Abdul Rahman Habib, said, “The Islamic Emirate tries to bring about employment and work opportunities and the gradual reduction of poverty through the coherence of national policies and programs.”

Earlier, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that 23.7 million people-more than half of Afghanistan’s population-will require humanitarian assistance to survive in 2024 as the country continues to reel from decades of war and grapple with climate-induced crises, recurrent natural disasters, entrenched poverty, and barriers to women’s participation in public life. (ANI)

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Afghanistan’s women have faced numerous challenges since the Taliban returned to power in 2021….reports Asian Lite News

The Taliban has been called upon by religious scholars and tribal leaders to open the country’s institutions and universities to women right away, as their basic right to attain education continues to remain compromised, TOLOnews reported.

At a meeting in Kabul they said that women should have access to education and that their presence is essential to the country.

A meeting on “The role of scholars and tribal elders in strengthening relations between the nation and the system” was held on Saturday at Qasre Sapidar (Sapidar Palace).

According to TOLOnews, it was attended by over two hundred religious scholars and tribal elders from various provinces in Afghanistan, as well as members of the Taliban’s cabinet.

“The committee’s view regarding education is that the Islamic Emirate has paid attention to the needs of religious and contemporary sciences, but it should open schools and universities to girls and women,” TOLOnews quoted Mohammad Hashem, representative of the southern zone of Afghanistan as saying.

Meanwhile, a few participants requested that the Taliban consider the justifiable requests of the Afghan people about growth, the economy, and the employment of qualified officials.

“We ask the Islamic Emirate to build water dams throughout Afghanistan so that it can raise the water level and alleviate the problems of the people,” said Abdul Hadi, a representative of the South East zone of the country, according to TOLOnews.

Afghan people have been leaving their homes because of poverty, insecurity and conflicts in the country.

Moreover, Afghanistan’s women have faced numerous challenges since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

Taliban leaders have also disregarded international calls for women and girls to be given access to education and employment. They have also issued warnings to other nations not to meddle in Afghanistan’s domestic affairs. (ANI)

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The two terrorists have been identified as Abdullah Khadri and Khalid alias “Janan” who were killed by the forces….reports Asian Lite News

The Pakistan security forces shot two terrorists dead in an intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan on Friday, ARY News reported quoting the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

It said that the security forces launched the intelligence-based operation after they received information about terrorists’ presence.

The two terrorists have been identified as Abdullah Khadri and Khalid alias “Janan” who were killed by the forces.

“The killed terrorists remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area including target killing of innocent civilians,” the ISPR stated.

ARY News reported that security forces in Pakistan are carrying out a sanitisation operation to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area.

“The security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country”, the military’s media wing noted.

The operation comes amid a surge in terrorist activities across the country, especially in KP and Balochistan, since the outlawed militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.

Earlier on January 10, two Pakistan Army soldiers were killed during an exchange of fire with terrorists in Lakki Marwat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

According to ISPR, the intense exchange of fire took place in Lakki Marwat, where Pakistan Army troops killed two terrorists identified as Aftab aka Malang and Masood Shah.

Whereas, two soldiers Sepoy Muhammad Afzal (resident of district Bhimber, Azad Kashmir) and Sepoy Ibrar Hussain (27 years old, resident of district Mansehra) were also killed in the operation.

The latest incident came after at least six barbers were killed by unidentified armed men in the Mir Ali area of the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

As per the police, the victims were running barber shops in the local bazaar, adding that they were abducted a day earlier and their bodies had been recovered on Tuesday from a nearby area.

The police, meanwhile, launched an investigation into the incident and started a search for the arrest of culprits. (ANI)

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McCaul said this during a recent meeting focusing on US President Joe Biden’s Afghanistan policy….reports Asian Lite News

US House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul openly criticised the Taliban, denouncing them as “terrorists” who allegedly support various terrorist groups including Al-Qaeda, Khaama Press reported.

The Khaama Press is a news agency based in Afghanistan.

McCaul said this during a recent meeting focusing on US President Joe Biden’s Afghanistan policy.

In his remarks, he drew attention to the Taliban’s alleged support for various terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda.

He underscored the grim deterioration of conditions for Afghan women and girls following the US withdrawal, according to Khaama Press.

The recent actions of the Taliban have drawn widespread condemnation as they have escalated their restrictions on women in Afghanistan, detaining numerous women for dress code violations.

This crackdown has further triggered significant criticism and concern globally.

Rina Amiri, the US special representative for Afghan women’s affairs stressed that the US should not normalize its relations with the Taliban.

Her statement underscored the ongoing challenges and human rights issues faced by Afghan women in the wake of the Taliban’s return to power, as reported by Khaama Press.

McCaul further emphasised that despite seeking removal from the terrorist list, the Taliban remain terrorists.

“The Taliban, despite seeking removal from the terrorist list, remain terrorists. Afghanistan is deteriorating daily. Contrary to what some in the administration may believe, there are no ‘moderate’ Taliban members,” he said.

Expressing scepticism about the administration’s approach to the Taliban, McCaul said, “It seems the administration thinks befriending the Taliban might influence their actions. However, the Taliban’s behavior clearly shows they cannot be influenced. Today, Afghan women and girls are in a dire state, worse than at any point since the US withdrawal.”

Additionally, he raised concerns over the Taliban’s alleged involvement in the global arms trade, reported Khaama Press.

“The Taliban are funding, equipping, and providing safe haven to terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda. The $7 billion worth of military equipment left behind during the withdrawal is being sold by the Taliban, aiding terror groups and other American adversaries around the world,” he said.

McCaul’s comments highlight the ongoing concerns regarding the Taliban’s activities and the challenges faced by Afghanistan post-US withdrawal. (ANI)

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According to a newly released report by Human Rights Watch, the Taliban has increased and deepened their suppression of women’s rights in Afghanistan….reports Asian Lite News

Taliban, under its rule in Afghanistan, continues to suppress basic human rights, particularly the rights of women.

According to a newly released report by Human Rights Watch, the Taliban has increased and deepened their suppression of women’s rights in Afghanistan.

In the report, Human Rights Watch Executive Director Tirana Hassan said that 2023 was a year marked by numerous war crimes and violations of human rights around the world. She implored states to honour their pledges to protect human rights.

The report emphasised that the only nation in the world where women are prohibited from attending school is Afghanistan.

The report underlined that the Taliban has stepped up its implementation of oppressive policies in 2023, including suppressing female protestors, arbitrarily detaining female activists, causing some women to vanish from detention, torturing them and their families, and more.

According to Human Rights Watch, the prohibition on women working has cost many Afghan women their livelihoods and has been partially blamed for the country’s economic woes.

The report also stated how important humanitarian help is to Afghanistan, as the country’s economic woes have left nearly two-thirds of the people in need of it.

Among the main issues raised by this organisation are the ongoing oppression of civil society, particularly Afghan women, the widespread censoring of Afghan media, and the arrest of Afghan journalists.

Human Rights Watch also stated in its report that the main causes of Afghanistan’s rising poverty are the Taliban’s hold over the country, international sanctions, and several years of drought.

Despite the Taliban’s initial promise to take a moderate approach towards women’s rights after it seized power in August 2021, the ban on higher education is just one of many steps that the armed group has taken to further segregate the country and limit women’s role in society.

In the immediate aftermath of August 2021, the Taliban banned girls from going to school beyond the sixth grade and imposed strict rules requiring women to wear hijabs and to travel only with a male chaperone.

They closed down beauty salons and blocked women from working with domestic and international non-governmental aid groups, sparking international outrage on the matter. (ANI)

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