Category: Afghanistan

The move follows the Taliban’s announcement in July it would no longer recognise embassies set up by the previous regime – including the mission in Kensington…reports Asian Lite News

The Afghan embassy in London is set to close after the Taliban sacked all staff based there. Afghanistan’s ambassador to the UK, Zalmai Rassoul, said in a post on X the embassy will close on 27 September “at the official request of the host country”.

The move follows the Taliban’s announcement in July it would no longer recognise embassies set up by the previous regime – including the mission in Kensington. Rassoul said: “We thank and appreciate all colleagues, citizens, and related institutions who have sincerely co-operated with the Afghan Embassy in London during this period.”

A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “The embassy is being closed following the dismissal of its staff by the Taliban.” Many Afghan embassies in Europe continued to operate after the fall of Kabul in August 2021, but others, including the posting in Washington DC, have been forced to close.

The Taliban is not recognised by the UK as the legitimate government of Afghanistan and moved its embassy from Kabul to Qatar.

The British government has previously said there is “no alternative to engaging pragmatically with the current administration”. The UK continues to work with other nations to provide humanitarian support to the Afghan people, according to the government.

The British embassy in Kabul also withdrew all its staff from Afghanistan, moving them temporarily to Qatar, from where they continue to operate. The UK government does not recognise the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

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The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable…reports Asian Lite News

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attack that occurred in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, on 2 September, which was claimed by ISIL (Da’esh)-K and resulted in multiple people killed and many wounded.

In a statement, the members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured.

They reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and security in Afghanistan, as well as in the world.

They underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice.

They urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard.

The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.

They reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing in Kabul.

In a Telegram post, ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) said one of its members detonated an explosive vest in the Afghan capital the previous day (Monday), targeting the Taliban government’s prosecution service.

The bomber waited until government employees finished their shifts and then detonated the explosive in the middle of a crowd, the post said, according to Al Jazeera.

ISIL claimed that the attack resulted in the deaths of more than 45 people and was revenge for “Muslims held in Taliban prisons.”

Notably, the most notorious attack linked to ISIL since the Taliban takeover was in 2022 when at least 53 people, including 46 girls and young women, were slain in the suicide bombing at an education centre in a Shia neighbourhood of Kabul. For which, the Taliban officials blamed ISIL for the attack.

A United Nations Security Council report released in January stated that there had been a decrease in ISIL attacks in Afghanistan because of “counter-terrorism efforts by the Taliban”. But the report also said that ISIL still had “substantial” recruitment in the country and that the armed group had “the ability to project a threat into the region and beyond”.

While violence has decreased in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, ISIL’s affiliate in the Khorasan region – Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) – still remains active.

The ISIL’s chapter spanning Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia had also claimed responsibility for the March attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow, where over 140 people were killed, marking the deadliest attack in Russia in two decades, Al Jazeera had reported. (ANI)

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The Afghan caretaker government has been repeatedly calling upon Afghan refugees to end living abroad…reports Asian Lite News

 More than 30,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland from Pakistan, Iran and Turkey over the past week, said an official from the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation.

“Among them, around 2,500 are from Pakistan, about 190 from Turkey, and the remaining from Iran,” Abdul Mutalib Haqqani, spokesperson for the ministry, said on Friday.

According to the ministry, moreover, a total of 1.78 million Afghan refugees have returned from abroad over the past year, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting local media outlet TOLOnews.

The Afghan caretaker government has been repeatedly calling upon Afghan refugees to end living abroad as refugees and return home to contribute to the rebuilding of their war-torn homeland.

Last month, the ministry announced that a total of 1,779,603 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland from Pakistan, Iran, and other countries over the past 12 months.

“It is worth mentioning that currently, we have 7 million refugees in foreign countries and 3 million displacements inside Afghanistan,” said the Deputy of the ministry, Mawlavi Abdul Rahman Rashid, at a government programme.

According to Ahadi, to address the issues faced by Afghan migrants and returnees, the ministry has signed 93 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with its partner organisations, seven agencies, and 14 educational institutions during the period.

Over 7,88,000 Afghan internally displaced and returned families, with the collaboration of international aid organisations, have received financial, foodstuffs, and non-foodstuffs during the cited period, Ahadi asserted.

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The police have also destroyed six acres of poppy cultivation during the operations which lasted a couple of days…reports Asian Lite News

Counter-narcotics police during a series of operations in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province have seized 150 kg opium poppy and taken nine people into custody on the charge of involvement in the drug business, provincial police spokesman Mullah Asadullah Jamshid said on Tuesday.

The contraband, according to the official, has been seized in the wake of operations covering the provincial capital Kandahar city and several districts recently. The police have arrested nine smugglers for their involvement in the illegal drug business, Xinhua news agency reported.

The police have also destroyed six acres of poppy cultivation during the operations which lasted a couple of days, the official said.

Opium poppy has been largely used in manufacturing heroin. The caretaker Afghan government banned poppy cultivation, and its processing to drug and drug trafficking in April 2022.

In similar operations, the police seized more than 1 tonne of opium poppy and arrested two persons on the charge of involvement in drug business from Badakhshan province last week.

In April 2022, Afghanistan’s de-facto authorities banned all cultivation of opium poppy under strict new laws. It saw poppy cultivation drop by around 95 per cent from 233,000 hectares at the end of 2022 to 10,800 hectares in 2023.

Opium is an essential ingredient for manufacturing the street drug heroin, and the class of medical prescription opioids which millions rely on for pain medication nationwide.

Earlier in August, the counter-narcotics police have discovered and destroyed a drug processing lab in western Afghanistan’s Nimroz province.

Acting on a tip-off, police launched operations in the province’s Dilaram district. In addition to destroying the drug lab, the police also discovered and burned a large quantity of materials used in manufacturing heroin, District director for counter-narcotics police Mawlawi Samiullah Samim said.

No drug traffickers were arrested at the site of the operations, the official said, adding that efforts are ongoing to apprehend those involved in the drug business.

Over the past few months, police destroyed hundreds of poppy farms across Afghanistan, a country once known for its extensive poppy cultivation.

The Afghan caretaker government banned poppy cultivation, drug processing, and drug trafficking in April 2022.

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While the U.S. exit brought an end to active warfare, it also led to severe economic sanctions that have pushed the war-torn country to the brink of collapse, making the path to reconstruction fraught with challenges…reports Asian Lite News

Three years after the U.S.-led troops withdrew from Afghanistan, the country remains deeply scarred by 20 years of war and struggles to rebuild amid an economic collapse exacerbated by international sanctions.

In Kabul, the Afghan capital, hundreds of trucks lined the road leading to the southern city of Kandahar. In a makeshift tent, Zubair, a truck driver, clutched a number card, waiting for a job assignment. It had been over 40 days since his last trip.

Despite surviving the war, he and many other long-haul drivers now face a different struggle — economic hardship.

On Aug. 30, 2021, the United States terminated its 20-year military presence in Afghanistan, a conflict devastated the nation.

While the U.S. exit brought an end to active warfare, it also led to severe economic sanctions that have pushed the war-torn country to the brink of collapse, making the path to reconstruction fraught with challenges.

Zubair recalled that 10 years ago when he first started hauling freight across Afghanistan, he had three close friends with whom he often traveled. Five years ago, as their trucks crossed a bridge, a U.S. bomb struck, killing his three friends instantly. Zubair narrowly escaped death.

“We were in fear day and night, there was war in every district and every village, there were mines in every area, and 10 drivers were killed in a day,” he said.

Many Afghan truck drivers share similar harrowing experiences. Some survived the conflict, only to suffer from severe psychological trauma.

The 20-year conflict inflicted by U.S. forces caused incalculable damage to Afghanistan and its people. Over 174,000 Afghans, including more than 30,000 civilians, lost their lives during the war, and nearly a third of the population was displaced.

According to the Cluster Munition Coalition, from 2001 to 2002 the U.S. forces dropped 1,228 cluster bombs containing 248,056 bomblets in Afghanistan. Some unexploded bombs are still posing a big threat to Afghan civilians and reports of children being killed by them can be heard every month.

Afghanistan’s infrastructure was destroyed by the war, making economic development difficult and leaving millions struggling to survive. According to the International Monetary Fund, Afghanistan’s per capita GDP never exceeded 700 U.S. dollars during the 20 years of U.S. military occupation.

Since the war ended, Afghanistan has experienced a significant reduction in violence and a relative period of peace. According to the Global Terrorism Index, terror deaths fell by 519 in Afghanistan in 2023, an 81-percent improvement. This was the first year since 2019 that Afghanistan has not been the country most impacted by terrorism.

Najibullah Arman, a veteran Afghan journalist and political analyst, remarked that during the 20 years of U.S. occupation, media coverage was dominated by reports of bloodshed and violence. The end of the war has brought a noticeable improvement in the country’s security situation, and domestic news is no longer as oppressive.

“When we’re on the road now, there are no U.S. warplanes overhead, and we don’t have to fear the explosions and gunfire that were a constant threat during the war,” Zubair said, reflecting on the peace that has emerged over the past three years.

Despite the end of active conflict, Afghanistan’s reconstruction faces immense challenges. The country urgently needs rebuilding, but U.S. sanctions and other economic pressure have made the task even more daunting, as they have led to a brain drain, a shortage of foreign currency and severe constraints on Afghanistan’s economic development.

A World Bank report in April highlighted the country’s sluggish economic performance, noting that food prices had dropped by 14.4 percent year on year in February, while non-food prices fell by 4.4 percent — a sign of deflation in an economy already struggling to recover.

Arman pointed out that U.S. sanctions on the banking sector have made it difficult for foreign capital to enter the country, stalling large-scale investment projects and severely hindering the national reconstruction process.

U.S. President Joe Biden in 2022 issued an executive order allocating half of the 7 billion U.S. dollars in frozen Afghan central bank assets in their country to compensate victims of the 9/11 attacks. This move has been widely criticized in Afghanistan, where many see it as an unjust act that has exacerbated the hardships faced by ordinary Afghans.

An estimated 23.7 million Afghans require humanitarian aid in 2024 — more than half of the country’s population, with a staggering nine out of 10 people living in poverty. The Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2024 necessitates 3.06 billion U.S. dollars to 17.3 million Afghans targeted for assistance, but it had only received 16.2 percent of the required funds as of May 15.

“The real victims of these sanctions are the Afghan people,” Arman said. “It’s simply unfair.”

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The law also includes rules on men’s attire, and forbids homosexuality and playing music in public…reports Asian Lite News

South Korea Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Wednesday expressed concerns over a new set of laws recently issued by the Taliban in Afghanistan and called on authorities to respect human rights.

Published by the Taliban’s justice ministry last week, the 35-article law has sparked international criticism for restricting women’s rights due to clauses that require women to cover their faces and bodies outside of their homes, and ban them from speaking in public, Yonhap news agency reported.

The law also includes rules on men’s attire, and forbids homosexuality and playing music in public.

“We are profoundly concerned and disheartened by Afghanistan’s so-called ‘morality’ law, which starkly defies global efforts for meaningful engagement with the country,” Cho wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“Women’s rights and human dignity are at the heart of a nation’s growth. We urge the Taliban to heed global concern, and respect human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

Taliban authorities have informally introduced restrictions, such as those on women’s education, since taking power in August 2021.

An Afghan woman, who was just a year away from completing her law degree, told Global News last year that she “couldn’t speak for a few minutes” upon learning she would have to forgo her education.

“Home is like jail for us and we will fight until we legalize our basic human rights without any discrimination,” she said.

In 2022, the Taliban also prohibited women from working at non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Another woman who spoke to Global News shared that her family was plunged into poverty after she lost her job at an NGO.

“I am the breadwinner of my family. We are just four persons in my family: me, my sister and my parents. My father is sick now. We don’t have anything in our kitchen to prepare for dinner or for our night,” she said. “It’s so hard for me. I don’t know how I can continue my life.”

In addition to the new restrictions on women, the laws passed on Wednesday also prohibit the playing of music, forbid men from shaving their beards, and require adherence to prayer and religious fasts.

The laws mandate that drivers must not transport women without a male guardian, and both passengers and drivers are required to perform prayers at specified times.

Media in Afghanistan are now required to follow Sharia law, which bans the publication of images of living beings, in accordance with the Islamic prohibition against idolatry.

A UN report from last month indicated that the ministry was fostering a climate of fear and intimidation among Afghans through its edicts and enforcement methods.

Fiona Frazer, head of the human rights service at the UN mission in Afghanistan, said, “Given the multiple issues outlined in the report, the position expressed by the de facto authorities that this oversight will be increasing and expanding gives cause for significant concern for all Afghans, especially women and girls.”

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The Ministry for the “Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice,” which was founded in 2021 following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, released the legislation last week….reports Asian Lite News

Afghanistan’s Taliban government has officially banned mixed martial arts (MMA), deeming the sport un-Islamic, according to a statement released by the country’s sports authority on Wednesday, media reported.

The sports authority’s statement, shared with AFP, explained that MMA was found to be “problematic with respect to sharia” and contained elements “contradictory to the teachings of Islam.” As a result, the Taliban government decided to prohibit the sport across the country.

An official from the sports authority further elaborated that the ban was partially due to the violent nature of MMA, which carries the risk of serious injury or death. The Taliban, who regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, have been enforcing a strict interpretation of Islamic law, recently solidifying rules on public behavior and dress codes, such as the prohibition of men wearing shorts above the knee.

Martial arts, in general, remain popular in Afghanistan, with four of the 11 Afghans who participated in the Paris Games, either on the national team or as part of the Refugee Olympic teams, being martial arts athletes. However, MMA has yet to be recognized as an Olympic sport, largely due to concerns over safety.

Meanwhile, with the enactment of new laws on “vice and virtue” by Taliban ministry that forbids women’s voices and bare faces from public life, women’s lives in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan have become even more limited.

The Ministry for the “Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice,” which was founded in 2021 following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, released the legislation last week.

That was the year that the military of the United States and other Western nations, including Canada, left the country, leaving a power vacuum that the militant group swiftly filled.

According to The Associated Press, which has reviewed the 114-page document, the new rules encompass many aspects of daily public life. This is the first official statement of “virtue laws” in Afghanistan since the takeover.

On Thursday, ministry spokesman Maulvi Abdul Ghafar Farooq stated, “Inshallah, we assure you that this Islamic law will be of great help in the promotion of virtue and the elimination of vice.” The laws were endorsed by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada the previous day.

Article 13 of the document addresses women, detailing how they should dress and behave in public.

Women are now required to cover their entire bodies, including their faces, in public to prevent temptation and avoid tempting others. As a result, the commonly worn hijab, which covers only the hair and neck without covering the face, is no longer deemed acceptable, Global News reported.

Women are now prohibited from singing, reciting, or reading aloud in public, as a woman’s voice is considered “intimate” and should not be heard. It is not clear whether speaking is also prohibited.

Additionally, the laws state that women are not allowed to look at men who are not related to them by blood or marriage, and vice versa.

Violating these rules could lead to warnings, property confiscation, or detention for up to three days. The ministry has already been implementing similar morality standards and reports having detained thousands for breaches.

Heather Barr, associate director of Human Rights Watch’s women’s rights division, commented, “A lot of these rules were in place already but less formally and now they are being formalized. I think this is a sign of what we’ve been seeing over the last three years which is a steady and gradual escalation of the crackdown.”

These new laws follow the Taliban’s imposition of severe restrictions on women’s freedoms since their takeover. In 2022, the group prohibited women from attending school beyond the sixth grade, whereas previously, women were allowed to attend high schools and universities.

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Over 70 people were killed in multiple cases of terror attacks reported in the Balochistan province of Pakistan…reports Asian Lite News

The US on Tuesday condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, which resulted in significant loss of life and said that it stands with Islamabad in its fight against terrorism.

Sharing a post on X, the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of the US State Department said, “The United States strongly condemns the multiple attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan province which took many lives.”

Expressing condolences who lost their lives in the attacks, it further added, “Any violence disrupting peace and stability is indefensible. We stand with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism and we send our deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones.”

Notably, over 70 people were killed in multiple cases of terror attacks reported in the Balochistan province of Pakistan, Al Jazeera reported citing military and police officials.

The country’s military said 14 soldiers and police were killed. 21 terrorists were also killed in fighting in a major attack that targeted vehicles on a major highway in Bela, a town in Lasbela district.

In a separate attack in Musakhel district, local officials said at least 23 civilians were killed after attackers reportedly stopped their convoy, checked their IDs and determined they were from Punjab. 35 vehicles were also set ablaze in the incident.

10 people – five police and five civilians – were reportedly killed in Kalat in an attack on a police post and a highway.

On Monday, rail traffic with Quetta was also suspended following blasts on a rail bridge in the town of Bolan, linking the provincial capital to the rest of Pakistan, as well as on a rail link to neighbouring Iran, railways official Muhammad Kashif said.

Six unidentified bodies have been found by the police so far, near the attack site on the railway bridge.

Balochistan province has had a simmering rebellion for years, with several armed groups present. Rights groups have denounced Pakistan’s response to the movement, which they document as including enforced disappearances and other forms of state repression, Al Jazeera reported.

The attacks, along the highway that connects to the province of Punjab, came shortly after the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) warned people to stay away from highways in the province. (ANI)

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Omari said that 34 kidnappers have been killed and 76 arrested in 250 operations carried out by the security forces to solve kidnapping incidents….reports Asian Lite News

Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry has said that the number of registered criminal cases in the war-torn country decreased by 30 per cent from July last year to July this year.

Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Nabi Omari, while presenting the Annual Performance Report in Kabul on Tuesday, highlighted that it is for the first time in four decades that citizens of the country are able to live safely and travel freely between provinces due to enhanced security measures, Xinhua news agency reported.

Omari said that the Ministry’s activities are now systematically regulated and managed according to a strategic plan guided by the decrees of Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada and court verdicts.

“The 30 per cent nationwide decrease in crime rate is a testament to the relentless efforts put in by the national forces. To further strengthen security, the Ministry has taken steps to professionalise and equip national police training centres, ensuring the police are now fully capable of countering any threats,” the Minister added.

Omari said that 34 kidnappers have been killed and 76 arrested in 250 operations carried out by the security forces to solve kidnapping incidents.

The Minister also mentioned that efforts have been intensified to combat the menace of narcotics, leading to the destruction of poppy fields, the treatment of addicts, and stringent legal actions against those involved in the drug trade.

“Over the past year, authorities seized 3,643 tonnes of narcotics, dismantled 790 drug production and processing facilities, and arrested 10,564 suspects. Additionally, 27,891 addicts were referred to treatment centres, and 17,651 hectares of land were cleared of poppy cultivation,” the Minister noted.

“A large amount of foreign currency, including $1.95 million, €845,000, 4.83 million Saudi Riyals, and 100,000 Dirhams has also been seized from various airports, and people trying to smuggle it have been put behind bars,” the Ministry said.

“Police personnel have made significant strides in combating criminal offences, leading to a 30 per cent reduction in criminal cases compared to the previous year,” said the Ministry’s spokesman, Mufti Abdul Mateen Qani.

According to Qani, police forces conducted 250 operations against human traffickers during this period, resulting in the arrest of 76 kidnappers and the deaths of 34 others in clashes with police.

Additionally, Qani reported that 10,564 individuals were arrested on charges related to drug trafficking, sales and purchases. Furthermore, 790 drug factories were dismantled during the same period.

The Afghan caretaker government, since taking power in August 2021, has vowed to crack down on criminal elements to ensure law and order in the country.

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