Category: Afghanistan

Two police personnel had been injured during the fire exchange with the gang…reports Asian Lite News

Afghan police have killed eight alleged kidnappers in a crackdown against outlaws in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Asif Waziri said on Wednesday.

“Units of police launched an operation against the hideout of a kidnapping gang in Khwaja Khairan locality, Police District 7 of Mazar-i-sharif city Wednesday morning, killing eight and discovered arms and ammunitions including three assault rifles, two pistols and three cars from the site of the operation,” Waziri told Xinhua news agency.

Two police personnel had been injured during the fire exchange with the gang, the official added.

In similar operations, the police arrested 10 people on the charge of involvement in criminal activities in Balkh province some two weeks ago.

The Afghan caretaker government has vowed to crack down on criminal elements in Afghanistan to ensure law and order in the war-torn country.

‘Afghan territory should not be used for terror’

In a veiled attack on Pakistan, India, on Thursday, said that Afghanistan’s territory should not be used for sheltering, training, planning or financing terrorist acts, specifically terrorist individuals and entities prescribed by the UN Security Council and drug trafficking.

While addressing the United Nations Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, India’s permanent representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj said that India “expect that the territory of Afghanistan should not be used for sheltering, training, planning or financing terrorist acts, specifically terrorist individuals and entities prescribed by the UN Security Council. It also means acting against drug trafficking.” Talking about Afghanistan’s situation, Kamboj stated that the humanitarian situation in the country is “deeply distressing.”

She also told UNSC about the humanitarian assistance that India has provided to Afghanistan in the past year.

“In response to the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people, and in response to the urgent appeals made by the United Nations, india has dispatched several shipments of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. We are committed to continuing our help to the Afghan people going forward. In this regard, we have provided several shipments of humanitarian assistance, including 40,000 metric tons of wheat, 65 tons of medical aid, and 28 tonnes of other relief material. Recently, we also sent around 5000 units of stationery items and winter clothing for the primary school students of the Habiba School in Kabul,” India’s envoy to the UN said.

ALSO READ: Islamabad firm on claims of TTP hideouts in Afghanistan

UN noted that Women have also been largely restricted from traveling outside of their homes, and have been excluded from public decision-making…reports Asian Lite News

Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the country has become the most repressive in the world for women and girls, depriveing them of many of their basic rights, the United Nations said on Wednesday (local time).

The UN mission in Afghanistan said in a statement released on International Women’s Day that the new Taliban leaders have “demonstrated an almost singular focus on imposing rules that leave most women and girls effectively trapped in their homes.” Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva, UN Special Representative and head of the UN’s Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, strongly condemned recent Taliban decrees that have further eroded the rights of Afghan women.

Afghanistan under the Taliban remains the “most repressive country in the world (for) women’s rights”, the senior UN official in Kabul told the Security Council on Wednesday, while nevertheless voicing a nuanced position on the importance of continuing to engage with the group.

“Afghanistan under the Taliban remains the most repressive country in the world regarding women’s rights, and it has been distressing to witness their methodical, deliberate, and systematic efforts to push Afghan women and girls out of the public sphere,” said Roza Otunbayeva.

Since taking power in August 2021, the new leaders have banned secondary and university education for girls and women, banned women from working in national and international nongovernmental organizations and have ordered women to be covered from head to toe.

Women have also been largely restricted from traveling outside of their homes, and have been excluded from public decision-making, the UN noted.

Otunbayeva said that restricting women to their homes is “one of the world’s largest humanitarian and economic crises is a colossal act of national self-harm.”

“Confining half of the country’s population to their homes in one of the world’s largest humanitarian and economic crises is a colossal act of national self-harm,” Otunbayeva also said.

“It will condemn not only women and girls, but all Afghans, to poverty and aid-dependency for generations to come,” she said. “It will further isolate Afghanistan from its own citizens and from the rest of the world.”

According to the International Labour Organization, female employment in Afghanistan was 25 percent lower in the final quarter of 2022 than during the final quarter of 2021, largely due to restrictions on where they can work and travel.

Taliban leaders have defended their restrictions on women’s education, saying that the bans were temporary because women were not following the dress code or they were studying subjects like engineering and agriculture.

The restrictions, especially the bans on education and NGO work, have drawn fierce international condemnation. But the Taliban have shown no signs of backing down, claiming the bans are temporary suspensions in place allegedly because women were not wearing the Islamic headscarf, or hijab, correctly and because gender segregation rules were not being followed.

As for the ban on university education, the Taliban government has said that some of the subjects being taught were not in line with Afghan and Islamic values.

The UN mission to Afghanistan also said it has recorded an almost constant stream of discriminatory edicts and measures against women since the Taliban takeover — women’s right to travel or work outside the confines of their home and access to spaces is largely restricted, and they have also been excluded from all levels of public decision-making.

The UN said these restrictions have caused severe aftereffects, including more suicides, child marriage, early childbearing, poverty-related losses and a higher risk of domestic violence and sexual exploitation among women.

According to the statement, 11.6 million Afghan women and girls are in need of humanitarian assistance. However, the Taliban are further undermining the international aid effort through their ban on women working for NGOs. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Pakistan warns action ‘within Afghanistan’

The Taliban regime issued the ban after accusing female students of disobeying the university’s rigorous dress code…reports Asian Lite News

Male students in Afghanistan on Monday returned to their classes after the reopening of universities following a winter break. Women, however, are barred from attending classes by the Taliban authorities, Afghanistan-based news agency Khaama Press reported.

The Taliban-led Ministry of Higher Education in a statement on Wednesday said that male students’ classes at public universities would commence on Monday. The statement, however, said nothing about the resumption of universities for female students.

Since the Taliban retook control in August 2021, numerous limitations have been placed on women. One of these restrictions, the university ban, has outraged people worldwide, particularly Muslims.

The Taliban regime issued the ban after accusing female students of disobeying the university’s rigorous dress code and requiring them to travel to and from campus with a male relative.

Tolo News recently reported that, as Afghan women continue to grapple with challenges related to education due to Taliban-imposed bans, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a statement said that the females in war-torn Afghanistan are living in exile in their own country.

The UN Chief reiterated that the basic rights of Afghan women and girls are trampled due to the ban on education by the de-facto authorities.

The UN said in a statement that Guterres expressed his concerns about the right of women and girls in Afghanistan.

The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, Zabiullah Mujahid, however, refuted the claims and asserted that women’s and girls’ rights have been upheld in Afghanistan and that the international community should refrain from exerting pressure on the current administration using the subject of women.

“They should not make this a political tool and use it as a means of pressure,” Mujahid said, as per TOLOnews.

Females students in Afghnaistan have repeatedly called out to the Taliban to open education institutions for girls to attend at the earliest.

“We ask the current government to reopen schools, madrassas and all educational centers to girls,” said Nargis Niazi, a student.

At the recent UN Human Rights Council in Geneva meeting, representatives of several countries expressed concerns over the existing restrictions on Afghan women and girls.

President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, Hala Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri, at the UN Human Rights Council, said Saudi Arabia calls on Kabul to rescind its decisions so women can “fully enjoy their rights without discrimination”. (ANI)

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The quake struck at a depth of 245 kilometres at a latitude of 37.73 and a longitude of 73.47…reports Asian Lite News

An earthquake of magnitude 4.1 occurred 267 kms east northeast of Fayzabad, Afghanistan on Thursday at 02:35:57 IST, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).

“Earthquake of Magnitude:4.1, Occurred on 02-03-2023, 02:35:57 IST, Lat: 37.73 & Long: 73.47, Depth: 245 Km ,Location: 267km ENE of Fayzabad, Afghanistan,” NCS tweeted on Thursday. The quake struck at a depth of 245 kilometres at a latitude of 37.73 and a longitude of 73.47.

Further details awaited.

Recenlty, an earthquake of magnitude 4.1 occurred in Afghanistan at on Tuesday, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS).

“Earthquake of Magnitude: 4.1, Occurred on 28-02-2023, 04:05:22 IST, Lat: 36.38 & Long: 70.94, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Afghanistan,” NCS tweeted on Sunday. The quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres, at a latitude of 36.38 and a longitude of 70.94.

Recently, an earthquake of magnitude 4.8 struck Tajikistan on Tuesday morning.

According to the National Center for Seismology, the quake struck at 09:51 am at a depth of 185 kilometers at a longitude of 72.95 and a latitude of 37.90. “Earthquake of Magnitude:4.8, Occurred on 28-02-2023, 09:51:03 IST, Lat: 37.90 & Long: 72.95, Depth: 185 Km, Location: Tajikistan,” the National Center for Seismology posted on Twitter.

This is the second earthquake to strike the Central Asian country today as earlier this morning an earthquake of magnitude 4.3 had struck the country at 05:31:54 IST, the NCS said.

“Earthquake of Magnitude:4.3, Occurred on 28-02-2023, 05:31:54 IST, Lat: 38.20 & Long: 73.85, Depth: 10.0 Km, Location: Tajikistan,” NCS said.

ALSO READ: Taliban set condition for disarming TTP

Besides the devastating earthquakes which hit Turkiye and Syria, the situation in Afghanistan is considered the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world in 2023…reports Asian Lite News

Ramiz Alakbarov, the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said that Afghanistan’s gross income has declined by 35 per cent, and nearly 700,000 people have lost their jobs over the past 18 months, the Khaama Press reported.

Alakbarov, in a press conference on Tuesday, said that 65 per cent of the people need humanitarian aid, and millions are on the verge of catastrophic starvation in Afghanistan. According to the Khaama Press, a high-ranking UN official in Afghanistan has said that the price of essential food items has increased by 30 per cent, and three-fourths of the ordinary people’s income goes to food only.

Furthermore, he highlighted that currently, 28.3 million people in Afghanistan are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, and six million people are on the verge of starvation.

Besides the devastating earthquakes which hit Turkiye and Syria the worst in decades, the situation in Afghanistan is considered the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world in 2023, and natural disasters have added to the problem of the people as well.

As per the report by the Khaama Press, Alakbarov described the natural disasters including floods and earthquakes in 2022 as quite unprecedented in Afghanistan and said that natural disasters might also adversely affect people in 2023.

The United Nations has repeatedly called on rich countries to donate generously and help this organization in offering life-saving services for needy people across the world.

“Budget request for Afghanistan make only 9 per cent of the total fund for global humanitarian aid, and it is requested that special attention should be paid to the Afghan people due to the existing humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country,” Alakbarov said.

This comes as the Afghan interim government is struggling with major economic issues and security challenges. The Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) militants have intensified their attack, targeting foreign embassies, diplomatic missions, hotels, and educational institutions over the past months, which resulted in the death and injury of scores of innocent people. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Taliban set condition for disarming TTP

Among the killed was a key member of the ISKP, Qari Fateh, who previously served as Amir-al-Harb (military leader) for Khorasan…reports Asian Lite News

The intelligence and military chief of Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) was killed during an operation in Kabul, according to a media report.

Meanwhile, in a separate operation, the Afghan Taliban administration arrested a high-ranking ISKP officer who is known to have been working as the terrorist organisation’s subcontinent chief, The Express Tribune reported.

According to the operation details, two Daesh members were killed in an overnight operation against a cell on 1st Street of Shahrak-e-Zakireen, Khair Khana, Kabul.

Among the killed was a key member of the ISKP, Qari Fateh, who previously served as Amir-al-Harb (military leader) for Khorasan, head of Kunar province, head of the eastern zone and currently as the intelligence and operations chief who directly masterminded recent operations in Kabul, including against diplomatic missions, mosques and other targets, The Express Tribune reported.

Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told the media that on February 13, a special operation by the IEA Special Forces had also resulted in the death of three Daesh members, including its Indian subcontinent leader, Ijaz Amin Ahingar.

“A number of other Daesh members, including foreign nationals, planning deadly attacks have also been detained in recent days,” he added.

It may be noted that the operations come under the backdrop of meetings where Pakistan managed to secure ;fresh commitment” from the Afghan Taliban on tackling the renewed threat posed by banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) after a high-level delegation led by the country’s defence minister visited Kabul last week, according to officials familiar with the development, Express Tribune reported.

ALSO READ: Pakistan warns action ‘within Afghanistan’

The movement’s supporters include students, teachers, and several former government employees fighting for women’s rights…..reports Asian Lite News

A group of Afghan women on Saturday announced the launch of Afghanistan’s Women’s Revolution in Kabul to fight for fundamental human and women rights in the country, Afghan news agency Khaama Press reported.

According to one of the organizers, Donya Safi, the movement aimed to “protect the basic rights of citizens, particularly women, as access to basic rights is a serious requirement for the citizens.” We started this campaign to fight the injustice and inequity against women, reported Amu TV, according to Khaama Press. Safi said the movement’s supporters include students, teachers, and several former government employees fighting for women’s rights.

According to Safi, society can only progress with the contribution of women. As a result, if women do not contribute to society, society will not progress. Despite women’s essential role in the country’s progress, women are not allowed to participate in the current Taliban government.

As Afghan women continue to grapple with challenges related to education due to Taliban-imposed bans, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a recent statement said that the females in war-torn Afghanistan are living in exile in their own country, TOLOnews reported.

The UN Chief reiterated that the basic rights of Afghan women and girls are trampled due to the ban on education by the de-facto authorities.

The UN said in a statement that Guterres expressed his concerns about the right of women and girls in Afghanistan.

The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, Zabiullah Mujahid, however, refuted the claims and asserted that women’s and girls’ rights have been upheld in Afghanistan and that the international community should refrain from exerting pressure on the current administration using the subject of women.

“They should not make this a political tool and use it as a means of pressure,” Mujahid said, as per TOLOnews.

Female students in Afghanistan have repeatedly called out to the Taliban to open educational institutions for girls to attend at the earliest.

“We ask the current government to reopen schools, madrassas and all educational centres to girls,” said Nargis Niazi, a student.

In the latest decree, the Taliban has banned female students from sitting in university entrance exams, TOLOnews reported. The decision was followed by another decree from Taliban prohibiting women from working in non-governmental organisations, which sparked outrage on both the national and international levels.

Recently, ten women foreign ministers, who attended the 59th Munich Security Conference, in a statement condemned the restrictions imposed on women and girls in Afghanistan, Tolo News reported.

The statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Slovenia, Germany, Canada, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Belgium, Andorra, Albania, Mongolia and Libya. (ANI)

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