Category: Afghanistan

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Afghanistan qualify for Super Four with 7-wicket win

Thereafter, a couple of boundaries from Ibrahim Zadran ((42 not out off 41) brought the equation down to 52 from the final five overs which is when Najibullah Zadran (43 not out off 17) took over and stunned the bowling side…reports Asian Lite News

Afghanistan became the first team to qualify for the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2022 with a convincing seven wicket win over Bangladesh in a Group B match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, here on Tuesday.

The victory for Afghanistan was set up by spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan, while Najibullah Zadran’s six-hitting spree and his unbroken partnership of 69 off 5.3 overs with Ibrahim Zadran took Afghanistan home with nine balls to spare.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Bangladesh batters couldn’t get going for most part of the innings on a dusty pitch, which had a fair amount of grip and turns.

The Afghanistan spin twins Mujeeb Ur Rahman (3/16) and Rashid Khan (3/22) bowled tight length and lines and spun their webs in the powerplay and in the middle-overs respectively.

When Mahmudullah (25 off 27) got out in the 15.4 overs, Bangladesh were 89-6 and it looked like they’d even fold for under 100. However, Mosaddek Hossain’s 31-ball 48, and Mehidy Hasan’s 12-ball 14 helped Bangladesh in some form of recovery and led them to a respectable total of 127/7 in 20 overs.

Chasing a respectable target, Afghanistan got off to a poor start as Shakib Al Hasan, playing his 100th T20I, got rid of operer Rahmanullah Gurbaz to give Bangladesh some hope. Bangladesh capitalised on the wicket as the runs were stifled.

The spinners were doing all the damage by not giving away freebies to Hazratullah Zazai and Ibrahim Zadran was content taking the chase deep. By removing Zazai and Mohammad Nabi in succession, Bangladesh appeared to have taken control of the game. Afghanistan were on the verge of going down as needed 66 from the final 7 after fetching only 62 from the first 13.

Thereafter, a couple of boundaries from Ibrahim Zadran ((42 not out off 41) brought the equation down to 52 from the final five overs which is when Najibullah Zadran (43 not out off 17) took over and stunned the bowling side.

For the first 35 overs of the contest, only one six was hit. But Najibullah added six more hits over the fence in the next four overs with his clean hitting. Mustafizur was hit for a couple of sixes and Saifuddin suffered the same fate in the following over as the pacers undid the spinners’ good work.

The 22-run 18th over very much ended the contest as Afghanistan needed only 4 more from the final two overs with Najibullah clearing the ropes one more time to lead Afghanistan to a convincing win in 18.3 overs, with seven wickets in hand.

Brief scores: Bangladesh 127/7 in 20 overs (Mosaddek Hossain 48 not out, Mahmudullah 25; Mujeeb Ur Rahman 3/16, Rashid Khan 3/22) lost to Afghanistan 131-3 in 18.3 overs (Najibullah Zadran 43 not out, Ibrahim Zadran 42 not out, Mosaddek Hossain 1/12) by 7 wickets.

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-Top News Afghanistan Asia News

Afghanistan on brink of famine: UN

Unemployment and extreme poverty have forced tens of thousands of Afghans to flee their country…reports Asian Lite News

A top UN official has warned that 6 million Afghans are at risk of famine as the war-torn country continues to face extreme hardship and uncertainty under the Taliban regime.

UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths made the remarksat a UN Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, reports dpa news agency.

More than half of the country’s population needs humanitarian assistance, Griffiths said.

With the Taliban’s return to power on August 2021, the country’s situation has further deteriorated. Unemployment and extreme poverty have forced tens of thousands of Afghans to flee their country.

In addition, a devastating earthquake and flash floods have compounded the situation.

The international community is pumping roughly $40 million into the country’s economy each week.

But there are complaints that the Taliban is allocating the majority of the money to its supporters.

“Poverty is deepening, the population is still growing, and the de facto authorities have no budget to invest in their own future,” Griffiths said.

He said the UN urgently needs $600 million to support preparation for winter, such as upgrades and repairs to shelter, warm clothes, and blankets, and an additional $154 million for food and livelihood assistance.

According to the Human Rights Watch (HRW), more than 90 per cent of Afghans have been suffering from some form of food insecurity since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, skipping meals or whole days of eating and engaging in extreme coping mechanisms to pay for food, including sending children to work.

ALSO READ: Significant increase in terror presence in Afghanistan: India

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-Top News Afghanistan Asia News

Significant increase in terror presence in Afghanistan: India

Kamboj drew attention to the attack on a gurdwara in Kabul in June and the bomb explosion near it the next month, which she said were “hugely alarming”…reports Arul Louis

India has warned of a “significant increase” in the presence of terrorist groups in the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and threats to other countries emanating from the war-torn country.

“We need to see concrete progress in ensuring that such proscribed terrorists, entities, or their aliases do not get any support, tacit or direct, either from Afghan soil or from the terror sanctuaries based in the region,” India’s Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj told the UN Security Council on Monday.

India’s concerns about terrorist threats from Afghanistan were widely shared by participants at the Council meeting held on the eve of the anniversary of the US withdrawal from the country.

Kamboj said that there was “a significant increase” in the presence of the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) terror group in Afghanistan and its “capacity to carry out attacks”.

The IS affiliate “continues to issue threats of terrorist attacks on other countries”, she said.

Kamboj drew attention to the attack on a gurdwara in Kabul in June and the bomb explosion near it the next month, which she said were “hugely alarming”.

IS-K had claimed responsibility for the attack.

“The linkages between groups listed by the UN Security Council such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed, as well as provocative statements made by other terrorist groups operating out of Afghanistan pose a direct threat to the peace and stability of the region,” she added.

The UK, France, the US, Albania, Kenya and, even, China and Russia acknowledged the terrorism threats from Afghanistan.

The meeting was convened at the request of Russia, which, along with China, Iran and Pakistan, wanted the sanctions on the Taliban eased.

They used the terrorism threat to make their case, asserting that engaging with the Taliban, lifting travel bans on their leaders and releasing the country’s frozen funds would pave the way for finding solutions to terrorism and other issues like women’s rights.

China’s Permanent Representative Zhang Jun said the US should “immediately return the frozen assets”, and Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Munir Akram duly echoed it.

US Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield countered: “No country that is serious about containing terrorism in Afghanistan would advocate to give the Taliban instantaneous, unconditional access to billions in assets that belong to the Afghan people.”

United Arab Emirates Permanent Representative Lana Zaki Nusseibeh said that the Council should use the tools available to it to make the Taliban combat terrorism.

Albania’s Permanent Representative Frid Hoxha noted that pervasive ties between the Taliban and international terrorist organisations continue, while Kenya’s Counsellor Gideon Kinuthia Ndung’u said that it should ensure that Afghanistan will not be a base for terrorist groups like IS and Al Qaeda to launch attacks.

Russia, joined by China, Iran and Pakistan, blamed the US for the terrorism in Afghanistan.

Russia’s Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenzya said” “The US came to Afghanistan with a special mission, to fight against terrorism… In reality, their arrival to the country only strengthened its status as a hotbed of terrorism and a centre for the production and distribution of drugs.”

He and Zhun said that the US and other Western countries should make up for their mistakes in Afghanistan.

Kamboj said that India has sent Afghanistan 32 tonnes of medical assistance, which includes essential life-saving medicines, anti-TB medicines and 500,000 doses of Covid vaccine, and over 40,000 tonnes of wheat.

These were being distributed through the World Health Organisation and the UN’s World Food Programme to ensure they reached the people.

She expressed “concern at developments in Afghanistan which directly impact the well-being of women and girls”.

“We join others in calling for the protection of the rights of women and girls, and to ensure that the long-fought gains of the last two decades are not reversed.”

The Taliban has severely restricted employment, education and participation in public life by women.

ALSO READ: Taliban block 23 mn websites in Afghanistan

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-Top News Afghanistan Asia News

Heavy flood kills 20 in Afghanistan

Social media footage showed bodies of children as well as villages inundated by the flooding…reports Asian Lite News

At least 20 people died after a devastating flash flood hit Khoshi district in Afghanistan’s Logar province, officials said on Sunday.

According to initial reports, half of the deceased were children, the provincial police said in a statement. Another 30 people were wounded and at least four were missing.

As a result, more than 3,000 residential houses have been partially or completely damaged, dpa news agency reported quoting officials.

Social media footage showed bodies of children as well as villages inundated by the flooding.

“The situation is very worrying. People urgently need basic aid,” police spokesman Ahmadullah Anas told dpa.

Officials at the country’s National Disaster Management Authority said they have been using helicopters to try to rescue those trapped by the flooding since Saturday evening and have set up an emergency camp.

Afghanistan experiences seasonal flooding every year, damaging homes, agricultural land and public infrastructure.

At least 32 people died in the country’s northern province of Parwan last week after floodwaters rushed through several valleys.

Flash floods usually catch people by surprise as there is no alarm system in the mountainous country.

Decades of conflict, coupled with environmental degradation and insufficient investment in disaster risk reduction have contributed to the increasing vulnerability of Afghans to natural disasters, according to the United Nations.

On average, natural disasters affect 200,000 people every year in the war-torn country.

ALSO READ: Flash flood claims 17 in Afghanistan

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-Top News Afghanistan Asia News

Huge explosion rocks Kabul mosque

20 feared dead including top Islamic cleric named Amir Mohammad Kabuli, reports Asian Lite News

An explosion at a mosque in the north of the Afghan capital of Kabul killed 20 people and injured 40 more, media reports said.

The blast reportedly took place in a mosque in the Khair Khana area during evening prayers.

“As a result of an explosion in a mosque north of Kabul, 20 people were killed and another 40 were injured,” an Afghan security source told Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera on Wednesday.

The Taliban claim they have full control of Afghanistan but the Islamic State continues carrying out attacks on civilians and police across the country.

The Taliban has not issued any statement on casualties, according to the Afghan news agency. No terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the blast so far.

Among the dead is a top Islamic cleric named Amir Mohammad Kabuli.

Two weeks ago, two deadly blasts in Kabul took the lives of 10 people, injuring 40 others. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for both attacks.

This blast comes on the heels of one year of Taliban rule in Afghanistan. Rights groups said the Taliban have broken multiple pledges to respect human rights and women’s rights.

After capturing Kabul in August last year, the Islamic authorities have imposed severe restrictions on women’s and girls’ rights, suppressed the media, and arbitrarily detained, tortured, and summarily executed critics and perceived opponents, among other abuses.

The New York-based rights group in its report said Taliban human rights abuses have brought widespread condemnation and imperilled international efforts to address the country’s dire humanitarian situation.

Meanwhile, the Taliban on Wednesday condemned the explosion. The spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, Zabihullah Mujahid, said in a tweet that the perpetrators of “crimes” will soon be arrested and punished, Tolo News reported.

‘Situation tragedy for alliance’

The situation in Afghanistan a year after the Taliban came to power became a tragedy not only for the Afghan people but also for all NATO countries which tried to create a stable and democratic country, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.

“What we have seen in the last year is actually a huge setback and the tragedy for Afghanistan, but also for all those Allies and partners who worked so hard to create a more peaceful and democratic Afghanistan,” Stoltenberg said during a press conference.

The Western countries managed to cope with terrorism in Afghanistan, but did not fulfill the much more ambitious task of building a free and democratic state, Stoltenberg added.

An interim Afghan government led by the Taliban came to power last fall after the withdrawal of US troops from the country and the collapse of the US-backed government.

The Taliban takeover triggered economic disarray and food shortages that have pushed the country to the brink of a humanitarian crisis. Thousands of Afghans have fled the country fearful of the Taliban, widespread violation of human rights, and the deprivation of women and girls of their freedoms. (ANI/Sputnik)

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Afghanistan Asia News

Green shoots emerge in India-Afghanistan trade

In 2020-21, India’s total imports from Afghanistan were estimated at about Rs 3,700 crore of which fruits and nuts accounted for more than Rs 2,300 crore…reports Mahua Venkatesh

When you walk into the plush RD Mall in Gurugram, you will find a kiosk selling Afghan dry fruits, nuts of all varieties, asafoetida, almond oil and saffron among other items. The kiosk, run by Afghan brothers Aziz Ullah Azizi and his older sibling Atiullah Azizi, is a must stop for most people visiting the mall.

“Even if people don’t buy the items that we sell, they stop by to have a conversation with us, everyone here makes us feel comfortable,” Atiullah told India Narrative.

Exactly a year ago, the messy pull-out of the US troops from Afghanistan hit headlines across the world. The Azizi brothers, like most Afghans living in India, have not visited home for the last one year. Many of their family members are still in Afghanistan. But for them business has not been severely dented. “Only during the initial phase — just after the new regime came over — we had problems getting the goods but gradually life has become normal,” he added.

Since last year, flights between the two countries have been suspended which has dealt a blow to the traders. The Azizi brothers pointed out that most of the goods are now being sourced through the integrated check post at the Wagah border. “This is cumbersome and pushes up the cost by at least 15 to 20 per cent,” Atiullah said, adding that with the festive season approaching, he is now looking forward to a surge in sales.

The two countries had been connected by air freight corridors — Kabul, Kandahar, Herat with New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Since the commencement of an air freight corridor in 2017, over 500 flights have ferried more than 5,000 metric tons of cargo directly benefiting Afghan farmers and small traders, Carnegie India in a report said.

In 2020-21, India’s total imports from Afghanistan were estimated at about Rs 3,700 crore of which fruits and nuts accounted for more than Rs 2,300 crore.

But now, goods can only be sourced either though the Wagah border or other countries. Once the goods are brought into India through the Wagah border, they are then distributed to other cities which include Mumbai, Kolkata and even in the metros in southern India.

“Due to the rise in costs, the items that we sell are now costlier but the quality is good and Indian traders are willing to pay the additional cost,” Atiullah pointed out.

Demand for nuts and dry fruits in India is also significantly rising with changing lifestyle.

A retailer sourcing his nuts and dry fruits from Afghanistan said that while these items were earlier in demand only during the Diwali period and through the winter season, changing lifestyles and the thrust on nuts as a healthy source of nutrients have led to a surge in their sale throughout the year.

An official source, however, told India Narrative that there is no immediate plan to open up trade with Afghanistan immediately. Until trade is officially opened between the two countries, traders will have to continue sourcing their goods through indirect routes.

Meanwhile Aziz Ullah said India has been a “perfect home”.

“We don’t miss home too much, we get our kinds of bread (rotis), meats, vegetables and fruits. Many family members are here… We feel at home. There is no problem at all for us,” he said.

At present, more than 20,000 Afghans are living in India. Many other Afghan traders have not been as lucky. Another Afghan refugee living in India said that the slowdown in trade has impacted their income levels.

“The two countries share a close cultural bond and common history, we are hoping that trade between the two nations resume soon,” the refugee who wished to remain anonymous said.

The Ministry of External Affairs earlier tweeted saying that India stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, with whom we share centuries old ties. It even provided assistance to the country after it was hit by a devastating earthquake in June.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

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-Top News Afghanistan Woman

Taliban violently disperse women protest in Kabul

Social media images showed Taliban forces firing warning shots and physically assaulting the women to disperse their gathering in the heart of the city

A peaceful protest by dozens of women who were marching in the streets of Kabul on Saturday chanting “food, work, and freedom” was attacked and stopped by Taliban forces.

Social media images showed Taliban forces firing warning shots and physically assaulting the women to disperse their gathering in the heart of the city, reports dpa news agency.

Another video clip showed a small group of women cornered by the Taliban in a closed place.

“We are inside a drug store, they have imprisoned us here,” an activist said in one of the videos.

The protesters also chanted that they are tired of discrimination against women.

As the one-year anniversary of the Taliban regime gets closer, women are once again on the streets to denounce the restrictions imposed by the regime on their rights to education, work and freedom of movement.

Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have curtailed basic women’s rights and those who have protested have been suppressed.

No country has recognised the Taliban’s de facto government.

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-Top News Afghanistan Asia News

Cholera death toll rises to 12 in Afghanistan

Local authorities with the financial support from the Unicef have established five response teams in dealing with the health emergency…reports Asian Lite News

A cholera outbreak in Afghanistan’s Jawzjan province since June has killed so far killed at least 12 people, with 18,000 cases being reported, a health official said.

“A total of 18,000 people have been affected by cholera due to using polluted water and poor access to health services,” Xinhua news agency quoted the official as saying to reporters.

Local authorities with the financial support from the Unicef have established five response teams in dealing with the health emergency in the province, the official added.

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-Top News Afghanistan Asia News

Sikh returnees recall tales of Taliban horror

Since the the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, religious minorities, including the Sikh community, have been reportedly targeted in large numbers…reports Sanketh Pathak

Sikhs continue to move into India as attacks on minority communities reportedly increased in Afghanistan since the Taliban came to power in 2021.

On August 3, a group of 30 Sikhs from Afghanistan arrived India.

Several Sikh families who arrived from Afghanistan since 2021 have been accommodated in Guru Arjun Dev Gurdwara in Delhi’s Tilak Nagar, and are being assisted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Many of them were brought from Kabul to Delhi in private planes of Afghanistan’s Kam Airlines.

At present, arrangements have been made for everyone to stay by the Gurdwara committee. Most of them are Sikhs, who have been living in Afghanistan for many generations and have arrived to India leaving everything behind for the first time.

IANS visited the Gurdwara here and met some Sikh refugees to know how they left their homes, businesses and arrived to India to save their lives.

Dodged the Taliban by pretending to treat the child

Taran Singh, who is 32-year-old, lived with his family in Jalalabad area of Afghanistan since childhood. Taran used to run a medicine shop. When the Gurudwara in Kabul was attacked and many Sikhs were killed, he also started worrying about his family. Talking to IANS, Taran Singh said that the Taliban were not allowing him to go to India.

Somehow, he hired a car and left for Kabul with his family and children. On the way, when Talibani authorities asked him the reason for leaving, he told them that his child was ill and had to go to India for treatment. In this way, Taran Singh reached India from Kabul. He is happy to reach Delhi, but he is also sad to have lost his home and shop. Although he says that now he will never go back to Afghanistan.

Harjit Kaur’s brother and sister still stuck in Afghanistan

Harjeet Kaur (30) reached Delhi on August 3 with her husband and three children. Harjeet says that since the time the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, gunmen frequently visited them and use to scare them off. Her concern for her children forced Harjeet to leave Afghanistan. She arrived here safely with eight members of her family, but her one brother, sister-in-law and sister are still in Afghanistan. Due to non-availability of visa and some other difficulties, they could not come to India. Harjeet hopes that soon the rest of his family members will also be able to reach India.

Gurjit Kaur came to India with only two pairs of clothes

Gurjit Kaur (35) is one of the lucky ones who moved to Delhi a few months back. Gurjeet told IANS that she lived near the gurdwara in Kabul, which was targeted recently. After a bomb exploded near her house, she started worrying about her life and decided to go to India. Gurjit, the mother of five children, came to Delhi in a hurry with only two pairs of clothes. She says that she used to run a medicine shop and was born in Afghanistan. Coming to India for the first time, she now lives with her husband in New Mahavir Nagar area of Delhi, leaving behind her house, shop equipment, everything. The scenes of violence against Sikhs in Afghanistan are still fresh in Gurjit’s eyes. She also says that now she will never go back to Afghanistan.

SGPC is taking care

Surinder Pal Singh, member of SGPC and head of Sikh Mission Delhi, told IANS, “We have welcomed the Sikh brothers who have arrived from Afghanistan. The work of rehabilitation and other cooperation of these people is also being done by the committee. There are still about 110 Hindus and Sikhs left in Afghanistan, out of which 61 people’s e-visas have been suspended.”

Since the the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, religious minorities, including the Sikh community, have been reportedly targeted in large numbers. This is the reason, with the support of SGPC and Centre, Afghan minorities, Sikh community and Hindus are being brought to India.

On July 14 also, a batch of 21 Sikhs was brought to India by private ‘Kam’ airlines of Afghanistan.

According to the information, there were about 700 Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan by 2020, but many people left Afghanistan after the Taliban came to power in August 2021.

ALSO READ: Afghanistan receives more cash aid

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-Top News Afghanistan PAKISTAN

Saleh blames Pakistan for assassination plots

Amrullah Saleh

Afghanistan’s former Vice President Amrullah Saleh on Saturday blamed Pakistani agencies for being involved in at least two assassination plots against him.

Taking to Twitter he said that 60 plus people were killed in those complex attacks.

 “Well, Pakistani agencies were involved in at least two assassination plots against me. Tragically some 60-plus people were killed in those complex attacks,” tweeted Saleh.

He also targeted the Pakistan Army which has started to intensify cyber-terrorism by requesting Twitter to ban him from social media platforms.

“Now the GHQ hz started to intensify cyber terrorism too. The puppet Talib junta in Kabul hasn’t satisfied their ego yet,” tweeted Saleh.

The Afghan resistant leader shared a letter from Twitter that divulged a request from Pakistani law enforcement.

“Hello @AmrullahSaleh2, In the interest of transparency, we are writing to inform you that Twitter has received a request from Pakistani Law Enforcement regarding your Twitter account, @Amrullah5aleh2, that claims the following content violates the law(s) of Pakistan,” read the letter.

However, Twitter declined to take any action against Saleh on the reported content.

“As Twitter strongly believes in defending and respecting the voice of the users, it is our policy to notify our users if we receive a legal request from an authorized entity (such as law enforcement or a government agency) to remove content from their account. We provide notice whether or not the user lives in the country where the request originated,” added the letter.

The social media site suggested Saleh take legal counsel and challenge the request in court, by contacting relevant civil society organizations, voluntarily deleting the content (if applicable), or finding some other resolution.

“We understand that receiving this type of notice can be an unsettling experience. While Twitter is not able to provide legal advice, we want you to have an opportunity to evaluate the request and, if you wish, take appropriate action to protect your interests,” read the letter.

Back in June, Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a report said Taliban security forces in northern Afghanistan’s Panjshir province have unlawfully detained and tortured residents accused of association with an opposition armed group.

Since mid-May 2022, fighting has escalated in the province as National Resistance Front (NRF) forces have attacked Taliban units and checkpoints. The Taliban have responded by deploying to the province thousands of fighters, who have carried out search operations targeting communities they allege are supporting the NRF.

During search operations in other provinces, Taliban forces have committed summary executions and enforced disappearances of captured fighters and other detainees, which are war crimes.

“Taliban forces in Panjshir province have quickly resorted to beating civilians in their response to fighting against the opposition National Resistance Front,” said Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The Taliban’s longstanding failure to punish those responsible for serious abuses in their ranks put more civilians at risk.”

Former detainees in early June reported that Taliban security forces detained about 80 residents in Panjshir’s Khenj district and beat them to compel them to provide information about the NRF, according to HRW. After several days, the

Taliban released 70, but have continued to hold 10 people whose relatives they accuse of being members of the group, a form of collective punishment.

Former detainees said the district jail held nearly 100 others who have alleged links to the NRF. None had access to their families or lawyers. Others have been held in informal detention facilities. (ANI)

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