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TTP now largest terror group in Afghanistan: UN

The UN report says Taliban do not conceive of TTP as a terrorist group: the bonds are close, and the debt owed to TTP significant…reports Asian Lite News

The United Nations monitoring report have highlighted that the banned militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is now the largest terrorist group in Afghanistan, enjoying operational and logistical support from both the Afghan Taliban and factions of the Al Qaeda terrorist network, reported Dawn.

The 15th report of the ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaeda/Taliban Monitoring Team was submitted to the UN Security Council.

“The Taliban do not conceive of TTP as a terrorist group: the bonds are close, and the debt owed to TTP significant,” the report stated.

The report further noted that it has an estimated strength of around 6000-6500 fighters, adding that the TTP is now the largest among the two dozen or so such groups that enjoy freedom to manoeuvre, under the oversight of the Taliban regime, as reported by Dawn.

This lends credence to Islamabad’s stance that Kabul is unwilling to act against Pakistan-facing terrorist groups, something officials such as Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi have reiterated time and again.

The report further stressed that TTP “continues to operate at a significant scale in Afghanistan and to conduct terrorist operations into Pakistan from there, often utilising Afghans.”

“TTP has intensified attacks against Pakistan, significantly increasing from 573 in 2021 to 715 in 2022 and 1,210 in 2023, with the trend continuing into 2024,” the report, updated until May 28, stated, according to Dawn.

Moreover, this lines up with Islamabad’s claims of the involvement of Afghan nationals in a number of recent terrorist attacks, including the Bisham bombing, claiming the lives of five Chinese engineers and their Pakistani driver.

Notably, the UN report mentioned this particular incident.

Further, it backs Pakistan’s worry that NATO-calibre weapons, especially night vision capability, have been provided to TTP since the Taliban takeover, adding lethality to terrorist attacks against Pakistani border posts, Dawn reported.

Two TTP militants arrested

Two Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists have been arrested in an operation in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of police said.

They were wanted by police for their involvement in funding terrorist activities, the CTD said in a statement.

The terrorists arrested on Friday were in contact with the TTP leadership and were operating through social media to collect funds for the terror outfit, Xinhua news agency reported.

The terrorists had recently come back to Karachi after funding a terrorist incident and collecting funds for their next mission.

Police also recovered funds and arms from the terrorists. (ANI/IANS)

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Afghan police seize 1,500 kg of illicit drugs, arrest 120 offenders

In the month of May, the counter-narcotics police had wiped out over 17,500 acres of poppy farms in north Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province in the past one month…reports Asian Lite News

Afghan police seized 1,500 kg of illicit drugs, including opium and heroin, and arrested 120 alleged drug smugglers from Afghanistan’s Nimroz province over the past six months, the provincial police office said in a statement on Saturday.

Without providing more details, the statement said that the dossiers of the suspects have been referred to the judiciary for further investigation and possible legal process, Xinhua news agency reported.

Afghan authorities have intensified crackdown on illicit drugs and those involved in the business.

Poppy cultivation in Afghanistan had dropped by an estimated 95 per cent since the country’s caretaker government imposed a drug ban in April 2022, according to a report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime issued last November.

In the month of May, the counter-narcotics police had wiped out over 17,500 acres of poppy farms in north Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province in the past one month.

The law enforcement towards these illicit crops was conducted in parts of Baharak, Darayem, Teshkan, Yamgan, Yeftal Payan, Kashm, Juram, and Argo districts, as well as provincial capital Faizabad city, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement issued by the provincial police on Wednesday.

The Afghan police had also destroyed two drug processing labs and arrested 10 people on the charge of involvement in illicit drug business in the provinces of Nimroz, Balkh and Helmand.

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Afghan judge hunted by Taliban wins case

A member of Taliban stands guard at a security checkpoint in Kandahar city, Afghanistan, Sept. 11, 2021. (Photo by Sanaullah Seiam/Xinhua/IANS)

The UK government argued he had not worked closely enough with the UK in Afghanistan to qualify for relocation. A UK government spokesperson says officials are “considering” the ruling…reports Asian Lite News

An Afghan judge who has been forced to go into hiding from the Taliban was wrongly refused relocation to the UK, the High Court has ruled.

The anonymous claimant prosecuted Taliban and Islamic State group members, and has since avoided an assassination attempt, the court heard.

The UK government argued he had not worked closely enough with the UK in Afghanistan to qualify for relocation. A UK government spokesperson says officials are “considering” the ruling.

The Afghan judge is currently in hiding in an unspecified third country with his wife and children, two of whom are in poor health, it emerged in court.

He lives with the constant “risk that they may be forcibly returned to Afghanistan”, according to a ruling in his favour. Zoe Cooley, the claimant’s solicitor, said the government had a “moral, as well as a legal, responsibility to bring our client and his family to safety”.

The ruling does not automatically qualify him for relocation but does mean the government must now reassess his application in light of the court’s findings.

Cooley called on the UK government to act “very swiftly” to bring the judge and his family to the UK before it was “too late”. The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme was set up to offer people who worked for or with the UK government in Afghanistan a path to move to the UK.

It is aimed at those who could be exposed to retribution by the Taliban, which re-seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021, due to their association with international forces involved in the invasion.

The Afghan judge who brought the High Court case first applied to ARAP in August 2021 but was rejected in March 2022 – a decision upheld by an appeals panel in May 2023.

The government officials responsible for reviewing the application effectively ruled that he did not directly work for or with the UK government and was therefore not eligible. Now High Court judge Justice Julian Knowles has ruled that decision was “irrational” and based on “plainly faulty” reasoning as the Afghan judge’s activities “personally and directly” had helped to further the UK’s goals in Afghanistan.

The High Court heard the judge asked for help to leave Afghanistan during the August 2021 evacuation but “did not receive a reply” and was left in the country. He served as a senior judge for six years in an area which saw some of the heaviest fighting and counter-insurgency during the Afghanistan war.

The court heard he oversaw cases involving murder, violence against women, terrorism, kidnapping, drug smuggling and corruption. The perpetrators were often members of the Taliban and the Daesh group.

When the Taliban had surrounded his home city in 2021 during its rapid campaign to seize control of Afghanistan, the judge had to be “air-lifted out of the region by military aircraft” for his safety, the High Court was told.

Justice Knowles accepted the claimant’s evidence that the Taliban had had informants on the court’s staff during his time as a judge – some of whom now hold high-ranking positions in the government. Some of the people the judge sentenced in Afghanistan have since “obtained high positions in the present Taliban regime”. The judge was involved in cases where suspects were apprehended after operations based on intelligence provided by “international forces” operating in Afghanistan.

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Sunak warned not to deport Afghan allies to Rwanda

Lord Carlile, a former terrorism legislation reviewer, called the amendments “just, fair and required.”…reports Asian Lite News

The government has been warned against letting Afghans who worked and fought alongside British and coalition forces be deported to Rwanda.

Members of the House of Lords are debating new legislation proposed to allow asylum-seekers who arrive in the UK illegally to be removed to the East African state for processing.

On Monday, peers rejected the government’s attempts to have Rwanda declared a safe country until certain safeguards are met.

In 2023, the UK Supreme Court ruled the Rwanda plan unlawful, but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pressed ahead, including trying to assert that the country is safe via legislation so as not to “frustrate the will of the (British) people.”

The Lords are also discussing changes to the legislation, proposed by former Defence Secretary Lord Browne of Ladyton, to exempt Afghans with a history of service alongside UK counterparts. Peers are due to vote on the amendments on Wednesday.

The Illegal Migration Act, given assent on July 20, 2023, states that illegal migrants who entered the UK after that date must be removed, and that asylum cannot be given to anyone who entered the country illegally on or after March 7 that year.

Lord Browne’s changes would mean foreign nationals who helped the UK Armed Forces overseas in an “exposed or meaningful manner,” or were “employed by or indirectly contracted to provide services to the UK government in an exposed or meaningful manner,” would be exempt, along with their families.

Lord Carlile, a former terrorism legislation reviewer, called the amendments “just, fair and required.”

He told The Independent: “If it is put to the vote, there will be a lot of support for not sending people who worked with Britain in Afghanistan to Rwanda — provided peers are satisfied it is drawn in a way which would not allow for people to use the system illegitimately.

“Obviously, we want to help genuine Afghans who would be in real trouble if, via Rwanda, they were returned to Afghanistan.”

He added: “We have to understand that the House of Lords cannot simply wreck government legislation, we are not trying to do that. But if there is something that is just and fair and required, then we will say to the government, ‘this is not acceptable.’”

The former chief of the UK’s general staff, Gen. Lord Dannatt, has also said he supports the proposed amendments, alongside former diplomat Tim Willasey-Wilsey, who told The Independent: “It is imperative that the House of Commons should accept Lord Browne’s amendment.”

Conservative MP Julian Lewis, former chair of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, told The Independent: “I’m very sympathetic to rescuing Afghans at risk for having helped the UK Nato/Isaf forces to fight the Taliban.

“Provided that their specific service background can be verified by our MoD (Ministry of Defence) and/or individual veterans, it ought to be possible for them to apply to come here from the first safe country they reach, and it should not be necessary for them to make a risky and illegal Channel crossing.”

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Over 200 Afghan refugees relocated from Pak to UK

International organizations and human rights groups have called on Pakistan to reconsider its decision and stressed on the critical situation of Afghan refugees and the potential risks they face upon forced return to Afghanistan…reports Asian Lite News

As many as 250 Afghan refugees have travelled from Pakistan to the United Kingdom, Afghanistan-based Khaama Press reported citing the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

On December 19, the IOM called for support of safe ways and sustainable solutions for Afghan refugees through a statement on the social media platform X (formerly X). The IOM stressed that these refugees call for a global effort to support Afghans displaced by war.

Since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, the IOM has facilitated the resettlement of at least 1,000 Afghan refugees in various nations, according to Khaama Press report. Previously, several Afghan refugees were moved from Pakistan to nations, including Canada and UK.

Notably, the UK has committed to relocating 20,000 eligible Afghan refugees to the country in the next four years. Currently, thousands of Afghan refugees are living in Pakistan and are waiting for relocation to Western nations, including Canada, France and the UK, Khaama Press reported.

The development is part of the international response to the Afghan refugee crisis after recent political changes in Afghanistan. Pakistani authorities have started a crackdown on Afghan refugees and started their deportation on November 1.

The Pakistani government’s action has sparked concerns regarding the treatment and rights of these refugees in Pakistan, Khaama Press reported. Pakistani officials have continued their actions despite facing condemnation and calls to stop the forceful deportation of Afghan migrants.

International organizations and human rights groups have called on Pakistan to reconsider its decision and stressed on the critical situation of Afghan refugees and the potential risks they face upon forced return to Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, 813 Afghan migrants have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan this week, Khaama Press reported citing the Taliban-led Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation.

The Taliban-led Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation announced the repatriation of hundreds of migrants from Pakistan to Afghanistan. On Tuesday, the department declared on its official website that, as of Monday, 813 Afghan migrants had returned home.

The Taliban-led Ministry of Refugee Affairs further said that these migrants returned to Afghanistan through the Spin Boldak border after being deported by Pakistan, the report said.

According to the Spin Boldak border authorities in Kandahar province, 310 people, or 60 families, crossed the border and entered Afghanistan. (ANI)

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UK operation underway to relocate Afghans from Pak

Several have now been there for a number of weeks. Other bases across the UK have also taken in Afghans on the scheme…reports Asian Lite News

The UK has begun a mission to bring thousands of Afghans who worked with British forces to Britain from Pakistan.

Armed Forces Minister James Heappey told The Independent that the UK owed the 1,500 Afghans already relocated as part of the mission “an enormous debt,” and that it was “great” to have brought them to the country “at last.”

Operation Lazurite began in early October when the government decided to relocate all Afghans in Pakistan eligible to come to the UK, after The Independent found 3,000 such people stranded in hotels in Islamabad at British taxpayers’ expense.

This happened after the UK stopped funding hotels in Britain for Afghans coming to Britain in November 2022, and instead required them to find somewhere in the country to live themselves before they could be relocated.

On Sept. 26, then-Foreign Secretary James Cleverly laid the ground for the start of the operation after meeting Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-Ul-Haq Kakar in London, during which he praised “Pakistan’s support in hosting and facilitating (the) exit of Afghan nationals.”

Around 1,300 Afghans eligible to come to the UK remain in Islamabad, and around 2,700 more remain trapped in Afghanistan or are staying in other parts of Pakistan. The British Ministry of Defence plans to conclude the operation by the end of 2023.

Heappey told The Independent that the UK “know(s) who worked for us, therefore we know who is eligible. There are very, very few eligibility decisions left really to be taken. We know who we’ve got to bring out, both from Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

He added: “We are working at the best speed we can to get people here. We are really grateful to councils and communities across the country who are assisting us in that and to the Pakistan government for their continued support. We owe these people an enormous debt. They are not here illegally, quite the reverse. They are here because they did great work for and with the British Armed Forces during their time in Afghanistan. It’s great at last to be able to welcome them to their new permanent homes in the UK.”

So far, 1,100 of the Afghans relocated to the UK are at the Garats Hay army base near Loughborough, which is only intended to house people for a few days.

Several have now been there for a number of weeks. Other bases across the UK have also taken in Afghans on the scheme.

Around 700 houses have been earmarked for longer-term settlement, with 500 of those to be guaranteed for families for up to three years. The MoD is also working with local councils and private landlords.

Heappey said: “The properties offered are taken from stock that is not currently being used by service families, to avoid impact on our (MoD) people. Where there is not suitable service family accommodation to fit the needs of ARAP (Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy) families, alternative accommodation will be procured.”

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Attock Shifts 2500 Afghan Refugees to Transit Camps

The UN Secretary General’s Spokesman, Stephane Dujarric has also appealed to Pakistan to continue its protection of all “vulnerable” Afghans who sought safety in the country, reported TOLO News…reports Asian Lite News

Amid the deadline for Afghans to voluntarily return expired on October 31, Pakistan’s Punjab province administration has shifted over 2500 undocumented Afghans to transit camp from various parts of Attock for deportation, ARY News reported on Sunday.

According to deputy commissioner Attock, 2,500 illegal Afghan immigrants have been shifted to the transit camp during the biometric verification of the illegal foreigners staying in the district.

The Pakistan-based media outlet reported that Caretaker Minister for Interior Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti has directed the authorities concerned to formulate a comprehensive strategy for the repatriation of foreigners residing illegally in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund said that the Pakistan’s action is against international laws, reported TOLO News.

PM Akhund in a video message, appealed Pakistan to not “expel Afghans in an undignified manner, to not harass Afghans and to give them sufficient time so that they can return in a dignified manner.”

“If their (Pakistan) reason is to expel undocumented migrants only, then why are they humiliating the refugees, stealing their property, and destroying their houses?” he added.

He warned Pakistan of further consequences of the mistreatment of Afghan refugees, TOLO News reported.”You (Pakistan) are a neighbour, you should think about the future,” he stressed.

Earlier, US National Security spokesperson John Kirby said that Washington wants to see all nations do “what they can to help refugees and asylum seekers.”

The UN Secretary General’s Spokesman, Stephane Dujarric has also appealed to Pakistan to continue its protection of all “vulnerable” Afghans who sought safety in the country, reported TOLO News.

This comes as the Pakistan caretaker government announced October 31 as the deadline for Afghan refugees to leave the country. The deadline called for nearly 2 million Afghan refugees to leave Pakistan or face forced deportation.

However, the decision sparked global criticisms with many human rights organizations calling on Islamabad to reverse the planned action, according to TOLO News.

Moreover, many Afghan refugees complained about mistreatment by Pakistan’s police while being deported.

Abdul Rahim Mahajar, an Afghan refugee, said, “These people are being very cruel to us. If they had given us 4 or 5 months more, we could have spent the winter here in comfort.”

“Then, God willing, we would have gone back to our country,” another Afghan refugee said.

Earlier on Friday, Afghanistan’s Taliban-appointed acting Defense Minister Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid has criticized the Pakistan caretaker government’s treatment of Afghan refugees.

Mujahid in an audio clip, called on the Pakistan government to not “be cruel to the Afghans, not seize their personal property and assets.” (ANI)

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Over 1.67 Lakh Afghan Refugees Return Home From Pakistan

Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) officials are actively collecting data on individuals returning to their home country…reports Asian Lite News

Over 1,67,000 Afghan nationals who were residing in Pakistan without legal status have voluntarily returned to Afghanistan, ARY News reported on Sunday.

In the last 24 hours, a total of 7,135 Afghan citizens returned to Afghanistan from the Torkham border crossing, according to Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees’ (CAR) statement.

Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) officials are actively collecting data on individuals returning to their home country.

“Since October 1st, 1,67,774 Afghan citizens who were illegally staying in Pakistan have returned home till now,” the Commissionerate has said.

On October 3, the apex committee of the National Action Plan (NAP), led by Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, granted all foreign nationals living illegally in Pakistan until October 31 the right to depart voluntarily or face deportation.

Following the expiration of this deadline, the caretaker government initiated actions to address the issue of illegal immigrants, with a significant number of them being Afghan nationals staying in Pakistan without proper documentation. The repatriation process for these illegal Afghan immigrants is actively underway through the Chaman and Torkham borders.

Caretaker Minister for Interior Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti has directed the relevant authorities to develop a comprehensive strategy for the repatriation of foreigners residing in Pakistan without legal status.

The caretaker interior minister emphasised the government’s commitment to addressing illegal immigration and ensuring the security of foreigners. He underscored that maintaining law and order remains a top priority and emphasised a zero-tolerance approach to any disruptive activities by individuals or groups.

The minister further instructed the authorities to formulate a comprehensive plan to facilitate the return of foreigners who are illegally residing in Pakistan, ARY News reported. (ANI)

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Afghan Women Seek New Avenues of Empowerment

Another inspiring figure in this narrative is Jamila Amiri, who continues to work outside her home despite the limitations imposed by the Taliban…reports Asian Lite News

Despite the oppressive restrictions imposed by the Taliban since their return to power, Afghan entrepreneur Sima Noorzadeh has been a beacon of hope, providing employment opportunities for numerous women in her country. Noorzadeh’s story is a testament to the resilience and determination of Afghan women in the face of adversity.

Seven years ago, Sima Noorzadeh founded an agency specializing in wedding ceremonies in Afghanistan, alongside a group of women. In a society where women’s opportunities have been increasingly limited, she has managed to create countless job opportunities for young girls and women, catering to the demand for their services.

Noorzadeh acknowledges the psychological toll that recent limitations and unemployment have taken on Afghan women. She emphasizes that addressing female unemployment not only alleviates the emotional distress of countless individuals but also contributes to the overall prosperity of society, as reported by Khaama Press News Agency.

As the manager of a wedding ceremonies office in Herat, Noorzadeh has first-hand experience of the restrictions that have impacted wedding halls and people’s freedom of movement. She calls on other women to explore career opportunities in fields like flower arrangement and tailoring, urging them to break the cycle of isolation caused by unemployment.

Another inspiring figure in this narrative is Jamila Amiri, who continues to work outside her home despite the limitations imposed by the Taliban. As the sole provider of income for her family, she exemplifies the resilience of Afghan women in the face of adversity.

The rise of the Taliban government has led to significant job losses and severe limitations on labor, education, and women’s engagement in Afghanistan. According to Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for Afghanistan, more than 60,000 women have lost their jobs due to these restrictions.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Afghan women have faced numerous challenges, including the denial of access to education, employment, and public spaces. A recent report by Care International revealed that a shocking 80 percent of school-going-age Afghan girls and young women are currently denied access to education under the Taliban regime. Girls above grade six have been prohibited from attending schools for over two years, with uncertainty looming over when these doors will reopen.

Sima Noorzadeh, Jamila Amiri, and countless other resilient Afghan women continue to defy the odds, offering a glimmer of hope in the midst of adversity. Their determination to empower themselves and others is a testament to the indomitable spirit of Afghan women in the face of adversity.

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Afghans largest cohort as English Channel migrants cross 100k mark

Up to the end of July 2023, there had been 15,072 recorded crossings, down around 15 percent from the same point in 2022, when the yearly total ended up at 45,755…reports Asian Lite News

The number of migrants to have crossed the English Channel into the UK by small boat since 2018 reached 100,000 people this week, driven in part by refugees fleeing from Afghanistan and the Middle East.

At least nine boats were intercepted by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution on Thursday, carrying an estimated 400 people.

On Wednesday, Home Office figures put the total number of people to have made the journey at 99,960.

Around 8,600 of them are Afghans, with numbers from the Central Asian country increasing significantly following the withdrawal of US-led coalition forces in August 2021 and the subsequent takeover of the government by the Taliban. So far, 898 Afghans are known to have made the trip in 2023.

The largest group of migrants across the period are Albanians, with at least 12,300 people coming to the UK between 2018 and 2022, followed by Afghans, Iranians (at least 5,600), Iraqis (4,400) and Syrians (2,900).

The number of crossings has increased steadily up to the start of 2023, with greater demand to reach the UK creating more opportunities for people-traffickers to profit.

Crossings from France become more frequent during the late summer months as weather conditions turn more favorable.

Up to the end of July 2023, there had been 15,072 recorded crossings, down around 15 percent from the same point in 2022, when the yearly total ended up at 45,755.

However, August 2022 saw an uptick in crossings with 8,641 people detected across the month alone. The period from the start of August to the end of October witnessed 51 percent of the year’s total number of crossings, with a similar surge expected this year.

The UK Border Force warned that Friday could be a “red day” — a term to denote an increased number of people traveling — due to expected good weather and fewer French police and border force officials on duty on the other side of the Channel as a result of annual leave.

French authorities are expected to temporarily lose as much as 20 percent of their personnel in the north of the country over the coming weeks, with other officers deployed to the south of the country to handle increased numbers of tourists and holiday-makers.

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