News Digest- Afghanistan

Nearly 11,000 people evacuated from Kabul in past 12 hours by US: The Khaama Press
The US has recently expedited the evacuation process and has started vacating people in civil planes along with the already deployed military ones. According to White House on Monday, August 23 a number of 10,900 people have been flown out of Afghanistan bringing the total number of evacuees to 53,000 people since July this year.

 

Taliban appoints head of central bank, minister of education: The Khaama Press
In the latest move, the Taliban appointed Mullah Abdulqahar known as Haji Muhammad Edris as acting head of central bank-De Afghanistan Bank- and Hemat Akhundzada as acting minister of education on Monday, August 23.

CIA chief meets de-facto Taliban leader in Kabul as evacuation continues: The Khaama Press
The head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) William Burns held a secret meeting with the Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul on Monday 24 August 2021. US media has cited US officials about the visit of Burns to Kabul, but the CIA has not yet commented on the face-to-face meeting.

A Future Afghan Govt ‘Not Complete’ Without Women: Koofi: Tolo News
Fawzia Koofi, a former member of the Afghan Parliament, said on Monday that a future government will not be complete without the presence of women. She also criticized meetings held Kabul without the presence of women. The Taliban said women are allowed to work and be educated according to the framework of Islam.

Taliban on the way to take over the only defiant province: The Khaama Press
The Taliban said that their fighters are heading towards Panjshir province, the only anti-Taliban outpost which is yet to be surrendered or toppled. They said that the fighters have seen no resistance on the way to Panjshir province and are now getting closer ever to the spot.

Afghanistan trade with Pakistan increases by 50% after Taliban takeover: The Khaama Press
The trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan has risen by 50% in the past week as the Taliban now hold control over Afghanistan’s borders and dry ports. Deputy of the chamber Khan Jan Alokozai said that because of the closure of banks the problems in the transit sector are still visible but the experts of Afghanistan and imports of Pakistan have seen a rise.

Turkey Reports Influx of Afghan Refugees: Tolo News
The Turkish government said that the number of Afghan refugees crossing the nation’s borders has significantly increased over the past few weeks. Authorities in Turkey said that most of the Afghan refugees are fleeing the recent developments in Afghanistan. The Turkish army said that they are monitoring their borders from the air and ground.

Religious scholars to lead upcoming government in Afghanistan: Taliban: The Khaama Press
The Taliban talks about forging an inclusive government at a time when there is yet to be seen any progress in this regard and Afghanistan is still an incomplete political vacuum. In a gathering in Kabul, Taliban said that their 20 years of struggle (Jihad) should not go in vain and religious scholars should take the lead and be the core of the upcoming government in Afghanistan.

Panjshir: Massoud Wants to Talk But Ready to Fight: Tolo News
In a statement to Reuters, Ahmad Massoud, the son of Afghanistan’s late National Hero Ahmad Shah Massoud, said he will never hand over Panjshir province to anyone, even as the Taliban increases its forces near the mountainous valley in northern Afghanistan. Massoud said he hoped for negotiations to resolve the issues, but he is ready for war if the negotiations fail.

US troops’ presence is cause behind chaos in Kabul airport: Taliban: The Khaama Press
The Taliban has accused the US to be the main cause behind the ongoing misery in Hamid Karzai International Airport in which ten people died on Saturday and Sunday. Head of the Taliban’s commission for guidance and encouragement, Mullah Amir Khan Motaqi in a voice clip said that entire Afghanistan is secure and no casualty is recorded but the US cannot secure an airport.He called the ongoing evacuation by the US illegitimate and asked for an order in Hamid Karzai International Airport.

EU Has Not Recognized Taliban: Reuters: Tolo News
The European Union has not recognized the Taliban, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday, according to a Reuters report. The EU also said that is it not holding political talks with the Taliban, a week after they seized control of Afghanistan. The Taliban completed a lightning takeover of Afghanistan on Sunday, walking into the capital Kabul without firing a shot.

The head of the EU executive spoke after visiting a reception centre in Madrid for Afghan employees of EU institutions evacuated from Kabul.

UNHCR Urges Afghan Neighbor States to Keep Borders Open: Tolo News
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is concerned about the prevailing humanitarian needs within Afghanistan, and urges support to ensure that all those requiring assistance “are not forgotten.” The situation on the ground across the country remains extremely fluid. While widespread fighting has decreased since the takeover of the country by the Taliban on Sunday, the full impact of the evolving situation is not yet clear. Many Afghans are extremely anxious about what the future holds, the report notes.

Abdullah, Karzai, Taliban discuss inclusive political process: The Khaama Press
Key members of Taliban’s leadership and members of Taliban’s political office based in Doha met with former president Hamid Karzai and head of high council for national reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah. Shahabuddin Delawar, Abdulsalam Hanafi, Khairullah Khairkhaw, and Abdurahman Feda recently arrived in Kabul along with the head of the Taliban’s political office and co-founder of the Taliban Mullah Abdullah Ghani Baradar.They firstly landed in Kandahar province from the Qatari capital two days after the Taliban grabbed control of Kabul.

Taliban: New Govt to Be Announced Soon: Tolo News
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Sunday said that talks on the formation of a new government with Afghan political leaders are underway and that a new government will be announced in the near future. “Our political officials met with leaders here in Kabul, their views are important, discussions are moving, InshaAllah, there is hope for an announcement on the government soon,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban.

Taliban Says Governing Structure May Include Council: Tolo News
Wahidullah Hashemi, a member of the Taliban leadership, on Thursday said there is a possibility that Afghanistan will be led by a council that will govern under the authority of the Taliban’s top leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada. The statement by Hashemi came on Thursday, August 19, which marks Afghanistan’s Independence Day. Celebrations were not as large as in previous years, before the Taliban takeover. Wahidullah Hashemi, a senior Taliban member, told Reuters that Afghanistan might be ruled by a council and the authority of the council will be determined by the supreme Taliban leader Akhundzada.

IMF Blocks Afghanistan’s Access to Emergency Reserves: Tolo News
The International Monetary Fund has suspended Afghanistan’s access to IMF resources, including around $440 million in new monetary reserves, due to a lack of clarity over the country’s government after the Taliban took control of Kabul, Reuters reported on Thursday. The IMF’s announcement came amid pressure from the US Treasury, which holds a controlling share in the Fund, to ensure that Afghanistan’s share of a Special Drawing Rights reserves allocation scheduled for Monday not fall into Taliban hands.

No progress is seen in filling political vacuum by Taliban: The Khaama Press
It has been now five days after the Taliban took over the Afghan capital Kabul but there is yet to be seen any progress in filling the current political vacuum.Afghanistan is currently devoid of any kind of government and head of state and the Taliban have not been able to make progress in this regard.The only move towards shaping government by the Taliban has been the meetings of their key members and visit of Mullah Baradar-head of Taliban’s political office in Doha- to Kandahar province.

Curfew imposed, life in Kabul under Taliban’s control: The Khaama Press
As the Taliban have taken control over the metropolis, life in the busiest and most populated city of Afghanistan thoroughly changed and the residents are not living a life they used to do just until August 14. The Taliban have imposed a curfew and no one is allowed to go out of home after 9 pm but in cases of emergencies. Members of the Afghanistan Islamic Emirate have announced the curfew in every mosque of Kabul and have shared their contact numbers in case people need help after the banned time.

Afghans celebrate Independence Day amid Taliban takeover: The Khaama Press
As the Taliban are grabbing control over entire Afghanistan but Panjsher province, hundreds of people have taken to the streets in different cities and celebrate Afghanistan’s Independence Day which is normally celebrated on August 19. In the Afghan capital Kabul, hundreds of people including women are walking on the streets holding the flag of Afghanistan. They also went to the well-known hill-Wazir Akbar Khan- where the Taliban brought down the city’s iconic and biggest flag of Afghanistan.

WFP Urges World Nations to Donate $200M in Food Aid for Afghans: Tolo News
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday called for the international community to donate $200 million in food aid for Afghanistan so essential supplies can be delivered to remote regions before winter, Reuters reported.

WFP Urges World Nations to Donate $200M in Food Aid for Afghans: Tolo News
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday called for the international community to donate $200 million in food aid for Afghanistan so essential supplies can be delivered to remote regions before winter, Reuters reported.