On 2nd Anniversary of Scribe’s Murder, HRW Calls For Resuming Investigation Into Attacks

Nov 7, 2022, 09:04 GMT

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) on the second anniversary of journalist Yama Siawash’s killing urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) address serious crimes by all parties to the conflict.

It stated that the ICC can resume now its investigation in Afghanistan and it should include even former Afghan government officials, who may be responsible, under its ambit. HRW added that all attacks on journalists, activists, and other civilians should be at the forefront of any investigation.

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Rights Activists Receive Instructions from Abroad, Says Taliban Spokesperson

Nov 5, 2022, 15:57 GMT

Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, has said that the women's rights activists receive orders from outside Afghanistan. Mujahid alleged that the women protesters hold demonstrations to increase the trust deficit among the people.

According to the Taliban's spokesperson, arbitrary protests are not allowed across the country.

On Thursday, the Taliban detained women rights activist Zarifa Yaqoobi and several others, who wanted to announce the formation of the "Afghan Women's Movement for Equality".

Sources told Afghanistan International that the Taliban initially prevented the presser, but since the activists ignored the Taliban’s orders, they were detained.

The United Nations, the Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Afghanistan, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights have called for the immediate release of Yaqoobi and her colleagues.

No Security Or Development in Afghanistan, Says Iranian Official

Nov 5, 2022, 11:48 GMT

Ali Bagheri, Iran's deputy foreign minister, has said that terrorism has become more institutionalised, and drug trade has increased 50-fold, after the US’ withdrawal from Afghanistan. Bagheri criticised US policies in Afghanistan during a conference on Saturday in Tehran.

He said that there is no democracy, development, or security in Afghanistan.

Iranian deputy foreign minister added that the increase in immigration from Afghanistan is also one of the unfortunate consequences which has taken place after the United States forces’ withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The senior Iranian official’s remarks come at a time when Iran and the Taliban have had several clashes on the joint borders of the two countries in the past year and a few Iranian soldiers have been killed in the clashes.

Iranian officials have always stressed that to ensure security and prevent migration, it is necessary to form an inclusive government in Afghanistan.

Abdullah Abdullah Slams Taliban; Calls on Group To Respect Other leaders & Women

Nov 5, 2022, 10:23 GMT

Abdullah Abdullah, a prominent political leader, condemned the destruction of the tombstone of Ahmad Shah Massoud, the late commander of the resistance against the Taliban. He called the perpetrators "wicked and irresponsible” elements.

The former chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation of Afghanistan, in a statement, stressed that such a behaviour increases hatred and disgust towards the perpetrators.

On Friday, Afghanistan International accessed video documents that indicated that the tombstone of Ahmad Shah Massoud has been destroyed for the third time under the Taliban regime.

He urged the Taliban to "identify the perpetrators and punish them”.

Abdullah, who had been a close aide to Ahmad Shah Massoud during the 1990s, has also criticised the Taliban's violent behaviour against female protesters in Badakhshan and Kabul.

Several female students of Badakhshan University had protested in front of the province’s university last week, with the slogan "Education is our right".

In Kabul, a gathering of women rights activists had been suppressed on November 2 while the Taliban detained five of the activists.

Abdullah emphasised that respect for leaders, well-known national personalities of ethnicities and women have been part of the traditions of the people of Afghanistan and no consideration of them divides the people further.

At the same time, Abdul Rab Rasoul Sayyaf, the former Jihadi commander, also condemned the destruction of the tombstone of Ahmad Shah Massoud and considered it "a horrible act and against religious values”.

Previously, the tombstone of the commander of the anti-Taliban coalition was destroyed at least twice. However, in a press conference in Kabul, the Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said that rumours about the destruction of the tombstone of Ahmad Shah Massoud by the group's forces are "a lie”.

Mujahid added that the Taliban does not allow its forces to "offend" anyone.

Many Afghan citizens have too reacted strongly after the destruction of the tombstone of Ahmad Shah Massoud and called such behaviour, ethnocentric.

Before the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, the tomb of Ahmad Shah Massoud was guarded by Afghan security forces and he was recognised as the National Hero of Afghanistan. With the Taliban's domination of Afghanistan, Taliban members have settled in the area near his tomb.

Ahmad Shah Massoud, the former defense minister of Afghanistan, was one of the staunch opponents of the Taliban in the 1990s. During that time, the Taliban could not capture Panjshir province due to Masoud's resistance.

Girls Fail To Breach Top 10 of University Entrance Exam in Afghanistan

Nov 5, 2022, 08:55 GMT

The Taliban-controlled National Examination Authority (NEA) on Saturday announced the results of Afghanistan's 2022 university entrance (Kankor) exam. In a surprise, no Afghan girl made it to the top 10, despite them having aced the exams over the last two years.

This year, less number of students had appeared for the exam as compared to previous years.

In 2021, when the Taliban had not taken over Afghanistan and not put restrictions of education of girls, the girls had topped the Kankor exams.

According to the NEA, a student from Herat province secured the first rank in the year's entrance exam.

With the Taliban assuming control of Afghanistan, schools for girls above the sixth grade were closed across the country, and no female student graduated from Afghanistan’s schools in the last year. In fact, apart from Taliban restrictions, girls have also faced terrorist attacks while studying. A suicide bombing rocked an educational center where preparations were on for the entrance exams in an area of the discriminated Shia Hazara minority in Kabul in September. Around 53 people were killed and 110 wounded in the attack, most of them girls and young women.

Kankor is an entrance exam for universities in Afghanistan. Every year, hundreds of thousands of high school graduates take this exam to continue their studies at public, governmental, or private universities.

UK Commits over 28 Million Dollars to Address Food Insecurity in Afghanistan

Nov 4, 2022, 13:30 GMT

World Food Programme (WFP) announced that the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland have committed 28.8 million dollars to deal with food insecurity in Afghanistan. The funding will help WFP to provide food to 650000 Afghans including those living in remote areas of Afghanistan.

After an unprecedented difficult economic year filled with environmental disasters including droughts, earthquakes, and floods, the situation of many Afghans is expected to worsen, the WFP said.

According to the UN organisation, millions of Afghans have difficulty in coping with another harsh winter.

The UK said that it has given 286 million pounds in aid to the people of Afghanistan in 2022.

The World Food Programme stressed that it has provided food and livelihood support to 21.9 million people since the beginning of 2022.

WFP added that it has already prepared 150,000 tons of food in strategic locations across Afghanistan.