Contracts With Illegitimate Group in Afghanistan Not Legally Binding, Says Ex-Minister

Jan 6, 2023, 12:43 GMT

Fazl Ahmad Manawi, minister of justice in the previous government in Kabul, said that long-term mining contracts with the Taliban are not legally binding. Manawi reacted to the signing of the oil extraction contract between the Taliban and CPEIC, a Chinese company.

According to the former minister of justice, the Taliban lack national and international legitimacy and that’s why long-term contracts will not be implemented after the establishment of a legitimate government in Afghanistan.

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Several Miners Trapped in Badakhshan After Landslide

Jan 6, 2023, 10:38 GMT

The Taliban members have confirmed that at least three people are trapped under the debris after a landslide at a mining site in Yawan district of Badakhshan province. However, local journalists reported that at least ten people are trapped under the rubble.

According to the Taliban, the landslide happened on Thursday, hours before an earthquake jolted the area.

Moezuddin Ahmadi, the director of information and culture of the Taliban in Badakhshan, said that the rescue teams of the group have been dispatched to the area.

According to the Taliban official, there is a possibility that people trapped under the rubble are still alive.

Role of Women in Humanitarian Sector in Afghanistan is Operational Necessity, Says IRC

Jan 6, 2023, 09:21 GMT

The International Rescue Committee in a statement has highlighted that the role of women in the humanitarian sector in Afghanistan is an operational necessity. The statement comes in the wake of the Taliban’s recent and ongoing ban on female NGO workers in Afghanistan.

The IRC said that it is seeking permission from the Taliban in order to let IRC staff get back to work, in a phased, sector-by-sector manner if necessary, as approvals for female aid workers are granted and their safety is assured.

“IRC’s ability to reach those most in need and deliver in the hardest-to-reach areas is intrinsically linked to our staff. 82% of female-headed households in Afghanistan are food insecure—32 percentage points more than male-headed households. Without female staff at all levels and across all sectors, we cannot deliver principled, needs-based aid and programs at scale for those hit hardest by this crisis,” it stated.

It noted that because IRC’s ability to reach all Afghans in need relies on female staff at all levels of the organisations, IRC has paused programmes in Afghanistan.

IRC stressed that over the last year they have supported over six million Afghans and even now, they are committed and eager to restart programmes once the status quo ante is restored.

IRC also urged the UN to engage with the Taliban in a practical and coordinated manner to secure a path towards the status quo ante in which female aid workers can safely and effectively work, and all Afghans can access the lifesaving humanitarian assistance they desperately need and to which they are entitled.

Taliban Executes Former Member of Afghan Security Forces, Says NRF

Jan 5, 2023, 14:02 GMT

The National Resistance Front (NRF) said that the Taliban has executed a former member of security forces in Baghlan province. NRF added that the mentioned person's name was Mohammad Hashem and he was a former Baghlan police officer.

According to the NRF, the police officer had a wife and four children. The Taliban have not reacted to the report so far.

In a video published on social media, it can be seen that the Taliban forces executed a person in public.

While the Taliban has announced a "general amnesty" in Afghanistan, in more than a year since the group has taken control of Afghanistan, the killing of civilians has been reported widely.

According to reports, on Wednesday, the Taliban killed Ibrahim Jihadyar, a former Afghan army official in Kabul, who had been detained for several months.

Taliban-Pakistan Military Forces Engage in Firefight at Torkham Border

Jan 5, 2023, 13:12 GMT

Sources confirmed a firefight on the Torkham border between Taliban and Pakistan military on Thursday. Pakistani officials said that the shelling was started by the Taliban forces, and as a result, an Afghan citizen had been killed and a Pakistani officer had been wounded.

Following this incident, the border has been closed, but the Taliban have not reacted to the reports so far.

The border clashes occur while the political tension between Pakistan and the Taliban has intensified in recent days.

Earlier, the Taliban forces and the Pakistani military had a military confrontation on the border of Torkham and Spin Boldak.

Taliban Signs Amended Oil Extraction Contract With Chinese Company in Afghanistan

Jan 5, 2023, 10:28 GMT

The Taliban’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum announced that it has signed a contract for oil extraction from the Amu Darya basin with a Chinese company on Thursday. Taliban Minister of Mines, Shahabuddin Delawar, said that duration of the oil extraction contract is 25 years.

This is the second time that the Chinese company has signed this oil field contract with amendments and according to the Taliban, China will invest 150 million dollars in the first year of the project.

Delawar added that by signing this contract, the Chinese company "CPEIC" will invest 150 million dollars in the first year and 540 million dollars in three years in the exploration and extraction sector in 4,500 square kilometers located in the provinces of Sar-e-Pol, Faryab, and Jawzjan.

The oil capacity of this field is estimated to be around 87 million oil barrels.

The Taliban’s Minister of Mines also said that in three years, Afghanistan will export oil while meeting its domestic demands.

The Taliban official said that technical teams have reviewed the contract, which was signed in the past, for eight months, and as a result, it was amended and signed again.

Delawar did not provide details about the amendments, but said that one of the added items is that the company must hire workers from inside Afghanistan.

According to the Taliban official, the project will add 3,000 jobs in Afghanistan.

The "exploration and extraction" contract of the Amu Darya oil field had been signed with the Chinese company in 2011 during the presidency of Hamid Karzai.

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Several Miners Trapped in Badakhshan After Landslide

Jan 6, 2023, 10:38 GMT

According to the Taliban, the landslide happened on Thursday, hours before an earthquake jolted the area.

Moezuddin Ahmadi, the director of information and culture of the Taliban in Badakhshan, said that the rescue teams of the group have been dispatched to the area.

According to the Taliban official, there is a possibility that people trapped under the rubble are still alive.

Role of Women in Humanitarian Sector in Afghanistan is Operational Necessity, Says IRC

Jan 6, 2023, 09:21 GMT

It noted that because IRC’s ability to reach all Afghans in need relies on female staff at all levels of the organisations, IRC has paused programmes in Afghanistan.

IRC stressed that over the last year they have supported over six million Afghans and even now, they are committed and eager to restart programmes once the status quo ante is restored.

Taliban Executes Former Member of Afghan Security Forces, Says NRF

Jan 5, 2023, 14:02 GMT

According to the NRF, the police officer had a wife and four children. The Taliban have not reacted to the report so far.

In a video published on social media, it can be seen that the Taliban forces executed a person in public.

While the Taliban has announced a "general amnesty" in Afghanistan, in more than a year since the group has taken control of Afghanistan, the killing of civilians has been reported widely.

According to reports, on Wednesday, the Taliban killed Ibrahim Jihadyar, a former Afghan army official in Kabul, who had been detained for several months.

Taliban-Pakistan Military Forces Engage in Firefight at Torkham Border

Jan 5, 2023, 13:12 GMT

Following this incident, the border has been closed, but the Taliban have not reacted to the reports so far.

The border clashes occur while the political tension between Pakistan and the Taliban has intensified in recent days.

Earlier, the Taliban forces and the Pakistani military had a military confrontation on the border of Torkham and Spin Boldak.

Taliban Signs Amended Oil Extraction Contract With Chinese Company in Afghanistan

Jan 5, 2023, 10:28 GMT

The oil capacity of this field is estimated to be around 87 million oil barrels.

The Taliban’s Minister of Mines also said that in three years, Afghanistan will export oil while meeting its domestic demands.

The Taliban official said that technical teams have reviewed the contract, which was signed in the past, for eight months, and as a result, it was amended and signed again.

Delawar did not provide details about the amendments, but said that one of the added items is that the company must hire workers from inside Afghanistan.

According to the Taliban official, the project will add 3,000 jobs in Afghanistan.

The "exploration and extraction" contract of the Amu Darya oil field had been signed with the Chinese company in 2011 during the presidency of Hamid Karzai.

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