Resistance Against Taliban Grows Due To Brutal, Oppressive Policies, Says NRF Leader | Afghanistan International

On Thursday, Massoud praised the recent protests of Afghan women and said that despite brutal violence, the Taliban has not been able to defeat the spirit and will of the people in Afghanistan.

The NRF leader participated in the three-day Aspen Security Forum virtually on Thursday.

Two years after the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, during the Aspen Forum, the NRF leader didn’t talk widely about his operations against the Taliban, and most of his speech was focused on criticising the US negotiations with the Taliban in Doha and Washington’s mistakes in Afghanistan.

Massoud also didn’t discuss his military strategy in Afghanistan and instead emphasised that he believes in a political solution to end the conflict in the country.

Ahmad Massoud criticised the Taliban for ignoring the peace talks with the National Resistance Front.

In response to the question of why Afghans didn’t fight against the Taliban like the Ukrainians do against the Russian forces, Ahmad Masoud said that the Afghan military forces fought against the Taliban with "incomparable" bravery and the people still resist the Taliban "with empty hands".

He repeatedly mentioned women's demonstrations against the Taliban, which, according to him, have been severely suppressed by the group.

The leader of the National Resistance Front criticised the United States and said that the Afghans did not receive the support that Ukraine is receiving now.

Massoud explained that his father, Ahmad Shah Masoud, fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and prevented the Taliban’s control of Afghanistan. He added that the Americans never paid attention to his father regarding the worsening situation in Afghanistan and the solution he offered.

Panjshir was one of the important bastions of resistance against the former Soviet forces and later under the Taliban in the late 1990s. However, in 2021 after the Afghan government fell to the Taliban, Panjshir was easily captured by the group.

Ahmad Massoud emphasised that the Taliban will never be able to win the "hearts and minds" of the people of Panjshir and that the resistance has spread to other provinces of Afghanistan.

He asked the international community to support the "efforts of the people for freedom".

Ahmad Massoud said, "We feel that we have been betrayed and we feel alone in this situation. But after all, we have each other.”

Putting Pressure on Group Not Productive, Says Taliban Spokesperson On EU Sanctions

Jul 21, 2023, 10:04 GMT+1

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, reacted to the latest European Union’s sanctions against members of the group and said that sanctions are not "not useful" for any party.

Mujahid added that the policy of imposing and exerting pressure against the Taliban will not be productive.

On Friday, Mujahid stressed that instead of “failed experiences” of pressure and sanctions, the EU should choose to “engage and dialogue” with the Taliban.

The European Union (EU) imposed sanctions on three Taliban officials for committing gender-based violence against Afghan women on Thursday.

The Union announced that the Taliban’s chief justice and ministers of justice and education have been sanctioned for their role in depriving Afghan girls and women of the right to education.

EU Sanctions 3 Taliban Officials For Gender-Based Violence Against Afghan Women

Jul 21, 2023, 09:06 GMT+1

The European Union (EU) imposed sanctions on three Taliban officials for committing gender-based violence against Afghan women on Thursday.

The Union announced that the Taliban’s chief justice and ministers of justice and education have been sanctioned for their role in depriving Afghan girls and women of the right to education.

In a statement, the EU stated that under its global human rights sanctions regime, 18 individuals and five entities in Afghanistan, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Russia have been sanctioned due to their role in committing serious human rights violations and abuses.

The European Union has also imposed restrictive measures against 12 other individuals and five entities responsible for serious human rights violations in Russia.

It has been nearly 670 days since the Taliban prevented the reopening of secondary and high schools for girls in Afghanistan. In addition to preventing the right to education, the Taliban has imposed extensive restrictions on the right to work, travel, sports, and many other fundamental rights of women in Afghanistan.

Afghan rights groups and women have repeatedly asked the international community to recognise the gender apartheid against women in Afghanistan imposed by the Taliban.

However, except for the latest move of the EU to sanction the Taliban leaders, there have not been any tangible restrictive measures taken against the group in the past two years since they have taken control of Afghanistan.

Don’t Need International Recognition, Says Taliban’s Interior Minister

Jul 20, 2023, 17:04 GMT+1

Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban's interior minister, in a meeting with the elders of the Ahmadzai tribe, claimed that the group has public support. In the meeting, Haqqani said that the Taliban does not need to be recognised.

The Taliban's Ministry of Interior in a statement on Thursday wrote that the purpose of Haqqani's meeting with the elders of the Ahmadzai tribe was supporting the survival of the Taliban regime.

According to the statement, Haqqani told the elders of the Ahmadzai tribe, "Nations which are successful in the world are those who have unity and successful governments are those that have the support of the people.”

The Taliban's interior minister said, "When the government has your [public] support, there is no need for recognition."

Recently, in a meeting with some residents of Paktia province, Haqqani had said that failure to accept the orders of foreigners is the reason that the world doesn’t recognise the group’s government.

During his trip to Khost province last year, he asked the international community to establish official relations with the Taliban in order to respond to the legitimate needs of both parties.

The international community has repeatedly announced that it will not recognise the Taliban regime until they fulfil their commitments.

Increasing restrictions on women, violation of human rights, lack of inclusive government, and the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan are some of the reasons why the international community doesn’t recognise the Taliban.

The Taliban, however, claims that they have fulfilled their commitments, including fighting against terrorist groups.

In March, Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister, had said that the Taliban doesn’t understand what other steps should take to receive international recognition.

Taliban Infiltrated UN-managed Programmes in Afghanistan, Says SIGAR Chief

Jul 20, 2023, 15:36 GMT+1

John Sopko, the US Special Inspector General for Reconstruction of Afghanistan (SIGAR), said at a summit in London that the Taliban have effectively infiltrated and influenced most United Nations-managed programmes in Afghanistan.

Sopko stressed that SIGAR has uncovered “really horrific” information about problems with the United Nations’ operations in Afghanistan.

Sapko stressed that there are serious allegations of diversion and control by the Taliban about international aid in Afghanistan.

On Thursday, during a conference hosted by the Afghan Institute of Strategic Studies, the head of SIGAR emphasised that the international community is “repeating the mistakes of the past”.

The SIGAR chief said that the US Congress is in the process of passing a legislation that will prevent any aid from reaching the Taliban.

John Sopko said that the legislation is being passed in the US House of Representatives which will prevent any direct or indirect aid from reaching the Taliban. According to him, this legislation has almost passed in the US House of Representatives and is going to go to the Senate for approval. Sopko said that with the approval of the new legislation if the US aid to Afghanistan continues, it will not reach the Taliban.

The Taliban-controlled Central Bank of Afghanistan has continuously announced receiving tens of millions of dollars in cash shipments on a weekly basis since the past two years.

In the past, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has stressed that the cash aid transferred by the United Nations to Afghanistan is kept in the accounts of this organisation in a private bank and is used as humanitarian aid for millions of Afghans in need.

During the AISS conference, the SIGAR chief expressed concerns about the influence of the Taliban in the United Nations’ aid programmes and said that the United States provides most of the United Nations international aid in Afghanistan.

The SIGAR chief warned that "if the benefit of our aid goes to the Taliban", there will be serious consequences.

Sopko added that there is still interest in Washington for Afghanistan, but stressed that people in the US avoid talking about Afghanistan.

He asked the people of Afghanistan to convey the reality to them and they will convey these facts to the US Congress.

Uzbek President Calls For International Community’s Attention To Situation in Afghanistan

Jul 20, 2023, 14:30 GMT+1

Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of Uzbekistan, addressed the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Summit and asked the region to engage the world in addressing the problems of Afghanistan.

Mirziyoyev emphasised on strengthening cooperation between Central Asia and the Middle East in the fight against terrorism.

The GCC-Central Asia Summit was held on Wednesday, and attended by leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Qatar, UAE, and some other Arab leaders.

Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia hosted the first GCC-Central Asia summit.

Addressing the summit, Uzbek President asked for the cooperation of the participating countries in curbing extremism, radicalism, and drug trafficking.

Mirziyoyev expressed hope that the outcome of the Jeddah summit will lead to the expansion of relations between Central Asia and Arab countries in the Gulf.

He asked leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Central Asia to actively participate in the strategic project of building the trans-Afghan railway that could connect the countries of the Gulf to Central Asia.

On Tuesday, the representatives of the Taliban, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding on the "Afghan Trans" railway.