The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) has said that in an attack on a Taliban outpost on Tuesday evening in Aybak city of Samangan province, three Taliban members have been killed, and two others were wounded.
Earlier, local sources also confirmed to Afghanistan International that an explosion had occurred in the capital of Samangan.
AFF has also published a video of the attack.
In recent weeks, the front’s attacks against the Taliban have increased in different parts of Afghanistan.
The Taliban has not yet commented about the incident.
Matthew Miller, Spokesperson for the US State Department, has voiced ongoing concerns about the potential for terrorist activities in Afghanistan.
During a press conference on Monday, he highlighted the United States' capacity to conduct over-the-horizon anti-terrorism operations.
Miller stressed the expectation that the Taliban should prevent Afghanistan from becoming a terrorism haven, as it has been in the past. He referenced the US State Department's annual report for 2022, which indicates that Afghanistan's neighbouring countries are also significantly worried about potential terrorist threats originating from Afghanistan.
US President Joe Biden has affirmed that the nation's military forces are vigilantly monitoring potential threats from Afghanistan within the region. In a 7 December letter to Congress, Biden noted that US military personnel are strategically positioned outside Afghanistan, ready to address regional threats.
Additionally, Miller addressed the US's ongoing efforts to combat corruption in Afghanistan and globally. He referred specifically to sanctions against Mir Rahman Rahmani, the former Speaker of the Afghan Parliament, and his son, Ajmal Rahmani, a former member of the Afghan parliament. These individuals have been barred from entering the United States due to significant corruption allegations.
The US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on Mir Rahman Rahmani, Ajmal Rahmani, and 44 companies associated with them across various European and Asian countries. On Monday, the department accused them of being involved in significant corruption in Afghanistan.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) recently convened a closed-door meeting titled "Women's Perspective on Afghanistan”.
This session had been dedicated to assessing the current situation of women living under the Taliban rule and saw the participation of several prominent Afghan women activists who highlighted their vital perspectives on various issues.
This informal session of the UN Security Council, announced by the Swiss permanent representation to the United Nations, included notable figures such as Fawzia Kofi, a former member of the Afghan parliament, alongside women activists Yalda Royan and Asila Wardak.
The Swiss representation underscored their commitment to advocating for the equal and meaningful involvement of Afghan women in shaping the country's future.
While specific details of the meeting remain undisclosed, it has been understood that the session was co-chaired by representatives from Switzerland, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates at the United Nations.
Discussions likely included the recommendations put forth by Feridun Sinirlioğlu, the Special Coordinator of the UN Secretary-General on Afghanistan.
The closed nature of these meetings has not come without criticism. Heather Barr, Associate Director of the Women's Division at Human Rights Watch, has recently voiced concerns over the UN's approach to addressing the Afghan situation behind closed doors.
The Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organisation has unveiled a virtual museum titled "Afghanistan Memory Home," dedicated to honouring the victims and survivors of the Afghan war.
Launched with the aim of creating a respectful and inclusive space, the platform allows victims, survivors, and their families to share their personal experiences.
The museum's content is rich with narratives from those who have lost their lives as a result of the war, as well as stories from survivors who have witnessed the horrors of war and crime firsthand. The organisation highlighted the extensive two-year effort that went into gathering and curating these impactful stories.
One of the primary objectives of the Afghanistan Memory Home is to enhance global awareness, support the pursuit of justice, and ensure the recognition of historical truths. It also plays a crucial role in documenting and preserving evidence for future truth-telling and historical records.
Hadi Marefat, the executive director of the organisation, remarked, "Afghanistan is a country of survivors. Afghanistan Memory Home ensures that the stories of the victims are not forgotten."
Richard Bennet, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, spoke to Suhail Shaheen, the head of the Taliban's political office in Doha, and stressed on the need for the Taliban to release human rights defenders in Afghanistan.
Bennet emphasised on the importance of women's rights to education and work, as well as the need for the Taliban to honour the general amnesty.
Concerns remain high following the Taliban's recent detention of four prominent women's rights activists in Kabul - Neda Parwani, Julia Parsi, Manizha Sediqi, and Parisa Azada. These activists were actively involved in the women's protest movements.
The Human Rights Watch has also raised alarms about these detentions, noting that many women are being detained by the Taliban, some of whose cases have not been publicly disclosed. The organisation expressed serious concerns about the welfare and potential mistreatment of these activists in Taliban custody.
Meanwhile, Shaheen, during the meeting, briefed Bennet on the current status of widows, orphans, and individuals with disabilities in the country.
Hassan Kazemi Qomi, the Iranian Ambassador in Kabul, marked the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by strongly condemning the United States as the "biggest violator of human rights in Afghanistan and globally."
On X social platform, Ambassador Qomi criticised the declaration, stating, "As long as the war crimes of America and its allies against civilians go unprosecuted, this declaration remains nothing more than a political tool in service of the US." He further argued that the declaration fails to reflect the suffering of thousands of children affected by the actions of the United States and Israel, from Afghanistan to Gaza, reducing it to a mere political manifesto.
The Iranian ambassador highlighted ongoing human rights challenges globally, particularly in regions like Afghanistan, Gaza, and Yemen, underscoring the inadequacy of declarations without real justice and restoration of human rights.
Simultaneously, the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Iranian lawyer Narges Mohammadi in Norway brought renewed international focus to human rights issues in Iran. Mohammadi, imprisoned in Iran's Evin prison, could not attend the ceremony. Her teenage children accepted the Prize on her behalf, spotlighting Iran's own human rights concerns.
Moreover, the international community has frequently criticised the Taliban for their restrictive policies in Afghanistan, particularly concerning the prohibition of girls' education, women's employment, and the suppression of ethnic and religious minorities' freedoms.