Farid Dehqan, the Taliban’s police spokesperson in Kunar province, has confirmed to Afghanistan International that after an explosion in a residential complex in Chapa Dara district, three people died and six got injured.
He stated that the area has been surrounded by the group’s forces and investigation into the causes of the explosion is underway.
There are no further details available regarding the incident.
Earlier, there has been reports about the presence of ISIS in parts of Kunar province.
On January 5, sources had told Afghanistan International that ISIS fighters beheaded a man accused of spying for the Taliban in Chawkay district of Kunar province.
The Taliban have conducted a public examination aimed at enrolling 50,000 students in seminaries or jihadi madrassas across Kabul and various Afghan provinces.
The Ministry of Higher Education of the Taliban announced the commencement of this "annual exam" on Saturday, which is scheduled to continue until Thursday, January 25.
Neda Mohammad Nadeem, the Taliban's Minister of Higher Education, visited the exam center in Balkh province on the first day of the exams, as reported by the ministry.
These examinations are being held at a time when the Taliban has, for the past two years, barred girls from participating in university entrance exams. Since their return to power, the group has imposed restrictions on education for girls above the sixth grade and has closed universities to female students.
Human Rights Watch has observed a marked decline in the quality of education in boys' schools under Taliban rule. The organization also noted an increase in the punishment of boys in schools within the current regime in Afghanistan.
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's Deputy Chief Justice for International Affairs, visited Kabul, as reported by Iranian media on Saturday. Gharibabadi met with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi during his visit.
The state-run IRNA news agency indicated that discussions focused on sharing Iran's judicial experiences with the Taliban. The talks covered the fight against terrorism and takfiri groups, and the proposal to establish a joint judicial committee to tackle these issues. They also discussed matters concerning the transfer of convicts and extradition of criminals between the two countries.
This visit occurs amidst international criticism of Iran's judicial system, which has been under scrutiny for human rights violations.
Photographs from the meeting also show the presence of Hassan Kazmi Qomi, Iran's special representative for Afghanistan affairs.
Gharibabadi's trip to Kabul reportedly came at the invitation of the head of the Taliban's judicial council. The Taliban, however, have not yet issued any official statements regarding the visit of the Iranian judicial official.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban's spokesperson, dismissed the Russian Foreign Minister's call for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan.
On Saturday, Mujahid claimed that the existing Taliban government already incorporates diverse elements, thereby rendering it inclusive. He stated that the Taliban has successfully ended “instability" in Afghanistan.
Mujahid called on other countries to avoid meddling in Afghanistan's "internal affairs," asserting that the Taliban similarly respects the sovereignty of other nations and refrains from intervening in their internal policies.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during his annual press conference in Moscow, recognized the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, led by Ahmad Massoud, active in the country's northern areas. Lavrov stressed the need for dialogue between this front and the Taliban, advocating for a bridging of differences.
Lavrov also acknowledged notable Afghan politicians like Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, suggesting that the Taliban should broaden its governance by including varied political forces. He emphasized the importance of forming a government representative of all ethnic groups in Afghanistan, though he conceded that achieving such inclusivity would be challenging.
The US State Department confirmed to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) that it dispatches $80 million in cash to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan every 10-14 days.
This is despite the fact that the Taliban has refrained from publicly disclosing the receipt of these USD 40 million packages since mid 2023, in order to avoid criticism.
In a report released on Friday, SIGAR cited information from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), revealing that the funds are deposited into a designated account at a private bank under the auspices of the United Nations. According to UNAMA, these funds do not flow into the central bank, which is under the Taliban's control.
However, critics say that the Taliban maintains involvement in the allocation and utilisation of these funds.
Michael Rubin, the senior researcher of the American Enterprise Institute, recently compared the situation in Afghanistan under Taliban control to North Korea, where it is difficult for institutions, including banks, to act independently.
In July 2023, a reliable source in the Taliban-controlled Central Bank of Afghanistan confirmed to Afghanistan International that USD 40 million humanitarian aid packages are being sent to Kabul, but the Taliban are no longer reporting it to the media.
The Central Bank of Afghanistan, under Taliban control, last publicly disclosed on May 14, 2023, that a humanitarian aid package worth USD 40 million had been delivered to Kabul.
The source further emphasised that foreign organisations and aid groups continue to channel the necessary funds into Afghanistan, and there has been no change in the process.
Iran's Ministry of Intelligence on Friday announced that Adel Aref, the perpetrator of the attack on Kabul University in 2020, has been involved in the terrorist attacks in Kerman city of Iran.
Aref, who was sentenced to death by the previous government in Afghanistan, was released from Bagram prison after the takeover of power by the Taliban in August 2021.
Iranian Intelligence Ministry reported that Aref, known as Adel Panjshiri, entered an area in western Tehran and is wanted by the government.
The ministry sought the cooperation of citizens to arrest this ISIS member by publishing his pictures.
The Ministry of Intelligence’s statement revealed that Aref had a direct connection with Abdul Hakim Towhidi, the ISIS operations commander in Kerman. Additionally, it mentioned that Aref had been previously arrested for planning a suicide attack at Kabul University. After spending a year in Bagram prison, he was subsequently released.
In the statement, it has been said that Aref "resumed engaging in criminal activities" following his release from prison.
The ministry has confirmed that several individuals associated with him, all members of ISIS Khorasan, have been identified and apprehended. However, Adel Aref is currently on the run and is wanted.
Who is Aref Adel?
On November 2, 2020, Kabul University in Afghanistan was the target of a complex terrorist attack. Lasting nearly six hours, the Khorasan branch of ISIS claimed responsibility for this attack.
Twenty people lost their lives in this attack, with the majority of the victims being young students of Kabul University.
Following the explosion, Amrullah Saleh, the former vice-president of Afghanistan, declared that the attack on Kabul University was orchestrated by the Taliban under the guise of ISIS. He further announced the arrest of Aref Adel, one of the masterminds behind this attack.
Saleh had said Adel "studied at the Faculty of Sharia [of Kabul University] and was later recruited by Sanaullah, a veteran member of the Haqqani network, and then committed this crime”.
At that time, Saleh wrote, "Before the emergence of ISIS, Sanaullah was a member of the Taliban group and the Haqqani branch." According to him, "ISIS is a name. Those who have done this possess multiple identities, affiliating with groups such as Hizb ut-Tahrir, Taliban, and ISIS as needed using titles and nicknames.”
However, at that time, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, denied any involvement in the attack on Kabul University.
From death sentence to release from Bagram prison
In December 2020, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior of the former government declared that an individual named Adel, one of the planners of the attack on Kabul University, had been sentenced to death.
On December 31, 2020, Afghanistan’s Supreme Court live-streamed the trial of those accused of plotting the attack on Kabul University.
At that time, the Afghan government had transferred Adel to Bagram prison, in Parwan province.
On August 15, 2021, nearly a year after the attack on Kabul University, the media reported that control of Bagram Prison had fallen into the hands of the Taliban. The group was said to have released all the prisoners held in the facility.
Later, Taliban spokespersons confirmed that Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the group, had issued the order to release all the prisoners.
Similarly, in the statement from the Ministry of Intelligence of Iran, published on Friday, it has been noted that Adel Aref, "after spending one year in Bagram prison, was released" and upon his release, "resumed engaging in criminal activities once again”.