Taliban Spokesperson Dismisses Russia's Call for Inclusive Government

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.

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”.

The ministry revealed that Mohammad Adel Aref, alias Aref Panjshiri, implicated in the 2020 Kabul University attack, had infiltrated Tehran and was under surveillance.

A Friday statement from the ministry detailed the arrest of numerous individuals linked to the Kerman attack, among them were key ISIS members. The ministry noted the arrest of foreign nationals, although their specific nationalities remain undisclosed.

Death of two ISIS members

The Intelligence Ministry reported that two ISIS members, intent on executing further operations post the lethal Kerman blasts, were encircled and neutralised by Iranian security forces in Kerman. Identified as foreigners, these individuals had plotted a dual-phase assault, initially targeting a law enforcement facility followed by an explosive trap for backup forces.

Detention of ISIS members

Details on some of the apprehended ISIS-Khorasan key members were provided. Mohammad Imran Tanveer, known as Abu Imran and a bomb-making expert, joined ISIS around eight years ago. Having operated in various countries, he ascended to a leadership position in ISIS.

Another captured individual, Mahtab (male), had infiltrated Iran under the guise of a labourer.

A senior ISIS-Khorasan figure, alongside four team members, was also apprehended. This individual, unnamed in the statement, served as a primary link to Abdul Hakim Towhidi, the ISIS operations lead.

The ministry also announced the detention of a fourth person planning a terrorist act near a shrine in the outskirts of Mashhad. Details about this individual were not disclosed.

However, the ministry's prime target, Mohammad Adel Aref, alias Aref Panjshiri, remains at large. Aref, directly linked to Abdul Hakim Towhidi, was previously imprisoned in Bagram for orchestrating a suicide attack at Kabul University, but was released and returned to criminal activities. Several of Aref's associates, all ISIS members, have been located and detained, with ongoing efforts to capture Aref.

Traders said that Chaman, Torkham, Ghulam Khan, Angoor Ada and Kharlachi border crossings are currently closed.

Junaid Ismail Makda, the head of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), expressed concern, stating that the closure of these crossings will cause significant losses to the traders.

He emphasised that traders are worried about the perishable goods ferried by trucks due to the ongoing situation.

He emphasised that the current circumstance is affecting bilateral trade and also highlighted the uncertainty stemming from the cessation of trade with Central Asian states due to the closure of key border crossing points.

Ismail said that if the closure of these five crossings persists, Pakistan's economic stability will encounter a significant challenge. Urging the responsible authorities, he called for a swift resolution of this issue, stressing on the potential risk to trade relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Torkham crossing was closed to trucks on January 13.

Taliban officials said that this key crossing was closed due to a disagreement over the visas and passports of Afghan drivers.

The Taliban-controlled Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) reported, citing Noor Mohammad Hanif, the Taliban's head of the information and culture administration in Nangarhar, that Torkham border crossing was closed for transit by Pakistan.

He stated that in response to Pakistan's actions, the Taliban is now requesting passports and visas from Pakistani truck drivers.

Now, a week after this event, Ismail Makda says that not only the Torkham crossing is closed, but Chaman, Ghulam Khan, Angoor Ada and Kharlachi crossings are also closed to trucks.

The message refers to ongoing protests against Taliban policies and orders the group's forces to quell these dissentions.

Mullah Hibatullah stressed the importance of unity within the group, asserting that internal discord could lead to the collapse of the Taliban regime. He advised members and supportive clerics to avoid discussing divisive issues.

The exact date and location of this speech are not confirmed. This audio was shared on social media by Hedayatullah Hedayat, deputy of the Taliban-controlled national radio and television, who claimed it was from a recent Wednesday.

Several Afghan media outlets have also broadcast excerpts from this message.

In the recording, Mullah Hibatullah states, "No one should ignore the Emirate's [Taliban's] decrees. Opposition to these decrees must not be permitted." He encouraged Taliban members to highlight only the positive aspects of the group's orders and directives, cautioning that negative aspects could be exploited by adversaries.

He specifically prohibited the public expression of criticism against Taliban policies, instructing, "If there are objections to the Emirate, avoid publicly discussing the Emirate's faults."

There have been prior reports of internal disagreements among senior Taliban officials over policies such as the ban on girls' education, which has further isolated the regime. Notably, certain high-ranking Taliban figures have reportedly challenged these policies.

Hibatullah Akhundzada also referred to Western support for a democratically elected government in Afghanistan, criticising such influences. He asserted that the world attempts to turn people against Sharia by promoting democracy and stressed that the group members should advocate for Sharia, as Western influence has corrupted people's minds for the past century.

He reaffirmed his belief that all decisions and actions of the Taliban are beneficial to the Afghan populace.