Majid Shuja, Iran’s border guard commander of Khorasan Razavi province, announced that from January 21 to February 4, a total of 20,000 Afghan citizens were deported from the country and handed over to the Taliban.
The Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA) quoted Shuja, as stating that these individuals lacked a valid residence permit.
In a report on Saturday, ILNA wrote that these immigrants were deported through the Dogharoun border and handed over to the Taliban representative.
The border guard commander of Khorasan Razavi province emphasised that Afghans are required to enter Iran through official and legal entry points. Otherwise, decisive measures will be taken against those who attempt unauthorised entry.
Toshihiro Aiki, Japan’s ambassador to Tajikistan, announced that Japan is helping Tajikistan strengthen the security of its border with Afghanistan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Aiki said that there are challenges that not only Tajikistan, but most of the countries are facing.
He added that Japan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are collectively working on the successful implementation of various projects in Tajikistan, including the "border management" project, with support from the government of Tajikistan.
According to the Japanese diplomat, the objective of this project extends beyond fortifying the secure and open borders between Tajikistan and Afghanistan; it also emphasises on promoting cross-border trade.
According to the UNDP, the "Border Management" project was initiated in 2015, and the third phase commenced in 2023, with an extension planned until 2025.
UNDP added that the training programmes for border guards and customs officers of Tajikistan have proven to be instrumental.
UNDP said that it aims to expand national capacities in preventing extremism in Central Asia with financial support from the Japanese government.
In an interview with TASS News Agency, Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, confirmed that he will participate in the second Doha meeting for Afghanistan.
Kabulov said that he will guide his partners towards appropriate behaviour during this meeting.
The second Doha meeting for Afghanistan, hosted by Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations, is scheduled to be held on February 18 and 19.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated that the objective of the Doha meeting is to consolidate the approaches of various countries towards Afghanistan and to carry out independent assessments of the situation in the country.
The first Doha meeting by the United Nations on Afghanistan, hosted by Antonio Guterres, took place on May 1 and 2, 2023. Representatives of key stakeholders, including the United States, the European Union, Russia, and Afghanistan's neighbouring countries, participated in the meeting.
Amnesty International said that Manizha Seddiqi, a women's human rights defender, is in Taliban prison without any charges and is at risk of torture and ill-treatment.
This human rights organisation once again demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Seddiqi.
Taliban detained Seddiqi on October 9, 2023 and transferred her to Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul on December 5, 2023.
As per Amnesty International’s findings, she has not been charged with any offence and has been denied the right to access a lawyer or regular family visits. This organisation expressed deep concern about the risk of torture and mistreatment of Seddiqi in Taliban detention.
Since the takeover of power in August 2021, Taliban imposed severe restrictions on girls and women and have deprived them from their right to education, work, freedom of movement and social activities.
In reaction to the imposed restrictions, activists advocating for women's rights expressed their dissent through both street and indoor protests.
The Taliban, however, responded to these demonstrations with physical violence and intimidation, leading to the arrest of numerous protesting women.
Human rights organisations, based on their investigations, have reported that many women and girls are currently in Taliban custody. However, their identities remain undisclosed due to fear of the Taliban within their families.
Local sources told Afghanistan International that the Taliban detained two former members of Daikundi province police in Maidan Wardak province.
According to sources, Reza Mujahidzada was the police commander of Pato district and Reza Hekmatyar was the acting police commander of the Shahristan district in Daikundi.
According to sources, on Thursday in Maidan Shahr, the capital of Maidan Wardak province, the Taliban forcibly removed Mujahidzada from his car. Additionally, two days prior, in the vicinity of Jalriz area in Maidan Wardak province, Taliban apprehended Hikmatyar.
Sources said that following the Taliban’s takeover of power in Afghanistan, Mujahidzada maintained collaboration with the group in Miramor district of Daikundi province as per the local Taliban's request. However, he was later relieved of his duties. It has been reported that following the cessation of his affiliation with the Taliban, Mujahidzada was transporting passengers on routes between Daikundi Province and Kabul.
According to local sources, Hekmatyar served as the head of the police command in Shahristan district for a period. Prior to the collapse of the previous government, he held the position of a criminal officer in the same district. Following the Taliban's takeover of power, Hekmatyar has been working as an ordinary person.
Taliban officials have not commented on the detention of these two former police officers.
Despite the Taliban's declaration of a general amnesty, there have been reports over the past two years indicating the detention of hundreds of security forces members and former government employees. Some reports suggest instances of torture and killings.
The United Nations has consistently criticised the Taliban's killing of former security forces.
Fazl Mohammad Haqqani, Taliban’s representative in Tehran, participated in a meeting hosted by Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the ambassadors of the Islamic countries in Iran.
The website of the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran has published pictures from this meeting that took place on Thursday.
As per the report, Khamenei spoke about the situation in Gaza and Israel's policy in this meeting.
Addressing the ambassadors, Khamenei said, "Governments are responsible for ceasing political and propaganda aid, as well as weapons and consumer goods to the Zionist regime; this is their responsibility. It is the duty of the nations to exert pressure on their respective governments to fulfil this significant obligation.”
Taliban participated in this meeting while earlier, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, the Special Representative of Iran for Afghanistan, called Taliban as part of the "Axis of Resistance" in the region.
Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's Special Representative for Afghanistan, had stated in an interview with a state-controlled Iranian media outlet that, if necessary, “more than one army of suicide bombers will be deployed from Afghanistan to support Gaza”.
The Taliban officials did not officially respond to this statement of the Iranian diplomat, however, Al-Mirsaad, a media outlet affiliated with group’s intelligence wrote that Iran should direct Hezbollah of Lebanon to engage in war or themselves should take direct action against Israel.