Iranian Presidential Candidate Promises Sealing Border With Afghanistan, If Elected

This reformist candidate stated that Western countries should take responsibility for their actions in Afghanistan, which led to the migration of millions of Afghans.

He said that the people of Iran have no reason to "bear the costs of others' wrong policies”.

On Thursday, June 13, Pezeshkian outlined his plans regarding Afghan migrants in Iran in response to a question from a user on X social media platform.

He emphasised that if he wins the presidential election, he will implement three measures concerning Afghan migrants simultaneously.

He stated that his potential government would completely seal the borders, organise the migrants, and negotiate with European countries regarding the acceptance of some Afghan refugees currently in Iran.

Pezeshkian is one of six candidates in the fourteenth presidential election in Iran. He is the only candidate from the reformist faction in Iran.

This Iranian candidate wrote that to prevent the influx of migrants into Iran, he would completely seal the borders. He acknowledged that although Afghans have played a significant role in Iran's economy and made sacrifices for the Islamic Republic of Iran during the "imposed war," they need to be organised.

The Iranian Ministry of Interior has said that approximately five million Afghans live in the country.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of Parliament and another presidential candidate, also stated that if elected, he would seal the country's border with Afghanistan and expel foreign nationals.

One Taliban Member Killed In Kabul, Claims AFF

Jun 14, 2024, 09:54 GMT+1

At least three sources from Kabul confirmed to Afghanistan International that an explosion occurred around 8PM on Wednesday, June 12, at the Tahia-e Maskan neighbourhood of Kabul.

The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that one Taliban member was killed and another was injured in the incident.

Residents near the explosion site, located in the 4th district of Kabul, confirmed the incident to Afghanistan International. The Taliban has not yet commented in this regard.

AFF is one of the Taliban’s opposition groups, primarily composed of former government military personnel.

On Monday, June 10, AFF also reported a guerrilla attack on a Taliban checkpoint in Darulaman area of Kabul. The front claimed that three Taliban members were killed and one was injured in the attack.

Ariana News Anchor Assaulted by Alleged Taliban Members

Jun 14, 2024, 09:28 GMT+1

Abdul Aziz Sakhizada, an Ariana News anchor, reported on Thursday that he was beaten up by individuals who identified themselves as members of the Taliban.

Sakhizada wrote in a note on Facebook that there were two attackers. The Taliban is yet to comment on the incident.

Mujeeb Bahir, the head of Ariana News, responded to a question from Afghanistan International by stating that he was unaware of the incident.

Ariana News is a private news network based in Kabul that has continued to operate under Taliban conditions and restrictions since their takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

Exclusive: Taliban’s Intelligence Fails to Pay Salaries To Some Employees

Jun 13, 2024, 18:14 GMT+1

Two sources within the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence informed Afghanistan International that some employees of this department have not received their salaries for three months.

According to the sources, on Thursday, the payment of the third month’s salary for these employees has also been delayed.

The sources, who wished to remain anonymous, said that for the third consecutive month, the Taliban have told some of their intelligence employees that their salaries will be paid "soon”.

The sources stated that the Taliban had promised their intelligence employees that the salaries would be paid today, Tuesday, on the eve of Eid al-Adha, however, the promise was not fulfilled.

It is unclear whether the Taliban's inability to pay its employees is limited to the intelligence department or if it extends to other security and defence agencies.

Over the past two and a half years, the salaries of some government civilian departments, including the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Education, have been covered by international organisations such as the Red Cross and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

However, the International Committee of the Red Cross announced last August that it would likely end funding for 25 hospitals in Afghanistan by the end of August.

Medical staff at Mirwais Hospital in Kandahar told Afghanistan International in April this year that their salaries had been reduced by 30 percent over the past two months for unknown reasons.

Similarly, as of Thursday, June 13, the Taliban have reduced the salaries of female government employees to five thousand Afghanis.

Afghan Girls Lost 3 Billion Learning Hours, Says UNICEF

Jun 13, 2024, 17:49 GMT+1

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced that with a thousand days having passed since the closure of girls' schools above the sixth grade, Afghan girls have lost three billion hours of learning.

UNICEF has described the Taliban's ban on girls' education as a blatant violation of their right to education.

In a statement released on Thursday, it said that the systematic deprivation of girls from education leads to reduced opportunities and deteriorating mental health.

UNICEF emphasised that children's rights, especially those of girls, should not be "held hostage" to political issues.

According to the organisation, the consequences of the ban on girls' education extend beyond the girls themselves; it exacerbates the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and has serious impacts on development and the economy.

According to UNICEF's report, the Taliban have deprived nearly one and a half million Afghan girls of education in the past 1,000 days.

The Taliban's decision to close girls' schools has faced widespread domestic and international condemnation, but the group remains unwilling to reverse this decision.

Taliban Flogs 11 Individuals Publicly In Kandahar Province

Jun 13, 2024, 14:16 GMT+1

The Taliban’s Supreme Court announced that on Wednesday, 11 individuals were publicly flogged in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar.

The Taliban stated that these individuals were punished with 25 to 30 lashes on charges of theft and extramarital relations.

According to a statement from the Taliban’s Supreme Court, the corporal punishment was carried out in public based on the decision of the criminal court in Spin Boldak district.

According to the statement, the Taliban sentenced two individuals to one year of imprisonment and 25 lashes, three individuals to one year of imprisonment and 30 lashes, four individuals to two years of imprisonment and 25 lashes, and two others to three years of imprisonment and 30 lashes.

Recently, the group flogged 63 individuals, including 49 men and 14 women, on charges of various offences at the central stadium in Sar-e Pul province.

Since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, corporal punishments such as flogging, amputation, and execution have resumed.

Human rights organisations have repeatedly called for an end to public punishments of citizens and have expressed concern about the lack of access to defence lawyers and legal services for the accused.

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