Taliban Plans To Expel Iranian Diplomat From Afghanistan

Local sources said that the Taliban had begun construction work around this memorial, dedicated to the prominent Hazara leader, in Mazari Square recently.

According to these reports, the group intends to extend the reconstruction of the road between Pul-e-Sorkh and Pul-e-Sokhta to Mazari Square and completely remove his memorial.

Taliban members destroyed Mazari's statue in this square on Saturday night but did not provide an explanation for their actions.

After demolishing Abdul Ali Mazari's statue, the Taliban banned photography and filming of the destroyed statue and his memorial.

Following the destruction of the statue, several political leaders and many social media users reacted, calling it "hostile”.

Muhammad Mohaqiq, leader of People's Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, called the Taliban's action "adventurism and a challenge" for an "early armed confrontation”.

Additionally, Sarwar Danish, former vice-president, called the Taliban's action "hostile," "childish," and "a sign of the Taliban's fear" of "the intellectual and historical symbols of the Afghan people”.

Danish added that currently, the "intellectual and cultural war is far more important and decisive than political wars and the conflict for power and wealth”.

He explained that this intellectual and cultural war continues along two lines: "the pursuit of justice and freedom" and "tyranny and monopoly”.

Some political leaders have remained silent about the Taliban's actions.

In the past two days, many social media users have also reacted to the Taliban's actions. While Taliban supporters endorsed the group's actions, opponents condemned them.

Also, the Taliban removed and tore flags and banners that Shia Muslims had put up for the month of Muharram. They told residents in some neighbourhoods that they were not allowed to display such flags on rooftops and streets.

The group also defaced the image of Amanullah Khan in Torkham, eastern Afghanistan, which sparked widespread reactions.

However, Bhutto Zardari remarked that these problems "cannot be solved by simply visiting Afghanistan or having a cup of tea there”.

Bhutto's comment subtly referred to the visit of General Faiz Hameed, the former ISI chief, during Imran Khan's government in the early days of Kabul's fall, where he was seen drinking tea at the Serena Hotel. When asked by reporters at Kabul Serena hotel in Kabul about Afghanistan's future, Hameed had said, "Everything will be fine."

During a press conference on Monday, July 8, Bhutto Zardari stated that the problems between Afghanistan and Pakistan need to be resolved, and it must be acknowledged that not all issues are under Afghanistan's control.

Bhutto's recent comments about the Afghan Taliban seem to be in response to statements made by former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

On Friday, July 5, Imran Khan, in a message from prison, addressed the government and military of Pakistan, stating that Islamabad would not succeed in the war on terror without the support of the Afghan Taliban.

Imran Khan also criticised Bilawal Bhutto and Pakistan's current Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for not visiting Taliban-controlled Kabul.

In response to the growing instability in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan has launched the "Operation Resolve" to prevent escalating violence and terrorist attacks.

Previously, Pakistan's Defence Minister had stated that as part of "Operation Resolve”, Pakistan would target locations in Afghanistan in the future. According to him, Pakistani Taliban are organising their attacks from Afghan soil.

He expressed support for strengthening anti-Taliban forces and called for sending US military aid to resistance groups in Afghanistan.

On Monday, July 8, Bolton stated that meetings between US officials and the Taliban, especially intelligence officials from both sides, benefit the Taliban more than the US, as they grant legitimacy to the group.

Bolton's comments refer to the meeting between CIA Deputy Director David Cohen and a Taliban delegation, including Abdul Haq Wasiq, the Taliban's intelligence chief, on October 8, 2022, in Qatar.

Bolton emphasised that the US should not pay the Taliban for intelligence information.

Earlier, NBC News reported, citing informed sources, that the US is seeking increased intelligence cooperation with the Taliban to combat terrorism.
Two informed sources and a former US official told NBC that Biden administration officials are discussing expanding cooperation with the Taliban government in Kabul to counter ISIS.

Western officials have warned about ISIS-Khorasan terrorist attacks in Europe and the US. This group primarily operates in Afghanistan and has carried out three deadly attacks in Iran and Russia.

Bolton, a senior official in the Trump administration, suggested that Washington should aid in the downfall of the Taliban instead.

Bolat mentioned to Sabah News Agency that the labour shortage in Turkiye is so serious that even foreign workers cannot fill it.

This cabinet member highlighted Turkey's need for foreign workers amidst growing reactions from citizens and opposition parties to the government's refugee policies in recent months.

In his interview with Sabah News Agency, Bolat noted that there is a serious labour shortage that cannot be filled with foreign workers. He pointed out that if 25,000 Afghan shepherds were to leave, agriculture and livestock farming in the country would collapse.

Bolat's remarks have received various reactions on Turkish social media.

One social media user commented that the government has taken such wrong steps in the past 22 years that without the labour of Afghans and Syrians, who work like slaves, there would be no agriculture in the country today.

Hours after the interview was published and reactions increased, the Turkish Ministry of Trade issued a statement explaining that Bolat's comments were "distorted" on social media.

However, the statement reiterated that there is a labour shortage in the agricultural sector in the eastern regions of the country, and this gap is being filled by Afghan migrants. The statement noted that the labour shortage affects the market situation.

The ministry stated that the registration process for 60% of the SIM cards in Kabul has been completed, with the registration of the remaining 40% still underway.

On Monday, the Taliban’s ministry issued a statement saying that approximately 23 million SIM cards are currently active in Afghanistan.

The ministry has called on all telecommunications companies to register their customers' SIM cards according to the registration guidelines for the SIM cards.