AFF Claims Attack on Taliban Intelligence Officers in Kabul

Decker emphasised that Afghans now need to clarify whether the Taliban regime is indeed what they want.

On Monday, during a press briefing, Decker noted that the primary concern for representatives from 25 countries and three regional organisations at the Doha meeting was the rights of Afghan women and girls.

She highlighted that the issue of women’s rights was central to all discussions at the Doha meeting, with all representatives warning that Afghanistan would not succeed by excluding half of its population.

According to Decker, Zabihullah Mujahid, the trusted spokesperson for the Taliban leader working from Kandahar, "heard from all representatives that Afghanistan cannot succeed by excluding half of its population”.

The US diplomat referred to Mujahid as a "very important person" in the Taliban government during this meeting.

At the meeting, the Taliban emphasised on lifting sanctions and providing developmental aid.

Decker pointed out that lifting sanctions and releasing Afghanistan's currency reserves are among the Taliban's demands. However, she stressed that the international community has not responded positively to any of these demands.

In response to a question from Afghanistan International about why the US and the international community are not applying the necessary pressure to change the situation in Afghanistan, Decker said, "There is already immense pressure on the Taliban."

Decker added that they have consistently highlighted the Taliban's human rights record in various meetings and stated that Afghanistan cannot join the international community unless the Taliban fulfil their international obligations.

She mentioned that one of these obligations is allowing girls and women to attend school and ensuring their right to work.

In response to criticism about providing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan under Taliban control, Decker said that the US does not want to use food as a weapon.

The US Embassy Chargé d'Affaires for Afghanistan stated that the international community defended the rights of Afghans in the third Doha meeting and has not retreated from its stance on the Taliban since this meeting.

Decker noted that the Taliban have significant demands, such as the recognition of their government.

Quoting 25 representatives present at the third Doha meeting, Decker said all ambassadors told the Taliban that Afghanistan's problem is "multi-faceted" and that lifting sanctions alone would not improve the country's situation.

She said that all representatives, especially regional ambassadors, emphasised on the formation of an inclusive government, transparency, and human rights in Afghanistan.

Fourth Doha Meeting

The US Embassy Chargé d'Affaires announced that the fourth round of the Doha process is imminent, but many discussions need to occur before a significant meeting can be held.

Decker stated that the world judges the Taliban based on their actions, not their words.

She pointed out that nothing has happened in practice that would lead to the lifting of sanctions or the integration of the Taliban administration into the global order.

Decker said that Afghanistan's problems are very complex, and to address them, the United Nations intends to appoint a special representative. She emphasised that the appointment of a UN special representative remains a strong consideration.

Last week, it was reported that an Iranian citizen died at a hospital following an altercation with three Afghan migrants who had visited his brother's apartment to collect maintenance fees.

Several Afghan migrants in eastern Tehran have informed Afghanistan International that local residents have been attacking them in parks, streets, and metro stations in recent days.

One Afghan migrant from eastern Tehran wrote that his family is afraid to leave their home for work or shopping.

Another Afghanistan International reader from District 15 of Tehran, where the incident occurred, shared a notice warning Afghan migrants to leave the area immediately. The notice, the origin of which is unknown, threatens forced expulsion from Iran if migrants do not comply.

Videos of street clashes have also been sent to Afghanistan International, though their authenticity has not been verified.

Last week, Tasnim News Agency reported that following the death of an Iranian citizen in a hospital emergency room, Tehran police arrested three Afghan brothers on suspicion of being involved in the death.

The news agency quoted a woman who claimed that three migrant workers had visited her apartment for building maintenance fees. She stated, "My husband was away on a work mission, and I was alone at home. These three brothers, our neighbours, came for the building fees, which led to a verbal dispute over building matters."

The woman accused the migrant workers of verbal abuse and said that she contacted her husband, leading to her brother-in-law confronting the workers, resulting in a physical altercation.

Iranian media, including Tasnim News Agency, reported that the 28-year-old Iranian man sustained chest injuries during the altercation and later died at the hospital. Details about who initiated the dispute and how it led to the fatal injury have not been disclosed.

Recently, there has been a surge of criticism on social media and in the media about the presence of Afghan migrants in various Iranian cities.

Two days ago, following the reported killing of an Iranian man by his Afghan restaurant worker, residents of Khorramabad in Fars Province attacked migrants' homes, setting several houses on fire.

Meanwhile, Iranian media, citing Tehran police, reported the arrest of 10 Afghan citizens accused of "street fights" amid the ongoing conflicts over the expulsion of Afghan migrants from Iran. Detailed information about the circumstances of their arrest has not yet been released.

Officials from the ministry stated that more than 500 applicants participated in this exam, but no Afghan female applicant had been allowed to attend it.

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, this is the third year when the Bar exam has been held without the participation of Afghan women.

Abdul Karim Haidar, the Taliban's Deputy Minister of Justice, said, "After passing the exam and obtaining a licence, lawyers represent this ministry. Therefore, their appearance and conduct must conform to Islamic Sharia."

Before the Taliban's takeover, Bar exams were conducted by the Independent Afghan Bar Association. In December 2021, the Taliban shut down the central office of this association in Kabul and halted its operations.

The Taliban have not provided an explanation for the exclusion of women from the Bar exams in Afghanistan.

The office added that 88 percent of the casualties were children, and 50 percent of them were killed while playing.

According to the report by this UN agency, in 2023, 89% of the victims of landmine and unexploded ordnance explosions in Afghanistan were children.

The report also stated that since 1989, 45,000 people have been killed by landmine explosions and other remnants of war.

These numbers indicate that the average number of monthly victims in Afghanistan has been 110 people.

This UN Agency has warned that the lack of financial resources for the mine clearance programme in 2024 has put about 3.4 million people at risk.

These individuals, whose fate remains unknown, were detained when they were resisting the Taliban intelligence agency’s order to take down Muharram flags.

At least two sources told Afghanistan International that these youths had been detained on Tuesday, in the Haji Abbas area and Al-Mahdi town.

The Taliban intelligence agency also arrested a person named Samad Hazara, who was leading the youths in the Haji Abbas neighbourhood, along with 13 others.

So far, the Taliban group has not commented on the arrest of these youths. According to reports, during the Muharram ceremonies, this group also blocked all the roads in western Kabul under the pretext of security measures and beat up several Ashura mourners.