Taliban Boasts Of Amassing 230,000-Strong Police Force In Afghanistan

Jul 25, 2024, 14:10 GMT+1

Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban's Minister of Interior, announced that the group has at least 230,000 police personnel at its disposal.

Haqqani noted that the Taliban's Ministry of Interior is actively working to professionally train these forces.

According to a note by Abdul Mateen Qani, the spokesperson for the Taliban's Ministry of Interior on X, Haqqani described the police forces as a "major factor" in ensuring security during a meeting in Kabul.

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Iran Asks Taliban To Re-Engineer Kamal Khan Dam

Jul 25, 2024, 12:57 GMT+1

Isa Bozorgzadeh, the spokesperson for Iran's Water Organisation, announced that negotiations between officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Taliban regarding water rights have "entered a new phase”.

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Bozorgzadeh stated, "Iran's demand is for the Kamal Khan Dam to be re-engineered."

The Iranian official said that the overflow from the side dam on the Afghan side annually wastes billions of cubic meters of water during floods and keeps it out of reach of the Afghan people as well.

He noted that this process leads to the drying up of the region, exacerbating dust storms and environmental disasters.

According to IRNA, Bozorgzadeh suggested to the Taliban that they should "seize the opportunity and define joint projects to reduce the suffering of the people in the region who are under the pressure of a weak economy and dust storms”.

Previously, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's special representative in Afghanistan, had confirmed in June this year that over 300 million cubic meters of Iran's water rights had been provided by Afghanistan.

However, Kazemi Qomi mentioned that due to the unmodified crest of the Kamal Khan Dam, some of the water diverted to the salt flats, resulting in part of Iran's water rights not being fulfilled.

Taliban Flogs 3 Individuals Publicly In Bamiyan Province

Jul 25, 2024, 11:31 GMT+1

The Taliban's Supreme Court announced that based on the decision of the group's court in Bamiyan, three people, including a woman, were publicly flogged.

The Taliban claimed that these individuals were accused of having extramarital sexual relations and theft.

The Taliban court specified that on Wednesday, two of the accused received 35 lashes each in public, while another received 30 lashes.

According to the statement from the Taliban’s Supreme Court, one of the accused was sentenced by the local court to six months in prison, while the other two were sentenced to four and five years in prison, respectively.

Previously, local sources from Malistan district of Ghazni informed Afghanistan International that the Taliban had flogged a man and a woman for allegedly having extramarital sexual relations.

The sources reported that the Taliban forced local residents at gunpoint to watch the punishment being carried out.

After taking control of Afghanistan, the Taliban annulled all existing national laws and have been prosecuting accused individuals based on what they refer to as "Islamic Sharia”.

International human rights organisations have urged the Taliban to stop these primitive and cruel punishments. However, the Taliban has stated that they will continue to enforce punishments in accordance with "Islamic Sharia”.

Will Soon Decide Afghans’ Deportation, Says German Chancellor

Jul 25, 2024, 10:25 GMT+1

Olaf Scholz, German Chancellor, announced on Wednesday that his government will soon decide on the deportation of Afghan refugees to their country.

Scholz said that deportations, especially of criminals, to Afghanistan and other countries will be carried out and that preparations are underway for this process.

According to the German Chancellor, deportation cases have increased by up to 30 percent.

He added that Germany wants to limit irregular and illegal migration and that the country will decide who comes to Germany.

However, Scholz mentioned that to remain prosperous and wealthy, Germany needs a sufficient influx of labour, including from non-European countries.

Scholz also said that Germany intends to speed up the process of reviewing asylum applications.

Following the killing of a German police officer by an Afghan migrant in June in the city of Mannheim, pressure to deport refugees to Afghanistan has increased.

Sulaiman Ataee, an Afghan national, attacked a far-right anti-Islam rally on June 1, during which a police officer was initially injured and later died in the hospital.

Over 2,000 Afghan Migrants Return From Iran & Pakistan

Jul 25, 2024, 09:48 GMT+1

The Taliban's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation announced that more than 2,000 migrants have returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan.

In a statement on its website, the ministry said that 1,664 of these individuals returned from Iran, while the rest came back from Pakistan.

The Taliban did not clarify whether these migrants returned voluntarily or were expelled.

In recent days, reports have emerged about the poor conditions faced by Afghan migrants in Iran. According to these reports, some migrants have been subjected to attacks and harassment by Iranian police and citizens on the streets.

A former Afghan security forces member, who sought refuge in Iran out of fear of Taliban retaliation, told Afghanistan International that Afghan migrants, especially former military personnel, are under pressure.

He added that Iranian police are arresting migrants with legal documents and taking them to camps. He said that Afghan military personnel are under pressure both in Afghanistan and in Iran.

Another Afghan migrant in Iran sent a video to Afghanistan International saying, "We came to Iran to escape the misery in Afghanistan. Now, Iranian police are searching for us street by street."

In a voice message, an Afghan migrant said that migrants in Iran face "insult, humiliation, and the threat of deportation" every moment.

In recent days, following reports of the death of an Iranian citizen after a confrontation with three Afghan workers, there have been reports of attacks on Afghan migrants in District 15 of Tehran.

Some Afghan migrants who contacted Afghanistan International said that they are scared to leave their homes for work or shopping. Additionally, distressing images received by us reportedly show severe injuries resulting from attacks on the migrants.

Terrorism In Afghanistan Concerns International Community, Says Russian Official

Jul 24, 2024, 18:06 GMT+1

Sergey Vershinin, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, has expressed concerns about "terrorism in Afghanistan”.

On Tuesday, at a BRICS counter-terrorism working group meeting in Moscow, he stated that terrorism in Afghanistan and the Middle East is a global concern.

In his speech, published on Tuesday on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website, Vershinin emphasised on the need to suppress terrorist groups.

The Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia highlighted that terrorism in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and northern Syria requires close monitoring to effectively address emerging challenges.

He referred to a report by the UN Security Council's Sanctions Monitoring Team about "ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and the Taliban" to justify his remarks.

The Monitoring Team reported in July that terrorist groups still consider Afghanistan a safe haven and that the Taliban's leniency towards these groups creates conditions for terrorism to spread to neighbouring countries.

The report stated that the Taliban's inability to act decisively has revitalised Al-Qaeda and ISIS. According to the report, Al-Qaeda has quietly reestablished its bases and offices in five provinces, including Kabul and Nangarhar.

The report indicated that Al-Qaeda has utilised Afghanistan to reorganise, recruit, and set up a network of training camps and safe houses in at least five provinces. It also noted that this expansion has resulted in a growing influx of Al-Qaeda fighters from abroad into Afghanistan.

At the BRICS counter-terrorism working group meeting in Moscow, Vershinin warned that terrorist groups are not only seeking to strengthen their influence in conflict areas, but are also aiming to establish a solid base for controlling other regions.