Taliban Cannot Participate In 79th UN General Assembly

Aug 14, 2024, 10:28 GMT+1

Suhail Shaheen, the head of the Taliban's political office in Qatar, stated that the group would not be able to participate in the 79th United Nations General Assembly in September this year.

He told Russia's state news agency, RIA Novosti, that the Taliban has not yet been granted Afghanistan's seat at the United Nations.

Shaheen is the Taliban's nominee for Afghanistan's seat at the UN.

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NRF Reports Attack On Taliban Checkpoint In Kabul

Aug 14, 2024, 09:24 GMT+1

The National Resistance Front (NRF) announced that, following an attack by its forces on a checkpoint in Kabul, two Taliban fighters were killed and one member of the group was injured.

According to the statement by the front on the X social media platform, the attack took place at 9:40 PM on Tuesday night in the 15th police district.

NRF did not provide details on the nature of the attack.

This armed group opposing the Taliban added that no harm came to its forces during the attack.

The Taliban has not yet made an official statement on the matter.

Earlier, local sources told Afghanistan International that they had heard an explosion in the 15th police district of Kabul.

UN Says Nearly Half of Afghanistan's Population Lives Below Poverty Line

Aug 13, 2024, 17:20 GMT+1

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 23.7 million Afghans are dependent on humanitarian aid.

OCHA stated that currently, 48 percent of Afghanistan's population lives below the poverty line, and 12.4 percent are experiencing food insecurity.

In a note shared on X social media platform on Tuesday, the UN office highlighted that economic poverty has significantly increased compared to previous years.

According to OCHA, of the more than $30 billion budget requested by the organisation for 2024, only 25 percent has been funded.

The UN's humanitarian coordination office is urging countries and aid organisations to continue their support through humanitarian aid distribution programmes in Afghanistan.

Amid the UN's concerns, several other aid organisations have also warned that Afghanistan is facing one of the world's largest and most complex humanitarian crises.

According to the latest World Bank report, three years after the Taliban's return to power, Afghanistan's economy has shown no growth and remains in a state of stagnation.

Monitoring agencies indicate that the Taliban's restrictions on women's activities, education, and employment have further exacerbated the economic situation in Afghanistan.

Over 2,000 Afghans Received Swedish Citizenship in First Half of 2024

Aug 13, 2024, 14:23 GMT+1

The Swedish Migration Agency reported that in the first half of 2024, citizenship was granted to 33,600 individuals. According to the published data, during this period, 2,519 Afghans also received Swedish citizenship.

The data indicates that citizens from Syria, Eritrea, and Afghanistan were the top three nationalities receiving Swedish citizenship in the first six months of the current year.

According to a report by Schengen News on Tuesday, the highest number of citizenships was granted in April, with 6,694 people, while the lowest was in June, with 4,775 people.

Three years ago, the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, implementing strict laws that drastically altered the lives of millions. These changes prompted many people to leave the country in search of safety and a better future, migrating to various countries.

Iran's Interior Minister Nominee Calls For Halting Afghan Migrants’ Entry

Aug 13, 2024, 13:44 GMT+1

Eskandar Momeni, Iran’s nominee for the Ministry of Interior, has declared that measures must be taken to prevent Afghan migrants from entering Iran.

During his appearance before the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian Parliament, Momeni emphasised that obstructing the border is the solution to halt the influx of migrants.

On Tuesday, he outlined his plans during the committee session.

The committee spokesperson quoted Momeni as saying, "Afghan migrants need to be organised, and his solution for this issue is to obstruct the border." He added that plans will be developed to implement this strategy.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had previously stressed on the importance of obstructing the Afghan border during his election campaign.

Following the collapse of the previous Afghan government, millions of Afghan citizens have migrated to neighbouring countries, particularly Iran and Pakistan.

The currently serving Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi has stated that approximately five million Afghans are living in Iran.

Senior US Congress Investigator Resigns Over Failure In Afghanistan Withdrawal Probe

Aug 13, 2024, 12:34 GMT+1

A senior investigator for the House Committee on Foreign Affairs has resigned in protest over the committee's failure to adequately investigate the disastrous US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Jerry Dunleavy criticised the committee for not sufficiently addressing the deaths of 13 US soldiers in Kabul.

The ISIS suicide attack on the Abbey Gate of Kabul Airport on August 26, 2021, resulted in the deaths of at least 182 people, including 169 Afghan civilians and 13 US soldiers.

The attack occurred while US forces were in the process of withdrawing from Afghanistan.

Dunleavy criticised Michael McCaul, the Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, for failing to hold the Biden administration accountable for the attack despite a Republican majority in the Congress and the discovery of evidence.

Dunleavy believes that the Biden administration is responsible for the "horrific" events related to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and their "dangerous global fallout”.

In his resignation letter, Dunleavy accused McCaul and his team of failing to fulfil their duty to investigate the Biden administration's failures, particularly regarding the Abbey Gate explosion.

In explaining his resignation on X social media platform, Dunleavy stated that McCaul and the House Foreign Affairs Committee failed to meet their promises to the families of the soldiers killed at Kabul Airport, known as the "Gold Star” families.

Dunleavy, who has been involved in the investigation, said he could no longer be part of the process due to his conscience, which would not allow him to remain silent.

He also criticised the lack of serious questioning of witnesses, including Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation. Dunleavy believes Khalilzad was not honest in his explanations regarding the Taliban.

Dunleavy added that mishandling Khalilzad in the investigation of the US withdrawal has sent a misleading message to other involved parties. According to Dunleavy, Khalilzad was clearly unsuccessful in his dealings with the Taliban.

Although Dunleavy is not a member of Congress, he was the senior investigator for the House Foreign Affairs Committee regarding the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and has authored a book on the subject.