Pak Has Provided No Evidence of TTP Presence in Afghanistan, Says Taliban’s Army Chief

Fitrat mentioned that Pakistan has not provided any evidence of the TTP’s presence in Afghanistan. According to this senior Taliban military official, TTP operates from Pakistan and has control over certain regions there.

He added that Pakistan has no proof that the group is present in Afghanistan or that it conducts its operations against Pakistan from Afghan soil. Fitrat emphasised that the Taliban does not allow the TTP to carry out operations against Pakistan from Afghan territory.

Fitrat remarked, “Pakistan should not repeatedly place the blame for its shortcomings on Afghanistan, and we certainly reject these claims. The TTP is not funded or equipped from here.”

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a day after a series of coordinated insurgent attacks in Balochistan, Pakistan, which resulted in over 70 fatalities, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi claimed that they have undeniable evidence of foreign involvement in these attacks.

Regarding the presence of ISIS, this Taliban’s senior military official responded to questions about reports of ISIS activity in Afghanistan, stating that ISIS has no physical presence anywhere in the country. He acknowledged that while ISIS may conduct destructive operations in some areas, it is not in Afghanistan and could be in “other regions”. He added, “ISIS’s presence in Afghanistan is entirely false and baseless.”

Fitrat also criticised the agreement between Uzbekistan and the US concerning helicopters and military aircraft of the former Afghan army, stating that the US should not be generous in this regard. He said that the Taliban considers these aircraft to be their property and will use any means necessary to obtain them, urging Uzbekistan not to accept such deals.

Apart from this, Fitrat stated that Afghanistan’s airspace has been repeatedly violated in the past, and the Taliban has attempted to prevent further violations through diplomatic means. He mentioned that the Taliban’s Defence Ministry has been working on this issue and that Afghanistan’s airspace will soon be fully under the group's control.

Meanwhile, Fitrat noted that occasional conflicts occur due to “violations by neighbouring countries,” and the Taliban have had to respond. He said efforts are being made to control these clashes through committees and coordination centres, aiming to reduce them to zero in the coming year.

In a briefing about the Taliban’s Defence Ministry’s organisation, Fitrat revealed that the number of army members has grown from 100,000 to over 180,000. He added that the army’s personnel will continue to increase according to needs, potentially exceeding 200,000.

Fitrat remarked, “Pakistan should not repeatedly place the blame for its shortcomings on Afghanistan, and we certainly reject these claims. The TTP is not funded or equipped from here.”

TTP Attacks Organised From Afghan Soil, Says Pakistani PM

Aug 28, 2024, 14:03 GMT+1

Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, stated that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) organises its attacks against the country from Afghan soil.

He mentioned that Pakistan has shared its concerns with the Taliban and has carried out operations in response.

On Tuesday, following the killing of more than seventy people in militant attacks in Balochistan, the Prime Minister stated during a cabinet meeting that security forces are employing all available resources to combat terrorism.

Referring to the attacks, he noted that they are intended to disrupt the development of Balochistan and other parts of the country.

Recent attacks by Baloch separatists in Balochistan and retaliatory clashes with the army have resulted in numerous fatalities.

During his speech, Sharif also stated that it is no longer hidden that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is planning its attacks from Afghan soil.

Emphasising on the need for immediate action against terrorism in Pakistan, he said that there would be no negotiations with terrorists.

Pakistan has repeatedly asked the Taliban to stop supporting the TTP against Islamabad, but the Taliban have consistently denied supporting or sheltering the group in Afghanistan.

Recently, the Taliban's Chief of Staff said that Pakistan has provided no evidence of the TTP's presence in Afghanistan.

In 2022, the Pakistan Air Force announced that it had attacked TTP hideouts in Kunar, Khost, and Paktia provinces, killing between 25 to 30 members of the group.

8 Iranian Army Engineering Units Working to Seal Afghanistan Border

Aug 28, 2024, 12:06 GMT+1

Nozar Nemati, Deputy Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Force, announced that eight engineering units from the Iranian army are working on sealing the border with Afghanistan.

The IRIB News Agency reported that Nemati inspected the border wall project between Iran and Afghanistan.

On Tuesday, IRIB quoted Nemati as saying, "The technical and operational work on this significant national project spans 300 kilometres along the shared borders of Khorasan Razavi province with Afghanistan."

He stated that the border-sealing process between Iran and Afghanistan has progressed well, with the necessary infrastructure in place to continue the work using regional and local resources.

He added that obstructing the border with Afghanistan will ensure lasting security along the entire Iran-Afghanistan border.

Earlier, an Iranian army official had mentioned that one of the main objectives of sealing the Iran-Afghanistan border is to prevent the illegal entry of Afghans into the country.

Destruction of Musical Instruments By Taliban Is An Attack on Afghan Culture, Says ANIM

Aug 28, 2024, 11:40 GMT+1

The Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM) has condemned the destruction of over 21,000 musical instruments by the Taliban as an assault on Afghanistan's cultural heritage.

The institute stated that the destruction of these instruments is not only an assault on Afghanistan's musical culture, but also a violation of human rights, particularly the right to artistic and cultural expression.

In a statement, the Afghanistan National Institute of Music strongly condemned the Taliban's actions, highlighting that music has been an integral part of Afghan society for centuries, fostering community bonds, peace, and mutual understanding.

The statement described the destruction of the instruments as another devastating blow by the Taliban, who, since their return to power, have silenced the voices of artists, composers, and cultural figures through their "brutal" rule.

Ahmad Sarmast, the director of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, expressed his anger and sadness over the Taliban's destruction of the instruments.

Sarmast said that while the Taliban have tried to silence the voice of the Afghan people, music cannot be erased from the hearts and minds of the people.

The Afghanistan National Institute of Music called on the international community, human rights organisations, and cultural institutions to condemn the Taliban's actions of "cultural destruction" and to support the preservation of Afghan music.

Last week, officials from the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice announced that the ministry had destroyed 21,328 musical instruments across Afghanistan over the past year.

The Taliban consider playing, listening to, and producing music as "haram" [forbidden].

Taliban Publicly Flogs 2 Individuals in Ghazni Province

Aug 28, 2024, 10:39 GMT+1

The Taliban's Supreme Court announced that two individuals were publicly flogged in Ghazni province on charges of theft.

The court stated that the individuals received 35 and 39 lashes, with one of them sentenced to two years in prison and the other to three years.

On Wednesday, the Taliban's Supreme Court said in a statement that the group’s court in the Deh Yak district of Ghazni had punished these individuals in public.

The group did not disclose the identities of these individuals.

Over the past week, the Taliban have flogged nearly 20 people in Kabul, Zabul, Helmand, and Khost provinces on various charges.

Since their return to power, the Taliban government has resumed corporal punishments. Despite widespread international criticism, the group has continued to enforce these penalties.

Taliban Exploiting Global Fatigue on Afghanistan, Says NRF Leader

Aug 28, 2024, 09:32 GMT+1

The leader of the National Resistance Front (NRF) Ahmad Massoud has urged policymakers in Washington to heed the recommendations of the Hudson Institute, which has called for support for the NRF.

Massoud stated that the Taliban are exploiting the world's fatigue regarding Afghanistan to maintain their rule and continue suppressing the people, particularly women.

On Tuesday, the Hudson Institute released a report urging the US government to provide both military and non-military assistance to the NRF. The think tank also suggested that a portion of Afghanistan's frozen central bank assets be allocated to the NRF.

During his speech at the institute, Massoud expressed hope that "policymakers in Washington will welcome the points made in this research”. He criticised the policy of "appeasing the Taliban" and the "unconditional engagement of countries" with the group.

While no government has formally recognised the Taliban, several regional nations have expanded trade and political relations with the group. Western representatives, despite criticising the Taliban's policies towards women, have held meetings with Taliban officials in Qatar.

Massoud emphasised that the past three years have shattered the illusion of a "more pragmatic and moderate Taliban," asserting that "there is no reformed or good Taliban”. He added that this period has demonstrated the group remains as fanatic and oppressive as before.

Massoud presented the NRF as an alternative to the Taliban, advocating for the creation of a "democratic and pluralistic government" in Afghanistan. He also highlighted that the group is actively fighting terrorism, noting that dozens of terrorist organisations are operating in Afghanistan.

He pointed to militant attacks in Pakistan and warned that Taliban rule is destabilising the region.

Massoud cited "dozens of successful operations" carried out by the NRF against the Taliban, stating that the Front's goal is to "inspire hope among the people and prevent the normalisation of Afghanistan's current situation”.

The Hudson Institute's recent report examines the current conditions in Afghanistan under Taliban rule and states that the NRF is the only group engaged in armed resistance against the Taliban. The report also criticises the Biden administration's policy towards the NRF as lacking a strategic vision, adding that whether American policymakers accept it or not, Afghanistan will remain a crucial part of US foreign policy.

The report further recalls that in the 1990s, the US recognised the United Front, led by Ahmad Shah Massoud, and suggests that it could now also recognise the NRF as an opposition force to the Taliban regime.

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