Afghan Women’s Rights Activist Set To Address Munich Security Conference

According to the statement released on Friday, 14 February, both nations emphasised the importance of establishing an inclusive government that upholds human rights, particularly for women and girls, and prioritises the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan. The statement also underscored the need to continue providing humanitarian aid to the Afghan people.

During a two-day official visit to Islamabad, the Turkish President was warmly received by senior Pakistani officials. In discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stressed that Islamabad expects the Afghan Taliban to collaborate in combating terrorism, rather than facilitating its proliferation. Sharif also voiced concerns regarding the activities of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, warning that the country should not become a safe haven for extremist elements.

The statement further revealed that Türkiye and Pakistan urged the Taliban leadership to take decisive measures against terrorism, specifically targeting groups such as ISIS and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), both of which are subject to United Nations Security Council sanctions.

Despite maintaining close ties with the Afghan Taliban—accepting their diplomats and engaging in political and economic relations—the Taliban government continues to impose significant restrictions on women’s rights, including access to employment, education, and other fundamental freedoms. International and Islamic bodies have previously called on the Taliban to lift these restrictions; however, the group has persisted in enforcing them.

Hashmatullah Rahmani, the Taliban police spokesperson, stated that the incident occurred when two individuals threw a hand grenade into the mosque during prayers, reportedly over a “personal dispute.”

Rahmani indicated that at least four worshippers were injured in the attack. He added that Taliban security forces arrived promptly at the scene and subsequently arrested the perpetrators, confirming that the two attackers were armed. The incident is currently under investigation, and the injured have been transferred to Mazar-e-Sharif Provincial Hospital for treatment.

Earlier reports from local sources told Afghanistan International that an explosion and subsequent gunfire had been heard inside the Grand Mosque in the Joi Zindan area, with a grenade being thrown followed by gunfire. Doctors from the Samangan Public Health Department reported that dozens of worshippers were injured during the attack.

This attack is the latest in a series of explosions in Afghanistan in recent days. On the morning of Thursday, 13 February, a suicide attack targeted the Taliban’s Ministry of Urban Development in Kabul, resulting in multiple casualties.

Prior to that, on Tuesday, 11 February, a suicide bomber detonated explosives outside the Kabul Bank office in Kunduz, where Taliban officials and military personnel were awaiting their salaries. ISIS-K later claimed responsibility for the Kunduz attack.

According to the sources, Malikzada sustained multiple stab wounds in the chest, shoulder, and hand.

His relatives reported that two masked individuals entered his home and assaulted him with a knife before fleeing the scene. They further claimed that the attackers were also Afghan nationals.

Following the incident, Malikzada managed to seek help from a neighbour, who assisted him in alerting the police and emergency services.

Sources confirmed that Malikzada is currently receiving medical care in a hospital, where police have implemented security measures. His condition is reported to be stable.

Afghanistan International has obtained an image of him lying on a hospital bed after the attack.

The Metropolitan Police have not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident.

Malikzada is an active user on the X social media platform, where he frequently criticises Taliban policies.

A day before the attack, he had posted a warning about the Taliban’s influence in the UK, writing “A few years ago, if you’d told me I’d censor myself in the UK because of the Taliban, I would’ve laughed. Now I’m holding back as the UK has become like the Taliban’s Western capital. I’m not anti-immigration (I’m an immigrant), but it’s frightening how the UK has fallen to the Taliban.”

Taliban officials have previously threatened exiled critics with attacks.

Last year, Saeed Khosty, a former Taliban Interior Ministry spokesperson, openly stated that those campaigning against the Taliban should be “killed”. He further claimed that the group had “hundreds of volunteers” ready to target its opponents abroad.

Additionally, in February 2024, Mohammad Nabi Omari, the Taliban’s Deputy Interior Minister, declared that, if necessary, the Taliban could target their opponents outside Afghanistan for as little as 500 Pakistani rupees.

The attack on Malikzada has raised concerns about the safety of Afghan dissidents living in exile, particularly in the UK.

Initial reports had suggested that the suspect, an Afghan asylum seeker, was linked to shoplifting. However, officials have now denied these claims.

According to Der Spiegel, Joachim Herrmann, Bavaria’s Interior Minister, confirmed that the suspect had valid residence documents and a work permit at the time of the attack.

The suspect, whose name has not been disclosed, arrived in Germany as an unaccompanied minor asylum seeker in late 2016. His asylum application was rejected in 2020, and the German government requested his departure. However, Munich authorities later granted him a residence permit in October 2021.

Herrmann clarified that the suspect had pursued education and completed vocational training before working as a security officer for two security firms.

The minister also addressed the earlier reports linking the suspect to shoplifting, stating that he was not a suspect but a witness in theft cases.

Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder told German media that the suspect had no known criminal record and was not subject to deportation orders.

Söder confirmed that although the suspect’s asylum request had been denied, he had been granted legal permission to live and work in Munich.

Authorities have so far found no evidence of extremist tendencies in the suspect’s background. Söder stressed that further investigations are needed to determine the motive behind the attack.

The 24-year-old suspect carried out the attack on Thursday, targeting a labour gathering in Munich. Several of the injured victims remain in critical condition.

German police have arrested the suspect, categorising the incident as a suspicious attack.

The incident occurred just two kilometres from the Munich Security Conference venue, which commenced on Friday with high-profile attendees, including U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance. However, Bavarian officials stated that there is no evidence linking the attack to the conference.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for severe action against the attacker, stressing that he must be punished and deported following due legal process.

As the investigation continues, authorities are closely examining the suspect’s background and potential motives while ensuring heightened security across the city.

Speaking on Thursday during a meeting in Moscow with Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Lavrov stated that the fragile security situation in Afghanistan has repercussions for neighbouring states, particularly Russia and Tajikistan.

The meeting was also attended by Zamir Kabulov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan.

According to Russia Today, Lavrov told his Tajik counterpart that the situation in Afghanistan remains difficult, and this instability echoes across its neighbouring Central Asian countries, including Tajikistan.

Lavrov emphasised that it is in the interests of both Russia and Tajikistan to continue working within multilateral frameworks to ensure regional security.

He also revealed that Moscow and Dushanbe are collaborating to enhance the operational effectiveness of Russia’s 201st Military Base in Tajikistan, which is one of Russia’s largest military installations outside its borders.

Lavrov’s remarks come at a time when suicide attacks in Afghanistan have been on the rise, further fuelling concerns about regional security threats.

One of the latest attacks occurred on Thursday when a suicide bomber targeted the Taliban’s Ministry of Urban Development and Housing in Kabul.

Two credible sources in Kabul confirmed to Afghanistan International that Arsala Kharoti, the Taliban’s Deputy Minister for Finance and Administration, was injured in the attack.

Another suicide bombing took place in Kunduz just two days earlier. On Tuesday, a suicide bomber detonated explosives outside the Kabul Bank office, where Taliban military personnel and government employees had gathered to collect their salaries.

Additionally, Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, a senior Taliban official, was killed in a suicide attack inside the Ministry of Refugees building in Kabul.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for these recent attacks, increasing concerns about the group’s growing presence and operations in Afghanistan.