UN Security Council Convenes To Discuss Extension Of UNAMA Mandate

According to the BBC World Service, the decision was made to prevent the disclosure of potential war crimes committed during the Afghan conflict. The UK Special Forces have the authority to approve or block the relocation of Afghan forces who fought alongside them.

During a court session, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that UK Special Forces had blocked the relocation of Afghan personnel, even though these commandos had provided valid documentation proving their service with UK-supported units.

A significant number of these Afghan forces, known as the “Triples”, including CF 333 and ATF 444, were trained by UK Special Forces, participated in British-led missions, and received UK government funding. Until 2014, these units were under direct British Army control, after which responsibility was transferred to Afghanistan’s Ministry of the Interior.

Following the Taliban’s takeover, these commandos were left at severe risk. However, despite their role in combat missions alongside British Special Forces, their resettlement was blocked by their former British colleagues.

The BBC reports that British Special Forces are currently under investigation for alleged war crimes in Afghanistan. Under UK law, only witnesses residing within the country can be compelled to testify, making the presence of Afghan commandos in Britain a legal risk.

The Ministry of Defence has since resumed reviewing resettlement applications for Afghan commandos but has failed to provide updates on their cases.

In 2023, the Ministry of Defence began processing resettlement applications for 2,022 Afghan commandos, with an expected 12-week timeline. However, a year later, the review remains incomplete.

While some previously rejected cases have reportedly been approved, the British government has not yet informed the applicants.

Following the Taliban’s return to power, many Afghan special forces fled to neighbouring countries. However, those who remained face severe risks, with reports of arrests, torture, imprisonment, and even executions at the hands of the Taliban regime.

The move comes in response to the suspension of U.S. foreign aid and the subsequent decline in the value of Afghanistan’s currency. Over the past few weeks, the Taliban has injected tens of millions of dollars into the market to counteract the economic impact.

On 24 January, the U.S. State Department informed its diplomatic missions that, under an executive order by former President Donald Trump, all foreign aid—except assistance to Israel and Egypt—would be suspended for 90 days.

As a result, the afghani, which had been trading at 69 per U.S. dollar, has since weakened, exceeding 80 afghanis per dollar.

Previously, dollar injections into Afghanistan’s currency market had helped maintain relative stability in the afghani’s value. However, the recent decline has caused growing concern among Taliban officials.

On 30 January, multiple currency exchangers in Kabul told Afghanistan International that Taliban intelligence agents had been deployed to Sarai Shahzada, the country’s largest currency exchange market, to monitor and regulate exchange rates.

The latest cash injection is part of the Taliban’s broader strategy to prevent further economic instability, though concerns remain over long-term financial sustainability amid diminishing international support.

According to the reports, the summit will be attended by António Costa, President of the European Council; Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; and the heads of state of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

The agenda will focus on cooperation in transport, economic development, and security, reflecting the increasing strategic significance of EU-Central Asia relations in the wake of global geopolitical developments, including the Russia-Ukraine war and the situation in Afghanistan.

Ahead of the summit, special representatives from the EU and Central Asian nations held talks on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. According to Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, discussions covered regional security challenges, emerging threats, and human rights concerns, with a particular emphasis on the rights of women and girls.

The upcoming EU-Central Asia Summit underscores Europe’s growing engagement with the region, as both sides seek to strengthen economic partnerships and address shared security concerns.

On Sunday, the NRF released a statement announcing that its fighters had attacked a Taliban base in the seventh security district of Kunduz city the previous evening. The group claimed that three Taliban fighters were killed and two others were wounded in the assault.

Similarly, the AFF stated that its forces had targeted the Taliban’s recruitment command in the first security district of Taloqan city of Takhar province on Saturday evening, claiming that four Taliban members were killed and two others were injured.

Both resistance groups asserted that their forces sustained no casualties during the attacks.

Local sources in Kunduz reported explosions and gunfire on Saturday evening. However, the Taliban’s police command spokesperson in Kunduz dismissed these reports as “rumours”, accusing “hostile media” of spreading misinformation.

Despite this denial, the NRF stated that its forces engaged in a 30-minute battle with the Taliban in Kunduz, deploying both light and heavy weaponry.

Meanwhile, in Takhar, local sources also reported explosions and gunfire in Taloqan, the provincial capital. While Taliban officials have not yet commented, the AFF claimed responsibility for an attack on the Taliban’s recruitment headquarters, resulting in a 10-minute skirmish.

According to the AFF, over the past week, the Taliban forcibly summoned 94 young men from Takhar, demanding their enlistment in the group’s army.

According to a statement from the Taliban Supreme Court, the sentencing was carried out on Sunday at the Shaheed Haqqani Sports Stadium in Zaranj. The court reported that four individuals were punished for “looting and extramarital relations,” while seven others faced charges of theft. In addition to the floggings, some were also sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to six years.

Taliban officials confirmed that local authorities and residents of Zaranj were present during the public punishments. The verdicts, approved by the Taliban Supreme Court, were executed by the Primary Court in Nimroz. However, the Taliban did not disclose the identities of those punished.

Additionally, in Bamiyan province, another individual was publicly flogged, receiving 39 lashes and a one year and six-month prison sentence for “running away from home.”