WORLD
Neighbouring countries ask Taliban to prevent Daesh, Al Qaeda
The six neighboring countries of Afghanistan have issued a joint statement urging the Taliban to form an inclusive government and to not allow Daesh and Al Qaida to gain a "foothold" in Afghanistan, Tolo News reported. The statement was issued on Thursday, a day after the six countries held a Pakistan-initiated virtual ministerial-level meeting on Afghanistan -- the first since the Taliban seized power in the war-torn nation.
Taliban's violent response to peaceful protests across Afghanistan
OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said the Taliban issued an instruction prohibiting unauthorised assemblies. A day later, they ordered telecommunications companies to switch off access to internet on mobile phones in specific areas of Kabul. Shamdasani said that as Afghan women and men take to the streets during this time of great uncertainty, "it is crucial that those in power listen to their voices".
Taliban PM, 2 Dy PMs, Foreign Minister on UN sanctions list: UN envoy
"What is of immediate and practical importance to those around this table is that of the 33 names presented, many are on the United Nations sanctions list, including the Prime Minister, two Deputy Prime Ministers and the Foreign Minister. All of you will need to decide which steps to take regarding the sanctions list, and the impact on future engagements," Lyons said in a briefing to the UN Security Council.
Ministry of Vice and Virtue returns with Taliban 2.0
The Ministry of Women's Affairs, a body under the previous Afghan government, was not included at all. And none of the cabinet members, mostly top Taliban members, included any women, Al Arabiya reported. When the Taliban were in power during between 1996 and 2001, they had enforced an extreme hardline interpretation of Sharia. Women were banned from leaving their homes without a male escort, and they also had to wear burqas, covering the body from head to toe.
Women should give birth, they cannot become ministers: Taliban
Talking to TOLO News, Taliban spokesperson Sayed Zekrullah Hashimi defended the Taliban’s decision of not including any woman in the recently built interim cabinet while asserting that cabinet is no place for them. Earlier this week, the Taliban regime announced a 33 member cabinet that would handle government ministries and run the country.
America does not look at Taliban from ‘Indian lens’, Pakistan has allied interest with Washington: US official
Zed Tarar was asked if the US was concerned about India’s national security after the Taliban takeover. Tarar is the US state department’s Hindi and Urdu language spokesperson. He said that Afghanistan’s situation affects every country in the region and that the US wants to partner with its allies and see that the situation does not deteriorate further.
Palestinian factions call for 'day of rage'
Wasel Abu Yousef, a member of the executive committee of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), told reporters in Ramallah that all the West Bank and Gaza factions agreed to designate Friday as a day of rage, reports Xinhua news agency. On Monday, six Palestinian prisoners escaped from the Gilboa prison in northern Israel through a tunnel they dug underneath the jail.
Why China's move to support the Taliban in Afghanistan will backfire
In docking with Pakistan's ISI, China risks losing the PR war in the region, driving mistrust and suspicion among important regional players including Iran, Russia and some of the key Central Asian Republics. China on Wednesday announced that it is backing the new Taliban government, dominated by the banned Haqqani network and others who have been practitioners of terrorism or ultra-extremism.
Sharp increase in violence against journalists under Taliban rule
Reza Moini, head of the RSF's Afghanistan desk, said that in the past 48 hours 24 journalists were detained by the Taliban and released after several hours. "In the past 48 hours, dozens of violent cases were registered against journalists in Afghanistan by the RSF," he said. On Wednesday, Etilaatroz newspaper in Kabul said five of its reporters were detained by the Taliban while covering a women's protest.
Ghani committed treason, ex-officials accuse him of lying
In a statement released on Wednesday, Ghani called for a neutral organisation to probe the allegations against him. He reiterated that he left the country to thwart security threats against him and to avoid "bloodshed" in the country. Meanwhile, a number of political experts called for the launch of an investigation into Ghani.
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