UN seeks probe into reported mass killing of Afghans migrating to Iran

October 17, 2024 Current News Articles

By Charlotte Greenfield and Mohammad Yunus Yawar

Reuters

October 17, 2024

HERAT, Afghanistan, Oct 17 (Reuters) – The United Nations’ mission in Afghanistan called on Thursday for an investigation into reports that a large group of Afghan migrants had been shot and killed on the Afghanistan-Iran border.

Afghan media outlets including Tolo News, citing witnesses, said more than 200 Afghan migrants who entered Iran illegally were attacked on Iranian territory, and that dozens had been killed and injured.

Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, denied the reports of the “death of dozens of illegal nationals” in a post on X.

Tolo News quoted an “Iranian human rights organisation” saying that Iranian border guards had attacked the migrants.

Afghanistan’s Taliban-run administration has not confirmed the incident and said it was investigating.

The United Nations’ Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in a statement expressed “deep concern over disturbing reports of an incident on 14 to 15 October in Sistan province, Sarbaz district, Kala Gan border area of Iran, with allegations that a large group of Afghan migrants were opened fire on, resulting in deaths and injuries.”

It did not make any reference to who might have carried out the alleged attack.

UNAMA called for a “thorough and transparent” investigation into the alleged incident, stressing that the rights of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers are protected by international law.

Afghanistan authorities have been unable to confirm the incident because it happened “beyond Afghanistan’s borders,” deputy spokesman of the government Hamdullah Fitrat said in a statement.

He said a high-ranking delegation with officials from the interior, foreign and defence ministries had begun an investigation and would submit a report once the facts were clear.

Thousands of Afghans fled their country in 2021 when the Taliban took power in the aftermath of the withdrawal of U.S.-led Western forces from a 20-year conflict.

Both Iran and Pakistan are home to millions of Afghan migrants, but both have clamped down hard on refugees inside their borders.

Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield and Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Herat, Afghanistan; Additional reporting by Dubai newsroom; Writing by Gibran Peshimam; Editing by Angus MacSwan

Kabir: 2 Permanent Members of Security Council ‘Cooperating With Us’

October 17, 2024 Current News Articles

Mohammad Bashir Soltani

Tolo News

17 Oct 2024

The deputy prime minister for political affairs also criticized the 20-year presence of the US in the country.

Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the deputy prime minister for political affairs, said in a program today (Thursday) that in the past, resolutions were passed against the Islamic Emirate in the Security Council. However, now two permanent members of the Security Council are cooperating with the Islamic Emirate during its meetings.

The deputy prime minister for political affairs, during this program in Kabul, once again stressed engagement with world countries and added that there is no issue in the Islamic Emirate’s interaction with the world.

Mawlawi Abdul Kabir said: “We have reached a level in the political sector where two permanent members of the Security Council cooperate with us most of the time. Even regarding the law of ‘Amr bil Ma’ruf’ (Promotion of Virtue), which caused a stir around the world, the United Nations and the Security Council were unable to issue a resolution against us.”

Mawlawi Abdul Kabir once again pledged that Afghan soil would not be used against other countries. He said: “If the world is concerned that there are groups in Afghanistan that cause them problems; there were no problems for you before, and this claim was from your side. There is no such problem now either.”

This high-ranking official of the Islamic Emirate clarified in the program that the Islamic Emirate has achieved significant progress in the political sector, and currently, 40 diplomatic missions of the Islamic Emirate are active in countries around the world.

Mawlawi Abdul Kabir also mentioned that during his trips to Iran and Qatar, he held talks with representatives from other countries, including France, Canada, Australia, South Korea, Italy, Germany, and the United States. They stated that apart from the issue of girls’ education, they have no problem in interacting with the Islamic Emirate.

The deputy prime minister for political affairs further added: “I very boldly told them [representatives of the countries] that except for the issue of women’s education, we are ready to engage with you on any other matter you have.”

The deputy prime minister for political affairs also criticized the 20-year presence of the US in the country, stating that during the 20-year presence of foreign countries in Afghanistan, drug usage had reached its peak.

Pakistani PM: World Should Ask Afghan Authorities to Form Inclusive Gov’t

October 16, 2024 Current News Articles

Nazir Shenwari

Tolo News

16 Oct 2024

Sharif added that Pakistan wants a stable, peaceful, and prosperous Afghanistan and that Afghanistan’s territory should not be used against other countries.

Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, has called on the international community to encourage the caretaker government in Afghanistan to establish a politically inclusive government during the 23rd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

At this meeting, Sharif also stated that Pakistan wants a stable, peaceful, and prosperous Afghanistan and that Afghanistan’s territory should not be used against other countries.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan added: “The international community must step forward, with urgent humanitarian support, while calling upon the Afghan interim government, to embrace political inclusivity, thereby ensuring Afghan soil is not misused for terrorism against its neighbors, by any entity.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that in a joint statement, Beijing and Islamabad have called on the Afghan caretaker government to fight terrorism. The statement also mentioned that China and Pakistan will play a constructive role in integrating Afghanistan into the international community.

The statement said that Beijing and Islamabad have asked the Afghan caretaker government to take necessary actions in combating terrorism, as instability caused by terrorism will threaten the entire region. Additionally, an inclusive government should be formed.

“This claim is not correct. There have never been terrorists in Afghanistan. But regarding an inclusive government, we have always said to everyone, especially the authorities, that a government is needed that is acceptable to all,” Yousuf Amin Zazai, a military affairs expert, told TOLOnews.

The Islamic Emirate has not commented on the recent statements of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, but it has repeatedly pledged in the past that it will not allow any individual or group to use Afghan soil against other countries.

The 23rd summit of the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries began on October 15 in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, without the presence of a representative from the Afghan caretaker government.

Afghanistan Journalists Center reports suspension of National TV broadcasts in Takhar

October 16, 2024 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

October 16, 2024

The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) announced that the National Television broadcasting under Taliban control in Takhar has been halted. During a meeting with journalists and local media officials, officials from the Department of Promotion of Virtue in Takhar banned photography and the broadcast of images.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center reported that National Television in Takhar ceased operations yesterday after receiving orders from the head of the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of the Vice Department in Takhar.

The department opposed the broadcast of images of living creatures on television, citing it as being against the orders of the Taliban leader and the new regulations of the Promotion of Virtue.

However, the Takhar television transmitters continue broadcasting National Television programs from Kabul.

Yesterday, the Taliban’s Ministry of Promotion of Virtue told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the ban on broadcasting images would gradually begin in the provinces.

Takhar is the second province, after Kandahar, where the image ban has been enforced, leading to the shutdown of television activities.

National Television Takhar was the last active media outlet in the province. Before the Taliban’s rise to power, several other television stations, including Mehr, Mah No, Berlik, Noorin, Omid Farda, and Reyhan, were operating in Takhar. These stations have since been shut down due to censorship and restrictions imposed by the Taliban.

The closure of media outlets in provinces like Takhar reflects the growing media suppression in Afghanistan, severely limiting press freedom and the ability of local journalists to operate.

This continued clampdown on media and freedom of expression further isolates society, leaving communities without access to independent news and information sources in the country.

Mujahid: Islamic Emirate Investigating Reported Killing of Afghan Migrants

October 16, 2024 Current News Articles

nazar shinwar

Tolo News

16 Oct 2024

Mujahid said on X that after the matter is clarified, the necessary decision will be made regarding it.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, reacted to the shooting of Afghan migrants, stating that the interim government is investigating the incident.

Mujahid said on X that after the matter is clarified, the necessary decision will be made regarding it.

The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate wrote about this: “Today, rumors were spread in the media about the martyrdom and injury of several Afghan nationals at the Iran-Pakistan border. Various institutions of the Islamic Emirate are investigating and examining this incident. So far, no accurate information is available. Once the issue is clarified, the necessary decision will be made in this regard.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s ambassador and special representative to Afghanistan stated that, based on their assessments, the news of the shooting at migrants on the Iranian border is not true.

Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s ambassador and special representative to Afghanistan, wrote on X: “As a result of direct follow-ups through reliable sources up to this moment, it has been confirmed that the news about the death of dozens of illegal immigrants at the Saravan border is not accurate.”

Manzoor Pashteen, the leader of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement, in reaction to this incident, said that injustices against Afghan migrants in Iran must be stopped.

He added: “For a long time now, Afghans have been suffering injustice in Iran, and this must stop. The voice of these protests should reach the Iranian authorities, and action should be taken against those responsible for this incident.”

Meanwhile, the acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, without referring to the shooting of Afghan migrants in the Saravan border region, stated that the United Nations must ensure the rights of Afghan migrants in other countries.

Khalil Rahman Haqqani, the acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, said: “My request is that the rights of the migrants be given, and that they should no longer be oppressed. The United Nations must also fulfill its responsibility toward the migrants.”

The shooting of Afghan migrants at the Saravan border with Iran has sparked significant reactions from social media users as well. Social media users have stated that those responsible for this incident must be identified and brought to justice.

Attack on Afghan Migrants in Saravan Reportedly Kills Dozens

October 16, 2024 Current News Articles

Naseer Ahmad Salehi

Tolo News

16 Oct 2024

These migrants, who were attempting to enter Iran illegally, encountered an ambush, and it is said that they were attacked with both light and heavy weapons.

According to reports, dozens of Afghan citizens have been killed in a shooting at Kalagan, the center of Saravan in Sistan and Baluchestan.

Some eyewitnesses of the incident and an Iranian human rights organization have said that from a group of 300 Afghan migrants, around 50 people have survived.

These migrants, who were attempting to enter Iran illegally, encountered an ambush, and it is said that they were attacked with both light and heavy weapons.

In videos released from this event, it can be seen that the bodies of victims and the wounded lie on the ground in mountainous areas without any medical facilities.

“We were ambushed at the Kalagan border. There were 300 of us, and about 270 to 280 were killed. Maybe 50 to 60 people survived, and the rest were all martyred. Ten to twelve of my friends were also martyred,” said an eyewitness of the incident.

The Iranian Human Rights Organization said that from the group of 300 Afghan migrants, only 50 have survived. According to this organization, Iranian border guards had set up an ambush against the Afghan migrants during the night and attacked them with light and heavy weapons, including RPG rockets.

“Iran, as a neighboring and fellow-language country, kills Afghans in this way, and it is truly unethical. All Muslims and the people of Herat condemn this incident,” Jaber, a resident of Herat, told TOLOnews.

“This is a very cruel and wrongful act against Afghans. Afghans go to Iran as laborers,” said Ramin, another resident of Herat.

According to some civil society activists, the attack on Afghan migrants is a crime against humanity, and the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

“Shedding the blood of Afghan citizens, whose aim in migrating is to escape poverty and earn a piece of bread, is considered a crime against humanity and requires prosecution in international courts. A country does not have the right to treat migrants as if they are invaders and to gun them down. Certainly, this action by Iranian border guards counts as a crime against humanity,” Seyed Ashraf Sadat, a civil society activist, told TOLOnews.

This comes at a time when, in recent months, the expulsion of Afghan migrants from Iran has intensified, and there have been frequent reports of police mistreatment of migrants in that country.

UNAMA Calls for int’l Support in Reducing Afghanistan’s Disaster Risks

October 15, 2024 Current News Articles

Habib Rahman Qooyash

Tolo News

15 Oct 2024

Some of this year’s flood victims also say that no organization has yet provided them with any assistance.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), on the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, has called for greater international support for Afghanistan.

According to a statement by this organization, the people of Afghanistan are constantly facing threats from natural disasters and environmental and climate shocks, which claim lives every year.

In part of the UNAMA statement, it is said On the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, “we call for more International support for recovery and resilience.”

Climate change-induced droughts, devastating floods, and earthquakes are among the most significant causes of natural disasters in Afghanistan.

Abdul Mohammad, a 72-year-old farmer from Uruzgan province, says that his agricultural lands were destroyed due to devastating floods, causing him heavy losses.

Abdul Mohammad told a TOLOnews reporter: “I had four jeribs of land, and I planted crops, but I couldn’t harvest them. The flood washed away the body of my land.”

Some of this year’s flood victims also say that no organization has yet provided them with any assistance.

Rahmatullah, a farmer in Uruzgan, said: “This year, no organization helped us. Someone told me to plant wheat, but I said I won’t because it won’t yield anything.”

Hikmatullah, another farmer from Uruzgan, added: “We submitted our names to aid organizations several times, but so far, no organization has helped us, and we haven’t received anything.”

The Ministry of Economy of Afghanistan considers international assistance in the country’s infrastructure as effective for reducing the risks of natural disasters.

Abdul Rahman Habib, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy, said: “To prevent potential losses and deal with the consequences of climate change, diversifying livelihoods, increasing purchasing power through job creation, preventing environmental destruction, and managing surface waters through building check dams, water reservoirs, canals, and cold storage facilities are among our priorities.”

October 13 is designated by the United Nations as the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.

In addition to challenges like poverty and unemployment, Afghanistan is also one of the most vulnerable countries to natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes.

Afghanistan to Send Delegation to Iran for Migrant Crisis Resolution

October 15, 2024 Current News Articles

Mohammad Bashir Soltani

Tolo News

15 Oct 2024

Qomi referred to the mistreatment of Afghan migrants as propaganda from opposing factions and emphasized that Tehran is committed to all the rights of migrants.

The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation has announced that during a meeting between the acting Minister and the Iranian Ambassador and Special Representative for Afghanistan, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, an agreement was made to send a delegation from Kabul to Iran to address the challenges faced by Afghan migrants.

In the meeting, Khalil Rahman Haqqani, the acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, stated that the Islamic Emirate aims to repatriate Afghan migrants from Iran to Afghanistan, but this process requires a coordinated joint plan.

Abdul Mutalib Haqqani, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, told TOLOnews: “The Minister of Refugees and Repatriation expressed his appreciation for Iran’s 40-year hosting of Afghan migrants and added that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has also decided to repatriate refugees to the country. However, for this to happen, a joint mechanism must be established to ensure that the process is carried out with dignity.”

The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation also stated that Hassan Kazemi Qomi, in this meeting, referred to the mistreatment of Afghan migrants as propaganda from opposing factions and emphasized that Tehran is committed to all the rights of migrants.

On the other hand, the Vice Chairman of the Judicial and Legal Commission of the Iranian Parliament has said that to reduce the number of Afghan nationals imprisoned in Iran, an agreement is being sought with the interim government for the transfer of judicial convicts between the two countries. According to Iranian media reports, during a visit to the construction of a prison in Taybad, Osman Salari has said that a large number of inmates in Taybad Prison are Afghan citizens.

Iranian media quoted Osman Salari as saying: “With the aim of reducing the population of criminal convicts in Taybad Prison, we are seeking an agreement for the transfer of judicial convicts between the two countries, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the judicial authorities of Afghanistan. This process has previously been carried out through the official border crossing of Dogharoon in recent years.”

Nazir Nazari, an advocate for migrant rights, told TOLOnews: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when the host country decides on the forced deportation of migrants, must make the necessary diplomatic efforts to resolve their challenges.”

Previously, the Islamic Emirate had requested Tehran to hand over Afghan citizens imprisoned in Iran for various crimes to Kabul so that they could be punished according to Afghan laws.

Mawlawi Abdul Kabir: No Secret Deal in Doha Agreement, Relations Expanding

October 15, 2024 Current News Articles

TOLOnews

TV Network

15 Oct 2024

Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, emphasized that no agreement contrary to Islamic principles was made in the Doha Agreement, dismissing claims of secret deals with the United States as baseless.

Speaking at a gathering in Kapisa, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir further highlighted the growing international relations of the Islamic Emirate, noting that 40 of its embassies are currently active in various countries.

“In the Doha negotiations with the Americans, we did not accept anything in the main treaty or its annexes that Islam does not allow. We did not accept a base, a coalition government, subservience, or any external dictates. The claims that they requested Bagram Air Base and we refused, or that we were asked to provide a base for the French in Kapisa and we declined—none of this happened,” he said.

Fasihuddin Fitrat, the Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Defense, criticized the silence of human rights organizations in the face of the war in Israel and Gaza during this gathering, calling the slogans and actions of these organizations for human rights defense a lie.

Fasihuddin Fitrat said: “We are saddened by these false human rights organizations, where Muslim children, women, and the elderly are buried under rubble daily in Gaza and Lebanon, and no one raises a voice against these violations of human rights there.”

Local officials and several participants in the meeting called for the acceleration of work on the Baghdara Dam and the reactivation of the Gulbahar textile factory.

Mohammad Farid, one of the tribal elders at the meeting, said: “The construction of the Baghdara Dam should be prioritized. Once the dam’s construction begins, many people will find work, and it will greatly benefit the people of Kapisa.”

The Political Deputy Prime Minister also noted in Kapisa that the United Nations, Russia, and China are among the organizations and countries that have significantly strengthened their political relations with the Islamic Emirate compared to the past.

Hundreds of Afghan soldiers to be allowed to relocate to UK after U-turn

October 15, 2024 Current News Articles

Anna Lamche

BBC News

Jonathan Beale

Defence correspondent

BBC News

14 October 2024

Ben Taggart Three Afghan soldiers in camouflage gear with guns peer around the corner of a sand-coloured building, with smoke seen around the corner

The government says it is allowing some “eligible” Afghan special forces soldiers who fought alongside the British military to resettle in the UK, after they were previously rejected.

Under the previous government, about 2,000 Afghans who served with specialist units – known at the “Triples” – were denied permission to relocate to the UK after the Taliban takeover in 2021.

Armed forces minister Luke Pollard told the House of Commons a review had now found some applications were wrongly turned down.

Pollard said there was no evidence of “malicious intent” in the initial decision-making process, instead blaming poor record-keeping for any errors.

The so-called “Triples” were elite units of Afghan soldiers set up, funded and run by the UK.

On Monday, Pollard said the government has so far overturned 25% of the rejections.

He said a review had found new evidence that some of the Afghan soldiers had been directly paid by the UK government, meaning they were eligible for resettlement – and this evidence had been “overlooked” during the initial resettlement applications.

These errors were caused by a “failure to access and share the right digital records, and challenges with information flows across departmental lines”, he said.

He criticised the previous government for a “critical failure” in locating the correct paperwork.

The defence minister said the government had reviewed many of the cases as a matter of urgency because many of the Afghan troops “remain at risk” under Taliban rule.

Some of the Triples are reported to have been targeted and killed by the Taliban.

ParliamentLive.TV Luke Pollard wears a white shirt, blue tie and blue jacket and is standing at the despatch box

The review into the rejected applications was announced by the previous Conservative government in February, after former armed forces minister James Heappey said the decision-making process behind some rejections had not been “robust”.

Pollard said the review’s findings did not mean that all Triples would be eligible for relocation, adding officials were still re-assessing some of the applications.

Shadow veterans minister Andrew Bowie welcomed the continuation of the review.

He said the Conservatives wanted the correct decisions made on the “very important and highly sensitive applications as speedily and fairly as possible”.

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