MoI: Capacity Increased From 150,000 to Over 200,000 Personnel

Qani said that efforts are underway to attract fresh forces from various provinces.

The Ministry of Interior’s spokesman, Abdul Matin Qani, said that the capacity of the ministry has increased from 150,000 to more than 200,000 personnel and that all forces and personnel have been enrolled based on the needs in civilian and military departments.

Qani said that efforts are underway to attract fresh forces from various provinces.

“Around 75,000 vacancies have been distributed to the provinces. The delegation went and after the survey, the professional people have been appointed,” he said.

Veterans and analysts meanwhile urged the Islamic Emirate to focus on the professionalism of the forces in the country.

“The important principle is professionalism. If we even we have hundreds of thousands of forces but they are not professional, they cannot provide security,” said Mohammad Zalmai Afghanyar, a military analyst.

“To provide security, the police and intelligence should be active. They should be trained professionally to thwart the attacks and terrorist incidents on time,” said Fazal Rahman Samkanai, political analyst.

The spokesman said that based on the decree of the Islamic Emirate’s leader, the interior ministry sent a list of around 75,000 military and civilian vacancies to various provinces.

MoI: Capacity Increased From 150,000 to Over 200,000 Personnel
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168 Cases of Violence Against Journalists Recorded: AJC

The Islamic Emirate in reaction to the AJC’s report said that the detention of the journalists has not been due to their media related activities.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center expressed concern about media rights violations in Afghanistan and said that in 2023 it recorded 168 cases of violations of journalists’ rights in the country.

The report stated that one journalist died, 19 journalists were injured, there were 78 cases of threats and 61 cases of arrests of journalists recorded.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center stated that “in 2023, the recorded cases of violation of the rights of journalists and the media show a significant decrease compared to the 260 events recorded in 2022, but there is no change in terms of quality and structure.”

This comes as journalists and media workers also urged the interim government to take solid steps to eliminate the existing challenges.

“All of the activities belonging to the media and journalists should be pursued through the commission of media violation and this commission should be incentivized and any media and journalist who commit a violation, should be investigated through this commission,” said Rasul Shahzad, a journalist.

“The government should increase access to information. The economy of the media organizations should be empowered and supported,” said Mustafa Sharyar, a journalist.

The Islamic Emirate in reaction to the AJC’s report said that the detention of the journalists has not been due to their media related activities.

Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that no media has come under pressure and that all media are “freely active”.

“Some of the cases that happened in 2023 were because of violations. Sometimes, the journalists have been arrested on criminal activities or legal cases for a temporary time. The detention has not been permanent,” he said.

Meanwhile, according to the reports of the media watchdogs, around 86 TV channels, 257 radio stations, 33 journalists and 46 printing media organizations are currently active in Afghanistan.

At least 220 media organizations were closed after the Islamic Emirate came to power.

168 Cases of Violence Against Journalists Recorded: AJC
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Da Afghanistan Bank: We Protected Value of Afghani

Some economists said that the increase in the Afghan currency value will also affect the decrease of the prices.

Da Afghanistan Bank said that the value of the Afghani in 2023 has increased by 26.4% compared to the previous year.

Haseebullah Noori, the spokesperson of Da Afghanistan Bank, emphasized that this bank is trying to protect the afghani against foreign currencies by implementing better monetary policies.

Reportedly, implementation of better monetary policies, promotion of Afghan currency in the country, prevention of foreign currency smuggling, prevention of unnecessary expenses at the government level, increase in exports, and the initiation of some national and international projects in the country are the factors that have contributed to the stability and increase of the afghani currency value.

“Currently, the afghani is one of the most stable currencies in the region and we are trying to make more progress in the field. The afghani has increased by 26.4% in 2023 compared to 2022, which is a great achievement for Da Afghanistan Bank,” said Haseebullah Noori.

The Union of Money Exchangers of Sarai Shahzada said that the value of the afghani has increased due to the lack of liquidity in the country’s markets.
“Currently, the dollar is high, the Afghani is low, there is supply and demand in everything…,” said Ibrahim Khan Zadran, head of the union.

Some economists said that the increase in the Afghan currency value will also affect the decrease of the prices.

“The increase or decrease of afghani currency will harm the citizens of the country. The Islamic Emirate should make a procedure and solution because the increase or decrease of the Afghani destabilizes the market,” said Mohammad Nabi Afghan, an economist.

“The goods that enter Afghanistan can have a positive effect because the more the Afghani loses its value against foreign currencies, the more expensive the goods will be for the consumer,” said Seyar Qurishi, an economist.

Earlier, foreign media reported that the value of the afghani increased by 14% in the past year.

Da Afghanistan Bank: We Protected Value of Afghani
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UN Security Council Adopts Resolution on Afghanistan

The resolution was adopted after 13 members of the Security Council voted in favor, while Russia and China abstained.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on Friday co-penned by the UAE and Japan that focuses on a path for Afghanistan’s reintegration into the international community referencing the recently completed independent assessment on Afghanistan.

The resolution was adopted after 13 members of the Security Council voted in favor, while Russia and China abstained.

In the resolution 2721, seen by TOLOnews, the UNSC reaffirmed its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan, as well as its continued support for the people of Afghanistan.

It also urged support for a peaceful, stable, prosperous and inclusive Afghanistan and reiterated the need to address the challenges faced by Afghanistan, “including but not limited to, humanitarian, human rights and especially the rights of women and girls, religious and ethnic minorities, security and terrorism, narcotics, development, economic and social challenges, dialogue, governance and the rule of law.”

The resolution requests the UN Secretary-General, to appoint a Special Envoy for Afghanistan in consultation with members of the Security Council, relevant Afghan political actors and stakeholders, including relevant authorities, Afghan women and civil society, as well as the region and the wider international community.

The UAE Mission to the UN said on X: “The resolution encourages member states and all other relevant stakeholders to consider increasing international engagement in a more coordinated and structured manner. It affirms that the objective of this process should be an Afghanistan at peace with itself and its neighbors, fully reintegrated into the international community.”

The China representative at the meeting said: “the international community should effectively communicate and engage the Afghan authorities to provide support and assistance constructively.”

Anna M. Evstigneeva, envoy of the Russian Federation, said: “We welcome that the resolution addresses pressing issues, such as countering terrorist and drug threats, humanitarian assistance, human rights, the importance of building an architecture to ensure better connectivity of political, humanitarian, and developmental activities in Afghanistan, and also includes provisions regarding a substantive roadmap.”

The Russian envoy added: “In this regard, we assume that the Secretary-General will consult the de facto authorities when appointing a Special Envoy and will also take into account the views of all members of the Security Council. we will not support the Secretary-General’s decision unless it has the approval of the de facto authorities.”

In the meeting, the Japanese representative said: “Once adopted, this resolution will express the Council’s strong determination to facilitate a new strategy to address a wide range of issues in Afghanistan and set the course for international mechanisms necessary to tackle them. By adopting this resolution, we will also demonstrate to the people of Afghanistan, including relevant authorities, women, girls, and civil society, that the international community remains committed to a peaceful, stable, prosperous, and inclusive Afghanistan. The country continues to face enormous challenges and we should maintain and increase our attention on it.”

The draft text was proposed by Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the co-pen holders on the file.

According to the resolution, the UNSC members also stressed “the critical importance of a continued presence of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and other United Nations Agencies, Funds and Programmes across Afghanistan, and reiterates its full support to the mandate and the work of UNAMA and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General.”

UN Security Council Adopts Resolution on Afghanistan
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Veiled rebellion: Female medical students go underground in Afghanistan

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Lima stayed home the last time the Taliban inspected the hospital where she secretly trains as a nurse.

After five years of medical training, Lima, 28, should be one year into her residency as a doctor, perfecting her diagnostic skills. Instead, she takes temperatures and administers injections, tasks she has been doing at an emergency room in Kabul for three months now. While this is not the work she expected to be doing at this point in her career, she’s happy to at least be doing this.

“Being at the hospital means I can stay close to my field. It helps me to stay connected to it,” Lima told Al Jazeera over the course of several telephone calls. She is identified by her first name only for safety reasons.

Lima was just weeks away from graduating from a medical school in Kabul when the Taliban banned higher education for women last December, interrupting her studies and that of thousands of other women. Women already qualified as doctors, nurses and other medical workers are permitted to continue in their jobs, but no new women may enter the field or undertake training.

More than 3,000 women who had already graduated from medical schools before the ban were barred from taking the board exams required to practise, depriving the country – already struggling from a dire shortage of female medical workers – of a desperately needed infusion of new doctors.

For Lima, medicine has been a lifelong dream. She longs to become a surgeon, partially because she knows there is a shortage of them.

“My biggest hope is to help people,” she said.

Her family moved home to Afghanistan from Pakistan so she could attend university in Kabul where she thrived – she did well in her classes and was appointed her class’s “leader”, handling administrative tasks.

After the news broke, Lima called one of her professors and persuaded him to let her and her classmates take one of the exams they were scheduled to take that week. It was not for an official grade but just for them to know they could do it. The professor agreed, but when Lima and her classmates arrived at the university to take the test, the Taliban, armed with guns, were already guarding the doors.

It was no longer safe, the professor told Lima.

A secret internship

Almost a year later, many women have refused to give up on their chosen path and have continued studying on their own or online, hoping that they will one day be allowed to study officially at university and medical school again. Some women have managed to work around the restrictions, finding secret internships and residency opportunities.

“It’s like a refreshment for my studies, for my knowledge. This is the best way for me to do something for my goals,” says Noor*, whose name has been changed to ensure her anonymity. Like Lima, she was just about to graduate from medical school when the Taliban’s ban brought her studies to an abrupt halt. The order hit her hard.

She spent months studying solo, holding on to medicine as “the only goal” she ever had in her life. She reviewed her notes, read thick medical books in English and took online courses, focusing on what she believed to be any gaps in her knowledge. But working alone for weeks on end, she says she fell into a depression and had to listen to motivational speakers for an hour per day just to muster the will to keep going.

In September, nine months after the ban, Noor lost hope that the university would reopen and called the hospital that had offered her a two-month internship back in 2020. They agreed to let her come in to complete it. Everyone treats it as a secret.

When the two months were up, the hospital allowed her to stay on to continue observing surgeries for as long as she wished. Noor says she is too afraid to even think about what would happen if the Taliban discovered her studying there. It is unclear what would happen if she was discovered, but women found studying medicine or undertaking internships would likely be removed from hospitals and banned from returning, if not worse. There have already been arrests of activists who tried to defy the ban on girls’ education.

Whatever the risks, however, women refuse to stop trying to defy the ban on higher education completely.

“Never in the history of Afghanistan have we had so many educated, well-aware-of-the-world and well-aware-of-their-duties-and-rights women. It’s impossible to silence them, it’s impossible to push them aside,” says Fatima Gailani, a London-based women’s rights activist and former president of the Afghan Red Crescent Society, in an interview over WhatsApp.

Women’s healthcare at stake

Despite the Taliban’s initial promise to take a moderate approach towards women’s rights after it seized power in August 2021, the ban on higher education is just one of many steps that the armed group has taken to further segregate the country and limit women’s role in society.

In the immediate aftermath of August 2021, the Taliban banned girls from going to school beyond the sixth grade and imposed strict rules requiring women to wear hijabs and to travel only with a male chaperone. They closed down beauty salons and blocked women from working with domestic and international non-governmental aid groups, sparking international outrage on the matter.

Afghanistan has an urgent need for female doctors as they are often the only healthcare providers available for women and children. While there is no explicit law that forbids it, many traditional Afghan families do not allow their female relatives to be seen by male doctors. This is a particular issue in rural areas where women often have to travel for hours to see a female doctor. Once the current generation of female doctors and nurses retires, even this may not be an option.

“The women here in Kabul and in the provinces are suffering from a lack of women doctors. They are suffering from [lack of] access to health facilities. They are suffering from a lack of access to the treatments that they want,” says Aminulhaq Mayel, deputy country director at the Swedish Committee in Afghanistan, a foreign aid organisation.

In 2020, the World Health Organization estimated that 24 women were dying each day in Afghanistan from pregnancy or childbirth-related causes. While this ranked as one of the highest rates in the world, it was significantly lower than 2001.

Now experts fear a sharp reverse in those limited gains.

In the aftermath of the Taliban takeover two years ago, Afghanistan lost billions in foreign aid and investment, including for healthcare services. By September 2021, 80 percent of national health facilities had reported operational difficulties due to insufficient funding, staff shortages or medical supply scarcities. The Red Cross and the UN were forced to step in and pay the salaries of tens of thousands of staff.

Some hospitals were shut down. Many doctors fled the country, increasing the strain on those who stayed.

Pressured to marry – ‘an end to my dreams’

“If the universities are not allowed to teach women and women can’t be educated in medicine, that is absolutely disastrous,” says Gailani. “The lack of women doctors will have a catastrophic effect on women’s health. Maternal deaths will go up. It has already gone up.”

Lima says she has already witnessed the strain on healthcare accessibility imposed by the shortage of female doctors. The hospital does not have a gynaecologist and they have to reject women coming in with maternity-related issues. They have midwives, but they need doctors to deal with emergencies.

Lima does not know what has happened to the women for whom they could not find places in other hospitals, but she fears for their wellbeing.

“If it happens here in Kabul, what’s happening in the villages? I cannot imagine,” she said.

Lima does not know how long she can continue her covert training, even if the Taliban does not catch her. Without the proper paperwork, there are no job opportunities awaiting her at the end of her training. It is also quickly becoming unaffordable. She pays 10,000 afghanis per month ($142) for the residency – the same amount she would have paid if it was official.

There is no official data for average salaries in Afghanistan, although some private data sources put it at about $180 per month, demonstrating the financial toll that Lima’s internship is taking. Lima says doctors earn about $700 per month, and this is considered to be a high salary. In 2021, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita was recorded at just $356.

Without a clear path to becoming a medical professional, she is also facing increasing pressure from her parents to get married.

“I’m just thinking about how I can help women and how to become a doctor,’” said Lima. “If I get married, everything would be lost. My dreams would be shattered.”

Lima is worried that if she gets married, her husband might forbid her to work – some men do not let their wives have a career. Even knowing that her parents would allow her to choose between proposals and demand she be allowed to work, it is still not a guarantee the man would keep his promise. She does not think she will be able to resist the pressure to get married for more than a few more months unless universities reopen by then.

With only enough money left to afford a few more months of her secret residency, Lima’s last hopes for a career in medicine hinge on being allowed to resume her studies – officially – before she runs out of time.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA
Veiled rebellion: Female medical students go underground in Afghanistan
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Kazakhstan Removes Islamic Emirate From Banned Group List

The acting foreign minister praised this decision of Kazakhstan, saying that it will be beneficial for the two countries.

Kazakhstan ambassador to Afghanistan Alim Khan Yasin Galdiev in a meeting with the acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said that his country has taken the Islamic Emirate off the list of groups whose activities are banned in this country.

The deputy spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, quoted Alim Khan Yasin Galdiev as saying that Kazakhstan wants to expand its economic and political relations with Afghanistan.

“Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court has officially removed the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from the list of banned groups whose activities are banned in its territory and wants to expand its relations with Afghanistan in the fields of trade and politics,” Zia Ahmad Takal said on X.

“Governments make decisions based on their national interests at the international level. Kazakhstan’s national interests require that Afghanistan does not pose any threat to it and its surrounding countries. Similarly, the Taliban also needs legitimacy,” said Shaker Hayat, a political analyst.

The acting foreign minister praised this decision of Kazakhstan, saying that it will be beneficial for the two countries, and called for more cooperation between the two countries.

“It is more important that the neighbors of Afghanistan should have mutual trust with Afghanistan like this. Kazakhstan is a bit far away and its importance is less,” Tariq Farhadi, a political analyst, told TOLOnews.

The US Department of Treasury on December 8 said the Office of Foreign Assets Control designated “Fariduddin Mahmood (Mahmood) and Khalid Hanafi (Hanafi) for serious human rights abuse related to the repression of women and girls, including through the restriction of access to secondary education for women and girls in Afghanistan solely on the basis of gender.”

Kazakhstan Removes Islamic Emirate From Banned Group List
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UNSC Expected to Vote on Draft Resolution on Afghanistan Assessment

The draft text was proposed by Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the co-penholders on the file, the report said.

The UN Security Council said in a report that it is due to “vote on a draft resolution on the Afghanistan independent assessment, which was requested by resolution 2679 of 16 March.” 

The draft text was proposed by Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the co-penholders on the file, the report said.

“The Security Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution on the Afghanistan independent assessment, which was requested by resolution 2679 of 16 March. The draft text was proposed by Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the co-penholders on the file,” Security Council report reads.

In the meantime, Heather Barr, director of the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, said on X that the purpose of this process is the full reintegration of Afghanistan into the international community, provided that the Islamic Emirate comply with their obligations under international law.

“France proposed language noting one objective of the process is the full reintegration of Afghanistan into the intl community, PROVIDED Taliban comply w/their obligations under intl law. This text was not incorporated into the draft by the penholders,” Barr noted.

However, the Islamic Emirate said that in such meetings, instead of criticisms, concerns should be resolved through legal and diplomatic channels.

“We want that realities, improvements and achievements that we have in Afghanistan to be considered, and they should look at Afghanistan as an opportunity because the stability and security that have been ensured are the result of many sacrifices,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, the Islamic Emirate spokesman.

According to some political analysts, the Islamic Emirate should accept the terms and demands of the UNSC for the sake of Afghanistan’s complete reintegration into the international community.

“If the Islamic Emirate wants to be reintegrated to the international community and UN, it should accept the conditions of the international community, and interact with them in accordance with the culture, religion and the interest of Afghanistan,” Zakiullah Mohammadi, a political analyst told TOLOnews.

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in an assessment of the situation of Afghanistan to the UN Security Council, recommended a roadmap for reintegration of the country into the international system.

On 16 March 2023, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2679 requesting the Secretary-General to provide the Security Council an independent assessment on Afghanistan, no later than 17 November 2023.

In the assessment seen by TOLOnews, Guterres stated that the urgent needs of the Afghans require a general shift away from politically driven aid approaches towards increased and more sustainable assistance, “especially in key sectors such as food security, livelihoods and health.”

UNSC Expected to Vote on Draft Resolution on Afghanistan Assessment
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TTP militants activity in Afghanistan poses major security threat to Pakistan: Army

Fidai Rahmati is the editor and content writer for Khaama Press. You may follow him at Twitter @FidelRahmati

The army’s declaration stated that they consider the freedom of action of TTP militants in Afghanistan and their access to the latest weapons a serious concern for Pakistan’s security.

The Pakistan Army’s public relations announced that the 261st meeting of the army commanders of the country was held under the leadership of Syed Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff, in the city at the army’s headquarters, and they discussed the security challenges in the country.

A section of the Pakistan Army’s declaration mentioned, “The sanctuaries and freedom of action of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants and other similar groups in a neighboring country and the availability of the latest weapons to the terrorists were cited as serious points of concern for Pakistan’s security.”

The Pakistan Army has declared that it will deal with all insurgent groups, facilitators, and their supporters with full force.

The Pakistan Army had requested the Afghan Taliban to take serious action against the members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, but this request was met with indifference by the Afghan Taliban.

The Pakistan Army reports ongoing attacks by Afghan militants linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban on their forces, with further assaults planned. Concurrently, the Taliban’s invitation to Maulana Fazlur Rehman to Afghanistan aims to strengthen ties and trust between the countries, especially post-election.

TTP militants activity in Afghanistan poses major security threat to Pakistan: Army
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Internal Policy Discussed in Political Commission Meeting

Muttaqi has taken charge of domestic and foreign policies of the Islamic Emirate as the political deputy PM was facing health issues.

The deputy prime minister for political affairs, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, chaired a meeting of the political commission on Wednesday, where the participants discussed the internal policy of the Islamic Emirate, according to a statement of Arg.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Islamic Emirate including acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Shahabuddin Delawar.

The statement added that the participants also exchanged views on the activities of the commission for the “Return and Communications with Former Afghan Officials and Political Figures.”

“The recent changes in the country, the relations of the Islamic Emirate with the neighboring and other countries, the visits of the foreign minister to some countries and internal policies were discussed,” said Hassan Haqyar, head of media affairs for the political deputy’s office.

Muttaqi has taken charge of domestic and foreign policies of the Islamic Emirate as the political deputy PM was facing health issues.

“The Islamic Emirate needs to hold the Loya Jirga and codify the constitution. The constitution is the hub of engagement between the government and nation. It should also accept international law,” said Sayed Jawad Sijadi, a political analyst.

“The fundamental laws of every government are described through the constitution including the domestic, foreign, economic and culture laws,” said Toreq Farhadi, political analyst.

On Tuesday, speaking at an event held on the 44th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan, the political deputy PM, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, said the Islamic Emirate wants to have good relations with the world within the framework of Islamic laws and wants to solve all the problems through dialogue.

According to him, the Afghans hate occupation and never allow it.

Internal Policy Discussed in Political Commission Meeting
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Resolution About Afghanistan on UNSC Table: Andisha

Speaking on X Space of TOLOnews, Andisha said that Afghanistan has become a focal point of discussions in the UNSC.

Nasir Ahmad Andisha, the permanent representative of Afghanistan to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, said that there is a resolution on the table of the United Nations Security Council about Afghanistan.

“There is a resolution on the table of UNSC about Afghanistan, considering the big crises like Ukraine and Gaza, there are serious discussions in UNSC about Afghanistan,” said Nasir Ahmad Andisha, the permanent representative of Afghanistan to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva

Nasir Ahmad Andisha said the UN chief António Guterres will convene a second meeting on Afghanistan in February 2024 in which the representatives of the Islamic Emirate and resistance forces will also be invited.

“The UNSG will hold another meeting on Afghanistan in February 2024 in which the special representatives of different countries for Afghanistan, representatives of Islamic Emirate and resistance forces (on the condition of agreement) will also participate,” said Nasir Ahmad Andisha, the permanent representative of Afghanistan to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva

Andisha added that the Islamic Emirate will be able to disagree on issues in the meeting but will not have the right to veto.

According to the permanent representative, to end the stalemate of Afghanistan’s issue, the UN plans to establish contact groups on regional and global levels and appoint a UN representative for Afghanistan in peace and political affairs.

The Islamic Emirate has already opposed the appointment of another UN envoy for Afghanistan and had criticized UN meetings on Afghanistan accusing them of not presenting the realities of the country.

Resolution About Afghanistan on UNSC Table: Andisha
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