Atlantic Council Suggests Conflict Prevention Mechanism for Afghanistan

The council described regional efforts to prevent conflict, including regional meetings on Afghanistan, as temporary and ineffective.

The Atlantic Council presented recommendations to the UN Secretary-General for preventing conflict in Afghanistan, urging the UN to establish a conflict prevention mechanism led by the UN Special Representative.

In its recommendations, the council noted that since the “Taliban’s” rule in Afghanistan, the country’s relations with its neighbors have reached a critical point due to issues related to drugs, terrorism, and water.

The council pointed to issues such as water-related matters, drugs, the maneuvers of terrorist groups including the re-establishment of al-Qaeda, TTP attacks on Pakistan, and the increasing complexity of ISIS-Khorasan’s attacks, which have strained Afghanistan’s relations with its neighbors.

The council described regional efforts to prevent conflict, including regional meetings on Afghanistan, as temporary and ineffective.

“Afghanistan’s neighbors have different concerns, for example, the northern neighbors are worried about ISIS; however, we have repeatedly witnessed that the Islamic Emirate has dismissed these concerns,” said Zakiullah Mohammadi, a university scholar.

The Atlantic Council titled its recommendations: “Establish a UN conflict prevention mechanism for the Afghanistan region” and added that this mechanism should include a UN Special Representative, a UN Preventive Diplomacy Center for the Afghanistan region led by the Special Envoy, and a regional advisory council with Afghanistan’s neighbors, including Pakistan, Iran, China, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

“The appointment of a UN Special Representative for Afghanistan is essential, and we hope that the current rulers of Afghanistan will show flexibility and allow this to happen because it is in Afghanistan’s interest,” said Najib Rahman Shamal, a political analyst.

So far, the Islamic Emirate has not commented on the recommendations but has consistently denied the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and considered the appointment of a UN Special Representative for Afghanistan unnecessary.

Atlantic Council Suggests Conflict Prevention Mechanism for Afghanistan
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Killing of Tourists in Bamyan Sparks Intl Reactions

The president of Spain also expressed sorrow over the death of Spanish citizens in Afghanistan.

Yesterday’s armed attack on civilians and foreign tourists in Bamyan has elicited both domestic and international reactions.

The former president of Afghanistan and the former chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation condemned the attack. The president of Spain also expressed sorrow over the death of Spanish citizens in Afghanistan and mentioned ongoing efforts to assist those affected and to investigate the incident.

Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan, wrote: “I condemn the armed attack in Bamyan, which resulted in the deaths of three Spanish citizens and one of our compatriots, and injured several other foreign tourists and civilians. This is a terrorist incident.”

Abdullah Abdullah, the former chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, wrote: “According to international law and the accepted customs of the Afghan people, targeting foreign tourists and civilian citizens is condemnable and reprehensible.”

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the U.S. special representative, the chargé d’affaires of the U.S. embassy for Afghanistan, the European Union, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Japanese embassy for Afghanistan also condemned the attack.

The United Nations representative in Afghanistan wrote on X: “UNAMA is deeply shocked and appalled by the deadly terrorist attack on unarmed civilians and tourists in Bamyan, central Afghanistan.”

Thomas West, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan, reacted to the attack by stating: “The United States is deeply saddened to hear about the shooting attack in Bamiyan, which killed and wounded Afghan civilians and foreign nationals. Our thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. Violence is not the answer.”

Nasser Kanaani, the spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: “We condemn yesterday’s (Friday) terrorist act in Bamyan, Afghanistan, against foreign tourists and ordinary citizens.”

Saaduddin Saeed, the deputy minister of tourism for the Ministry of Information and Culture, told TOLOnews: “This was a group of 13 foreign tourists, including 8 from Spain, along with Afghans and people from other countries. An Afghan company had brought them as a group.”

Kamran Aman, a military analyst, said: “This attack was deliberately carried out to show the world that Afghanistan is an unstable country and to prove that the lives of tourists and foreigners in Afghanistan are at risk.”

Zalmai Afghanyar, another military analyst, said: “The aim of this attack is to create a rift between Afghanistan and the international community and to share Afghanistan’s horrifying image with the world.”

In the armed attack on Friday in Bamyan, six people, including three Spanish citizens and three civilians, were killed, and seven others, including three Afghans and four foreign citizens, were injured.

Killing of Tourists in Bamyan Sparks Intl Reactions
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According to local officials, four of the injured foreign tourists are women.
The Ministry of Interior reports that the death toll from yesterday's (Friday) armed attack in Bamyan has risen to six. Abdul Mateen Qani, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, also stated that seven people have been arrested in connection with this incident. Qani said: "Unknown armed individuals opened fire on civilians in the center of Bamyan city. Unfortunately, in this incident, three Afghan citizens and three foreign tourists lost their lives, and three Afghan citizens and four foreign tourists were injured. The Ministry of Interior, while condemning this criminal act, assures that the incident will be thoroughly investigated, and the perpetrators will be identified and brought to justice." The armed attack on civilians and foreign citizens occurred around 6 PM on Friday in the Bamyan city market. So far, no individual or group has claimed responbility for the attack. According to local officials, four of the injured foreign tourists are women. Abdul Razaq, who lost a relative and whose brother was injured in the attack, called on the interim government: "My brother has a shoe shop here. He was standing here when the incident occurred, and unfortunately, he was injured in the leg, and one of our family members was killed in this incident." Abdul Ali Shafaq, a resident of Bamyan, told TOLOnews: "Our expectation from the Islamic Emirate is that such incidents should not be repeated, and they should work on ensuring the security of both foreign and domestic citizens." Meanwhile, the relatives of the victims have called on local authorities to arrest and prosecute those responsible for this incident.

Six People Killed in Bamiyan Shooting

Women in Afghanistan struggle with soaring mental health issues: Report

Officials from the Mental Health Department of the Herat Regional Hospital have reported a concerning increase in the number of women suffering from mental illnesses.

According to the report, at least eighty per cent of those seeking help at the Herat Psychotherapy Hospital are women and girls.

According to a United Nations report, since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, women in Afghanistan have been grappling with deep and increasing psychological issues.

A doctor at the Herat psychotherapy hospital, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, said: “Every day, 100 people come to the Herat psychotherapy centre, and 80 per cent of them are women.”

Sources at the Herat Regional Hospital say that they have cared for 400 people in a month, but the number of patients is increasing daily.

Economic problems, domestic violence, a bleak future, and restricted educational and employment opportunities under the Taliban regime are cited as factors contributing to the rise in women’s mental illnesses.

With the Taliban’s return to power, women face widespread restrictions. Girls are prevented from attending schools and universities, and women are barred from working.

Since the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan, they have prohibited girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade. This restriction has contributed to mental health issues among young girls, leaving them with a bleak future.

Additionally, the severe humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has pressured families into consenting to underage marriages. Reports indicate a significant increase in the incidence of such marriages across the country.

Women are concerned that in such a situation, the Taliban regime in Afghanistan might be recognized.

Women in Afghanistan struggle with soaring mental health issues: Report
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UNDP: 73% of Afghan women face travel restrictions without male escort

Khaama Press

The United Nations Development Programme has published a report on the resilience of women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan, stating that 73% of Afghan women face travel restrictions without a mahram or male escort.

The detailed report by the United Nations Development Programme, titled “Listening to Afghanistan’s Women Entrepreneurs; Their Resilience and Struggle,” was released on Thursday.

This report is based on interviews with 3,100 women and group discussions.

The organization noted that 73 women interviewed said that without a male family member, they could not even go to local markets in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

According to the organization, requiring women to travel with a male family member places an additional burden on women and doubles travel costs for women entrepreneurs.

The report states that women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan face numerous obstacles, including discrimination, operational restrictions, and a severely weak financial system.

The UNDP wrote that the restrictions on women’s mobility exacerbate the challenges women entrepreneurs face.

According to the report, in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, where 15.8 million people need humanitarian aid and women’s employment has halved to 6%, entrepreneurship has emerged as a lifeline.

The UN has reported that according to their discussions, 80 women-led companies rely on their businesses as their sole source of income and have created job opportunities for other women.

Over the past nearly three years, the Taliban have imposed extensive restrictions on women in various areas, including education, work, and travel.

UNDP: 73% of Afghan women face travel restrictions without male escort
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China, Pakistan Emphasize Inclusive Political Framework in Afghanistan

Pakistan and China, in a joint statement, called for coordinated international efforts to help Afghanistan address its economic development challenges and encouraged Afghanistan to establish an inclusive political framework.

Adopting moderate policies, pursuing good neighborly relations, and resolutely combating terrorism, as well as preventing terrorist activities from Afghan soil, are other points emphasized in this statement.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate has not yet commented on this joint statement.

“The agreement between Pakistan and China regarding strengthening relations and coordination concerning Afghanistan is a good move, provided that coordination also involves the people and the current government of Afghanistan,” said Aziz Maarej, a political analyst.

The two sides have agreed to play a positive and constructive role in helping Afghanistan achieve sustainable development and integrate into the international community.

“Demonstrating readiness to cooperate and continue relations with Afghanistan, both politically and economically, is a good initiative by Afghanistan’s neighboring countries. It is important not only for expanding relations but also for strengthening peace and stability in Afghanistan,” said Najib Rahman Shamal, an international relations analyst.

Earlier, Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Asif Ali Durrani, once again claimed that India, using its proxies in Afghanistan, financially supports the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan; claims that are always denied by Kabul.

China, Pakistan Emphasize Inclusive Political Framework in Afghanistan
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UNDP Reports on Resilience of Women Entrepreneurs in Afghanistan

Rodriques added that women entrepreneurs work like “vital pillars of economic stability and hope” amidst adversities.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has published its three-year report on the struggles and resilience of women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan.

Stephen Rodriques, UNDP country director in Afghanistan, said that they have conducted discussions and surveys with 3,100 women entrepreneurs about the difficult conditions women face in the country.

Rodriques added that women entrepreneurs work like “vital pillars of economic stability and hope” amidst adversities.

“We know that we need more studies and assessments so that we can better understand the issues and challenges facing the private sector, the banking sector, and micro medium enterprises across the country. After the studies are done, we need to act. We need to strive to change some policies and regulations, for example, to facilitate business licensing,” he said.

According to the findings of the report, 73% of the respondents complained about travel restrictions without a male guardian, and 41% of these women entrepreneurs have been forced to take loans.

The European Union’s delegation to Afghanistan and Japan’s Embassy in Kabul, as partners of the United Nations Development Program, have also described supporting women entrepreneurs in the current conditions of Afghanistan as a serious need.

Raffaella Iodice, the acting head of the European Union delegation to Afghanistan, said: “Many women as you said are the only breadwinners of their families. I never met so many in my 32-years career, women held the households. The war has left many women widows.”

Takayushi Kormaya, the ambassador of Japan to Kabul, stated: “Recently, Japan has committed to further supporting 1,400 women entrepreneurs and 140 other women-led small and micro enterprises in partnership with UNDP.”

According to statistics from the United Nations Development Program, 15.8 million people in Afghanistan are facing food insecurity, and the employment rate for employable women by age has decreased by 50 percent over the past year.

UNDP Reports on Resilience of Women Entrepreneurs in Afghanistan
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Afghanistan floods: ‘I found my family’s bodies in the streets’

By Yama Bariz and Caroline Davies

Baghlan province, Afghanistan

BBC News

16 May 2024

The day after the flood waters hit, Noor Mohammed found the bodies of his family in the street and in the fields.

The 75-year-old had been just 100m away from his home in northern Afghanistan when he heard the deadly roar of water approaching.

Noor ran towards the house where his wife, sister, son and two of his grandchildren were resting.

But it was too late. The sudden torrent of water swept away his family and home.

Flash floods hit on Friday, caused by a combination of unusually heavy storms following a dry winter, which has left the ground too hard to absorb all the rain. The destruction stretches for miles.

The World Food Programme says more than 300 people have died and 2,000 homes destroyed in the flooding, which affected five districts in the northern Afghan province of Baghlan. The number of casualties is expected to rise.

The provinces of Badakhshan, Ghor and western Herat were also severely damaged.

“I felt helpless,” Noor says.

He gave up at 01:00 and, in the middle of the night, walked to his daughter Saeeda’s house three hours away.

He returned home the next day and found the bodies of his family.

“It was devastating,” he says.

BBC Map of Afghanistan highlighting BaghlanBBC

Saeeda, whose 25-year-old daughter was one of Noor’s grandchildren who died, says the approaching storm sounded like a monster and they were terrified.

In Noor’s village, which is still inaccessible by road, most families have lost at least two or three relatives in the floods and are in desperate need of help.

“We have travelled to areas where everything is completely gone,” says Rouzatullah, a nurse who visited one of the worst-hit villages called Fullol with his team.

Muhammad Gul is using a shovel to dig through the two rooms of his house.

“We haven’t got even a glass left for a cup of tea, there is nothing,” he tells the BBC. The only thing he has been able to salvage is a twisted bicycle which he loads onto a donkey.

Days after the flooding, some families are still searching for the bodies of their loved ones. At one house a crowd gathers. The body of a girl has been found; she is covered in a sheet and taken away by an ambulance.

Rouzatullah rushed to the area along with 15 other nurses, paramedics and doctors.

“There is no drinking water,” Rouzatullah says, warning there might be outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as typhoid and dysentery.

In the areas they have been able to reach, the team has started to set up mobile aid centres and are working to remove the dead bodies.

Abdul Khaliq was out of town when he heard about the flood. By the time he returned, all that was left of his family’s houses was one small piece of bathroom wall. The rest is now flattened. Of 18 people, 10 of his family died, swept away.

“We were searching family members in knee-deep mud, so we took off our shoes and continued searching,” he says. “Eventually, we found their bodies miles away from here.”

“I struggled to reach the next floor amidst the chaos. Our home and all our livestock were swept away,” says Zuhra Bibi, who is now sleeping in a tarpaulin tent.

She says she’s never seen anything like this before in her lifetime. Flooding is not uncommon, but in 20, 40, 60 years, we are told, none have seen a flood like this in their area.

In the village of Gudan Bala, Mohammad Rasool is chain-smoking cigarettes next to a field where his crops once grew. Now the field is a pool of thick muddy water.

Acres of farmland – fields of cotton and wheat crops – have been completely destroyed. We drive through wheatfields that have been cut in two by the force of the water, ripping out the green stalks, leaving grey rubble behind.

Mohammad feels fortunate that his family has survived, but says he has lost everything else.

He shows me the fields where his crops have been ruined.

“This was the only source of income I had,” he says. “I feel helpless.”

Like 80% of Afghans, he depends on agriculture for his income. Mohammad says he is not sure how they will survive.

“I don’t have anything now, what should I do? I have family to provide for but I have nothing.”

Even before the floods hit, the UN estimated that about 24 million people, more than half the population of Afghanistan, would need some form of humanitarian assistance this year.

It is not just crops that have been affected. Mohammed says his neighbour lost his two cows in the floods. They were the man’s only way of making a living.

And Noor, who is staying with his daughter, says the only possessions he has left are the clothes he is wearing. He had lived in the house that was swept away since he was a young boy – his father built it 65 years ago.

Both are now dead. “The floods took everything,” he says.

Afghanistan floods: ‘I found my family’s bodies in the streets’
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UN Deputy Secretary-General to arrive in Kabul today

Khaama Press

 

The spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General confirmed during a press briefing that Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the organization’s Deputy Secretary-General, will arrive in Kabul today, Wednesday, May 15.

Farhan Haq, the Deputy Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, stated that the purpose of Jean-Pierre Lacroix’s trip to Afghanistan is to raise awareness about the dangers of unexploded ordnance.

The visit of a high-ranking UN official to Afghanistan is scheduled for two days, amidst growing concerns about the perceived increase in the risks of unexploded ordnance, while negotiations for the third session inside and outside of Afghanistan have begun.

Meanwhile, another source reported to Khaama Press that the other objective of the UN official’s trip to Afghanistan is to discuss the third Doha session scheduled for June of this year with Taliban officials.

On February 18-19, 2024, the UN Secretary-General convened the second Afghanistan Conference in Doha, Qatar. Representatives from 25 nations, international organizations, Afghan civil society, and women’s groups attended, aiming for comprehensive peace efforts.

In May 2023, the UN held the first Afghanistan Conference in Doha without Taliban participation, seeking a unified international approach. Despite invitations to the Taliban for the second conference, they refused, demanding sole representation, which the UN Secretary-General deemed unacceptable.

UN Deputy Secretary-General to arrive in Kabul today
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US contractors and former Afghan officials buy million-dollar properties in Dubai

After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the United States poured billions of dollars into Afghanistan for reconstruction efforts. However, many U.S. contractors and former Afghan officials were accused of misusing these funds. Today, some contractors and former officials own luxury properties in Dubai.

An investigative journalism organization has released a list revealing the assets of hundreds of current and former government officials and institutions from various countries in Dubai. This list, compiled from leaked information, includes names of ten individuals from Afghanistan, primarily consisting of former government officials or their relatives.

These findings were published by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), based in the U.S. capital and funded by several American entities.

Among the ten Afghan individuals listed, except for one, all are either former officials or related to former officials. Notably, only one person (Sayed Ismail Amiri) has been identified as a criminal by the reporting institution.

Mir Rahman Rahmani and Ajmal Rahmani

Mir Rahman Rahmani, the former Speaker of the Afghan Parliament, and his son Ajmal Rahmani have spent over $15 million on property purchases in Dubai. The United States has accused the Rahmani family of corruption in fuel supply contracts, but they have denied these allegations via email.

Their assets include several apartments, villas, and two residential towers. This father-son duo earns millions of dollars annually from renting these properties.

Mir Rahman Rahmani was the former Speaker of the House of Representatives in Afghanistan; his son Ajmal is associated with the same political lineage.

Asadullah Khalid

Khalid, the former head of national security and defense minister of Afghanistan, invested $5.5 million in an apartment worth $5.492 million in Dubai.

Assadullah Khalid, the former defence minister.

Rashed Popal and Ahmad Ratib Popal invested $3.8 Million in a high-value apartment worth more than $3.824 million. Rashed Popal is the nephew of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and his brother Ahmad Ratib was involved in security management.

Hussain Fahim and Family invested $8.8 Million in a villa worth $8.513 million and an office space valued at $292,000 in Dubai. Hussain Fahim, a stakeholder in Kabul Bank and brother of former Afghan Vice President Marshal Fahim.

Adib Fahim invested $3.5 Million in a villa and three apartments collectively valued at $3.543 million.

Son of Marshal Fahim and former First Deputy of the National Directorate of Security in Afghanistan.

Adib Fahim.

Ahmad Wali Massoud, brother of Ahmad Shah Massoud and former Afghan ambassador to the UK, invested $1.8 million in an apartment worth $1.853 million.

Amirzai Sangin invested $780,000 in two apartments, each worth $390,000. He was the Former Minister of Telecommunications under President Hamid Karzai.

Atiqullah Baryalai, a former deputy minister of defense in Afghanistan, invested $731,000 in an apartment worth $731,000 in Dubai.

Kamaludin Nabizada invested $258,000 in an apartment valued at $258,000. The USA sanctioned him as an Afghan businessman for aiding money laundering activities.

Sayed Ismail Amiri invested $1.6 million in a villa worth $1.632 million. He is the only individual on the list not directly connected to the Afghan government apparatus and the only one labeled “criminal.” He served a prison sentence in the USA for involvement in a $100 million fraud scheme.

This report highlights the significant investments made by these individuals in Dubai, showcasing a trend among former Afghan officials and their relatives in acquiring valuable foreign assets.

US contractors and former Afghan officials buy million-dollar properties in Dubai
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