The Human Rights Research Society in Norway has announced a two-day meeting between members of Afghan civil society, including civil activists and the Taliban representatives.

The session, held in Oslo, the capital of Norway, on Tuesday, May 4, has invited Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan.

The Human Rights Research Society in Norway stated on its “X” page that this meeting will address topics such as the future of the Doha talks, humanitarian aid, increased protection opportunities for at-risk Afghans, and discussions on Richard Bennett’s future report.

Meanwhile, Richard Bennett tweeted that he was inspired by his meeting with Afghan civil activists, particularly women activists.

During this session, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights has also addressed women’s and children’s rights.

Simultaneously, reports indicate that this meeting has faced criticism from other social activists and human rights advocates in Oslo and other European cities. They argue that Taliban representatives should not be given the opportunity to gain recognition, and they are calling for the recognition of gender apartheid in Afghanistan.

While complete details of the participating members of Afghan civil society have not yet been determined, some media outlets have reported that figures like Fatima Gilani, Kavon Kaker, Asila Wardak, Momena Yari, Haris Sighani, Abdulqayum Sajjadi, former parliament representative, former negotiator General Ansari, Engela Ahmadi, Karim Amin, senior member of the Islamic Party, and Qaraman Kakar, Faiz Mohammad Osmani, make up the Afghan civil society.

On the other hand, Najibullah Motmaen, Qazi Saeed Mashk Alam, Matiullah Mohammadi, Jafar Mahdavi, Saleh Mazari, Sayed Younus Agha, Hadi Zaker, and Fayaz Zaland represent the Taliban at this session.

Save the Children has expressed concern over the devastating consequences of floods in Baghlan province, stating that approximately 40,000 children in this province have lost their homes.

According to a statement released on Monday, May 13, the organization announced the launch of health clinics staffed by female and male specialists to assist the affected in Baghlan province.

Arshad Malik, the head of Save the Children, emphasized that children in Baghlan province have lost everything.

Save the Children attributes the recent floods in Baghlan province to Afghanistan’s vulnerability to climate change and notes that children are the primary victims.

According to the organization’s report, citing local authorities, at least 200 people, including children, have lost their lives in floods in Baghlan.

Earlier, the United Nations and several relief agencies called for urgent humanitarian assistance for the country’s flood victims.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations of the Taliban administration has announced a death toll of 315 people.

In a comprehensive report released by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) on Tuesday, the Senior Study Group on Counterterrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan has highlighted the urgent need to recalibrate the US counterterrorism strategy amidst growing strategic competition with China and the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. The report comes in the wake of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in April 2021 and the subsequent rise in terrorist threats in the region.

President Joe Biden’s announcement of the withdrawal underscored counterterrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan as a critical national security interest. This priority became even more pronounced after the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 and the discovery of al-Qaeda’s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul. However, the escalating strategic competition with China and Russia has since overshadowed counterterrorism efforts on the policy agenda.

The USIP report, the result of extensive deliberations from 2022 to 2023, presents two major conclusions and proposes a recalibrated strategy to address the evolving counterterrorism challenges.

Recalibrating Focus on Counterterrorism

The report argues that counterterrorism should not be perceived as a distraction from strategic competition but rather as a crucial component in protecting the strategic agenda. Terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan still possess the intent and growing capability to target the US and its interests. A successful terrorist attack would not only result in tragic loss of lives but also divert resources and attention from strategic competition, undermining America’s credibility and alliances.

Moreover, terrorist attacks originating from the region could spark dangerous regional crises, particularly between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed states. The US withdrawal from Afghanistan has emboldened terrorist groups, providing them with opportunities to regroup and collaborate. ISIS-K, for instance, presents a growing threat with a reach beyond the immediate region, while the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has re-emerged as a significant regional security threat.

Strategic Options for Revitalizing Counterterrorism Efforts

The USIP study group suggests several strategic options to address the rising terrorism threats without compromising the focus on strategic competition:

1. Engaging the Taliban: The report recommends publicly pressuring the Taliban to mitigate terrorist threats while maintaining communication channels for counterterrorism exchanges. This approach includes developing a public reporting mechanism to document Taliban compliance with counterterrorism commitments and building dedicated diplomatic and intelligence channels with the Taliban.
2. Enhancing Military and Intelligence Capabilities: To deter and disrupt terrorism threats, the report suggests increasing military and intelligence resources dedicated to counterterrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This includes improving intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and expanding the US Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program.
3. Legal Transparency in Counterterrorism Operations: The report emphasizes the need for greater transparency in legal authorities for counterterrorism operations, ensuring actions are justified and minimizing civilian harm. This involves targeting terrorist groups planning attacks against the US and employing cyber operations to disrupt their communications.
4. Strengthening Counterterrorism Cooperation with Pakistan: The report calls for enhanced counterterrorism-specific security assistance and intelligence to Pakistan. This assistance aims to reduce the TTP threat, secure long-term airspace access for operations in Afghanistan, and improve the overall counterterrorism relationship with Pakistan.
5. Preparing for Terrorist Attack Contingencies: The report highlights the importance of improving preparedness for terrorist attacks in the US homeland and overseas, especially in South Asia. This includes enhancing intelligence collection and analysis, providing travel warnings, and securing emergency military operations bases in Central Asia and Pakistan.

Conclusion

The USIP report underscores the necessity of a recalibrated counterterrorism strategy that aligns with the broader strategic competition framework. By implementing these measures, policymakers can better safeguard US interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan while maintaining a sustained focus on addressing strategic competition with China and managing regional tensions between India and Pakistan. The proposed strategy aims to balance counterterrorism efforts with the need to address broader strategic concerns, ensuring a sustainable approach to managing terrorism threats from the region.