Afghan Weekly (Dec 02 – Dec 09, 2016)

Following the one-day Heart of Asia ministerial conference in Amritsar, India, on December 04, 2016, 14 countries in the region adopted a declaration and called for an immediate end to all forms of terrorism and to the financing of the problem in Afghanistan. Despite the tensions with India at the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistan attended the conference, reaffirming that Pakistan was against all forms and manifestations of terrorism and a regional and collective approach was required to overcome this menace.[1] On the other hand, in a speech on the US approach to counterterrorism, President Obama stated that “War has been a part of life in Afghanistan for over 30 years, and the United States cannot eliminate the Taliban or end violence in that country.[2] However, he said “But what we can do is deny al Qaeda a safe haven, and what we can do is support Afghans who want a better future, which is why we have worked not only with their military, but we’ve backed a unity government in Kabul.”

A New York Times story this week also reported that the Taliban militants have been receiving financial support from the Saudis as the insurgency led by the group has entered its 15th year with the group intensifying attacks since the Afghan forces took full security lead last year.[3] More updates on the security, internal politics, international engagements and socio-economic developments in Afghanistan from the past week follow below.

Security Overview

Some seminaries in southern Ghazni are training armed militants, the governor alleged – a claim vehemently rejected by the insurgents.[4]
Nine Insurgents were killed in a joint Afghan military operation in northern Kunduz province while eight other insurgents were injured on December 04.[5]
US drone strike killed 2 ISIS militants in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan on December 04.[6]
A prominent leader of the loyalists of ISIS was killed during a clash with the security forces in northern Jawzjan province of Afghanistan on December 04.[7]
28 insurgents were killed in operations in Paktika, Uruzgan, Logar, Zabul, Helmand, Nangarhar and Nuristan provinces by security forces over the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement on December 05. In addition three other insurgents were injured and eight were arrested.[8]
14 anti-government armed militants were killed in separate airstrikes conducted by the Afghan Air Force in northern and southeastern parts of the country, the Ministry of Defense said on December 07.[9]
The death toll from a deadly suicide attack in Bagram airfield on November 12 increased to 5 as another US soldier succumbed to injuries he sustained in the attack.[10]
Armed insurgents stormed a security check-post in the Shah Walikot district of southern Kandahar province, killing five policemen and wounding three others, an official said on December 07.[11]
Five civilians were wounded during a clash between Taliban and security forces in eastern Laghman province on December 07.[12]
The Winter Offensive was launched on Wednesday in northern Kunduz by Afghan security forces to eliminate rebels’ strongholds and clear security threats, an official revealed this week.[13]
A foreigner militant, identified as Aziz, who was recruiting for the ISIS was killed during an operation of the Afghan security forces in eastern Nangarhar province on December 08.[14]

Update on Afghan Refugees

Pakistan Chief Minister for expediting repatriation of Afghan refugees

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said this week that Sindh has been hosting Afghan refugees, registered and unregistered; both for the last 37 years, but now their repatriation should be expedited.[15]

Germany to begin mass deportations to Afghanistan

Later this month the German government will begin the mass deportations of asylum seekers back to Afghanistan. Charter planes are to be used for the first time, with the German Interior Ministry announcing it would deport 50 Afghan refugees in the coming days.[16]

Afghan asylum seekers apologetic about Freiburg murder

Afghans in Freiburg, Germany, say they are afraid the recent murder of a teenage girl, allegedly by an underage Afghan, will affect how they are viewed by Germans. They say they don’t want to be painted with the same brush.[17]

The Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process states speak against sending Afghan refugees home prematurely

The member states of the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan called upon states that have welcomed the Afghan refugees not to send them home until there conditions are restored for their safe and successful social reintegration in Afghanistan in the joint declaration adopted at the Heart of Asia Conference on December 04.[18]

International Engagements

14 Nations Adopt Heart of Asia Declaration – December 04, 2016

Fourteen countries in the region adopted a joint declaration at the end of the one-day Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan in Amritsar, India, which demanded an immediate end to all forms of terrorism, as well as all support to it, including the financing of terrorism. The declaration said: “We recognize that terrorism is the biggest threat to peace, stability and cooperation in our region. We encourage the international community to continue to assist the Government of Afghanistan.”[19]

Iran reaffirms support for Afghanistan

Iran’s foreign minister has renewed support for Afghanistan as the country is transitioning sluggishly to a more stable, secure and advanced country. Mohammad Javad Zarif made the remarks at the 6th Heart of Asia ministerial conference in New Delhi, India, on December 04.[20]

Saudis financially support the Afghan Taliban

The Taliban militants have been receiving financial support from the Saudis as the insurgency led by the group has entered to its 15th year with the group intensifying attacks since the Afghan forces took full security lead last year, The New York Times reported this week. According to the report, Saudi Arabia is backing both sides. It has reportedly backed Islamabad’s promotion of the Taliban and wealthy Saudis are also said to have privately funded the insurgents.[21]

Russia once contacted Taliban over captive pilot: Envoy

Russia a few years back established contact with Taliban about the release of a pilot from their captivity and except that Moscow has no relationship with the rebels, the Meshrano Jirga chairman quoted the country’s ambassador Zamir Kabulov saying on Tuesday.[22]

US cannot eliminate the Taliban or end violence in Afghanistan: Obama

The US President Barack Obama has said the United States cannot eliminate Taliban or end violence in Afghanistan. In his speech on Administration’s approach to counterterrorism, Obama said “War has been a part of life in Afghanistan for over 30 years, and the United States cannot eliminate the Taliban or end violence in that country,” Obama said.[23]

Kazakhstan and Afghanistan are developing bilateral cooperation

The value of Kazakhstan’s exports to Afghanistan, only in the first 9 months of this year reached $400 million, while imports totaled $66 million. The Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs Erlan Idrissov and the Afghan Prime Minister Abdullah Abdullah during the meeting in Kabul discussed the prospects and ways of collaborating between the two countries in agriculture, education, culture and trade.[24]

NATO Asks NUG To Fulfill its Commitments

Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said at the NATO foreign ministers meeting on Wednesday that the National Unity Government (NUG) received financial and political support from the international community and in exchange must fulfill its commitments.”[25]

UK Envoy Says Corruption Must be Tackled from the Top

At an event marking International Anti-Corruption Day on Thursday, the British Ambassador to Afghanistan, Dominic Jermey said that in order to fight the scourge in the country the problem needs to be tackled from the top – Afghan leaders, Afghan role models and their administration.[26]

Relations with Pakistan

People asked not to travel to Afghanistan without visa; a policy that will go into effect from January 2017

Several big banners have been fixed on the walls in Torkham border town by authorities, asking Pakistani nationals to avoid travelling to Afghanistan without valid visas after December 31.[27]

Fake CNICs impeding border management at Torkham, says official

Commander Khyber Rifles Col Umar Farooq said on Wednesday that fake Pakistani identity cards prepared in Afghanistan are a constant source of trouble for successful implementation of the newly devised Border Management Policy at Torkham.[28]

‘Want dignified relations, not charity’, Ghani says after rejecting Pakistan’s $500m

Speaking during a campaign held for the Afghan youths on Wednesday, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said that Afghanistan wants dignified relations with its neighbors and not charity, days after he rejected Pakistan’s $500 million aid during the Heart of Asia conference.[29]

Russia rejects Indian, Afghan criticism on Pakistan

Addressing the Heart of Asia Conference in Amritsar on Sunday, Russian envoy Zamir Kabulov rejected the Indian and Afghan criticism on Pakistan and said Sartaj Aziz’s (Pakistan’s Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs) speech at the conference was friendly and constructive. He said it is wrong to criticise Pakistan and lauded Pakistan’s stance at the Heart of Asia conference.[30]

Internal Politics & Governance

Hekmatyar expected to move to Nangarhar

Nangarhar governor Gulab Mangal on Tuesday said the Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar will move to the province in the near future and they are ready to welcome him.[31]

Kabul, Taliban likely to restart peace talks

Diplomatic efforts are under way amidst strong indications of imminent start of peace negotiations between Kabul and the Afghan Taliban, The Express Tribune reported on Tuesday.[32]

First group of senior HIA members arrives from Pakistan

A group of high profile members of the Hizb-i-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) including the party’s military assistant arrived in eastern Nangarhar province from Pakistan on Wednesday.[33]

Fulfilling pledges prerequisite for foreign aid: MoF

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) on Wednesday called as important implementation of the Afghan government’s commitments, including announcing a date for elections in 12 days, for international community’s support.[34]

Confidence in Afghan govt at its lowest ebb, finds survey

Growing insecurity, corruption, rising unemployment and slow job growth have caused more pessimism among Afghans about their future, damaging public confidence in the government, says the Asia Foundation in its survey released in Kabul on Wednesday. The latest annual survey of Afghan attitudes and opinions covers more than 87,000 men and women.[35]

High-Ranking NUG Officials Involved in Corruption: Massoud

Ahmad Zia Massoud, the president’s special representative on reforms and good governance on Wednesday said in Kabul that high-ranking officials of the National Unity Government (NUG) are somehow involved in corruption. “There are high level officials in government who give the multimillion (dollar) contracts to people close to them and then they benefit from the contract,” he said.[36]

Economy & Development

UNAMA Study Finds Improvements in Juvenile Centers

A new United Nations report released on December 04 indicates positive trends in Afghanistan’s juvenile detention and rehabilitation facilities while also outlining a critical need to improve in-detention education and post-rehabilitation care for young Afghans.[37]

Rabbani Welcomes Renewed Commitment by NATO to Afghanistan

Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani on December 7 welcomed a renewed commitment by NATO members for financial aid to Afghan security forces until 2020. “Taking this opportunity, I reiterate the appreciation of the people and Government of Afghanistan for NATO’s renewed commitment to continue national contributions for the financial sustainment of our Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, until the end of 2020,” Rabbani said adding that “we also commend the important work of the Resolute Support Mission for training, advice and assistance to our national security institutions.”[38]

Over A Million Afghan Youths Addicted to Drugs: Ministry

Afghanistan’s ministry of counter-narcotics said on Tuesday that over a million young Afghan male and female youths are drug addicts. The total number of addicts in the country is estimated to be about 3.5 million and three percent of them constitute women, said the minister of counter-narcotics Salamat Azimi. Azimi said that those suffering from addiction in some way escalate violence within their families and affects women and children.[39]

90 tons of drugs seized in 45 days, says official

Afghan police have seized averagely two tons of drugs everyday during the past one and a half months, arresting and 284 people in connection with drug smuggling across the country, an official said on Tuesday.[40]

USAID contributes $20m in food aid

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Wednesday announced contributing $20 million to the UN’s effort at assisting vulnerable returnees from Pakistan and internally displaced people.[41]

Women in Afghanistan

From Refugee to Military Pilot: The Story of Captain Safia Ferozi

Captain Safia Ferozi, who was a refugee since childhood, is now flying a transport aircraft for Afghanistan air force. She is country’s second female pilot. This is a sign of the efforts being made by Afghanistan government to bring more women into the armed forces. She and her husband are part of a small Afghan air force that is trying to take a greater role in fighting against the Taliban insurgency.[42]

Drug addiction main reason of violence against women

The counter-narcotics minister on December 6 said men’s addiction to drugs was a major reason behind violence against women, an issue that disrupted relations between family members

This weekly is compiled by Sitwat Waqar Bokhari who is a Research Fellow at CRSS.

Sources:

[1] https://crss.pk///story/india-cant-divide-pakistan-afghanistan-says-sartaj/

[2] http://www.khaama.com/us-cannot-eliminate-the-taliban-or-end-violence-in-afghanistan-obama-02432

[3] http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/06/world/asia/saudi-arabia-afghanistan.html?_r=0

[4] http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2016/12/04/some-seminaries-ghazni-training-militants-matin

[5] http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/28698-nine-insurgents-killed-in-kunduz-operation

[6] http://www.khaama.com/us-drone-strike-kill-2-isis-militants-in-east-of-afghanistan-02422

[7] http://www.khaama.com/prominent-isis-leader-killed-in-north-of-afghanistan-02421

[8] http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/28713-28-insurgents-killed-in-afghan-operations

[9] http://www.khaama.com/14-militants-killed-in-separate-airstrikes-of-afghan-air-force-mod-02434

[10] https://www.khaama.com/bagram-suicide-attack-toll-rises-to-5-as-another-us-soldier-dies-of-wounds-02438