Afghan Weekly (Dec 10 – Dec 16, 2016)

The Taliban militants group in Afghanistan has offered new demands for ending their insurgency in the country this week, including direct talks with the United States. Their new conditions entail recognition of their political office in Qatar and removal of the group’s members from the UN blacklist.^{^[1]} In a formal letter sent to the UN Security Council, the Government of Afghanistan urged to remove the sanctions from the leaders of the Hezbi Islami organization^{^[2]} while, on December 14, Hekmatyar’s notorious Commander Faryadi Zardad was deported from the UK to Afghanistan. According to the Human Rights Watch, this poses dangers for witnesses who testified against the former warlord in his 2005 conviction for torture and hostage taking.^{^[3]}

On the other hand, a group of 34 Afghan asylum seekers arrived in Kabul on Thursday after being deported from Germany, the first such batch to be sent back after their applications were rejected. According to Islamuddin Jurat, a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Refugees, around 10,000 Afghans have had to return from Europe this year, even as the security situation has been worsening in the country amid an escalating Taliban insurgency.^{^[4]} More such updates on security, internal politics, international engagements and socio-economic developments in Afghanistan from the past week follow below.

Security Overview

A top Al-Qaeda leader who was channeling funds to the militants in Afghanistan was arrested during an operation in eastern Nangarhar province, the MOI revealed last Friday. ^{^[5]}
14 militants were killed in separate airstrikes conducted in southern and western parts of the country, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said on Saturday.^{^[6]}
The US Army will deploy an armor brigade and an aviation brigade totaling about 2,300 soldiers to Afghanistan this winter, the service announced.^{^[7]}
A major operation involving the air and ground forces of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) has been underway in southern Uruzgan province with the local officials saying at least 18 militants were killed last Sunday.^{^[8]}
7 loyalists of the ISIS were killed in an airstrike conducted by the US forces in the Haska Mina district in eastern Nangarhar province on Monday.^{^[9]}
A top commander of the Taliban group, Mullah Naiem Kor, was killed in the central Afghan province of Parwan, the country’s interior ministry said on Monday.^{^[10]}.
A commander of the loyalists of the ISIS, along with three other militants, was killed in an airstrike conducted by the US forces in Achin district in eastern Nangarhar province.^{^[11]}
10 Taliban militants were killed after security forces raided their hideout in Barg-i-Matal district of eastern Nuristan province, the governor said on Monday.^{^[12]}
16 Taliban militants were killed in an airstrike conducted in southern Helmand province, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said Tuesday.^{^[13]}
The US forces based in Afghanistan conducted at least three more airstrikes against the loyalists of the ISIS in Mazdaki, Bazar and Gand Areas on Tuesday, leaving at least 12 of them dead.^{^[14]}
The Afghan Taliban on Wednesday released a profile of Maulvi Haibtullah Akhunzada months after he was named the group’s chief.^{^[15]}
During an airstrike early morning on Wednesday, 21 armed Taliban were killed and some amount of light and heavy rounds of ammunitions was destroyed as well, a statement by MOI said.^{^[16]}
Several key figures of the loyalists of the ISIS involved in plotting and executing a number of deadly attacks in Kabul city, were arrested by the Afghan intelligence operatives on Thursday.^{^[17]}
8 loyalists of the ISIS were killed in separate airstrikes conducted by the US forces in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan on Thursday.^{^[18]}
One of the most notorious commanders of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the leader of Hezb-e-Islami, named Zardad, is in the custody of the Afghan intelligence, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) revealed this week.^{^[19]}

Update on Afghan Refugees

50 Afghan asylum seekers to be deported from Germany

A group of at least 50 Afghan asylum seekers will be deported from Germany after their applications were rejected by the authorities, it has been reported. Local newspaper, Der Spiegel, citing the government sources, reported Tuesday that the asylum seekers will be deported in line with an agreement reached between the Afghan and German authorities.^{^[20]}

Afghanistan: Refugees sent home from Pakistan face poor prospects and forced marriages, aid group says

Hundreds of thousands of Afghans who previously fled violence to Pakistan are now returning home to uncertain futures after being told they are no longer welcome by their neighbour.^{^[21]}

International Engagements

Taliban’s new demands for ending insurgency include direct talks with US

The Taliban militants group in Afghanistan has offered new demands for ending the group’s insurgency in the country, including direct talks with the United States, it has been reported. The new conditions include recognition of the political office of the group in Qatar and removal of group’s members from the UN blacklist.^{^[22]}

Afghanistan formally requests UN to remove sanctions against HIA leaders – December 12, 2016

The government of Afghanistan has sent a formal letter to the UN Security Council (UNSC) urging to remove the sanctions from the leaders of the Hezbi Islami organization, a National Security Council (NSC) spokesman said on Monday.^{^[23]}

Taliban should form political group: EU diplomat

Participants of a workshop in Kabul on Monday stressed women’s participation in the peace process, while a European Union diplomat said they wanted the Taliban to form a political group on the pattern of the Hizb-i-Islami Afghanistan (HIA).^{^[24]}

EU Calls For Probe Into ‘Human Rights Violations’ Against Eshchi – December 13, 2016

The European Union (EU) on Tuesday called for a fair and transparent official investigation into reports of gross human rights violations and abuses against Ahmad Eshchi, the former Jawzjan governor.^{^[25]}

HRW reacts on deportation of Hekmatyar’s notorious commander

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) reacted towards the deportation of the notorious commander of Hezb-e-Islami led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, expressing concerns regarding the dangers posed by commander Faryadi Zardad to the witnesses.^{^[26]}

Uzbekistan seeks to invest in infrastructure of Afghanistan

Uzbekistan is ready to invest in the Afghan infrastructure projects, said a special representative of the president of Afghanistan on cooperation with the CIS countries Shakir Kargar.^{^[27]}

Iran favours greater alliance to fight terrorism

Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Ali Larijani, during a security conference launched in Iranian capital Tehran on Sunday, called for the creation of another regional security alliance to fight terrorism and invited regional countries including Saudi Arabia to join, a media report has said.^{^[28]}

Government of Japan commits US$ 12.4 million to provide life-saving vaccines and prevent the spread of infectious diseases in Afghanistan

The Government of Japan pledged $12.4 million on December 13 to Afghanistan to help eradicate polio and prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases in the country. This is in addition to over $75 million of funding provided since 2010 to support the Polio Eradication Initiative and Expanded Programme on Immunization.^{^[29]}

New £7 million demining project launched

British Ambassador Dominic Jermey and Afghan Natural Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) head Wais Barmak on Monday launched a further phase of the UK’s life-saving support to demining in Afghanistan.^{^[30]}

Relations with Pakistan

Pakistan seeks peace with Afghanistan

Pakistan’s top foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz has said Islamabad was striving to hold peace dialogue with Afghanistan. “It was disappointing that some elements in Afghanistan were not willing to have the dialogue process with Pakistan and these elements are creating suspicion over Pakistan’s role,” the Nation quoted Aziz as saying in an interview on Sunday.^{^[31]}

Chaudhry Claims ‘Some’ Haqqani Leaders Present in Pakistan

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and U.S officials have said Haqqani operates out of sanctuaries in Pakistan, a charge Islamabad rejects. “The Haqqani Network is actually part of the Taliban. Most of their people are in Afghanistan, most of them, and some of them are present here (in Pakistan),” said Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry.^{^[32]}

Internal Politics & Governance

Terrorism Globally Threaten Human Rights: Abdullah

In addition to other issues, the most important obstacle in the way of achieving human rights is terrorist groups like Al Qaeda, Taliban and Daesh, CEO Abdullah Abdullah said on Saturday.^{^[33]}

Enemies out to divide Afghans on ethnic lines: MPs

The enemies of Islam and Afghans want to fuel sectarian strife in Afghanistan but they would never achieve their goal, said the Wolesi speaker said on Monday.^{^[34]}

Ghazni residents pay taxes to both govt, Taliban

Residents of southern Ghazni province complain besides the government Taliban militants also collect taxes from them.^{^[35]}

Mawlawi Sacked Over Anti-Women Remarks

Mawlawi Abdul Samad, head of the Ulema Council in Takhar, was fired on Monday at a special meeting following his anti-women remarks last week. Members of the council said the remarks of Samad were his own and were not a reflection of the council.^{^[36]}

Ghani calls on militant groups to join intra-Afghan talks for reconciliation

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani called on anti-government armed militant groups to join intra-Afghan talks for reconciliation and refrain from the destructive activities that harm the nation.^{^[37]}

Sexual abuse, pro-insurgency surround Afghan VP, Rival’s controversy

Sexual abuse and pro-militants activities surround the controversial case of the first vice president General Abdul Rashid Dostum with his rival and former deputy chief of Hezb-e-Junbish Millie led by the vice president.^{^[38]}

Farkhunda Zahra Naderi appointed as President Ghani’s senior adviser on UN Affairs

The former Afghan lawmaker and a prominent rights activist Farkhunda Zahra Naderi has been appointed as the senior adviser of President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on United Nations affairs.^{^[39]}

Economy & development

Electricity being extended from Paktia to Khost

Work on extending electricity from the capital of southeastern Paktia province to neighboring Khost province was launched on Monday.^{^[40]}

No polio case surfaced in Nangarhar in 14 months

Local public health officials on Monday said no positive polio case has been recorded in eastern Nangarhar province during the past 14 months.^{^[41]}

Import, export activity via Hairatan port at standstill

Traders in northern Balkh province say no cargo train has arrived at the Hairatan port from China during the past 45 days.^{^[42]}

Health contracts against procurement procedure: Ghani

President Ashraf Ghani said people in 21 provinces were not satisfied with health services by 27 national and international organizations. He said corruption, incompetency, late payment of salaries to staff and absence of facilities for women threatened lives of mothers.^{^[43]}

Bamyan’s cave-dwellers without access to basic necessities of life

Thousands of cave-dwellers near the Taliban-dynamited Buddha statues in central Bamyan province are suffering from poverty, health issues and deadly animals

Women in Afghanistan

87 Percent of Women Face Acts of Violence: Minister

The Minister of Women’s Affairs Dilbar Nazari said on Monday that 87 percent of the women in the country somehow face instances of violence. “Deprivation has caused a lot of threats for women across the country, we have witnessed bitter events including poisoning, throwing acid on girls, sexual abuse, immolation of women and young girls, stoning and rape allegations and accusations of them running away from home,” said Nazari.^{^[44]}

2 women shot dead in Herat

Two women have been gunned down in western Herat province, taking the number of females killed this year in the province to 10, local officials said on Monday.^{^[45]}

Girl killed, 2 wounded as insurgents attack bus

A 10 years old girl was been killed and two other people wounded during an insurgent attack in northeastern Badakhshan province, local security officials said on Tuesday.^{^[46]}

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

Sources:

^[1] http://www.khaama.com/talibans-new-demands-for-ending-insurgency-include-direct-talks-with-us-02450

^{^[2]} https://sputniknews.com/asia/201612121048469023-afghanistan-hezbi-islami-sacntions-unsc/

^{^[3]} http://www.khaama.com/hrw-reacts-on-deportation-of-hekmatyars-notorious-commander-02481

^{^[4]} http://www.arabnews.com/node/1024951/world

^{^[5]} http://www.khaama.com/al-qaeda-leader-channeling-funds-to-militants-arrested-by-afghan-police-02447

^{^[6]} http://www.khaama.com/14-militants-killed-in-separate-airstrikes-in-southern-and-western-afghanistan-02451

^{^[7]} http://taskandpurpose.com/2300-us-soldiers-headed-afghanistan-winter/

^{^[8]} http://www.khaama.com/air-and-ground-raids-underway-in-uruzgan-18-taliban-militants-killed-02455

^{^[9]} http://www.khaama.com/us-airstrike-leaves-7-isis-militants-dead-in-east-of-afghanistan-02458

^{^[10]} https://sputniknews.com/asia/201612121048448449-taliban-commander-dead-afghanistan/