Afghan Weekly (Jan 20 – Jan 26, 2017)

This week on January 20, Donald John Trump was sworn in as the 45^th President of the United States of America. Donald Trump cautiously did not give any roadmap for the Afghanistan challenge or make any other significant mention in his campaign except for a telephonic conversation with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani earlier in December 2016. Trump had vowed to help unearth Afghanistan’s massive natural resources which include some of the world’s rare earth elements. He had also pledged support to review Kabul’s requirements in security related issues and assist the Afghan government accordingly. Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah welcomed Donald Trump’s commitment made to the US forces based in Afghanistan. The Chief Executive further added that he is hopeful that the relations and cooperation between the two countries will further enhance under the administration of President Trump.[1]

Meanwhile, Taliban also responded to the power change in United States. The group has asked President Donald Trump to review the Afghanistan policy and not to follow the previous approaches. In a statement released following the US presidential inauguration, Taliban said the violence in Afghanistan will continue if the Trump administration continued to follow the approaches of the previous US administrations led by Barack Obama and George Bush. The Taliban have called on President Donald Trump to withdraw US forces from the Afghan morass.[2] The statement by the Taliban came as the Trump administration has still not unveiled its policy in Afghanistan so far. On the contrary, recognizing Trump’s different perspective on Russia, the former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said that the US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin must work together on Afghanistan for peace and regional stability.

Amid rapidly changing developments, Islamabad is preparing for tough talks with Kabul in the upcoming General Qamar Bajwa’s visit to Afghanistan soon; the objective will be to amend splintered ties.[3]

Below follow other updates on the security, internal politics, international engagements and socio-economic developments in Afghanistan from the past week.

Security Overview

3 foreign ISIS militants killed in an airstrike carried out by the US forces in Achin district of Eastern Afghanistan on January 21.[4]
3 Taliban terrorist groups dismantled after 16 insurgents were arrested in southern Kandahar province, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) said in a statement on January 22.[5]
45 insurgents killed during clearing operations by security forces across the country, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said in a statement on January 23.[6]
Kunar local officials raised concerns over activities of Daesh militants and said the group continues to recruit in the province, January 23.[7]
At least 8 insurgents renounced violence in Kohistanat district of northern Sar-e-Pul province and joined the peace process on January 23.[8]
Almost 80 Daesh and Al-Qaeda insurgents killed during airstrikes launched in Khak-e-Afghan and Daychopan districtsof Zabul on January 24.[9]
4 insurgents killed in clashes with police forces in Chaharcheno district of the Uruzgan province on January 25.[10]
36 loyalists of the ISIS killed and around 20 others were wounded during the operations in Khak-e-Afghan and Shelamzoi districts of southern Zabul province of Afghanistan on January 25.[11]
5 Taliban militants killed by two kidnapped Afghan policemen in the Barak district of Baghlan province on January 25.[12]
Suicide Bomber wounded 4 in eastern city of Ghazni in Afghanistan on January 26.[13]

Update on Afghan Refugees

Afghanistan’s displaced: The challenges of returning home

Every day in Afghanistan, families are uprooted by armed conflict. An average of 1,500 Afghans is displaced daily, according to the United Nations. They have been fleeing fighting between the US-backed Afghan forces and the Taliban.[14]

Trilateral meeting on Afghan refugees next month in Pakistan

A trilateral meeting is expected to take place in Pakistan next month on finding solutions to problems Afghan refugees face. A statement from the CEO office to Pajhwok Afghan News said CEO Abdullah Abdullah discussed the execution of the trilateral meeting with UNHCR new representative for Afghanistan in Kabul.[15]

Germany deport more Afghan refugees after asylum rejection

Another group of 26 Afghan refugees have arrived to Afghanistan from Germany after they deported following the rejection of their asylum application.[16]

International Engagements

1,500 US soldiers to be deployed to Afghanistan

The United States will deploy at least 1,500 soldiers from the Ready First Brigade to Afghanistan, it has been reported. The soldiers will serve for a period of 9 months as part of the advise, assist, and train mission to help the Afghan army and police.[17]

Iranians met Taliban in Helmand province

Some Iranian representatives have reportedly met with the Taliban group in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan. This comes as the former Afghan intelligence chief Rahmatullah Nabil earlier said Iran is supporting the Taliban group to counter the growing influence of ISIS in the country.[18]

Abdullah welcomes Trump commitment to troops in Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah welcomed Donald Trump’s commitment made to the US forces based in Afghanistan. He pointed towards Trump’s telephone conversation with the US forces in Bagram and pledging support to their presence and fight against terrorism.[19]

Taliban asks Trump to review Afghanistan policy

In a statement released following the US presidential inauguration, Taliban said the violence in Afghanistan will continue if the Trump administration continued to follow the approaches of the previous US administrations led by Obama and George Bush.[20]

Trump and Putin must work together on Afghanistan: Karzai

The former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said the US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin must work together on Afghanistan.[21]

Time to leave Afghanistan, Taliban tell Donald Trump

The Taliban has called on President Donald Trump to withdraw US forces from the “quagmire” of Afghanistan, saying nothing has been achieved in 15 years of war except bloodshed and destruction. In an open letter to the new US president published on one of its official web pages, the Taliban said the US had lost credibility after spending a trillion dollars on a fruitless entanglement.[22]

US awards $9.3 million contract in support of Afghan Air Force

The United States has awarded a contract worth $9.3 million support of the Afghan Air Force, the US Department of Defense (DoD) said. The statement further added “Contractor will provide these services for 24 aircraft to Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air in support of the Afghan Air Force.”[23]

Trump told Afghan President he would consider troop increase

U.S. President Donald Trump told Afghanistan’s president that he would consider sending more American troops, Afghan officials said, in a step to halt the deterioration in the country’s security.[24]

Relations with Pakistan

Ghani, Sami discuss ways to restore peace in Afghanistan

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani talked to chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-S) Maulana Samiul Haq by phone and discussed with him ways of restoring peace in Afghanistan. The telephonic conversation took place in the presence of Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Umar Zakhilwal who was at the Darul Uloom Haqqania, Akora Khattak, at the time.[25]

Pakistan preparing for ‘tough talk’ with Afghanistan

The Pakistani authorities are preparing for a ‘tough talk’ with the Afghan government officials as the country’s Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa is mulling to visit Afghanistan, it has been reported. Sources privy of the development have said Gen. Bajwa will visit the country in an appropriate time with the main motive behind his visit would be to amend the fractured ties between the two nations.[26]

Pakistani Military, Iranians Overseeing Helmand War: Governor Helmand

One of the reasons for the prolonged war in Helmand is the military interference of the Pakistani and Iranian military, said Hayat, adding these two countries are involved in mobilizing insurgents in Helmand. Hayat made the remarks during a press conference on January 22 and said the government has ordered an investigation to determine the presence of foreigners in the Helmand conflict.[27]

UK steps in to break Pak-Afghan logjam

Britain has launched diplomatic efforts to end the lingering stalemate between Islamabad and Kabul, whose ties have been strained for months due to differences on how to deal with the problem of militancy, as well as finding a political solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.[28]

Internal Politics and Governance

Afghanistan orders arrest of Vice President Dostum’s guards

The Attorney General of Afghanistan has ordered to arrest at least 9 security guards of Vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum in connection to alleged abduction and sexual abuse of the political rival Ahmad Ischi, it has been reported.[29]

Watchdog urges Transparency around Hizb-e-Islami Prisoners

The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) on Monday said cases of Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) prisoners should be investigated transparently and that their release should in no way influence rule of law in the country.[30]

e-NIC Rollout delayed ‘Because Of ARG’s Reservations’

The CEO’s office on Monday said the rollout process of the Electronic Identify Cards (e-NIC) has been delayed due to ARG’s (Presidential Palace) reservations regarding the system. This comes a day after it was reported government had decided to scrap the e-NIC system and revert to paper identification documents in the form of a booklet.[31]

Presidential Palace renews fight on corruption

The Presidential Palace on January 25 renewed its commitment to combating corruption, saying Afghanistan was no longer among the three most corrupt countries. Afghanistan improved the most in 2016 as its score on the Transparency.[32]

Security Sector Reform: Long Overdue in Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s failure to bring reform to its security apparatus has been central to the continuation of unabated and enduring violence in the country. In 2016 alone, Afghan security forces lost more than 15,000 personnel in battle and more than 1,600 Afghan civilians were killed.[33]

Economy and Development

Minister of Finance meets the World Bank Director for Afghanistan

H.E. Eklil Hakimi, Minister of Finance met Mr. Shubham Chaudhary, Director of the World Bank for Afghanistan in his office on Monday. They discussed the Brussels Conference Action Plan, Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) future Strategy, Revenue Increment and Cooperation on developing projects.[34]

Afghan Authorities Accuse Iran of Using Taliban to Undercut Water Projects

Afghan governors in southern and western provinces charged on Monday that Iran is using an increasingly close relationship with the Afghan Taliban to target power and water projects on Tehran’s behalf.[35]

First-ever rice mill goes operational in Nangarhar

A rice-processing factory, the first of its kind, has been inaugurated in eastern Nangarhar province, an official said on January 25.[36]

Kabul-Tashkent Set To Boost Economic Relations

Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MoCI) said on Wednesday that Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have agreed to boost their economic, trade and transit cooperation in the coming months.[37]

Challenging year for Afghanistan Growth

Afghanistan witnessed low yields, particularly of cereals, in 2016. The impacts of the poor security situation were exacerbated by adverse weather conditions and diseases, which constrained agricultural production.[38]

Taliban earn $4.8 million annually from Kajaki Dam

The Taliban militants group earns around $4.8 million annually from Kajaki dam located in the restive southern Helmand province of Afghanistan. The provincial council officials have said the group earns almost 90 per cent of the income of the dam on yearly basis.[39]

Concerns raised over illegal mining in Badakhshan

Badakhshan’s officials said terrorists and groups of armed men have accelerated extraction of gold and lapis lazuli from mines in Raghistan and Karan-o-Manjan district of Badaskhsahan province in Afghanistan.[40]

Women in Afghanistan

Female Engineering and Architecture Interns Graduate

Eight female students graduated on Tuesday from USAID’s Engineering and Architecture Internship program in Kabul. The program provides internships for female students at Kabul University and Polytechnic enrolled in architecture, civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering.[41]

Afghan Women’s Orchestra Wins Freemuse Award

Afghanistan’s first and only women’s orchestra, Zohra, has been awarded the Freemuse Award 2017. The orchestra is comprised of a group of female students from the National Institute of Music (ANIM) in Kabul.[42].

Wushu Girls from Kabul Determined To Succeed

An ambitious girls Wushu team held their practice session on a snow-covered hillside in Kabul on Wednesday and said they would one day like to compete in international contests.[43]

This weekly is compiled by Saddam Hussein who is a research intern at the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).

Sources

[1] http://www.khaama.com/abdullah-welcomes-trump-commitment-to-troops-in-afghanistan-02716

[2] http://www.khaama.com/taliban-asks-trump-to-review-afghanistan-policy-02721

[3] http://www.khaama.com/pakistan-preparing-for-tough-talk-with-afghanistan-02732

[4] http://www.khaama.com/3-foreign-isis-militants-killed-in-east-of-afghanistan-02713

[5] http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/three-taliban-%E2%80%98terrorist-groups%E2%80%99-%C2%A0dismantled-kandahar

[6] http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/45-insurgents-killed-clearing-operations-across-country

[7] http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/daesh-recruiting-kunar-province-officials

[8] http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/eight-insurgents-renounce-violence-sar-e-pul

[9] http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/almost-80-daesh-and-al-qaeda-insurgents-killed-zabul

[10] http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/four-insurgents-killed-uruzgan-operation