Ariana: The Ministry of Defense of the Islamic Emirate says several Pakistani soldiers were killed or wounded in retaliatory strikes by Afghan forces in Paktika province. In a statement, the ministry said Pakistani forces carried out four drone strikes on Angoor Adda Bazaar and the Commissioner’s Office, as well as nearby security installations, at around 1 p.m. on Monday. Click here to read more (external link).
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Hazaras (file photo)
8am: Representatives of political parties, civil and social organisations, and the Hazara community condemned ethnic and religious persecution, forced displacement, land grabbing, and violations of the rights of Hazaras and Shia Muslims in Afghanistan at a meeting. In a statement issued on Wednesday, October 28, the organisations said the current situation of Hazaras was part of a long history of oppression against the community. Hazara representatives also expressed concern over the forced displacement of people and the seizure of land and property in Kabul’s ninth and 15th districts and Jalalabad’s fourth district. Click here to read more (external link).
Amu: Residents of Dara Abdullah Khel district in Panjshir province say Taliban forces detained and beat local elders and religious scholars following a reported explosion in the district last week, allegations that Taliban authorities deny. Several residents told Amu TV that Taliban forces have also imposed restrictions on nighttime movement and searched homes, creating what they described as an atmosphere of fear. The circumstances of the reported explosion remain unclear, and no group has claimed responsibility. Click here to read more (external link).
8am: A number of orchard owners in Koh Daman have complained about falling prices for their produce, a lack of cold storage facilities, and limited access to global markets. They say that because of the drop in prices in domestic markets, they have been forced to sell the fruits of their labor at very low prices, to the point that even production costs have not been recovered. Meanwhile, a number of economic experts warn that the shortage of standard cold storage facilities and limited access to global markets have restricted the opportunities to sell horticultural products and have reduced the income of orchard owners in Koh Daman and other parts of Afghanistan. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghan Resistance Leaders: Zia (left) and Massoud (right)
War on the Rocks: The anti-Taliban resistance has made real strides in its five years on the battlefield: The number of groups and the tempo of their claimed attacks have increased, despite lacking an overt state sponsor or an established cross-border military sanctuary. However, the resistance should unify and focus its combined efforts on securing a foothold in remote provinces like Badakhshan to offer itself as a viable governing alternative to the Taliban. Click here to read more (external link).
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Taliban militants (file photo)
8am: Several citizens of Afghanistan say job opportunities have shrunk since the Taliban retook control of the country. They cite the Taliban’s discriminatory and ethnocentric policies as factors that have worsened unemployment and narrowed access to work. According to these citizens, growing poverty and unemployment have forced educated young people and graduates of reputable universities to apply for positions such as cook, gardener, guard, and driver. They add that young people face difficulty even in securing these limited opportunities, and that in some cases, people with no education or professional skills are preferred over educated applicants for service positions. Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban militants (file photo)
Afghanistan International: The founder of an Italian aid organisation said she established a secret school for girls in Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power, only to discover two years later that daughters of some Taliban members were among its pupils. Susanna Fioretti, founder of the aid organisation Nove Caring Humans, told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that the girls’ parents wanted their daughters to receive an education. The Italian aid worker said operating the secret school for girls involved serious risks. If someone had reported its activities to the Taliban’s morality police, those involved could have faced severe consequences. Click here to read more (external link).
Khaama: An Afghan woman who came to the United States as a Fulbright scholar in 2021 has been detained by U.S. immigration authorities in Michigan, weeks before she was due to attend an interview on her pending asylum application, according to her family, her employer and local media reports. Benazir Noorzad, 32, was preparing to board a flight to Virginia at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Thursday, October 22, when officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took her into custody, her brother, Matiullah Noorzad, told MLive. Click here to read more (external link).
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