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  • Chaos and confusion after Taliban orders tests for Afghan ladies saved out of college

    Confusion prevails in Afghanistan after Taliban ordered college ladies, who’ve been saved out of energy for a number of months, have been abruptly requested to take commencement tests.

    New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 12, 2022 13:39 IST

    It’s nonetheless now not transparent what number of teenage ladies would be capable of take the examination. (Photograph: AFP)

    By way of India Nowadays Internet Table: Taliban Ministry of Training has allowed ladies to take their highschool commencement examination this week even if they have got been saved out of school rooms since remaining 12 months. Chaos and confusion prevailed as college ladies, banned from attending categories, have been abruptly requested to take their assessments.

    The verdict applies to 31 out of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces the place the iciness college ruin begins in past due December, AP reported.

    READ | Taliban’s curbs on girls’s freedom would possibly quantity to crimes towards humanity: UN

    In keeping with The Unbiased, lady scholars of a faculty in Kabul have been requested to take their commencement tests on Wednesday, months after Taliban closed college gates on them and their futures after they took over the reins of the rustic.

    “Those ladies had been preventing for months to wait college and this can be a second of concern even for them,” a college professional used to be quoted as announcing via The Unbiased.

    It’s nonetheless now not transparent what number of teenage ladies would be capable of take the examination.

    ALSO READ | Veiled girls, armed males: Existence in Afghanistan underneath Taliban rule

    The 3 provinces — Kandahar, Helmand and Nimroz — the place this choice does now not practice have a unique timetable for the varsity 12 months and highschool commencement tests usually happen there later.

    “That is ridiculous. We spent an entire 12 months underneath rigidity and tension and have not learn a unmarried web page of our textbooks,” 18-yer-old Najela used to be quoted as announcing via the AP.

    Taliban overran Afghanistan in August 2021 as US and Nato forces have been within the ultimate weeks in their pullout from the rustic after two decades of conflict. In spite of to start with promising extra reasonable rule and girls’s and minority rights, they have got limited rights and freedoms and broadly applied their harsh interpretation of Islamic regulation or Sharia.

    ALSO READ | Taliban comes to a decision towards opening colleges to Afghan ladies

    They’ve banned ladies from heart college and highschool, limited girls from maximum employment, and ordered them to put on head-to-toe clothes in public. Girls also are banned from parks, gyms, and funfairs.

    Girls have now not been denied get entry to from universities underneath the Taliban and the implication of the newest construction is that Afghan ladies who download a highschool degree after Wednesday’s examination would be capable of practice for universities.

    Women who can not attend or who fail Wednesday’s examination can be allowed to retake the take a look at in mid-March, after the iciness holiday. The Taliban remedy of girls and women in Afghanistan has come underneath heavy grievance. Previous this month, a workforce of UN mavens stated it’ll quantity to against the law towards humanity and will have to be investigated and prosecuted underneath world regulation, an allegation rejected via Taliban.

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    Dec 12, 2022

  • Taliban free of Guantanamo, claims exchanged for American 

    A senior Taliban detainee held for years at Guantanamo Bay mentioned Monday he used to be launched and passed over previous within the day to the Taliban in Kabul, in alternate for an American prisoner held in Afghanistan.

    Bashir Noorzai, a infamous drug lord and member of the Taliban, instructed newshounds in Kabul that he spent 17 years and 6 months within the U.S. detention heart at Guantanamo Bay, and that he used to be the closing Taliban prisoner there.

    The Taliban-appointed overseas minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, additionally spoke on the press convention along Noorzai and welcomed the alternate, pronouncing it marked the beginning of a “new technology” in U.S.-Taliban family members.

    Muttaqi mentioned the launched American used to be Mark Frerichs, a Military veteran and civilian contractor abducted in Afghanistan on Jan. 31, 2020.

    Frerichs used to be closing noticed in a video disbursed previous this 12 months, pleading for his unencumber in order that he will also be reunited together with his circle of relatives, consistent with a recording posted through The New Yorker mag on the time.

    There used to be no unbiased affirmation or phrase from Washington on Frerichs’ unencumber.

    “It is a new bankruptcy between Afghanistan and america, it will open a brand new door for talks between each international locations,” Muttaqi mentioned on the Kabul presser.

    “This act displays us that every one issues will also be solved via talks and I thank all sides’ groups who labored so arduous for this to occur,” Muttaqi added.

    Frerichs, of Lombard, Illinois, used to be believed to be held through the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani community, and U.S. officers throughout two presidential administrations had attempted unsuccessfully to get him house.

    Within the video, which marked the primary time Frerichs used to be noticed since his abduction, he says it used to be filmed closing November.

    Movies of hostages are infrequently launched to turn evidence that they’re alive and to facilitate negotiations for a unencumber, even though it used to be no longer right away transparent if that used to be the case right here.

    The New Yorker mentioned it bought the clip from an unidentified person in Afghanistan.

    On the time, the FBI declined to remark at the video’s authenticity, however a sister of Frerichs, Charlene Cakora, issued a observation thanking the Taliban for freeing the video and describing it as “public affirmation of our circle of relatives’s long-held trust that he’s alive after greater than two years in captivity.”

    Since their takeover of Afghanistan in August closing 12 months, the Taliban have demanded america unencumber Noorzai in alternate for Frerichs amid expectancies of such exchanges for U.S. electorate held in Afghanistan.

    On the other hand, there was no public signal of Washington shifting ahead on any kind of prisoner business or alternate.

    The Taliban additionally posted a short lived video Monday on social media appearing Noorzai’s arrival on the Kabul airport the place he used to be welcomed through most sensible Taliban officers, together with Muttaqi. On the press convention, Noorzai expressed thankfulness at seeing his “mujahedeen brothers” — a connection with the Taliban — in Kabul.

    “I pray for extra luck of the Taliban,” he added. “I’m hoping this alternate may end up in peace between Afghanistan and The usa, as a result of an American used to be launched and I’m additionally unfastened now.”

    Noorzai made no point out of his remedy at Guantanamo Bay, the detention heart used to deal with Muslim militants, together with al-Qaida opponents, the Taliban and suspects captured through U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, and in different places following the 9/11, 2001 terrorist assaults within the U.S.

    The ability become the focal point of globally controversy over alleged violations of the criminal rights of detainees below the Geneva Conventions and accusations of torture or abusive remedy of detainees through U.S. government.

    After 9/11, a U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan toppled the Taliban who had harbored al-Qaida leader Osama bin Encumbered and his fans. Bin Encumbered used to be killed in a U.S. raid in Pakistan in 2011.

  • Taliban arrest Afghan style fashion, say he ‘insulted’ Islam

    The Taliban have arrested a well known Afghan style fashion and 3 of his colleagues, accusing them of disrespecting Islam and the Quran, the Muslim holy e book, consistent with movies launched through Afghanistan’s new rulers.

    Ajmal Haqiqi — recognized for his style displays, YouTube clips and modeling occasions — seemed handcuffed in movies posted on Twitter through the Taliban intelligence company on Tuesday.

    In a single extensively circulated and contentious video, Haqiqi is noticed giggling as his colleague Ghulam Sakhi — who is understood to have a speech obstacle that he makes use of for humor — recites verses of the Quran in Arabic, in a comical voice.

    After the arrests, the Taliban launched a video of Haqiqi and his colleagues, noticed status in mild brown prison uniforms and apologizing to the Taliban executive and spiritual students.

    The video was once accompanied through a tweet within the Dari language, pronouncing: “Nobody is permitted to insult Quranic verses or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.”

    Later Wednesday, Amnesty World launched a commentary, urging the Taliban to “instantly and unconditionally” unlock Haqiqi and his colleagues.

    Amnesty has documented a number of arbitrary detentions through the Taliban in Afghanistan, steadily accompanied through coerced statements in an try to stifle dissent within the nation and deter others from expressing their perspectives.

    Samira Hamidi, Amnesty’s South Asia campaigner, denounced the arrests and mentioned that through detaining “Haqiqi and his colleagues and coercing them into apologizing,” the Taliban have undertaken “a blatant assault at the proper to freedom of expression.” Her commentary additionally condemned the Taliban’s “persisted censorship of those that need to freely specific their concepts.”

    In Kabul, Taliban officers didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark and it was once no longer transparent what measures the fashion and his colleagues face below the Taliban-run judiciary.

    The households of the arrested fashions may additionally no longer instantly be reached for remark.

    Since they seized energy ultimate August in Afghanistan all the way through the overall weeks of the U.S. troop pullout from the rustic, the Taliban have imposed strict measures and edicts consistent with their harsh interpretation of Islamic regulation, specifically curtailing the rights of ladies and minorities.

    The strikes have raised world issues that the unconventional Islamic workforce intends to rule because it did the ultimate time the Taliban held energy in Afghanistan, within the past due Nineties. The Taliban imagine grievance and anything else perceived as disrespectful of Islam as a punishable crime.

    Amnesty mentioned that since their takeover, the Taliban “were the usage of intimidation, harassment, and violence on someone who has expressed strengthen for human rights or fashionable values, particularly human rights defenders, girls activists, reporters, and individuals of academia amongst others.”

    The rights workforce additionally advised the Taliban because the de facto authority in Afghanistan to “abide through world human rights regulation and recognize everybody’s proper to freedom of expression with out discrimination.”

  • Afghanistan: Taliban bans opium poppy cultivation, drug business

    The ban comes right through opium harvesting season in southern Afghanistan, and a Taliban spokesman stated that farmers might be jailed and their vegetation burned in the event that they harvested poppy.

    The order additionally outlaws the business of heroin, cannabis and alcohol.

    Afghanistan’s booming opium economic system

    Opium poppy is the most important supply of employment and source of revenue in Afghanistan, with hundreds of thousands of farmers depending on harvesting opium to continue to exist.

    For the reason that Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, the rustic’s economic system collapsed after world donors pulled investment. With out world improve, many roles in the private and non-private sectors dried up.

    Humanitarian organisations warn that Afghanistan may just face a starvation disaster, as folks don’t find the money for to shop for meals.

    In mild of the opium ban, Deputy High Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi has requested world donors for his or her cooperation to assist to find selection companies for farmers, Afghan media outlet TOLO information reported.

    Afghanistan is the arena’s best supply of opium, accounting for greater than 80% of the arena’s provide of opium merchandise, in keeping with the United Countries Administrative center of Medicine and Crime.

    Afghanistan generates annual earnings of a minimum of $1.8 billion (€1.6 billion) from generating opium merchandise, in keeping with UN information.

    The Taliban had imposed a identical ban on business of opium in overdue 1994 and early 1995. However the ban was once rescinded after the Taliban was once got rid of from energy in 2001.

  • China’s Wang, Russia’s Kabulov display up in Kabul, interact Taliban leaders

    China and Russia made their presence felt in Kabul Thursday, signalling that they had now not forgotten Afghanistan regardless of their very own preoccupations, and expressed harmony with the Taliban regime an afternoon after it drew world condemnation for turning away women from prime faculties.

    Chinese language International Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi made a marvel stopover in Kabul sooner than he confirmed up in Delhi within the night. He’s the best score Chinese language legit to discuss with Kabul after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan final August.

    A big Russian delegation led via Zamir Kabulov, Particular Consultant for Afghanistan, additionally met Taliban officers to speak about financial cooperation.

    Wang, who arrived in Kabul from Islamabad after attending the convention of OIC International Ministers, met International Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Deputy Top Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

    China is web hosting a gathering of International Ministers of Afghanistan’s neighbours later this month. This would be the 3rd assembly of the ministers, however the first wherein Afghanistan is scheduled to take part. The primary assembly was once held in Pakistan final September, and the second one in Iran in November.

    In line with Xinhua and World Instances, Wang advised Baradar that China welcomes “Afghanistan’s energetic participation within the joint building of the Belt and Highway, and stands in a position to increase the China-Pakistan Financial Hall to Afghanistan, reflect extra a hit reports, and make Afghanistan, with the geographical energy because the ‘Center of Asia’, a bridge for regional connectivity”.

    He mentioned he hopes Afghanistan will “firmly and resolutely” satisfy its “dedication of now not permitting any exterior forces to make use of Afghan territory to oppose its neighbouring nations or hurt the protection of alternative nations”.

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    He advised Baradar that China is “the one primary nation that has now not harm Afghanistan”. China’s coverage at the Afghan factor, he mentioned, is according to “3 respects” and “3 nevers.”

    “China respects Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, respects the impartial selection made via the Afghan folks, and respects Afghanistan’s non secular ideals and customs. China by no means interferes in Afghanistan’s inside affairs, by no means seeks any self-interest in Afghanistan, and not seeks the so-called sphere of affect.”

    In line with Xinhua, he additionally expressed the hope that Afghanistan “will proceed to determine an inclusive political construction, put in force prudent insurance policies, higher safeguard the rights and pursuits of girls and kids, and display the tolerance and friendliness of Muslims”.

    Afghan International Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balki, in a observation, mentioned Muttaqi and Wang mentioned “political, financial & transit problems, air hall, dried fruit export, tutorial scholarships, visa issuance, setting out paintings within the mines sector, Afghanistan’s function in BRI & different issues of importance”.

    Muttaqi referred to as Wang’s discuss with a “sure message to the Afghans and the sector”.

    “Minister Muttaqi added that the protection caused via the brand new (govt) lays the root for international funding, together with for China, in Afghanistan that guarantees their curiosity but even so cooperating with Afghans in financial expansion & steadiness with the whole reinforce of the brand new gov,” Balkhi mentioned in a Twitter put up.

    Russian envoy Kabulov additionally met Baradar, and reassured the Taliban that “the arriving of this complete delegation to Afghanistan displays that Russia is dedicated to taking sensible steps after figuring out the priorities of the Islamic Emirate,” consistent with a observation on Twitter via Inamullah Samangani, deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

    Kabulov, whose delegation integrated officers from the Russian ministries of Defence, Internal, Financial system, Trade, Agriculture and Power, mentioned his govt was once in a position to signal a lot of agreements with the Taliban. Baradar invited Russia to spend money on all sectors.

    The Russian envoy additionally met Muttaqi. In line with the International Ministry spokesman, the 2 “all in favour of strengthening political, financial, transit and regional members of the family”.

    The Afghan observation mentioned Kabulov referred to as the insurance policies of the Islamic Emirate “balanced and within the curiosity of the area and the sector, and expressed delight” with its achievements.