ISLAMABAD, 28 August 2021, (TON): Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar emphasised that the situation on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was normal and under control while Pakistan's side was secure.

At the outset of his press conference in Rawalpindi, he said “he would talk about the evolving situation in Afghanistan and the implied national security problems that Pakistan could face, along with the measures the armed forces had taken and would continue to take to ward off any spillover of insecurity and instability into Pakistan.”

He said “prior to the Taliban's takeover of Kabul, the military situation in the war-torn country unfolded rapidly.”

He added that Pakistan had already started taking the measures it needed to guard the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and to ensure security.

Pakistan had apprehensions that the situation would unfold in the way that it did and there could be a "spillover", which is why it took the steps it did, he elaborated.

He recalled that Pakistan had started "beefing up" its security since 2014, including Operation Zarb-i-Azb and Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad.

KABUL, 28 August 2021, (TON): The Taliban have asked all women healthcare workers to return to work, a spokesman said on Friday amid mounting pressure on public services that has risen as many trained and educated Afghans have fled the country.

Women have been discouraged from going to work and even been turned away from their offices, prompting fears the movement will repeat the stance of their previous government before 2001 when women were not allowed to work.

However, growing complaints that the fragile health system was short of staff appear to have prompted an about-face.

A statement from spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said "the Ministry of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate advises all women employees in the centre and provinces that they should attend work regularly.”

He said "they will face no impediment to performing their duties from the Islamic Emirate."

KABUL, 28 August 2021, (TON): Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul’s airport Thursday, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror in the waning days of an airlift for those fleeing the Taliban takeover.

Afghan and U.S. officials said that the attacks killed at least 60 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops.

The U.S. general overseeing the evacuation said “the attacks would not stop the United States from evacuating Americans and others, and flights out were continuing.

Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said that there was a large amount of security at the airport, and alternate routes were being used to get evacuees in. About 5,000 people were awaiting flights on the airfield, McKenzie said.

The blasts came hours after Western officials warned of a major attack, urging people to leave the airport. But that advice went largely unheeded by Afghans desperate to escape the country in the last few days of an American-led evacuation before the U.S. officially ends its 20-year presence on Aug. 31.

ISLAMABAD, 28 August 2021, (TON): The United States and Pakistan have a shared interest in working together in Afghanistan, National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf said “in a phone interview with The Washington Post. But the NSA pointed out that cooperation would require fixing the bilateral relationship by “moving past problems”.

“Afghan instability could lead to more terrorism, refugees and economic hardship for Pakistan,” Moeed Yusuf said while speaking with Josh Rogin, who worked the interview into an opinion piece which appeared in the newspaper under the headline, “Pakistan wants to be treated like an ally, not a scapegoat”.

Columnist Rogin said “it was unfortunate that instead of addressing Pakistan’s reservations, the country was being indicted by American media for its alleged support to Taliban over the years. He suggested Washington to seriously consider Pakistan’s offer of cooperation.

Moeed Yusuf said in reply to a question “right now, in the situation we are in, how are US and Pakistan’s interests not aligned.”

Te NSA said “I’m not asking for any sympathy for Pakistan.”

Josh Rogin noted that Pakistan stands perennially accused of providing safe haven for the Taliban, but on the other hand officials in Islamabad point out that Pakistan had lost soldiers, as well as thousands of non-combatants, at the hands of extremists since 9/11.

By TON Research Section

Recent years have seen a rise in enforced disappearances in Bangladesh. Apart from enforced disappearances, serious human rights violations like torture, extrajudicial executions, and imprisonments have been witnessed in the country. According to the activists, the citizens, opposition members, media activists, and other political dissenters are subjected to the violence by government and law enforcement agencies. Both the Awami League (AL) led by current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid and the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) have pursued counter-terrorism measures to suppress extremist groups active in the country. However, Human rights organizations and activists have argued that these measures are to undermine human rights and rule of law. 

Bangladesh’s government created an elite paramilitary force in 2004 known as Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to counter terrorism and to control the deteriorating security situation. Initially, this force gained strong support from around the country. Albeit, after that, RAB was accused of serious human rights violations and abuses of power. The allegations of extrajudicial killings, abductions and torture became common. According to the human rights activist’s freedom of expression and other civil liberties were the reasons behind these intentional killings and abductions. Human rights organizations have urged government to disband RAB. Bangladesh security forces have long experienced allegations of extrajudicial killings while the government has attributed the violence to local militants. However, the targeted groups or persons have illegitimately used social media platforms, videos, publications and other ways to spread their ideology against government across the country to gain more followers. Albeit, no law allows enforced disappearance.

Human rights activists IN Bangladesh claim that the new laws are misused to suppress opposition against government and facilitate in identifying the targets. They claim that Anti-Terrorism Act, which was enacted in 2009 and amended twice, moreover, the Digital Security Act 2018, Information & Communication Technology Act (Amendment) 2013 and Narcotics Control Act 2018 are the legal ways to perpetrate human rights violations. 

Human Rights Watch made the appeal and is calling for a United Nations probe into the alleged enforced disappearances of Bangladesh opposition activists, demanding sanctions on the officials found responsible while publishing its report titled “Where No Sun Can Enter: A Decade of Enforced Disappearances in Bangladesh”, ahead of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances on August 30, 2021. The report is based on over 115 interviews conducted between July 2020 and March 2021 with victims, their family members, and witnesses to enforced disappearances. This report finds out that Bangladesh’s government officials have repeatedly denied about the detentions and enforced disappearances. Moreover, the government has refused to take steps to know the whereabouts of victims of enforced disappearances.

According to a Joint Statement by 12 human rights groups, “From January 1, 2009 to July 31, 2020, at least 572 people have been reported forcibly disappeared by security forces and law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh. While some were eventually released, shown arrested, or discovered killed by security forces and law enforcement agencies in so-called “crossfire” encounters, the whereabouts of many of them remain unknown.”

The report released by the rights watchdog states that the reported extrajudicial killings by security forces skyrocketed ahead of the January 2014 elections from 70 reported cases in 2012 to 329 cases in 2013, a nearly 400 percent increase. Enforced disappearances similarly increased dramatically ahead of the 2014 election, particularly targeting opposition parties. According to human rights organizations, in 2013 there were reportedly 54 alleged enforced disappearances, a more than 100 percent increase from 26 alleged enforced disappearances the previous year.

The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, the UN Committee against Torture, the UN Human Rights Committee and other organisations have expressed their concern over the Bangladesh government’s failure to disclose information regarding arbitrary arrests, unacknowledged detention, and enforced disappearances. Human Rights Watch said that United Nations human rights experts should lead an independent international investigation into enforced disappearances in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s government has faced severe criticism over enforced disappearances from the Human rights organisations as these reports are Indian sponsored. Human rights activists blame Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the enforced disappearances but till now despite actions, it is being taken as if the PM has not responded to the requests for comment on the allegations. According to the recent report of Human Rights Watch the disappearances have become a “hallmark” of PM Sheikh Hasina’s rule since 2009, a tool for curtailing free speech and criticism. However, the Awami League government has denied involvement in the abductions but protection of citizens is the responsibility of government and in addition to that it has the responsibility to ensure that the law enforcement agencies do not violate human rights. Bangladesh’s government need to bring reforms within security forces for human rights protection.  If government is denying about its involvement in abductions and extrajudicial executions, it needs to take action against Indian agents tarnishing the image of Bangladesh and order impartial and independent investigations of the matter because the onus is on the government.  

KABUL, 27 August 2021, (TON): Prominent Taliban leader Shahabuddin Dilwar, in response to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement casting doubt on the sustainability of a new regime in Afghanistan, said India will soon know that the Taliban can run the country’s affairs smoothly.

The statement from the Taliban leader comes a week after Modi commented on the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan saying “an empire on the basis of terror may dominate for some time but its existence is never permanent”.

The Indian premier, in a veiled criticism of Taliban, had on Aug 20 tweeted "the destroying powers, the thinking that builds an empire on the basis of terror, may dominate for some time in a period of time, but, its existence is never permanent, it cannot suppress humanity for a long time."

Reacting to the Indian premier’s statement in an exclusive conversation with Radio Pakistan correspondent Bilal Khan Mehsud in Kabul, Dilwar warned India not to interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.

He said “Pakistan was a neighbour of Afghanistan and a friendly country. Dilawar thanked Pakistan for hosting over three million Afghan refugees.”

He added “we are thankful to Pakistan for its services for welfare of the refugees.”

He underlined that Taliban wanted peaceful ties with all countries based on mutual respect.

The Taliban completed a lighting fast takeover of the country, finally walking into Kabul on Aug 16 without firing a shot.

The group had declared the war in Afghanistan over after taking control of the presidential palace in the Afghan capital.

KINSHASA, 27 August 2021, (TON): More than 1500 houses were washed away in the Democratic Republic of Congo after heavy rains caused floodings in Goma.

Authorities in the area linked the recent eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in the area to have promoted the flooding given that vegetation was wiped out.

The locals also lost a number of castles, crops and even the main tarmac road being cut off.

A resident said "it was raining and we were in our houses preparing meals when we suddenly saw water coming from Mount Mikeno invading our houses. We were afraid and fled without taking anything with us. Since then, we have been asking for aid.”

Another resident confirmed "we estimate that at least 1,500 houses were washed away by this flood that hit our village Nyamagana as well as our neighbors. In short, our whole group was affected."

Locals are now calling for humanitarian aid and revamping of the main road that leads to the area.

KABUL, 27 August 2021, (TON): Suicide bombers struck the crowded gates of Kabul airport with at least two explosions on Thursday, causing a bloodbath among civilians and US troops, and bringing a catastrophic halt to the airlift of tens of thousands of Afghans desperate to flee.

Two US officials put the US death toll at 12 service members killed, making it one of the deadliest incidents for American troops of the entire 20-year war.

A suicide bomber managed to reach a large gathering of translators and collaborators with the American army at 'Baran Camp' near Kabul Airport and detonated his explosive belt among them, killing about 60 people and wounding more than 100 others, including Taliban.

There was no complete death toll, but video images uploaded by Afghan journalists showed dozens of bodies of people killed in tightly packed crowds outside the airport.

A watery ditch by the airport fence was filled with bloodsoaked corpses, some being fished out and laid in heaps on the canal side while wailing civilians searched for loved ones.

There were reports of fresh explosions at the Kabul airport. However, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid clarified that they were carried out by US forces.

He wrote on Twitter "several explosions were heard in Kabul in the evening. The blasts were carried out by US forces inside Kabul airport to destroy their belongings."

Several Western countries said “the airlift of civilians was now effectively over, with the United States having sealed the gates of the airport leaving no way out for tens of thousands of Afghans who worked for the West through two decades of war.”

WASHINGTON, 27 August 2021, (TON): Joe Biden’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was pushed back a day as the US president cleared his agenda to address bombings in Kabul.

“The president’s bilateral meeting has been rescheduled for tomorrow” the White House said. The two leaders had been due to meet at 11:30 a.m. (1530 GMT) Thursday.

Bennett hopes to reboot ties with the Democratic administration after his predecessor Benjamin Netanyahu’s tempestuous and polarizing 12 years in office.

However, the crisis in Afghanistan loomed over their meeting even before the bombings tore through Kabul, causing multiple casualties and the deaths of at least 12 US troops.

Bennett acknowledged the impact of Afghanistan in a meeting Wednesday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Bennett said “Mr. Secretary, I appreciate you taking the time in pretty hectic days here in the States. It means a lot to us.”

BUDAPEST, 27 August 2021, (TON): The Hungarian Defence Minister Tibor Benko said that Hungary is ending evacuations in Afghanistan after airlifting 540 people including Hungarian citizens and Afghans and their families who worked for Hungarian forces previously.

The two military passenger planes and all the troops involved in the operation have returned safely to Hungary, Benko told a news conference.

Pressure to complete the evacuations of thousands of foreigners and Afghans who worked with Western countries during the 20-year war against the Taliban has intensified, with all U.S. and allied troops due to leave the airport next week.

Hungary had airlifted a total of 540 people from Afghanistan, including Hungarian, Austrian, Afghan and American nationals, flying them by military plane from Kabul to Uzbekistan, and then by commercial airline jet to Budapest.

Benko said “57 families had been airlifted, among them 180 children.”

Benko said “as for Afghan nationals, 87% of them have been evacuated, those who contacted us in time and could remain in contact, we have airlifted all of them.”