South Asia Terrorism Portal
The Taliban: Bad for Health Sanchita Bhattacharya Research Fellow, Institute for Conflict Management
A report titled, “Afghanistan: Violence Against Health Care in Conflict 2023“, published on June 24, 2024, exposed the horrid situation of health workers and staff in the country under the Taliban regime. More than 80 per cent of cases of violence against health care were ascribed to the Afghan government, Police, and intelligence forces, all of which are under the active control of the Taliban. The report identified 109 incidents of violence against, or obstruction of health care personnel and organisations in Afghanistan in 2023, compared to 87 in 2022.
In addition, at least 65 health workers were arrested or detained for questioning by Taliban forces in 38 incidents in 2023, compared to 33 arrests in 25 incidents in 2022.
The report further stated that violent incidents were widely dispersed across 28 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. Zabul province recorded the highest number of such cases. Cases attributed to the Taliban more than doubled in Balkh province between 2022 and 2023. As in previous years, incidents continued to be reported in Herat and Kabul provinces.
According to partial data collated by Institute for Conflict Management, 16 health care workers and doctors have been killed in 10 incidents (data till June 30), since the Taliban takeover of August, 2021.
Often Taliban operatives and ‘unknown perpetrators’ armed with guns beat health workers, shut down medical facilities, arrest and harass doctors and health providers.
Some such incidents include:
As reported on June 10, 2024, Taliban closed the Baran Health Institute in Bamiyan Province and detained its Director, Nvid Mozaffari, for giving anti-Taliban statements.
As reported on May 24, 2024, Dr. Sardar, owner of a hospital in Badakhshan Province, lost his life due to brutal torture inflicted by the Taliban. According to local reports, he was beaten by Taliban fighters, which led to his death.
On December 27, 2023, the head of the Medical Education Development Section at the Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Abdul Ghafar Hamdard, was shot dead by unidentified armed assailants inside his clinic at Roshan Hospital in the Kart-e-Naw area of Kabul.
As reported on November 25, 2023, in the Sarak-e Char area in Taloqan city of Takhar Province, Taliban forces apprehended Nabila Rahimi, a human rights activist and UNDP-affiliated health educator. She was reported to have been mistreated during her arrest.
On October 10, 2023, a female doctor, in the Maimana City maternity hospital in Faryab Province was forcibly removed from her workplace by a Taliban fighter.
On June 5, 2023, three Taliban operatives beat up a female nurse in Mazar-e-Sharif, Balkh Province. Based on reports from local sources, the nurse was severely injured.
On May 30, 2023, 28 NGO-funded and private health centers were raided and equipment destroyed by Taliban forces in Qalat city.
In May 2024, with a dire health crisis ongoing across the country, Qalandar Ebad a qualified physician and Taliban’s Minister of Public Health, was removed from his position, and in his place Noor Jalal, a cleric and former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Interior, was appointed.
Worse still, Afghanistan’s healthcare system teeters at the edge of collapse, as the Taliban channel most state resources toward defense and intelligence services. The Taliban’s budget for 2023-24 of USD 3,548.00 million provides an insight into the regime’s priorities, in which the budget of Ministry of Defence was USD 616.80 million, 17. 38 per cent of the total budget, and on the other hand, the Ministry of Public Health was allocated USD 80.00 million, 2.25 per cent of the total budget.
Further, nonprofit organisations and international donors are prohibited from employing female staff, and financial curbs have limited the outreach of aid organizations. In turn, vital community lifelines, such as rural clinics and nutrition centers have also been closed.
As reported on June 11, 2024, 17.9 million people require health assistance in Afghanistan, while 9.5 million have limited or no access to healthcare facilities. Afghanistan is one of the two countries in the world (the second is Pakistan) where polio is still prevalent. Recent estimates have suggested that under the Taliban regime, Afghanistan has 0.33 doctors per 1,000 people, as compared to 20 per 1,000 in high-income countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum rate of 2.5 doctors per 1,000. This shortage is disastrous in a country already grappling with some of the world's worst health outcomes, including acute malnutrition, stunting, and high child and maternal mortality. According to WHO, as reported, on May 25, 2024, Afghanistan has the highest maternal mortality rate in Asia, with 638 deaths per 100,000 live births. Also, since the start of 2024, over 1,000 children under the age of five have died in Afghanistan from pneumonia, accounting for 88 per cent of all pediatric respiratory infection deaths. Sadly, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on March 5, 2024, that 10 per cent of Afghan children under the age of five are malnourished and 45 per cent are stunted. According to UN Women’s Afghanistan Gender Country Profile 2024, published in June, 2024, only 10 per cent of women were able to cover their basic health needs, and approximately, 24,000 women give birth in hard-to-reach places in Afghanistan each month.
The healthcare system in Afghanistan has faced a severe crisis under Taliban rule. Citizens’ access to healthcare services has drastically decreased, and the majority of people, due to increasing poverty and persistent unemployment, cannot visit healthcare centers, enduring physical ailments along with mental distress. According to a June 9, 2024 report, last year (2023), 428 fixed and mobile health centers were forced to close in Afghanistan due to financial constraints. Besides, as reported on May 1, 2024, nearly 18 million Afghans, about 40 per cent of the population, have limited access to healthcare. Explaining the mental health challenges facing the population, Dr. Hanan Balkhy, the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, stated in March 2024, “50 per cent of Afghanistan’s population suffers from mental distress, impacting productivity and quality of life. This renders individuals vulnerable to mental health disorders and substance use.”
Moreover, Afghanistan has an urgent need for female doctors, as they are often the only healthcare providers available for women and children. Since December 2022, Taliban has banned women in higher education, and more than 3,000 women who had already graduated from medical schools were barred from taking the board exams required to practice, depriving the country of a critical resource.
The Taliban’s governance in Afghanistan has no doubt failed to establish crucial regulatory frameworks necessary for advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 5 (Gender Equality). Their inability to enforce policies ensuring equitable access to healthcare services, exacerbates health disparities and obstructs progress toward SDG 3. Following the Taliban takeover in August 2021, international development aid was suspended, while in 2023 humanitarian aid also decreased in value by over USD 1 billion. This decrease in aid occurred against the backdrop of rising humanitarian needs. Furthermore, as 428 fixed and mobile healthcare centers were forced to shut down (as mentioned above) between January and December 2023, which has had detrimental impact on access to healthcare for over three million people, including more than 600,000 children under five and over 240,000 pregnant women.
The existing problems of the health system in Afghanistan have been amplified by the Taliban’s August 2021 takeover, after which the country has faced a problematic security situation, financial stoppages, donor funding disruptions and international health staff evacuations. The health sector of Afghanistan is in total shambles, and worsening with the continuation of the Taliban regime. The Taliban apathy towards the general welfare of the population, including their health needs, is proving disastrous for the population of a country that has neither the resources nor the facilities to maintain even a basic minimum health service.
Maharashtra, Gadchiroli – On the road to peace Deepak Kumar Nayak Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management
On June 27, 2024, two women Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres carrying a cumulative reward of INR 1.6 million on their heads surrendered in Gadchiroli District. A release from the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) identified them as Bali alias Rambatti alias Zarina Narote (28) and Shashikala alias Chandrakala alias Manisha Uike (29), both ‘platoon party committee’ members of the proscribed CPI-Maoist ‘company No. 10’. The surrender of these two women, with rewards of INR 800,000 each on their heads, comes within a week of Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee Member (DKSZCM) Giridhar, who was the district's top Naxalite [left Wing Extremist, LWE], and his wife Sangeeta Usendi laying down arms. A total of 21 cases are registered against Narote, comprising 10 related to encounters, one each of arson and abduction, and nine related to other offences. Uike has eight cases against her name, of which six are related to encounters.
On June 23, 2024, CPI-Maoist ‘commander’ Nangsu Tumaretti alias Giridhar (44), involved in major Naxal activities and carrying a cash award of INR 2.5 million, surrendered along with his wife Sangeeta Usendi alias Lalita (35) in the presence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Gadchiroli District. Giridhar is an ambush and improvised explosive device (IED) specialist, whose efforts had fortified Maoist headquarters Abujhmarh and strongholds along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border. He and his wife faced around 220 criminal charges and carried bounties totaling INR 4.1 million (Giridhar INR 2.5 million and Lalita INR 1.6 million).
On June 10, 2024, a wanted CPI-Maoist cadre, Kishor alias Mukesh Kannake (37), with an INR 200,000 reward on his head, surrendered before the Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Gadchiroli District. After joining ‘Jan Militia’ (the people's army of the Maoists) as a member in 2014, Kannake quickly rose in the ranks and became the head of multiple Maoist factions like the Revolutionary People’s Council (RPC) and Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangthan (DAKMS). He was involved in three encounters, four murders, setting multiple vehicles ablaze, planting explosives in forests, and propagating the Naxalite ideology. In a statement to the Police, Kannake revealed that many senior Maoist leaders not only exploited the tribal youth but also misused funds. He added that many tribals were killed by their leaders, suspecting them to be ‘police informers’.
These incidents of surrender are indicative of the growing disillusionment among cadres in the district.
According to partial data collated by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), at least six Naxalites [Left Wing Extremists, LWEs] have surrendered in Gadchiroli District since the beginning of 2024 (data till June 30). During the corresponding period in 2023, no surrender was reported. However, three Naxalites had surrendered in the remaining period of 2023. A total of 273 Naxalites has surrendered in the district since March 6, 2000, when SATP started documenting Naxalite violence and activities in the district and the State, as well as across the country. The first incident of surrender was registered on May 22, 2003, when 16 Naxalites of the People's War Group (PWG) surrendered at Ghot village, Gadchiroli District. The Naxalites surrendered during a ‘Jan Jagran Abhiyan’ (Public Awareness Campaign) to create awareness among the villagers about Naxalite activities and also to bring back misguided youth to the mainstream.
Meanwhile, SFs have arrested seven Naxalites in the District in the current year (data till June 30, 2024), in addition, to seven cadres in 2023. A total of 364 Naxalites has been arrested since March 6, 2000. Significantly, the first incident of arrest was recorded by SATP on December 8, 2007, when Police detained three CPI-Maoist cadres from Jhadapapda village under Pendry Police Station limits in Gadchiroli District. The arrested Maoists were involved in several incidents in the neighbouring Kanker district of Chhattisgarh.
According to the SATP database, Gadchiroli has recorded eight fatalities (one civilian and seven Maoists) in Maoist-related violence in the current year (data till June 30, 2024). During the corresponding period in 2023, five fatalities (one civilian and four Maoists) were recorded in the district, while another six fatalities (four civilians and two Maoists) were recorded in the remaining period of 2023, taking the total to 11 fatalities (five civilians and six Maoists) through 2023. Significantly, while there has been an increase in overall fatalities in the current year, as compared to 2023, a closer analysis of the numbers suggests that the situation on the ground has actually improved. No fatality has been recorded in SF category thus far in 2024 (data till June 30, 2024). The last SF fatality was recorded on August 14, 2020, when a Police Constable, Dushyant Nandeshwar (26), was killed, while another Constable, Dinesh Bhosale, was injured when an CPI-Maoist ‘action team’ shot them in a market at Kothi village under the Bhamragad Tehsil (revenue unit) in Gadchiroli District.
Significantly, the overall SF:Naxalite kill ratio has remained in favour of the SFs, at 1:1.99, since March 6, 2000. However, the SFs have been ever more dominant since September 2020; (September 1, 2020, to July 30, 2024), killing 69 Naxalites, without losing any of their own personnel. Replying to a question in an interview on June 17, 2024, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) Neelotpal, thus stated,
The security scenario in the district improved dramatically after the successful major assault [LINK: SAIR-20.21] of November 13, 2021. In the encounter initiated by Commando-60 (C-60, the special anti-Maoist Force of the Maharashtra Police) units in the Mardintola forests of the Gyarapatti area in Korchi Tehsil (revenue unit) of Gadchiroli District, the Maoists lost 27 top ranking cadres, including top Maoist leader Milind Baburao Teltumbde aka Deepak Teltumbde aka Sahyadri aka Jeeva, a ‘central committee’ member and ‘secretary’ of the CPI-Maoist ‘Maharashtra State Committee’, carrying a reward of INR five million on his head. Teltumbde was the ‘head’ of the MMC (Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh) confluence zone of the rebels and was instrumental in building the Maoist movement in the State, along the Gondia, Balaghat and Mandla regions in Madhya Pradesh and the Rajnandgaon region of Chhattisgarh, over the preceding two decades. After his elimination, Maoist strength in the region declined substantially.
Moreover, in a recent assault on May 13, 2024, after 39 years, commandos in Gadchiroli crushed the Permili Dalam (armed squad) formation of the Peoples' Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), severing the supply chain to the Maoist headquarters in Abujhmarh. In the encounter, Permili Dalam, ‘commander’ Vasu Samar Korcha, who carried an INR 2.2 million bounty, was killed along with two women cadres, Reshma Madkam and Kamla Madavi, both members of Company No. 10 of Perimili Dalam. Reshma was also an ‘area committee member (ACM)’ of the PLGA. The Permili Dalam, established by educated Telugu youths, had turned Gadchiroli into the epicentre of Maoist violence since 1985, was one of the five armed formations under the South Gadchiroli division of Maoists in Dandakaranya zone, and was crucial for providing logistic support to insurgents in the ‘red corridor’, linking the north-south axis in the Maoist-affected district, spanning 14,400 square kilometres in northeastern Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, civilian fatalities, a key index of security of an area, have followed a cyclical trend in the district. One civilian fatality has been registered in the district in the current year (data till July 30, 2024). During the corresponding period of 2023, one civilian fatality was recorded, and another four in the remaining period of 2023, taking the total to five 2023. A maximum of 36 civilian fatalities was recorded in 2011, while a low of one fatality has been recorded on three occasions, in 2002, 2004, and 2024 (data till June 30, 2024).
According to a June 17, 2024, report, people from seven villages in Gadchiroli District have come together to stop Naxals from entering their villages. During an agricultural event, villagers gave copies of their decision to the Police at Dhodraj Station. The villages include Parayanar, Nelgunda, Kucher, Kawande, Gongwada, Mundapalli, and Mahakapadi. Further, according to a June 25, 2024, report, another six villages have taken commendable initiatives against the Naxalites. The villages include Aldandi, Bhatpar, Gopnar, Koir, Murungal, and Moradpar. The villagers of these 13 villages have opposed Naxalites and stopped providing them rations and water. Speaking on this initiative, SP Neelotpal observed,
Meanwhile, during an interview on June 17, 2024, while replying to a question on the support of the locals to the Police in combating Naxalism, SP Neelotpal, noted,
Gadchiroli has a total area of 14,412 square kilometres, of which 11,694 square kilometres, i.e., 78.40 per cent, fall under forest cover. The district has, for long, provided perfect topography for the Maoists to operate, as the task of locating and sanitising rebel hideouts is made difficult by the terrain. Further, its borders with four districts — Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, and Rajnandgaon — in Chhattisgarh, the worst Naxal-affected Indian state, as well as two Maoist-affected districts — Adilabad and Karimnagar — of Telangana, make it an ideal safe haven for the Maoists. Gadchiroli emerged as the epicentre of Maoist violence in Maharashtra and, at its peak in 2009, had registered at least 99 fatalities, including 52 SF personnel, 37 Maoists, and 10 civilians. Subsequently, however, the district has seen a perceptible decline in impact and influence.
Several other parameters also indicate that the Maoists are losing control in Gadchiroli since the major assault of November 13, 2021. Apart from the cadre’s disillusionment, there has been noticeable waning in the other indicators of Maoist disruptive actions. No major incidents (each involving three or more fatalities) have been reported since November 13, 2021. At peak, eight such incidents were recorded in 2006. Four arson-related incidents have been recorded since November 13, 2021 – three in 2022, and one in 2023. At peak, 11 such incidents were recorded in 2019. Significantly, the Maoists have been unable to engineer an incident of explosion since 2019. The last explosion was orchestrated by the rebels on May 27, 2019, when CPI-Maoist cadres exchanged fire with a team of elite C-60 Commandos in Gadchiroli District, in which Maoists used an Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL). At peak, five such incidents were recorded in 2005.
The Maoist influence and their impact are on a decline in Gadchiroli, one of their crucial strongholds in the past, a strategic confluence zone connecting Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana. Sustained and aggressive consolidation against the Maoists by SFs and outreach by the civilian administration can ensure that the residual movement is eventually eradicated.
Weekly Fatalities: Major Conflicts in South Asia June 24-30, 2024
Civilians
Security Force Personnel
NS
Total
AFGHANISTAN
BANGLADESH
CHT
INDIA
Chhattisgarh
Jammu and Kashmir
Manipur
INDIA (Total)
PAKISTAN
Balochistan
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
PAKISTAN (Total)
Total (South Asia)
List of sanctions to be discussed in UN-led Doha meeting, says Taliban official: On June 28, Zakir Jalali, a senior official from the Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the upcoming United Nations (UN)-led meeting in Doha (Qatar) meeting is expected to address the lifting of sanctions imposed on the Taliban. He stated that it is anticipated the discussions at the Doha meeting will focus on the "removal of unilateral and illegal sanctions.” Afghanistan International, June 29, 2024.
Religious minorities face extensive violence and discrimination, says US State Department: On June 26, secretary of the United States Department of State, Antony Blinken said in its annual report titled “International Religious Freedom”, that religious minorities in Afghanistan faced violent attacks and widespread discrimination in 2023 (last year). Blinken highlighted the Taliban's failure to protect religious minorities in Afghanistan, violent attacks, forced displacement, and declining populations of Sikhs, Hindus and Shia. Khaama Press, June 29, 2024.
Taliban’s ‘Pashtunism & Discrimination’ will lead to destruction, says Taliban official: Abdul Hamid Khorasani, a Tajik commander of the Taliban, said that the behaviour of the Taliban's leadership (Emirate's leadership) towards non-Pashtun Taliban members is akin to that of "prisoners of war, slaves, and servants," which he believes would lead to the destruction of the Emirate of Pashtuns. He further said, “This is not an Islamic Emirate, but rather an ethnic Emirate of the Kandahari and Zadran tribes." Taliban leadership lacks a fair perspective and that "power is monopolised by a specific circle," he added. Afghanistan International, June 28, 2024.
Afghan farmers continue to grow poppies despite Taliban’s ban: As per United Nations and local sources, poppy cultivation in Afghanistan was down sharply last year, but the plants are being grown in most provinces despite a ban imposed by the Taliban. Local sources indicate that farmers in approximately 29 provinces have been cultivating poppies since April 2024, with Badakhshan, Helmand, Herat, and Nangarhar provinces being the largest growers. Big News Network.com, June 28, 2024.
Doha meeting with Taliban not about recognition, says UN: On June 26, United Nations (UN) political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo stated that the UN-led meeting with Afghanistan's Taliban scheduled for June 30 and July 1 in Doha, Qatar, will not discuss the international recognition of the Taliban. She said "This is not a meeting about recognition. This is not a meeting to lead to recognition ... Having engagement doesn't mean recognition. This isn't about the Taliban. This is about Afghanistan and the people." The Straits Times, June 27, 2024.
Anti-Taliban groups urge UN “not to legitimize the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan”: In a gathering in Vienna, anti-Taliban political and military groups issued a joint statement urging the United Nations "not to legitimize the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan". The statement reads, "Participants of the Vienna meeting expect Mr. António Guterres to act responsibly regarding the Afghanistan issue, understanding the sensitivity of this matter." Afghanistan International, June 27, 2024.
Taliban establishes radio stations to promote ‘Jihadi’ thinking, says multiple reports : As per the report by Rukhsana Media, a media outlet focused on the rights of Afghan women, Taliban established radio stations that broadcast programs that promote jihadi thinking and suppression of women in the home. Muzhda Mohammadi's report, "New Herat Radio Stations Fill Airwaves with Taliban's Ideological Extremism," reviews broadcasts by Huriat, a Taliban-run radio station, where recent programs advocate mothers whispering jihadi lullabies to infants to familiarize them with jihad. MEMRI | Middle East Media Research Institute, June 27, 2024.
UN reports surge in attacks against Taliban rule across Afghanistan: On June 21, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in its quarterly report submitted by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to the Security Council, detailing a surge in attacks by armed groups opposing Taliban rule in Afghanistan. As per the report the National Resistance Front (NRF) carried out 29 confirmed attacks in the past three months, with 20 in Kabul and others in the northern provinces of Takhar, Baghlan, and Parwan. The Express Tribune, June 25, 2024.
Maoist ‘commanders’ trapping rural laborers and small businessmen for attacks and levy in Jharkhand: Unable to overcome the Security Forces (SFs) themselves, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) ‘commanders’ have started using innocent villagers, taking advantage of the helplessness, and are involving them in their activities. The Maoist ‘commanders’ are trapping rural labourers and small businessmen in their net by giving 30 to 40 thousand rupees to each labourers for attacks and collecting ‘levy’ (extortion money). ETV Bharat Jharkhand, June 29, 2024.
No blanket amnesty for HNLC, says Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma: Meghalaya Chief Minister (CM) Conrad Sangma said the Meghalaya Government has ruled out giving blanket amnesty to Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and stated that while minor issues can be resolved, it is not feasible to offer blanket amnesty to HNLC. Sangma stated that the Meghalaya Government is in ongoing discussions with the Central Government regarding HNLC’s demands. Northeast Now, June 25, 2024.
Police will win the war against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, says DGP RR Swain: On June 27, Director General of Police (DGP) RR Swain said Police would win the war against terrorists as he described the killings of three Pakistani terrorists in Doda District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on June 26. Swain said, “We will win this war (against terrorism), maybe we have to suffer some minor losses”. Daily Excelsior, June 28, 2024.
PFI on a mission to establish Islamic rule in India by 2047, states NIA: National Investigation Agency (NIA) stated that Popular Front of India (PFI) had been on a mission to establish Islamic rule in India by 2047. The statement by NIA came out on the recovery of a voice clip of the 15th accused identified as, Muhammed Mubarak, in the murder case of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Sreenivasan on April 16, 2022, and that the murder was plotted on the larger PFI’s scheme of “India 2047”. New Indian Express, June 26, 2024.
IS accuses Taliban of forging alliances with India: Voice of Khurasan, the magazine of Islamic State (IS) accuses the Taliban of forging alliances with India and turning a blind eye to numerous crimes allegedly committed by Hindu polytheists against Islam. IS also accused Taliban of prioritising the protection of India’s security over the welfare of Muslims and having stood by India in its war against terrorism. Free Press Journal, June 24, 2024.
Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction of TTP announced new operation Al Fatah: The Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has announced a new operation called Al Fatah. The details about the operation are yet to be known. The Khorasan Diary, June 28, 2024.
Operation Azm-e-Istehkam aimed at continuing ongoing IBOs, says PM Shehbaz Sharif: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on June 25 ruled out any large-scale military operation under the Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, said that ongoing Intelligence-Based Operations (IBOs) will be intensified. Speaking at the Federal Cabinet meeting called on to take the members into confidence about the prevailing ‘misunderstanding and speculations’ about the Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, the PM said that instead of any large-scale operation, the already ongoing intelligence-based kinetic operations would be energised. ARY News, June 26, 2024.
TTP hideouts in Afghanistan can be targeted under Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, says Defence Minister Khawaja Asif: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on June 27 stated that under Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, the Government could target terrorist hideouts across the border in Afghanistan. In an interview with Voice of America (VoA), Asif explained that the decision for Operation Azm-e-Istehkam was not made hastily. The Express Tribune, June 28, 2024.
SRA ‘chief’ Syed Asghar Shah declares China and Punjab as ‘enemies’: The Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA) ‘chief’ Syed Asghar Shah, issued a media statement on June 23 declaring China as the biggest enemy of the Sindhis and ally of the Punjabis, who he claims have enslaved the Sindhi people. Shah emphasized that the “conscious” people of the Sindhi nation and the workers of the Sindhi national movement understand that a friend of their foe cannot be their friend. Shah stated that for the past 77 years, China has been a close ally of Punjab, the oppressor of the Sindhi people. The Balochistan Post, June 25, 2024.
Thousands of TTP fighters given shelter, amnesty during PTI rule; says Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif: Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on June 24 said that around 5,000-6,000 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters were brought back, given shelter and amnesty during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Government. "The army conducts an operation against terrorists, but the civilian government of this area does not fulfil its responsibility," Khawaja Asif said while speaking to Geo News. Geo News, June 25, 2024.
Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admits State’s failure in protecting minorities: Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on June 23 admitted on the floor of the National Assembly that the State had failed in the protection of minorities in Pakistan as the lower house of the parliament passed a resolution condemning the recent incidents of mob lynching in various parts of the country with a majority vote amid surprise opposition by the members belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). “Minorities are being murdered daily ….. no religious minority is safe in Pakistan. Even the smaller sects of the Muslims are not safe,” declared Khawaja Asif. DAWN Today's Paper, June 25, 2024.
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