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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/t...cash-xz9xjnmjw
Taliban take seats on mercy flights out of Afghanistan to raise Gulf cash Evacuation flights designed to allow vulnerable Afghans to flee the Taliban have been suspended over fears that militants have been using the US-chartered planes to leave the country. The Islamist fundamentalists who swept to power in August are said to have demanded a number of seats on every US-chartered Qatar Airways flight from Kabul to Doha for their own supporters, in a suspected attempt to raise money abroad. The dispute over who can use the planes, which are intended for humanitarian purposes, has led to a temporary halt of the regular flights since mid-December. There is no indication of when they will resume.…. Before this month’s suspension there were at least one or two evacuation flights a week between Kabul and Doha. They offered a lifeline to Afghan refugees as the Taliban regained power after the withdrawal of American and British troops….. Ned Price, a US State Department spokesman, confirmed the suspension of evacuation flights late last week, suggesting that Qatar had objected to the Taliban’s demand to allocate seats in return for use of its airspace. “It is essential that Kabul airport remain operational to ensure safe passage, commerce and, above all, urgently needed humanitarian aid,” he told the US broadcaster NBC News. “The Qataris have been unfailing, generous and critical partners in this important work, and we support the quickest possible resolution to any disagreements.” NBC News, quoting a US Congress source, a State Department official and two refugee advocates, said the feud was between the Taliban and the Qatari government, which has previously criticised security at Kabul airport and the harassment of refugees by Taliban fighters. However, The Times has learnt that neither Qatar nor the Taliban think that they have a disagreement. In their assessments it was the US’s refusal to issue seats to the Taliban that caused the group to halt the flights. Sources familiar with the evacuation process said that the Taliban had previously submitted a list of selected names to Qatar’s foreign ministry, which then co-ordinated with American officials, and only those on the US’s final evacuees list were allowed to board flights leaving Kabul. It is not clear whether those selected by the Taliban to leave were hardened fighters, sympathisers, civilians or a combination of the groups. However, the demand for seats on flights is understood to have led to concerns that the group could be seeking to reach out to its clandestine funding networks and to procure money for its own purposes.…. |
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Unfortunately, it's nothing new. They have been selling children (girls mostly) to pay back debt or to settle blood-feuds for centuries. It's called Baad. Clearly, the economic meltdown has increased the tempo, but when you are dirt poor and you keep popping out kids... If we had given Afghan women access to birth control in 2001, the TB would not be in power today. Giving women the power to choose when/if to have children is the ultimate social engineering tool.
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Meanwhile, lest we forget those still fighting in the Panjshir valley…
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It appears that some of the warlords are about tired of the Taliban, and will be trying to do something about it.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/06/14...c_latest062921 The author, Lynne O’Donnell is a columnist at Foreign Policy and an Australian journalist and author. She was the Afghanistan bureau chief for Agence France-Presse and the Associated Press between 2009 and 2017. A few high points:The band that broke Afghanistan in the early 1990s and hobbled it for years after is, in other words, getting back together.
Originally Posted by linked article, excerpted
JUNE 14, 2022, 2:34 PM
Unlike their first time around in power—right after the Soviet pullout in 1989—this time the warlords might even seem appealing, so awful is the Taliban regime that took over in August of last year. The back-to-the-future moment for the old guard came in May when 40 of the like-minded converged in the Turkish capital, Ankara, to meet with Uzbek leader Abdul Rashid Dostum and his hangers-on. Dostum, like some of his fellow warlords, used the wealth accumulated during the 20 years of the U.S.-backed Afghan republic to build his own patronage network, the coin of the realm in Afghanistan’s political landscape. At the time, Dostum and men like him supported the reconstruction effort funded by the United States and allies and encouraged education for women, including the dispatch of thousands of Afghan students abroad to study. But the Ankara gathering had a bigger crowd. Among the group was Ahmad Wali Massoud, uncle of Ahmad Massoud, the head of the National Resistance Front and one of the few personalities of Afghan politics untainted by accusations of corruption or atrocities. His late father, Northern Alliance general Ahmad Shah Massoud, is renowned for keeping the Taliban from taking full control of the country before they were crushed in 2001. In a statement, those in the group said they had formed a “High Council of National Resistance” to demand that the Taliban negotiate their return to Afghanistan and include them in government—or face the consequences. If the Taliban don’t talk, a spokesman for Dostum threatened, “Afghanistan will experience civil war once again.” Afghans know what that means. With an average age of 19 years, the vast majority of the population of around 38 million knows only war. The warlords and their cohort are part of a perpetual cycle that has blighted Afghanistan for more than 40 years. People are exhausted and yearn for peace, but the depredations of the Taliban present a new phase of crisis. And now the warlords are back in the mix. Those in the new resistance front are hardly saviors. Dostum, for instance, was accused in 2016 of ordering the abduction, rape, and torture of an opponent. That was par for the course: In 2001, he allegedly rounded up captured Taliban gunmen and sealed them in shipping containers to suffocate to death. When he was a deputy to former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani—an alliance built on his ability to deliver a million Uzbek votes—his gunmen regularly took over Kabul’s streets in a show of force. Among the others in Ankara: Atta Muhammad Noor, who had his own army while he ruled a breadbasket province and, like Dostum, groomed his son as successor. Others present in Ankara included Hazara leaders, former mujahideen, former members of the Afghan republic, and a few other warlords. Women even took part, one advisor said, via Zoom. Afghanistan’s mosaic is now dangerously fractured. Across the north, armed groups are fighting to dislodge the Taliban, giving the warlords and their allies confidence they’ll find popular support for a comeback as pressure grows on Western governments to end Afghanistan’s isolation. Amid looming starvation for millions and economic implosion worsened by U.S. financial sanctions, the old guard has a number of factors on its side, not least the Taliban’s proven inability to function as a national government. But amid the rumblings of civil war, some analysts warn that history is set to repeat with another atrocity like the 9/11 attacks as dozens of anti-West terrorist groups converge with Taliban protection. The atomized landscape gives the new-old group of warlords breathing space to plot their return. A Dostum advisor, speaking on condition he not be identified, said the group wants the Taliban to widen the makeup of its government, currently composed of mostly Sunni Pashtuns and exclusively men. He said the council supports decentralization, a central national resistance platform and a step toward breaking the country into autonomous, ethnically dominated regions. That’s not an impossible request, said anthropologist Omar Sharifi, who teaches at the American University of Afghanistan. The warlords have proved themselves able to adapt with time and circumstances, transitioning from jihad to democracy as necessary to maintain and build their power, influence, and wealth. The Taliban are so bad, Sharifi said, that they could make the warlords look over time like an attractive alternative. The Taliban’s first turn in power grew out of the 1992-1996 civil war, when warlords tried to annihilate each other after the occupying Soviet army was defeated by U.S.-funded mujahideen in 1989; the Afghan government had collapsed three years after the Soviet withdrawal. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed in Kabul alone, and parts of the city still bear the pockmarks of the fighting. The Taliban were greeted with cheers and tears when they took over, though the joy of an end to the war didn’t last long under their theocracy. Women were sequestered; music, dancing, and photography were banned; thieves’ hands were amputated and displayed in markets; and crimes such as adultery were punished with public executions. Yet the lack of a credible governing alternative—as well as a growing humanitarian crisis—is behind growing pressure on U.S. President Joe Biden to recognize the Taliban, the world’s biggest drug cartel, which count dozens of sanctioned terrorists in their upper ranks. Citing the need to relieve the humanitarian disaster—despite billions of dollars going to the United Nations to feed the growing numbers of hungry people—and safeguard U.S. interests, some commentators have suggested ending the Taliban’s isolation with engagement short of diplomatic recognition. So far, though, the Taliban remain pariahs at home and abroad. For New York-based researcher Ali Mohammad Ali, who advised the former Afghan government on security, the prospect of the warlords’ return is evidence of the failure of successive Afghan governments and their Western supporters to build sustainable institutions. “The international community is incompetent and incoherent and has to get its act together because Afghanistan’s problems will not remain in Afghanistan,” he said. He underscored the lack of durable governing institutions built during the decades of Western stewardship, including a capable central bank and competent central government. Without the creation of such capacity, he said, the country again risks disintegrating and becoming a hotbed of terrorism. “Otherwise you enable the emergence of not only warlords and Taliban oppression but groups like ISIS and al Qaeda that will fill the void by providing justice and services to the people. This is what happened in Iraq, and it will happen in Afghanistan if the current situation is normalized,” he said. |
"It appears that some of the warlords are about tired of the Taliban, and will be trying to do something about it."
Interesting to see the centuries old cycle of Afghan power politics is alive and well - country invaded by foreigners - all quiet - people rise up and foreigners leave - quiet - regions/warlords//tribes start to fight Kabul Govt (and each other - descent into chaos - chaos exported - country invaded by foreigners it's about a 30 year cycle |
Originally Posted by Asturias56
(Post 11246310)
"It appears that some of the warlords are about tired of the Taliban, and will be trying to do something about it."
Interesting to see the centuries old cycle of Afghan power politics is alive and well - country invaded by foreigners - all quiet - people rise up and foreigners leave - quiet - regions/warlords//tribes start to fight Kabul Govt (and each other - descent into chaos - chaos exported - country invaded by foreigners it's about a 30 year cycle |
Salute!
Great OP-ed appeared shortly after Kabul fell, and it describes the fate of the 'stan. I wholeheartedly agreed with the guy's conclusion. To avoid some ROE concerning polyticks, I submit the URL for your consideration. https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/202...el-greenfield/ Gums sends... |
The worst thing that could have happened to the Taliban was to win the war. They are an effective guerilla army but utterly incompetent at running a country and will fail just like the last time. But in any case the traditional model of Afghan governance is a loose federation of states each run by the local.warlord. History has shown that any attempt to impose a national government is domed to fail.
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Originally Posted by gums
(Post 11246548)
Salute!
Great OP-ed appeared shortly after Kabul fell, and it describes the fate of the 'stan. I wholeheartedly agreed with the guy's conclusion. To avoid some ROE concerning polyticks, I submit the URL for your consideration. https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/202...el-greenfield/ Gums sends... At BPF: The worst thing that could have happened to the Taliban was to win the war. They are an effective guerilla army but utterly incompetent at running a country and will fail just like the last time. Darned few are any good at running a country, all of them are capable of winning a revolution...and then comes the hard part. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss is what happens as often as not. |
And when you can’t name a problem, you never come up with a solution. |
"History has shown that any attempt to impose a national government is domed to fail."
Very true let's just hope that in 25-30 years outside Governments remember how easy it is to get to Kabul and how it all goes to hell in a handbasket a year afterwards.............. |
Originally Posted by gums
(Post 11246548)
Salute!
Great OP-ed appeared shortly after Kabul fell, and it describes the fate of the 'stan. I wholeheartedly agreed with the guy's conclusion. To avoid some ROE concerning polyticks, I submit the URL for your consideration. https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/202...el-greenfield/ Gums sends... Through a number of contacts in the local community I get something of an inside track on the subculture that is evolving from the influx. As the author of this piece correctly observes it doesn't take too long before they begin to resent their host country - despite being offered a degree of support which is luxurious in comparison with the environment of their origins. Our local council has had to disperse and relocate some of the young Afghan males ( plus Syrian etc) who were coalescing into dangerous gang-like groups. That their characters have been created by the situation in their home country of perpetual war, absence of education and religious obscurantism in no way moderates my objections. |
So Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan released a video footage of today attack on the Pakistan Airforce #Mianwali Airbase. Video footage clearly showing that TJP attacks & destroyed various Fighter Jet of PAF standing side of Runway using Rocket launchers 🇵🇰
We can see it clearly that at least 10-12 Fighter Jets are burning through out line & Shameless Pakistan Airforce said nothing happened. Looks like F-16, F-7,K-8, Mirage-5 & various other big Planes are turned into Scrap now. Also many Soldiers of PAF K!IIed too but I have cut that part due to Twitter rules. At least Three Chinese made Chengdu F-7PG fighter jets of Pakistan Air Force damaged beyond repair at PAF Base Mianwali by attackers. Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP) claims that their fidayeens have attacked Mianwali Pakistan Airforce airbase in punjab and destroyed many small & Big jets along with killing PAF Pilots & forces personnel, Ops ongoing.... Local residents posted unverified video footage on social media confirming the attack PTI is even ahead of RAW in it's propaganda. Indian accounts claiming 6 jets lost while PTI account claims 40. |
With pro indian and pro pakistan spamming rubbish no real clue as to what and how many
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The world does seem to be slowly descending into a spiral of war…
Heavy clashes have erupted on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Taliban soldiers started the clash by attacking the Pakistani Army near the Bajaur-Kunar border. https://www.jihadwatch.org/2024/01/t...akistan-border |
I think that history will show that the next Korea War level major regional conflict started on October 6.....
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Originally Posted by Big Pistons Forever
(Post 11580138)
I think that history will show that the next Korea War level major regional conflict started on October 6.....
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Here we go again…
Al Qaeda opens 8 new training camps, 5 madrasas, and a facilitation network to Iran in Afghanistan Al Qaeda opened eight new training camps, five madrasas, a weapons depot and safe houses in Afghanistan that are used to facilitate the movement of its members to and from Iran. Additionally, “the relationship between the Taliban and Al-Qaida remains close,” the United Nations Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team reported. The presence of new Al Qaeda training camps and other infrastructure inside Afghanistan was disclosed by the United Nations Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which issued its latest report on Afghanistan on January 29. The eight Al Qaeda camps have been opened in the provinces of Ghazni, Laghman, Parwan and Uruzgan. “Some camps might be temporary,” the Monitoring Team noted. Al Qaeda is now operating training camps in 10 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. In its previous report, the Monitoring Team reported that Al Qaeda was operating training camps in Helmand, Zabul, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Badghis, and Kunar. An Al Qaeda leader known as Hakim al-Masri is “is responsible for the training camps and conducting suicide bomber training for TTP.” In the central province of Panjshir, the former bastion of the anti-Taliban National Resistance Front, Al Qaeda has established a new base “to stockpile weaponry.” Al Qaeda is also operating five madrasas, or religious schools, in Laghman, Kunar, Nangarhar, Nuristan and Parwan provinces. Al Qaeda and the Iran connection In Herat, Farah and Helmand provinces, Al Qaeda “maintains safe houses to facilitate the movement [of members] between Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” as well as safe houses in Kabul. At least one Al Qaeda safe house in Kabul was exposed in July 2022, when the U.S. killed Ayman al Zawahiri, the co-founder and previous emir of Al Qaeda. Zawahiri was killed in a drone strike as he sheltered in a safe house that was run by a lieutenant of Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is one of the Taliban’s two deputy emirs as well as the current interior minister. Sirajuddin’s powerful Haqqani Network is listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organization for its close ties to Al Qaeda. Sirajuddin and many of his top lieutenants are also labeled as Specially Designated Global Terrorists by the U.S.…. |
Is the "Al Qaeda Iran connection" about Al Qaeda running ops on Iran out of Afghanistan,
or, is this a story about Al Qaeda and Iran deciding to be friends for a while? |
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