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​ ​ 28 Feb 2024

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Taliban measure to enrol women in public medical institutes promoted by bot-like social media accounts The news that female graduates would be allowed to apply to study in public medical institutes in 11 provinces has been heavily promoted by social media accounts, some of which display bot-like behaviour 28 Feb 2024 Photo: © Afghan Witness, October 2022 On 20 February, the Taliban Directorate of Government Dailies website published an article announcing that female graduates who had completed high school were able to apply to study in public medical institutes in the upcoming academic year. This announcement followed a letter , sent by the Ministry of Public Health to provincial directors of public health in Kapisa, Parwan, Panjshir, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Paktika, Logar, Khost, Badakhshan, Bamyan and Paktia, directing them to begin recruiting female graduates of the 12th grade for health institutes; the letter was dated 9 February 2024. Bot-like behaviour disseminating the news. Bakhtar News Agency, a Taliban-controlled state outlet, posted about this decision on social media, attracting the attention of numerous pro-Taliban users. Despite the account deleting their initial post about the letter shortly after it was published, its content was still used by dozens of social media users to spread the news. Within the first 24 hours, at least 49 accounts posted the identical text alongside the image initially shared by Bakhtar News Agency across X, displaying bot-like behaviour. Figure: Examples of two accounts amplifying the news in identical posts, from accounts displaying botlike behaviour on X. This amplification was also observed on Facebook, with numerous accounts sharing the identical content with their followers. This behaviour persisted throughout the 21 and 22 February 2024, on both social media platforms. Although it was possible to detect some organic engagement , it was clear the message was being pushed by large numbers of pro-Taliban bot accounts, a behaviour previously observed and reported by AW. In addition to the main message, some accounts added their own mark of approval in the form of “ clapping ” or “ 100 ” emojis, as can be seen below. Figure: Pro-Taliban bot accounts promoting the news with emojis showing approval. On 19 February, the day before Bakhtar published the announcement, an account claiming to be Sonia Niazi , a female TOLO news presenter, also promoted the decision. The account shared a photo of the decree on X and Facebook , with a message in Pashto that said: “Step by step to solve all problems.” The same content and photos were then observed being copy-pasted by multiple pro-Taliban accounts on X – many displaying bot-like behaviour – in an attempt to amplify the perceived support for the decision. Other accounts with female profile pictures that actively share pro-Taliban content were also observed on both on X and Facebook promoting the measure. In addition to “Niazi”, a couple other users claiming to be Afghan female news reporters also shared and amplified the content with their thousands of followers on X. AW note that there is no way to confirm whether these accounts are indeed run by women, or whether they are accounts run by men, using female profile pictures in an attempt to portray a female perspective. Official Taliban support Taliban officials have so far remained silent on the issue. Wardak Al-Hafani, an account claiming to work for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, posted about the upcoming changes to girls medical education to his more than 104K followers on X. Al-Hafani has consistently supported the image that the Taliban care about girls' education, even prior to the take-over. In December 2020 the account posted : “The IEA is committed to providing high quality education in accordance with Islamic affairs and in accordance with the culture of Afg to all its male & female citizens.” In March and December 2022, when the administration prevented girls from accessing education beyond the sixth grade, and later banned female students from attending university, Hafani reassured his followers that these decisions were only temporary . He said: “Once the issue of specific hijab is resolved,” women and girls will be allowed to study again. AW has been unable to confirm the identity of the person responsible for this account. The profile image shows a photo of Mohammad Naeem Wardak, the spokesperson of the Taliban's Political Office in Qatar. It has been suggested by BBC Monitoring that the Al-Hafani account is a backup for Wardak. Possible reason for the promotion of the new measure It is possible that the Taliban approved and amplified the measure ahead of the meeting of Special Envoys on Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar, as a move to demonstrate the group was making progress on girls’ education (and to pre-empt the anticipated criticism on the topic). The UN-led meeting, which took place over 18 and 19 February, brought together envoys from 25 countries, the EU, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, as well as representatives from Afghan civil society, to discuss the evolving situation in Afghanistan, since the Taliban’s takeover, and possible avenues for international engagement with the regime. The Taliban did not send a special envoy to the meeting, as the group objected to the participation of other representatives from Afghanistan, claiming that their participation would be “unbeneficial” if the UN did not see them as the sole representatives of Afghanistan. Moreover, the Taliban also demanded a meeting with the UN Secretary-General, which Antonio Guterres claimed would “to a large extent” amount to recognition of the regime, a position the UN was unprepared to take. Instead, a UN undersecretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs met separately with a representative from the Taliban’s political office in Doha. The conference ended with consensus on goals that the Taliban must meet – including women and girls’ right to education – but limited progress on how the international community should engage with Afghanistan’s de facto authorities. Another possible reason behind the announcement to allow women and girls to enrol in public medical institutes across 11 provinces was the desire to minimise clashes between differing viewpoints within the Taliban community. In October 2023 a group of Afghans and human rights activists used AI-generated images depicting women and girls being treated my male doctors, going against traditional Afghan customs and sensibilities. The campaign aimed to urge the Taliban to allow women and girls to study medicine, in order to fulfil essential roles and maintain Afghan customs in society. Whilst there were a few vocal opponents , some pro-Taliban users with significant follower counts on X were observed supporting the initiative. However, AW note that, despite the recent announcement to permit enrolments in selected provinces, there was no evidence to suggest they could not already do so. On 18 November 2023, Abdul Bari Omar, the Acting Head of Afghanistan National Food and Drug Administration, shared a video clip from his trip to Cologne, Germany, in which he claims that medical institutes remained open for women and girls in Afghanistan. In the clip, he also says that 40 percent of the Ministry of Public Health’s staff members were women. AW has been unable to confirm this statistic. Share

​ ​ 27 Feb 2024

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'Playing on both sides': Russian manoeuvring in Afghanistan on the rise Over the past few months, Russia’s manoeuvring on Afghanistan appears to have increased, with indications of rising engagement with both Taliban and anti-Taliban forces. 27 Feb 2024 Image: Moscow, Russia via Canva On 22 December 2023, the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted a roundtable on two years of Taliban rule, inviting representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry, interregional diaspora, political scientists, cultural experts, ethnographers, and businesspeople. Importantly, among the guests were several ‘political technologists’ who have played important roles in Russia’s information and influence operations overseas, including Maxim Shugalei and Yulia Ber (née Afanasieva). Both were key on-the-ground operators for Evgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner Group in Africa and both sanctioned for their roles. Another participant, Alexander Prokofiev, has also been associated with the Wagner Group’s influence operations in Africa. Meanwhile another participant, Andrei Gromov, is head of the more secretive GR Group, which also plays a key role in Russian information operations in Africa. Shugalei has travelled to Kabul on several occasions, including shortly after the fall of Kabul, which was well documented by international media at the time, including The Washington Post , which described his trip in the following manner: “He was on a mission to promote the Kremlin’s interests. Oh, and also to undercut the United States wherever possible.” The other political technologists attending the roundtable, however, had no significant background on Afghanistan. The result of the roundtable – as set out in a memo shared by Shugalei – was the decision to create a draft resolution, proposing Russia lift sanctions against Afghanistan and recognise the Taliban government as legitimate. The memo also stated that Shugalei and Bogdan Deryabin, a psychologist and political technologist , would travel to Kabul in January 2024 with the intention of creating a working group with the Taliban on education and the implementation of education programmes (while respecting Afghan values and sovereignty). A month after the roundtable took place, on 22 January 2024, Shugalei posted on his Telegram channel that he was travelling to Kabul to conduct interviews with local residents, and build on similar research he conducted shortly after the fall of Kabul. He commented that since then, the Taliban “have managed to make significant progress in the country’s development”, adding “it’s interesting to talk to the people of Afghanistan yourself, to understand how the attitude towards the Taliban has transformed within the country”. The post was accompanied by a photograph of an interview guide. A video posted the following day showed the view from a vehicle window as it drove through the Karte Parwan area of Kabul. Figure: A photograph of the guide developed for interviews (in Russian) and a still from a video showing the Kabul Atlas Hospital in Karte Parwan (Location: 34.534785, 69.137811), both shared on Shugalei’s Telegram Interestingly, Shugalei claimed his trip was cut short. According to a 6 February 2024 update on his Telegram account: “The deployment ended faster than planned.” He added that “not everything planned was realised,” but noted that another trip would most likely happen again. About this future trip, he said: “We will be able to conduct high-quality research and share with you objective data about the situation in the country”. The Telegram post then provided Shugalei’s impressions of Kabul, which were largely positive. He said that the country was “moving in the right direction” and claimed that the “local residents had no fears of the Taliban.” It is also worth noting that he also said he was stopped at a checkpoint on the way to the airport, “despite having diplomatic plates.” This indicates that Shugalei’s trip was to some degree supported by Russia’s official in-country presence. Shugalei’s remarks on conducting “high quality research” and the interview guide he shared suggest he is carrying out focus groups and polling to inform potential communications work. He previously carried out similar work for the Wagner Group in various African countries, including Libya, Sudan, and Mali, as part of the Group’s support to governments or individuals in these countries; this kind of work also sought to inform Wagner communications strategies when entering a country. While there is no indication of active campaigns by Shugalei or Russia within Afghanistan yet, it is notable that Russia’s leading overseas influence experts have gathered on Afghanistan and declared an interest in seeking Taliban recognition. Russia’s opposition engagement and Saleh’s attack on US role in Afghanistan While the Kremlin’s arm’s length influence operators were discussing Afghanistan and recognition of the Taliban, Afghan opposition figures were becoming increasingly visible in Russia. On 22 January 2024 – the day Shugalei appeared to travel to Kabul – former Afghan politician and one-time First Vice President, Amrullah Saleh, gave an interview to Andrei Serenko, one of Russia’s leading experts on Afghanistan, which was published in the newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta . The interview, which was published under the title “Americans Have Put Kabul to Sleep with their Sweet Political Lies,” featured a series of highly critical comments on the US’ role in Afghanistan and the Taliban’s takeover. This interview appeared to be in line with the Russian strategy of needling the US over Afghanistan, using the Doha Agreement and related engagement with the Taliban to undermine the US’ credibility as an international actor. Summarising Saleh’s remarks, Serenko wrote: “Saleh calls Washington’s policy towards its Afghan ally treacherous and regrets that President Ashraf Ghani’s team, having become a hostage of American intrigues, missed the chance to save the country by refusing to support Russian initiatives in the field of the Afghan peace settlement.” In the interview, Saleh accused the US of replacing the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan with the Taliban in 2021. He linked what he calls “the secret deal” between the US and the Taliban, to reinstate Taliban rule in Afghanistan, to the US-Russia long-term rivalry and post-Crimea tensions between the two powers. He claimed that the US and the Taliban had been in weekly contact since 2014 and that Russia's annexation of Crimea was a catalyst in the US decision to leave Afghanistan. Saleh then provides details of his and President Ghani’s interactions with American authorities between 2015 and 2021. He said that he regrets the Republic’s blind trust in America, and the West in general. He admitted that ignoring regional peace initiatives, particularly those launched by Russia, parallel to America's Doha process, was a mistake. He said that the Republic lost the support of the regional countries by relying on the “political lies” of the Americans, leaving Afghanistan more vulnerable to manipulation by the US. It is worth noting that Saleh, a key member of the anti-Taliban National Resistance Front ( NRF ), has previously criticised the US-Taliban deal. On 20 October 2023, he accused the US of “gambling” its ethical and moral stance in signing the Doha Agreement with the Taliban, effectively labelling the group as “good terrorists,” for American geopolitical gain. Beyond providing a platform for Saleh, Russia has hosted various Afghan opposition figures in recent months. Ahmad Massoud, the leader of the NRF, met with Sergei Mironov, leader of the Just Russia Party, in late August , and again in late November to participate in the “Afghanistan Between the Past and theFuture” conference. Unconfirmed reports by Russian media suggest that Massoud and General Yasin Zia were in Moscow in December 2023 and January 2024. Share

​ ​ 19 Feb 2024

Passport offices reopening leads to significant overcrowding and subsequent reclosure With some having waited over a year for a new passport, the reopening of passport offices in Kabul led to several days of chaos. Their reclosure means Afghans seeking to exit the country must revert to the unreliable online application process. 19 Feb 2024 Image credit: Ariana Television On 9 January 2024, Abdul Karim Haseeb , the Taliban’s General Directorate of Passports, announced on X (formerly Twitter) that in-person registration and distribution of passports would open to the public in Kabul the following day. He said that while the online process of registering for passports had been running smoothly for the past year – a claim disputed by many users – the opening of physical offices would make it possible for those without internet access to apply for a passport. Additionally, he claimed that the passport department was planning to resume in-person registration in other provinces. However, some outlets reported this would only happen in the absence of excessive crowding. Following the announcement, crowds amassed near the passport office in Kabul, as well as in other provinces, including Herat , Helmand , Wardak , Bamiyan and Samangan , demonstrating the eagerness of the Afghan public to obtain valid travel documents. Disruptions possibly also occurred in Faryab and Paktia , due to the posting of special schedules to register for a passport in-person. Ariana News , an Afghan news channel, shared a video of a reporter talking to people queuing outside the Kabul passport office. The footage shows thousands of people lined up for hundreds of metres; armed Taliban members and vehicles can also be seen. Figure: Large queues of people waiting outside the Kabul passport office [34.500625, 69.138164]. Mass overcrowding indicates desire for emigration Various news organisations reported on the queues outside the Kabul passport office and people’s motivations for attempting to obtain a new passport. One issue that was highlighted was access to international employment. One Kabul resident told the Exile TV Network : “I will say goodbye to this country forever. There is no job opportunity here, and I feel like a prisoner here. They would not issue your passport easily. You saw that around 80,000 people had come here to get a passport.” Another key issue that Kabul residents raised was the Taliban’s ban on women's education. Afghanistan International and Aamaj News both received and shared videos showing that many of those queuing outside the Kabul passport office were women. Many of these women had reportedly camped overnight or arrived in the early morning. Moreover, RFE/RL interviewed a woman who said she was trying to travel abroad so that she could study internationally; she said that she had been trying to acquire a passport since last year. Reports of poor conditions and Taliban using violence to disperse crowds Tolo News reported that passport applicants claimed that severe overcrowding, long queues, and cold weather resulted in some applicants dying while trying to obtain a passport. An anonymous eyewitness, quoted by 8am media , said that they had seen the bodies of three women who had died while trying to obtain a passport; the outlet also reported that people had been trampled to death. AW has been unable to verify these claims. There have also been claims of the Taliban using violence to disperse crowds. In one video, a Taliban member can be seen beating people on the street, thought to be passport applicants, with a stick. Although the video appears to be recent, AW investigators were unable to verify the video; however AW investigators note that alleged Taliban members have been seen using similar tactics against passport applicants in the past. Another video was accompanied by claims that the Taliban used tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd in Kabul. However, AW investigators believe that, based on the spread of the gas cloud, crowd behaviour, and the stream of gas turning on and off [1] , the device being used was likely a fire extinguisher. Additional accusations of corruption and cronyism adding to delays Amid the chaos, there were also allegations of cronyism at the passport offices, with some applicants claiming that those with acquaintances within the General Directorate of Passports received preferential treatment. For example, in Kabul, one passport applicant claimed : “Passports were being distributed to people who had acquaintances inside the directorate and they were identified and prioritised from the end of the line and those who although they were standing at the top of the line but had no friends and acquaintance, they could not get a passport.” Moreover, an applicant in Samangan claimed: “Only people who have money can get a passport.” The Taliban have also been accused of throwing out passport application forms. A video posted on X shows women trying to recover their application forms that were submitted to the passport office, but were allegedly subsequently discarded by Taliban staff members. Despite these claims, Abdul Matin Qanunii , the spokesperson of the General Directorate of Passports, denied all allegations of corruption in relation to the reopening of in-person passport offices. Reclosure leaves options for exit limited After eleven days of overcrowding, and passport offices across several provinces being overwhelmed, the Taliban’s General Directorate of Passports announced that in-person registration for passports would close as of 21 January 2024. The announcement said that passports would still be issued to people who apply online, and that additional capacity would be added across the country, including by opening four more passport offices in Kabul. This is significant as it means a return to the previous online application method which had proved slow and unreliable, restricting people’s ability to leave the country, to emigrate for work and education, and to travel. Moreover, the return to online services disproportionately impacts poorer and more rural groups who lack access to the internet. Overall, the reopening and subsequent overcrowding at passport offices suggests that the Taliban likely underestimated the demand for in-person passport services; as a result, the de facto authorities lacked capacity to effectively manage residents’ eagerness to secure travel documents, and returned to a more restricted means of administering passport registration and distribution services. [1] Tear gas canisters cannot be turned on and off. Share

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Morwarid A young entrepreneur struggles to keep her business afloat amid Taliban restrictions. "...our work came to a sudden stop." Afghan Witness changed the name of the individual interviewed. While it is the blue burqa that is often associated with Afghanistan, Morwarid, not her real name, has always favoured the brightly-hued traditional dresses of Afghanistan’s many cultures. After graduating with a political science degree from a university in Mazar-i-Sharif, Balkh, and moving to Kabul, Morwarid and several friends decided to start a small business to promote the traditional clothes of Afghanistan. The group of friends travelled to historical sites in Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat, Bamiyan and other provinces to do photoshoots. “The aim was to promote Afghanistan's culture by connecting historical heritage with our dresses,” Morwarid says. However, in August last year, after the Taliban seized Kabul, Morwarid, like many other small business owners, found herself facing uncertainty. “We were planning to do a new series of photoshoots with models in some other provinces, but our work came to a sudden stop,” the young entrepreneur recalls. Following the Taliban’s return, many people left the country, as did Morwarid’s business partner. “I was waiting for my evacuation, too, but since then, I have never heard when I would be evacuated from Afghanistan,” she says. Morwarid adds that she has struggled with her mental health since the takeover - something that has been echoed by other Afghan women and girls who have been restricted from work and education - and a trend that was present even before the Taliban’s return. “I lost my sleep routine and struggled to witness the humanitarian crisis that started unfolding in front of my eyes, with many women having lost their jobs.” Facing restrictions In Afghanistan, women's employment levels fell by an estimated 16% in the third quarter of 2021. The Taliban have not explicitly banned women from working, but rights groups say their restrictions on other areas - such as women’s travel and gender segregation rules - have had knock-on effects. After pausing her business, Morwarid says she started applying for jobs with NGOs (non-government organisations) still operating in Afghanistan, which required her to travel many times between Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul. However, she says right now in Afghanistan, getting a job depends on who you know. Morwarid didn’t give up, and decided to continue her business, attempting to adapt to the current situation. She invested some of her savings into buying jewellery and promoted her products online, but she says even this has been difficult. “It may sound easy, but it's not,” she adds. “We [women] are faced with a lot of restrictions and problems - we cannot move as freely as we would have wanted.” The Taliban have implemented restrictions upon women’s freedom of dress and travel | Image: Afghan Witness In December, a directive issued by the Taliban's Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, said women travelling for more than 45 miles (72km) should be accompanied by a close male family member. Such restrictions have made it difficult for Morwarid to run her business effectively, as she cannot take photographs of models wearing her jewellery and dresses. “Currently, my whole world is my private room where I sleep, take pictures of my jewellery and carry out the tasks of my small business,” she says. “Since two months ago, I have been trying to revive it.” According to Morwarid, restrictions vary depending on province and area. She says some areas in Kabul are “more open” - “girls wear simple headscarves without a burqa” she explains, but adds that “severe restrictions are in place for women in other provinces regarding their clothes and movement.” Last September, women in Afghanistan started an online campaign using hashtags such as #DoNotTouchMyClothes and #AfghanistanCulture, alongside images of their most elaborate and colourful traditional dresses - an attempt to challenge the Taliban’s narrative on what Muslim women in Afghanistan should wear. Morwarid says that after the Taliban announced that women should cover their faces in public in May, she was asked by a taxi driver why she was not covering her face or wearing black clothes. “I said: this is my business - you better mind your own business.” Misogynistic attitudes Morwarid tells Afghan Witness (AW) that as a woman, it’s not just the Taliban she is afraid of, but some men who have the “same mentality towards women”. “You would see them complain about lack of employment and how they are struggling economically, but none of them speak against the closure of schools for girls, or that their women have lost jobs because of the Taliban takeover,” she adds. “It's disappointing that Afghan men do not stand with their women.” Amnesty International recently released a report on the situation for women and girls in Afghanistan, concluding that the “scope, magnitude and severity” of violations are “increasing month to month”. While there are many male campaigners - both within Afghanistan and internationally - who are advocating for Afghan women’s rights, Morwarid is concerned about the spread of misogyny since the takeover. “Honestly, I am scared of Afghan men more than the Taliban right now,” she says. “The way they stare at you is as if you have committed an unforgivable crime.” When Morwarid looks to the future, she’s not sure what it looks like. Like many young and educated people unable to leave - particularly those who are women - she struggles to see opportunities for herself if the situation continues like this. “I still hope that if the Taliban say women can work without restrictions one day, I will stay in Afghanistan,” she says. “Otherwise, my country, Afghanistan, is not liveable, especially for women and girls.” Interview by Afghan Witness Source: Share

داعش د چین په ملکیت کابل لونګان هوټل شوی برید ادعا کوي , یو بریدګر تښتیدلی په دې ژور راپور کې افغان وتنس د ۲۰۲۲ کال د دسمبر په ۱۲ د کابل لونګان هوټل باندې د داعش د برید په اړه موجود معلومات تحلیلوي. پلټونکو د ۲۰۲۳ کال د جنورۍ په ۱ د کابل په نظامي هوایی ډګر کې د داعش د بل بریدګر برید سره سمون درلود. یو کس د هوټل له برید وروسته په تیښته کې فلم شوی د ۲۰۲۲ کال د دسمبر په ۱۲مه په ځايي وخت د ماسپښین په ۱۴:۳۰ بجو د کابل په شهر نو کې د ډزو او چاودنو خبر ورکړل شو. د رویټرز په وینا د طالبانو دوو سرچینو ادعا کړې چې وسله والو کسانو په یوه هوټل کې دننه ډزې وکړې د AFP په وینا چینایي سوداګر اکثرا اوسیږي. افغان وتنس پلټونکو دا ودانۍ د کابل لونګان هوټل په توګه د پولیسو د څلورمې ناحیې د شهر نو په سیمه کې په ګوته کړه (ناحیه). انځور: د فوٹیج جغرافیایي موقعیت په یوه هوټل کې د اور لګیدنې ښکارندویي کوي چې د راپور له مخې د چینایي سوداګرو لخوا په ښار کې د ۴ ناحیه کابل [۳۴.۵۳۵۱۶۶, ۶۹.۱۶۵۳۳۵] دا هوټل د کابل په شمالي سیمه کې د برتانیا له پخواني سفارت څخه یوازې یو کیلومتر لرې موقعیت لري لکه څنګه چې په لاندې نقشه کې لیدل کیږي. انځور: په شهر نو ۴ ناحیه کابل کې د هوټل موقعیت [۳۴.۵۳۵۱۶۶, ۶۹.۱۶۵۳۳۵] د هوټل مالک په افغانستان کې د چینایي متشبثینو په اړه د الجزیرې په مستند فلم کې برخه اخیستې وه چې د ۲۰۲۲ کال د نومبر په ۲۴ خپره شوه. کله چې مرکه وشوه هغه ادعا وکړه چې د هوټل میلمانه یې منځنۍ طبقه او د چینایانو لوړ پوړي وګړي دي. په هرصورت مستند فوٹیج ښیي چې په هوټل کې افغان او چینایي کارمندان شتون لري. د کاروونکو لخوا شریک شوي مختلف ویډیوګانې راپور شوي ځای ته نږدې د ډزو شواهد وړاندې کوي. د پېښې یوه عیني شاهد طلوع نیوز ته ویلي چې د ودانۍ له دننه له دوو لومړیو چاودنو وروسته څو کوچنۍ چاودنې وشوې. په ټولنیزو رسنیو کې د یوې چاودنې ویډیو وموندل شوه. تر چاودنو مخکې لږ تر لږه په دوو پوړونو کې د اور لګېدل دا په ډاګه کوي چې دا لومړۍ چاودنه نه وه. د چین دولتي رسنۍ ګلوبل ټایمز د برید په وخت کې د هوټل په شپږم پوړ کې د همکار پروفیسر وانګ دونیونګ سره اړیکه ونیوله. دده دڅرګندونو له مخې په اووم او اتم پوړ کې چاودنه شوې ده. دونیونګ ادعا وکړه چې ده ته ویل شوي وو چې درې وسله وال هوټل ته ننوتل او د هوټل پر امنیتي کارکوونکو یې ډزې پیل کړې که څه هم هغه پخپله نه دي لیدلي. دده دڅرګندونو له مخې: ډزو نږدې يو ساعت دوام وکړ او په دې ترڅ کې يې له لسو زياتو چاودنو اوازونه اوريدلي دي. د ۲۰۲۲ کال د دسمبر په ۱۶ د داعش پلوه ټیلیګرام چینل د ال نبا ۳۶۹ مه ګڼه خپره کړه د داعش اونیزې مجلې. د کابل لونګان هوټل د برید په اړه په یوه مقاله کې ادعا شوې چې د برید لومړی ټکی په ودانۍ کې د چینايي ګوند دننه چاودنه وه. د مجلې په وینا یو بریدګر له چاودنې وروسته خونې ته ننوت او ټپیان یې د تومانچې ډزې وکړې . دا څرګنده نه ده چې دا لومړۍ چاودنه کوم ځانمرګي بریدګر ترسره کړې ده. په هرصورت دا د پام وړ ده چې مجله پاتې پیښې بیانوي یو واحد برید کونکي ته اشاره کوي. په مقاله کې ادعا شوې چې هغه [برید کوونکی] هم وتوانید چې د کوټې دروازې په بمونو والوزوي او نهم پوړ ته ورسیږي د چینایي هوټل له میلمنو څخه یې په لاره کې هرڅوک ډزې وکړې الحمد لله. که څه هم دا معلومه نه ده چې د برید پر مهال په هوټل کې څومره مېلمانه یا کارکوونکي وو خو څرګنده ده چې هوټل خالي نه و. لږ تر لږه څلور کسان چې یو یې چینايي تبعه دی د چینايي خبري اژانس فینګ شوز لخوا په خپره شوې ویډیو کې د نامعلوم جوړښت لاندې پټ لیدل کیدی شي. وروسته د خلکو یوه ناپېژانده ډله ولیدل شوه چې د یوه وسله وال طالب جنګیالي له خوا لاندې ښکته کېدل. که څه هم دا ناشونې ده چې خلک د مات شوي شیشې او ټولیز ویجاړۍ په مینځ کې لاندې وګورو د ریکارډ کولو وسیله په غاړه کې کس په چینایي ژبه خبرې کوي. د چین د بهرنیو چارو د وزارت ویاند وانګ وینبین ویلي پنځه چینایان ټپیان شوي دي. په ټولنیزو رسنیو کې موندل شوي فوٹیج لږترلږه څلور مختلف کسان ښودلي چې د هوټل کړکۍ کاروي [خبرداری: ګرافیک] تیښته. دا څرګنده نه ده چې ایا دوی هڅه کوله د ډزو یا اور څخه د تیښتې هڅه وکړي په هرصورت وروسته انفرادي دوه د دوو برید کونکو څخه یو وپیژندل شو. انځور: څلور بېلابېل کسان د تېښتې په هڅه کې له هوټل څخه پورته کېدل یا کودېدل چې یو یې وروسته د دوو بریدګرو په توګه وپېژندل شو (دوهم کیڼ اړخ ته). د طالبانو غبرګون د کابل د پولیسو ویاند خالد ځدراڼ د پېښې پخلی کړی او ویلي یې دي چې د کابل ښار په شهرنو سیمه کې د یوه هوټل پر ودانۍ چې عام خلک په کې ژوند کوي د شریرو عناصرو له خوا برید شوی دی. سیمې ته امنیتي ځواکونه رسېدلي او دا مهال د بریدګرو د پاکولو هڅې روانې دي. د طالبانو د ویاند ذبیح الله مجاهد په وینا هیڅ بهرنیان نه دي وژل شوي او دوه بهرني اتباع هغه مهال لږ ژوبل شول کله چې دوی له کړکۍ څخه د کودتا هڅه وکړه . د دوی په وینا په برید کې ۲۱ تنو ته مرګ ژوبله اوښتې چې له ۲۱ تنو څخه درې تنه یې د درملنې پر مهال مړه شوي دي که څه هم امکان نه لري چې ټول وژل شوي افغانان وي. د افغان وتنس پلټونکي کولی شي تایید کړي چې د پیښې په ترڅ کې یو طالب جنګیالی ټپي شوی؛ په هرصورت د دې راپور د لیکلو په وخت کې نور تلفات په خپلواکه توګه تایید شوي ندي. یو عکس چې د طالبانو پلوه اکاونټ له خوا شریک شوی د ودانۍ په دروازه کې شاوخوا ۱۵ وسله وال طالبان ښیې. دا څرګنده نه ده چې ایا دوی ودانۍ ته ننوتلي یا یوازې د وتلو لاره یې بنده کړې. په دروازه کې د طالبانو شتون ممکن د مختلفو اشخاصو د پریکړې سره مرسته کړې وي چې د هوټل له کړکیو څخه د تیښتې په هڅه کې پورته کیدل یا کودیدل لیدل کیږي. د برید پړه داعش ډلې منلې ده د دسمبر په ۱۲ ۲۰۲۲ د برید څخه څو ساعته وروسته داعش د دوی په ټیلیګرام چینل کې د برید ادعا وکړه او ویې ویل: د الله تعالی په فضل سره د خلافت د لښکرو له ډلې څخه دوو تنو انګيماشيانو د کابل په ښار کې په يو ستر هوټل چې د کمونستي چين د ديپلوماتانو او سوداګرو تګ راتګ کاوه بريد وکړ او دوې مخکې له مخکې د چاودېدونکو توکو ډکې بوجۍ ته يې چاودنه ورکړه چې لومړی يې د فاتحې مراسم په نښه کړل. چینایي په داسې حال کې چې دویم په لومړي پوړ کې د میلمنو د استقبال تالار په نښه کړ. بیا یو انګیماسي په دوهم پوړ کې برید وکړ او د مرتد طالبانو په غړو یې لاسي بمونه وغورځول چې د پورته کیدو هڅه یې کوله په ورته وخت کې بل انګیماسي د پورتنۍ پوړ څخه پورته کیدل پیل کړل د اپارتمان دروازې یې په چسپکي بمونو والوزولې او په چینایي چینایانو یې ډزې وکړې. د لږ تر لږه ۳۰ کافرانو او مرتدانو د وژلو او ټپي کیدو او د هوټل د ځینو برخو د سوځولو په نتیجه کې. د الله جل جلاله ستاینه ده. انځور: داعش د کابل لونګان هوټل د برید ادعا کوي د لیکل شوي بیان سربیره داعش د برید کونکو عکسونه او یو ویډیو خپره کړه چې د دوی د وفادارۍ ژمنه کوي. په فوٹیج کې دوه سړي خپل مخونه پټ کړي وو کوم چې د داعش غړو لپاره غیر معمولي چلند دی. دا چلند او دا حقیقت چې بیان دوی ته د انګیماسس په توګه اشاره کوي ښایي دا په ګوته کړي چې احتمال شتون درلود چې یو یا دواړه برید کونکي د آزموینې څخه د ژوندي پاتې کیدو پلان لري. د افغان وتنس پلټونکو د برید دمخه د داعش غړو عکسونه او ویډیو تحلیل کړل او د بکینګ ویب پا onه کې موندل شوي د هوټل خونې عکسونو سره یې پرتله کړل. د دوی ترمنځ ډیری ورته والی شتون لري پدې توګه د هوټل دننه اخیستل شوي ویډیو او عکسونو ته اشاره کوي. شکل: د بکینګ ویب پاڼه کې د هوټل خونې عکسونو او د کابل لونګان هوټل باندې د برید دمخه د داعش جنګیالیو عکسونو ترمینځ پرتله کول. د داعش غړو د برید ادعا کول او د اسلامي دولت نوي خلیفه ته د دوی بیعت ثبت کول دا په ګوته کوي چې برید ښه چمتو شوی و. د النبا ۳۶۹ ګڼه چې د ۲۰۲۲ کال د ډسمبر په ۱۶ خپره شوه ادعا کړې چې د کابل لونګان هوټل د برید په اړه ځانګړي معلومات لري. د مجلې په وینا بریدګر وتوانېدل چې د جعلي تذکرو په کارولو سره د هوټل یوه خونه بک کړي. په مقاله کې راغلي چې وسلې او چاودېدونکي توکي د ځانګړي چالونو په کارولو سره هوټل ته راوړل شوي خو نور جزئيات يې نه دي ورکړي. دا کیدای شي په هوټل کې د امنیت نشتوالی یا د نامعلومو کسانو مرسته په ګوته کړي. عکسونو د افغان وتنس پلټونکو ته هم اجازه ورکړه چې د خوښې وسلې تحلیل کړي. برید کوونکو یو شمیر کوچنۍ وسلې او چاودیدونکي توکي نندارې ته وړاندې کړل. د دوی په منځ کې لږترلږه اوه F-۱ لاسي بمونه د چاودیدونکو توکو ۱۳ کڅوړې او د ماکاروف دوه تومانچې د اضافي مجلو سره لکه څنګه چې په لاندې انځور کې لیدل کیږي. دا په زړه پورې وه چې د لویو کیلیبر وسلو نشتوالي یادونه وکړئ یو انتخاب چې ممکن د لویو وسلو له امله په اسانۍ سره لیدل شوي وي. انځور: هغه وسلې چې د کابل لونګان پر هوټل برید کې کارول شوې وې. د عکسونو لاندې متن کې بریدګر د ابو عمر او عبدالجبار په توګه پیژندل شوي چې ممکن تخلص یې وي. د داعش لخوا خپره شوې ادعا یوازې دا یادونه کوي چې دوه برید کونکي عملیات ترسره کړي؛ په هرصورت په هغه ورځ ډیری راپورونه خپاره شول د طالبانو د رسمي بیان په ګډون ادعا وکړه چې درې بریدګرو عملیات ترسره کړي. د دواړو داستانونو تر منځ د اختلاف لامل تر اوسه معلوم نه دی. دا ممکنه ده چې د دوو بریدګرو سره د هغه چا لخوا مرسته شوې وي چې هوټل ته یې لاس رسی درلود لکه د کارکونکي غړی یا دا چې طالبانو یو قرباني د یو عامل په توګه غلط پیژندلی وي. د افغان وتنس تحقیق کونکي ونه توانیدل چې د دریم برید کونکي شتون تصدیق کړي. داعش د کابل پر پوځي هوايي ډګر برید وکړ بریدګر د لونګان هوټل څخه د تیښتې فلم اخیستی د ۲۰۲۳ کال د جنورۍ په لومړۍ نېټه د کابل په پوځي هوايي ډګر کې د برید په پایله کې لږ تر لږه اوه تنه په لیدلو سره تایید شول [خبرداری: ګرافیک]. د ۲۰۲۳ کال د جنورۍ په ۲مه د اسلامي دولت یوې خپرونې اعماق نیوز د برید د مرتکبین عکس شریک کړ. تورن ځانمرګی برید کوونکی د ۲۰۲۲ کال د ډسمبر په ۱۲ مه د کابل لونګان هوټل د دوو بریدګرو په توګه د افغان وتنس پلټونکو لخوا وپیژندل شو. د افغان وتنس پلټونکو دا سړی په احتمالي توګه د پیښې پرمهال له هوټل څخه د تېښتې له څلورو کسانو څخه یو و. هغه د بالکوني په کارولو سره د هوټل لږترلږه درې پوړونو ته ښکته کیدو تر هغه وخته پورې ثبت شوی و چې هغه د نږدې جوړښت چت ته ورسید. لاندې عکس د هوټل برید کونکي (کیڼ اړخ) عکس د هوایی ډګر برید کونکي عکس چې د اعماق نیوز لخوا شریک شوی د برید ادعا (پورته ښۍ خوا) او د هغه سړي جامو توکو ترمینځ پرتله کوي چې په پورته کیدو فلم شوي. د هوټل لاندې (لاندې ښیې). انځور: د ۲۰۲۲ کال د دسمبر په ۱۲ نیټه د لونګان هوټل برید کونکي (کیڼ اړخ) ترمنځ پرتله کول د هوایی ډګر برید کونکي عکس چې د ایماق نیوز لخوا شریک شوی د ۲۰۲۳ کال د جنورۍ په ۱ د برید ادعا (پورته ښي خوا ته) او سړی د لونګان هوټل بهر ته ښکته کول (لاندې ښیې). د داعش ادعا لکه څنګه چې لاندې لیدل شوي وویل: د الله تعالی په فضل سره د شهادت له اتلانو څخه یو ورور عبدالجبار چې الله تعالی دې قبول کړي پرون د کابل د هوايي ډګر د نظامي برخې د دروازې مخې ته د مرتد طالبانو د یوې غونډې په لور روان شو. او دا په داسې حال کې وه چې دوی نظامي برخې ته له ننوتلو مخکې د کارتونو د چک کولو کړنلاره ترسره کوله کله چې شهید د دوی د ګڼې ګوڼې په منځ کې خپل چاودیدونکي کمربند وچاودید چې له امله یې شاوخوا ۵۰ طالبان مړه او ټپیان شول. الله ته. انځور: د داعش بیان د دوی د ټیلیګرام چینلونو له لارې شریک شوی د کابل هوایی ډګر ته نږدې د برید ادعا کوي. د طالبانو په رسمي اعلاميه کې ادعا شوې چې درې بريد کوونکي يې وژلي خو په پېښه کې د داعش دوه غړي شامل وو او يو يې په تېښته بريالى شوى نو دا لا څرګنده نه ده چې طالبانو دوه کسان په نښه کړي او يا يې په قصدي ډول ناسم معلومات ورکړي دي.پر هوټل د برید احتمالي لاملونه د دسمبر په ۱۴ ۲۰۲۲ په ورته ورځ د داعش پرو ټویټر اکاونټ جوړ شوی چې د برید دمخه د هوټل دننه اخیستل شوي مختلف عکسونه شریک کړل. په عکسونو کې د هوټل په رستورانت کې مختلف چینایي اتباع ښودل شوي. داسې ښکاري چې عکسونه په دوی کې د خلکو رضایت یا پوهه پرته اخیستل شوي دي دوی تیاره دي او له زاویو څخه اخیستل شوي چې وړاندیز کوي عکس اخیستونکي هڅه کوله خپله کیمره پټه کړي. په عکسونو کې چینایي اتباع ښودل شوي چې د رستورانت په میز کې ناست دي یا خوري یا سګرټ څکوي. ځینې ښځې داسې ښکاري چې مخونه یا ویښتان یې پټ شوي او پتلون یې اغوستي وي. انځورونه د سپکاوي ژبه سره یوځای شوي چې هدف یې په رستورانت کې خلکو یا د طالبانو حکومت ته د دې فحشا اجازه ورکول دي. لاندې د عکسونو سره د ځینې ټویټونو مثالونه دي. انځور: د داعش پلوه اکاونټ څخه ټویټونه چې په عکسونو کې موجود اشخاصو او د طالبانو حکومت ته د دوی د چلند اجازه ورکولو لپاره لفظي برید کوي. ژباړې یې په لاندې ډول دي: پورته کیڼ اړخ: د کابل لونګان هوټل کې چینایي فاحشه پورتنۍ ښۍ: تاسو خره د دې په پرتله ډیر غولونکي یاست تاسو څنګه کولی شئ د چینایي چینایي کوککوډز څخه ځان وژغورئ. لاندې کیڼ اړخ ته: تاسو چې د اسلامي حکومت په اړه شکایت کوئ ایا دا په اسلام کې روا ده چې ستاسو د خپل ځان اعلان شوي اسلامي حکومت لاندې د کفارو دا فحشا او میلمانه وي؟ ماته ځواب راکړه. لاندې ښي لور ته: د کابل لونګان هوټل کې د ښځو فحشاء. دا ستاسو اسلامي هیواد دی چې کافران پکې تفریح کوي. هغه عکسونه چې د برید نه مخکې اخیستل شوي او ورسره مله سپکاوی کولی شي د هوټل په نښه کولو لپاره انګیزه چمتو کړي. کارونکي چې د داعش ملاتړی دی په رستورانت کې د موجودو خلکو او طالبانو اخلاق په ګوته کوي او غندي چې د [د ځان اعلان شوي اسلامي حکومت لاندې] کفارو ته د فحشا او عیاشۍ اجازه ورکوي. د چین او افغانستان اړیکې دا برید د طالبانو د بهرنیو چارو د وزارت د مرستیال شیر محمد عباس ستانکزي او په کابل کې د چین د سفیر وانګ یو تر منځ له غونډې څه کم ۲۴ ساعته وروسته شوی دی. د افغانستان د بهرنیو چارو وزارت ویاند عبدالقهار بلخي په ټویټر کې ادعا کړې چې د چین سفیر د افغانستان په ټولیز امنیت خوښي څرګنده کړه او له اسلامي امارت یې وغوښتل چې په کابل کې د چین سفارت امنیت ته لا زیاته پاملرنه وکړي. د آریانا نیوز د راپور له مخې یو افغان د پاکستان او روسیې پر سفارتونو له وروستیو هدفي بریدونو وروسته د چین د سفارت د خوندیتوب په اړه اندېښنه څرګنده کړه. آریانا نیوز راپور ورکړی چې ستانکزي په دې کتنه کې یو ته ډاډ ورکړ چې په افغانستان کې د سیاسي استازو امنیت د اسلامي امارت د حکومت له لومړیتوبونو څخه دی. چین د داعش پروپاګند کې په نښه شوی د خراسان ولایت اسلامي دولت (داعش) د پروپاګند له لارې په سیمه کې د چین او چین ګټې په نښه کولو لپاره پیژندل شوي. داعش په افغانستان کې د چین شتون په کلکه غندلی او د چینایي اشخاصو او ګټو په وړاندې یې د بریدونو غوښتنه کړې څو بیانونه او ویډیوګانې خپرې کړي. د چین سره د طالبانو ډیپلوماتیکې ملګرتیا په پرله پسې ډول په تبلیغاتي موادو کې روښانه شوې لکه د انګلیسي ژبې غږ د خراسان مجلې چې د ۲۰۲۲ کال د سپتمبر په ۳ مه خپره شوې په ۱۳ ګڼه کې یې د چین هراړخیز نیول شامل دي. مقاله په عمده توګه د چین په اقتصادي بریالیتوب تمرکز کوي. د سوداګرۍ نړیوال سازمان سره د یوځای کیدو وروسته. په هرصورت دا د دې ګواښ سره پای ته رسیږي چې چین به ونه شي کولی د خلافت د سرتیرو له تیزو چاقو څخه ځان وساتي. د مجلې په نورو وروستیو ګڼو کې د چین یادونه هم شوې لکه په ۱۷ ګڼه کې چې د ۲۰۲۲ کال د نومبر په ۲ مه خپره شوه لیکوال په دې ګڼه کې پر چین تور پورې کوي چې میلیونونه اویغور مسلمانان یې شکنجه کړي د توقیف په کمپونو کې یې ساتلي او د مسلمانانو خویندې یې لوټلې دي. عزت دوی پر طالبانو تور پورې کوي چې د اسلامي امت د یوې برخې په توګه دغو بې عدالتیو ته سترګې په لار دي او ادعا کوي چې دا د طالبانو د خود غرضۍ او قوم پرستۍ له امله دی چې له چین سره د ډیپلوماتیکو اړیکو ساتل دي. دا تبلیغاتي هڅې په افغانستان کې د چین د مخ په زیاتیدونکي حضور او نفوذ په ځانګړې توګه د یو کمربند او یوې لارې د نوښت په اړه د داعش له مخالفت سره مخ دي. داعش په سیمه کې د زیربناوو او اقتصادي پروژو د پراختیا لپاره د چین هڅې د خپلو ګټو او ایډیالوژۍ لپاره یو ګواښ ګڼي. د پایلې په توګه دې ډلې هڅه کړې چې د چین ګټو ته زیان ورسوي او برید وکړي ترڅو د دې پروژو او چین سره د طالبانو اړیکې ګډوډ او کمزورې کړي. انځور: د خراسان غږ (انګلیسي) ۱۳ ګڼه څخه د چین د امپریالیزم د ورځې خوب په مقاله کې د سرلیک انځور کارول شوی. د بهرنیو اتباعو په وړاندې د داعش نور بریدونه د کابل لونګان هوټل پېښه په تېرو څلورو میاشتو کې د داعش درېیم برید دی چې د افغانستان په خاوره کې بهرني اتباع په نښه کوي. د ۲۰۲۲ کال د سپتمبر په ۵ مه داعش په کابل کې د روسیې د سفارت مخې ته د برید ادعا وکړه. که څه هم د داعش بیان ادعا کړې چې د ځانمرګي برید په پایله کې له ۲۵ څخه ډیر کسان ټپیان شوي او وژل شوي د راپور له مخې یوازې څلور د ایمرجنسي نادولتي موسسو روغتون ته لیږدول شوي. د ۲۰۲۲ کال د دسمبر په ۲ مه وسله والو بریدګرو په کابل کې د پاکستان د سفارت په انګړ کې د پاکستان د ماموریت مشر عبیدالرحمن نظاماني په ناحیه کې په نښه کړ. سفیر ټپي شوی نه و خو ساتونکی یې دوه ځله وویشتل شو. داعش د برید ادعا کړې او د دوی د عملونو د ثبوت په توګه عکسونه یې خپاره کړي. د افغان وتنس خبریال: افغان وتنس

Widespread protests after burning of Quran in Sweden The burning of the Quran provides a relatively easy opportunity for the Taliban to mobilise public opinion and protest – and position themselves as defenders of the Islamic faith 30 Jan 2023 On January 21, a far-right Danish politician, Rasmus Paludan, burnt a Quran outside Turkey’s Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden , triggering a wave of protests in Muslim countries around the world, including Iraq , Turkey , and Saudi Arabia . Protests in Afghanistan initially centred around the city of Khost, with other demonstrations spreading across the country. Paludan has publicised several burnings of the Quran, which have triggered similar protests in the past. Days after the incident in Sweden, Edwin Wagensveld , Dutch leader of the far-right Pegida movement, tore pages from a copy of the Quran and stomped on them in the Netherlands, while Paludan again burned copies of the Muslim holy book in Denmark on January 27. Protests begin in Khost As pro-Taliban social media users reacted to the incident in Sweden, one Twitter user asked followers if they should hold a protest in response to the burning of the Quran. The tweet received 65 replies, with some questioning what effect the protest would have, and other pro-Taliban Twitter users warning that the Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISKP) could cause harm. Protests started to occur soon after this tweet. Protests began in Khost on January 24, with protestors holding up makeshift Swedish flags and photographs of the Quran on sheets of paper. Images of the protests continued to be shared throughout the day, confirming the location. Figure: Image indicating the location of the protests in Khost, showing a crowd of protesters with a large banner [33.339932, 69.92179]. AW verified another protest on January 24 in the southern town of Qalat, Zabul province, where a large group of protesters carried Taliban flags and Qurans. On January 26, large protests were verified in Tirin Kut, Uruzgan province, Asadabad , Kunar province, and Sharan , Paktika province. In addition, several hundred participants waved Taliban flags and flyers in Kandahar, where protesters burned the Swedish flag. Protests occurred in the majority of Afghan provinces on January 27, and by January 30, AW verified protests in 25 of the country’s 34 provinces and recorded claims in an additional seven provinces. Kapisa and Nuristan were the only two provinces where AW did not record or verify footage of protests. Figure: Map showing the provinces where protests against the desecration of the Quran have taken place. An interactive version of the map can be found here . On January 29, the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan stated , " the IEA-MoFA condemns in the strongest terms the attempted desecration of the Holy Quran by burning a copy. Insulting the true religion and beliefs of nearly two billion Muslims under the name of freedom of expression is in no circumstances justifiable .” The Taliban then issued a follow-up addressing the burning of a Quran in Denmark , which took place on January 27. Hafiz Zia Ahmend, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign affairs, stated , “ The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemns the attempt by extremists to desecrate the Quran and burn a copy of it in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark .” This is the first instance of widely reported protests against the burning of the Quran since the Taliban took over. The Taliban were seen to lead these protests, with many people waving the group’s flags. Differences can be drawn from other protests which have taken place in the country, such as those in favour of protecting women’s rights, which have in some cases been met with violence and intimidation. Women appeared to be absent from the protests surrounding the desecration of the Quran, and there were a large number of Taliban flags and often vehicles accompanying the protests. Figure: A screenshot from the protest in Qalat, Zabul province, with protesters carrying a banner and flags of the Taliban The burning of the Quran provides a relatively easy opportunity for the Taliban to mobilise public opinion and protest – and position themselves as defenders of the Islamic faith. In contrast to many previous Taliban-approved protests, the topic does not require any strong alignment with more extreme or conservative elements of Taliban ideology. In Afghanistan, previous protests against the burning of the Quran have resulted in deaths and injuries , with some turning into riots. Notable instances happened in February 2012, when 42 people died after American soldiers burnt the Quran at Bagram Air Base. Further protests occurred in 2010, after a Pastor in Florida burned a Quran, broadcasting it online . ISKP threaten ‘non-believers’ On January 24, the ISKP-affiliated media foundation Al-Azaim released a warning statement on its Telegram channel in response to the burning of the Quran in Sweden and the Netherlands. The one-page statement in Pashto blamed the Taliban for not taking serious action and only condemning the incident via a tweet, protecting ‘infidels’ and meeting with European Union representatives in Kabul. The statement claimed “ The same Swedish and Netherlands are financially supporting the Taliban through their NGOs, and those countries’ NGOs, which are actually intelligence offices, are freely operating in Afghanistan .” ISKP warned “all world infidels” that the Islamic State group will not use words to conduct demonstrations and condemn the insult of the Quran but will take revenge with violence, stating, “ The infidels of the entire world are our targets in revenge for this barbaric and blasphemous act (insult of Quran). If we find them in any corner of the world, we will kill them like dogs, Insha’Allah. ” Share