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Welcome to The Azadi Briefing, an RFE/RL publication that unpacks the important thing points in Afghanistan. To subscribe, click on right here.
I am Abubakar Siddique, senior correspondent at RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi. This is what I have been monitoring and what I am maintaining a tally of within the days forward.
The Key Concern
Shahabuddin Delawar, the Taliban’s mining and petroleum minister, has been accused of nepotism after his son was appointed because the extremist group’s ambassador to Uzbekistan.
Maghfoorullah Shahab, Delawar’s youthful son, took over Afghanistan’s embassy in Tashkent on February 4.
Delawar’s elder son, Rohullah Shahab, is already serving as a senior bureaucrat within the workplace of a Taliban deputy prime minister. In the meantime, his son-in-law, Shamsuddin Ahmadi, holds a senior place within the Kabul municipality.
Delawar has come below uncommon criticism from Taliban members, a few of whom have stated his son’s appointment as ambassador was a brazen show of political nepotism.
Why It is Essential: The allegations in opposition to Delawar are a blow to the Taliban’s claims that its hard-line authorities is freed from nepotism and corruption.
In a decree issued final 12 months, Taliban chief Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada informed ‘all officers within the ministries, departments, and impartial authorities that nobody is allowed to nominate relations or relations in authorities positions.’
Delawar just isn’t alone in showing to defy Akhundzada’s orders.
Taliban Inside Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani’s uncle, Khalil ur-Rahman Haqqani, is the refugee affairs minister. Members of the prolonged Haqqani household additionally maintain vital posts within the intelligence service and the administration in southeastern Khost Province.
Taliban founder Mullah Omar’s son, Mullah Mohammad Yaqub, is the highly effective protection minister. Yaqub’s uncle, Mullah Manan Omari, is the labor and social affairs minister.
What’s Subsequent: Many officers from the fallen Western-backed Afghan authorities have been accused of utilizing their positions to grant favors to their relations.
It seems that allegations of political nepotism are additionally prone to canine Taliban officers.
Taliban leaders seem doubtless to make use of their positions to counterpoint themselves and consolidate their energy.
What To Hold An Eye On
World rights watchdog Amnesty Worldwide (AI) has urged the Taliban to launch two Afghan schooling activists.
Samira Hamidi, a South Asia campaigner for AI, on February 8 urged the Taliban to launch Ahmad Fahim Azimi and Sediqullah Afghan.
‘They should be launched instantly,’ she wrote on X, previously referred to as Twitter, including that regardless of an absence of proof in opposition to the 2, a Taliban decide sentenced them to jail in an ‘unfair trial.’
Azimi and Afghan are identified for campaigning for ladies’ schooling, which the Taliban has severely restricted.
They have been arrested in October by the Taliban’s intelligence service and now languish within the infamous Pul-e Charkhi jail in Kabul.
Their arrests have been broadly condemned by rights activists.
Why It is Essential: The arrests of Azimi and Afghan are a part of the Taliban’s wider crackdown on dissent.
Since its return to energy, the Taliban has detained and jailed scores of journalists and activists for publicly opposing its repressive insurance policies.
That is all from me for now. Remember to ship me any questions, feedback, or suggestions that you’ve got. You may all the time attain us at azadi.english@rferl.org
Till subsequent time,
Abubakar Siddique
For those who loved this briefing and do not wish to miss the subsequent version, subscribe right here. It will likely be despatched to your inbox each Friday. You may all the time attain us at azadi.english@rferl.org
Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Republished with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Washington DC 20036
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