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Afghan refugees settle in a camp near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Torkham, Afghanistan, after fleeing Pakistan on November 4.
Afghan refugees settle in a camp near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Torkham, Afghanistan, after fleeing Pakistan on November 4.

Welcome to The Azadi Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that unpacks the key issues in Afghanistan. To subscribe, click here.

I'm Abubakar Siddique, a senior correspondent at RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. Here's what I've been tracking and what I'm keeping an eye on in the days ahead.

The Key Issue

The Afghan Taliban and Pakistan have been engaged in an escalating war of words over Islamabad's mass expulsion of Afghan refugees.

Last month, Islamabad ordered 1.7 million undocumented Afghan refugees and migrants to leave the South Asian country or face arrest and forced deportation after November 1. Over 300,000 Afghans, many with only the clothes on their back, have returned to their homeland since then.

Pakistan said its decision was in response to the Taliban's refusal to expel the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) extremist group. Islamabad has accused the Taliban of sheltering the TTP, which is waging a deadly insurgency against Pakistan. The TTP has close ideological and organizational ties with the Afghan Taliban.

"After noncooperation by the Afghan interim government, Pakistan has decided to take matters into its own hands, and Pakistan's recent actions are neither unexpected or surprising," Pakistani caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul-Haq Kakar said on November 8.

Chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, meanwhile, said on November 8 that the group was not "responsible for maintaining peace in Pakistan."

Last week, the Taliban's defense minister, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, warned Pakistan to "consider the consequences of its actions and sow as much as it can reap."

Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's foreign minister, told the BBC that Islamabad was using the mass deportations to pressure the group to formally recognize the border with Pakistan, which Afghanistan rejects.

Why It's Important: The war of words has exposed the escalating tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan, longtime allies that appear to have fallen out.

The sides appear to be on a collision course, with little indication that they can smooth over their growing differences.

There have been several rounds of deadly clashes between Pakistani and Taliban forces in recent months, leading Islamabad to close the border.

What's Next: Pakistan and the Taliban appear likely to remain on a path of confrontation. As their interests clash, Islamabad and the Taliban are likely to continue seeing each other as adversaries.

Meanwhile, the continued mass expulsions of Afghans by Pakistan are likely to worsen the devastating humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the world's largest.

What To Keep An Eye On

The Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) extremist group claimed responsibility for the latest attack targeting Afghanistan's Shi'ite Hazara minority.

On November 7, at least seven people were killed and 20 injured in a bomb attack on a bus in the predominantly Shi'ite neighborhood of Dasht-e Barchi in Kabul.

"The situation was terrible," one eyewitness told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. "I think the casualties were high."

This was the third IS-K attack on the Shi'ite community in recent weeks. On October 26, a bomb attack killed four people inside a sports club in Dasht-e Barchi. In the deadliest attack, at least 25 worshippers were killed when a bomb targeted a mosque in the northern city of Pul-e Khumri on October 13.

Why It's Important: The Taliban has pledged to protect Afghanistan's religious minorities. But the Shi'ite community has accused the Taliban of failing to prevent deadly attacks on Hazara.

IS-K's new wave of attacks has also raised questions about the Taliban's claims that it has severely weakened the extremist group, which once controlled rural territory in eastern Afghanistan.

That's all from me for now. Don't forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you have. You can always reach us at azadi.english@rferl.org.

Until next time,

Abubakar Siddique

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Friday.

The Azadi Briefing will next appear on December 1.

Afghan refugees in Pakistan walk towards the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Torkham on November 3.
Afghan refugees in Pakistan walk towards the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Torkham on November 3.

Welcome to The Azadi Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that unpacks the key issues in Afghanistan. To subscribe, click here.

I'm Abubakar Siddique, a senior correspondent at RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. Here's what I've been tracking and what I'm keeping an eye on in the days ahead.

The Key Issue

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities and international aid agencies are struggling to cope with the influx of over 200,000 undocumented Afghan refugees forced to leave neighboring Pakistan in recent weeks.

More Afghans are expected to return to their homeland after Islamabad ordered some 1.7 million undocumented Afghan refugees and migrants to leave Pakistan or face arrest and forced expulsion after November 1.

Aid agencies said up to 10,000 Afghans are crossing the border every day from Pakistan. They have warned of chaotic and desperate scenes among returning Afghans.

The Taliban said it has established temporary camps for the returnees near the border, and promised to provide them with food, shelter, and medical assistance.

Why It's Important: There are widespread fears that the influx of Afghans from Pakistan will dramatically worsen the devastating humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the world’s largest.

The cash-strapped Taliban government, which is under international sanctions, is unlikely to be able to absorb the returning refugees.

Aid groups in Afghanistan, meanwhile, have been forced to cut back their operations in recent months due to funding shortages.

In a joint statement on November 2, the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Danish Refugee Council, and the International Rescue Committee urged international donors “to mobilize additional humanitarian funding” to address the needs of the returnees “and avoid a new crisis.”

The UN estimates that over 29 million Afghans -- out of a population of around 40 million -- already need humanitarian assistance.

The humanitarian situation has been worsened recently by a series of deadly earthquakes in western Afghanistan and Iran’s ongoing mass deportation of undocumented Afghans.

What's Next: Afghans returning from Pakistan, where some have lived for years or even decades, face an uncertain future. Many have no place to go.

“I have four children. I lived in Pakistan for 15 years and my children were born in Pakistan. Now, we only have the clothes on our backs. We have no money. Our situation, like thousands of other families, is really bad,” Abdullah, an Afghan returnee, told RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi.

Some Afghan returnees, including journalists, activists, and members of the former Afghan government and its armed forces, are at risk of Taliban retribution.

“Vulnerable Afghans who have sought safety in the country [Pakistan] could be at imminent risk if forced to return,” said Qaisar Khan Afridi, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Pakistan.

What To Keep An Eye On

The Taliban has arrested Fereydoun Fakuri, a writer and director, in the western city of Herat, his relatives told Radio Azadi on November 3.

His relatives said Fakuri was arrested by armed Taliban fighters outside his office on October 31. The Taliban has not revealed the charges against him.

Sources told Radio Azadi that Fakuri was arrested after criticizing the Taliban’s restrictions on girls’ education on social media.

Why It's Important: The Taliban has waged a brutal crackdown against dissent, targeting journalists, human rights defenders, women activists, and intellectuals.

Fakuri, a well-known figure in the local theater and cinema scene in Herat, appears to be the latest victim of the crackdown.

The Taliban on October 27 released education activist Matiullah Wesa after over seven months in custody. Wesa had campaigned for the education of girls and repeatedly called on the Taliban to reverse its restrictions on female education.

That's all from me for now. Don't forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you have. You can always reach us at azadi.english@rferl.org.

Until next time,

Abubakar Siddique

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Friday.

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Radio Azadi is RFE/RL's Dari- and Pashto-language public service news outlet for Afghanistan. Every Friday in our newsletter, the Azadi Briefing, correspondent Abubakar Siddique shares his analysis of the week’s most important issues and explain why they matter.

To subscribe, click here.

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