Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s hardline Islamic rulers say they plan to “reconsider” their policy towards the United States if the administration of President Joe Biden refuses to return the full $7 billion in assets that have been frozen in the United States. President Biden issued an executive order last Friday calling on banks to set aside $3.5 billion of the frozen assets in a trust fund slated for humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.

Six months after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, humanitarians fear a growing hunger crisis could kill more Afghans than the preceding 20 years of war. … Nearly two-thirds of the population – about 23 million people – need humanitarian assistance. That’s up 30% from just one year ago.

A number of women who participated in protests demanding women’s rights in Afghanistan are missing. The Taliban deny they are holding them and also say they have granted a general amnesty to all those who worked with the previous regime. But the UN has raised alarm about a pattern of reprisals against activists, journalists, former government officials and security forces.

Qatar has reached an agreement with the Taliban to resume chartered evacuation flights from Afghanistan, ending a dispute that resulted in a months-long pause, according to a report.

The UN human rights office OHCHR, has said it is very alarmed over the continued disappearance of six people who were abducted in the Afghan capital Kabul, in connection with recent women’s rights protests.

The United Nations has received “credible allegations” that more than 100 former members of the Afghan government, its security forces and those who worked with international troops have been killed since the Taliban took over the country Aug. 15, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says.

Talks with Western officials in Oslo show the Taliban desperately need recognition for their government. They have launched a diplomatic offensive to achieve this goal, and, from their point of view, they are succeeding.

Human rights and the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where hunger threatens millions, will be in focus at talks opening Sunday in Oslo between the Taliban, the West and members of Afghan civil society. In their first visit to Europe since returning to power in August, the Taliban will meet Norwegian officials as well as representatives of the US, France, Britain, Germany, Italy and the EU.

The European Union on Thursday (20 January) announced it had begun re-establishing a “minimal presence” in Kabul to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan. “Our minimal presence in Kabul must not in any way be seen as recognition” of the Taliban government there,” EU foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano said in a statement.