SECURITY
Explosion Rocks Jalalabad City
Nangarhar: A heavy explosion rocked Jalalabad city. The explosion happened in Sheshem Bagh area of Jalalabad city. No report of causalities has yet been reported. Tolonews
20 Daesh Insurgents Killed in Jawzjan Clash
Jawzjan: At least 20 Daesh insurgents were killed while 12 others were wounded by security forces in the past two days in Darzab district of northern Jawzjan province. During the clash six security force members were also killed and three others were wounded. Daesh insurgents also attacked security check posts in the district. Tolonews, Pajhwok
Afghan Forces Clear Tora Bora of ISIS Leaving 44 Militants Dead, 22 Wounded
Nangarhar: At least 44 militants were killed and 22 others wounded during the operations of clearing the strategic Tora Bora area from the presence of the ISIS militants. The provincial police chief General Abdul Rahman Rahimi said that the security forces would not allow the insurgents to once again create sanctuaries and safe havens for themselves in Nangarhar and specifically in Tora Bora of Pacher Agam. Khaama
Militants Use Watermelon for Explosions Sparks Concerns among Afghans
The use of fresh fruits, watermelon, for conducting explosions by the militants in Afghanistan has sparked concern among the security officials. The militant groups placing explosives inside a watermelon, apparently aiming to carry out an attack against the security forces or the civilians. Khaama
Explosion in Kabul City Leaves One Wounded
Kabul: At least one person was wounded when an explosion took place in Kabul. The blast took place in the vicinity of the 15th police district of after a magnetic bomb planted in a vehicle went off. No group or individual has so far claimed responsibility behind the incident. Khaama
POLITICAL
MPs Worried about ‘Infiltrators’ in Parliament
A number of lawmakers asked the administrative board of the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) and security agencies to identify and disclose enemy-affiliated individuals in parliament. Nilofar Ibrahimi, an MP, claimed that one member of the Wolesi Jirga and a member of the Meshrano Jirga (Upper House of the Parliament) are suspected of cooperating with insurgents. Tolonews
Rights Groups Slam Govt over Crackdown against Protesters
The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) and the Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization (AHRDO) slammed the Afghan government for the way it dealt with Uprising for Change movement protesters in Kabul, saying the crackdown against them was illegal and uncivilized. According to AIHRC the government used violence as a means to deal with protesters, and warned that such an approach will create serious challenges for President Ashraf Ghani. Tolonews
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
UNAMA Chief Calls for Urgent Reforms to Avert Future Crises
The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, said that the recent “security and political crisis was sparked by a terrorist bombing in Kabul’s center on 31 May.” He told the Security Council that the “political fault-lines that emerged are increasingly along an ethnic basis, which is particularly worrying at a time when the Islamic State (Daesh) is attempting to provoke sectarian strife in the country through attacks against Shia Muslims.” Tolonews
Pentagon Report Says Afghanistan ‘Faces Continuing Threat’
Afghanistan faces a continuing threat from as many as 20 insurgent and terrorist networks present or operating in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, including the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, Daesh and al-Qaeda – in what is the highest concentration of extremist and terrorist groups in the world. Afghanistan is “at a critical point” in its battle against multiple insurgencies and terrorist groups. Tolonews
Refurbishment of 53 Blackhawks for the Afghan Troops has commenced: Pentagon
The United States Department of Defense has said that the refurbishment work of 53 UH-60 or Blackhawk helicopters for the Afghan security forces has commenced. The SMW will also expand to provide additional helicopter crews, consolidate the PC-12 aircraft into a new fixed-wing kandak, and create an aviation support kandak. Afghan Air Force will have more than double the size of its fleet by 2023. Khaama
Afghan Govt won’t Allow Border Fencing
The Afghan government said that it would not allow Pakistan to fence the Durand Line and would hold talks on the issue soon with Islamabad. The deputy presidential spokesman, Najib Azad, said that the people and the governments of Afghanistan had never accepted the Durand Line as an international border since it was drawn in 1896. The Pakistani army announced it had started fencing the Pakistan-Afghanistan border starting with three tribal agencies on its side. Pajhwok
Pakistan Affecting Afghanistan Stability: Pentagon
The Pentagon said that Pakistan was ‘the most influential’ external actor affecting Afghan stability and the military alliance’s mission. “Pakistan views the outcome of Afghanistan to be in its vital national interest in future. Pajhwok
