Panjshir LIves!

Ivo Fysic September 2, 2021

The State of Panjshir still lives as the Taliban have been unable to go into the valley to claim the whole of Afghanistan. The Valley is located in the northwest corner of the country.

Rebels hold out in Afghan valley as Taliban set up government in Kabul

From www.ksl.com
2021-09-02 16:26:42

Excerpt:

KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban forces and fighters loyal to local leader Ahmad Massoud fought in Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley on Thursday, more than two weeks after the Islamist militia seized power, as Taliban leaders in the capital Kabul worked on forming a government.

Panjshir is the last Afghan province resisting rule by the Taliban, whose overthrow of the Western-backed government as U.S. and other foreign troops withdrew after 20 years has left the country in chaos.

Each side said it had inflicted heavy casualties.

“We started operations after negotiation with the local armed group failed,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.

Taliban fighters had entered Panjshir and taken control of some territory, he said. “They (the enemy)…

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CCP Cracks Down on Tibetans with Dalai Lama Photo

Mark Clouse September 2, 2021

Dozens More Tibetans Are Arrested in Sichuan Over Dalai Lama Photos — Radio Free Asia

From www.rfa.org
2021-09-01 20:19:38

Excerpt:

Police in western China’s Sichuan province have ramped up their enforcement of a ban on photos of exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, arresting a further 53 Tibetans found with the prohibited images in their homes last week, Tibetan sources said.

The arrests in the Dza Wonpo township of Sershul (in Chinese, Shiqu) county in the Kardze (Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture follows the arrests earlier this month of at least 60 other township residents, bringing to over 100 the total number taken into custody during the campaign.

Following a first raid on Aug. 25, Chinese authorities swept through the town, searching every house, a Tibetan living in India told RFA, citing sources in the region.

“They were looking for pictures of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and for any messages that may have been shared on their cell phones with people outside Tibet,” RFA’s source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“And from Aug. 25 to Aug. 29, 53…

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Jihadit Looking to Form Alliance with Turks, Assad in Northern Syria

Freedomist Curator September 2, 2021

Why this jihadist warlord is calling for a ‘united administration’ with Turkish-occupied northwest Syria

From globalcomment.com
2021-08-31 18:52:04

Excerpt:

Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the leader of the powerful Islamist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group that controls large parts of Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, has called for the establishment of a “united administration” between his HTS-controlled territories and Syrian territories controlled by Turkey and its Syrian militia proxies.

Jolani was referring to the Turkish-occupied Kurdish region of Afrin that borders Idlib, which Turkey invaded in 2018, and the so-called Euphrates Shield Zone to its east, which Turkey seized from the Islamic State in Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016-17. Ankara used thousands of former Free Syrian Army (FSA) militiamen as proxies to invade and occupy these territories. These Turkish-backed FSA proxy groups call themselves the Syrian National Army (SNA).

“It is important that there is one authority, one set of institutions, and one authority to administer all the liberated areas controlled by the Syrian opposition,” Jolani said in…

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Myanmar in a Downward Spiral

Mark Clouse September 2, 2021

State of Emergency in Myanmar – Six Months On

From www.lexology.com
2021-08-31 12:50:45

Excerpt:

Overview

On 1 February 2021, the military-nominated then Vice President U Myint Swe (who is now the current President of Myanmar) declared a state of emergency for a period of one year (“Declaration“) pursuant to Article 417 of the Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar 2008 (“2008 Constitution“). The Declaration was issued after the military detained government leaders including the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint and other senior government officials from the National League for Democracy (“NLD“) in the early morning of 1 February 2021.

In connection with the Declaration, the legislative, executive and judicial powers of Myanmar were transferred to the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who in turn established the State Administration Council (“SAC“) as the governing authority during the state of emergency. Since then, the military authorities have replaced the NLD government, removing NLD appointed…

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China’s March Against Big Tech Targets Ride Sharing Apps

Freedomist Curator September 2, 2021

Chinese regulators summon 11 ride-hailing firms over illegal behavior

From www.cnbc.com
2021-09-02 04:34:39

Excerpt:

GUANGZHOU, China — Chinese regulators have summoned and interviewed 11 ride-hailing firms asking them to rectify non-compliant behavior.

The Ministry of Transport, along with a number of other regulators including the Cyberspace Administration of China and State Administration of Market Supervision, jointly interviewed the companies including Didi, T3 and Meituan.

Chinese regulators alleged that the services are recruiting unapproved drivers and vehicles.

“It’s required that these platforms should check their own problems, rectify illegal behavior, safeguard market orders of fair competition, and create a sound environment for healthy development of the ride-hailing industry,” the Ministry of Transport said.

Regulators said that all platforms should make sure they have the necessary approvals for cars and drivers.

Ride-hailing platforms should not entice drivers to join through fake promotions or transfer any business risks to…

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Myanmar Junta Economic Plan Putting Country at Critical Risk

Mark Clouse September 1, 2021

Myanmar Junta Chief’s Wild Economic Plans at Odds With Reality

From www.irrawaddy.com
2021-09-01 11:01:02

Excerpt:

Recently, the senior general said that the Tatmadaw, as Myanmar’s military is known, had been growing tissue-culture bananas. Bananas are nutrient-dense and good for health, he explained, as he offered to provide banana saplings at reasonable prices to departments at the regional, state, district and township levels that wished to grow the crop. The move reminded Myanmar people of Min Aung Hlaing’s predecessor as dictator, Senior General Than Shwe, and his fruitless state project of growing castor oil trees across the country—including at schools—to produce biofuel for energy security. The ambitious scheme never came close to producing biofuel, and succeeded only in wasting time and money.

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Now China and Russia Own What the Taliban Does as Supporters for Years

Freedomist Editor September 1, 2021

After Withdrawal: How China, Turkey, and Russia Will Respond to the Taliban

From warontherocks.com
2021-08-31 07:55:29
Michael Kofman
Excerpt:

Having cultivated a good relationship with the Taliban for the past decade, and with a recent high-profile official visit by a Taliban delegation led by the group’s number two leader Abdul Ghani Baradar on July 28, Beijing sees itself as having finally bet on the right horse in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban’s takeover of the country, China has demonstrated an unprecedented level of positive reception, political endorsement, and diplomatic support of the Taliban. However, there are ferocious debates ongoing in China as to what the best strategy is moving forward vis-à-vis its poor, unstable, and destabilizing neighbor.

Having proclaimed the Afghan Taliban a “critical military and political force in Afghanistan,” China’s abandonment of the former Ghani government, and of its balancing diplomacy, was swift despite high-level engagement with both parties as recently as July. Beijing has not moved to recognize the Taliban, or the Taliban-led regime, yet. However, such recognition is implied in the many messages Beijing has sent. On Aug. 18, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson subtly commented that recognition of a…

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Belarus Wants Maria Kolesnikova Locked Up for 12 Years for Opposing Alexander Lukashenko

Mark Clouse August 31, 2021

Belarus opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova faces 12 years in prison

From www.euronews.com
2021-08-31 15:57:57

Excerpt:

Belarus” public prosecutor’s office requested 12 years in prison for Maria Kolesnikova, one of the main leaders of the opposition movement.

She is accused of wanting to overthrow the authoritarian regime of President Alexander Lukashenko.

The trial of 39-year-old Kolesnikova, which began in early August, comes after months of crackdowns in Belarus.

Thousands of opponents of the regime have been arrested or forced into exile since the disputed election of Lukashenko last year.

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Taliban Celebrate As Last American Leaves Kabul Airport

Parker Davis August 31, 2021

Videos show Taliban taking over Kabul airport and celebrating with gunfire after US withdrawal

From www.businessinsider.co.za
2021-08-31 15:36:36

Excerpt:

The US has officially withdrawn from Afghanistan, with its last jet taking off from the country on Monday night.

Videos showed Taliban fighters celebrating the US exit with gunfire, and seizing Kabul’s airport, where thousands of Afghans had desperately tried to flee after they took over the country.

BBC News broadcast footage of the gunfire, with Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet saying she could hear celebratory tracer fire and guns going off. She said it was…

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Hospitals, Medical Care Collapsing in Afghanistan

Parker Davis August 31, 2021

Afghanistan’s healthcare system near collapse, aid agencies warn

From www.channelnewsasia.com
2021-08-30 19:08:55

Excerpt:

Afghanistan’s healthcare system is at risk of collapse, two major aid agencies told Reuters, after foreign donors stopped providing aid following the Taliban takeover.

After the United States withdraw the bulk of its remaining troops last month, the Taliban accelerated its military campaign, taking control of the capital Kabul on Aug 15.

International donors including the World Bank and European Union froze funding to Afghanistan shortly afterwards.

“One of the great risks for the health system here is basically to collapse because of lack of support,” said Filipe Ribeiro, Afghanistan representative for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), one of the largest medical aid agencies in the country.

“The overall health system in Afghanistan is understaffed, under-equipped and underfunded, for years. And the great risk is that this underfunding will continue over time.”

Necephor Mghendi, Afghanistan head of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), said…

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