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Afghanistan Orders Ban on Telegram, WhatsApp

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Afghanistan Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (ATRA) has ordered telecom companies to block Telegram and WhatsApp applications, reasoning security concerns.

According to two official letters went viral, ATRA asked telecom companies to shut the applications for 20 days starting 01 Nov.

In addition, it instructs the companies to block a number of Facebook and Twitter accounts as well.

"Based on the sensitivity of the issue, effective immediately all telecom companies are requested to block all websites and individuals facebook and twitter accounts as provided in the list," one of the letters reads.

Reports suggest that the National Directorate of Security (NDS), Afghanistan's intelligence agency, has asked the ministry of telecommunication to do so due to security concerns.

"This is an illegal act. The government has no right to violate individuals privacy or block their personnel accounts," civil rights defender Sediqullah Tawhidi told Ariana News.

Meanwhile, the decision was widely criticized by social media users.

One wrote: "President Ashraf Ghani! don't ban apps, fire people who can't do their jobs. By hiding failures, you wouldn't be able to achieve anything."

Another composed: "Censorship is against what freedom we stood for in Afghanistan post 2001. Gains shouldn't go to waste."

This comes as the presidential palace said the government is committed for the freedom of expression and has no agenda for censorship.

By Hesamuddin Hesam

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Polio-Free Afghanistan to roll out new campaign 

The World Health Organization reported that three new wild polio cases were reported last week in Pakistan; no new cases were reported in Afghanistan

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The Polio-Free Afghanistan organization said Sunday it plans to roll out a new campaign from Monday across different regions of the country. 

The organization did not however specify the regions nor how many children they will reach.

This comes after the World Health Organization reported on Thursday that three new wild polio cases were reported in the week from Pakistan.

No new cases were reported last week in Afghanistan. 

However, WHO has stated that the total number of wild polio cases in Afghanistan last year are at 25 and Pakistan reported 73. 

This was against the total case count of 12 in 2023 - six in Afghanistan and six in Pakistan. 

Last month, the Ministry of Public Health announced that they had started a polio vaccination campaign in a number of provinces of the country in coordination with international organizations.

According to a press release from the ministry, at least 5.3 million children under the age of five received the polio vaccine in 11 provinces of the country.

Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio has not yet been eradicated and is still claiming the lives of children.

 

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Iranian Foreign Minister arrives in Kabul for talks with IEA

Iran’s foreign ministry says this trip is in line with Tehran’s aim of pursuing the interests of their country and finding solutions to common concerns

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Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Kabul on Sunday morning for talks with his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Mutaqqi.

Ismail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, said this trip was in line with Tehran’s aim of pursuing the interests of their country and finding solutions to common concerns.

In a post on X, Baghaei said: “Today's visit by Mr. Araghchi to Kabul is within the framework of the neighborhood policy and in line with the inherent mission of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to pursue the national interests of our country through interaction and finding solutions to common interests and concerns."

According to Baghaei, this trip could be a turning point in relations between the two countries.

This is Araghchi’s first visit to Afghanistan since taking office in August last year.

During Sunday’s meeting, Mutaqqi addressed Araghchi and said: “We hope that this meeting will improve the level of our relations with you."

"Iran and Afghanistan are two neighboring Muslim countries and always share each other's sorrows and joys," he added.

According to Iranian media reports, a business delegation is accompanying the Araghchi to Kabul.

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Flights halted for Afghans approved for special US visas

Nearly 200,000 Afghans have been resettled in the U.S. on SIVs or as refugees since the chaotic 2021 U.S. withdrawal.

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President Donald Trump's foreign aid pause has forced a suspension of flights for more than 40,000 Afghans approved for special U.S. visas, a leading advocate and a U.S. official said on Saturday.

Most of those stranded are in Afghanistan and the rest are in Pakistan, Qatar and Albania, said Shawn VanDiver, head of #AfghanEvac, the main coalition of veterans and advocacy groups working with the U.S. government to evacuate and resettle Afghans who worked for the United States during the 20-year war, Reuters reported.

The stoppage was triggered by Trump's order to halt foreign development aid for 90 days pending a review of efficiencies and consistency with his "America First" foreign policy.

Experts and advocacy groups say the foreign aid pause has led to chaos in U.S. and international aid operations and halted nutrition, health, vaccination and other programs.

The order also triggered a suspension by the State Department of funds for groups that help Afghans with Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) to find housing, schools and jobs in the U.S.

Trump promised an immigration crackdown during his victorious 2024 reelection campaign.

VanDiver said he does not believe that the flight suspension was intentional.

"We think it was a mistake," he said.

He said he hoped the administration would grant exemptions to the orders for Afghans approved for SIVs because they worked for the U.S. government during the war that ended in the final U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.

"They fought alongside us. They bled alongside us," said VanDiver, who added that tens of thousands of other Afghans are waiting for SIV applications to be processed, Reuters reported.

The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 200,000 Afghans have been resettled in the U.S. on SIVs or as refugees since the chaotic 2021 U.S. withdrawal.

In a separate executive order that he signed hours after his inauguration on Monday, Trump suspended all U.S. refugee resettlement programs.

That order resulted in hundreds of Afghan refugees losing their seats on flights, including family members of active-duty Afghan American military personnel, former Afghan soldiers and unaccompanied children.

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