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US lists Afghanistan among worst human trafficking states
The US State Department claimed that there have been frequent reports for child molestation in the Afghan military, and police forces but officers have never been prosecuted for child abuse.
In its annual report – 2020 Trafficking in Person – released on June 25, the US State Department listed 10 countries -Afghanistan, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Russia, South Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela – that are allegedly involved in state-sponsored human trafficking.
The report note Bacha Bazi – a slang term in some parts of Afghanistan for a wide variety of activities involving sexual relations between younger adolescent men or boys, who are called dancing boys, and older men – and the presence of children among the Afghan security forces.
The report said, “However, during the reporting period, there was a government policy or pattern of sexual slavery in government compounds (bacha bazı) and recruitment and use of child soldiers. Despite local officials’ widespread acknowledgment that many police, especially commanders at remote checkpoints, recruited boys for Bacha bazı, some high-level and provincial authorities, including at the Ministry of Interior (MOI), categorically denied the existence of bacha bazı among police and would not investigate reports.”
Child molestation is widely criminalized in Afghanistan, and the Human Rights Commission has criticized such behavior among security forces, saying it violates human rights and children’s rights laws, and the government must protect the children.
The State Department has said that it is investigating allegations that 165 children were trafficked in Logar province for sexual exploitation and identified 20 perpetrators.
The report states that some victims of trafficking are forced to have sex in exchange for following up on the case, or that they are raped and sent to prison if they attempt to expose the resulting human traffickers.
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan has signed a 30-year agreement with a private company to extract marble in Daikundi province.
Under the contract, the company will invest AFN 283 million in exploring and mining marble at the “Mesh-Uliya” site, spanning 16.74 square kilometers in central Daikundi.
Hedayatullah Badri, Minister of Mines and Petroleum, stated that the marble will be processed domestically before being exported abroad. He added that the Mesh-Uliya project is expected to create around 200 jobs, and the company is committed to supporting local communities through social initiatives.
Economic experts highlight that such investments, especially those focusing on domestic processing, are crucial for job creation, boosting exports, and strengthening the national economy. Analysts further note that the project will improve local infrastructure, expand social services, and enhance the economic and social well-being of Daikundi residents.
Since the return of the Islamic Emirate to power, efforts to develop Afghanistan’s mining sector have intensified, with multiple contracts signed in areas including cement, copper, iron, and lapis lazuli, involving both domestic and international companies.
A passenger bus veered off the Salang Highway before dawn on Sunday, leaving five people dead and 44 others injured, the Ministry of Public Works said.
According to the ministry, the incident occurred at around 2:00 a.m. in the Shawol area of North Salang when a passenger bus deviated from the main road due to the driver’s negligence.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works, said five passengers were killed and 44 others sustained injuries. He added that personnel from the Salang Maintenance and Protection Directorate promptly arrived at the scene and transferred the injured to the Khunjān clinic for medical treatment.
The Ministry of Public Works has urged drivers and passengers traveling on the Salang Highway to strictly follow the instructions of on-duty teams, observe traffic regulations, and carry warm clothing, food supplies, and snow chains to prevent similar incidents.
The ministry also noted that heavy snowfall and stormy weather have led to the temporary closure of the highway, while road maintenance teams are continuing snow-clearing operations.
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Major fire in Mandawi Kabul market contained, extensive losses prevented
Local shopkeepers said the fire broke out around 4 a.m.
The Ministry of Interior reported that personnel from the General Directorate of Firefighting and Emergency Response successfully prevented the further spread of a fire at Mandawi market on Kabul early Sunday morning.
Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the ministry, said that the fire destroyed 10 storage facilities and 8 shops. He added that initial losses are estimated at around $700,000, but timely action by firefighting personnel saved property worth approximately $2.2 million.
Qani explained that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. He praised the rapid and effective containment operations, which prevented more extensive damage.
Local shopkeepers said the fire broke out around 4 a.m.
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