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Tag: Taliban

  • Talibans unveil first Afghani ‘supercar’ with Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 engine

    Talibans unveil first Afghani ‘supercar’ with Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 engine

    Even though Afghanistan has recently made headlines for its restrictions on women, its people have now come up with something that is putting it on the map for the right reasons: a homegrown supercar called the Mada 9.

    The five-year design and development process for the sporty-looking Mada 9 prototype sports car was overseen by 30 engineers from the manufacturer ENTOP and Kabul’s Afghanistan Technical Vocational Institute (ATVI).

    The car is mostly always stationary in social media videos that are making the rounds, and ENTOP hasn’t provided any performance information at all, so it’s unclear what it can do on the road.

    Given that the Mada 9 team claims their engine is that of a very underwhelming Toyota Corolla, it is unlikely to compete with brands like Bugatti and McLaren.

    It features the same engine that Toyota employed in the Corolla Altis 1.8 (2005–2011; E140), which is likewise quite well-liked in Pakistan. The stock 1ZZ-FE is capable of producing up to 171 Newton metres (Nm) of torque and 132 horsepower (hp).

    It can produce more than 170 hp thanks to the factory-installed supercharger from Toyota.

    A spokesman for the Taliban Zabihullah Mujahid proudly shared pictures of the car on social media and said that the nation as a whole was “honoured” by its construction.

    The news of the supercar was well received in Afghanistan, and many quickly shared pictures of it on social media, claiming it was evidence of the country’s prowess in science and technology.

    However, many more users brought up the fact that the supercar was introduced as Afghanistan battled one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world and that the Taliban had revoked the rights of the nation’s women to study and work.

  • TTP member attacks Govt contractor’s house after refusal to pay 15 million ransom

    TTP member attacks Govt contractor’s house after refusal to pay 15 million ransom

    A government contractor in Rawalpindi refused to pay the demanded ransom of Rs 15 million to a member of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Mohammad Asghar reports for Dawn. The terrorist then allegedly assaulted his home with a cracker at Dhoke Lakhan in the Dhamial neighbourhood.


    Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) joined the police in their investigation of the incident after a first information report (FIR) was filed with them on Tuesday.
    Mohammad Nisar, a government contractor and inhabitant of Dhoke Lakhan Chakri Road, filed a police report claiming that on October 7, 2022, he received a voicemail identifying the caller as a TTP official and demanding a ransom of Rs15 million.


    Nisar had been working as a government contractor for the last 20 years.


    He claimed that after the man failed to respond to his message, he resorted to his brother Mushtaq Ali’s cellphone and left him a voicemail asking him to show it to his brother.


    He continued by saying that on December 28, 2022, at 4am, he heard an explosion outside his house while sleeping inside, while his wife and kids had left for their village.


    He said in the FIR that he went to his house’s rooftop to investigate the incident but was unable to see anything because of the darkness. He went back to sleep. The suspect was heard telling his brother that he had given him a glimpse the previous night in a second voice message that was left for him the next day.
    After that, he proceeded to his home’s rooftop where he discovered cracker fragments that had exploded on the compound wall of the roof.

  • Lashkar-e-Khorasan claims responsibility for killing two intelligence officers

    Lashkar-e-Khorasan claims responsibility for killing two intelligence officers

    Lashkar-e-Khorasan, a relatively unknown terrorist group allied with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has claimed responsibility for killing two intelligence officers who were martyred on Tuesday in Khanewal, journalists have reported.


    The two officers, who were part of the counter-terrorism department of the intelligence service, were known for arresting members of the TTP and other militant organisations. They also had a formidable reputation for solving complicated terrorism cases including bombings.

    Both officers were shot as they were parking their vehicle outside a roadside restaurant in Pirowal where they reportedly planned to have tea.


    Terrorist incidents across the country are on the rise after a ceasefire pact with the government ended in November.


    Defense Minister Khwaja Asif had said on Monday that the recent spate of attacks were being staged by Pakistani Taliban hiding in Afghanistan. He asked the Taliban administration in the neighboring country to stop the attacks emanating from their soil.

  • US embassy issues warning to American staff based in Pakistan of a possible attack

    The embassy of the United States of America (USA) has warned its Islamabad-based staff of a possible attack on the Marriott Hotel and “prohibited” them from visiting the hotel during the Christmas holidays.

    On Sunday, the embassy issued a security alert stating: “The US government is aware of information that unknown individuals are possibly plotting to attack Americans at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad sometime during the holidays. Effective immediately, the embassy in Islamabad is prohibiting all American staff from visiting the hotel.”

    The US also urged its staff to refrain from non-essential travel in Islamabad during the holiday season.

    Meanwhile, the Islamabad police raised security levels to high alert in the capital. The police said that checking was increased at all entry and exit points, requesting residents to cooperate with law enforcement agencies.

    The capital administration has also put a ban on all types of gatherings for two weeks and declared a high alert in the city for 48 hours.

    The American embassy directive followed a suicide bombing in I-8, a residential area of Islamabad on Friday, which killed a police officer and wounded 10 people.

    Pakistan is facing a resurgence of terrorism since the militant Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) called off its ceasefire with the government in late November.

    Seven separate blasts ripped through Balochistan on December 25 killing six soldiers and injuring dozens of others.

    Last week, TTP militants seized control of the Counter-Terrorism Department’s (CTD) compound in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and held hostages inside the compound for almost two days.

  • Why do educated girls scare the Afghan Taliban?

    Why do educated girls scare the Afghan Taliban?

    Afghanistan’s Taliban-run higher education ministry has said that female students would not be allowed access to the country’s universities until further notice, barring them from getting education, something that is their right and a basic necessity.

    Where the Afghan Taliban’s takeover poses threat to many, people questioned what will happen to the women? Will their needs be sabotaged? Will they be treated as a lesser entity of the state? Will the women have freedom to live and recover from the torments of the past? Will the women be given the chance to have a good life? Looking at the present situation, one can only think: Why are the Afghan Taliban so afraid of a woman’s mind? If you educate a woman, you educate an entire generation. But this notion fails to prevail in the region.

    The ban on female education has drawn international condemnation and people across the world are angry at how Afghan women are being treated.

    After the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021, they closed schools across the country. Most schools eventually reopened, but girls in secondary school were told to stay at home until conditions— which the Taliban didn’t define— were ready for them to return to classes. The announcement to return to school never came.

    In addition to barring women and girls from education, the Taliban have imposed a raft of rules to govern female behaviour.

    We can only hope that the Taliban recognise women as equals and give them their due right and recognition.

  • Taliban defend ban on female education, say women did not observe Hijab

    Taliban defend ban on female education, say women did not observe Hijab

    The minister of higher education in Afghanistan’s Taliban government has given the reason that compelled their administration to ban female education in the country. Acting Higher Education Minister, Neda Mohammad Nadeem, while talking to an Afghan state broadcaster said, “They didn’t observe Hijab; they were coming with the clothes that most women wear to a wedding.”.


    He said the decision was made due to a number of reasons including female students’ inappropriate Islamic clothing and interactions between students of different genders.
    “Girls were studying agriculture and engineering, but this didn’t match Afghan culture. Girls should learn, but not in areas that go against Islam and Afghan honour.”


    The Taliban on Tuesday (December 20) banned women from universities in Afghanistan. The statement was made by the minister of higher education, who stated that it will go into effect right away.

    “You all are informed to implement the mentioned order of suspending education of females until further notice,” said the letter signed by the minister for higher education, Neda Mohammad Nadeem. The letter was issued to all government and private universities.
    The decision was condemned across the globe, with U.N.’s mission in Afghanistan asking the Taliban-run administration to “immediately” revoke the ban.

  • Banned TTP is Pakistan’s absolute redline, Bilawal warns Afghan Taliban

    Banned TTP is Pakistan’s absolute redline, Bilawal warns Afghan Taliban

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Thursday that the Afghan Taliban have been told that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is Pakistan’s redline.

    “We will not ignore it if we find out that the Taliban are not stopping TTP,” warned Bilawal Bhutto while talking at the Atlantic Council in Washington DC on Tuesday evening.

    “As far as the TTP is concerned, it’s absolutely our red line. It is something that we will not tolerate,” reiterated the foreign minister.

    Emphasizing that Pakistan will be willing to consider each and every option to ensure the safety and security of it’s people, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed concern over a recent spate of attacks by the TTP. The Foreign Minister said that if the Taliban carry out operations against the extremists, Pakistan will provide help if needed.

    He said that there was no new agreement on cooperation with the United States for anti-terrorism.

    “We urge that frozen funds be released for the Afghan people not for the Taliban. They [Taliban] promised US and the world to take action against extremist groups,” said Bilawal.

    He acknowledged that there’s room for improvement in Pakistan’s Afghan policy — as there is in America’s — and stated, “We need to be serious about what we can do going forward”.

    “Are we going learn from our mistakes to ensure that we do not repeat them,” he asked. “The answer to that question is going to define the safety and stability of Afghanistan, the safety and stability of Pakistan and the safety and stability of our region.”

  • Bilawal ‘disappointed’ over Taliban banning Afghan women from university education

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has expressed disappointment over the ban on university education for women in Afghanistan. “I’m disappointed by the decision that was taken today,” he said on a visit to Washington.


    The Taliban on Tuesday banned women from universities in Afghanistan. The statement was made by the minister of higher education, who stated that it will go into effect right away.


    “You all are informed to implement the mentioned order of suspending education of females until further notice,” said the letter signed by the minister for higher education, Neda Mohammad Nadeem. The letter was issued to all government and private universities.


    Despite the fact that the international community has on multiple occasions made the education of girls a key demand for any future recognition of the Taliban administration, the group has barred Afghan girls from going to school beyond the seventh grade. Moreover, they have restricted women and girls from working and have limited their travel unless accompanied by a close male relative.

  • Bannu hostage situation: Forces kill the terrorists

    Security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have managed to free the hostages being held by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) inside the Counter-Terrorism Department’s (CTD) compound in Bannu.

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that “all the terrorists” have been killed.

    During the operation, an exchange of fire left several security men injured.

    The defence minister said that a unit of the army’s Special Service Group (SSG) carried out the operation, in which 10-15 of its commandos were injured while two were martyred.

    Earlier in the day, an operation had been launched to free the hostages held by the militants.

    Hospitals in the vicinity have been put on high alert and mobile services have also been blocked in the area.

    What happened in Bannu?

    On Sunday, militants detained at a facility run by KP police’s CTD in on Sunday took over the department, held interrogators hostage and demanded safe evacuation to Afghanistan.

    After taking over, the militants shot at security personnel inside the facility, injuring a policeman and a soldier. The outlawed TTP claimed responsibility for the incident.

    According to news reports, the militants managed to break out of lockup and held security personnel hostage. After the incident, police and security forces rushed to the spot but failed to free the hostages.

    Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Special Assistant to KP Chief Minister, said that talks between Pakistani officials and the leadership of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are underway in Afghanistan, however, there is no breakthrough as yet.

    He also confirmed that a security official was killed in the Bannu compound by the militants and said that the government had engaged the militants to avoid casualties.

    The area where CTD is located has been sealed and residents have been asked to stay indoors. Internet services have been suspended in the city.

    Moreover, roads leading to and from Bannu Cantonment have been blocked.

  • US warns Taliban of action if terrorists ‘regroup’ in Afghanistan

    US warns Taliban of action if terrorists ‘regroup’ in Afghanistan

    The United States (US) has warned of action if the superpower sees “international terrorists regrouping in Afghanistan” while saying that US’ broader goal was to make sure that “terrorists and others aren’t able to use Afghanistan as a launch pad for attacks on Pakistan.”

    US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price, in a press briefing, stated: “We also have capabilities when it comes to counterterrorism in the region that does not leave us entirely beholden to the Taliban.”

    He also mentioned the killing of the al-Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri by a US strike in August this year to prove the superpower’s capabilities to act against terrorists.

    The spokesperson also added that the Afghan Taliban had been “either unable or unwilling to live up to the commitments that they’ve made in a number of areas.”

    Answering a question, Price said, “Of course, we’ve seen other groups also active. You mentioned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), among others. We are determined to work with our partners in the region, including Pakistan, to do what we can to take on the threat of terrorism in the region, and certainly the threat of terrorism that extends well beyond the region.”

    Terming Pakistan an “important partner”, Price said that the US values its bilateral relationship with the country. “We welcome opportunities to expand cooperation in areas that are of mutual interest to us and to Pakistan. That, of course, does include when it comes to counterterrorism”, he added.

    Earlier this week, Pakistan’s Head of Mission to Kabul Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani escaped an assassination bid in Afghanistan. Last month, a suicide attack— for which TTP claimed responsibility— rammed a police escort for a polio vaccination team in Quetta.