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The Daily Star Newspaper Analysis in Sync with BCS Written Syllabus! 23rd August, 2021 The Daily Star- Front Page Kabul Airport Chaos Taliban blame US Shots fired as 7 Afghans killed in stampede near airport. But terrified Afghans continue to try to flee, deepening The Taliban yesterday blamed the United States for the a tragedy at Kabul airport where the United States and chaotic evacuation of tens of thousands of Afghans and its allies have been unable to cope with the huge foreigners from the capital, one week after the numbers of people trying to get on evacuation flights. hardline Islamist group returned to power in a rapid “America, with all its power and facilities... has failed victory that stunned the world. to bring order to the airport. There is peace and calm all over the country, but there is chaos only at Kabul The insurgents also fired in the air and used batons to airport,” Taliban official Amir Khan Mutaqi said. make people line up in orderly queues outside Kabul airport yesterday, witnesses said, after seven Afghans Britain’s defence ministry said seven Afghans were were killed in a crush at the gates. killed in the crush around the airport on Saturday as thousands of people desperately tried to get a flight The United States has warned of security threats and out, a week after the Islamist militant group took the European Union admitted it was “impossible” to control of the country. evacuate everyone at risk from the Taliban, who have vowed a softer version of their brutal rule from 1996- Sky News showed footage of soldiers standing on a 2001. wall on Saturday attempting to pull the injured out from the crush and spraying people with a hose to prevent them from getting dehydrated. The Daily Star- Front Page Kabul Airport Chaos Taliban blame US---Contd. Shots fired as 7 Afghans killed in stampede near airport. “Conditions on the ground remain extremely challenging but we are doing everything we can to manage the situation as safely and securely as possible,” the ministry said in a statement. A Nato official said that at least 20 people have died in the past seven days in and around the airport. Some were shot and others died in stampedes, witnesses have said. Panicked Afghans have tried to get on flights abroad, fearing reprisals and a return to a harsh version of Islamic law the Sunni Muslim group exercised when it was in power two decades ago. Leaders of the Taliban, who have sought to show a more moderate face since capturing Kabul last Sunday, have begun talks on forming a government. Commanders of the group are set to meet former governors and bureaucrats in more than 20 of 34 provinces over the next few days to ensure their safety and seek cooperation, a Taliban official said yesterday. The United States and other foreign countries including Britain have brought in several thousand troops to manage the evacuations of foreign citizens and vulnerable Afghans, but have stayed away from the outside areas of the airport. The Daily Star- City Page-03 On Saturday, three of the brave pilots who A story of valour participated in the mission -- Group Captain (retd) It was December 3, 1971. An aircraft took off from Shamsul Alam, Bir Uttam, Squadron Leader (retd) an abandoned Second World War era airfield in Badrul Alam, Bir Uttam, and Captain Shahabuddin Kailashahar, Manipur of India. Its mission was to Ahmed, Bir Uttam -- recounted the momentous bomb Eastern Oil Refinery in Chattogram’s Patenga. mission at a webinar titled “Kilo Flight: Air Raid by the Freedom Fighters”. On the same day, a helicopter took off from Teliamura of Agartala to bomb the oil depot at Narayanganj’s The heroes remembered how they improvised the Godnail. old, ramshackle flying machines for the raid. This was the first bombing raid of brave Bangladeshi pilots. They aimed to cripple Pakistan army’s fuel supply, as all vehicles and vessels of Pakistan occupation forces were dependent on the fuel depots. This daring mission was codenamed “Operation Kilo Flight”. The operation had significantly turned the tide of Bangladesh’s Liberation War, as it totally decimated Pakistan army’s oil supply and made it impossible for them to continue a prolonged war. The Daily Star- City Page-03 A story of valour According to Shamsul Alam, the Canadian-built otter aircraft, which was actually a civilian aeroplane, was fitted with rocket pods that could fire 14 rockets one Captain Shahabuddin and Squadron Leader Badrul, by one. The door of the aircraft was removed and a then a flying officer, were in the helicopter, which machine gun was placed there. was also brilliantly improvised for the mission. The main body of the aircraft was modified to be a bomb bay, which could carry 10 bombs. However, as “The chopper was also fitted with a machine gun it was not a bomber plane, the bombs could not be and rocket pods, which could fire 14 rockets,” said dropped automatically; they had to be thrown by Badrul. hand. “The helicopter was flown along Dhaka Cumilla “It was kind of a suicidal mission for us. Maximum highway. After reaching Demra, we turned south speed of the aircraft was only 80 miles per hour. We towards Godnail and reached our target without any had to fly at a very low altitude along the coastline. obstacle,” he recounted. Pakistani gun boats fitted with anti-aircraft guns used to patrol the coastline frequently. If we were spotted, our tiny, unarmoured aircraft could have easily been shot down, even with rifle fire,” said Shamsul, a flight lieutenant at that time. The Daily Star- City Page-03 A story of valour In both air raids, the valiant pilots successfully bombed a refinery and fuel depots, and returned to the base without any casualty. “It was a spectacular scene. We were being blinded by the large columns of smoke and sky-high flames. Pakistani soldiers were shouting and running to and fro. But we could not watch for long. We had to turn back quickly to avoid being spotted,” said Badrul. A total of 58 freedom fighters contributed to this courageous air raid. And throughout the war, they conducted at least 50 such air raids on Pakistani forces and their supply depots. Dr Ahmad Ahasan, moderator of the webinar, said, “These valiant freedom fighters not only turned the tide of the war through their brilliant air raids, but also immensely contributed to the development of Bangladesh’s air force and airline services after liberation. We shall never forget their bravery and invaluable contributions to our nation.” The Daily Star-International Page-06 Afghan resistance prefers talks NRF’s goal is to avoid bloodshed, press for a new system of govt. Former Afghan government forces forming a resistance movement in a fortified valley are preparing for “long-term conflict”, but are also seeking to negotiate with the Taliban, their spokesman told AFP in an interview. Since the Taliban took control of the country following a lightning charge into the capital Kabul, thousands of people Actors in the World: Modern state, types of state, have made their way to Panjshir to both join the fight and sovereignty, non-state actors, international institutions, find a safe haven to continue their lives, Ali Maisam Nazary relations between state and non-state actors said. Power and Security: power, national power, balance of power, disarmament, arms control, geopolitics, terrorism Major Ideas and Ideologies: Nationalism, imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, post-modernism, globalization and new world order. Foreign policy and Diplomacy: concepts of foreign policy and diplomacy, decision-making process, determinants of foreign policy, diplomatic functions, immunities, and privileges . The Daily Star-International Page-06 The Daily Star-International Page-06 Afghan resistance prefers talks---contd. and authorities in Pakistan were taking place until just NRF’s goal is to avoid bloodshed, press for a new days ago, he added. system of govt. There, Ahmad Massoud, the son of legendary While the Taliban control the vast majority of Mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud who Afghanistan, Nazary optimistically highlighted reports was assassinated by Al-Qaeda two days before the that local militias in some districts have already begun September 11, 2001 attacks, has assembled a fighting resisting their hardline rule and have formed links with force of around 9,000 people, Nazary added. Massoud’s NRF. Pictures taken by AFP during training exercises show dozens of recruits performing fitness routines, and a “Massoud did not give the order for these things to handful of armoured humvees driving across the valley happen but they are all associated with us,” Nazary northeast of Kabul. said. “The Taliban are overstretched. They cannot be The National Resistance Front’s (NRF’s) main goal is everywhere at the same time. Their resources are to avoid further bloodshed in Afghanistan and press limited. They do not have support amongst the for a new system of government. majority.” But Nazary said the group is also prepared for conflict, and if the Taliban do not negotiate they will face He said, however, that Masood had different views to resistance across the country. Amrullah Saleh, latterly the country’s vice president who “The conditions for a peace deal with the Taliban is is also holed out in the valley and last week vowed to decentralisation -- a system that ensures social lead an uprising. justice, equality, rights, and freedom for all,” said “Mr Saleh is in Panjshir. He opted to stay in the Nazary, the NRF’s head of foreign relations, adding if the country and not flee,” Nazary said.

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