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Date: Tue, 24 May 2022 10:44:01 +0000 (UTC)
From: INSO_AFG_NORTHEAST_SA <sa.northeast@afg.ngosafety.org>
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Message-ID: <oTJZEZ9NTDmF-0iJQtUPQA@geopod-ismtpd-1-2>
Subject: INSO REPORT - AFG - BALKH: Verbal Threat and Intrusion of NGO
 Compound
To: Naseer Ahmad Gulzai <gulzai@jack.ngo>

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC '-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN' 'http://www.w3.org=
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enter><table width=3D"580" style=3D" width: 580px;  border:1px solid #C1C2C=
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				This report is for the exclusive use of INSO partners and must not be s=
hared outside your organisation			</td>
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									<div><span style=3D"font-size:24.0pt; font-weight: bold; margin: 0=
; padding: 0; font-family:'Arial', sans-serif; color:#5376b6">&nbsp;&nbsp;R=
EPORT</span></div>
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; padding: 0; font-family:'Arial', sans-serif; color:#182748">&nbsp;&nbsp;&=
nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ATTENTION RECOMMENDED</span></div>
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								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">LOCATION=
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								<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Afghanistan, Balkh Province, Ma=
zar-e Sharif City, PD 5</div>								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">INCIDENT=
 TYPE</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								Verbal Threat and Intrusion of NGO Compound								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">DATE & T=
IME</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								15/05/2022 11:30								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">INFORMAT=
ION</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">At the above time and location,=
 approximately 150 people, most of them women, gathered by the gates of an =
NGO facility to obtain assistance. Several NGO staff members attempted to d=
isperse the crowd as no aid distribution was planned.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">IEA forces belonging to the General Dir=
ectorate of Intelligence (GDI) arrived on the scene, entered the NGO compou=
nd with their weapons, and threatened to immediately arrest one of the NGO =
staff members. The latter requested that the GDI members sit down in the gu=
ards&rsquo; room in order to have a conversation there, which the GDI membe=
rs accepted.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">GDI members responded to the scene and =
demanded to see official documents allowing project implementation. The NGO=
 staff member showed the documents and explained that the NGO was closely c=
oordinating with the relevant IEA authorities, including the provincial gov=
ernor (PG) and the head of PD 5. One of the GDI members called the head of =
PD 5 and obtained confirmation that coordination with the NGO effectively t=
ook place. The GDI members also demanded a list of all staff members of the=
 NGO, to which the NGO worker responded that more time would be needed befo=
re this information could be provided. The GDI members agreed and gave thei=
r contact numbers to the NGO worker.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Before leaving the NGO compound, a GDI =
official told the NGO staff member that the latter should not allow crowds =
of civilians to gather by the compound gate in the future. The IEA official=
 specified that the NGO staff member would be arrested in case of further g=
atherings by the compound gates.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Later on the same day, the NGO worker w=
ent to the GDI office and presented IEA officials with the mentioned docume=
nts, including a letter by the Provincial Directorate of Economy (DoE) spec=
ifying that IEA forces requiring information about NGOs should request it f=
rom the DoE.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">The NGO worker also met the director of=
 the DoE and shared the details of the incident. The latter assured the NGO=
 worker of his support and mentioned that, should further issues arise, he =
would meet with the provincial head of GDI.</div>								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">ANALYSIS=
</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">On the one hand, the incident h=
ighlights that GDI considers public gatherings a security risk. On the othe=
r hand, the incident indicates a continued lack of coordination between GDI=
 and the DoE.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Reportedly, the GDI was informed about =
the crowd by a community leader in the area near the NGO compound. The latt=
er was aware of the presence of the NGO as he had been invited to the inaug=
uration of the NG compound. The community leader was reportedly worried tha=
t he would face questioning by GDI if an incident was caused by the crowd o=
f people by the NGO gate, hence his initiative to contact GDI. Although he =
did not specify what type of incident he worried could happen, GDI members =
mentioned that large crowds could present a prime target for hypothetical I=
ED attacks.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">It is likely that the heightened vigila=
nce of GDI towards public gatherings is caused by the series of recent IED =
attacks in Mazar-E Sharif City. On 21 April in PD 2, a BBIED detonated insi=
de the Sae Dokan Shia mosque killing at least 17 civilians and wounding 25,=
 the figures are most like underestimated, but INSO was not able to confirm=
 casualty figures independently. On 23 April in PD 5, an IED was discovered=
 by a road often used by IEA forces, in PD 5 of Mazar City. On 28 April in =
PD 10, an MIED attached to a minibus exploded, killing four and wounding 7 =
passengers and a civilian bystander. On 19 May in PD 5, an MIED hidden insi=
de an IEA vehicle detonated, killing 2 IEA members and wounding 13. Althoug=
h public gatherings have not been among the recent targets, IEA forces' inc=
reased alertness must be understood in a context of repeated attacks and ca=
n be expected to continue. The recent attacks also explain the initiative o=
f the community leader to warn GDI, as his intention was to prevent a secur=
ity incident instead of an attempt to draw GDI into investigating the NGO. =
<br />&nbsp;</div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">The incident also suggests that coordin=
ation between GDI and the DoE remains insufficient. As per the NGO law, NGO=
s are under no obligation to provide GDI with details on their staff. Artic=
le 46 of the Law on Non-Governmental Organisations stipulates that security=
 bodies can acquire information concerning the activities of organisations =
only through the Ministry of Economy. It is likely that the GDI members dem=
anding the lists of NGO staff members were not aware of this procedure. How=
ever, the fact that the director of the DoE offered to meet with the head o=
f the provincial GDI, should further issues regarding NGOs arise, indicates=
 that the DoE is supportive of NGOs and has an accurate understanding of Ar=
ticle 46 of the NGO law.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">The director of the DoE also mentioned =
to the NGO worker in their meeting that GDI has recently appointed a GDI me=
mber who would be in charge of liaising between NGOs and GDI, although it i=
s unclear whether he was already working when the incident occurred. A meet=
ing between the new GDI liaison officer and NGO representatives is expected=
 to take place soon. The interactions between GDI and NGOs are likely to im=
prove as a result.</div>								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">ADVICE</=
div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">If approached by GDI, staff sho=
uld always be polite, respectful, and cooperative. Should the GDI members a=
ddress the request for information on NGO staff as detailed above, NGOs are=
 advised to provide GDI with the total number of NGO staff and the contact =
details of the most senior NGO staff members, such as the head of office an=
d the security coordinator. However, it is not advised to provide GDI with =
all details about NGO staff members that are requested.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">In addition, safety managers are advise=
d to remind GDI of Article 46 of NGO law and politely redirect the GDI memb=
ers to the Ministry of Economy, which has the relevant information about NG=
Os at its disposal.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Any incidents of hostility towards NGO =
staff members should be addressed with relevant national level IEA authorit=
ies, and through bodies mandated to engage in advocacy, such as OCHA and AC=
BAR, while also informing INSO.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">NGO staff members are further advised t=
o remain aware of potential misunderstandings between the IEA members and o=
ther humanitarian aid providers in their area of operations and report chan=
ges in the working environment to their respective security focal points.<b=
r /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">NGO security focal points are advised t=
o maintain good relations with local actors, community leaders and security=
 forces, in addition to the necessary approvals from the relevant departmen=
ts of the provincial level doubled by additional coordination with district=
 level authorities.</div>								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">ISSUED B=
Y</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">SA Northeast, Eliade Al-Hamdoun=
i<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;"><a href=3D"mailto:sa.northeast@afg.ngos=
afety.org">sa.northeast@afg.ngosafety.org</a></div>								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">INSO SER=
IAL #</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								AFGHANISTAN/NORTH/R/24052022/#001								</div>
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rial', sans-serif; color:white; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;=
">
				INSO exists to provide dedicated security services to the NGO community=
. As a free service, INSO and its donors or partners, accept no liability w=
hatsoever for claims as may result from the provision or utilisation of the=
se free services. Whilst every effort is made to the verify data, INSO cann=
ot guarantee the accuracy of information provided. Reproduction of INSO inf=
ormation is prohibited.									<br>
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