US Does Not Intend to Join Moscow Meeting on Afghanistan on September 4 – State Department

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peaceWASHINGTON, August 21 (Sputnik) – The United States will not take part in a scheduled meeting on Afghanistan in Moscow on September 4 and believes the initiative will not yield any progress toward a peace settlement in the country, a US Department of State official told Sputnik on Tuesday.

“The United States does not intend to participate in the September 4 Moscow format initiative. As a matter of principle, we support Afghan-owned and -led initiatives to advance a peace settlement in Afghanistan,” the State Department official said.

“Based on the previous meetings in the ‘Moscow Format,’ we believe this initiative is unlikely to yield any progress toward that end.”

Earlier on Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Officials from 12 countries, including the United States, have been invited to attend the Moscow-format consultations on Afghanistan on September 4.

The planned meeting will be the second in this format and will be held under the joint chairmanship of Russia and Afghanistan. Afghanistan’s government forces have long been fighting the Taliban insurgency as well as the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia), with the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces conducting joint counterterrorist operations across the country.

IS Claims Mortar Strike on Kabul During Eid Festivities

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isis-flag_smallAyesha Tanzeem
VOA News
August 21, 2018

ISLAMABAD — Islamic State’s Amaq News Agency issued a statement Tuesday claiming responsibility for what it called a mortar strike on the presidential palace earlier in the day.

A barrage of rockets hit Kabul, just as President Ashraf Ghani was on television delivering his address for the Muslim holy festival Eid-al-Adha in a special ceremony at the presidential palace. At least one rocket landed near the palace in Kabul’s green zone.

Kabul police said a group of five suicide bombers hid behind Kabul’s Eidgah mosque and fired multiple rockets from there towards various parts of town.

A security source confirmed at least 10 rockets were fired, but local media reported more. Four of the suicide bombers have died in clashes with the local security forces.

Ghani, who continued his address, said Afghans cannot be cowed by such attacks. He also said the government was prepared for such an incident on Eid.

Hashmatullah Stanikzai, a spokesman for Kabul police, said the police seized a vehicle belonging to the attackers.

Tuesday is also the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism established last year by the United Nations General Assembly. In its message, the U.N. said victims of terrorist attacks are too soon forgotten.

“We rarely hear about those who were killed and injured; the ordinary women, men, girls and boys, who were going about their daily business when their lives ended or were changed forever. We rarely hear about their surviving families, friends and communities, who must learn to live with the burden of terrorism for their entire lives,” the message said, adding, “We need to provide victims with long-term assistance, including financial, legal, medical and psychosocial support.”

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Moscow Denies Claims About Russia’s Plans to Use Taliban to Fight IS in Afghanistan

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Abdul Kochai

Abdul Kochai

MOSCOW, August 21 (Sputnik) – The Russian Foreign Ministry denied on Tuesday the allegations by the Afghan ambassador in Russia that Moscow was planning to use the Taliban against militants from the Islamic State terrorist group (IS banned in Russia) in Afghanistan.

“We paid attention to the recent statement by the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Moscow, Abdul Kochai, that the Russian Federation allegedly plans to use the Taliban Movement against the Islamic State in Afghanistan,” the ministry said in a statement.

“We would definitely like to state that the claims by the head of the Afghan diplomatic mission in Moscow are false and completely distort the meaning of the policy of the Russian Federation in regard to Afghanistan,” the ministry stressed.

According to the statement, Moscow deeply regrets that the Afghan ambassador, instead of helping in every way to maintain an atmosphere of partnership and mutual trust between Russia and Afghanistan, takes steps that lead to the opposite result.


Noor Threatens to Boycott Elections and Form Interim Gov’t

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Atta Mohammad Noor

Atta Mohammad Noor

Ariana: Atta Mohammad Noor, the former governor of Balkh province and CEO of Jamiat-e-Islami party on Tuesday warned that if transparency of the upcoming elections was not guaranteed, they would boycott the elections and would announce an interim government. Addressing at an Eid ceremony in Mazar-e-Sharif city, Noor said the political parties have set a two-week deadline for the National Unity Government (NUG) in order to bring reforms and transparency in the upcoming election processes. Click here to read more (external link).

All Militants Involved in Kabul Rocket Attack Likely to Be Dead – Reports

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afghan_securityMOSCOW, August 21 (Sputnik) – All militants who were involved in a major rocket attack on the presidential palace in Kabul have likely been eliminated, local media reported Tuesday, citing the Afghan Interior Ministry.

Earlier in the day, Afghan media reported that the Taliban fired up to 22 rockets in Kabul during President Ashraf Ghani’s Eid al-Adha speech at a ceremony in the presidential palace. Preliminary information suggested that two militants were killed in clashes with the army. Following the attack, military helicopters launched strikes at a hideout of the radical movement.

The ministry’s spokesman, Najib Danish, said that the attack was apparently conducted by three militants, according to Khaama Press agency.

Danish also noted that two security personnel were injured during clashes with the attackers.

No group has claimed responsibility for the rocket attack yet.

The Taliban rejected the movement’s involvement in the attack, according to the Tolo News broadcaster.

The TV channel also reported that police had so far recovered fragments of 20 rockets that were launched by insurgents in Kabul.

The escalation in Kabul came just two days after Ghani announced a ceasefire with the Taliban timed to the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday. Ghani said that the truce would be in place only if the militants stuck to it and ceased hostilities. The Taliban, however, reportedly refused to declare a ceasefire.

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Several Missiles Fired at Afghanistan’s Capital During President’s Speech – Reports

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Ghani

Ghani

MOSCOW, August 21 (Sputnik) – Several missiles were fired at Kabul during the speech of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday, local media reported Tuesday.

According to the TOLOnews broadcaster, the attack occurred at 09:00 local time (04:30 GMT). The rockets were fired at the Presidential Palace and the Green Zone, city’s government district, where embassies of many countries are located. “There are groups that continuing the violence and with firing of rockets they cannot stop the people of Afghanistan’s development,” Ghani said in response to the attacks, as quoted by the broadcaster.

The media outlet later added citing sources that the rockets had been launched by a group of militants from the capital’s Eidgah Mosque area. Afghan security forces killed two attackers, clashes continue.

Afghanistan’s government forces have long been fighting Taliban insurgency, as well as the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, outlawed in Russia), with the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces conducting joint counterterrorist operations across the country.

On Sunday, Ghani announced a ceasefire with the Taliban to mark the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday. The president said the truce would begin on Monday and would last for three months. Ghani noted, however, that the ceasefire would only be in place if the Taliban adheres to it.

US Inspector General Report Highlights Challenges Complicating Mission in Afghanistan

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Glenn Fine

Glenn Fine

WASHINGTON, August 21 (Sputnik) – Rising civilian deaths, severe drought, capability gaps and a resilient insurgency are just some of the factors that are complicating US efforts to end the war in Afghanistan, the Defense Department Inspector General for Operation Freedom’s Sentinel said in a report submitted to Congress.

“Civilian deaths reached historically high levels, and violence displaced tens of thousands of Afghans,” Defense Department Principal Deputy Inspector General Glenn Fine said in the report released on Monday. “In addition, severe drought has critically affected 1.4 million Afghans, increasing the need for humanitarian assistance funding.”

The report also said that despite US and Afghan operational successes in air and ground campaigns, the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia) continues to recruit and carry out high-profile attacks and remains a threat while the Taliban continue to hold a substantial amount of territory.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the report noted, reported civilian deaths reached the highest level in the first 6 months of 2018 since they have been recording the metric since 2009.

The civilian deaths were primarily caused by improvised explosive devices, but also by ground engagements, targeted and deliberate killings as well as aerial operations, the report explained.

UNAMA attributed more than half of civilian casualties caused by suicide and complex attacks to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K) terror group (outlawed in Russia), which carried out a number of large-scale bombings that deliberately targeted civilians during the quarter.

“In Nangarhar province, where ISIS-K [IS] is active, civilian casualties doubled during the first 6 months of 2018,” the report said. “In addition, UNAMA documented 341 civilian casualties (117 deaths and 224 injured) related to Taliban and ISIS-K [IS] attacks on facilities related to the upcoming parliamentary elections.”

The report added that a fifth of the civilian deaths were caused by activities of pro-government forces in the first half of 2018.

The report said that according to the Resolute Support mission, the percentage of the population living under Afghan government influence did not significantly increase during the quarter.

“Resolute Support reported that, as of May 2018, 65 percent of Afghans lived in areas under government control or influence, 12 percent lived in areas under Taliban control or influence, and 23 percent lived in contested areas,” the report said. “Those numbers are identical to the previous quarter.”

Since an assessment conducted in January, the net changes did not amount to more than 1 percent of the population, the report added.

“As of May 2018, the Taliban controlled 11 districts, had influence over 45, and contested 122 of Afghanistan’s 407 districts. The Afghan government controlled 74 and influenced 155 districts,” the report said.

Afghanistan’s government forces have long been fighting Taliban insurgency, as well as the Islamic State with the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces conducting joint counterterrorist operations across the country.

Ireland lose to Afghanistan by 16 runs in Twenty20 opener

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sports

BBC News: Ireland lost by 16 runs to Afghanistan in the first of three Twenty20 matches between the sides at Bready this week. The teams meet again at the same venue on Wednesday and Friday, before playing three one-day internationals at Stormont in Belfast next week. Click here to read more (external link).

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Backwater Founder Hopes Bolton Embraces Plan for Privatizing Afghan War

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Bolton

Bolton

WASHINGTON, August 21 (Sputnik) – Founder of the war contractor formerly known as Blackwater, Erik Prince, during an interview said he hopes White House National Security Adviser John Bolton will be open to considering his plan for privatizing the war in Afghanistan.

Over the weekend, Bolton told ABC News that he was willing to mull new ideas on the war in Afghanistan including replacing US forces with private military contractors.

“With John Bolton there now, I don’t know that he’s vested in a very conventional Pentagon approach,” Prince told The Hill on Monday. “Maybe he’s willing… to exploring options for a solution in Afghanistan.”

In an interview with NBC News last week Prince said his proposal would reduce US troop levels in Afghanistan from 45,000 to 8,000. The current footprint of 15,000 regular US troops and 30,000 contractors would be replaced by 2,000 special forces personnel and 6,000 contractors.

Prince said his plan would represent a substantial cost reduction from the $62 billion the United States plans to spend in Afghanistan in 2019.

Media reported last week that US President Donald Trump might reconsider Prince’s proposal as he was dissatisfied with the troops’ performance in the crisis-torn country. However, a National Security Council spokesperson told the CBS broadcaster on Friday that such a proposition was not under consideration.

Last summer Prince met with White House officials to push his strategy to unleash an army of private contractors overseen by a viceroy to replace US government troops in Afghanistan. Prince said his idea was based on the British East India Company model, a reference to the days of UK colonial rule.