Simmons to step down as Afghanistan coach after World Cup

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Afghanistan' Coach Phil Simmons

Afghanistan’ Coach Phil Simmons

ESPNcricinfo: Phil Simmons will step down as Afghanistan coach after the World Cup. The former West Indies opener, who was appointed to the position in December 2017, said the time is right for him to move on as the target he was given – of helping Afghanistan reach the World Cup – has been achieved. Simmons is understood to have communicated his decision to the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Saturday. Click here to read more (external link).

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New Afghan Parliament Session Ends In Brawl Over Speaker

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Mir Rahman Rahmani

Mir Rahman Rahmani

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
May 19, 2019

A fight broke out during the first session of Afghanistan’s new parliament after disagreement on the election of a speaker.

Online video showed lawmakers fighting on May 19 over the seating of businessman Mir Rahman Rahmani as the speaker of the lower house of parliament, known as the Wolesi Jirga. The body was meeting for the first time since controversial elections held last year.

Rahmani received 123 votes the previous day to defeat challenger Kamal Nasir Osuli, who had 55 votes, for the speaker’s post.

But Rahmani was one vote short of the simple majority of 124 votes in the 247-seat Wolesi Jirga that is needed to secure the speakership.

Rahmani’s supporters declared him the the new speaker and insisted he take the post.

“He has secured a majority of the votes and one vote is not an issue, so he is our new chairman,” said Nahid Farid, a lawmaker from the western city of Herat.

But opponents of Rahmani — the father of Ajmal Rahmani, a wealthy businessman known in the Afghan capital for selling bulletproof vehicles to Kabul’s elite — refused to let him sit in the speaker’s chair.

“We will never accept the new speaker and there must be a reelection with new candidates,” said Mariam Sama, a parliament deputy from Kabul.

Ramazan Bashardost, a deputy from Kabul, told Tolo News that the controversy over the new speaker could be resolved through legitimate means but lawmakers “are not willing to address the issue through legal channels.”

The results of the October 20 parliamentary elections were officially finalized this month after months of technical and organizational problems.

Based on reporting by Reuters and Tolo News

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.

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Trump plans to pardon soldiers accused or convicted of war crimes: Report

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Mathew Golsteyn

Mathew Golsteyn

Press TV
May 19, 2019

US President Donald Trump has asked for immediate preparation of paperwork required to pardon several American troops convicted or accused of war crimes – including premeditated murder, attempted murder and desecration of a corpse, a report reveals.

The requests are for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher of the Navy SEALs, who is facing a trial in the coming weeks on multiple charges of shooting dead unarmed civilians and killing an injured enemy captive with a knife while deployed in Iraq, The New York Times reported Saturday.

According to the report, the requests are also believed to include the case of a former Blackwater security contractor recently found guilty in the deadly 2007 shooting of dozens of unarmed Iraqis; the case of Maj. Mathew L. Golsteyn, the Army Green Beret accused of killing an unarmed Afghan civilian in 2010 and the case of a group of Marine Corps snipers charged with urinating on the corpse of a dead Taliban militant.

Citing two unnamed US officials, the daily reported that the requests suggest that Trump is considering pardons for the American war criminals “on or around” the upcoming Memorial Day later this month.

The White House sent requests on Friday to the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney, which alerted the military branches, according to one senior military official cited in the report.

Pardon files include background information and details on criminal charges, and in many cases include letters describing how the person in question has made amends.

The official added that while assembling pardon files typically takes months, the Justice Department emphasized that all files would have to be complete before Memorial Day weekend, because the president planned to pardon the men then. A second official confirmed the request concerning Chief Gallagher.

The daily noted that most of the criminal troops who are positioned for a pardon have been championed by conservative lawmakers and media organizations, such as Fox News, which have portrayed them as being unfairly punished for trying to do their job. Many have pushed for Trump to intervene.

The report also cited legal experts to point out that “pardoning several accused and convicted war criminals at once, including some who have not yet gone to trial, has not been done in recent history.” Some worried that it could erode the legitimacy of military law and undercut good order and discipline in the ranks.

Young Girls Gang-raped by ‘Taliban Militants’ in Faryab

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Taliban militants (file photo)

Taliban militants (file photo)

Ariana: Parents of two young girls from Andkhoi district of Faryab province on Sunday claimed that Taliban militants have gang-raped their daughters. The family has moved to the capital of Jawzjan province, seeking justice from the government. Mother of the victims told Ariana News that two of the culprits were living in their neighborhood in Faryab province. Click here to read more (external link).

US, Taliban Blame Each Other for Acting Against Afghan Peace

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peaceAyaz Gul
VOA News
May 19, 2019

ISLAMABAD — Taliban and American military officials have taken to social media to accuse each other of acting against peace building efforts in conflict-torn Afghanistan.

The spar between the two adversaries via Twitter comes as American and representatives of the insurgent group are engaged in a months-long dialogue to try to bring an end to the Afghan war. But the talks have failed to deter the Taliban from ceasing or reducing battlefield hostilities. Deadly battles between Taliban insurgents and U.S.-backed Afghan security forces in recent days have killed and wounded hundreds of people, including civilians.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted late Saturday that Washington, and not his group, is opposed to peace efforts. He reiterated the Taliban’s traditional stance that the U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan is to be blamed for the 17-year-old war.

“So long as you occupy our country through forces & and plots, no true Afghan will seek peace but will want to force you out,” the insurgent spokesman tweeted. He was responding to reported remarks by U.S. military spokesman Col. Dave Butler that the Taliban is hurting Afghans who want peace in the country.

Mujahid urged Butler to speak only for the Americans and “think about ways of ending your occupation” rather than trying to represent Afghans.

“You know this not true. The Afghan people know this is not true. You have the opportunity to reduce violence but you chose not to,” Butler responded. “The Taliban is choosing to ignore the will of the people and bring harm to this country. Peace is the right way,” he added.

Butler’s comments prompted Mujahid in a subsequent tweet to ask the U.S. military spokesman whether it was not true that American forces were “forcefully” based in Afghanistan and dropped “countless bombs” and imprisoned thousands of Afghans.

“The people you claim you’re fighting for want peace. You know the truth. You are not even in this country but sending Afghan sons to die while you attack the pride of the people — the Afghan Security Forces. You claim to fight us but only attack Afghans,” Col. Butler responded in a tweet early Sunday.

He did not elaborate but Afghan and American officials have long alleged Taliban fighters use sanctuaries in Pakistan to orchestrate cross-border insurgent activities. Officials in the neighboring country reject the charges and blame Afghan refugee populations near the border areas for serving as hideouts for insurgents.

The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to dislodge the Taliban from power for sheltering al-Qaida leaders blamed for plotting the 9/11 attacks on American cities.

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Three children killed in roadside blast in western Afghanistan

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heratprovinceAl Jazeera: Three children were killed when an explosive device attached to a motorbike went off in a market in Afghanistan’s western province, an official said. Another 20 people were wounded in the incident on Saturday, which took place in Herat province’s Oba district, according to provincial governor spokesman Jelani Farhad. Click here to read more (external link).

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