Ayaz Gul VOA News December 8, 2016 ISLAMABAD — Afghanistan’s Taliban has demanded official recognition for its political office in Qatar, direct talks with the United States and removal of senior members from a U.N. blacklist, describing these as preliminary steps to peacefully ending its insurgency. A Qatar-based Taliban spokesman, Sohail Shaheen, has asserted the presence
Tolo News: As the country battles a resurgent Taliban, without the assistance of foreign combat troops, one country appears to hold the key to whether Afghanistan can cling to democracy or succumb to the Taliban, that country being Saudi Arabia. According to a New York Times report, Saudi Arabia is backing both sides. It has reportedly
VOA News Ayaz Gul June 26, 2016 ISLAMABAD—Syria’s main opposition alliance is conveying serious concerns over Iran’s campaign of recruiting and training thousands of Afghan men to fight in Syria. Officials in Afghanistan confirmed Sunday they have received a letter expressing the concerns from the Syrians. The letter urges President Ashraf Ghani to take urgent steps
KABUL, May 21 (Xinhua) — Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani left here on Saturday for Qatar for a two-day official visit to the Gulf state, said a statement issued by the country’s Presidential Palace. President Ghani will meet Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty April 1, 2016 Saudi Arabia and the United States on March 31 announced joint sanctions aimed at cutting off financing for terrorist groups in Pakistan and Afghanistan, including through a Pakistani orphanage. The sanctions put four individuals and two groups on the U.S. Treasury Department’s list of global terrorists, including James
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Saudi Arabia made a splash when it announced the formation of a 34-country “Islamic” alliance against terrorism in December — and followed it up with a massive military exercise that ended last week. The mainly Sunni Muslim coalition — which includes regional power and NATO-member Turkey, the region’s most populous state in
Khaama Press: A Qatari prince has pledged $140 million comprised of non-refundable aid and capital for joint investment in key housing sectors in Afghanistan. Two Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) were signed between the Qatari prince Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani, head of the Al-Gharafa Non-governmental Organization, and the Minister of Urban Development Affairs of Afghanistan
Al-Manar: Saudi Arabia’s Major General Mansour Al-Turki, Ministry of Interior spokesman, admitted on Monday that the Saudi money has been used to fund al-Qaeda terrorist group in Afghanistan with billions of dollars. Click here to read more (external link).
Khaama Press: Qatar has agreed to help Afghanistan establish the first standard academy, AFF (Afghanistan Football Federation) said, adding that Qatar will also provide all Afghan national teams with training camps during the next five years. Click here to read more (external link).
VOA News Ayaz Gul January 22, 2016 ISLAMABAD—Afghan government and Taliban representatives are expected to meet in the gulf state of Qatar Saturday for an unofficial two-day discussion on ways to end the conflict in Afghanistan. Pugwash Conferences, a Nobel Prize-winning science group promoting solutions to armed conflicts, is hosting the meeting. Afghan civil society