Associated Press: The Taliban fighters arrived with hammers and hatred. What they left behind is laid out on tables at the National Museum of Afghanistan, 18 years later: shattered pieces of ancient Buddha figurines, smashed because they were judged to be against Islam. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News: Afghans across the country celebrated 100th Independence Day by holding gatherings in different provinces, mainly in Helmand, Balkh, Herat, Kabul, and Nangarhar. President Ashraf Ghani laid a wreath at the Azadi Memorial minaret on Independence Day before appearing at a ceremony at Darul Aman Palace. Click here to read more (external link). Related Google
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: It’s 100 years since the end of Afghanistan’s 1919 War of Independence, also known as the Third Anglo-Afghan War. Fought between Afghan and British-Indian forces, the conflict reestablished full Afghan independence after decades of British control over Afghan foreign policy.
Tolo News: Afghanistan’s top cleric Ayatollah Sheikh Mohammad Asif Mohseni passed away due to an illness in Kabul, his family confirmed on Monday. Mohseni was born in 1935 in the southern province of Kandahar and was widely considered to be the most powerful cleric among the Shias in Afghanistan. Mohseni who was the founder of the
Defense One: The group continues to attack sites and antiquities. In May, Taliban fighters in northwest Afghanistan attackedsecurity posts that were providing protection for the ancient Minaret of Jam. The 12th-century minaret, known for its intricate brick construction and ancient Arabic calligraphy, is one of only two sites in Afghanistan that hold UNESCO World Heritage status. The attackers killed 18 members of the government security
Michael Hughes: U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has shamelessly suggested that if he can help broker a ceasefire and ensure women are involved in intra-Afghan peace talks U.S. involvement in Afghanistan should be seen as a net benefit. This is quite audacious coming from a man who about 17 years ago single-handedly destroyed any chances for peace
AFP: In Kabul, it is hard to miss the late Ahmad Shah Massoud. His bearded visage is painted onto blast walls across the city, his photo adorns the windscreens of pro-government forces. And a central roundabout bears his name. More than 17 years since his assassination, the legendary fighter who battled the Soviets and the Taliban
Nasir Shansab via The Washington Times: A recent international study finds that Afghanistan is the world’s most insecure country. What has gone wrong? After Soviet forces quit Afghanistan in February 1989, and the Mujahedin toppled the Afghan Communist regime in 1992, Washington was in a hurry to forget war-shattered Afghanistan. That policy of neglect and abandonment of a Cold War ally was the
The Independent (UK): Ancient Buddhist clay heads and other precious artefacts looted from Iraq and Afghanistan and illegally exported to the UK will soon be returned to their country of origin. The British Museum is working with the UK Border Force and other agencies to help to return the items seized during recent conflicts. Click here to read more (external link).
Ariana: The reconstruction of Darul Aman Palace has [been] completed 90 percent and will be ready to host the celebration of Afghanistan’s Independence Day in another two months. Darul Aman Palace was built during the era of King Amanullah Khan who ruled Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929. Engineers say they have used materials produced in