VOA News May 15, 2017 On May 15, 1988, the Soviet Union began withdrawing from Afghanistan after eight years of military intervention that cost an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Soviet soldiers their lives and killed or displaced millions of Afghans. Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev described the Afghan intervention, which began in late 1979, as a
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty April 26, 2017 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sought to counter U.S. statements that Moscow is supplying arms to the Taliban in Afghanistan, claiming on April 25 that the charges are unsubstantiated and “false.” The commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, said during a press conference with Defense
Press TV April 25, 2017 US Defense Secretary James Mattis has vowed to “confront” Russia, after the top US general in Afghanistan accused Moscow of arming the Taliban militants. During a joint press conference with Mattis on Monday, General John Nicholson, the commander of US forces in Afghanistan, said he would not “refute” the claim
Rahimgul Sarwan Noor Zahid VOA News April 19, 2017 KABUL AND WASHINGTON — Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday called the Islamic State terror group a “tool” of the United States, and dismissed criticism of Russia for its ties with Taliban and efforts to bring the militant group into peace talks. “After it [the U.S.]
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty April 14, 2017 Washington is planning to skip a conference on reconciliation in Afghanistan that Russia is hosting on April 14, acting U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. “We don’t plan to participate in these regional talks,” Toner said on April 13. “It was unclear what the purpose was” of
Ayaz Gul VOA News April 13, 2017 ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — The Afghan Taliban says that it does not support Russia-sponsored multi-nation talks on Afghanistan because the process seems to be motivated solely by the “political agenda” of the organizers. The Islamist insurgency issued its reaction a day before delegates from Afghanistan as well as its immediate
Press TV April 12, 2017 A bomber has detonated his explosives near government offices in the Afghan capital, killing at least three people and wounding several others, officials say. The blast occurred near the Afghan Defense Ministry in central Kabul on Wednesday. A ministry spokesman said at least one civilian and two members of security
Ayaz Gul VOA News April 9, 2017 ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — Pakistan says that Russia-sponsored international talks on Afghanistan must involve the United States for bringing peace to the war-riven country, because Washington is the “biggest stakeholder” there. Moscow plans to host this week (April 14) a new expanded round of multi-nation “consultations” it has recently launched
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty April 1, 2017 Russia says it is in contact with the Taliban in Afghanistan to push the militant group toward national reconciliation and to ensure the security of Russian citizens. Speaking to reporters in Brussels on March 31, Russia’s ambassador to NATO, Aleksandr Grushko, denied that Moscow is providing aid to
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty March 31, 2017 U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has expressed concern over Russia’s activities in Afghanistan and its interaction with the Taliban militant group. “We have seen Russian activity vis-a-vis the Taliban,” Mattis said during a news conference in London on March 31. “I am not willing to say at this