Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty February 5, 2019 Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has reiterated the U.S. commitment to Afghanistan in a telephone call with President Ashraf Ghani, the Afghan leader says. “Secretary Pompeo stressed that there is no uncertainty and ambiguity about the U.S. commitment to Afghanistan and our enduring partnership,” Ghani tweetedon February 5. The
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty February 5, 2019 Taliban representatives and an Afghan delegation led by former President Hamid Karzai have begun two days of talks in Moscow billed as part of an “intra-Afghan” peace process — despite the absence of Kabul government representatives and continued militant attacks back in Afghanistan. The gathering has been criticized
Task and Purpose: The Pentagon’s most recent report on contractor personnel numbers for the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2019 shows there are now 2,847 armed private security contractors supporting the Operation Freedom’s Sentinel mission in Afghanistan, up from the 1,722 armed contractors it reported in Jan. 2017. The use of armed security contractors seemed to be on the decline
Middle East Eye (MEE): A former Royal Marine says that one of his officers confessed to his men that he had been responsible for the fatal shooting of an Afghan boy, aged around eight, after the child’s father carried his body to the entrance of their forward operating base and demanded an explanation. Another ex-soldier who
Ayaz Gul VOA News February 4, 2019 ISLAMABAD — Taliban representatives will meet influential Afghan opposition leaders in Moscow for two days of peace building discussions starting Tuesday, but envoys from the Kabul government will not be in attendance. The controversial huddle, critics say, underscores a deepening political divide in Afghanistan and would further weaken President
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: A set of color photos show Afghanistan in a very different light. Click here to view more (external link).
Tolo News: President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday said that those forcing people to hold peace talks must avoid discussing the issue of dissolving the country’s army. He said: “Those who are forcefully bringing others to negotiate must not talk about dissolving our “lions” (army); if they are so brave, then they must come and fight