The little-known story of secret negotiations between the Taliban and the US to a build a pipeline through Afghanistan. Al Jazeera: Unocal’s plans were to build two pipelines, one for oil and the other for gas, travelling through Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India – a distance of well over 1,700km. Afghanistan was set to earn $400m
Hasib Danish Alikozai VOA News / October 1, 2016 The international community is looking for signs of progress on key issues ahead of an international conference on Afghanistan in Brussels next week, said Ambassador Richard Olson, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. The European Union and the National Unity government of Afghanistan will
Khaama Press: Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai improperly listed cash in one of Germany’s banks and a list jewels, the US watchdog said as it slammed an Afghan anti-corruption body formed in 2008 for being ineffective and lacking independence. The US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) in its latest report said the asset declaration
Michael Hughes: The U.S. reconstruction watchdog’s latest report assessing corruption in Afghanistan reads like something ripped from the pages of a Ludlum spy thriller, replete with malign actors, drug kingpins, predatory warlords, and crooked politicians. Archetypal CIA agents are seen running around with bags – literally bags – of cold hard cash, paying off a slew
Esha Sarai VOA News September 15, 2016 As the United States prepares to mark 15 years since the start of the U.S.-led offensive in Afghanistan next month (October 7), American lawmakers are questioning the continuing military and humanitarian spending aimed at trying to end the war and stabilize the government. Members of the Senate Foreign
Isabela Cocoli VOA News September 14, 2016 WASHINGTON — Widespread corruption in Afghanistan has substantially undermined U.S. efforts to rebuild the county, according to a report released Wednesday The U.S. government’s Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John Sopko said corruption has fueled grievances against the Afghan government and channeled material support to the insurgency
Tolo News: Rahmatullah Nabil, the ex-chief of the Afghan spy agency—the National Directorate of Security (NDS) – Tuesday alleged that President Ashraf Ghani’s unnecessary meddling in the works of government institutions has fueled political, security and social uncertainties in the country. “Poor leadership and unnecessary interferences by President Ghani in various fields of politics, security and economy
The Washington Post: The accusation is that Ghani has surrounded himself with advisers from his Pashtun ethnic group and clan, while shutting out those from other backgrounds. Both of his vice presidents are from ethnic minorities, but several of his closest confidants, such as the national security adviser, Hanif Atmar, are fellow Ghilzai Pashtuns. He
Ayaz Gul VOA News August 31, 2016 ISLAMABAD — More than 900 Afghan security personnel died in July while battling Taliban insurgents, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan said Wednesday. General John Nicholson of NATO’s Resolute Support mission made the revelation during a year in which Taliban fighters have made territorial advances, fighting
Tolo News: The Chief Executive of Afghanistan Abdullah Abdullah has said that corruption cases have a connection with international mafia and that he is aware of some compromises being made by certain people in the country. “I am aware of the corruption cases that have been connected with international mafia. I know what relatives of (some) elders