Michael Hughes: A U.S. congressionally-funded think tank, insidiously named the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), has called on Washington to boost counterterrorism operations, enhance ties with Pakistan, and conduct more lethal strikes inside Afghan territory. Although more likely to come from a national security research outfit, the USIP recommendations are not so unreasonable. But it
Afghanistan International: Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the leader of Hezb-e-Islami, has stated that with the Taliban assuming power in Afghanistan, the foundation for an “independent and robust government” in the country has been established. However, Afghanistan’s airspace remains under United States’ occupation. Hekmatyar has demanded from the Taliban that if the United States does not cease this
AA: The interim Afghan government on Saturday said that US military drones are patrolling and “violating” Afghanistan’s airspaces. Speaking to Kabul-based TOLO news, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said: “These aircraft undoubtedly belong to the US, flying and crossing from the airspace of some neighboring countries to Afghanistan.” Click here to read more (external link). Other
Tolo News: According to Fasihuddin Fetrat, American drones occasionally fly over the Afghanistan’s airspace. “Drones occasionally patrol, and it [Afghanistan’s airspace] is still occupied by the Americans. It may enter Afghan territory from the soil of one of the neighboring countries,” said Fasihuddin Fetrat, the Chief of Army Staff of the Ministry of Defense of
Khaama: The U.S. government promised to compensate surviving families after a drone strike that resulted in the deaths of 10 members of an Afghan family, including seven children, led to a rare Pentagon apology. The incident, which occurred on August 29, 2021, was targeted at Zemari Ahmadi, an electrical engineer who worked for a voluntary
Ariana: The [Taliban] Minister of National Defense [Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid] has expressed concern about the patrolling of drones in the airspace of Afghanistan and said that the country’s airspace is under occupation and they do not have the technology to prevent the patrolling of these aircraft. “Did we make M-4, M-16, Black Hawk and B-52?
8am: Sources said to Hasht-e Subh that two drones patrolled this district for hours at midnight on Saturday, November 12. Similarly, three months ago, drones targeted two targets in Darqad and Khaja Bahauddin districts of Takhar, which resulted in casualties. Click here to read more (external link).
Jamestown Foundation: The most significant question that arose in the wake of his death concerned the origin of the drone that killed him. It certainly was not from inside Afghanistan. But was it from neighboring Pakistan or some other country? And would Pakistan allow the U.S to use its airspace for a strike on al-Zawahiri
Ariana: US President Joe Biden has signed a classified policy limiting counterterrorism drone strikes outside conventional war zones, including Afghanistan, New York Times reported this week. The policy requires Biden’s approval before a suspected terrorist is added to a list of those who can be targeted for “direct action,” in a return to a more
Khaama: Taliban government authorities assert that US drones invaded Afghanistan through the airspace of Pakistan. They claim that Pakistan receives millions of dollars in return. In a meeting commemorating World Tourism Day, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, Political Deputy of the Taliban government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, claimed that Pakistan had allowed the US to use