By Frud Bezhan Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty August 19, 2016 In Afghanistan, August 19 typically spurs an outpouring of celebration and patriotism over the day in 1919 that the multiethnic country regained its independence from Britain following the end of the third Anglo-Afghan war. But a fuss this time over a contentious historical figure who
Al Jazeera: The growing political crisis within the Afghan National Unity Government is compounding the ongoing security and economic crises in the country. President Ashraf Ghani sees himself as a saviour destined and determined to restore the Ghilzai Pashtuns’ lost political mastery against the Durrani Pashtuns and non-Pashtuns. Ghani’s strategy has been sidelining his electoral rival Abdullah Abdullah,
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty By Frud Bezhan August 5, 2016 Afghanistan’s long-standing effort to distribute electronic ID cards to citizens has been marred by dispute, leading to violent street protests, walkouts in parliament, and scuffles among politicians. In a bid to break the deadlock — which largely centers on the issue of whether ethnicity should
VOA News Ayaz Gul July 31, 2016 ISLAMABAD—An international human rights group Sunday demanded authorities in Afghanistan prosecute militia forces linked to a top government official for recent killings and other abuses against civilians in the northern Faryab province. The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) says that its probe into the late June attack
VOA News Masood Farivar July 26, 2016 Tensions are rising in Afghanistan after a suicide attack claimed by the Islamic State killed more than 80 members of a minority Shiite group, and IS’s top commander for the country threatened more violence to punish Afghan Shi’ites for fighting alongside the Syrian regime. The suicide attack Saturday,
Press TV July 26, 2016 At least 120 members of the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group have been killed in an Afghan army offensive in the northern province of Nangarhar. The offensive comes against the backdrop of the July 23 deadly bombings in the capital Kabul, where at least 80 people were killed. Daesh claimed the
Al Jazeera: In Afghanistan’s “theme park of challenges”, ethnic politics is becoming a key contested debate, alongside the usual and known issues. The Saturday terrorist attack that targeted predominantly the Hazara community has heightened political tension. From harsh exchanges among growing Afghan social media users to the controversy over how to name universities, the disputed 2014 presidential election
Press TV June 8, 2016 At least 12 civilians have been killed and 50 others abducted in two separate attacks by unknown militants on passengers traveling in eastern and northern Afghanistan. Jawid Salangi, an official in the eastern Afghan province of Ghazni, said that armed men had stopped two cars, ordered all those on board out
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty June 4, 2016 The Taliban released 17 Shi’ite Hazaras who were hauled out of their bus and kidnapped in northern Afghanistan this week, officials said on June 3. The incident in Sar-e-Pul Province was one of a spate of attacks against civilian vehicles, suggesting the Taliban is taking a more aggressive
SARI PUL, Afghanistan, June 3 (Xinhua) — Some 24 kidnapped passengers had been released in Afghanistan’s northern province of Sari Pul, a local source said Friday. “After the provincial officials were aware of abduction of 24 passengers by the Taliban on Wednesday, efforts were put in place to secure the safe release of the abductees.