IWPR: The ruins of Kabul’s once grand Darulaman Palace, devastated by decades of war, have long been an iconic sight in the capital. An ambitious Afghan-led 16 million US dollar reconstruction project agreed in May 2016 aims to both restore the palace built by King Amanullah Khan in the 1920s and turn it into a symbol
AFP: It has withstood time, the elements, looters and war,but after at least 15 centuries buried underground, a spectacular Buddha restored and removed from one of Afghanistan’s most dangerous regions is to make its public debut in the country’s national museum. The statue, which depicts the sage in a purple shroud offering his hands to the
Fair Observer: Afghanistan’s Khorasan region is often associated with war and social conservatism, yet it has a rich history of religious tolerance and a passion for art. Whether known to be the graveyard of empires or the land of lions, Afghanistan has always been perceived as the motherland of fearless, rural fighters. Yet the view of
The Art Newspaper: A cultural centre at the Unesco World Heritage site in Afghanistan where the Taliban destroyed the Bamiyan Buddhas is due to open to the public in summer 2018. Construction began in September on the 2,450 sq. m building by the Argentinian firm M2R Arquitectos, which beat more than 1,000 other entrants in an
Khaama Press: The first phase of the restoration work of the historic Dar-ul-Aman Palace has been completed as President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said he is hopeful that the restoration work completes as soon as possible. Hailing the speedy work being done for the restoration of the Palace, President Ghani said he is hopeful that the Palace
Sky News: Experts are meeting to discuss whether two ancient statues of Buddha destroyed in Afghanistan in 2001 by the Taliban should be restored. The monumental antiquities were carved into the cliffs of the Bamiyan Valley in central Afghanistan and had stood watch over the population for centuries. Now, archaeologists and restorers are considering whether the imposing
Telesur: However, one of the lesser known facts of 20th-century world history is Cuba’s military help in Afghanistan during the critical years of the Saur Revolution of 1978. Cuba was among a small number of countries who voted against a resolution by the Non-Aligned Movement at the United Nations General Assembly which condemned the Soviet union’s
The Telegraph (UK): Think Afghanistan and what springs to mind? Kidnappings? Car bombs? The Taliban? Perhaps, but if you’re not not perturbed by harrowing headlines, the BBC world affairs editor, John Simpson, recommends a visit to the country. Contrary to the advice of the Foreign Office, which warns against all travel to most of Afghanistan, the
History Extra: From the 1920s to 1940s, Afghanistan acted as a buffer state between the British empire in India and the Russian/Soviet empire. Although not governed directly by Britain, as India was, Britain controlled Afghanistan’s foreign policy and paid the government to maintain stability. Yet in the space of just three years from 1947, Britain’s influence
Tolo News: On the 20th anniversary of the death of former Afghan president Dr. Najibullah Ahmadzai, an Afghan research center on Monday claimed the former leader was killed based on an intelligence plan, drafted by regional countries and adopted by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI). Deputy chief of Afghanistan’s Strategic and Scientific Research Center, Aimal Liyan,