1TV: Parallel Afghan governments are not the answer, and will be harmful to the Afghan people, a top US diplomat said on Thursday. Alice Wells, the US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, said on Twitter that Afghan leaders must prioritize and protect unity of the nation. “The impasse over
Tolo News: The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, is back in Kabul and has met with Abdullah Abdullah, close to aide to Abdullah said on Wednesday as election crisis prevails in the country. Tackling the ongoing political crisis and the peace process were on the agenda of the meeting between Abdullah and
1TV: In an interview with Germany’s Spiegel, Khalilzad said that the the Independent Election Commission had declared Ghani as winner of the election, but he noted that Abdullah, who rejected the results, had valid concerns. “It is important that the current political crisis does not devolve into violence,” Khalilzad said. “Potential violence stemming from the
Michael Hughes: Legitimacy has long been king in Afghanistan. Without political legitimacy, there is chaos. This may be true in most countries but, as per history, the correlation in Afghanistan is stronger than in most. Hence, it is no accident that Afghanistan has been mired in civil war since the delicate ethno-sectarian-tribal balance was disrupted
Ayaz Gul VOA News March 15, 2020 ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN – A lingering dispute over Afghanistan’s presidential election and an outbreak of coronavirus in the country appear to have complicated further an already troubled effort the United States is making to help find a negotiated end to nearly 19 years of war. Afghan officials found five
Press TV March 14, 2020 The Afghan government has postponed its announced plan of releasing jailed members of Taliban, a move that might plunge an already shaky peace process between Kabul and the militant group into deeper crisis. Earlier this week, President Ashraf Ghani had promised in a decree that authorities would free 1,500
Press TV March 13, 2020 The Afghan Foreign Ministry has summoned the United Nations (UN) special representative for Afghanistan to protest his meeting with Abdullah Abdullah, a former official and a rival to incumbent President Ashraf Ghani. Abdullah has contested the official results of the recent presidential election in Afghanistan, which Ghani won. On Monday,
Amin Alemi Press TV, Kabul March 12, 2020 Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has approved the release of hundreds of Taliban prisoners as part of efforts to pave the way for the start of talks with the militant group. According to a decree signed by Ghani, 500 prisoners would be released within 15 days starting on
Tolo News: Abdullah Abdullah in a statement issued on Wednesday said that the National Unity Government ‘ended’ after his swearing-in ceremony, and that “soon the chief executive of the inclusive government will officially be introduced.” “Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, former president of the National Unity Government, is no longer president and his decrees and orders are
Tolo News: A day after twin inauguration ceremonies were held in Kabul by President Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah, former president Hamid Karzai in a statement called the current situation “concerning” and said it is a consequence of US policies and the US’s “insulting” and “divisive” treatment towards the people of Afghanistan. Karzai says