By Frud Bezhan Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty December 26, 2020 The war in Afghanistan — the world’s deadliest ongoing conflict — enters a crucial phase in 2021. The United States is set to withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan by May as part of a deal with the Taliban aimed at ending the 19-year war. But
Tolo News: Lawmakers in Afghanistan’s Wolesi Jirga (lower house of parliament) on Monday accused the nation’s First Lady Rula Ghani of trying to interfere in the work of the legislative body. Recently, Rula Ghani said that the parliament floor has changed into a trading ground for votes. She said that whether the MPs want it
1TV: Azerbaijan’s president said on Monday his country is ready to open an embassy in Kabul next year. President Ilham Aliyev said this during a meeting with visiting Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib in Baku. Click here to read more (external link).
Ariana: Sima Samar, State Minister for Human Rights Affairs has confirmed the ministry has been dissolved without warning by President Ashraf Ghani and that she has been dismissed. According to her she also had no idea about her imminent dismissal and said she only found out when a colleague handed her a letter informing her
Tolo News: First Lady Rula Ghani’s recent statements dismissing public criticism of her husband’s administration and policies and calling the Afghan parliament a “vote-trading ground” continued to spark responses from critics and members of the public who said such remarks show the government’s disregard for the principle of freedom of expression. “The people are showing
Tolo News: In her interview with Radio Azadi earlier this week, Rula Ghani described the parliament as a vote-trading ground, saying that the acting ministers who were rejected by the parliament will continue their jobs whether the lawmakers want them to continue their jobs or not. Lawmakers described Rula Ghani’s statement as an insult to
The Tribune: “America is delegitimising democracy in Afghanistan. They want a puppet democracy. They are pushing Ghani (Ashraf Ghani) to give up the election. The Taliban is getting what they want. Pakistan is playing clever. They think that delegitimising democracy would create chaos in Afghanistan. Pakistan is maestro of chaos.” Click here to read more (external
Ariana: First Vice President Amrullah Saleh said on Saturday on his Facebook page – after his daily 6.30am security meeting – that “Daesh Taliban” had warned government against executing any prisoners and said if this happened they would turn “Kabul into a Shia slaughterhouse”. Click here to read more (external link). More Security News Ten rockets
Ariana: Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s political deputy and head of the group’s Qatar office, told a virtual meeting at the Center for Humanitarian Conflict Studies in Doha that Afghanistan’s future system must be Islamic and inclusive. According to Mullah Baradar, a future system needs to ensure public facilities are maintained, that women’s rights
Tolo News: The Afghan parliament on Wednesday approved three ministers and rejected two ministerial nominees–for Ministry of Education and Rural Rehabilitation and Development– and also did not confirm the head of the Central Bank [Ajmal Ahmadi]. Click here to read more (external link).