Yun Sun via warontherocks.com: With the U.S. troop withdrawal in sight, Afghanistan’s future seems less certain than ever. As a neighboring state with significant interests at stake, how does China view and prepare for Afghanistan’s future? The enhancement of Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan will not only indirectly contribute to China’s influence but also potentially improve
RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan April 13, 2020 U.S. envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, who negotiated a deal with the Taliban, has welcomed a prisoner exchange between the militants and the Afghan government as an “important step” toward peace. “Both sides should accelerate efforts to meet targets specified in the U.S.-Taliban agreement as soon as possible,” Khalilzad said on
Ayaz Gul VOA News April 12, 2020 The Taliban released a first group of 20 prisoners on Sunday, effectively moving forward a crucial swap with the Afghanistan government aimed at kick-starting peace talks between Afghan parties to the war. The insurgent move follows the release of 300 Taliban prisoners over the past few days, including
Ayaz Gul VOA News April 11, 2020 ISLAMABAD – The commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan has met with leaders of the Taliban insurgency under their bilateral peace-building agreement to discuss ways to reduce violence in the war-torn country, both sides said Saturday. A Taliban spokesman tweeted about the meeting with General Scott Miller, who
RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal April 11, 2020 Afghanistan’s government says it will not hand over a captured Islamic State (IS) militant leader to Pakistan because there is no formal extradition treaty between Kabul and Islamabad. The Afghan government announced its position on April 10, a day after Pakistan called for Afghanistan to hand over Aslam Farooqi
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty April 10, 2020 Five employees of a state-owned bank have been killed by Taliban militants in the western Afghan province of Herat, police officials said on April 10. The men were on their way from the Kuhsan district to the provincial capital, Herat City, when they were abducted and shot dead
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty April 9, 2020 The Pakistani government has called on Afghanistan to hand over the captured leader of the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP), an affiliate of the extremist group Islamic State (IS). “The Ambassador of Afghanistan to Pakistan was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and conveyed Pakistan’s views”
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty April 9, 2020 The Afghan government has vowed to move forward with the release of dozens of Taliban militants it is holding behind bars, even though a swap between the two sides appears to have collapsed. Kabul “will release 100 Taliban prisoners today based on their health condition, age and length
RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan April 9, 2020 Several rockets have been fired at a U.S. military base in Afghanistan in an attack claimed by the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. Five rockets were fired at the Bagram Airfield, north of Kabul, early on April 9, causing “no casualties or injuries,” the mission said on Twitter. An
1TV: Taliban militants have shot dead eight civilians in Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province, police said Wednesday. Adil Shah Adil, a spokesman for provincial police, said that the violence happened on Tuesday evening after the victims were abducted from Jarhay Nahr-e-Surkh village of Sholgara district. Click here to read more (external link). Related ’15 Taliban’ Killed