VOA News December 20, 2018 President Donald Trump is considering a significant U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, senior administration officials said Thursday. The first of the U.S. troops could come home as early as next month, the officials told U.S. news agencies. There has been no comment so far from the Pentagon or U.S. Central
Associated Press: Trump has said his instinct is to quit Afghanistan as a lost cause, but more recently he’s suggested a willingness to stay in search of peace with the Taliban. However, the abruptness with which he turned the page on Syria raises questions about whether combat partners like Iraq and Afghanistan should feel confident that
Ayaz Gul VOA News December 19, 2018 ISLAMABAD — The Taliban say ongoing bilateral “serious discussions” with the United States are entirely focused on the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan and reports to the contrary are “propaganda.” The marathon three-day dialogue, being hosted by the United Arab Emirates, is due to conclude Wednesday. Pakistan says
The American Conservative: Put simply, our presence in Afghanistan (and other places) doesn’t prevent terrorism; in fact, our presence likely causes terrorism. There are 17 years of practical experience in Afghanistan countering theories about the “stabilizing” factors of American and NATO forces. Who wants to see American values corrupted and cheapened as we kill innocents in
By Shareefullah Sharafat and Frud Bezhan Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty December 16, 2018 QALAT, Afghanistan — The ancient fortress towering above Qalat, the capital of Afghanistan’s southern province of Zabul, overlooks swaths of desert and scrubland that stretch to the rugged mountains straddling the border with Pakistan. This barren, sparsely populated land has long been
Michael Hughes: Washington still lacks any viable strategy for ending the 17-year-old war in Afghanistan outside of a last ditch bid to strike a Faustian bargain with Taliban contacts in Doha. Beijing, on the other hand, appears to have a workable regional solution that can bring stability and prosperity to Afghanistan if the United States
VOA News Ayaz Gul December 15, 2018 ISLAMABAD — China, Pakistan and Afghanistan signed a trilateral understanding Saturday to enhance counterterrorism security cooperation, and collectively reiterated their call for the Taliban insurgency to join Afghan peace talks. The foreign ministers of the three countries met in Afghanistan’s capital city, Kabul, for a second round of talks,
VOA News | December 14, 2018: Hundreds of ethnic Uzbek residents were forced to flee their homes in northern Faryab province because of the recent expansion of Taliban in border areas with Uzbekistan. VOA’s Abdulbasir Ilg’or reports.
VOA News | December 13, 2018: The Afghan ministry of defense Wednesday released footage of a series of nighttime airstrikes carried out by Afghan security forces. Afghan officials told VOA the airstrikes were carried out in southern Uruzgan province against Taliban hideouts. The recent strikes mark the first time U.S.-trained Afghan pilots are carrying out airstrikes
RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan December 11, 2018 KABUL – The death toll in a suicide attack targeting members of Afghanistan’s security forces on the outskirts of the capital, Kabul, has risen to 12, officials say. Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said four security forces and eight civilians were killed on December 11 when a suicide