VOA News October 9, 2017 Ayaz Gul ISLAMABAD — The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has decided to “drastically” reduce its presence and relief operations in war-torn Afghanistan, citing a series of recent attacks that have killed seven of its staff, including a foreigner. “This is a difficult moment for the ICRC and the
VOA News October 9, 2017 JAWZJAN, WASHINGTON — Local affiliates of the so-called Islamic State militant group have shut down dozens of schools in a restive district of northern Afghanistan, provincial officials said. Abdul Hai Yasheen, the director of education in northern Jawzjan province, told VOA that growing IS threats have scared thousands of students away
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty October 8, 2017 Afghan military officials say at least seven Taliban militants have been killed by an air strike that was carried out by Afghan security forces in the northern Province of Sar-e Pul. Nasratullah Jamshidi, a spokesman for the Afghan Army Corps in the northern region, says 11 other militants
VOA News October 6, 2017 Daniel Schearf Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif says other countries in the region may be able to sway the Taliban into peace talks better than Islamabad, including Russia. “At least for our influence on Taliban today, there is a mistrust … perhaps they have more influence from other countries
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty October 6, 2017 The U.S. Defense Department says the military’s response to the hurricane that hit Puerto Rico is delaying the deployment of forces to Afghanistan and other missions throughout the world. Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie, director of the U.S. military’s Joint Staff, told reporters on October 5 that the military
Press TV / October 5, 2017 Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has lambasted the United States’ new policy toward his country, saying it carries a “message of war and bloodshed” in the region. Karzai made the remarks in an interview with the BBC Urdu on Wednesday, adding he believed that Washington’s new policy “has some
VOA News / October 3, 2017 Carla Babb WASHINGTON — Afghanistan security forces are fully engaged in offensive combat operations for the first time in their war against al-Qaida and Taliban militants, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday. “For the first time in 16 years, we have all six Afghan army corps on the offensive
Michael Hughes: The Taliban recently rolled out their own targeted assassination program with a rocket attack designed to take out “high value” coalition leaders likely in response to President Donald Trump’s new Afghan strategy. Questions do remain, however, as to the Taliban’s larger motives and if there are more sinister forces at play. Click here to
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty October 1, 2017 Afghan officials say 10 members of the country’s security forces were killed after the Afghan Air Force mistakenly dropped bombs on their position in the southern province of Helmand. Provincial Governor Hayatullah Hayat said on October 1 that at least nine police officers were wounded in the air
Al Jazeera: Authorities in Afghanistan have tightened security in Kabul in advance of Ashoura on Sunday, the holiest day in the Shia Muslim calendar, fearing attacks on worshippers. The Afghan capital witnessed increased security, with extra police checkpoints set up in parts of the city where Ashoura processions traditionally take place. But Kabul residents have raised concerns at the government’s security