Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty June 11, 2016 Afghanistan has welcomed Washington’s decision to give the U.S. military greater authority to help Afghan forces battle the Taliban. Defense Ministry spokesman Daulat Waziri told the AFP news agency on June 11 that U.S. forces’ “involvement will increase our capacity in operations on the ground.” Waziri said: “We
Press TV June 11, 2016 The leader of the al-Qaeda terrorist group, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has reportedly pledged allegiance to the new Taliban leader in Afghanistan. Zawahri pledged assistance to Haibatullah Akhundzada — the new leader of Taliban — in a 14-minute online audio message on Saturday, the report said. The authenticity of the recording, however,
Tolo News: Former Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan Chris Alexander has said the Pakistani military is the official backer of the Taliban and Haqqani network. Alexander, who has also served as deputy head of UNAMA, said that Pakistan clearly supports the Taliban and Haqqani terror network and that the world must not underestimate Pakistan’s backing of the insurgent
VOA News Ayaz Gul June 10, 2016 ISLAMABAD—Authorities in Afghanistan are searching for a woman aid worker from the Aga Khan Foundation who has been kidnapped in Kabul. No group has publicly claimed responsibility for abducting Judith D’Souza, an Indian national who has been working in Afghanistan for the Aga Khan’s development network since last
Press TV June 10, 2016 At least four civilians have lost their lives and more than three dozen others sustained injuries when a bomb explosion ripped through a mosque in Afghanistan’s troubled eastern province of Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan. Attaullah Khogyani, the spokesman for the provincial governor, said the terrorist attack took place as a large
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty June 10, 2016 President Barack Obama has approved giving the U.S. military greater authority to help Afghan forces battle the Taliban, including increased use of air strikes, AP and Reuters reported on June 9. Under the new policy, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, will decide when it is
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty June 9, 2016 The U.S. government’s top watchdog on Afghanistan says the United States has wasted billions of dollars in reconstruction aid to Afghanistan during the past decade — and renewed Taliban militancy now threatens the gains that were made. John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR), told
The National Interest: The Kabul government seems headed toward an agreement with the militant wing of Hezb-i-Islami (HIG), a group that for the last fifteen years has been at war with the Afghan state. Returning fighters will receive amnesty and many may eventually be incorporated into the Afghan security forces. Key leaders are also being promised housing
KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, June 9 (Xinhua) — Afghan forces have set free nine abducted passengers from the clutch of Taliban in the northern Kunduz province and the operation goes on to secure the safe release of remaining passengers, an army spokesman in the northern region Nasratullah Jamshidi said Thursday. “So far nine passengers have been released
VOA News Ayesha Tanzeem June 8, 2016 ISLAMABAD—Afghan authorities are disputing police reports that insurgents abducted nearly 50 passengers from a bus in Kunduz province in northern Afghanistan Wednesday morning. Gen. Mohammad Qaseem Jangalbagh, the Kunduz provincial police chief, said the bus was carrying 47 passengers and security forces managed to rescue a few of