Leaked Documents Show President Ghani ‘Meddled’ in Parliamentary Vote

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Ashraf Ghani

Ashraf Ghani

Ariana: Documents obtained by Ariana News show that President Ashraf Ghani has meddled in October parliamentary elections in favor of a particular candidate. Based on the obtained documents, the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission had asked the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to provide information about parliamentary candidates with criminal convictions. In between, AGO had declared Mirza Khan Katawazai – a parliamentary candidate who secured a seat in Wolesi Jirga in last year’s elections – with no criminal background. Click here to read more (external link).

Khalilzad Briefed Ghani On Peace Talks Except The Last Round

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Daudzai

Daudzai

Tolo News: “About the issue that how much the Afghan government was in the loop about the US-Taliban talks in Qatar… based on my judgment, it (the Afghan government) was in the loop. Mr. (Zalmay) Khalilzad had contacted President (Ashraf) Ghani at least once every day and had briefed him, but what has been discussed between them is classified. But the Afghan government was aware (of the talks),” Daudzai said.  Hours after his remarks at the press conference, Daudzai backtracked from his early comments and said in a tweet that “whenever in Kabul, Mr. Khalilzad has shared information regarding his talks with Taliban with the Presidential Palace”. Click here to read more (external link).

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US airstrike kills 14 members of one family in Afghanistan

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kunduzPress TV
March 24, 2019

The United States has carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan’s northern Kunduz province after a fatal insider attack, leaving at least 14 civilians dead, mostly women and children.

A spokeswoman for the American military confirmed the Saturday airstrikes, but blamed the Taliban militant group for the civilian deaths.

“The Taliban were hiding in civilian homes and maneuvered in and out of compounds without any concern for the families living inside,” said Sgt. 1st Class Debra Richardson.

The attack came a day after two US soldiers and four Afghan troops were killed during a joint operation in Gul Tepa, a district on the outskirts of Kunduz city.

According to the New York Times on Sunday, the latest episode began after an armored vehicle used by US troops broke down as they were heading to a security checkpoint.

When the soldiers got out to fix the vehicle, an Afghan soldier described by officials as a Taliban insider opened fire on them.

The US forces reportedly fired back at the assailant, “and Afghan soldiers stationed in a nearby outpost returned fire at them, not realizing what had happened,” the newspaper quoted a local commander as saying.

Richardson said the Americans called in air raids, which killed 12 civilians and six soldiers.

Nangayalay, a local police commander in the area, said 14 members of a large refugee family were killed in one of the aerial attacks that hit their house.

The American bombs also hit the Afghan outpost, leaving between four and eight soldiers dead, according to varying estimates.

Safiullah Amiri, deputy head of the Kunduz provincial council, said four Afghan troops and 14 civilians lost their lives in the raids.

Local officials said at least eight children and four women were among those who lost their lives in the airstrikes.

Civilian casualties from aerial attacks conducted by US forces have surged across Afghanistan over the past few months.

The United States has recently stepped up its air raids in an attempt to exert pressure on the Taliban to accept a negotiated end to its 18-year insurgency.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan recorded 649 civilians casualties as a result of aerial attacks in the first nine months of last year, the highest number in any year since systematic recording began in 2009.

The Taliban’s five-year rule over at least three quarters of Afghanistan came to an end in the wake of a US-led invasion in 2001, but the militant group still continues to attack government and civilian targets as well as foreign forces.

The administration of US President Donald Trump is now negotiating with the Taliban group, excluding the Kabul government.

 

A country that is dependent on foreign aid is not a country: Ghani

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Ashraf Ghani

Ashraf Ghani

1TV: “A country cannot call itself a country and claim to be independent unless it is economically independent,” Ghani said addressing a ceremony to introduce his new adviser Waheed Omar. “Foreign aid has taken no country to prosperity, it has been an instrument.” Ghani said that Afghanistan’s resources should be developed in a balanced manner. Click here to read more (external link).

U.S. Exchanges Views On Afghanistan With Russia, China, EU

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peaceRadio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
March 23, 2019

WASHINGTON — U.S. officials have “exchanged views” with representatives of Russia and China on the current status of the Afghan peace process, the State Department says.

In a statement on March 22, the department said representatives met in Washington on March 21-22 and “discussed common efforts to bring peace, prosperity, and security to Afghanistan.”

“They underscored their respect for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, as well as Afghanistan’s right to make its own political, security, and economic decisions,” the statement added.

It said the three countries agreed to hold further discussions on the issue and that the exact dates and sites for such talks were to be decided.

The statement did not list which officials were involved in the discussions, although on March 20, the State Department announced that the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, would meet with officials from Russia and China on the matter.

That statement said Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s presidential envoy to Afghanistan; Deng Xijun, his Chinese counterpart; and Roland Kobia, the EU’s special envoy, would be part of the briefing.

Russian state-run TASS news agency said Kabulov attended the talks in Washington.

And, simultaneously but separately, the State Department said Khalilzad had held consultations with Kobia, although it was not clear if the talks were together with the other diplomats or bilateral.

‘Peace Must Be Key Objective’

Khalilzad and Kobia “agreed that bringing an end to Afghanistan’s war and achieving peace must be the key objective, and that violence should cease,” the statement said.

“Both sides underscored their respect for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Afghanistan,” it said, adding that the United States and EU “encourage all countries to support the current peace process, inclusive intra-Afghan talks, and lasting development and reconstruction in Afghanistan.”

The government in Kabul is fighting against Taliban extremists, who are attempting to reclaim control of the Afghan government.

The Taliban controlled the Afghan government before being driven from power in 2001 by a U.S.-led invasion after it refused to end support for Al-Qaeda terrorists following the September 11 terror attacks in the United States.

Taliban leaders, who took control in 1996, imposed a harsh form of Islamic law that denied education and work to women and girls as they cracked down on other social activities.

They were accused by international groups of human rights violations, causing concerns among more-moderate Afghans about their participation in any future government.

The U.S. military has some 12,000 troops in Afghanistan, mostly serving in training and advisory roles, but President Donald Trump has indicated a desire to reduce U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts and withdraw American forces.

Khalilzad has held several rounds of peace talks with the Taliban in Qatar, but the Western-backed government in Kabul has been absent from the negotiations, with the militant group insisting it will not engage with a Western “puppet.”

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.

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Afghan own goal hands victory to Malaysia

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soccerball1TV: Afghanistan’s Abassin Alikhil hit the ball into his own net to hand hosts Malaysia victory in the Airmarine Cup match on Saturday.  It was Afghanistan’s second consecutive loss in two matches they played in the tournament. Afghanistan had suffered 0-5 defeat in their first match against Oman. Afghanistan secured the last and fourth position in the four-nation tournament while Malaysia came third. Click here to read more (external link).

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New School Year Begins; One Million Newcomers To Attend

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educationTolo News: Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education on Saturday announced the start of the new school year and said that more than one million new students will be enrolled in at least 18,000 schools across the country.  The ministry’s statistics show that at least nine million students are attending schools across Afghanistan. Click here to read more (external link).

Taliban Claim Deadly Blasts At Stadium In Southern Afghanistan

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helmand_aq_mapRadio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
March 23, 2019

Four people, including a provincial official, have been killed and dozens more wounded in a twin bombing claimed by the Taliban in southern Afghanistan.

Afghan officials said the attack targeted a celebration of Farmer’s Day in a sports stadium in the provincial capital of Helmand Province on March 23.

The government said Mohammad Khan Nasrat, the economic director of Helmand, was among those killed in the attack at the stadium where about 1,000 people had gathered.

Helmand provincial Governor Mohammad Yasin Khan was knocked over but suffered only superficial injuries, a spokesman said.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility on Twitter for the explosions.

The Taliban control much of the province and frequently target government officials and the security forces.

The attack is one of several to have occurred during Afghanistan’s multiday celebrations to mark its traditional new year.

Explosions in Kabul on March 21 killed six people and wounded 23 others. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack in the Afghan capital.

The traditional new year is widely celebrated in Afghanistan but some hard-line Islamists oppose the festivities, saying they are un-Islamic.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, dozens of people protested against a military operation in northern Kunduz Province while carrying the remains of their loved ones. Photos from the protest showed what appeared to be the bodies of 12 people, including five or six small children.

Police spokesman Inamuddin Rahmani said there were operations in three different areas in Kunduz over the last three days that killed scores of insurgents.

“We are investigating if any civilians were killed or wounded,” he said.

On March 22, two American service members were killed during an operation in Kunduz Province. The Taliban said the same day that they were engaged in heavy fighting with Afghan and U.S. forces in Kunduz.

With reporting by AP and Reuters

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.

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