Middle East Public date: 24.08.2017 23:12:18

Publisher:

Author:

28 Dec 2011

‘Former Taliban’ in the Afghan peace puzzle

For months, Burhanhuddin Rabbani, the elderly statesman charged by the Afghan president to explore peace talks with the Taliban, communicated with a man he thought was an emissary for the armed movement s senior leadership. Abdul Hakim Mujahed, Rabbani s deputy and the highest ranking "former member of Taliban" in the peace council, perceived as an important interlocutor in the talks, had not been consulted about the commutations.
For months, Burhanhuddin Rabbani, the elderly statesman charged by the Afghan president to explore peace talks with the...
Tags:
peace, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

14 Dec 2011

US defence chief sees progress in Afghanistan

The US defence secretary has told US troops in Afghanistan that they are winning the conflict against the Taliban, as Washington and its allies prepare to begin withdrawing more forces and handing responsibility for security to Afghan forces.
The US defence secretary has told US troops in Afghanistan that they are winning the conflict against the Taliban, as...
Tags:
progress, taliban, us military
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

6 Dec 2011

Bonn talks on Afghanistan – Doomed to fail?

While the Taliban fell just days ofter the 2001 Bonn conference, its critics point to the freezing out of the group from the talks as a major blunder, something Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN special envoy to Afghanistan, referred to as the "original sin".
While the Taliban fell just days ofter the 2001 Bonn conference, its critics point to the freezing out of the group from...
Tags:
afghan security, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

5 Dec 2011

Afghan conference beset by boycotts

An international conference tasked with seeking a way forward for Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO combat troops in 2014 is under way in the German city of Bonn, but the absence of the Taliban and Pakistan from proceedings has dampened hopes of success.
An international conference tasked with seeking a way forward for Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO combat troops...
Tags:
afghan security, pakistan, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

14 Nov 2011

Taliban ‘has Afghanistan loya jirga security plan’

The Taliban in Afghanistan says it has obtained a government security plan for the grand assembly of leaders, or loya jirga, which opens in Kabul this week. The document includes what appears to be a detailed list of security arrangements for senior figures.
The Taliban in Afghanistan says it has obtained a government security plan for the grand assembly of leaders, or loya...
Tags:
afghan security, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

11 Nov 2011

Afghanistan mother and daughter stoned and shot dead

A group of armed men have stoned and shot dead a woman and her daughter in Afghanistan's Ghazni province, security officials have told the BBC. The officials blamed the Taliban, who they said had accused the women of "moral deviation and adultery".
A group of armed men have stoned and shot dead a woman and her daughter in Afghanistan's Ghazni province, security...
Tags:
stoning, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

10 Nov 2011

Haqqani network suspected in suicide attack on Afghan office

A team of suicide bombers attacked a government district center in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing three police officers and demonstrating insurgents determination to keep up the pressure on NATO and Afghan forces in the volatile region bordering Pakistan.
A team of suicide bombers attacked a government district center in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing three police...
Tags:
haqqani network, nato, police casulty, suicide bomber, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

7 Oct 2011

Afghanistan marks 10 years since US invasion

Afghanistan is marking the 10th anniversary of the start of the US-led invasion of the country amid growing security concerns and questions over what the next decade will hold. For some Afghans, the Friday anniversary of the offensive against the Taliban and al-Qaeda marks a time of reflection on what the war has meant for their country.
Afghanistan is marking the 10th anniversary of the start of the US-led invasion of the country amid growing security...
Tags:
taliban, war anniversary
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

6 Oct 2011

Afghanistan is losing time for a peaceful solution and the Taliban know it

After the initial US invasion Taliban recognising defeat wanted to talk peace: a formal surrender, the transfer of vehicles and weapons, an end to fighting in Kandahar, all in return for assurances their leaders could be able to return to their villages. That night Obaidullah sent bread for Karzai, in a gesture of conciliation. In retrospect, it was a tantalising opportunity for a smooth post-Taliban transition and, perhaps, a novel political dispensation. But it wasn't to be. Furious after the 9/11 attacks, the US war machine pursued the Taliban hard. Karzai, the new leader, acquiesced. And the Taliban leadership slunk across the border into Pakistan to lick their wounds and plan the resurgence that is racking the country today.
After the initial US invasion Taliban recognising defeat wanted to talk peace: a formal surrender, the transfer of...
Tags:
bush legacy, karzai, taliban, us foreign policy, war anniversary, wikileaks
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

13 Sep 2011

Militants Attack U.S. Embassy in Kabul

Insurgents launched a complex assault against the American Embassy and the nearby NATO headquarters on Tuesday, pelting the heavily guarded compounds with rockets in an attack that raised new questions about the security of Afghanistan s capital and the Westerners working there.
Insurgents launched a complex assault against the American Embassy and the nearby NATO headquarters on Tuesday, pelting...
Tags:
insurgancy, taliban, us embassy
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

12 Sep 2011

Ten years after 9 11

Of all the measures of a nation's prospects, the state of its education system is a sure indicator - and Afghanistan is no exception. A decade after the US invasion, Afghan girls have the opportunity to study and pursue careers previously closed to them by the Taliban.
Of all the measures of a nation's prospects, the state of its education system is a sure indicator - and Afghanistan is...
Tags:
reforms, taliban, usa
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

1 Sep 2011

Mullah Omar Says The Taliban Are Ready To Talk

For years, the Taliban s position about negotiating an end to the decade-long war with Hamid Karzai s government or the United States has been straightforward: U.S. troops have to leave Afghanistan first. While analysts have long speculated that the Taliban isn t really as rigid behind closed doors, its leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, now leaves no doubt. The Taliban is already negotiating with the U.S., Omar confirmed.
For years, the Taliban s position about negotiating an end to the decade-long war with Hamid Karzai s government or the...
Tags:
peace talks, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

27 Aug 2011

Taliban raid from Afghanistan kills 25 Pakistan troops

At least 200 Taliban fighters crossed from Afghanistan into Pakistan and killed more than 25 soldiers and police, Pakistan's military says. The fighters launched an early morning attack on seven military checkpoints in north-west Chitral district.
At least 200 Taliban fighters crossed from Afghanistan into Pakistan and killed more than 25 soldiers and police,...
Tags:
clashes, pakistan, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

11 Aug 2011

U.S. House of Representatives Report: Warlords Provide Security for U.S. Supply Chain in Afghanistan

Security for the U.S. Supply Chain Is Principally Provided by Warlords. The principal private security subcontractors on the HNT contract are warlords, strongmen, commanders, and militia leaders who compete with the Afghan central government for power and authority. Providing "protection" services for the U.S. supply chain empowers these warlords with money, legitimacy, and a raison d etre for their private armies.
Security for the U.S. Supply Chain Is Principally Provided by Warlords. The principal private security subcontractors on...
Tags:
taliban, us military
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

6 Aug 2011

Copter Downed by Taliban Fire – Elite U.S. Unit Among Dead

In the deadliest day for American forces in the nearly decade-long war in Afghanistan, insurgents shot down a Chinook transport helicopter on Saturday, killing 30 Americans, including some Navy Seal commandos from the unit that killed Osama bin Laden, as well as 8 Afghans, American and Afghan officials said.
In the deadliest day for American forces in the nearly decade-long war in Afghanistan, insurgents shot down a Chinook...
Tags:
taliban, us casulties
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

4 Aug 2011

On the Departure of President Karzai’s Spokesperson, Waheed Omer

I'm sure Waheed will find better ways of contributing to improve the situation in the country than working for President Karzai's administration, which is as much to blame for the current chaos as the Taliban. My best wishes to him in that effort.
I'm sure Waheed will find better ways of contributing to improve the situation in the country than working for President...
Tags:
karzai, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

29 Jul 2011

Afghanistan bombs kill 23 civilians on bus and tractor

Roadside mines have killed 23 civilians in southern Afghanistan, with a minibus and a tractor struck separately by explosives in Helmand province, according to officials. The minibus was travelling from Nahr-e-Saraj district to the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, when it hit a mine and all 19 people inside were killed, said Kamaluddin Shirzai, deputy police chief for Helmand.
Roadside mines have killed 23 civilians in southern Afghanistan, with a minibus and a tractor struck separately by...
Tags:
civilian deaths, roadside bomb, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

20 Jul 2011

The murder of Hamid Karzai’s brother means the war is going worse than we thought

Gen. David Petraeus stepped down as commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan on Monday, just as the Taliban's strength seems to be on the rise. The militants' growing power comes not from conventional military victories - on that score, Petraeus has racked up considerable advances in the past year - but, rather, from what may be a shift in the real war that's going on: the war for the favor (or at least complicity) of the Afghan people.
Gen. David Petraeus stepped down as commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan on Monday, just as the Taliban's...
Tags:
karzai, taliban, war report
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

18 Jul 2011

Taliban in Pakistan ‘police killing’ video

Footage appearing to show the execution-style killing of 16 policemen in the restive north-west of Pakistan has been released by the Taliban. The video shows policemen lined up on a hillside with their hands tied behind their backs in front of gunmen who berate them and then open fire on them.
Footage appearing to show the execution-style killing of 16 policemen in the restive north-west of Pakistan has been...
Tags:
afghan police, execution, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

12 Jul 2011

Afghan president’s brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai, killed

The half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been assassinated in Kandahar. Ahmad Wali Karzai, a leading power broker in the country's south, was shot dead at his home in a blow to Nato's battle against the Taliban in the area.
The half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been assassinated in Kandahar. Ahmad Wali Karzai, a leading power...
Tags:
assasination, karzai, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

5 Jul 2011

Cameron Future role possible for Taliban

British Prime Minister David Cameron has said that Afghanistan's Taliban - currently fighting against British troops and other international coalition forces - could play a future role in the government of the country.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has said that Afghanistan's Taliban - currently fighting against British troops and...
Tags:
peace, taliban, uk
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

2 Jul 2011

Deadly roadside blast hits Afghanistan

Eleven members of an Afghan family have been killed by a roadside bomb in Zabul, a province in southern Afghanistan, officials say. Roadside bombs planted by Taliban-led fighters, who have been waging an uprising against foreign forces for nearly 10 years, are a frequent cause of casualties among civilians in Afghanistan.
Eleven members of an Afghan family have been killed by a roadside bomb in Zabul, a province in southern Afghanistan,...
Tags:
taliban, terrorism
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

27 Jun 2011

Taliban say husband and wife in Pakistan suicide attack

A husband and wife carried out a suicide attack that killed eight people at a police station in north-western Pakistan, the Taliban has said. he attack took place late on Saturday in Kolachi, near the tribal region and Taliban stronghold of South Waziristan.
A husband and wife carried out a suicide attack that killed eight people at a police station in north-western Pakistan,...
Tags:
afghan police, suicide bomber, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

27 Jun 2011

Pakistan expels British trainers of anti-Taliban soldiers

Pakistan has expelled a team of British military trainers sent to help with the fight against the Taliban and al-Qaida, as the fallout from the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden continues to rock relations between Islamabad and its western allies.
Pakistan has expelled a team of British military trainers sent to help with the fight against the Taliban and al-Qaida,...
Tags:
pakistan, taliban, uk
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

23 Jun 2011

Taliban dismisses US troop withdrawal

The Taliban has dismissed President Barack Obama's announcement of US troop withdrawals from Afghanistan as "only as a symbolic step," in a statement released on Thursday. The Taliban "considers this announcement, which currently withdraws 10,000 soldiers this year, only as a symbolic step which will never satisfy the war-weary international community or the American people," it said.
The Taliban has dismissed President Barack Obama's announcement of US troop withdrawals from Afghanistan as "only as a...
Tags:
drawdown, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

23 Jun 2011

Dissonance: Obama Wants Peace Talks And Forever War in Afghanistan

President Obama firmly committed the U.S. to peace talks with the Taliban in Wednesday night’s big Afghanistan speech. His administration, meanwhile, is rowing in the opposite direction: negotiating deals with Hamid Karzai’s government that would keep drones and commandos in Afghanistan forever and ever. See if you can spot the tension there. For the first time, [...]
President Obama firmly committed the U.S. to peace talks with the Taliban in Wednesday night’s big Afghanistan speech....
Tags:
drawdown, obama, peace, taliban, war
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

18 Jun 2011

Afghanistan’s Karzai US in peace talks with Taliban

The US is engaged in talks with the Taliban, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said, in the first high-level confirmation of US involvement. Mr Karzai said that "foreign military and especially the US itself" were involved in peace talks with the group.
The US is engaged in talks with the Taliban, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said, in the first high-level...
Tags:
peace, taliban, us foreign policy
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

19 May 2011

Afghan road workers killed in Taliban ambush

At least 35 construction workers have been shot dead and 20 injured by Taliban insurgents in eastern Afghanistan, an official says. Eight insurgents were also killed as guards returned fire during Wednesday night's ambush, a Paktia provincial spokesman told the BBC.
At least 35 construction workers have been shot dead and 20 injured by Taliban insurgents in eastern Afghanistan, an...
Tags:
civilian deaths, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

19 May 2011

Pakistan Taliban warns of retaliation

The Pakistani Taliban have issued their first videotaped message since Osama bin Laden was killed by US Navy Seals earlier this month. In the exclusive footage, obtained by Kamal Hyder, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Islamabad, the group is shown vowing revenge for the al-Qaeda leader's death.
The Pakistani Taliban have issued their first videotaped message since Osama bin Laden was killed by US Navy Seals...
Tags:
bin laden aftermath, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

17 May 2011

U.S. speeds up direct talks with Taliban

The administration has accelerated direct talks with the Taliban, initiated several months ago, that U.S. officials say they hope will enable President Obama to report progress toward a settlement of the Afghanistan war when he announces troop withdrawals in July.
The administration has accelerated direct talks with the Taliban, initiated several months ago, that U.S. officials say...
Tags:
drawdown, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

14 May 2011

US charges six with aiding Pakistani Taliban

Authorities in the US have charged six people with providing financial support to the Pakistani Taliban. Three are US citizens, including two imams at Florida mosques, while three are at large in Pakistan.
Authorities in the US have charged six people with providing financial support to the Pakistani Taliban. Three are US...
Tags:
funding, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

11 May 2011

Don’t abandon Afghanistan after 2014 handover, plead generals

The west must state clearly that it will not abandon Afghanistan after the handover of security to local forces in 2014 or risk further fighting in the region from an emboldened Taliban, the commander of British forces in the country has warned.
The west must state clearly that it will not abandon Afghanistan after the handover of security to local forces in 2014...
Tags:
drawdown, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

8 May 2011

Taliban’s Kandahar raid into second day

Afghan security forces are battling Taliban insurgents for a second successive day inside the southern city of Kandahar. Two security personnel and three civilians have been killed, and 46 other people have been injured.
Afghan security forces are battling Taliban insurgents for a second successive day inside the southern city of Kandahar....
Tags:
afghan security, civilian deaths, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

1 May 2011

Deadly start to Taliban ‘spring offensive’

The Taliban has killed five people and injured 12 others in two attacks staged on the first day of its newly launched 'spring offensive', Afghan officials said. A suicide bomber detonated his explosive-packed vest at a bazaar in the Barmal district of Paktika province, which is on the Afghan-Pakstani border, the interior ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
The Taliban has killed five people and injured 12 others in two attacks staged on the first day of its newly launched...
Tags:
suicide bomber, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

26 Apr 2011

Afghanistan’s great escape: how 480 Taliban prisoners broke out of jail

Kandahar's prison may not be Stalag Luft III but in terms of ingenuity, organisation and sheer cunning the successful break-out by at least 480 Taliban prisoners in the early hours of Monday morning rivals anything pulled off by British POWs in the infamous German prison camp.
Kandahar's prison may not be Stalag Luft III but in terms of ingenuity, organisation and sheer cunning the successful...
Tags:
prisoner escape, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

6 Apr 2011

Taliban Laud Afghan Protest over Quran Desecration in US

Taliban outfit fighting Afghan and NATO-led troops in Afghanistan supported demonstrations over Quran burning in the United States, a statement of the outfit sent to media on Wednesday said.
Taliban outfit fighting Afghan and NATO-led troops in Afghanistan supported demonstrations over Quran burning in the...
Tags:
islam, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

14 Mar 2011

Dead Men Risen The snipers’ story

Within 40 days, two marksmen from 4 Rifles, part of the Welsh Guards Battle group, had achieved 75 confirmed kills with 31 attributed to Potter and 44 to Osmond. Each kill was chalked up as a little stick man on the beam above the firing position in their camouflaged sangar beside the base gate - a stick man with no head denoting a target eliminated with a shot to the skull.
Within 40 days, two marksmen from 4 Rifles, part of the Welsh Guards Battle group, had achieved 75 confirmed kills with...
Tags:
british army, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

25 Feb 2011

U.S. Pulling Back in Afghan Valley It Called Vital

Afghanistan After years of fighting for control of a prominent valley in the rugged mountains of eastern Afghanistan, the United States military has begun to pull back most of its forces from ground it once insisted was central to the campaign against the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
Afghanistan After years of fighting for control of a prominent valley in the rugged mountains of eastern Afghanistan,...
Tags:
al qaeda, retreat, taliban, us army
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

19 Feb 2011

Taliban attack on Afghan bank

Gunmen dressed as border police have killed at least 18 people and wounded more than 70 in an attack on a bank in the main city in Afghanistan's east, witnesses and government officials have said. Al Jazeera has learned that at least seven suicide bombers stormed a branch of the Kabul Bank in Jalalabad city on Saturday and detonated their explosives.
Gunmen dressed as border police have killed at least 18 people and wounded more than 70 in an attack on a bank in the...
Tags:
civilian deaths, suicide bomber, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

7 Feb 2011

Afghanistan’s Hidden Taliban Government

Midway through December, Afghan police officers arrested a man who had hidden a fake bomb near a government office in Miri, a village in eastern Afghanistan. The man, who gave the name Muhammad Mir, confessed, saying he wanted to gauge the security force's reactions to a Taliban attack, according to American intelligence officials.
Midway through December, Afghan police officers arrested a man who had hidden a fake bomb near a government office in...
Tags:
taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

30 Dec 2010

Hundreds of Detainees Disappearing

The Obama administration is expressing alarm over reports that thousands of political separatists and captured Taliban insurgents have disappeared into the hands of Pakistan s police and security forces, and that some may have been tortured or killed.
The Obama administration is expressing alarm over reports that thousands of political separatists and captured Taliban...
Tags:
pakistan, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

27 Dec 2010

Haqqani Network Quelled, at Least Temporarily, by Raids

The deadliest group of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan has not conducted a complex large-scale attack in the capital city of Kabul for seven months, its momentum stymied as elite American-led commandos have escalated raids against the militants bomb makers and logisticians.
The deadliest group of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan has not conducted a complex large-scale attack in the capital...
Tags:
taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

25 Dec 2010

Pakistan bomb attack kills dozens

At least 40 people have been killed and some 80 others injured after a suspected suicide bomber attacked a crowd of people receiving food aid in northwest Pakistan. Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from Islamabad, said that the incident took place on Saturday morning at a World Food Programme (WFP) distribution centre in the area of Bajaur.
At least 40 people have been killed and some 80 others injured after a suspected suicide bomber attacked a crowd of...
Tags:
pakistan, suicide bombing, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

24 Dec 2010

North Pakistan clashes ‘leave 27 dead

At least three soldiers and 24 militants have been killed in a series of clashes in a tribal region of north-western Pakistan, officials have said. The battles erupted after about 150 Taliban attacked five paramilitary Frontier Corps checkpoints in and around Baidnami in the Mohmand Agency, one official told the AFP news agency.
At least three soldiers and 24 militants have been killed in a series of clashes in a tribal region of north-western...
Tags:
pakistan, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

5 Dec 2010

Pakistan ‘We are part of the solution in Afghanistan’

Pakistan s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani couldn't have been more blunt when he said a few weeks ago that: "Nothing can happen in Afghan peace talks with the Taliban without us. We are part of the solution. We are not part of the problem." For some in Afghanistan, however, Pakistan is a part of the problem blocking any attempt to find a political solution to the conflict that doesn't secure its strategic interests at home.
Pakistan s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani couldn't have been more blunt when he said a few weeks ago that: "Nothing...
Tags:
pakistan, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

24 Nov 2010

The Great Game Imposter

And we wonder why we haven t found Osama bin Laden. Though we re pouring billions into intelligence in Afghanistan, we can t even tell the difference between a no-name faker and a senior member of the Taliban. The tragedy of Afghanistan has descended into farce. In the sort of scene that would have entertained millions if Billy Wilder had made a movie of Kipling s Kim, it turns out that Afghan and NATO leaders have been negotiating for months with an imposter pretending to be a top Taliban commander - even as Gen. David Petraeus was assuring reporters that there were promising overtures to President Hamid Karzai from the Taliban about ending the war.
And we wonder why we haven t found Osama bin Laden. Though we re pouring billions into intelligence in Afghanistan, we...
Tags:
progress, taliban, usa, war
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

8 Oct 2010

Inquiry Finds Guards at U.S. Bases Are Tied to Taliban

Afghan private security forces with ties to the Taliban, criminal networks and Iranian intelligence have been hired to guard American military bases in Afghanistan, exposing United States soldiers to surprise attack and confounding the fight against insurgents, according to a Senate investigation.
Afghan private security forces with ties to the Taliban, criminal networks and Iranian intelligence have been hired to...
Tags:
corruption, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

18 Sep 2010

Afghan Vote Marked by Light Turnout and Violence

MARJA, Afghanistan -The first voter here was Muhammad Akbar, 22, who dipped his finger in the indelible purple ink, collected his ballot and had just stepped into the cardboard box that serves as a voting booth when gunfire broke out. The Taliban had vowed to disrupt Afghanistan s parliamentary election and sought to make good on that promise throughout the country on Saturday. At least 10 people were killed, scores of polling stations were attacked and hundreds of them apparently never opened.
MARJA, Afghanistan -The first voter here was Muhammad Akbar, 22, who dipped his finger in the indelible purple ink,...
Tags:
elections, taliban, violance
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

17 Sep 2010

From Bad to Worse in the North

I returned to Northern Afghanistan in April to document for Foreign Policy the implacable spread of the Taliban in the region (the dispatches I wrote were recently published as an ebook, Waiting for the Taliban); I left the region in May. At the time, the Taliban were terrorizing travelers in Kunduz and Baghlan provinces, along the main route that NATO uses to bring in supplies from Tajikistan; launching swift attacks on government forces in Takhar Province; and flagging down traffic at impromptu checkpoints on the ancient roads of Balkh.
I returned to Northern Afghanistan in April to document for Foreign Policy the implacable spread of the Taliban in the...
Tags:
progress, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

13 Sep 2010

Petraeus spin on roadside bombs bellied

General David Petraeus claimed limited success this week in the war within a war over the Taliban's planting of roadside bombs, but official Pentagon data show the Taliban clearly winning that war by planting more bombs and killing many more United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops since the troop surge began in early 2010.
General David Petraeus claimed limited success this week in the war within a war over the Taliban's planting of roadside...
Tags:
petraeus, taliban, war casulties
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

2 Sep 2010

Petraeus: Hooks line and sinker

In an effort to introduce a story of "progress" into media coverage, General David Petraeus' command claimed last week that the Taliban are suffering from reduced morale in Marjah and elsewhere, despite evidence that the population of Marjah still believes the Taliban control that district.
In an effort to introduce a story of "progress" into media coverage, General David Petraeus' command claimed last week...
Tags:
petraeus, progress, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

2 Sep 2010

The degree zero of culture

Like the handful of Western correspondents immersed in Talibanistan 10 years ago, a long time before 9/11, I was dying to meet the one-eyed legend Mullah Omar. Fat chance; he was more mysterious than The Shadow, even in Kandahar. He had only been to Kabul twice - and left in a hurry. His three wives still lived in Singesar, his native village, a dusty basket of mud-hut compounds where no girls had ever been to school - after all there was no school; only Omar's own madrassa, little else than a tent with a soiled floor filled with mattresses for the pupils.
Like the handful of Western correspondents immersed in Talibanistan 10 years ago, a long time before 9/11, I was dying...
Tags:
mullah omar, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

23 Aug 2010

Pakistanis Tell of Motive in Taliban LeaderÂ’s Arrest

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - When American and Pakistani agents captured Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban s operational commander, in the chaotic port city of Karachi last January, both countries hailed the arrest as a breakthrough in their often difficult partnership in fighting terrorism. But the arrest of Mr. Baradar, the second-ranking Taliban leader after Mullah Muhammad Omar, came with a beguiling twist: both American and Pakistani officials claimed that Mr. Baradar s capture had been a lucky break. It was only days later, the officials said, that they finally figured out who they had. Now, seven months later, Pakistani officials are telling a very different story. They say they set out to capture Mr. Baradar, and used the C.I.A. to help them do it, because they wanted to shut down secret peace talks that Mr. Baradar had been conducting with the Afghan government that excluded Pakistan, the Taliban s longtime backer.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - When American and Pakistani agents captured Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban s operational...
Tags:
pakistan, peace, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

12 Aug 2010

Showcase Afghan Army Mission Turns Into Debacle

KABUL, Afghanistan An ambitious military operation that Afghan officials had expected to be a sign of their growing military capacity instead turned into an embarrassment, with Taliban fighters battering an Afghan battalion in a remote eastern area until NATO sent in French and American rescue teams.
KABUL, Afghanistan An ambitious military operation that Afghan officials had expected to be a sign of their growing...
Tags:
afghan army, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

12 Aug 2010

Medics Killed In Afghan Ambush

KABUL (Reuters) - Eight foreign medical workers and two Afghans shot by unidentified gunmen were likely killed in an "opportunistic ambush," the international Christian aid organization for which they worked said on Thursday. The International Assistance Mission (IAM) has disputed the Taliban's claim of responsibility for the killings in Badakhshan province in Afghanistan's remote northeast last week. The Taliban quickly said it had killed the foreigners -- six Americans, a Briton and a German -- accusing them of promoting Christianity. Another militant Islamist group, Hezb-i-Islami, also said it had killed them.
KABUL (Reuters) - Eight foreign medical workers and two Afghans shot by unidentified gunmen were likely killed in an...
Tags:
civilian deaths, taliban, terrorism
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

24 Jul 2010

2 Americans Are Abducted Near Kabul

KABUL, Afghanistan - Taliban militants kidnapped two American service members who were driving a civilian vehicle in a particularly dangerous region of Logar Province south of Kabul on Friday, according to officials and local residents.
KABUL, Afghanistan - Taliban militants kidnapped two American service members who were driving a civilian vehicle in a...
Tags:
kidnapping, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

19 Jul 2010

Kabul set for historic international conference

Some 70 countries are set to attend a historic conference in the Afghan capital Kabul amid some of the deadliest violence of the war. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is among those due to join Tuesday's one-day talks on Afghanistan's future. They expect to hear President Hamid Karzai call for greater control over foreign aid for reconstruction. But Afghanistan's key foreign backers are also seeking assurances as they plan to withdraw troops.
Some 70 countries are set to attend a historic conference in the Afghan capital Kabul amid some of the deadliest...
Tags:
peace, taliban, troop withdrawl
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

19 Jul 2010

Taliban call to kill collaborators

Mullah Omar, the leader of the Afghan Taliban, has reportedly issued a new directive in which he calls on his fighters to capture and kill any Afghan working for foreign forces. Nato said they stumbled upon the five-point directive after intercepting a letter that the Taliban chief wrote to his field commanders.
Mullah Omar, the leader of the Afghan Taliban, has reportedly issued a new directive in which he calls on his fighters...
Tags:
taliban, terrorism
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

6 Jun 2010

Taliban fighters reject peace offer

Taliban fighters in the remote eastern Afghan province of Nuristan have rejected calls to hold peace talks with the government. Delegates at the recently concluded peace conference in Kabul - locally called a jirga - asked the government to hold talks with the Taliban.
Taliban fighters in the remote eastern Afghan province of Nuristan have rejected calls to hold peace talks with the...
Tags:
peace, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

2 Jun 2010

Taliban Attacks Shake Afghan Peace Gathering

KABUL, Afghanistan - As rockets landed nearby and suicide attackers detonated explosives, President Hamid Karzai opened a national consultative peace assembly on Wednesday morning with the goal of winning popular backing for his plan to persuade Taliban and insurgent foot soldiers to stop fighting.
KABUL, Afghanistan - As rockets landed nearby and suicide attackers detonated explosives, President Hamid Karzai opened...
Tags:
suicide bomber, taliban, terrorism
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

29 Apr 2010

Taliban militants ‘reappear’ in Swat valley

Taliban militants have resumed targeted killings of local leaders in Pakistan's troubled Swat valley, officials have told the BBC. Pakistan's army declared the Swat valley free of militants after carrying out an anti-Taliban operation in 2009. A Pakistani army spokesman said three people had died in attacks over the last 10 days. Local journalists say that seven have died in 15 days.
Taliban militants have resumed targeted killings of local leaders in Pakistan's troubled Swat valley, officials have...
Tags:
pakistan, swat valley, taliban, terrorism
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

26 Apr 2010

Elite U.S. Units Step Up Effort in Afghan City Before Attack

Small bands of elite American Special Operations forces have been operating with increased intensity for several weeks in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan s largest city, picking up or picking off insurgent leaders to weaken the Taliban in advance of major operations, senior administration and military officials say. The looming battle for the spiritual home of the Taliban is shaping up as the pivotal test of President Obama s Afghanistan strategy, including how much the United States can count on the country s leaders and military for support, and whether a possible increase in civilian casualties from heavy fighting will compromise a strategy that depends on winning over the Afghan people.
Small bands of elite American Special Operations forces have been operating with increased intensity for several weeks...
Tags:
surge, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

5 Apr 2010

Hidden costs of US’s drone reliance

The United States' expansion of unmanned aircraft strikes in Pakistan has inflicted severe damage on the Pakistani Taliban. But drones have been less effective in Afghanistan. There, evidence shows that while drone strikes wear down the will of insurgents, they also give policymakers the illusion of quick, seemingly costless success
The United States' expansion of unmanned aircraft strikes in Pakistan has inflicted severe damage on the Pakistani...
Tags:
drones, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

5 Apr 2010

Drones Batter Al Qaeda and Its Allies Within Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan A stepped-up campaign of American drone strikes over the past three months has battered Al Qaeda and its Pakistani and Afghan brethren in the tribal area of North Waziristan, according to a mid-ranking militant and supporters of the government there.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan A stepped-up campaign of American drone strikes over the past three months has battered Al Qaeda and...
Tags:
al qaeda, drones, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

7 Mar 2010

Karzai gets an earful in town seized from Taliban

MARJAH, Afghanistan Elders in a former Taliban stronghold berated and challenged Afghanistan's president Sunday, delivering a litany of complaints about government corruption and NATO's military operations on the Afghan leader's first visit to Marjah.
MARJAH, Afghanistan Elders in a former Taliban stronghold berated and challenged Afghanistan's president Sunday,...
Tags:
corruption, nato, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

26 Feb 2010

Guesthouses Used by Foreigners in Kabul Hit in Deadly Attacks

KABUL, Afghanistan- A complex suicide and car-bomb attack in the heart of Kabul on Friday showed the continued ability of the Taliban to stage sophisticated operations in the heavily guarded capital, with the aim of undermining international support for the Afghan war.
KABUL, Afghanistan- A complex suicide and car-bomb attack in the heart of Kabul on Friday showed the continued ability...
Tags:
suicide bomber, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

23 Feb 2010

Pakistani Reports Capture of Taliban Leader

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan In another blow to the Taliban senior leadership, Pakistani authorities have captured Mullah Abdul Kabir, a member of the group s inner circle and a leading military commander against American forces in eastern Afghanistan, according to a Pakistani intelligence official.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan In another blow to the Taliban senior leadership, Pakistani authorities have captured Mullah Abdul...
Tags:
taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

16 Feb 2010

Half of TownÂ’s Taliban Flee or Are Killed, Allies Say

NAD ALI, Afghanistan As heavy fighting in the insurgent stronghold of Marja carried into its third day, the number of Taliban fighters in the area has dropped by about half, American and Afghan commanders said Monday.
NAD ALI, Afghanistan As heavy fighting in the insurgent stronghold of Marja carried into its third day, the number of...
Tags:
surge, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

7 Feb 2010

US, Afghanistan at Odds Over Reconciliation and Reintegration

There is widespread talk about reconciliation and reintegration in Afghanistan. But they are very different terms and they are viewed very differently in Washington and Kabul. This report explains how differences in terminology translate into policy differences about the Afghan insurgency.
There is widespread talk about reconciliation and reintegration in Afghanistan. But they are very different terms and...
Tags:
diplomacy, taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

3 Feb 2010

Taliban raid showcase new battle tactics

LASHKAR GAH, Helmand - Officials in Helmand province say they had warning of a day-long rebel attack on the town of Lashkar Gah last week, leading some residents to ask why it was allowed to happen and to last so long.
LASHKAR GAH, Helmand - Officials in Helmand province say they had warning of a day-long rebel attack on the town of...
Tags:
taliban
0
00

Publisher:

Author:

3 Feb 2010

Pakistani Taliban has its work cut out

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani authorities, having been embarrassed in the past over false claims, have not yet conclusively stated that Hakeemullah Mehsud, the leader of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP - Taliban Movement of Pakistan), was killed in a United States drone attack in the South Waziristan tribal area last week. A senior Pakistani security official has been quoted as saying that Mehsud had "probably been killed" along with about 12 militants in Shaktoee, a village close to the border with North Waziristan, but that the matter was being investigated.
ISLAMABAD - Pakistani authorities, having been embarrassed in the past over false claims, have not yet conclusively...
Tags:
al qaeda, taliban
0
00

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name *