Middle East Public date: 24.08.2017 23:12:18

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23 Jun 2011

France follows US in troop withdrawal

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced the phased withdrawal of its 4,000 soldiers serving in Afghanistan. A statement said the French would follow the timetable of US withdrawals announced by President Barack Obama. Mr Obama said 10,000 US troops would pull out this year, with another 23,000 leaving by the end of September 2012.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced the phased withdrawal of its 4,000 soldiers serving in Afghanistan. A...
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drawdown, france
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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,...
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afghan police, suicide bomber, taliban
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28 Jun 2011

Afghan central bank governor Abdul Qadeer Fitrat quits

The governor of Afghanistan's central bank, Abdul Qadeer Fitrat, has resigned, saying he feels his life is in danger after investigating fraud. He said the government had interfered in his efforts to pursue those responsible for massive corruption at the privately-owned Kabul Bank.
The governor of Afghanistan's central bank, Abdul Qadeer Fitrat, has resigned, saying he feels his life is in danger...
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banker, corruption
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29 Jun 2011

Kabul hotel attack Nato helicopters kill Taliban

Nato helicopters were called in to kill three militants to end a five-hour clash by suicide bombers and gunmen on a hotel in the Afghan capital, Kabul. The attack on the Intercontinental Hotel, frequented by Westerners, left six more attackers, two police and 11 civilians, including a Spaniard dead
Nato helicopters were called in to kill three militants to end a five-hour clash by suicide bombers and gunmen on a...
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nato, suicide bomber
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9 Jul 2011

US ‘within reach of strategic defeat of al-Qaeda’

New US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has said the US is "within reach of strategically defeating al-Qaeda". Mr Panetta said that following the killing of Osama Bin Laden, key leaders in Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere had been identified and would be targeted.
New US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has said the US is "within reach of strategically defeating al-Qaeda". Mr Panetta...
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al qaeda, us foreign policy
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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...
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assasination, karzai, taliban
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12 Jul 2011

France to withdraw a quarter of troops in Afghanistan

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy has said the country will withdraw 1,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan by the end of 2012. He made the announcement during a visit to a military base in the Sarobi district, north of Kabul.
France's President Nicolas Sarkozy has said the country will withdraw 1,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan by the end...
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drawdown, france
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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...
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afghan police, execution, taliban
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20 Jul 2011

Lashkar Gah : Nato hands over volatile Afghan city

British troops in Afghanistan's volatile Helmand province are handing control of the city of Lashkar Gah to Afghan security forces. Nato has already handed over the relatively peaceful province of Bamiyan and the eastern town of Mehter Lam.
British troops in Afghanistan's volatile Helmand province are handing control of the city of Lashkar Gah to Afghan...
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war report
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1 Aug 2011

Mullen focuses on Afghanistan-Pakistan border havens

The top US military officer has said the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan is still the world's most dangerous area, calling it the epicentre of terrorism. In a BBC interview Adm Mike Mullen again called on Pakistan to end "safe havens" there.
The top US military officer has said the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan is still the world's most...
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pakistan, terrorism
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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,...
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clashes, pakistan, taliban
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26 Sep 2011

Two killed at Kabul CIA station

An Afghan employee has killed one US citizen and wounded another before being shot dead at a compound believed to house a CIA station, officials say. The incident in Kabul took place on Sunday night at the facility, previously known as the Ariana hotel.
An Afghan employee has killed one US citizen and wounded another before being shot dead at a compound believed to house...
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cia, insurgents, war casulty
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3 Nov 2011

Afghanistan ‘suicide attack’ hits city of Herat

Militants have carried out a suicide gun and bomb attack on a private construction company in the western Afghan city of Herat, officials say. Two guards were killed and four other people wounded, the officials say, with the fighting now said to be over.
Militants have carried out a suicide gun and bomb attack on a private construction company in the western Afghan city of...
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suicide bomber
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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...
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stoning, taliban
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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...
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afghan security, taliban
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16 Nov 2011

Afghan president backs US pact in tribal elders talks

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has told a meeting of tribal elders that a security pact with the US is in the best interests of both nations. He was addressing the gathering, or loya jirga, in the capital, Kabul, amid tight security. The president said that any deal with the US could only work if Afghan sovereignty was respected.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has told a meeting of tribal elders that a security pact with the US is in the best...
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afghan security, karzai, usa
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19 Nov 2011

Afghan police killed during Nato night raid

Two Afghan police officers have been killed in a clash with Nato-led forces who were conducting a night-time raid, say officials in Afghanistan. The "friendly fire" incident happened in Ghazni province, southwest of Kabul. Two other Afghan soldiers were injured, according to the provincial governor.
Two Afghan police officers have been killed in a clash with Nato-led forces who were conducting a night-time raid, say...
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afghan police, casulties, nato
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29 Nov 2011

Pakistan ‘to boycott Afghan Bonn talks’ after Nato raid

Pakistan is to boycott talks on Afghanistan's future in protest at a Nato air strike which killed 24 of its soldiers at the weekend, officials say. The night-time attack took place at the Salala checkpoint in Mohmand agency, about 1.5 miles from the poorly delineated border with Afghanistan, early on Saturday morning. The Pakistani army said helicopters and fighter aircraft hit two border posts, killing 24 people and leaving 13 injured. Unnamed Afghan officials quoted in The Wall Street Journal said Saturday's air strike was called in to shield Nato and Afghan forces who had come under fire.
Pakistan is to boycott talks on Afghanistan's future in protest at a Nato air strike which killed 24 of its soldiers at...
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air strikes, drones, nato, pakistan
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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...
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drones, taliban
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21 Mar 2010

Afghan Cops Make Big Problem for … Afghans

Poor marksmanship is the least of it. Worse, crooked Afghan cops supply much of the ammunition used by the Taliban, according to Saleh Mohammed, an insurgent commander in Helmand province. The bullets and rocket-propelled grenades sold by the cops are cheaper and of better quality than the ammo at local markets, he says. It's easy for local cops to concoct credible excuses for using so much ammunition, especially because their supervisors try to avoid areas where the Taliban are active. Mohammed says local police sometimes even stage fake firefights so that if higher-ups question their outsize orders for ammo, villagers will say they've heard fighting.
Poor marksmanship is the least of it. Worse, crooked Afghan cops supply much of the ammunition used by the Taliban,...
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afghan police, afghan security
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25 Sep 2010

The CIA-Trained Teams Going into Pakistan

The CIA has relied on Lilley, part of a constellation of agency bases across Afghanistan, as a hub to train and deploy a well-armed 3,000-member Afghan paramilitary force collectively known as Counterterrorism Pursuit Teams. In addition to being used for surveillance, raids and combat operations in Afghanistan, the teams are crucial to the United States' secret war in Pakistan, according to current and former U.S. officials.
The CIA has relied on Lilley, part of a constellation of agency bases across Afghanistan, as a hub to train and deploy a...
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cia, war
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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...
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pakistan, taliban
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19 Apr 2011

The US Military, Politics, and Indications of Progress

To be fair, this is more than the common cheerleading piece for American commanders. Chandresekaran cautions that there might be a violent summer in the south and, even more interesting, refers in the middle of the story to "deterioration of security in eastern Afghanistan" and the belief of some US military and diplomats that "the transformation [to Afghan security forces is] unsustainable".
To be fair, this is more than the common cheerleading piece for American commanders. Chandresekaran cautions that there...
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progress, us military
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19 Jul 2011

The Assassin, the CIA, and the Killing of Ahmad Wali Karzai

Ahmad Wali Karzai, the half-brother of the Afghan president, lived under constant fear of assassination. His death last week was the latest of 10 attempts to kill him. The seventh bomb to target me was so big that hundreds of cats fed on human flesh for days afterwards, he told me last July. The man who finally killed Karzai was someone he trusted with his life. Not only was Sardar Mohammed a close confidant, but he also worked as an informant for the CIA, according to relatives, Karzai s friends and the Afghan intelligence agency.
Ahmad Wali Karzai, the half-brother of the Afghan president, lived under constant fear of assassination. His death last...
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assasination, cia, karzai
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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...
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karzai, taliban
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30 May 2010

How US Handles Afghanistan’s Civilian Deaths Blame the Button-Pushers

If US commanders or, for that matter, President Obama really wanted to be up front and above board on this issue - given our supposed campaign for hearts and minds in this conflict - they would say: Civilians die in war zones. They die from being caught up in the fight, even though they take no part in it. Civilians die from our tactics of unmanned planes firing missiles in this conflict. That is regrettable, but that is war.
If US commanders or, for that matter, President Obama really wanted to be up front and above board on this issue -...
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civilian deaths
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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...
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progress, taliban
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22 Aug 2011

Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Railway Starts Operations

The railroad connecting Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, with the Uzbekistan border town of Hairatan, has opened, putting into operation a key node of the U.S. military's overland transport route through Central Asia to Afghanistan. reports Central Asia Online:
The railroad connecting Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, with the Uzbekistan border town of Hairatan, has opened, putting...
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progress
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21 Jun 2011

Top Advisers Split on Afghanistan Withdrawal, as Obama Finalizes Plan Ahead of Announcement

President Obama will announce the critical next steps in America's decade-long war in Afghanistan on Wednesday, outlining both a plan to start bringing thousands of U.S. troops home next month and a broader withdrawal blueprint aimed at giving Afghans control of their own security in 2014.
President Obama will announce the critical next steps in America's decade-long war in Afghanistan on Wednesday,...
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drawdown
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2 Aug 2010

Kiss This War Goodbye

IT was on a Sunday morning, June 13, 1971, that The Times published its first installment of the Pentagon Papers. Few readers may have been more excited than a circle of aspiring undergraduate journalists who d worked at The Harvard Crimson. Though the identity of The Times s source wouldn t eke out for several days, we knew the whistle-blower had to be Daniel Ellsberg, an intense research fellow at M.I.T. and former Robert McNamara acolyte who d become an antiwar activist around Boston. We recognized the papers contents, as reported in The Times, because we d heard the war stories from the loquacious Ellsberg himself.
IT was on a Sunday morning, June 13, 1971, that The Times published its first installment of the Pentagon Papers. Few...
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war, wikileaks
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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...
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petraeus, progress, taliban
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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...
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diplomacy, taliban
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5 Feb 2010

McChrystal: Afghan Security Deterioration Over, But No Win Yet

The commander of coalition and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, says the deterioration of the security situation in the country, which he cited four months ago, has stopped. The general says with the revised strategy President Barack Obama announced in December and more allied troops flowing in, there is an "inevitability" about the Afghan and coalition effort to take
The commander of coalition and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, says the deterioration of the...
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mcchrystal, progress, security
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5 Feb 2010

McChrystal Notes Progress in Afghanistan

Although he stopped short of saying the worst is over for troops as they prepare to surge into some of the toughest Taliban-held areas, the top NATO and U.S. commander in Afghanistan said here today that conditions no longer are deteriorating.
Although he stopped short of saying the worst is over for troops as they prepare to surge into some of the toughest...
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mcchrystal, military report, progress
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27 Dec 2010

Afghanistan – The Top 10 Myths of 2010

A recent National Intelligence Estimate by 16 intelligence agencies found no progress. It warned that large swathes of the country were at risk of falling to the Taliban and that they still had safe havens in Pakistan, with the Pakistani government complicit. The UN says there were over 6000 civilian casualties of war in Afghanistan in the first 10 months of 2010, a 20% increase over the same period in 2009.
A recent National Intelligence Estimate by 16 intelligence agencies found no progress. It warned that large swathes of...
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drawdown, public opinion, surge, war
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29 Mar 2011

Afghan Children Deported Alone From Iran

Abdul Majid, 12, sits crying quietly in a corner of the Ansar refugee camp in Herat province. He is alone in Afghanistan; his parents and seven siblings are all back in Iran. He said he was out with some friends in a park near his home in Semnan province one evening when he was detained.
Abdul Majid, 12, sits crying quietly in a corner of the Ansar refugee camp in Herat province. He is alone in...
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deportation, human rights, iran
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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...
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haqqani network, nato, police casulty, suicide bomber, taliban
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21 Apr 2011

Plan rolled out to rescue troubled Afghan bank

Afghan officials plan to sell part of troubled Kabul Bank, the country's biggest financial institution, in hope of clearing the way to resume international aid temporarily suspended last year after the bank's loan scandal.
Afghan officials plan to sell part of troubled Kabul Bank, the country's biggest financial institution, in hope of...
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corruption, reform
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11 Jan 2011

Afghan hope is gone

At the end of each year, the anniversary of the Soviet invasion passes quietly in Afghanistan. There is little in the way of a public commemoration, just the occasional radio show on the subject or a TV debate between ex-government officials and the mujahideen they once fought.
At the end of each year, the anniversary of the Soviet invasion passes quietly in Afghanistan. There is little in the...
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progress, war
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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...
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progress, taliban, usa, war
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5 Apr 2010

Karzai’s China-Iran dalliance riles Obama

Concern that Afghan President Hamid Karzai is steadily disengaging Afghanistan from the grip of the United States and seeking friendships with China and Iran prompted President Barack Obama's flying visit to Kabul on Sunday. What alarms Washington most is that China's position on Afghan national reconciliation fits Karzai's political agenda and also accords with Iran's interests.
Concern that Afghan President Hamid Karzai is steadily disengaging Afghanistan from the grip of the United States and...
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china, diplomacy, iran, karzai, obama
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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...
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islam, taliban
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17 Sep 2010

Once Wary, Obama Relies on Petraeus in Afghanistan

Come December, when the president intends to assess his Afghan strategy, he will be able to claim tangible successes, General Petraeus predicted by secure video hookup from Kabul, according to administration officials. The general said that the American military would have substantially enlarged the "oil spot" - military jargon for secure area - around Kabul. It will have expanded American control farther outside of Kandahar, the Taliban heartland. And, the aides recalled, the general said the military would have reintegrated a significant number of former Taliban fighters in the south.
Come December, when the president intends to assess his Afghan strategy, he will be able to claim tangible successes,...
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petraeus, progress, surge
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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...
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pakistan, peace, taliban
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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...
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suicide bomber, taliban
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7 Jul 2010

NATO Airstrike Accidentally Kills Afghan Troops

KABUL In a devastating case of 'friendly fire,' NATO pilots who apparently did not know that Afghan soldiers had laid a trap for Taliban militants on the ground beneath them bombed the soldiers as they lay in wait, killing at least five, Afghan officials said.
KABUL In a devastating case of 'friendly fire,' NATO pilots who apparently did not know that Afghan soldiers had laid a...
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nato, war casulties
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20 Jul 2010

In Afghanistan, a Threat of Plunder

THE news that Afghanistan has $1 trillion in unmined mineral deposits has been met with some pessimism. Now, it is said, the country will be transformed from its present condition into the next Congo, whose new wealth from gold, copper and other minerals has brought mainly corruption and violence. Indeed, security in Afghanistan could easily deteriorate as a result of the discoveries, as it has not only in Congo but also in Nigeria (rich in oil) and Sierra Leone (diamonds). Afghanistan s huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and lithium and other metals could end up financing more tribal and ideological warfare. Greed might stoke violence among the combatants, and attract more Afghans to fight. Consider how in Sierra Leone diamonds enabled the Revolutionary United Front to evolve from a protest movement into a lethal diamonds racket.
THE news that Afghanistan has $1 trillion in unmined mineral deposits has been met with some pessimism. Now, it is said,...
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economy, exploitation, natural resources
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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...
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afghan army, taliban
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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...
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corruption, taliban
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8 Oct 2010

Afghan Governor Is Killed in Blast at Mosque

A bomb blasted through a mosque in the capital of Takhar Province in northern Afghanistan, killing the governor of a neighboring province as he attended Friday Prayer and at least 12 other worshippers, said a spokesman for the provincial governor.
A bomb blasted through a mosque in the capital of Takhar Province in northern Afghanistan, killing the governor of a...
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civilian deaths, insurgancy
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25 Oct 2010

Afghan Leader Admits His Office Gets Cash From Iran

President Hamid Karzai acknowledged Monday that his chief of staff had taken money from the Iranian government, confirming a report in The New York Times. He said the cash was used to pay for presidential expenses.
President Hamid Karzai acknowledged Monday that his chief of staff had taken money from the Iranian government,...
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financial aid, iran
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16 Nov 2010

Despite Gains, Night Raids Split U.S. and Karzai

For the United States, a recent tripling in the number of night raids by Special Operations forces to capture or kill Afghan insurgents has begun to put heavy pressure on the Taliban and change the momentum in the war in Afghanistan. For President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, the raids cause civilian casualties and are a rising political liability, so much so that he is now loudly insisting that the Americans stop the practice.
For the United States, a recent tripling in the number of night raids by Special Operations forces to capture or kill...
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civilian deaths, karzai, military operations, usa
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16 Dec 2010

Report Shows How Pakistan Still Bedevils Obama

President Obama is still looking for leverage to compel Pakistan to shutter the haven for terrorists that has let al Qaeda leadership and a vigorous Taliban survive.
President Obama is still looking for leverage to compel Pakistan to shutter the haven for terrorists that has let al...
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pakistan, terrorism
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20 Sep 2011

Afghan Peace Council Chief Killed in Attack on His Home

The most prominent Afghan official trying to negotiate a reconciliation with the Taliban was assassinated Tuesday night by a suicide bomber with explosives tucked in his turban who had been brought to his home by a trusted emissary, officials said. The assassination was a potentially devastating blow to the Afghan-led peace process aimed at ending 10 years of war.
The most prominent Afghan official trying to negotiate a reconciliation with the Taliban was assassinated Tuesday night...
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assasination, peace, suicide bomber
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15 Oct 2011

Militants Assault U.S. Base in Eastern Afghanistan

Militants tried to blast their way into an American base in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, striking before dawn with rocket-propelled grenades and a car bomb.
Militants tried to blast their way into an American base in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, striking before dawn with...
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insurgents, usa
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20 Oct 2011

U.S. Troops Battle to Control Key Afghan Route

American and Afghan troops have killed at least 115 insurgents as part of a tough fight to gain control of a critical corridor and resupply route to a key American base in northeastern Afghanistan, according to Afghan and American military officers.
American and Afghan troops have killed at least 115 insurgents as part of a tough fight to gain control of a critical...
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clashes, insurgents, us military
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11 Nov 2011

Calvin Gibbs Convicted of Killing Civilians in Afghanistan

The soldier accused of being the ringleader of a rogue Army unit that killed three Afghan civilians last year for sport, crimes that angered Afghan leaders and villagers and rattled high levels of the American military, was found guilty of all charges on Thursday.
The soldier accused of being the ringleader of a rogue Army unit that killed three Afghan civilians last year for sport,...
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us military, war crimes
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24 Nov 2011

Six Afghan Children Are Killed in NATO Airstrike

Six children were among seven civilians killed in a NATO airstrike in southern Afghanistan, Afghan officials said Thursday. The deaths occurred on Wednesday in Zhare District of Kandahar Province, an area described by coalition forces as largely pacified in recent months, and two insurgents were also killed, the Afghan officials said.
Six children were among seven civilians killed in a NATO airstrike in southern Afghanistan, Afghan officials said...
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air strikes, civilian deaths, nato
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27 Nov 2011

Afghan Troops Will Expand Security Control

Afghan forces will assume control of their own security in 18 new areas, some of them still troubled by insurgents, bringing half of the country s population under the government s nominal authority, Afghan officials said Sunday.
Afghan forces will assume control of their own security in 18 new areas, some of them still troubled by insurgents,...
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afghan security
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29 Nov 2011

Haqqani Militants Use Death Squads in Afghanistan

As targeted killings have risen sharply across Afghanistan, American and Afghan officials believe that many are the work of counterintelligence units of the Haqqani militant network and Al Qaeda, charged with killing suspected informants and terrorizing the populace on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
As targeted killings have risen sharply across Afghanistan, American and Afghan officials believe that many are the work...
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afghan security, al qaeda, haqqani, terrorism
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2 Dec 2011

Jailed Afghan Woman Freed but Urged to Marry Rapist

When the Afghan government announced Thursday that it would pardon a woman who had been imprisoned for adultery after she reported that she had been raped, the decision seemed a clear victory for the many women here whose lives have been ground down by the Afghan justice system.
When the Afghan government announced Thursday that it would pardon a woman who had been imprisoned for adultery after...
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afghan culture, change, women
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6 Dec 2011

Suicide Bombers Kill Scores of Shiite Worshipers in Afghanistan

At least 58 people were killed and scores wounded after bombers struck Shiite religious observances on Tuesday in three cities, detonating explosives amid crowds of worshipers in the first such sectarian attacks in a decade of war in Afghanistan.
At least 58 people were killed and scores wounded after bombers struck Shiite religious observances on Tuesday in three...
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secterian attacks, shia, suicide bomber
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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...
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surge, taliban
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20 Feb 2010

Military Analysis – Afghan Push Went Beyond Traditional Military Goals

WASHINGTON Before 10,000 troops marched through central Helmand Province to wrest control of a small Afghan town from a few hundred entrenched Taliban fighters, American officials did something more typical of political than military campaigns: they took some polls.
WASHINGTON Before 10,000 troops marched through central Helmand Province to wrest control of a small Afghan town from a...
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surge
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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...
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taliban
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16 Mar 2010

McChrystal Brings Most Special Operations Under His Control

KABUL, Afghanistan Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top American commander in Afghanistan, has brought most American Special Operations forces under his direct control for the first time, out of concern over continued civilian casualties and disorganization among units in the field.
KABUL, Afghanistan Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top American commander in Afghanistan, has brought most American...
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civilian deaths
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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...
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al qaeda, drones, taliban
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5 Apr 2010

U.S. Consulate in Pakistan Is Attacked by Militants

PESHAWAR, Pakistan Militants mounted an assault against the United States Consulate in this northern Pakistani city on Monday, using a powerful bomb and rocket launchers in a multipronged attack, said a senior Pakistani intelligence officer.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan Militants mounted an assault against the United States Consulate in this northern Pakistani city on...
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retaliation, terrorism
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12 Apr 2010

U.S. Troops Fire on Bus in Afghanistan, Killing Civilians

KABUL, Afghanistan American troops raked a large passenger bus with gunfire near Kandahar on Monday morning, killing as many as five civilians and wounding 18 and sparking anger in a city where winning over Afghan support is considered pivotal to the war effort.
KABUL, Afghanistan American troops raked a large passenger bus with gunfire near Kandahar on Monday morning, killing as...
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civilian deaths
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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...
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surge, taliban
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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...
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suicide bomber, taliban, terrorism
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14 Jun 2010

U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.
WASHINGTON The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond...
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natural resources, riches
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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...
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kidnapping, taliban
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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...
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civilian deaths, taliban, terrorism
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26 Aug 2010

Key Karzai Aide in Corruption Inquiry Is Linked to C.I.A.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The aide to President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan at the center of a politically sensitive corruption investigation is being paid by the Central Intelligence Agency, according to Afghan and American officials.
KABUL, Afghanistan - The aide to President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan at the center of a politically sensitive...
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cia, corruption, karzai
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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,...
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elections, taliban, violance
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