Middle East Public date: 24.08.2017 23:12:18

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25 Sep 2010

Widespread Fraud Seen in Latest Afghan Elections

Evidence is mounting that fraud in last weekend s parliamentary election was so widespread that it could affect the results in a third of provinces, calling into question the credibility of a vote that was an important test of the American and Afghan effort to build a stable and legitimate government.
Evidence is mounting that fraud in last weekend s parliamentary election was so widespread that it could affect the...
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elections, fraud
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25 Oct 2010

Karzai Rails Against America in Diatribe

President Hamid Karzai accused the United States on Monday of exporting killing to Afghanistan by giving contracts to private security companies. It was the latest chapter of a bitter battle between the president and his allies in the war against the Taliban that has taken on an increasingly anti-Western tone.
President Hamid Karzai accused the United States on Monday of exporting killing to Afghanistan by giving contracts to...
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civilian deaths, karzai, military operations, usa
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17 Dec 2010

Review of President Obama’s Afghanistan Strategy Sees July Troop Withdrawals Despite Perils

A review of President Obama s strategy for the war in Afghanistan concludes that American forces can begin withdrawing on schedule in July, despite finding uneven signs of progress in the year since the president announced the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops, according to a summary made public Thursday.
A review of President Obama s strategy for the war in Afghanistan concludes that American forces can begin withdrawing...
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drawdown, us
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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...
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taliban
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8 Jan 2011

In Afghan War, More Equipment Helps Raise Survival Rate of Wounded

Intensified fighting and a larger troop presence in Afghanistan in 2010 led to the highest American combat casualties yet in the war, as the number of troops wounded by bullets, shrapnel and bombs approached that of the bloodiest periods of the war in Iraq.
Intensified fighting and a larger troop presence in Afghanistan in 2010 led to the highest American combat casualties...
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war casulties
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19 Jan 2011

Karzai Postpones Seating Parliament, Deepening Crisis

President Hamid Karzai ordered a month s delay in seating a new Parliament on Wednesday, heightening a constitutional crisis that threatens to fuel bitter infighting and potentially even violence among the country s rival factions.
President Hamid Karzai ordered a month s delay in seating a new Parliament on Wednesday, heightening a constitutional...
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elections, karzai, parliment
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28 Jan 2011

Supermarket Explosion in Kabul Kills at Least 8

An explosion on Friday afternoon in a Kabul supermarket frequented by foreigners killed at least eight people, including at least three foreign women, according to Gen. Ayoub Salangi, the Kabul Province police chief.
An explosion on Friday afternoon in a Kabul supermarket frequented by foreigners killed at least eight people, including...
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terrorism
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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...
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taliban
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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,...
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al qaeda, retreat, taliban, us army
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26 Feb 2011

Suicide Bomb Attack Continues Afghan Trend

A playing field in a remote area of northwest Afghanistan where a crowd had gathered was the most recent target for a suicide bomber who detonated himself on Saturday, in the seventh suicide attack in Afghanistan in less than a month.
A playing field in a remote area of northwest Afghanistan where a crowd had gathered was the most recent target for a...
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civilian deaths, suicide bomber
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9 Mar 2011

Petraeus Sees Military Progress in Afghanistan

Besides well-reported advances in southern provinces, American and NATO forces have also been able to halt or reverse Taliban gains around the capital, Kabul, and even in the north and west of the country, Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top American commander in Afghanistan, said Tuesday.
Besides well-reported advances in southern provinces, American and NATO forces have also been able to halt or reverse...
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petraeus, us foreign policy
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10 Mar 2011

Cousin of Afghan President Karzai Is Killed in NATO Raid

A first cousin of Afghanistan s president was killed Wednesday during a night raid by NATO and Afghan forces in which they detained the man s son as a suspected Taliban commander, as well as several of the family s bodyguards.
A first cousin of Afghanistan s president was killed Wednesday during a night raid by NATO and Afghan forces in which...
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civilian deaths, nato
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22 Apr 2011

Once Under Siege, a Base Breathes Easier

This American base in Afghanistan was once a hot spot, but a change in tactics has made it far more secure. Above, Company E soldiers during a joint operation.
This American base in Afghanistan was once a hot spot, but a change in tactics has made it far more secure. Above,...
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progress, us military
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4 Jun 2011

Gates Visits Afghanistan, Stressing Fight Against Insurgents

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Saturday that the United States should stick to its full counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan at least through this year, even as American forces begin a drawdown in July and some in Congress argue that the current mission is too expensive to continue.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Saturday that the United States should stick to its full counterinsurgency...
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us foreign policy
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8 Jun 2011

Review Finds Poor Planning and Waste in Afghan Aid

A comprehensive review of American nation-building efforts in Afghanistan paints a dim picture of poor planning and inefficiency. Much of the billions of dollars spent on aid projects has been ill thought out and has fueled corruption, the review says, while the efforts have drawn the best and the brightest Afghans away from government jobs where they are badly needed.
A comprehensive review of American nation-building efforts in Afghanistan paints a dim picture of poor planning and...
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aid projects, corruption
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18 Jun 2011

Qaeda Woes Fuel Talk of Speeding Afghan Pullback

As the Obama administration nears a crucial decision on how rapidly to withdraw combat forces from Afghanistan, high-ranking officials say that Al Qaeda s original network in the region has been crippled, providing a rationale for an accelerated reduction of troops.
As the Obama administration nears a crucial decision on how rapidly to withdraw combat forces from Afghanistan,...
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al qaeda, drawdown
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20 Jun 2011

Microdrones, Some as Small as Bugs, Are Poised to Alter War

Two miles from the cow pasture where the Wright Brothers learned to fly the first airplanes, military researchers are at work on another revolution in the air: shrinking unmanned drones, the kind that fire missiles into Pakistan and spy on insurgents in Afghanistan, to the size of insects and birds.
Two miles from the cow pasture where the Wright Brothers learned to fly the first airplanes, military researchers are at...
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drones, war
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22 Jun 2011

Cost of Wars a Rising Issue as Obama Weighs Troop Levels

President Obama will talk about troop numbers in Afghanistan when he makes a prime-time speech from the White House on Wednesday night. But behind his words will be an acute awareness of what $1.3 trillion in spending on two wars in the past decade has meant at home: a ballooning budget deficit and a soaring national debt at a time when the economy is still struggling to get back on its feet.
President Obama will talk about troop numbers in Afghanistan when he makes a prime-time speech from the White House on...
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us foreign policy, war cost
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23 Jun 2011

Obama Will Speed Pullout From War in Afghanistan

President Obama declared Wednesday that the United States had largely achieved its goals in Afghanistan, setting in motion a substantial withdrawal of American troops in an acknowledgment of the shifting threat in the region and the fast-changing political and economic landscape in a war-weary America.
President Obama declared Wednesday that the United States had largely achieved its goals in Afghanistan, setting in...
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drawdown, obama
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23 Jun 2011

Karzai Welcomes Withdrawal, but Many Afghans Are Wary

President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan welcomed the decision to withdraw more than 30,000 American troops over the next year, calling it the 'right decision for the interest of both countries.'
President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan welcomed the decision to withdraw more than 30,000 American troops over the next...
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drawdown, karzai
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5 Jul 2011

Departing U.S. Envoy Sees Progress in Afghanistan, and Pitfalls Ahead

From an American policy standpoint, the changing of the guard means little, but from the Afghan standpoint, in which a leader s personality can determine the policy, the triple departure, along with President Obama s June 22 speech on the withdrawal of troops, has stoked fears of abandonment, especially for Afghans who have depended on the Americans.
From an American policy standpoint, the changing of the guard means little, but from the Afghan standpoint, in which a...
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afghan future
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13 Jul 2011

The Afghan Enforcer I Knew

SENIOR American and NATO officers in Afghanistan have wanted Ahmed Wali Karzai gone - set aside, retired, out of the country or worse - for many years now. His killing by a close family associate yesterday may have granted their wishes. But what now follows the death of the most powerful political broker in southern Afghanistan may be much worse than Mr. Karzai ever was.
SENIOR American and NATO officers in Afghanistan have wanted Ahmed Wali Karzai gone - set aside, retired, out of...
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assasination, corruption, karzai
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17 Jul 2011

Karzai Adviser Is Killed at Kabul Home

A close adviser to President Hamid Karzai who had been a fierce foe of the Taliban in Afghanistan s south was killed Sunday night after a small team of gunmen stormed his walled home here in the capital.
A close adviser to President Hamid Karzai who had been a fierce foe of the Taliban in Afghanistan s south was killed...
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assasination, karzai
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28 Jul 2011

Suicide Bombers Attack Tirin Kot, Afghanistan

A team of three to six suicide bombers orchestrated a surprise attack Thursday on the government compound and two other compounds in the capital of southern Afghanistan s Oruzgan Province, killing at least 19 people - including several women and children in a hospital maternity ward - and wounding at least 37, according to hospital officials there.
A team of three to six suicide bombers orchestrated a surprise attack Thursday on the government compound and two other...
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suicide bomber
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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...
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taliban, us casulties
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12 Aug 2011

C.I.A. Claim of No Civilian Deaths From Drones Is Disputed

On May 6, a Central Intelligence Agency drone fired a volley of missiles at a pickup truck carrying nine militants and bomb materials through a desolate stretch of Pakistan near the Afghan border. It killed all the militants - a clean strike with no civilian casualties, extending what is now a yearlong perfect record of avoiding collateral deaths.
On May 6, a Central Intelligence Agency drone fired a volley of missiles at a pickup truck carrying nine militants and...
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cia, civilian deaths, drones
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21 Aug 2011

Arbiters Change Outcome of 9 Afghan Elections

The country s beleaguered election commission gave in to political pressure on Sunday and declared that it would change the results of the latest parliamentary elections. The Independent Election Commission announced at a news conference on Sunday that nine members of Parliament would be removed, after having ruled that the election results were final and saying that even the commission could not change the outcome. Nine candidates, previously disqualified over electoral irregularities, would have their seats restored.
The country s beleaguered election commission gave in to political pressure on Sunday and declared that it would change...
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elections
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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...
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insurgancy, taliban, us embassy
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17 Feb 2011

Worth a Bottle of Whiskey

Our 3,413th day at war in Afghanistan seemed like a good day to learn about Afghanistan. The longest stretch of war in American history has merited the shortest attention span.
Our 3,413th day at war in Afghanistan seemed like a good day to learn about Afghanistan. The longest stretch of war in...
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war
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29 Jul 2011

The wars of Afghanistan

Peter Tomsen discusses the geographical importance of Afghanistan and Pakistan's relation to Islamic extremists.
Peter Tomsen discusses the geographical importance of Afghanistan and Pakistan's relation to Islamic extremists.
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extrimist, islam
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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...
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taliban, us military
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28 Jun 2011

Responsible U.S. Transition Must Address Displacement Crisis

Afghan civilians are caught in the middle of an intensifying military campaign against a fractured armed insurgency. Despite the U.S. military s claims of progress, insurgent attacks are up by 50% over last year, and more than 250,000 people have fled their villages in the past two years. U.S. funded and trained militias are only exacerbating this explosive situation. As the U.S. begins to draw down its forces and transition responsibilities to the Afghan government, the Obama administration must mitigate further displacement and ensure that the Afghan government takes greater responsibility for the protection of displaced people. In addition, the UN must strengthen its capacity to respond to the growing humanitarian needs.
Afghan civilians are caught in the middle of an intensifying military campaign against a fractured armed insurgency....
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refugees, war cost
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29 Mar 2011

The Kill Team

How U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan murdered innocent civilians and mutilated their corpses and how their officers failed to stop them. Plus: An exclusive look at the war crime photos censored by the Pentagon
How U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan murdered innocent civilians and mutilated their corpses and how their officers failed...
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us military, war crimes
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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...
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karzai, taliban, war report
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5 Dec 2011

Power Plays in Afghanistan Laying the Groundwork for Civil War

The Bonn conference on Afghanistan aimed to paint an optimistic future for the war-torn country. But the country's inhabitants have no illusions: They know that their military cannot protect them, and that the warlords are jockeying for position. Meanwhile, the Taliban are just waiting for the Americans to leave.
The Bonn conference on Afghanistan aimed to paint an optimistic future for the war-torn country. But the country's...
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afghan security, civil war
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5 Dec 2011

Karzai Warns US over Night Raids

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai wants the US to cease carrying out night raids in his country. And he is willing to risk damaging relations with Washington to get his way. He told SPIEGEL that if the raids don't cease, talks about America's post-2014 presence in the country could break down.
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai wants the US to cease carrying out night raids in his country. And he is willing to...
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drones, karzai, nato
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5 Dec 2011

Karzai: The Efforts in Afghanistan Are a Shared Responsibility

NATO foreign ministers are gathered in Bonn on Monday to discuss the way forward in Afghanistan. SPIEGEL spoke with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who will be leading the conference, about how much international involvement will be required following the 2014 withdrawal and about his rocky partnership with the US.
NATO foreign ministers are gathered in Bonn on Monday to discuss the way forward in Afghanistan. SPIEGEL spoke with...
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afghan security, interview, karzai
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2 Jan 2011

Merkel Government Split ahead of Mandate Vote

Most in Germany would like to see their troops return home from Afghanistan as soon as possible -- and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has adopted the position as his own. But many in the government of Chancellor Merkel disagree and Westerwelle has powerful detractors.
Most in Germany would like to see their troops return home from Afghanistan as soon as possible -- and Foreign Minister...
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germany, war support
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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...
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british army, taliban
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11 Feb 2011

Many die in Pakistan suicide blast

At least 30 soldiers have been killed and 18 others wounded in an explosion inside an army recruitment centre in northwest Pakistan
At least 30 soldiers have been killed and 18 others wounded in an explosion inside an army recruitment centre in...
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suicide bomber
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11 Apr 2011

War in Afghanistan is destabilising Pakistan, says president

The war in Afghanistan is destabilising Pakistan and seriously undermining efforts to restore its democratic institutions and economic prosperity after a decade of military dictatorship, Pakistan's president, Asif Ali Zardari, has told the Guardian.
The war in Afghanistan is destabilising Pakistan and seriously undermining efforts to restore its democratic...
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pakistan, war
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11 Apr 2011

A vision for Afghanistan Kabul’s leading female MP sets out her hopes and fears

For me there are two reasons to be an MP. First, I come from a political family: my father was also a member of parliament during what we call the "democracy decade" in the 1970s. Second, I've experienced many different problems and discrimination just for being a woman, especially during the Taliban period, and I want to fight for that to change.
For me there are two reasons to be an MP. First, I come from a political family: my father was also a member of...
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democracy, reforms
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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...
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prisoner escape, taliban
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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...
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drawdown, taliban
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23 Jun 2011

Afghanistan casualties and deaths by US state mapped and data

What has been the cost to US forces of the war in Afghanistan? As Barack Obama announces a drawdown of troops, we map the casualties in Operation Enduring Freedom so far. Click on a state to explore the data, or use the dropdown menu below to see deaths per capita and numbers of wounded
What has been the cost to US forces of the war in Afghanistan? As Barack Obama announces a drawdown of troops, we map...
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war casulties
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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,...
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pakistan, taliban, uk
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25 Jul 2011

British Apache helicopter injures children in Afghanistan

Five Afghan children have been injured, some seriously, by cannon fire from a British Apache helicopter, according to UK defence officials. It is believed they were hit by stray bullets during an intended attack on an insurgent as they worked in a field in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand province, on Saturday.
Five Afghan children have been injured, some seriously, by cannon fire from a British Apache helicopter, according to UK...
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war casulties
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28 Jul 2011

Costs of British military operations in Afghanistan estimated at £18bn

The cost of British military operations in Afghanistan is now officially estimated at more than 18bn, figures released on Thursday show. The cost of imposing a no-fly zone and bombing targets in Libya is so far officially estimated at 260m.
The cost of British military operations in Afghanistan is now officially estimated at more than 18bn, figures released...
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uk, war cost
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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...
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civilian deaths, roadside bomb, taliban
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14 Sep 2011

Kabul attacks ‘not a big deal’ says US ambassador

The American ambassador to Afghanistan has described a 20-hour assault on the heart of Kabul's diplomatic and military quarter as "not a very big deal", after security forces finally killed the last of a small team of insurgents that had paralysed the city.
The American ambassador to Afghanistan has described a 20-hour assault on the heart of Kabul's diplomatic and military...
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insurgents, usa
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15 Sep 2011

The long road to justice in Afghanistan

London barrister Naina Patel spent a year in a hostile Afghanistan province working to establish the rule of law. Safely home, she describes the greatest challenges - and successes - of the role
London barrister Naina Patel spent a year in a hostile Afghanistan province working to establish the rule of law. Safely...
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reform
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7 Oct 2011

Afghanistan civil war a significant risk, ‘cold-eyed’ British review to warn

A British government review of the Afghan conflict is to warn that there are "significant risks" of civil war or a Taliban takeover of the south and east of the country after Nato withdraws its combat troops at the end of the 2014.
A British government review of the Afghan conflict is to warn that there are "significant risks" of civil war or a...
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civil war, war anniversary
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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...
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bush legacy, karzai, taliban, us foreign policy, war anniversary, wikileaks
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5 Nov 2011

US removes Afghanistan commander Peter Fuller for criticising Karzai

Major General Peter Fuller, a top US commander in Afghanistan, has been relieved of his duties after criticising the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai. General John Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), relieved Fuller as deputy commander of the effort to train Afghan security forces after Fuller told Politico that Afghan leaders were "isolated from reality", a US defence official said.
Major General Peter Fuller, a top US commander in Afghanistan, has been relieved of his duties after criticising the...
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karzai, us military
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16 Nov 2011

Afghan finance minister admits doubts over Kabul Bank’s missing $1bn

Serious doubts remain that Afghanistan will be able to recover nearly $1bn ( 631.4m)frittered away on disastrous business ventures and now worthless Dubai properties by the disgraced former owners of Kabul Bank, the country's finance minister has said.
Serious doubts remain that Afghanistan will be able to recover nearly $1bn ( 631.4m)frittered away on disastrous...
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corruption, financial aid, imf
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2 Dec 2011

Afghanistan faces $4bn defence funding shortfall

Afghanistan's security forces face a $4bn ( 2.5bn) funding shortfall after 2014 - when they are supposed to take over the main responsibility for fighting the insurgency - raising questions over whether the Kabul government will have the resources to keep the Taliban at bay, the Guardian has learned
Afghanistan's security forces face a $4bn ( 2.5bn) funding shortfall after 2014 - when they are supposed to take over...
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afghan security
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27 Apr 2011

Afghan pilot opens fire inside NATO compound, killing nine Americans

An Afghan air force pilot opened fire inside a NATO military base on Wednesday, killing eight troops and a contractor, all of them Americans, officials said. The shooting took place around 10:30 a.m. inside the North Kabul International Airport, the military compound that houses the NATO coalition s joint command and is adjacent to the city's civilian airport.
An Afghan air force pilot opened fire inside a NATO military base on Wednesday, killing eight troops and a contractor,...
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military deaths, terrorism
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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...
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drawdown, taliban
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31 May 2011

Karzai demands NATO stop bombing homes

In demanding that the U.S.-led coalition stop all airstrikes on Afghan homes, President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday drew his government closer than ever to direct opposition to the United States presence in Afghanistan, a position that could complicate President Obama s looming decision on how quickly to withdraw American troops.
In demanding that the U.S.-led coalition stop all airstrikes on Afghan homes, President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday drew his...
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civilian deaths, drawdown, karzai, nato
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23 Jun 2011

Mullen endorses Obama troop decision, acknowledges ‘risk’

The top U.S. military officer told lawmakers Thursday that he supported President Obama s plan to draw down forces in Afghanistan, but said Obama s decisions were 'more aggressive and incur more risk that I was originally prepared to accept.'
The top U.S. military officer told lawmakers Thursday that he supported President Obama s plan to draw down forces in...
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drawdown, us military
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15 Aug 2011

Afghan widows form community on Kabul hill

The hills of this capital stand as monuments to men in battle, topped by crumbling forts and rusted tanks, ancient ramparts and gleaming tombs of kings. One is different but no less a testament to war. It is known as Tapaye Zanabad - the hill that women built.
The hills of this capital stand as monuments to men in battle, topped by crumbling forts and rusted tanks, ancient...
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afghan women
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25 Dec 2011

Suicide bomber strikes Afghan funeral, killing parliament member and 18 others

A suicide bomber blew himself up Sunday just after a funeral in northern Afghanistan, killing 19 people, including a member of the national parliament, the Interior Ministry said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Over the past year, the Taliban have repeatedly struck at officials and other prominent figures in an apparent effort to paralyze the government. In September, a suicide attacker killed Burhanuddin Rabbani, a former Afghan president and head of the nation s peace council.
A suicide bomber blew himself up Sunday just after a funeral in northern Afghanistan, killing 19 people, including a...
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civilian deaths, suicide bomber
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24 Aug 2011

Karzai Denounces Use of Child Suicide Bombers

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday denounced the use of child suicide bombers, saying that militants who recruit them to wage terror are "oppressors of Islam" and "oppressors of children."
Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday denounced the use of child suicide bombers, saying that militants who recruit...
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karzai, suicide bomber
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23 Mar 2011

Together Afghanistan

In July 2011 the international community will gather together in Kabul for a conference about Afghanistan s future and what its international partners plan to do next. We want your support to tell them that it s time for a fresh approach. An approach that we take together to ensure a better future for Afghanistan. For the Afghan people. For the wider region. And for us all.
In July 2011 the international community will gather together in Kabul for a conference about Afghanistan s future and...
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activist group, civilian deaths, human rights, newsdesk
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28 Jul 2010

Document leak part of U.S. plot, says Pakistani ex-general with ties to Taliban

RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN -- From the deluge of leaked military documents published Sunday, a former Pakistani spy chief emerged as a chilling personification of his nation's alleged duplicity in the Afghan war -- an erstwhile U.S. ally turned Taliban tutor. Now planted squarely in the cross hairs, retired Lt. Gen. Hamid Gul seems little short of delighted. In an interview Tuesday, Gul dismissed the accusations against him as "fiction" and described the documents' release as the start of a White House plot. It will end, he posited, with an early U.S. pullout from Afghanistan -- thus proving Gul, an unabashed advocate of the Afghan insurgency, right. President Obama "is a very good chess player. . . . He says, 'I don't want to carry the historic blame of having orchestrated the defeat of America, their humiliation in Afghanistan,' " said Gul, 74, adding that the plot incorporates a troop surge that Obama knows will fail. "It doesn't sell to a professional man like me."
RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN -- From the deluge of leaked military documents published Sunday, a former Pakistani spy chief...
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war, wikileaks
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14 Nov 2010

Karzai wants U.S. to reduce military operations in Afghanistan

President Hamid Karzai said on Saturday that the United States must reduce the visibility and intensity of its military operations in Afghanistan and end the increased U.S. Special Operations forces night raids that aggravate Afghans and could exacerbate the Taliban insurgency. In an interview with The Washington Post, Karzai said that he wanted American troops off the roads and out of Afghan homes and that the long-term presence of so many foreign soldiers would only worsen the war. His comments placed him at odds with U.S. commander Gen. David H. Petraeus, who has made capture-and-kill missions a central component of his counterinsurgency strategy, and who claims the 30,000 new troops have made substantial progress in beating back the insurgency.
President Hamid Karzai said on Saturday that the United States must reduce the visibility and intensity of its military...
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karzai, military operations, usa
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15 Nov 2010

Karzai official dismisses talk of U.S., Afghan rift

President Hamid Karzai's critique of U.S. military strategy in Afghanistan over the weekend was not intended as a vote of no-confidence in Gen. David H. Petraeus, but rather was a sign of a "maturing partnership" in which both sides are willing to speak frankly, Karzai's spokesman said Monday.
President Hamid Karzai's critique of U.S. military strategy in Afghanistan over the weekend was not intended as a vote...
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karzai, military operations, usa
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