AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: The High Peace Council (HPC) said that the second phase of direct peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban will be started till end of this month. Shahzada Shahid, a spokesman for the HPC told reporters on Wednesday that they haven’t decided over venue of …

AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: A tribal elder – named Haji Abbas – has been publicly executed by the Taliban militants after being kidnapped in southern Uruzgan province, said official on Wednesday. District chief of Khas Uruzgan, Abdul Karim Karimi, said the Taliban rebels kidnapped the tribal elder and Malik of Shahidan …

AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) took control of two key Taliban centers in northern Faryab province, local officials said on Wednesday. The district chief of Almar, Mohammad Saleh Saleh, said the security forces have taken control of important centers held by the Taliban in the district, including …

AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: Following insecurity in parts of the country – particularly in northern provinces, the Interior Minister, Noor-ul-Haq Ulumi, on Wednesday said the security forces are capable of thwarting any kind of attack by militants, and there is not threawt that any province will fall to insurgents. Ulumi told …

AT-KABUL: The Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of the parliament) is set to rise for a 45-day summer recess today (Thursday) but the lawmakers are yet to approve four major laws and give vote of confidence to key cabinet members. The second deputy speaker, Nazir Ahmadzai, told reporters on Wednesday that …

By Akhtar M. Nikzad-KABUL: The Special Electoral Reform Commission (SERC) kicked off work on Wednesday to bring necessary reforms in the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) aimed at rebuilding public trust over the country’s electoral system. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah officially inaugurated the …

By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: The Active Youth Network for Change and Reformation (AYNCR) on Wednesday slammed the United States for targeting Afghan National Army (ANA) check-post in Logar province and sought compensation for the killed and injured soldiers. The rights activist group said that issuing merely condolence would not ease pain …

Viewpoint By Farhad Naibkhel-General public, who were expecting some relief after formation of the National Unity Government (NUG), seems disappointed and are of the view that the government has failed in delivering its promises. During presidential election campaigns in 2014, both President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah …

After different rounds of informal talks in Norway, France and Qatar, the Taliban and Afghan government officials have met in Murree, Pakistan for talks this month to kick off the reconciliation process formally. The two warring parties have discussed to start the peace process after over a decade due to …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China are ready to become ‘guarantors’ of a possible peace deal between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban, officials familiar with the development have said. “We are ready to go the extra mile. We are even willing to become guarantors for any peace agreement,” said a senior …