Even as the United States pursues a deal with the Taliban, violence continues to rage in Afghanistan and the warring parties take pride in flexing military muscles while victimizing Afghans. According to Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) figures, enemy-initiated attacks in Afghanistan during the fourth quarter of 2019 …
Read More »‘Harming civilians unacceptable, must stop’
AT News KABUL: A US airstrike in Dasht-e-Archi district of the northern Kunduz province have killed at least five civilians. Residents of the district on Friday said that an airstrike conducted by the US forces has killed five civilians, including a commander of Hezb-e-Islami – a political party, led by …
Read More »‘Taliban masterminded over 8,200 attacks in October & December’
AT Monitoring Desk KABUL: Militant attacks against American troops and other targets in Afghanistan hit a record high in the final months of last year, an US federal watchdog said Friday. In a report, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said the rebels conducted more than 8,200 attacks …
Read More »Senator criticizes Pentagon plans to cut Black Hawks for AAF
AT Monitoring Desk KABUL: A senator on the US Armed Services Committee has asked the Pentagon to explain why it has proposed yet another helicopter model for the Afghan Air Force (AAF) instead of the Black Hawks it has been sending for years. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., questioned what he …
Read More »Khalilzad in Pakistan for fresh Afghan peace push
AT News KABUL: To push the Afghan peace process and to discuss the current round of talks with Taliban representative in Doha of Qatar, the US Special Envoy for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad has reached Islamabad on Friday, and hold talks with the country’s authorities. According to Pakistani media, he …
Read More »Coronavirus outbreak: WHO urges world to roll up sleeves
AT News KABUL: Authorities of the World Health Organization has held a second emergency meeting regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus in Geneva, where they provided public health advice or suggests formal temporary recommendations to counter the virus. The Organization has also called on worldwide countries to be taking fully preparation …
Read More »‘IECC under immense political pressures’
AT News KABUL: A Kabul-based electoral watchdog on Friday voiced grave concern over its recent findings suggesting that the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC)’s affairs were stymied by immense political pressures from election stakeholders. Ahmad Zubair Habibzada, spokesperson for the Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan (TEFA), said these undue pressures …
Read More »Editorial: Disaffected Ghoris
Following month-long rifts, the Wolesi Jirga finally approved the draft national budget for the current fiscal year on Jan 22, only to spark fierce reactions from disgruntled Afghans in different provinces – including Ghor and Wardak among others – due to what they call ‘unfairness and imbalance’ in allocated resources to the …
Read More »U.S. injury count from Iranian missile strike rises to 64, Pentagon says
AT Monitoring Desk KABUL: At least 64 U.S. military personnel in Iraq suffered brain trauma in an Iranian missile attack launched in retaliation after President Trump ordered the killing of an Iranian general. The 64 service members — 14 more than previously reported — have been diagnosed with mild traumatic …
Read More »Al-Qaeda maintains close ties with Taliban: UN
AT Monitoring Desk KABUL: A report issued on January 20 by the United Nations claims Al-Qaeda continues to have “close and mutually beneficial” relations with the Taliban despite the latter group’s holding talks with US negotiators in Doha to broker a peace deal. The report by the UN Analytical Support …
Read More »