Nation

KABUL: Rights groups on Thursday condemned the use of child combatants in Afghanistan after the Taliban shot dead a 12-year-old boy who rose to fame last summer when he joined a militia to fight the insurgents. Wasil Ahmad was shot in the head twice by Taliban militants riding a motorcycle …

Afghans need lasting peace, stability: Sartaj Aziz AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: The third meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) ended in Islamabad on Saturday with a call for face-to-face talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban by the end of this month (February). A statement released at the end …

ISLAMABAD:  Pakistan and Afghanistan have reported the first cases of polio for the year 2016, a media report said on Saturday. In Pakistan, the case was confirmed by Polio Virology Laboratory at the National Institute of Health, Dawn online reported. An official of the ministry of National Health Services said …

Military engagement in NATO’s combat operations may soon become mandatory for all members of Montenegro’s armed forces, media reports said. The Montenegrin government has announced a plan to make participation in NATO’s military operations mandatory for everyone serving in the country’s armed forces, according to the news network Balkan Insight. …

Vacant slot of the council’s chief resulted into suspension of funds: Qasimyar By Mansoor Faizy-KABUL: Donor countries that provided financial assistance to the High Peace Council (HPC) had suspended their funds due to the council’s chief vacant slot, a member of HPC said on Friday. The spokesperson of the HPC, …

DES MOINES: While polls show that most Iowans had the U.S. economy on their minds when they participated in Monday’s caucuses to choose a candidate for president, one group of caucus watchers was picking candidates with a different issue in mind. Five thousand of Iowa’s National Guard troops have served …

By Mansoor Faizy-KABUL: Representatives of Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United States and China is going to participate in the third meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) on Saturday in Islamabad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said on Friday. Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesman, Ahmad Shakib Mustaghni, told Afghanistan Times …

AT-KABUL: Warning the government of protests, an association of Kabul residents asked the government to appoint a qualified dweller of the capital city as a mayor. Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, they said the acting mayor has been unable to resolve problems of the locals. They said that …

KABUL: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomes a new presidential decree that should facilitate media activity and the fight against impunity for crimes of violence against journalists. Issued by President Ashraf Ghani on 31 January, the decree clearly states: “Neither the public prosecutor nor any other state institution may prosecute media …

KABUL: Afghanistan’s government has grown increasingly frustrated with delays on power line repairs, as the military has been unable to launch an operation against Taliban in the area, citing fog and inclement weather. Afghanistan’s government has become increasingly frustrated by the Taliban’s increasingly daring moves to cut power lines in …