Home » Afghanistan
Rassoul Pays Homage to Turkish Troops Killed in Crash
March 18, 2012
KABUL - Foreign Minister Dr. ZalmaiRassoul on Saturday telephoned his Turkish counterpart AhmetDavutoğlu to express condolences and sympathy of the Afghan government and people to the government and people of Turkey over the death 12 Turkish soldiers in Friday's helicopter crash in Kabul.
A dozen Turkish troops and two Afghan women were killed when a ...
Turkish Embassy Grieved Over Copter Crash
March 18, 2012
KABUL - The Turkish embassy expressed profound sympathy over its 12 military personnel and two Afghan nationals who perished in a helicopter crash on Friday morning outside Kabul.
"We have learned with great sadness the martyrdom of 12 Turkish military personnel, who lost their ...
Turkish PM Cancels Germany Trip after Soldiers’ Deaths in Afghanistan
March 18, 2012
KABUL - The Turkish Prime Minister RecepTyyipErdoğan has canceled his trip to Germany after a helicopter crash killed 12 Turkish soldiers in Afghanistan on Friday. A Turkish military helicopter crashed into a house in Kabul on Friday, killing 12 Turkish soldiers on board and four Afghan civilians on the ground, a statement on the Prime ...
Special Meeting on Budget on Sunday: Ibrahimi
March 18, 2012
KABUL - Wolesi Jirga, lower house, on Saturday could not approve the draft next solar year's budget due to a lack of quorum, but decided to hold a special meeting in this regard on Sunday.
Already approved by the upper house that had recommended cuts amounting to 12 billion afghanis, 57 percent of the general budget ...
Obama, Karzai Discuss Withdrawal of NATO from Villages
March 18, 2012
KABUL - US President Barack Obama telephoned Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Friday after Karzai demanded foreign forces leave remote military outposts to the Afghan forces.
While there was no official word as to whether the request would be met, a White House statement after the phonecall said the two leaders ...
US Plans Shifting to “Support Role” By 2013
March 17, 2012
WASHINGTON - A day after President Hamid Karzai asked the US to pull out its troops from Afghan villages, the White House said the US plans to shift to "support role" by 2013, and would complete the security transition by 2014.
"Our strategy is to shift to a support role in 2013 and complete the transition in 2014. That kind of transition involves a change in the foot print," the White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, told reporters, when asked about the latest statement from Karzai.
"Our challenge in Afghanistan has been and would continue to be ...
Up to 20 US Troops Executed Panjwai Massacre: Probe
March 17, 2012
KANDAHAR CITY - A parliamentary probe team on Thursday said up to 20 American troops were involved in Sunday's killing of 16 civilians in southern Kandahar province.
The probing delegation includes lawmakers Hamidzai Lali, Abdul Rahim Ayubi, Shakiba Hashimi, Syed Mohammad Akhund and Bismillah ...
Taliban Suspend Peace Talks with US
March 17, 2012
KABUL - The Taliban on Thursday said they decided to suspend peace talks with the US until the Americans came up with clear stance on the issues concerned and showed willingness on carrying out promises.
In early January, the Taliban announced they had agreed to opening a political bureau in Doha for possible peace talks with Washington, a ...
No Sign U.S. will Speed Afghan Handover: Logan
March 17, 2012
WASHINGTON - The issue of the U.S. handover of security responsibilities to Afghan forces has become highly politicized, given President Hamid Karzai's call for the U.S. and its allies to take all troops out of remote areas and Afghan villages in the wake of last weekend's massacre of 16 Afghan civilians, said CBS News' chief foreign ...
NATO Helicopter Crash Kills 16 People
March 17, 2012
>KABUL - A NATO helicopter crashed into a house on the outskirts of Kabul, on Friday, killing 12 Turkish soldiers on board and four Afghan civilians on the ground, Turkey's military and a senior Afghan police official said.
The crash came amid growing unease among NATO partner countries about ...
U.S. Afghan Strategy Won't Change: Panetta
March 15, 2012
KABUL - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was in Afghanistan Wednesday, vowing recent tragic events would not change the U.S. strategy for the country.
Panetta is the first administration official to visit since a U.S. sergeant reportedly killed 16 Afghan citizens Sunday.
The killings have stoked long-simmering anger over the decade long U.S. war and occupation. Panetta decried the tragic events of the last few days --- an Afghan soldier was killed when a government delegation was attacked during a memorial ...
Afghanistan, Germany to Sign Strategic Agreement
March 15, 2012
KABUL - Minister of Defense Abdul Rahim Wardak said Germany has pledged to support Afghanistan beyond its withdrawal of troops in 2014 with a strategic partnership agreement. Germany's Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere met with Wardak in Kabul on Wednesday, following his visit to Pakistan on ...
Afghanistan Peace in Pakistan's Best Interests: Gilani
March 15, 2012
KABUL - Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday that Pakistan was committed to support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process in Afghanistan, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported. The prime minister made the statement during a meeting with German ...
Russia to Offer Air Base to US for Afghan Transit
March 15, 2012
MOSCOW - A new deal allowing the United States and its NATO allies to use a Russian air base for transit of troops and military cargo to Afghanistan would help ensure Russia's own security, Russia's foreign minister said Wednesday.
Sergey Lavrov said a plan to permit the U.S. and other NATO nations ...
Britain Wants Endgame to War in Afghanistan: Cameron
March 15, 2012
KABUL - BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron has admitted that the British public and armed forces want an ''endgame'' to the war in Afghanistan. As he prepared for talks overnight at the White House with US President Barack Obama about withdrawing from the conflict, Mr Cameron ...
‘Afghanistan is Better Off Without NATO’: Minister
March 14, 2012
KABUL - The Security situation in Afghanistan is unlikely to deteriorate after NATO troops leave, and might even improve, Afghan Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal told RT. "We, the Afghans do not want the international forces be in Afghanistan fighting for us … From the very outset we have to believe that prime responsibility of taking your own security should be the responsibility of Afghans," Omar Zakhilwal said. "Many of the operations in different parts of the country are carried out by Afghan forces … because they are part of the Afghan nation, their rule will be ...
Early Afghan Withdrawal Undercuts Goals: Hayden
March 14, 2012
WASHINGTON - The former head of the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency said Tuesday that the U.S. must continue its present course in Afghanistan, despite growing protests over the shooting deaths of 16 Afghan civilians, allegedly by a U.S. soldier. About a thousand students in east Afghanistan gathered Tuesday to ...
Merkel Urges More Reconciliation Progress with Afghan Insurgents
March 14, 2012
KABUL - The German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged during her visit to Afghanistan that the Karzai government promote greater political reconciliation with insurgents, saying there had been progress but that much more was needed, according to the newswire Reuters. Merkel made the comments during an unannounced visit on Monday to ...
Ulema Council Warns Possible Revenge Attacks
March 14, 2012
KABUL - The Afghanistan Ulema Council on Tuesday condemned the killing of civilians by American troops in southern Kandahar province, demanding death penalty for the killers.
The gruesome incident took place in Zang Abad area of Panjwai district on Sunday, involving US troops who entered four houses and ...
Obama and Cameron to Focus on Global Security
March 14, 2012
LONDON - United States President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron will step up their support for Syrian opposition groups this week and seek to map out the next phase for military operations in Afghanistan. Cameron will fly to Washington on Tuesday eager to dispel concerns in ...
WJ Shut in Protest Over Killings
March 13, 2012
KABUL - In a protest against the brutal slaying of civilians by US troops in the southern province of Kandahar, Wolesi Jirga (WJ), the lower house of parliament, was closed on Monday.
Sixteen civilians, including women and children, were killed on Sunday morning, and 11 of their bodies burnt after the killing by American soldiers in Zangabad area of Panjwae district.
Angry lawmakers in the capital condemned the cruel attack on ordinary people in Kandahar and at about 11 am decided that the ...
Senators Raise Concerns of Neighbors’ Interference
March 13, 2012
KABUL - Afghan senators have voiced concerns that neighboring countries will "interfere" more in Afghanistan upon the withdrawal of NATO, and urged the government to sign the much-discussed US long-term strategic agreement before 2014.
Speaking at the Senate General Assembly on Sunday, Senate Chief Fazal ...
EU-Afghan Cooperation Agreement Negotiations Officially Launched
March 13, 2012
KABUL - The negotiations on the European Union EU-Afghanistan Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development (CAPD) were officially launched on Monday at the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Afghan team was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin, and the EU negotiation team was led by Mr. David Tirr, Head of Division in ...
US to Fund Afghan Rule of Law, Anti-Drug Efforts
March 13, 2012
KABUL - The US government on Monday pledged providing Afghanistan with $238 million for the continuation of key rule of law and counternarcotics programs, the US embassy said.
An agreement to the effect was signed between Deputy Foreign Minister Javed Ludin and the US Embassy's Coordinating Director for Rule of Law ...
Khalili Reiterates Continuing Afghan-Iran Friendly Ties, Cooperation
March 13, 2012
KABUL - Second vice-president Mohammad Karim Khalili had a farewell meeting with the Iranian ambassador to Afghanistan Feda Mohammad Hussain Maliki.
At the meeting Khalili praised efforts of Maliki towards attraction of assistance of Iran for reconstruction of Afghanistan and emphasized ...
Merkel Makes Brief Visit to Afghanistan
March 13, 2012
BERLIN - Chancellor Angela Merkel made a one-day trip Monday to visit German troops in northern Afghanistan and offered President Hamid Karzai her condolences over the killing of 16 civilians by a U.S. solider, the government said. Merkel arrived in Mazar-e-Sharif early in the morning. She originally planned also to visit Kunduz, another ...
Unite or Face Political Turmoil, Noor Tells Afghans
March 11, 2012
MAZAR-I-SHARIF - Northern Balkh province governor on Saturday warned the country could once again plunge into a deep political turmoil after foreign troops pullout in 2014 if Afghans did not unite.
Governor Atta Mohammad Noor urged all Afghans irrespective of their ethnic and political background to forge unity to preserve the achievements made over the past decade.
Noor was addressing participants at shaheed Abdul Ali Mazari's 17th death anniversary, the ...
Clinton, Karzai Reaffirm Commitment to Women Rights
March 11, 2012
WASHINGTON - Following Afghanistan Ulema Council's guideline concerning women, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton telephoned President Hamid Karzai to seek his reassurance on women rights in his country, a Clinton aide said on Friday.
During the conversation, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to women rights in Afghanistan, with Clinton making it clear how ...
Talks with Kabul on Night Raids Continuing: US
March 11, 2012
WASHINGTON - The United States is working on another memorandum of understanding with Afghanistan about the contentious issue of night raids, a US official said Friday.
Afghan and US officials on Friday signed a landmark agreement on the transfer of US-run notorious Bagram prison in central Parwan province ...
Call for Investigation into Karzai’s Corruption
March 11, 2012
KABUL - A subcommittee of US Congress has called for an urgent investigation into the Afghan President's links to gross misuse of US foreign aid, according to a public release from the group.
The US Foreign Affairs Oversight and Investigations subcommittee ...
Tens of Thousands of People Pay Tribute to Mazari
March 10, 2012
KABUL - Tens of Thousands of people in western Kabul commemorated the 16th martyrdom anniversary of martyred Abdul Ali Mazari with a huge respect and honor. The celebration commenced with residing the holy Quran, with the participation of Mohammad Karim Khalili, second vice president, Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, a prominent Hazara leader and MP from Kabul and the head of judicial commission of Wolesi Jirga, Ahmad Zia Masood, former Vice-president, Younas Qanooni, former speaker of Wolesi Jirga and also members of ...
Afghanistan, U.S. Sign Prison Transfer Deal
March 10, 2012
KABUL - The United States and Afghanistan signed a deal on Friday on the transfer of a major U.S.-run detention center to Afghan authorities, improving the prospects of a strategic partnership allowing long-term American involvement in the country.
The Strategic Partnership Agreement, which Washington and Kabul have ...
Obama, Karzai Note Progress on Long-Term Deal: WH
March 10, 2012
WASHINGTON - U.S. President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai noted progress on Thursday in long-stalled efforts to broker an agreement guiding U.S.-Afghan relations after most foreign troops withdraw, the White House (WH) said.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the two leaders spoke in a ...
Military Strategy will Not Change: UK Commander
March 10, 2012
KABUL - Britain's military strategy in Afghanistan will not change despite the deaths of six troops killed this week in a bomb blast in southern Afghanistan, UK commander General Sir David Richards said, according to the Gorey Guardian.
His comment comes after six British soldiers were killed late Tuesday when hit their vehicle was caught in an explosion while on patrol in ...
Abdullah Assails Govt. for Failure on Women’s Rights
March 10, 2012
KABUL - The Coalition for Change and Hope on Thursday said the Karzai administration has failed to improve the lives of women in the country, saying the peace talks with the Taliban could further worsen the women situation as the parleys lacked transparency.
In his message on International Women's Day read out at a gathering ...