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Kunduz Primarily Military Mission: Hans Hillen
September 07, 2011
KABUL - The Dutch police training mission in the Afghan province of Kunduz is primarily a military mission. Dutch Defense Minister Hans Hillen made this statement in an interview with this week's issue of current affairs magazine Vrij Nederland. So far, The Hague has emphatically characterized the mission as being civilian in ...
Norway Freezes Afghanistan Aid: Report
September 07, 2011
OSLO - Norway is blocking payments of 300 million crowns ($55.2 million) in aid to Afghanistan until issues surrounding the collapse of the country's biggest private lender, Kabul bank, are resolved, a Norwegian newspaper said on ...
WB Donate $97m for Afghan Irrigation Projects
September 07, 2011
ABUL - The Ministry of Energy and Water on Monday announced that the World Bank (WB) has donated $97m for various irrigation projects across the country. The projects, including construction of canals and water dams, will be implemented in next six years. The projects will develop agriculture ...
Rabbani Assails Taliban for Recruiting Children
September 07, 2011
KABUL - The High Peace Council chief, Prof. Burhanuddin Rabbani, on Tuesday said the Taliban brought devastations to the country by recruiting children in their ranks, a move that tarnished the image of religious schools and scholars. Addressing the second general assembly of Afghanistan's youth ...
Ahadi, Khar Discuss Transit Trade Accord
September 07, 2011
KABUL - Afghan commerce and industries minister on Tuesday met with Pakistani foreign minister in Islamabad and discussed with her issues concerning bilateral trade ties and economic ...
Karzai Urges Youth to Focus on Education
September 07, 2011
KABUL - President Karzai said on Tuesday the Afghan youth have a huge potential and Afghanistan would become the strongest nation of the world if its youth utilized their aptitude for ...
U.S. Must Stay in Afghanistan or Risk More Attacks: Crocker
September 06, 2011
KABUL - The United States must keep fighting the Taliban or risk more attacks like those of September 11, 2001, because the insurgent group is a ruthless enemy that has not cut ties to Al-Qaeda, the U.S. ambassador to Kabul said.
Ryan Crocker, a career diplomat who was ambassador in Iraq, also warned the United States would have to spend billions more in the coming years to bolster Afghanistan's government and security forces as its own troops prepare to ...
US Diplomat Visits Emirati Troops in Afghanistan
September 06, 2011
DUBAI - A senior US diplomat in Afghanistan has visited Emirati troops there, discussing their mission with Yusouf Saif Al Ali, the UAE ambassador in Kabul.
Richard Olson, who until June of this year served as the American ambassador to the UAE, oversees development and economic affairs for the US embassy in Kabul. He praised the Emirati troops, who have served ...
Support Boosted for Women in Govt.
September 06, 2011
KABUL – Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) vows to further women's participation in state decisions by setting up a resource centre for female officials. UN Women is aiding the Wolesi Jirga in its pledge to set up a resource centre for female parliamentarians, which is set to open in ...
Afghans Seek Trial of Afghan War Criminals
September 06, 2011
KABUL - Following a visit to Afghanistan, a delegation of International Peace Activists expressed their supports for the interference of International Criminal Court (ICC) in regards to the current incidents taking place in the country. The delegation includes experts from the US and Italy, who visited Afghanistan with a slogan ...
Russia Suggests Anti-Drug Plan for Afghanistan
September 06, 2011
KABUL - Russia is offering a five-year plan to fight drug production in Afghanistan, the country's head of the federal drugs control service said on Monday.
"The conference should become the follow-up of decisions taken by the four countries' presidents and bring us concrete results," said Viktor Ivanov, the head of the federal drugs control service, told ...
ISAF Begins Delivering Military Supplies to Afghan Forces
September 06, 2011
KABUL - International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has begun delivering large supplies of military equipment, including aircrafts, to Afghan National Security Forces, ISAF said on Monday.
ISAF Spokesman Gen Carsten Jacobson told a press conference that the program, which will cost $2.7 billion when fully delivered, started in ...
Senate Seeks Elimination of MTA
September 05, 2011
KABUL- Meshrano Jirga members on Sunday unanimously asked the Cabinet to eliminate the Military Technical Agreement (MTA) between ISAF and the Afghan government that exempts foreign companies contracting with NATO for logistic supplies from paying taxes.
Inked between ISAF and the government in 2002, the MTA exempts NATO clients from paying taxes levied on all other companies operating in Afghanistan.
The agreement ...
Karzai Denies Use of Extra Force
September 05, 2011
KABUL - President Hamid Karzai denied ordering the use of extra force at the swearing in of eight replacement Parliament members Saturday.
Hundreds of police officers armed with machine guns blocked the Parliament building in Kabul Saturday morning to keep lawmakers who had been ousted from entering the building, the New York Post ...
Afghanistan Imports 10,000 Tons of Oil from Russia
September 05, 2011
KABUL - A major Russian oil company will export 10,000 tons of oil and gas to Afghanistan later this month, the Afghan commerce ministry said on Sunday.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industries hoped that the export of oil will overcome its shortage in Kabul.
This contract was signed between the Afghan government and Russia's Gas ...
Taliban Presence in Bonn Depends on Peace Talks Progress: MoFA
September 05, 2011
KABUL - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said that the presence of Taliban in Bonn Conference depends on progress by the High Council for Peace. Only one delegation will represent Afghanistan in this conference to be held in early December, said Janan Mosazai, the spokesman for the foreign ...
Turkish Engineers Set Free After Eight Months in Taliban Captivity
September 05, 2011
KABUL - Four Turkish engineers were freed by the Taliban in eastern Paktia province on Sunday after eight months in their captivity when tribal leaders intervened.
The construction engineers who were kidnapped last December in Paktia were handed to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the ...
Afghan Boy Memorized Quran in Just 8 Months
September 05, 2011
KABUL - According to Hamidullah Noruz, head of the council of Ghazni Province, the child prodigy started memorization of the Quran's verses when he was 5 years old.
He noted that the council has requested Afghan president to provide an opportunity for the child to continue his studies in one of the Islamic ...
Troops Must Head Out of Afghanistan: Senator
September 05, 2011
>WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, back from his second trip to Afghanistan within 18 months, says he saw or heard nothing to change his mind that U.S. military forces should be headed out even quicker than President Obama announced back in June.
Although he praised U.S. diplomats and troops, the Oregon Democrat said ...
Unseated MPs Not Allowed to Parliament
September 04, 2011
KABUL - Hundreds of security forces have surrounded the parliament compound to forcefully replace nine MPs who were unseated by the electoral body last month.
The military move apparently comes after President Hamid Karzai failed to end up with a political deal with the majority-members of the parliament who oppose any changes in the house.
The lower house has been split over the dispute as around ...
War on Terror Still to Be Won: Angela Merkel
September 04, 2011
BERLIN – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the fight against terrorism has still to be won a decade on from the 9/11 attacks as she defended Germany's participation in the Afghan conflict Saturday.
"Osama bin Laden is dead, but terrorism has not yet been defeated," Merkel said in her weekly video ...
Under Guard, Lawmakers are Sworn in Kabul
September 04, 2011
KABUL - The speaker of Parliament on Saturday swore in eight of nine new members reinstated last month by the country's election commission, as hundreds of police armed with riot gear and machine guns blocked the entrance to the building to keep out members who had been replaced by the commission's ...
NATO Kills Ex-Gitmo Detainee
September 04, 2011
KANDAHAR - Canada's largest engineering company has been selected to help repair a failing dam in Afghanistan, Minister of International Cooperation Bev Oda said in Kandahar Sunday.
Oda made the announcement with the Kandahar governor at the Canadian Forward operating base Frontenac — within eyesight of the Dahla Dam.
She said Quebec-based SNC-Lavalin has been ...
Canadian Engineering Firm to Repair Afghan Dam
September 04, 2011
KANDAHAR - Canada's largest engineering company has been selected to help repair a failing dam in Afghanistan, Minister of International Cooperation Bev Oda said in Kandahar Sunday.
Oda made the announcement with the Kandahar governor at the Canadian Forward operating base Frontenac — within eyesight of the Dahla Dam.
She said Quebec-based SNC-Lavalin has ...
Russia Interested to Build Infrastructures in Afghanistan
September 04, 2011
KABUL - The Ministry of Finance on Saturday said that after Russia expressed willingness to fund infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, the ministry has decided to propose some projects to the country.
According to the Ministry the Russian government is committed to provide approximately 500 million ...
Afghan, Pakistan, Tajik Welcome Russia’s Interest in TAPI Project
September 04, 2011
MOSCOW - Kabul, Islamabad and Dushanbe Saturday welcomed Russia's interest in joining the proposed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project linking the four countries.
"The sides welcome Russia's interest towards participation in the implementation of the project to build a Turkmenistan-Afghanistan- ...
Omar: Taliban Not to Participate in Bonn Conference
September 03, 2011
KABUL - Taliban Leader Mullah Mohammad Omar said in an Eid message that the coming Bonn Conference is symbolic and the Taliban will not participate in it.
Afghanistan will not be represented by genuine representatives of Afghans in Bonn Conference, Mullah Mohammad Omar said in an Eid message to Afghans.
But President Hamid Karzai's Office said that the Bonn Conference is ...
Petraeus: Need to Maintain Pressure on Al-Qaeda
September 03, 2011
WASHINGTON - There is need to maintain pressure on Al Qaeda, General David Petraeus, said Wednesday in his farewell speech to the US Army where he served for 37 years.
Petraeus, who till recently was the commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, is now headed to become the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency ...
Russia to Further Extend Cooperation with Afghanistan: Medvedev
September 03, 2011
DUSHANBE - Russia is ready to further promote cooperation with Afghanistan, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in Tajikistan on Friday.
"We are ready to promote our cooperation with Afghanistan in the economic sphere, and in maintaining our political, security and ...
Presidents Meet on Foreign Military Presence in Afghanistan
September 03, 2011
DUSHANBE - The presidents of Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan met in Tajikistan on Friday and agreed that steps to downsize the foreign military presence in Afghanistan should be accompanied by the international coalition's joint efforts.
In a joint declaration ...
Karzai, Zardari Vow to Accelerate Anti-Terror Fight
September 03, 2011
KABUL - President Hamid Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart, Asif Ali Zardari, on Friday vowed to accelerate efforts at countering terrorism in their two neighboring countries.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the third quadrilateral summit of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Russian Federation ...
Saudi King Supports Afghan Peace Efforts
August 29, 2011
KABUL - Saudi King announced support to Afghanistan's peace efforts during a meeting with President Hamid Karzai.
President Karzai held meetings with King Abdullah and senior officials in Riyadh to discuss peace and security in Afghanistan.
"They discussed international efforts to achieve security and stability in Afghanistan as well as the prospects for cooperation between the two countries," officials...
Drought Hits 200,000 Families
August 29, 2011
KABUL - Around 200,000 families have been hit by drought nationwide, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) said on Sunday.
Officials in MAIL said while wheat crop has been the same compared to last year, but poor harvest of rain-fed wheat in a number of provinces has caused food shortages. MAIL is planning to start grain distribution ...
Govt.to Curb Wedding Costs
August 29, 2011
KABUL - The City Star wedding hall in Kabul was a blaze of sparkling lights, welcoming the fancily-dressed guests thronging to a wedding ceremony.
Stepping out of an expensive car, one young woman dressed in the latest fashion asked, "Why shouldn't people fulfill their wishes? Life is too short. Why do people earn money if not to spend it on ...
Quadrilateral Conference to Begin in Tajikistan Soon
August 29, 2011
KABUL - The third quadrilateral conference among Russia, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan is due to begin in five days in Tajik capital, Dushanbe.
The conference is aimed at strengthening relations, joint fight against terrorism and drug smuggling and maintenance of peace in the region, a senior official in Afghan ministry of foreign affairs ...