Home » Afghanistan
ANA Increases Movement on Pak Border: Gen. Bismillah
July 03, 2011
KABUL - Afghan forces have heightened their activities along the border with Pakistan after a series of attacks from the neighboring country into Afghanistan's eastern provinces, Parliament was told on Saturday. The lower house of parliament on Saturday summoned the defense ...
Panetta Sees Tough Budget Choices
July 03, 2011
WASHINGTON - Leon Panetta was sworn in as U.S. defense secretary on Friday promising to keep the military strong while making tough choices on defense spending cuts.
Panetta, who as CIA director helped oversee the operation that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden two months ago, arrives at the Pentagon ...
Farnod, Ferozi Arrested: Alako
July 02, 2011
KABUL - National Directorate of Security (NDS) officials have arrested Shir Khan Farnod and Khaliullah Ferozi, key Kabul Bank shareholders and former top executives at the bank, Attorney General Mohammad Ishaq Alako told Pajhwok Afghan News.
Former Chairman of Kabul Bank Shir Khan Farnod and former Chief Executive Officer Khalilullah Ferozi were arrested late Wednesday and handed over to the Office of Attorney General, Alako said.
Shir Khan Farnod and...
NATO Blames Haqqani for Attack on Intercontinental
July 02, 2011
KABUL - The U.S.-led coalition on Thursday blamed an Al-Qaida affiliated network working jointly with Taliban fighters for a deadly attack on a luxury hotel in Kabul — an assault that raised doubts about the ability of Afghan forces to handle security as foreign troops ...
Pak-Afghan Tensions Rise Over Rocket Fire
July 02, 2011
KABUL - Diplomatic tensions are rising as Afghan officials accuse Pakistan of firing rockets over the border into the eastern Kunar and Nangarhar provinces.
According to government sources in the east of Afghanistan, more than 520 rockets have landed in the area in recent weeks, killing 26 civilians – including 12 children – and injuring 30 others. Hundreds of local residents have fled their...
MPs Reject Preparatory Commission as Illegal
June 30, 2011
KABUL - Wolesi Jirga members on Wednesday rejected as illegal a preparatory commission for an upcoming Loya Jirga on strategic cooperation with the US as illegal, vowing not to attend it.
President Hamid Karzai has appointed Sibghatullah Mujaddedi as head of the preparatory commission for the Jirga, a traditional conference which would be convened to issue a decision on signing the strategic cooperation pact between Afghanistan and the US. Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, A lawmaker ...
Karzai Has Role in Kabul Bank Crisis: Fitrat
June 30, 2011
KABUL - Governor of Afghanistan's Central Bank has accused President Hamid Karzai of having role in Kabul Bank crisis. Abdul Qadir Fitrat, former governor of Afghanistan's Central Bank, told Aljazeera television from Washington that Kabul Bank shareholders covered the costs of Karzai's Presidential campaign in several occasions. Mr. Fitrat fled the country and presented his...
ICOIC Issues Legal Consultation on Electoral Tensions
June 30, 2011
KABUL - Independent Commission for Oversight of the Implementation of the Constitution (ICOIC) has issued a legal consultation for a resolution of tensions on disputed parliamentary elections.
The ICOCI warned that any inconsideration by politicians and justice institutions to solve the points of difference would have bad...
India Rules Out Getting Involved in Afghan Security Affairs
June 30, 2011
WASHINGTON - As the Obama Administration begins drawdown of American troops from Afghanistan next month, India has informed the US that it would not be involved in the security affairs of the war-torn country, but would continue with its developmental efforts there.
This was conveyed by Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in his interaction with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the ...
Hotel Attack Shows Afghanistan Still Dangerous: Obama
June 30, 2011
WASHINGTON - The attack by militants on a Kabul hotel shows Afghanistan is still dangerous, but the progress that has been made in turning back the Taliban justifies the reduction of US forces, US President Barack Obama said Wednesday. 'We understood that Afghanistan's a dangerous place, that the Taliban is still active and that there are still going to be events like this on ...
MPs Set Four-Day Deadline for AG to Quit
June 29, 2011
KABUL - Parliament, setting a four-day deadline for the Attorney General to quit his job, on Tuesday asked the government to implement its no confidence votes against the six Supreme Court justices.
Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of parliament, voted to summon the Attorney General (AG), Mohammad Ishaq Alako, over his involvement with a special court tasked with investigating fraud allegations in last year's parliamentary ...
Development of Counterterrorism Become More Important: Allen, Petraeus’
June 29, 2011
WASHINGTON - Neither of the two men responsible for running the war in Afghanistan over the next year are willing to tell a Senate panel that the military is done with counterinsurgency in the U.S.' longest conflict. But from their testimony on Tuesday morning, both Lt. Gen. John Allen and Vice Adm. William McRaven see a glide path starting with the withdrawal of the surge forces: less tea drinking and more ...
Suicide Attackers Attack Intercontinental Hotel
June 29, 2011
KABUL – Two suicide bombers attacked a major hotel frequented by Westerners in Kabul late on Tuesday, a police source said, and a witness said gunfire was heard for several minutes after one blast.
According to reports from Tolo News 10 people were killed.
The police source said a wedding party was underway when the attack ...
Only Afghan-Led Talks Acceptable: Pakistan
June 29, 2011
KABUL - Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday reassured the US that Pakistan remained committed to peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. "Pakistan sincerely desires peace and stability in the region to ensure development and prosperity," he said in a statement which significantly emphasized that Islamabad ...
Mistura Meets WJ Candidates
June 29, 2011
KABUL – Staffan de Mistura, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Tuesday met, at their request, with several representatives of the Wolesi Jirga candidates backed by the court set up to examine electoral complaints. They presented what they felt were clear cases of fraud in the September ...
Students Complain About Low-Quality Books
June 29, 2011
KABUL - Students in Kabul are complaining about the low quality of newly published school books, saying they are bound poorly and falling apart.
Last year, the Ministry of Education published and distributed 42 million books to primary and secondary school ...
External Interference over, Violation of Sovereignty: Govt.
June 28, 2011
KABUL - The Afghan government warned the international community on Monday not to interfere in a deepening political crisis after lawmakers appealed for help over a specially formed court that overturned results for a quarter of the seats in parliament. The deepening political uncertainty comes at a worrying time for Afghanistan, with violence at record levels and NATO-led forces preparing to hand over security to Afghans in several areas at the start of a process that will end with all foreign combat troops leaving by the end of ...
Int’l Community Not to Leave Afghanistan Alone: Steiner
June 28, 2011
KABUL - The international community will not leave Afghanistan alone after 2014 when all foreign combat troops will leave the country or stay in supportive role, Michael Steiner, Germany's special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan said on Monday. "From all speakers we heard today in the International Contact Group (ICG), we heard that international community will stay with Afghanistan even after the ...
Pakistan Must Show it Wants Peace in Afghanistan: Grossman
June 28, 2011
KABUL - Washington's special envoy to Afghanistan said Monday that Pakistan must prove it wants an end to the war by preventing militants from hiding out on its soil and enabling those who launch attacks on the Afghan side of the border. Marc Grossman, U.S. special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said in Kabul that discussions among Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States being ...
MTN Mobile Clinic Visited Afshar in Kabul
June 28, 2011
KABUL – MTN Mobile clinic visited Afshar-e-Silo in Kabul city and treated around 300 needy and poor patients for free during this week.
The residents of Afshar who received this free treatment service thanked MTN Foundation for running this social project.
MTN Foundation is working on different social projects especially in ...
UN Cuts Food Assistance to Afghans
June 28, 2011
KABUL - The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) is reducing food assistance to millions of Afghans due to a shortage of donor funds, according to a press release issued by the agency Monday.
Facing a budget shortfall of $220 million dollars, the program will be able to feed 3.8 million people in Afghanistan in 2011, about half...
Peace Process, Security Transition Core of ICG Summit
June 28, 2011
KABUL - Security transition to Afghan forces and Afghan government's peace program were two of several top issues discussed in the International Contact Group ICG summit held in Kabul.
Representatives from more than 50 countries from all across the world attended the two-day International Contact Group conference held 26-27 ...
Decision of Special Tribunal Illegal
June 27, 2011
KABUL - Independent Election Commission (IEC) officials on Sunday said that no one had the authority to change the results of last year's parliamentary elections after the final results had been announced.
Any attempt to alter the final results could violate the constitution of Afghanistan, IEC officials said in a statement issued here in Kabul on Sunday.
On June 23, a special court charged with investigating last year's parliamentary election found fraud in 33 out of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, saying that 62 of 249 sitting parliamentarians were not...
Obama Playing Politics with Afghanistan: Rogers
June 27, 2011
Washington - Rep. Mike Rogers, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, questioned the timing of President Barack Obama's Afghanistan withdrawal plan Sunday, suggesting it is politically motivated. The Michigan Republican said Obama's plan to remove 33,000 "surge" troops by September 2012 is "concerning."...
NSC expresses deep concern Over Attack from Pakistan
June 27, 2011
KABUL - The National Security Council (NSC) on Sunday directed officials concerned to urgently take up the issue of cross border attacks with Pakistani officials.
Over the past two weeks Pakistani forces have repeatedly fired rockets and mortar shells into several Afghan villages in eastern Nangarhar and Kunar...
Afghan Mines to Be Introduced to World Investors
June 27, 2011
KABUL - Afghan Ministry of Mines on Sunday said that samples of Afghan mines will be introduced to world investors in London, in another two days.
Officials said a three-day summit will be held in London in which world-accredited investors and heads of banks will participate to hear about...
Parliament Sends Letter to UN
June 27, 2011
KABUL - In a bid to prevent increase of tensions between parliament and the government, the Afghan parliament has sent a letter to the United Nations.
The Afghan House of Representatives said in the letter that the United Nations is responsible to support popular systems, enforcement of laws and peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Some legislators highlighted that the Attorney General and six members...
Afghans Step Up as U.S. Troops Withdraw: Karzai
June 27, 2011
WASHINGTON – The Obama administration's plan to withdraw some U.S. troops from Afghanistan is a welcome sign the country can start defending itself, President Hamid Karzai said in remarks aired on Sunday.
"The number of troops that he announced will be withdrawn this year and the rest next year is a sign that Afghanistan is taking over...
Disqualified MPs Have One Month to Appeal: SC
June 27, 2011
KABUL - The Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday said lawmakers who were on Thursday disqualified in the wake of a special court's decision have one month time to challenge the verdict.
The special election tribunal, a panel of five judges, on Thursday disqualified 62 of the 249 members of the lower house on charges of fraud during last year's parliamentary election and announced new winners, who...
Pakistan Firing Missiles into Afghanistan: Karzai
June 27, 2011
KABUL - President Hamid Karzai accuses Pakistan of firing 470 rockets into two of its eastern border provinces in a three-week barrage.
Afghan security forces said Sunday that 36 people have died in the barrages, which hit civilians in areas where NATO forces have withdrawn. After the civilians fled, Pakistani Taliban came in and occupied the ...
Pak-Afghan-Iran Agree to Combat Terrorism
June 26, 2011
TEHRAN - The leaders of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan agreed on Saturday to join forces in combating militancy as they attended a counter-terrorism summit.
The joint statement by the three neighboring presidents followed an announcement by US President Barack Obama that Washington will withdraw 33,000 of its 99,000 troops from Afghanistan by the end of next summer. "All sides stressed their commitment to efforts aimed at eliminating extremism, militancy, terrorism...
World Ready to Welcome Surrendering Militants: Takachi
June 26, 2011
RINKOT - Japan's ambassador to Afghanistan, RecheroTakachi, said the international community is ready to guarantee the security for Afghan militants willing to renounce violence and join the peace process. Takachiaddressed a gathering in Tirinkot, the capital of central Uruzgan province, along with Tadamichi Yamamoto, Japan's special representative for Afghanistan and...
Supreme Court Strikes Back at Parliament
June 26, 2011
KABUL - The Supreme Court on Saturday said Parliament has no authority to remove the chief justice and other apex court justices from office unless they are found guilty of professional misconduct.
Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of parliament, on Saturday passed a vote of no confidence against six of the nine Supreme Court...
Troop Cut Not to Affect US-Afghan Ties: Eikenberry
June 26, 2011
KABUL - The withdrawal of 33,000 US troops from Afghanistan over the next two years would have no bad impact on the country security situation and would not end the relations between the two countries, the US ambassador said on Saturday.
In a Wednesday evening speech, US President Barack Obama announced a...
Disqualified MPs Warn of Protests
June 26, 2011
KABUL - Lawmakers who were disqualified on Thursday by a special election court have threatened to launch a protest movement if they are unseated in light of the tribunal's verdict.
The special court was established by decree of President Hamid Karzai after widespread allegations of fraud surfaced in last year's parliamentary elections. The court ruled on Thursday that 62 lawmakers...