Afghanistan

GHAZNI, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s Taliban said on Saturday they had freed two female South Korean hostages, but local and national government officials said they had no knowledge of such a release. “Today at 6.30 pm (1330 GMT), we released two of the female Korean hostages who were seriously ill, …

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – The government of embattled Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said Thursday it may impose a state of emergency because of “external and internal threats” and deteriorating law and order in the volatile northwest near the Afghan border.

KABUL (AFP) – Afghan and Pakistani tribal leaders were set to open three days of talks Thursday on Taliban and Al-Qaeda violence along the border, in a key meeting marked by the absence of President Pervez Musharraf.

SEOUL, South Korea – North and South Korea announced Wednesday that their leaders will hold their second-ever summit this month, reprising the historic 2000 meeting that launched unprecedented reconciliation between the two longtime foes.

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Under pressure from close ally South Korea to help free 21 South Korean hostages being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan, Washington is treading delicately, seeing few viable choices to force an acceptable solution, analysts say.

KABUL (AFP) – Defence Secretary Des Browne arrived in troubled southern Afghanistan Tuesday for a two day visit, a British military spokesman said. Browne travelled directly to the British military base near Gereshk district in the Taliban stronghold of Helmand province to meet soldiers stationed there, said a defence ministry …

KABUL (AFP) – Fresh battles in insurgency-plagued Afghanistan Tuesday left 35 Taliban fighters and six policemen dead, officials said. US-led coalition forces killed more than 20 militants when they repelled a rare frontal attack on a US military base, the coalition said in a statement. Afghan army and coalition forces …

CAMP DAVID — Afghan President Hamid Karzai and U.S. President George W Bush agreed that Pakistan must help quell deadly violence inside Afghanistan, but broke sharply on Iran’s influence there.

KABUL (AFP) – Afghan President Hamid Karzai headed Sunday for the United States and talks with US counterpart George W. Bush that risk being overshadowed by the Taliban’s detention of 21 South Koreans. Karzai is due to meet Bush at the US presidential retreat of Camp David in Maryland later …

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US President George W. Bush is to welcome Afghanistan’s leader Hamid Karzai to his Camp David retreat Sunday for talks expected to focus on the Taliban insurgency and mounting civilian casualties. The White House said they would discuss security and the US-led “war on terror” and “review …