Afghanistan’s warring sides started negotiations for the first time, bringing together the Taliban and delegates appointed by the Afghan government Saturday for historic meetings aimed at ending decades of war.
Read More »James Carafano: In Afghan-Taliban peace talks, here’s message Pompeo needs to give
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Qatar Saturday for the opening of peace talks there between the Taliban and the Afghan government. Hopefully, the Taliban have figured out by now that these talks are not simply a face-saving exercise for the U.S. to exit South Asia. If they haven’t, …
Read More »The Road to Peace In Afghanistan no Longer Runs Through Pakistan
Toward the end of August, a delegation from the Afghan Taliban led by the group’s deputy, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, travelled to Islamabad. There, they met with Pakistan’s foreign minister and head of its Inter-Services Intelligence, the military’s intelligence wing. The first gathering, held at Pakistan’s Foreign Office, was meant …
Read More »The Hard Truths About 9/11’s Aftermath and America’s Legacy in Afghanistan
In the 19 years that have passed since I watched the twin towers of the World Trade Center collapse, not a single moment of that day has faded from memory.
Read More »Islamic State claiming more attacks in all but three of their regions of operation during August 2020
Islamic State Khurasan (ISK) Assault Team on Jalalabad Prison, Nangarhar, Afghanistan Islamic State built upon on the increased operational tempo initiated late last month during Eid al-Adha, claiming more attacks in all but three of their regions of operation during August 2020. Despite concerted counter-terror operations undertaken by the differing …
Read More »France asks Afghans not to free Taliban who killed its citizens
France objects to release of three men jailed for the murders of French nationals in Afghanistan.
Read More »Afghan Peace Talks: Prisoner Release Paves Way for Direct Negotiations
Can the Afghan government and the Taliban agree to a political settlement to end decades of conflict? Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday said that his government would release the last batch of Taliban prisoners, ostensibly removing the final hurdle to direct negotiations with the insurgent group. Intra-Afghan negotiations were …
Read More »Kabul Calls On Tehran to Prevent pro-Taliban Activities
Afghan Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Sadiq Siddiqui called on Iran Monday to prevent Taliban activities in Tehran, in the first comment after some Afghans were seen in pictures waving the Taliban flag at a park in Iran’s capital.
Read More »Russia did pay extremists to attack US soldiers in Afghanistan, according to 3 separate Taliban sources
Taliban commanders have confirmed that Russia has offered financial and material support to its members in exchange for attacking US forces in Afghanistan.
Read More »Iran’s influence in Afghanistan
Despite strong religious and cultural ties and a long shared border, Iran has a somewhat complicated relationship with Afghanistan. Revolutionary Iran’s tumultuous birth coincided with the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan some four decades ago. Since then, Iran’s attempts to preserve its interests in conflict-ridden Afghanistan have not received much …
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