Middle East Public date: 24.08.2017 23:12:18

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11 May 2011

Cultural clashes drive Afghan recruits to turn on their Nato mentors

Sher Alim was so enraged by the US soldiers patrolling his village that he considered picking up his gun and firing at them. But Mr Alim, 36, is no Taliban fighter. A member of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) in Afghanistan's Wardak province, he is armed, trained and mentored by US Special Forces to battle insurgents.
Sher Alim was so enraged by the US soldiers patrolling his village that he considered picking up his gun and firing at...
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afghan culture
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9 Jan 2010

CIA attack ‘revenge for Mehsud’

The suicide bomber who killed eight people at a US base in Afghanistan said he was carrying out the attack in response to the death of Baitullah Mehsud, the Pakistani Taliban leader killed by a US drone.
The suicide bomber who killed eight people at a US base in Afghanistan said he was carrying out the attack in response...
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suicide bombing, us casulties
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5 Feb 2010

Lethal Nato bombing details leaked

A deadly airstrike in Afghanistan's Kunduz province last September did not comply with Nato's rules of engagement, according to the military organisation's own investigators.
A deadly airstrike in Afghanistan's Kunduz province last September did not comply with Nato's rules of engagement,...
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nato
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22 Feb 2010

Nato raid ‘kills Afghan civilians’

Aghanistan government officials say at least 33 civilians have been killed by a Nato air attack on a convoy of vehicles in Uruzgan, a province in the country's south.
Aghanistan government officials say at least 33 civilians have been killed by a Nato air attack on a convoy of vehicles...
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civilian deaths
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26 Feb 2010

Influx of refugees worries Tajiks

Life in Tajikistan, although fairly stable and calm compared with neighbouring Afghanistan, is not easy - especially for Afghan refugees fleeing war in their country. Tajikistan - the poorest state in the Soviet bloc still struggling to overcome the effects of a civil war in which 100,000 people were killed 10 years ago - is ill equipped to accommodate the influx.
Life in Tajikistan, although fairly stable and calm compared with neighbouring Afghanistan, is not easy - especially for...
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refugees
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7 Mar 2010

Pakistan arrests al-Qaeda spokesman

Pakistani intelligence officers have arrested Adam Gadahn, the American-born al-Qaeda spokesman, in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, according to government officials.
Pakistani intelligence officers have arrested Adam Gadahn, the American-born al-Qaeda spokesman, in the southern...
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al qaeda, pakistan
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23 Apr 2010

Nato discusses Afghan exit

Nato leaders have met to discuss their exit strategy for the war in Afghanistan, stating that they are on track to reduce their involvement in the country next year.
Nato leaders have met to discuss their exit strategy for the war in Afghanistan, stating that they are on track to...
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exit, nato
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29 Apr 2010

US cautious on Afghan progress

The Afghan president enjoys little support in "strategically important" areas of the country, a US defence department report has concluded just weeks before Hamid Karzai is due to visit Washington. In what the Pentagon called a "sober" assessment of its progress in Afghanistan, it concluded on Wednesday that violence was up nearly 90 per cent on levels the previous year.
The Afghan president enjoys little support in "strategically important" areas of the country, a US defence department...
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karzai, security, violance
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6 Jun 2010

Afghan officials resign over attack

Afghanistan's interior minister and the head of the intelligence service have resigned over Wednesday's attack on a peace conference. Hamid Karzai, the president of Afghanistan, accepted the resignations on Sunday.
Afghanistan's interior minister and the head of the intelligence service have resigned over Wednesday's attack on a...
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peace, terrorism
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6 Jun 2010

Taliban fighters reject peace offer

Taliban fighters in the remote eastern Afghan province of Nuristan have rejected calls to hold peace talks with the government. Delegates at the recently concluded peace conference in Kabul - locally called a jirga - asked the government to hold talks with the Taliban.
Taliban fighters in the remote eastern Afghan province of Nuristan have rejected calls to hold peace talks with the...
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peace, taliban
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19 Jul 2010

Taliban call to kill collaborators

Mullah Omar, the leader of the Afghan Taliban, has reportedly issued a new directive in which he calls on his fighters to capture and kill any Afghan working for foreign forces. Nato said they stumbled upon the five-point directive after intercepting a letter that the Taliban chief wrote to his field commanders.
Mullah Omar, the leader of the Afghan Taliban, has reportedly issued a new directive in which he calls on his fighters...
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taliban, terrorism
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16 Aug 2010

Karzai bans private security firms

Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, has given private security firms working in Afghanistan four months to end their operations. Karzai has repeatedly called for banning private security companies, saying they undermine government security forces. "Today the president is going to issue a four-month deadline for the dissolution of private security companies," Waheed Omer, Karzai's spokesman, said on Monday.
Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, has given private security firms working in Afghanistan four months to end their...
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karzai, security
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15 Oct 2010

Afghan detainees claim US abuse

Former US military prisoners in Afghanistan have said that they were abused in a secret prison on Bagram airbase as recently as this year, raising fears that detainee mistreatment has continued despite an overhaul of US detention operations in the country. The abuse - which includes exposure to extreme temperatures, lack of adequate food and bedding, lack of natural light and interference with religious duties - is alleged to have occurred at a secret "screening" facility on the military base north of Kabul.
Former US military prisoners in Afghanistan have said that they were abused in a secret prison on Bagram airbase as...
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human rights, prisoner abuse, usa
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25 Dec 2010

Pakistan bomb attack kills dozens

At least 40 people have been killed and some 80 others injured after a suspected suicide bomber attacked a crowd of people receiving food aid in northwest Pakistan. Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from Islamabad, said that the incident took place on Saturday morning at a World Food Programme (WFP) distribution centre in the area of Bajaur.
At least 40 people have been killed and some 80 others injured after a suspected suicide bomber attacked a crowd of...
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pakistan, suicide bombing, taliban
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26 May 2010

Running out of options in Afghanistan

A rising tide of violence against foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan and those who work with them has convinced Robert Grenier, the ex-CIA agent, that the country is moving towards a bleak future.
A rising tide of violence against foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan and those who work with them has convinced...
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insurgancy, progress
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26 Aug 2010

US wars: People vs Generals

While the Obama administration continues to affirm its intention to withdraw US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, the US' military presence in the Muslim world is actually expanding and this is exacerbating tensions and inflaming animosities. Barack Obama's promise to open a new page with the Muslim world on the basis of mutual respect and interests - supplemented and enforced by the use of soft rather than hard power - now rings hollow. This is most evident in the withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq and the corresponding surge in Afghanistan - an exercise in redeploying military forces, not extracting them.
While the Obama administration continues to affirm its intention to withdraw US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, the...
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drawdown, surge, usa
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5 Dec 2010

Pakistan ‘We are part of the solution in Afghanistan’

Pakistan s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani couldn't have been more blunt when he said a few weeks ago that: "Nothing can happen in Afghan peace talks with the Taliban without us. We are part of the solution. We are not part of the problem." For some in Afghanistan, however, Pakistan is a part of the problem blocking any attempt to find a political solution to the conflict that doesn't secure its strategic interests at home.
Pakistan s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani couldn't have been more blunt when he said a few weeks ago that: "Nothing...
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pakistan, taliban
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5 Jan 2011

How Afghanistan became a NATO war

The official line of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the NATO command in Afghanistan, is that the war against Afghan insurgents is vital to the security of all the countries providing troops there. In fact, however, NATO was given a central role in Afghanistan because of the influence of US officials concerned with the alliance, according to a US military officer who was in a position to observe the decision-making process. "NATO's role in Afghanistan is more about NATO than it is about Afghanistan," said an officer, who insisted on anonymity because of the political sensitivity of the subject.
The official line of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the NATO command in Afghanistan, is that the...
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nato, war
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19 Feb 2011

Taliban attack on Afghan bank

Gunmen dressed as border police have killed at least 18 people and wounded more than 70 in an attack on a bank in the main city in Afghanistan's east, witnesses and government officials have said. Al Jazeera has learned that at least seven suicide bombers stormed a branch of the Kabul Bank in Jalalabad city on Saturday and detonated their explosives.
Gunmen dressed as border police have killed at least 18 people and wounded more than 70 in an attack on a bank in the...
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civilian deaths, suicide bomber, taliban
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22 Mar 2011

Karzai Afghan troops to provide security

Afghan forces will take the lead for securing seven areas of the country, relegating NATO forces to a "supporting" role, according to a plan unveiled by Afghan president Hamid Karzai. Karzai's plan covers three full provinces: Bamiyan, Panjshir and Kabul, all of them among the most secure in Afghanistan. (One district of Kabul province, Surobi, will be excluded, and Afghan troops already handle most day-to-day security in the capital.)
Afghan forces will take the lead for securing seven areas of the country, relegating NATO forces to a "supporting" role,...
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drawdown
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4 Apr 2011

Afghans continue to denounce Quran burning

Hundreds of people have taken to Afghanistan's streets in fresh protests against a Quran burning in the United States, as the UN vowed a deadly attack on its staff would not derail its work.
Hundreds of people have taken to Afghanistan's streets in fresh protests against a Quran burning in the United States,...
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quran burning
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23 Apr 2011

Roadside bomb kills Afghan border policemen

A roadside bomb has killed five border policemen in southern Afghanistan amid a surge in violence in the country. Officials said on Friday that the policemen were hit when a mine blew up their vehicle in Spin Boldak district in Kandahar province, late on Thursday.
A roadside bomb has killed five border policemen in southern Afghanistan amid a surge in violence in the country....
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afghan police, roadside bomb
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1 May 2011

Deadly start to Taliban ‘spring offensive’

The Taliban has killed five people and injured 12 others in two attacks staged on the first day of its newly launched 'spring offensive', Afghan officials said. A suicide bomber detonated his explosive-packed vest at a bazaar in the Barmal district of Paktika province, which is on the Afghan-Pakstani border, the interior ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
The Taliban has killed five people and injured 12 others in two attacks staged on the first day of its newly launched...
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suicide bomber, taliban
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19 May 2011

Many dead in Afghan bus bombing

At least 13 people have been killed and 20 others injured after a suicide bomber hit a minibus carrying police cadets in eastern Afghanistan, a government spokesman has said. The attack took place at around 4:45 pm (1215 GMT) in the eastern province of Nangarhar, just outside the city of Jalalabad.
At least 13 people have been killed and 20 others injured after a suicide bomber hit a minibus carrying police cadets in...
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afghan police, suicide bomber
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19 May 2011

Pakistan Taliban warns of retaliation

The Pakistani Taliban have issued their first videotaped message since Osama bin Laden was killed by US Navy Seals earlier this month. In the exclusive footage, obtained by Kamal Hyder, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Islamabad, the group is shown vowing revenge for the al-Qaeda leader's death.
The Pakistani Taliban have issued their first videotaped message since Osama bin Laden was killed by US Navy Seals...
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bin laden aftermath, taliban
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8 Jun 2011

US Afghan aid ‘must focus on sustainability’

Afghanistan could be left in the midst of a deep financial crisis when foreign troops leave the country 2014, according to a US congressional study that recommends that the US government restructure its aid programmes in the country to focus on long-term, sustainable development.
Afghanistan could be left in the midst of a deep financial crisis when foreign troops leave the country 2014, according...
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aid projects
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23 Jun 2011

Taliban dismisses US troop withdrawal

The Taliban has dismissed President Barack Obama's announcement of US troop withdrawals from Afghanistan as "only as a symbolic step," in a statement released on Thursday. The Taliban "considers this announcement, which currently withdraws 10,000 soldiers this year, only as a symbolic step which will never satisfy the war-weary international community or the American people," it said.
The Taliban has dismissed President Barack Obama's announcement of US troop withdrawals from Afghanistan as "only as a...
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drawdown, taliban
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24 Jun 2011

Unseated Afghan MPs threaten protests

Dozens of Afghan MPs unseated by a special election court investigating allegations of fraud and irregularities have threatened to call for protests, including blocking the country's roads.
Dozens of Afghan MPs unseated by a special election court investigating allegations of fraud and irregularities have...
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corruption, elections
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29 Jun 2011

Afghan banker: I have evidence of death plot

Abdul Qadeer Fitrat, the former governor of the Afghan central bank, has told Al Jazeera that he has evidence of a plot to kill him. "I have credible evidence to suggest that my life was completely in danger, and the government was part of this plan" Fitrat said in an interview with Al Jazeera in Washington on Tuesday.
Abdul Qadeer Fitrat, the former governor of the Afghan central bank, has told Al Jazeera that he has evidence of a plot...
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banker, corruption
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2 Jul 2011

Deadly roadside blast hits Afghanistan

Eleven members of an Afghan family have been killed by a roadside bomb in Zabul, a province in southern Afghanistan, officials say. Roadside bombs planted by Taliban-led fighters, who have been waging an uprising against foreign forces for nearly 10 years, are a frequent cause of casualties among civilians in Afghanistan.
Eleven members of an Afghan family have been killed by a roadside bomb in Zabul, a province in southern Afghanistan,...
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taliban, terrorism
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5 Jul 2011

Cameron Future role possible for Taliban

British Prime Minister David Cameron has said that Afghanistan's Taliban - currently fighting against British troops and other international coalition forces - could play a future role in the government of the country.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has said that Afghanistan's Taliban - currently fighting against British troops and...
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peace, taliban, uk
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13 Jul 2011

French soldiers killed in Afghanistan attack

At least five French soldiers have been killed, along with one civilian, in a suicide attack in Afghanistan, Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, has said. Four other soldiers were seriously wounded in Wednesday's incident in Joybar in the country's eastern Tagab valley, Sarkozy said in a statement a day after he returned home from a visit to the country.
At least five French soldiers have been killed, along with one civilian, in a suicide attack in Afghanistan, Nicolas...
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france, suicide bomber
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13 Jul 2011

Violence surrounds Wali Karzai’s funeral

Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, has led mourners at the funeral of Ahmed Wali Karzai, his influential younger half-brother, who was assassinated on Tuesday in Kandahar by a member of his own security team. Thousands of people gathered on Wednesday morning amid tight security outside the provincial governor's compound from where Ahmed Wali's body was transferred to the family's home village of Karz, some 20km away. Many more piled on to buses to join the funeral procession.
Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, has led mourners at the funeral of Ahmed Wali Karzai, his influential younger...
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karzai
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2 Aug 2011

Afghan president’s senior aide quits

The Afghanistan president's communications director and spokesman has resigned. Waheed Omer, who had been in the post for nearly two years, had the tough job of managing President Hamid Karzai's relations with Afghan and international media amid increasing violence in the country and tense ties between the president and his Western allies.
The Afghanistan president's communications director and spokesman has resigned. Waheed Omer, who had been in the post...
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corruption, internal politics, karzai
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12 Aug 2011

Afghan forces prepare for US exit

The Afghan government says that it is confident that it can assume control of the country's security by the end of 2014, when US forces are scheduled to depart.
The Afghan government says that it is confident that it can assume control of the country's security by the end of 2014,...
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afghan army, drawdown
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12 Sep 2011

Ten years after 9 11

Of all the measures of a nation's prospects, the state of its education system is a sure indicator - and Afghanistan is no exception. A decade after the US invasion, Afghan girls have the opportunity to study and pursue careers previously closed to them by the Taliban.
Of all the measures of a nation's prospects, the state of its education system is a sure indicator - and Afghanistan is...
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reforms, taliban, usa
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3 Oct 2011

Kabul: Rabbani killing plotted in Pakistan

The killer of Afghan peace envoy Burhanuddin Rabbani was a Pakistani, a statement from Afghanistan's presidential palace has said, quoting investigators. Evidence shows that the former president's death last month "was plotted in Quetta and the person who carried out the suicide attack against Rabbani was a citizen of Pakistan," the statement released on Sunday said.
The killer of Afghan peace envoy Burhanuddin Rabbani was a Pakistani, a statement from Afghanistan's presidential palace...
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assasination, pakistan
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7 Oct 2011

Afghanistan marks 10 years since US invasion

Afghanistan is marking the 10th anniversary of the start of the US-led invasion of the country amid growing security concerns and questions over what the next decade will hold. For some Afghans, the Friday anniversary of the offensive against the Taliban and al-Qaeda marks a time of reflection on what the war has meant for their country.
Afghanistan is marking the 10th anniversary of the start of the US-led invasion of the country amid growing security...
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taliban, war anniversary
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2 Nov 2011

Afghanistan security summit opens in Turkey

Diplomats and foreign government heads are meeting in Turkey for a conference on the security of Afghanistan, which is preparing to hand over some provinces to its own forces for policing, when foreign troops leave the country in 2014.
Diplomats and foreign government heads are meeting in Turkey for a conference on the security of Afghanistan, which is...
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drawdown aftermath
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8 Nov 2011

Deadly roadside blast hits Afghan district

At least 11 people have been killed by a roadside bomb in northwest Afghanistan, sources say. Two officers and eight civilians were among those killed after the blast struck a police vehicle and another car behind it in Badghis province late on Monday, Faizullah Azimi, the province's council chairman, said.
At least 11 people have been killed by a roadside bomb in northwest Afghanistan, sources say. Two officers and eight...
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civilian deaths, roadside bombs
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16 Nov 2011

Doubt cast over glowing Afghan survey

A US-funded survey in Afghanistan says that 73 per cent of the population is satisfied with the government's performance, a claim which leaders and analysts have disputed as being far from reality.
A US-funded survey in Afghanistan says that 73 per cent of the population is satisfied with the government's...
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polls, propoganda, usa
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19 Nov 2011

Afghan council endorses US security pact

Delegates at an Afghan national assembly have endorsed a proposal by Afghanistan's president for a long-term security pact with the United States, officials said. More than two-thirds of the delegates said on Saturday they will support President Hamid Karzai's call for a security agreement, but only if the US accepts certain conditions.
Delegates at an Afghan national assembly have endorsed a proposal by Afghanistan's president for a long-term security...
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afghan security
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20 Nov 2011

Afghans protest against long-term US pact

Hundreds of Afghan students have blocked a main highway in the eastern city of Jalalabad, protesting against any agreement that would allow US troops to remain in the country after a planned transfer of authority in 2014.
Hundreds of Afghan students have blocked a main highway in the eastern city of Jalalabad, protesting against any...
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afghan security, nato, occupation, protests, us military
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26 Nov 2011

Saving lives – and billions – in Afghanistan

If Senator Jeff Merkley's "expedite the drawdown from Afghanistan" amendment to the National Defense Authorisation Act makes a strong showing, it could tip the Obama administration towards a faster drawdown. That would likely save hundreds of US and Afghan lives - not to mention all the people who wouldn't be physically and psychologically maimed - and could easily save the US hundreds of billions of dollars, at a time when the alleged need for fiscal austerity is being touted as a reason to cut Social Security benefits and raise the Medicare retirement age.
If Senator Jeff Merkley's "expedite the drawdown from Afghanistan" amendment to the National Defense Authorisation Act...
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drawdown
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5 Dec 2011

Afghan conference beset by boycotts

An international conference tasked with seeking a way forward for Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO combat troops in 2014 is under way in the German city of Bonn, but the absence of the Taliban and Pakistan from proceedings has dampened hopes of success.
An international conference tasked with seeking a way forward for Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO combat troops...
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afghan security, pakistan, taliban
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6 Dec 2011

Bonn talks on Afghanistan – Doomed to fail?

While the Taliban fell just days ofter the 2001 Bonn conference, its critics point to the freezing out of the group from the talks as a major blunder, something Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN special envoy to Afghanistan, referred to as the "original sin".
While the Taliban fell just days ofter the 2001 Bonn conference, its critics point to the freezing out of the group from...
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afghan security, taliban
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14 Dec 2011

US defence chief sees progress in Afghanistan

The US defence secretary has told US troops in Afghanistan that they are winning the conflict against the Taliban, as Washington and its allies prepare to begin withdrawing more forces and handing responsibility for security to Afghan forces.
The US defence secretary has told US troops in Afghanistan that they are winning the conflict against the Taliban, as...
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progress, taliban, us military
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22 Dec 2011

Big security challenge in Afghanistan

US-led foreign combat troops are expected to pull out of Afghanistan within three years, but a decade into their mission, security still remains precarious. In Sar Howza in Paktika province, a new district governor has been appointed - the second in just four weeks - after the previous governor was killed in a Taliban attack.
US-led foreign combat troops are expected to pull out of Afghanistan within three years, but a decade into their...
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afghan security
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28 Dec 2011

‘Former Taliban’ in the Afghan peace puzzle

For months, Burhanhuddin Rabbani, the elderly statesman charged by the Afghan president to explore peace talks with the Taliban, communicated with a man he thought was an emissary for the armed movement s senior leadership. Abdul Hakim Mujahed, Rabbani s deputy and the highest ranking "former member of Taliban" in the peace council, perceived as an important interlocutor in the talks, had not been consulted about the commutations.
For months, Burhanhuddin Rabbani, the elderly statesman charged by the Afghan president to explore peace talks with the...
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peace, taliban
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5 Apr 2010

The opium wars in Afghanistan

From its roots in the CIA's covert battle against Soviet occupation in the 1970s, through decades of war that fertilized it, poppy cultivation has transformed Afghanistan into an opium-dependent state supplying 90% of the world's heroin. Support for a return to traditional agriculture can break the stranglehold - and be cheaper in every way than a military solution.
From its roots in the CIA's covert battle against Soviet occupation in the 1970s, through decades of war that fertilized...
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corruption, opium
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8 Jun 2010

Wali Karzai A Deal We Should Refuse by Kelley B. Vlahos

Known as the "King of Kandahar," Karzai has an iron grip on every political and commercial enterprise in southern Afghanistan. Though he vehemently denies much of it, numerous reports have him pegged as the godfather who lets nothing trucks carrying supplies, private security guards, property transactions, even opium shipments, and the secret police move until he gets a cut. He s been accused of taking over local law enforcement, stealing land for his cronies, stuffing ballot boxes for his brother, and disappearing his political enemies.
Known as the "King of Kandahar," Karzai has an iron grip on every political and commercial enterprise in southern...
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corruption, peace, war
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22 Jul 2010

Second Shooting in Month Casts Doubt on Afghan Forces

KABUL, (AP) - The second shooting of Western troops by one of their Afghan counterparts this month has highlighted the potential hazards of a push to speedily expand Afghanistan's army and police forces in the next few years. On Tuesday, an Afghan army sergeant opened fire at an army base in northern Afghanistan, killing two American civilian trainers before being shot dead. That followed an attack in the south on July 13, when a soldier killed three British troopers, including the company commander, with gunfire and a rocket-propelled grenade in the dead of night.
KABUL, (AP) - The second shooting of Western troops by one of their Afghan counterparts this month has highlighted...
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afghan army
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3 Feb 2010

Pakistani Taliban has its work cut out

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani authorities, having been embarrassed in the past over false claims, have not yet conclusively stated that Hakeemullah Mehsud, the leader of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP - Taliban Movement of Pakistan), was killed in a United States drone attack in the South Waziristan tribal area last week. A senior Pakistani security official has been quoted as saying that Mehsud had "probably been killed" along with about 12 militants in Shaktoee, a village close to the border with North Waziristan, but that the matter was being investigated.
ISLAMABAD - Pakistani authorities, having been embarrassed in the past over false claims, have not yet conclusively...
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al qaeda, taliban
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3 Feb 2010

Taliban raid showcase new battle tactics

LASHKAR GAH, Helmand - Officials in Helmand province say they had warning of a day-long rebel attack on the town of Lashkar Gah last week, leading some residents to ask why it was allowed to happen and to last so long.
LASHKAR GAH, Helmand - Officials in Helmand province say they had warning of a day-long rebel attack on the town of...
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taliban
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5 Apr 2010

The alienation of Hamid Karzai

Now US President Barack Obama has plunged into the cesspool of AfPak diplomacy, he should make it a point to understand why Hamid Karzai feels so alienated. Since the US tried to oust him, the Afghan president has become deeply disillusioned, frustrated that the Americans are either too naive to comprehend that he has little choice but to seek reconciliation with the Taliban or are pursuing a hidden geopolitical agenda.
Now US President Barack Obama has plunged into the cesspool of AfPak diplomacy, he should make it a point to understand...
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diplomacy, karzai
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2 Sep 2010

The degree zero of culture

Like the handful of Western correspondents immersed in Talibanistan 10 years ago, a long time before 9/11, I was dying to meet the one-eyed legend Mullah Omar. Fat chance; he was more mysterious than The Shadow, even in Kandahar. He had only been to Kabul twice - and left in a hurry. His three wives still lived in Singesar, his native village, a dusty basket of mud-hut compounds where no girls had ever been to school - after all there was no school; only Omar's own madrassa, little else than a tent with a soiled floor filled with mattresses for the pupils.
Like the handful of Western correspondents immersed in Talibanistan 10 years ago, a long time before 9/11, I was dying...
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mullah omar, taliban
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13 Sep 2010

Petraeus spin on roadside bombs bellied

General David Petraeus claimed limited success this week in the war within a war over the Taliban's planting of roadside bombs, but official Pentagon data show the Taliban clearly winning that war by planting more bombs and killing many more United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops since the troop surge began in early 2010.
General David Petraeus claimed limited success this week in the war within a war over the Taliban's planting of roadside...
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petraeus, taliban, war casulties
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11 Jan 2011

Sodomy and Sufism in Afgaynistan

Social scientists attached to the Second Marine Battalion in Afghanistan last year circulated a startling report on Pashtun sociology, in the form of a human terrain report on male sexuality among America's Afghan allies. The document, made available by military sources, is not classified, just disturbing. Don't ask, don't tell doesn't begin to qualify the problem. These are things you didn't want to know, and regret having heard. The marines got their money's worth from their Human Terrain adjuncts, but the report might have considered whether male pedophilia in Afghanistan has a religious dimension as well as a cultural one. I will explain why below.
Social scientists attached to the Second Marine Battalion in Afghanistan last year circulated a startling report on...
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islam, pedophilia
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19 Feb 2010

US Marines airdropped into Taliban-held territory

MARJAH, Afghanistan Elite Marine recon teams were dropped behind Taliban lines by helicopter Friday as the U.S.-led force escalated operations to break resistance in the besieged insurgent stronghold of Marjah. As the major NATO offensive entered its seventh day, about two dozen Marines were inserted before dawn into an area where skilled Taliban marksmen are known to operate, an officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.
MARJAH, Afghanistan Elite Marine recon teams were dropped behind Taliban lines by helicopter Friday as the U.S.-led...
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surge
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10 Aug 2010

Afghan civilian casualties up 31%, UN says

The number of civilians killed or injured in Afghanistan has jumped 31%, despite a fall in the number of casualties caused by Nato-led forces. More than 1,200 civilians were killed in the first six months of 2010 and another 1,997 civilians were injured, the latest UN six-monthly report shows. The Taliban and other insurgents were responsible for 76% of the casualties, up from 53% last year.
The number of civilians killed or injured in Afghanistan has jumped 31%, despite a fall in the number of casualties...
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civilian deaths
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21 May 2011

Kabul hospital hit by suicide bomber

A suicide bomb attack on a hospital in the Afghan capital, Kabul, has left six people dead and 23 wounded. The bomber detonated his device in a tent in the grounds of Charsad Bestar Hospital where medical students were eating lunch.
A suicide bomb attack on a hospital in the Afghan capital, Kabul, has left six people dead and 23 wounded. The bomber...
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hospital attack, suicide bomber
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29 Apr 2010

Taliban militants ‘reappear’ in Swat valley

Taliban militants have resumed targeted killings of local leaders in Pakistan's troubled Swat valley, officials have told the BBC. Pakistan's army declared the Swat valley free of militants after carrying out an anti-Taliban operation in 2009. A Pakistani army spokesman said three people had died in attacks over the last 10 days. Local journalists say that seven have died in 15 days.
Taliban militants have resumed targeted killings of local leaders in Pakistan's troubled Swat valley, officials have...
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pakistan, swat valley, taliban, terrorism
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18 May 2010

Kabul suicide car bombing ‘kills at least seven’

At least seven people have been killed and 29 injured in a suicide car bomb attack targeting a Nato convoy in the Afghan capital, Kabul, police say. The attack took place at the Darulaman crossroads, close to the parliament and other government buildings.
At least seven people have been killed and 29 injured in a suicide car bomb attack targeting a Nato convoy in the Afghan...
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terrorism
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19 Jul 2010

Kabul set for historic international conference

Some 70 countries are set to attend a historic conference in the Afghan capital Kabul amid some of the deadliest violence of the war. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is among those due to join Tuesday's one-day talks on Afghanistan's future. They expect to hear President Hamid Karzai call for greater control over foreign aid for reconstruction. But Afghanistan's key foreign backers are also seeking assurances as they plan to withdraw troops.
Some 70 countries are set to attend a historic conference in the Afghan capital Kabul amid some of the deadliest...
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peace, taliban, troop withdrawl
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20 Jul 2010

Karzai calls for Afghan security control by 2014

Afghan leader Hamid Karzai has opened an international conference in Kabul, renewing a call for his country to control its own security by 2014. Afghanistan had not yet achieved good governance, he admitted, adding its allies faced 'a vicious common enemy'.
Afghan leader Hamid Karzai has opened an international conference in Kabul, renewing a call for his country to control...
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karzai, security
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26 Jul 2010

Excerpts Leaked US Afghan war records

Leaked US military records on the war in Afghanistan, which were posted on the Wikileaks website as the Afghan War Diary, are a classified - and previously unreported - daily rundown of incidents of violence and criminality in Afghanistan. The documents offer a snapshot of the grim reality of conditions on the ground in Afghanistan and the challenges facing troops operating there.
Leaked US military records on the war in Afghanistan, which were posted on the Wikileaks website as the Afghan War...
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war, wikileaks
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24 Dec 2010

North Pakistan clashes ‘leave 27 dead

At least three soldiers and 24 militants have been killed in a series of clashes in a tribal region of north-western Pakistan, officials have said. The battles erupted after about 150 Taliban attacked five paramilitary Frontier Corps checkpoints in and around Baidnami in the Mohmand Agency, one official told the AFP news agency.
At least three soldiers and 24 militants have been killed in a series of clashes in a tribal region of north-western...
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pakistan, taliban
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1 Feb 2011

Afghanistan Civilian deaths hit ‘record levels’

The number of civilians killed in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion a decade ago hit record levels last year, according to a new report. Some 2,421 civilians were killed, most at the hands of insurgents, the Kabul-based Afghanistan Rights Monitor said.
The number of civilians killed in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion a decade ago hit record levels last year,...
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civilian deaths
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7 Mar 2011

US ‘well-positioned’ to start Afghan withdrawal – Gates

Robert Gates was speaking during an unannounced visit to the Afghan capital Kabul, where he is discussing the future of US involvement in the conflict-torn country. Mr Gates also apologised over the deaths of nine Afghan boys over the weekend in a Nato air strike.
Robert Gates was speaking during an unannounced visit to the Afghan capital Kabul, where he is discussing the future of...
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drawdown, us foreign policy
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22 Mar 2011

Hamid Karzai names areas to be handed to Afghan forces

Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has named seven areas of the country which will pass from control by foreign troops into Afghan hands from July. They are the relatively peaceful provinces of Kabul, Panjshir and Bamiyan, the cities of Herat and Mazar-e Sharif and the town of Mehterlam.
Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has named seven areas of the country which will pass from control by foreign troops...
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drawdown
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2 Apr 2011

Afghanistan Ban Ki-moon condemns UN staff killings

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned an attack on a UN building in Afghanistan as "outrageous and cowardly". At least 14 people were killed when demonstrators torched the building in the city of Mazar-e Sharif.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned an attack on a UN building in Afghanistan as "outrageous and cowardly"....
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terrorism, united nations
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13 Apr 2011

Bomber kills Kunar elder Malik Zarin

A suicide bomber has killed at least 10 people in an attack on tribal elders in eastern Afghanistan, the interior ministry has said. Pro-government tribal elder Haji Malik Zarin was killed in the blast in Kunar province near the Pakistan border.
A suicide bomber has killed at least 10 people in an attack on tribal elders in eastern Afghanistan, the interior...
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civilian deaths, suicide bomber
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8 May 2011

Taliban’s Kandahar raid into second day

Afghan security forces are battling Taliban insurgents for a second successive day inside the southern city of Kandahar. Two security personnel and three civilians have been killed, and 46 other people have been injured.
Afghan security forces are battling Taliban insurgents for a second successive day inside the southern city of Kandahar....
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afghan security, civilian deaths, taliban
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14 May 2011

US charges six with aiding Pakistani Taliban

Authorities in the US have charged six people with providing financial support to the Pakistani Taliban. Three are US citizens, including two imams at Florida mosques, while three are at large in Pakistan.
Authorities in the US have charged six people with providing financial support to the Pakistani Taliban. Three are US...
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funding, taliban
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18 May 2011

‘Twelve dead’ at protest over Nato raid

At least 12 people have been shot and killed by security forces in northern Afghanistan during a protest against a Nato-led raid, officials say. The clashes with security forces in the city of Taloqan left 80 others injured.
At least 12 people have been shot and killed by security forces in northern Afghanistan during a protest against a...
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civilian deaths, clashes, protests
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19 May 2011

Afghan road workers killed in Taliban ambush

At least 35 construction workers have been shot dead and 20 injured by Taliban insurgents in eastern Afghanistan, an official says. Eight insurgents were also killed as guards returned fire during Wednesday night's ambush, a Paktia provincial spokesman told the BBC.
At least 35 construction workers have been shot dead and 20 injured by Taliban insurgents in eastern Afghanistan, an...
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civilian deaths, taliban
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28 May 2011

Afghanistan Suicide blast kills top police commander

The police commander for northern Afghanistan has been killed in a suicide bomb attack on the provincial governor's compound in Takhar. Gen Mohammad Daud Daud is one of at least six people killed in the attack, claimed by the Taliban.
The police commander for northern Afghanistan has been killed in a suicide bomb attack on the provincial governor's...
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afghan police, suicide bomber
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4 Jun 2011

Four Nato troops killed by bomb in eastern Afghanistan

Four foreign troops have been killed by a roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan, the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) has said. A statement did not give their nationalities. Most of the troops serving in the country's east, near the border with Pakistan, are Americans.
Four foreign troops have been killed by a roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan, the Nato-led International Security...
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nato deaths, roadside bombs
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18 Jun 2011

Afghanistan’s Karzai US in peace talks with Taliban

The US is engaged in talks with the Taliban, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said, in the first high-level confirmation of US involvement. Mr Karzai said that "foreign military and especially the US itself" were involved in peace talks with the group.
The US is engaged in talks with the Taliban, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said, in the first high-level...
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peace, taliban, us foreign policy
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