Afghanistan’s tumultuous peace process came to a halt after President Biden’s announcement of a delayed withdrawal plan for US troops from the country. Indeed, this served as a good excuse for the Taliban to boycott any peace talks, assuming that if they do not negotiate power today, they will have it all after the unconditional withdrawal of the U.S. forces. […]

On 24 May 2000 the last Israeli soldier left Lebanon after 18 years of war. A few months earlier I completed my national service as an IDF operations sergeant, serving in command centres on the Lebanese border. Back then I watched the withdrawal with relief; happy that the roadside bombs, shelling, Hezbollah attacks on convoys and outposts, the wounded and […]

Badghis governor Hassamuddin Shams has confirmed that at the height of clashes between the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) and the Taliban, insurgents broke through the prison gate in the provincial capital of Qala-e-Naw and freed the prisoners. However, according to Shams, the security forces were quick to intervene and have since recaptured about 80% of the inmates. […]

A meeting between a Taliban delegation and the Afghan Republic, chaired by the Iranian Foreign Minister, got underway on Wednesday in Tehran. According to a Taliban spokesman, Mohammad Naeem, Iran invited the Taliban delegation from Doha, led by Shir Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, senior Taliban negotiator in Qatar for “bilateral meetings”. In his opening address, Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said: […]

Afghan armed forces spokesman General Ajmal Shinwari said Wednesday the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) have carried out 278 separate operations in seven provinces in the past week as they battle the Taliban. Addressing a press conference in Kabul, Shinwari said in this time, more than 2,360 insurgents have been killed, 1,412 wounded and 182 arrested including eight […]

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said he would discuss with his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin on Wednesday a plan for Turkey to operate and guard Kabul’s Hamid Karzai airport after the NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan, adding there was no final decision yet. Ankara has offered to run and guard the airport after NATO’s withdrawal, and has been in talks with […]

President Ashraf Ghani has accused the Taliban and Pakistan of perpetuating the “bloodshed and destruction” in Afghanistan. Addressing a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Ghani stated that the Taliban have chosen to fight instead of making peace and that “we will stand up against them.” “The people of Afghanistan should be alert, upon the announcement of the US’ withdrawal I called […]

The New York Times on Sunday wrote that US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in a meeting with the current commander of US and NATO forces Gen. Austin Miller, Joint Chiefs Chaiman Gen. Mark A. Milley and Centcom head Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. discussed Afghanistan and specifically ways to buffer the impact of the US pullout on the Afghan […]

Former President Hamid Karzai says China can play an important role in helping Afghanistan secure its future, especially in improving its ties with Pakistan. “China plays a very important role, a significant role in improving the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and in making sure that a synchronized relationship is established between the two countries,” Karzai said in an interview […]

Though there has been no formal announcement about Jaishankar’s visit, he is expected to be in Moscow later this week. The rapidly deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and several upcoming high-level meetings, including the annual India-Russia Summit, are expected to top the agenda when external affairs minister S Jaishankar visits Moscow this week. Russia sees India as an important player for […]