The Taliban on Wednesday urged Afghanistan’s neighboring countries not to allow the U.S. to establish military bases in their countries stating that should such a step be taken “it will be a great and historic mistake and disgrace”. According to a statement issued by the Taliban’s Doha-based spokesman, Mohammad Naeem: “The Muslim and Mujahid nation of Afghanistan will not remain […]

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said in a press conference on Tuesday that discussions are still being held on the type of U.S. footprint needed in Afghanistan in order to protect American diplomats in the country. In answer to a question about security at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul in order to keep an embassy presence for […]

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said this week that it has “completed between 16-25 percent of the entire retrograde process.” CENTCOM said in a statement United States Department of Defense has retrograded the equivalent of approximately 160 C-17 loads of material out of Afghanistan and has turned over more than 10,000 pieces of equipment to the Defense Logistics Agency for […]

A member of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami party, Humayoun Jarir, on Tuesday blamed the Presidential Palace for not delivering on its promise about the structure and the authority of the Supreme State Council and said that Hekmatyar will not participate in the Supreme State Council as a member. “The Arg (Presidential Palace) has not followed through on the promises it made […]

Mohammad Daud Laghmani, the recently appointed governor of Faryab province, returned to Kabul today after staying a week in an army base in Maimana city of Faryab province, according to the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG). Following ten days of protests over the appointment of Daud Laghmani as Faryab’s governor by the central government, on Monday night the IDLG […]

The Afghan National Security and Defense Forces (ANDSF) are currently fighting the Taliban in 104 provinces, the Afghan security agencies said on Tuesday, noting a 7 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Reflecting on the numbers of Taliban attacks across the country, Ahmad Zia Saraj, the head of the Afghan intelligence agency—the National Directorate of Security (NDS)–said […]

Islamabad on Monday rejected reports of the US military setting up a base inside Pakistan as it withdraws troops from Afghanistan. “There is no US military or air base in Pakistan, nor is any such proposal envisaged. Any speculation on this account is baseless and irresponsible and should be avoided,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson said in a press release. He […]

At least 41 prisoners were released from a Taliban prison during an operation by Commandos in Herat province on Monday night, officials confirmed. According to a statement issued by the Commandos Media Office on Tuesday, the operation was carried out on Monday night in Marwa village of Pashtun Zarghun district of Herat province. As a result, 41 prisoners, including 19 […]

The Government of Pakistan, with the support of UNHCR, has launched a nationwide verification exercise for 1.4 million Afghan refugees during which new smartcards will be issued. The Documentation Renewal and Information Verification Exercise, or DRIVE for short, was inaugurated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Islamabad by the Federal Minister for SAFRON, His Excellency Mehboob Sultan. The UNHCR Representative, Noriko […]

After a week of fierce clashes between security forces and the Taliban in Herat’s Obe district, security forces have now taken full control of the district and have secured the district’s central market. Local officials in Herat say the Taliban have completely retreated from Obe district and the current situation is stable and people have returned to normal life. The […]