Defense officials say they will maintain some US troop presence near Afghanistan for counterterrorism operations into the future, but would not say where that force would be based or whether it could be in place before all American troops leave the war-torn country. According to Military Times, David Helvey, acting assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific Affairs said during a […]

While both the Taliban and the Afghan security forces observed the first day of the three-day Eid ceasefire Thursday, four explosions were reported across the country, claiming the lives of at least nine people and wounding 18 others. No group has not yet claimed responsibility for any of the explosions. Thursday also saw people around the country calling for an […]

Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, the former vice president, and Atta Mohammad Noor, the former governor of Balkh province, on Thursday stressed the need to reduce violence and end the killing of people in Afghanistan. Afghanistan’s third marshal, Dostum, said during Eid-ul-Fitr prayers in Sheberghan, the capital of Jawzjan province, the Taliban need to consider a continuous ceasefire to achieve peace. […]

The seizure of Nerkh district comes amid intensifying violence following an announcement by the group of a three-day ceasefire in Afghanistan for the Muslim religious holiday of Eid, starting this week. Afghan security forces have mounted an operation to recapture a Taliban-held district outside the capital Kabul just before the start of a three-day ceasefire at midnight, according to a […]

Pakistan ruled out Tuesday the possibility of again providing its military bases to the United States for future counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan, as US troops prepare to completely leave the country by September 11, VOA reported. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi made the remarks to reporters in Islamabad, explaining that his government has adopted a policy that allows it […]

Following reports about the fall of Nerkh district of Maidan Wardak province to the Taliban, Afghan security officials said that the security forces made a “tactical retreat” from the district. Maidan Wardak’s governor said that the security forces retreated from the district as part of a “conspiracy,” without further elaborating. He said the district is currently under Taliban control. However, […]

A three-day nationwide ceasefire between the Afghan government and the Taliban is expected to begin on midnight Wednesday. The Taliban’s spokesman told TOLOnews that the ceasefire is not to continue after the three days of Eid-ul-Fitr, which begins on Thursday. However, the public has urged the Taliban to agree to a permanent ceasefire and stop their violence against the Afghan […]

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday that China feels it is necessary for Afghanistan’s neighboring countries, including Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, to fully support the Afghan peace process and that Afghanistan should ensure all ethnic groups and parties fully participate in the future political lineup. In a statement issued ahead of a foreign ministers meeting of Central Asian countries, […]

US forces in Afghanistan have moved about 104 cargo loads of equipment out of the country so far and have turned over more than 1,800 items of gear for destruction, US Central Command said on Tuesday. CENTCOM said in a statement that since President Joe Biden’s decision to fully withdraw all military personnel from Afghanistan “the US has retrograded the […]

Taliban insurgents captured a key district just outside the Afghan capital Kabul in central Maidan Wardak province on Tuesday, forcing government forces to retreat, security officials have confirmed. The capture of Nerkh district comes amid intensifying violence across the country following an announcement by the Taliban of a three-day ceasefire over Eid-ul Fitr. Reuters reported that Tariq Arian, an interior […]