Category: South East Asia

Counterterrorism — at home and abroad — will be renewed under Biden

Now that we are fewer than 50 days away from the start of the Biden administration, it is worth considering how U.S. counterterrorism policy priorities will shift. We should anticipate the Biden foreign policy team — led by Secretary of State-designee Antony Blinken, U.S. Ambassador-designee to the United Nations Linda Thomas Greenfield and incoming national security adviser Jake Sullivan — […]

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US House Passes Bill to Block Afghanistan Withdrawal

The House on Tuesday passed a $741 billion defense policy bill that would take steps to slow or block US President Trump’s planned drawdown of American troops from Germany and Afghanistan.

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Senators against release of more Taliban inmates

A number of Meshrano Jirga or upper house members on Tuesday criticized the intensified violence in the country and said the remaining Taliban inmates should not be released unless progress was made in peace talks. Ross Wilson, acting US ambassador to Afghanistan, on Monday said that the Taliban were looking forward to the release of 7000 more prisoners in the […]

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Daesh rebels among 4 detained in Nangarhar raids

Two Daesh or Islamic State (IS) rebels and two kidnappers have been arrested in security operations in eastern Nangarhar province, an official said on Wednesday.

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Balkh: Taliban kill 7 policemen in captivity

Taliban militants have shot dead seven police personnel of the Mazar-Sheberghan highway after they were captured by the insurgent group in northern Balkh province, an official said on Wednesday.

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Badakhshan: ‘Hundreds of aliens fight in Taliban ranks’

Local officials claim as many as 450 foreign insurgents have been fighting alongside Taliban insurgents in northeastern Badakhshan province and trying to control border areas.

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Wolesi Jirga wants Islamic Edu Secretariat reinstated

The Wolesi Jirga or Lower House of the Parliament on Wednesday demanded restoration of the Islamic Education Secretariat in the Ministry of Education (MoE) and said children should continue their primary education.

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Two suspects arrested for killing female Afghan journalist

Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the assassination of journalist Malalai Maiwand who was gunned down in Jalalabad in Nangarhar early Thursday morning.

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Expert foresees shift in US policy on Afghanistan under Biden

With less than 50 days before president-elect Joe Biden takes office, speculation is growing as to how the US counterterrorism policies will shift under a new administration, with one expert saying it is naive to think the Taliban will stick to its promises, work in good faith with the Afghan government and break ties with al-Qaeda.

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Taliban steadfast over Afghanistan being an Islamic Emirate

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s political deputy and head of the group’s Qatar office, told a virtual meeting at the Center for Humanitarian Conflict Studies in Doha that Afghanistan’s future system must be Islamic and inclusive.

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