A Pakistani court Thursday overturned on appeal the death sentence of a man accused of kidnapping and beheading Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, sentencing him to seven years in prison for kidnapping only, and acquitted three of his co-accused.

Levels of violence in rural areas peaked again after Feb “reduction in violence” period did not extend into March, while intra-Afghan negotiations that could lead to a ceasefire were delayed.

On 29 February, the Taliban and the U.S. signed an agreement that commits the U.S. to a fourteen-month phased withdrawal of military forces in exchange for Taliban commitments to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a safe harbour for terrorists. The agreement also obligates the Taliban to commence peace negotiations with the Afghan government and other Afghan power-brokers. This breakthrough […]

India is considering a proposal by Russia to supply the Indian navy with three refurbished submarines, capable of launching cruise missiles.

President Ghani took an important step toward intra-Afghan talks by nominating 21 government representatives to negotiate with the Taliban. Crisis Group expert Andrew Watkins says this list seems to enjoy broad consensus among Afghan political figures, which earlier lists had lacked. The timing of the release – less than a day after U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo visited Kabul, harshly […]

The Taliban seized control of the district of Yamgan in the northern Afghanistan province of Badakhshan. The district had been under siege for several months before falling to the Taliban today.

As the U.S. military continues to wonder if Taliban attacks against Afghan security forces are the result of a “splinter” group or part of its official strategy, the Taliban continues to publicize its daily military operations.

Gunmen gunmen opened fire on Pakistani security forces patrolling a remote border region near Iran on Thursday, killing two troops, a provincial minister said.

Just days after the United States threatened to withdraw $1 billion in aid over a political crisis that risks upending the U.S.-Taliban peace deal signed last month, the Afghan government and the Taliban took steps that could move the two sides closer to beginning formal talks.

Afghanistan’s government announced a 21-member team to negotiate with the Taliban, in a tentative sign of progress for the United States-brokered peace deal.