Afghanistan Is Trying to Save Its Child Bombers
In a room full of loud teenagers, 17-year-old Mohammad Ehsan is the quietest. (The names of the boys in this piece have been changed to protect their identities.) The other boys in this juvenile ...
The Afghan Taliban has again hinted at being amenable to a limited ceasefire deal with the United States to push peace negotiations over the line, but has stopped short of making an explicit offer. The ceasefire proposal was revealed to Reuters by Taliban sources who said the insurgent group would be open to a 10-day...
It had been more than three decades since 48-year-old Zahra, who asked to be identified only by her first name, left Afghanistan with her husband to escape the increasing violence that would plague her country for many years to come. “I was married at 13 years, and soon after my husband and I moved to...
The assassination of Qassem Soleimani has had reverberations across the border in Afghanistan, a country that holds close ties to Iran. The Afghan government and its political leaders have been careful when it comes to condemning the assassination, as they wanted to avoid any sending any negative signal to the U.S.. “Today, during talks with the...
On the last Sunday of 2019, Afghans woke up to an exciting news of the Taliban insurgency agreeing to possible ceasefire, a much-needed respite from the constant violence. Reports suggested that this temporary truce with the US administration could last for as long as 10 days – a week longer than the last ceasefire between the...
Ahmad Rashid rushed his two young children to a private clinic near his home in Kabul last week after they appeared short of breath and could not stop coughing. Asinad, 3, and one-year-old Usman were diagnosed with pneumonia induced by dangerously high levels of pollution in the Afghan capital this winter. “They gave them antibiotics...
The Taliban on Monday rejected reports of a ceasefire in Afghanistan, although analysts said a truce appeared to be only a matter of time. “The fact is that the [Taliban] has no decision on a ceasefire,” spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. “The Americans have demanded a reduction in violence and the [Taliban’s] internal consultations on this...
The Taliban’s ruling council agreed on Sunday to enforce a temporary ceasefire across the whole of Afghanistan in a move praised by experts as a “major step forward”. While it is unclear when the ceasefire would begin, AP reported the temporary cessation of hostilities would last 10 days. It is hoped the period will allow...
After a long delay and political disagreements, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) of Afghanistan finally announced last week the preliminary results of the Presidential election, held in September. But the results are unlikely to resolve the political crisis the war-torn country is undergoing. The election that saw a record low turnout — only a quarter of the...
As the people of the ancient western Afghan city of Herat settle in for a cold December evening, the residents of a relatively new tent settlement brace themselves for a harsh night nearby. “We own nothing, except the two tents given to us by DRC (Danish Refugee Council). There’s no water, no clothes, the winter...
The much-delayed results of Afghanistan’s presidential election, held in September, were announced on Sunday, with the two leading candidates already heading into political dispute. But more importantly for women in Afghanistan are their concerns about the fair and inclusive participation of women in the new government, one that is likely to enter into prospective negotiations...
