IEC Decides Not to Use Biometric System in Upcoming Elections

Afghanistan�s Independent Election Commission (IEC) has decided to hold the upcoming four elections without using a biometric system for voter�s identification. The presidential elections, provincial council and district council elections, and Ghazni parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held...

New Lawmakers Fail to Elect Parliament Speaker

Afghan lawmakers on Thursday put ballot boxes to elect the Speaker of the House but none of the candidates were able to obtain over a half of the votes cast. Omar Naseer Mujadidi, Kamal Naser Osuli, Mir Rahman Rahmani, and Mirwais Yasini contested against each other while no one secured the fifty...

Presidential Candidates Propose Caretaker Government After May 22

The Council of presidential candidates on Monday suggested the establishment of a caretaker government after May 22 in Afghanistan. In a declaration, 12 presidential candidates called on President Ashraf Ghani to choose between remaining in power as caretaker of the government or refrain from candidacy...

Abdullah Sees No Progress on Afghan Peace Process

Afghanistan�s Chief Executive on Monday said there is no progress on the Afghan peace process because the Taliban insurgent group has an intractable position toward the government. "No practical steps have been taken for peace yet. The main reason is that the Taliban insists on continuation of the...

Taliban Wants To Take Over Afghanistan: Ex-Pentagon Chief

Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said that there is a "real risk" that if American troops are pulled out of Afghanistan, the Taliban might retake control of the country. Quoted in a report by CBS News, he said that the US should ensure that the Afghan government is stable before bringing...

US To Transfer Part Of $1.5B To Border Wall From Afghan Forces

Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has approved the transfer of $1.5 billion to build more than 80 miles (130 km)of barriers on the border with Mexico, US officials said on Friday, including taking about $600 million from an account meant for Afghan security forces. The latest move was opposed...

Kabul Attack Death Toll Climbs To Nine

The death toll from Taliban attack on an international aid organization in Kabul rised to nine, including three civilians, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement on Thursday. In addition, 20 other people were wounded in the attack. The attack on which continued for six hours was labelled a...

Dunford Suggests Longer Military Presence In Afghanistan

The United States will need to keep counterterrorism forces in Afghanistan until there is no insurgency left in the country, the top US general said on Wednesday, suggesting a far longer military presence even after more than 17 years of war. "I think we will need to maintain a counterterrorism presence...

Taliban Attack In Kabul Labelled Crime Against Civilians

The Taliban attack on an international aid organization in Kabul which continued for six hours was labelled a crime against civilians as it was condemned by the government, the United Nations and the US Embassy in Afghanistan. President Ashraf Ghani in a statement said the Taliban once again showed...

Gunmen Storm Int�l Organization In Kabul; Gunfight Continues

A group of gunmen affiliated to the Taliban stormed an international organization in Kabul on Wednesday, disrupting calm in the city almost 20 days after a complex attack on a government building which left more than a dozen people dead. The attack started at 11:40am Kabul time with an explosion outside...

Dostum Warns Against More Inattention To North Security

After a long appearance to the public, the First Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum warned against more "inattention" to the security of the northern Afghanistan and said he will make a final decision on the issue if it was not addressed. Addressing his supporters in northern Jawzjan province, Dostum...

Taliban Has No Political Will For Peace: Abdullah�s Office

An official from Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said they doubt the Taliban�s "political will" for a ceasefire and intra-Afghan talks which are the main factors that will move forward the ongoing peace efforts. Abdullah, who has 50 percent share of the National Unity Government with President Ghani...

Taliban Attack Kills 20 Soldiers in Farah Province

At least 20 soldiers were killed after Taliban fighters stormed military outposts in Gulistan district of Farah province, a local official said on Monday. Dadullah Qani, a member of Farah provincial council told Ariana News that Taliban militants raided on Toot and Chakab outposts of the Afghan army...

Ghani Calls for Peace, Reconciliation During Ramadan

President Ashraf Ghani once again called for peace and reconciliation during the holy month of Ramadan. "I once again call on the Taliban to respect this holy month and address the demand of Afghans for peace and reconciliation which was reflected at the Loya Jirga for peace," Ghani said in a video...

Presidential Candidates React To Peace Jirga Resolution

A day after the conclusion of the grand assembly of 3,200 delegates from around the country, a number of presidential candidates reacted to the resolution of the grand council and said it was not in favor of the people and that it did not encompass anything new. The grand council, also called the...

IEC to Kick Off Voter Registration Process on Mid-May

Afghanistan�s Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Saturday said that it will start the biometric enrollment of all eligible voters on May 16. The process will continue for 20 days in order for the voters to be able to attend at the upcoming presidential, provincial councils, district councils,...

Khalilzad Reacts To Taliban�s Rejection Of �Laying Down Arms�

The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Saturday reacted to a comment by the Taliban on rejecting of his call for laying down their arms and stopping violence as part of efforts to move forward the ongoing peace process. In a tweet on Friday, May 3, Khalilzad...

Abdullah Does Not See �Anything New� In Jirga Resolution

A day after the grand assembly of almost 3,200 delegates from around the country issued a resolution after four days of consultations, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said he does not see "anything new" in the document as peace has always been the main demand of the people of Afghanistan. "Overall,...

Turkey In Favor Of Durable Peace In Afghanistan: Erdogan

The President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan his country and government want a durable, just and implementable peace in Afghanistan as he met with Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah in Istanbul on Friday. "Afghanistan and Turkey have had time-tested relations throughout the history and peace and stability...

Khalilzad Urges Taliban to Stop Violence, Embrace Peace

The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, who is leading the U.S. delegation in the new round of talks with the Taliban in Doha, the capital of Qatar, has told the group�s representatives on the opening session that it is time to "stop violence and embrace peace." "In...

Grand Consultative Peace Jirga Ends in Kabul

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani remarked in the closing gathering of the Grand Consultative Peace Jirga on Friday, where he said all recommendations mentioned in the Jirga�s resolution will be implemented by the Afghan government. He stressed that the Jirga�s resolution would become a major part of...

Sayyaf Optimistic On Peace Jirga�s Outcome

  Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, head of the Grand Consultative Jirga on Peace, on Thursday said that the 3,200 delegates from across the country have not gathered at the event to support anyone. "The Jirga process will be streamed live today," Sayyaf says. "It is you who will show the government...

Sixth Round Of US -Taliban Talks in Doha to Begin Today

The US and Taliban delegations will resume talks on Wednesday in Doha, the capital of Qatar to make a way for ending the long-term conflict in the war-weary country, Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban said in a tweet. "We are expecting the meeting to start in the next two hours as the...

Daesh Gaining Foothold In Afghanistan: Russia

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has said that Daesh is gaining foothold in Afghanistan to expand into the Central Asia, Russian news agency TASS reported. Shoigu said Daesh is strengthening its positions in Afghanistan, using that country as a bridgehead for further expansion in the region. "It...

Khalilzad, Taliban�s deputy political chief met with Indonesian FM ahead of Qatar talks

The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban�s deputy political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar separately met with the Foreign Minister of Indonesia Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi ahead of the sixth round of peace talks between U.S. and Taliban. "Ahead...

22 Daesh Fighters Killed in Nangarhar

Afghan special forces have killed 22 Daesh fighters including three commanders of the group during an operation in Khogyani district of eastern Nangarhar province, the provincial intelligence agency said. According to a statement released by Nangarhar Intelligence Directorate on Tuesday, four centers...

Ismail Khan Skeptical On Peace Jirga�s Outcomes

Former Jihadi leader and a senior member of Jamiat-e-Islami party Mohammad Ismail Khan at a gathering in Herat province on Tuesday said the Consultative Jirga on Peace has been organized by a government which will soon "lose its legitimacy", therefore, the event will not have the expected outcome. At...

12 Electoral Tickets Warn of Forming Similar Loya Jirga

Twelve electoral tickets for the Afghan presidential election warn President Ashraf Ghani that they will form a similar Loya Jirga if the result of the upcoming Consultative Loya Jirga on Peace is against the people�s expectations. These electoral tickets have boycotted the peace Jirga, saying it...

MoFA Welcomes Moscow Meeting�s Agreements

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in a statement on Sunday welcomed the agreements and the consensus reached between the United States, Russia and China at a trilateral meeting in Moscow on April 24-25. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan insists on "enduring and dignified" peace,...

Karzai Calls on Ghani to Postpone Peace Jirga

Former President Hamid Karzai opposes with the convening of the upcoming Consultative Loya Jirga on Peace, saying it is better to postpone the Jirga until a peace agreement with the Taliban insurgent group. Karzai said in a statement released on Saturday that he has specific reasons why this Jirga...