Released Al-Qaeda Prisoner Leading Insurgents in Kunduz

A senior al-Qaeda leader who was released from prison on two separate occasions by the Afghan government is now leading the group's insurgent activities in northern Kunduz province, according to local officials. The Kunduz police have identified the militant leader as Qari Belal, who fled to Pakistan...

IEC Invalidates Results From 69 Polling Sites

During the third round of the vote invalidation process, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Friday discarded results from 69 polling sites.The announcement comes after the IEC invalidated 70 polling sites out of the total 3,846 during the first round of the process and then another 70 in the...

Mobarez faces American MMA fighter in his next fight in November

Afghan MMA fighter Baz Mohammad Mobarez is expecting to face American MMA fighter in his next fight scheduled on 15th November. Mobarez has said the decision was taken during a meeting with the chief of Thailan’s World Mixed Martial Art Association (WMMA) following his victory against his Swedish...

Putin calls on Kiev to talk with protesters instead of fighting

Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged Kiev to hold "substantial" talks with protesters in eastern Ukraine following a dramatic deterioration of the conflict in the region. "It is necessary to make the Ukrainian authorities start substantial talks," Putin said on Friday. "It is necessary to hold...

Campaigns Hopeful for Negotiations, But Timing Still Unclear

After a busy week of negotiations, yet with still no settlement between the two opposing camps, representatives of both presidential candidates on Friday maintained that they are optimistic about reaching an agreeable end to the election process soon. Although Abdullah Abdullah's team indicated...

Electoral Deadlock Broken

After waiting for more than six hours for U.S. Secretary of State, both presidential candidates and the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to address the nation, the electoral deadlock has been broken when the men announced that an agreement has been reached during the...

Iran respects popular vote in Afghan presidential election

The Iranian Foreign Ministry says the Islamic Republic respects the popular vote in Afghanistan’s presidential election. In a statement on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said the Afghan presidential polls marked an epic event for the Asian country in terms of massive turnout, adding...

Iran urges firm action on brutal Israel attacks

Iran has once again slammed the Israeli regime’s “brutal” aggression against the  Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, urging swift international action to stop the attacks. “Western countries and supporters of the Zionists (Israelis) must adopt a firm stance...

4 irrigation projects to be launched in Ghor

Work on four irrigation projects in Ghor province has officially begun with financial collaboration from the Afghan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD). Costing 7.4mn AFN, the projects will be implemented in different villages of Dawlatyar, Lal and Sar Jangal and Feroz Koh districts. The...

Civilian Casualties in Afghanistan Increase

The leading cause of civilian casualties in Afghanistan is said to be ground combat and crossfire rather than the improvised explosive devices (IEDs), increasing the number of civilian fatalities to 24 percent in the first half of 2014, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan's...

Abdullah declares victory, warns resistance against fake results

Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on Tuesday declared victory in the second round of election and warned to resist the upcoming government claiming that the government and electoral bodies were involved in massive fraud during the runoff election. Abdullah was speaking among thousands of his supporters in Loya...

Ghani Leads Preliminary Results

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) announced preliminary results of the runoff presidential election Monday evening with Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai leading with 56.44 percent. Presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah fell behind with 43.56 percent.Tonight's results were made up of 100 percent...

Ramadhan: From Passionate to Compassionate

-O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil). For a certain number of days; but whoever among you is sick or on a journey, then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days; and those who are not able to do it may...

Palestinian teenager was burned alive: Medics

First post mortem examination findings confirm that the 16-year-old Palestinian boy who was murdered in East al-Quds (Jerusalem) was burned alive, Palestinian attorney-general says. "The direct cause of death was burns as a result of fire," Mohammed al-A'wewy was quoted as saying. The post mortem...

Imam Ali(as),Unique Leader in the History of Mankind

The history of mankind has witnessed many leaders over the ages. Many of these leaders achieved leadership through might or inheritance and some were chosen as leaders because of certain outstanding qualities that they possessed. Among the latter group there have also emerged some leaders whose works...

Iran remembers US downing of passenger plane

On July 3, 1988, a US Navy ship shot down an Iranian passenger plane in the Persian Gulf, killing all 290 people on board. Among the dead were citizens of Iran, the United Arab Emirates, India, Pakistan, Yugoslavia and Italy, including 66 children. The downing of Flight 655 by the USS Vincennes with...

Militants set hundreds of fuel tankers ablaze in Afghanistan

Militants have set fire to hundreds of fuel tanker trucks in a parking lot on the outskirts of the Afghan capital, witnesses said Saturday. After the attack angry drivers blocked a major highway to demand reimbursement for their losses. Hundreds of other drivers stood by helplessly Saturday morning,...

Amarkhil Resigns in Wake of Fraud Allegations

The Independent Election Commission's (IEC) Secretariat Chief, Zia-ul-Haq Amarkhail, announced his resignation on live television on Monday afternoon. The announcement came just a day after presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah released phone recordings of conversations allegedly between...

Afghan intelligence foils coordinated suicide attacks plot in Khost

The Afghan intelligence operatives foiled numerous truck and car bombings plot in eastern Khost province of Afghanistan. The National Directorate of Security (NDS) said Sunday that a group of 14 Haqqani Network militants were arrested in connection to the attacks plot. NDS following a statement said...

Suicide bomber attack in Kabul leaves 1 civilian dead

A suicide attack rocked capital Kabul early Saturday morning, targeting the vehicle of a high ranking high peace council official. The blast took place in the 5th police district of Kabul city near Dawat university building. Deputy interior minister for security, Gen. Ayub Salangi confirmed...

Karzai Reacts to Election Tensions

In a meeting with the Afghan Ulema Council on Friday, President Hamid Karzai described the tensions that have emerged from the presidential runoff election as normal, and assured that the issues would be resolved. Addressing the delegation, President Karzai said, "there is peace and calmness in...

Clash Between Police and Bodyguards of Paktika Governor

A clash between the bodyguards of Juma Khan Hamdard, the governor of Paktika, and police in Balkh province, claimed the lives of four of Hamdard's bodyguards and two police officers on Friday. Another two bodyguards were wounded.  The clash is said to have occurred at a police check-point...

Abdullah Boycotts Commissions, Accuses Karzai

Presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah on Wednesday announced at a press conference in Kabul that he has cut off ties with the election commissions and pulled his observers. He claimed President Hamid Karzai has not been neutral in the election process and demanded a freeze on vote counting. "Right...

MPs Demand Impartiality of Karzai, International Community

Members of Parliament from the Lower House asked President Hamid Karzai and the international community to be impartial during the election process urging that they respect the votes of the Afghan people, on Wednesday.In emphasis to their request they ask that the Independent Election Commission...

Afghanistan GDP growth indicates a 6.4% spike

According to a report by the Central Statistics Organization(CSO), Afghanistan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) showed a promising growth for the past fiscal year at 6.4%. Standing at USD 21.2bn, the figure brings some hope and optimism to the rather bleak Afghan economy’s future. CSO President...

Afghan president hopeful Abdullah Abdullah cries foul

Afghan presidential election candidate Abdullah Abdullah has demanded an immediate halt to vote-counting over allegations of widespread fraud. Dr Abdullah said ballot boxes had been stuffed to the benefit of his rival Ashraf Ghani and he had lost trust in the electoral authorities. "We have asked...

FEFA Releases First Election Observation Report

The Free and Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan (FEFA) on Tuesday released its first report regarding the presidential elections. "FEFA has noted more than 6,651 cases of violations on the Election Day," FEFA Head Nadir Naderi said. According to the report, 396 polling centers faced a delayed opening,...

At least 300 ISIL militants killed in Iraq�s Tal Afar

Iraqi troops, backed by volunteer citizens, have killed at least 300 members of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group in fierce fighting in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar, security sources say. Iraqi forces and volunteer fighters have inflicted heavy losses on...

Iranian, British foreign ministers discuss Iraq chaos

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has spoken with his British counterpart William Hague about the crisis in Iraq, the British government said on Monday. Hague's telephone conversation with Zarif comes amid reports by a senior US administration official said talks between the United States...

Abdullah urges to suspend IECC chief Ziaulhaq Amarkhil

Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, presidential contender in the second round of election, on Monday called for the suspension of Independent Electoral Complaints (IEC) Chief, Ziaulhaq Amar Khel. Speaking during a press conference late Sunday evening, Abdullah warned that he and his team will not accept...