Local officials today confirmed that Khwaja Ghar district of Afghanistan&#39;s Takhar province has fallen to the Taliban, following heavy clashes between the insurgent group and the security forces. 
 
Provincial police chief Noor Mohammad Hakimi said clashes are ongoing in the Bazaar of Khwaja Ghar district, reports Tolo News. 
 
Hakimi, however, said neither side has full control of the district.So far no casualties have yet been reported. 
 
Local officials said operations are under way to recapture the district. Takhar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. 
 
(ANI)

Provincial police chief Noor Mohammad Hakimi said clashes are ongoing and operations are under way to recapture the district

Local officials today confirmed that Khwaja Ghar district of Afghanistan's Takhar province has fallen to the Taliban, following heavy clashes between the insurgent group and the security forces. Provincial police chief Noor Mohammad Hakimi said clashes are ongoing in the Bazaar of Khwaja Ghar district, reports Tolo News. Hakimi, however, said neither side has full control of the district.So far no casualties have yet been reported. Local officials said operations are under way to recapture the district. Takhar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. (ANI)

Afghanistan's Khwaja Ghar district falls to Taliban

Civilians are being killed and wounded in record numbers in Afghanistan, the United Nations reported today, just days after one of the deadliest attacks ever in Kabul. 
 
&quot;UNAMA engages in ongoing dialogue with all parties to the conflict and the report has been shared in advance,&quot; said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the top UN official in Afghanistan, at a news conference today, referring to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. 
 
&quot;We share our report to ensure its accuracy and to include different perspectives, but above all our primary objective is to promote change,&quot; he added. 
 
Overall at least 1,601 civilians were killed and 3,565 wounded in the war in the first six months of 2016, the United Nations reported, as insurgent groups like the Taliban try to topple the government installed in Kabul after the 2001 US-led military intervention. 
 
The director of the UN Human Rights Program in Afghanistan, Danielle Bell, said this represented a &quot;four per cent increase in overall civilian casualties compared to the same period in 2015&quot;. 
 
The report was sharply critical of the Taliban. &quot;Anti-government elements including the Taliban nonetheless continued to carry out attacks against persons and locations that are clearly civilian under international humanitarian law,&quot; Bell said. 
 
Anti-government groups, the largest of which is the Taliban, accounted for at least 60 percent of non-combatants killed and wounded. 
 
Casualties caused by pro-government forces increased 47 per cent over the same period last year, the United Nations said. 
 
Afghan forces were responsible for 22 per cent of casualties overall, and the international troops remaining in the country caused 2 per cent, while 17 per cent could not be attributed to one side or the other. 
 
For the first time, the Afghan air force killed or wounded more civilians in its operations than air strikes carried out by international forces, the United Nations reported. 
 
UN officials said they had heard more commitments by both sides, but few effective actions to improve protection of civilians. 
 
Twin blasts on July 23 were claimed by Islamic State militants and killed at least 80 people and injured more than 230, most of them civilians. 
 
Those numbers are not included in the UN report, but the attack highlighted its finding that suicide bombings and complex attacks are now harming more civilians than are roadside bombs, Bell told reporters. 
 
Islamic State, a group that has made some limited inroads in Afghanistan, accounted for 122 casualties in the first six months of 2016 compared with 13 casualties attributed to it in the same period last year. 
 
(Reuters)

Anti-government groups, the largest of which is the Taliban, accounted for at least 60 percent of non-combatants killed and wounded.

Civilians are being killed and wounded in record numbers in Afghanistan, the United Nations reported today, just days after one of the deadliest attacks ever in Kabul. "UNAMA engages in ongoing dialogue with all parties to the conflict and the report has been shared in advance," said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the top UN official in Afghanistan, at a news conference today, referring to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. "We share our report to ensure its accuracy and to include different perspectives, but above all our primary objective is to promote change," he added. Overall at least 1,601 civilians were killed and 3,565 wounded in the war in the first six months of 2016, the United Nations reported, as insurgent groups like the Taliban try to topple the government installed in Kabul after the 2001 US-led military intervention. The director of the UN Human Rights Program in Afghanistan, Danielle Bell, said this represented a "four per cent increase in overall civilian casualties compared to the same period in 2015". The report was sharply critical of the Taliban. "Anti-government elements including the Taliban nonetheless continued to carry out attacks against persons and locations that are clearly civilian under international humanitarian law," Bell said. Anti-government groups, the largest of which is the Taliban, accounted for at least 60 percent of non-combatants killed and wounded. Casualties caused by pro-government forces increased 47 per cent over the same period last year, the United Nations said. Afghan forces were responsible for 22 per cent of casualties overall, and the international troops remaining in the country caused 2 per cent, while 17 per cent could not be attributed to one side or the other. For the first time, the Afghan air force killed or wounded more civilians in its operations than air strikes carried out by international forces, the United Nations reported. UN officials said they had heard more commitments by both sides, but few effective actions to improve protection of civilians. Twin blasts on July 23 were claimed by Islamic State militants and killed at least 80 people and injured more than 230, most of them civilians. Those numbers are not included in the UN report, but the attack highlighted its finding that suicide bombings and complex attacks are now harming more civilians than are roadside bombs, Bell told reporters. Islamic State, a group that has made some limited inroads in Afghanistan, accounted for 122 casualties in the first six months of 2016 compared with 13 casualties attributed to it in the same period last year. (Reuters)

Civilian casualties soar to record high in Afghanistan, says UN report

The Afghan Taliban said today they were launching new operations after the end of the holy month of Ramadan, dismissing reports that they had been weakened following a change of leadership in May. 
 
Afghan government and NATO officials have said government forces have had growing success against the Taliban since US commanders were granted more freedom to conduct air strikes and other operations against the insurgents. 
 
They have also pointed to apparent leadership problems within the Taliban since former leader Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US drone strike and replaced by the hardline cleric Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada. 
 
The Taliban&#39;s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said reports of a reduction in insurgent operations during Ramadan reflected a natural slowdown during one of the hottest periods of the year when Muslims are required not to eat or drink during daylight hours. 
 
&quot;But the commanders of the American occupation forces and the puppet figures in Kabul got the wrong impression from this situation and think that Mujahideen have been weakened or are facing problems due to the change in leadership,&quot; he said. 
 
With the end of Ramadan and the Eid holiday immediately afterwards, the insurgents, who are seeking to force the NATO-led coalition out of Afghanistan and bring in Islamic law, were moving on to the offensive and had seized three district centres in the past 24 hours. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

'Reduction in insurgent operations during Ramadan reflected a natural slowdown'

The Afghan Taliban said today they were launching new operations after the end of the holy month of Ramadan, dismissing reports that they had been weakened following a change of leadership in May. Afghan government and NATO officials have said government forces have had growing success against the Taliban since US commanders were granted more freedom to conduct air strikes and other operations against the insurgents. They have also pointed to apparent leadership problems within the Taliban since former leader Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US drone strike and replaced by the hardline cleric Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada. The Taliban's chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said reports of a reduction in insurgent operations during Ramadan reflected a natural slowdown during one of the hottest periods of the year when Muslims are required not to eat or drink during daylight hours. "But the commanders of the American occupation forces and the puppet figures in Kabul got the wrong impression from this situation and think that Mujahideen have been weakened or are facing problems due to the change in leadership," he said. With the end of Ramadan and the Eid holiday immediately afterwards, the insurgents, who are seeking to force the NATO-led coalition out of Afghanistan and bring in Islamic law, were moving on to the offensive and had seized three district centres in the past 24 hours. (Reuters)

Dismissing slowdown after leadership change, Afghan Taliban announces new operations

Afghan forces are suffering rising levels of battlefield casualties this year after unprecedented numbers of police and soldiers were killed and wounded in 2015, the top US commander in Afghanistan said.&nbsp; 
 
US Army General John Nicholson, in some of his first remarks since the United States last week scaled back its withdrawal plans, told a small group of reporters that the rising casualties were largely the result of Taliban attacks on fixed Afghan positions. 
 
&quot;This year, we&#39;re seeing more tactical success (by the Afghans) on the battlefield but more casualties as well,&quot; Nicholson said late on Saturday when asked about how Afghan forces were faring this year compared with 2015. He did not disclose figures. 
 
A spokesman told Reuters today that Nicholson was referring to an increase so far in 2016 compared with the same period in 2015, and noted how fighting was more intense due to the milder winter this year. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s when they&#39;re in a defensive posture, such as in checkpoints being overrun, is where the majority of the casualties are occurring,&quot; Nicholson said. 
 
More than 5,000 forces in Afghanistan were killed in action and over 14,000 were wounded in 2015, when the Taliban staged a series of attacks that upended US assumptions about the ability of Afghan forces to secure the country after more than 14 1/2 years of war. 
 
On July 6, US President Barack Obama scrapped plans to slash the number of US forces to 5,500 troops from 9,800 before he leaves office, citing precarious security in Afghanistan. 
 
Obama now plans to leave around 8,400 US troops. 
 
US allies are also renewing their commitments, and NATO agreed on Saturday to help fund Afghan forces to the tune of around $1 billion annually over the next three years. 
 
Nicholson praised Afghan forces for being able to recruit new fighters and carry on, despite the casualty rates. He said their losses could be addressed, including by replicating successful efforts to rapidly reset and retrain Afghan forces in southern Helmand province after their dismal performance last year. 
 
Major General Moeen Faqir, the new commander of the 215th Corps in Helmand, told reporters his casualties were sharply down this year from 2015. 
 
Nicholson also suggested the Afghan Taliban were struggling after the US killed their leader, Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour, in a May drone strike across the border in Pakistan. 
 
Mansour had tight control of Taliban finances, Nicholson said. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;So what we&#39;re seeing are some indications that some of the finances of the organisation have been disrupted,&quot; he said. 
 
Nicholson suggested Mansour&#39;s successor, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, had also alienated some fighters in the past. 
 
&quot;So he&#39;s not a unifying figure within that organisation,&quot; he said. 
 
(Reuters)

'This year, we're seeing more tactical success (by the Afghans) on the battlefield but more casualties as well,' said US Army General

Afghan forces are suffering rising levels of battlefield casualties this year after unprecedented numbers of police and soldiers were killed and wounded in 2015, the top US commander in Afghanistan said. US Army General John Nicholson, in some of his first remarks since the United States last week scaled back its withdrawal plans, told a small group of reporters that the rising casualties were largely the result of Taliban attacks on fixed Afghan positions. "This year, we're seeing more tactical success (by the Afghans) on the battlefield but more casualties as well," Nicholson said late on Saturday when asked about how Afghan forces were faring this year compared with 2015. He did not disclose figures. A spokesman told Reuters today that Nicholson was referring to an increase so far in 2016 compared with the same period in 2015, and noted how fighting was more intense due to the milder winter this year. "It's when they're in a defensive posture, such as in checkpoints being overrun, is where the majority of the casualties are occurring," Nicholson said. More than 5,000 forces in Afghanistan were killed in action and over 14,000 were wounded in 2015, when the Taliban staged a series of attacks that upended US assumptions about the ability of Afghan forces to secure the country after more than 14 1/2 years of war. On July 6, US President Barack Obama scrapped plans to slash the number of US forces to 5,500 troops from 9,800 before he leaves office, citing precarious security in Afghanistan. Obama now plans to leave around 8,400 US troops. US allies are also renewing their commitments, and NATO agreed on Saturday to help fund Afghan forces to the tune of around $1 billion annually over the next three years. Nicholson praised Afghan forces for being able to recruit new fighters and carry on, despite the casualty rates. He said their losses could be addressed, including by replicating successful efforts to rapidly reset and retrain Afghan forces in southern Helmand province after their dismal performance last year. Major General Moeen Faqir, the new commander of the 215th Corps in Helmand, told reporters his casualties were sharply down this year from 2015. Nicholson also suggested the Afghan Taliban were struggling after the US killed their leader, Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour, in a May drone strike across the border in Pakistan. Mansour had tight control of Taliban finances, Nicholson said. "So what we're seeing are some indications that some of the finances of the organisation have been disrupted," he said. Nicholson suggested Mansour's successor, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, had also alienated some fighters in the past. "So he's not a unifying figure within that organisation," he said. (Reuters)

Afghan forces' casualties climbing in 2016, top US commander says

The Afghan Taliban today condemned a deadly suicide bombing at Islam`s second holiest site in the Saudi city of Medina, describing it as &quot;an act of enmity and hatred&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Four people were killed in the bombing outside the Prophet`s Mosque on Monday, the same day as an attack outside a minority shiite mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia, and another near the US consulate in the western city of Jeddah.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The Islamic Emirate (Taliban) &nbsp;which has been shocked by this gruesome act condemns this incident in the strongest of terms and considers it an act of enmity and hatred towards Islamic rituals,&quot; the militant group said in an emailed statement.&nbsp; 
 
There were no claims of responsibility for the bombings, but the Islamic State group had urged its supporters to carry out attacks during Ramzan. 
 
The Taliban, who were ousted from power by a US-led invasion in late 2001, have themselves been repeatedly blamed by the UN for deliberately targeting civilians in the war-torn country.&nbsp; 
 
As many as 600 civilians were killed and 1,343 were injured in the first three months of 2016, according to a UN report in April, with the Taliban responsible for six out of every 10 casualties.&nbsp; 
 
Monday`s suicide bombing received wide condemnation from across the Muslim world, with Shiite power Iran calling for Muslim unity following the attacks in its Sunni-dominated regional rival. 
 
Afghanistan`s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah also condemned the attacks in Saudi Arabia in a tweet today, expressing his sympathies to the people and government of Saudi Arabia. 
 
(AFP) 
 
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Four people were killed in the attack outside the Prophet`s Mosque on Monday

The Afghan Taliban today condemned a deadly suicide bombing at Islam`s second holiest site in the Saudi city of Medina, describing it as "an act of enmity and hatred". Four people were killed in the bombing outside the Prophet`s Mosque on Monday, the same day as an attack outside a minority shiite mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia, and another near the US consulate in the western city of Jeddah. "The Islamic Emirate (Taliban) which has been shocked by this gruesome act condemns this incident in the strongest of terms and considers it an act of enmity and hatred towards Islamic rituals," the militant group said in an emailed statement. There were no claims of responsibility for the bombings, but the Islamic State group had urged its supporters to carry out attacks during Ramzan. The Taliban, who were ousted from power by a US-led invasion in late 2001, have themselves been repeatedly blamed by the UN for deliberately targeting civilians in the war-torn country. As many as 600 civilians were killed and 1,343 were injured in the first three months of 2016, according to a UN report in April, with the Taliban responsible for six out of every 10 casualties. Monday`s suicide bombing received wide condemnation from across the Muslim world, with Shiite power Iran calling for Muslim unity following the attacks in its Sunni-dominated regional rival. Afghanistan`s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah also condemned the attacks in Saudi Arabia in a tweet today, expressing his sympathies to the people and government of Saudi Arabia. (AFP)

Afghan Taliban condemn Medina bombing

The Taliban have released 21 of some two dozen hostages pulled from their vehicles on a highway in southern Afghanistan, officials said today, a day after they were abducted by the militants.&nbsp; 
 
The passengers were kidnapped in Washer district of volatile Helmand province as they were travelling on a bus and two trucks from southern Kandahar to western Herat province. Officials said on Tuesday that an estimated 25 people were taken.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Twenty-one of them have been released and are now with the police,&quot; the Helmand governor`s spokesman Omar Zwak said. 
 
Afghan army corps in southern Afghanistan said they were freed in an operation on Tuesday evening in Marja district of Helmand. 
 
But the Taliban denied the claim, saying they decided to free the hostages after they were found to be &quot;innocent&quot;. 
 
The insurgents had earlier said they were targeting Afghan government officials aboard the vehicles. 
 
&quot;We found 21 of them innocent and released them,&quot; Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi told AFP, saying six others were still being held captive, a number that could not be immediately verified by officials. 
 
Highways in Afghanistan passing through insurgency-prone areas have become exceedingly dangerous, with the Taliban and other armed groups frequently kidnapping or killing travellers. 
 
Earlier this month, gunmen abducted 40 people in northern Kunduz province, releasing some later, but an unknown number of others remain in Taliban captivity. 
 
(AFP)

The insurgents said they were targeting Afghan government officials aboard the vehicles.

The Taliban have released 21 of some two dozen hostages pulled from their vehicles on a highway in southern Afghanistan, officials said today, a day after they were abducted by the militants. The passengers were kidnapped in Washer district of volatile Helmand province as they were travelling on a bus and two trucks from southern Kandahar to western Herat province. Officials said on Tuesday that an estimated 25 people were taken. "Twenty-one of them have been released and are now with the police," the Helmand governor`s spokesman Omar Zwak said. Afghan army corps in southern Afghanistan said they were freed in an operation on Tuesday evening in Marja district of Helmand. But the Taliban denied the claim, saying they decided to free the hostages after they were found to be "innocent". The insurgents had earlier said they were targeting Afghan government officials aboard the vehicles. "We found 21 of them innocent and released them," Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi told AFP, saying six others were still being held captive, a number that could not be immediately verified by officials. Highways in Afghanistan passing through insurgency-prone areas have become exceedingly dangerous, with the Taliban and other armed groups frequently kidnapping or killing travellers. Earlier this month, gunmen abducted 40 people in northern Kunduz province, releasing some later, but an unknown number of others remain in Taliban captivity. (AFP)

Afghan Taliban release 21 hostages a day after abducting them

India has demanded that the UN slaps sanctions against the new Taliban leader in Afghanistan, saying it is &quot;sheer folly&quot; that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual. 
 
&quot;It is sheer folly that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual,&quot; India&#39;s permanent representative to the UN ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said at a security council debate on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) here yesterday. 
 
Supporting New Zealand&#39;s position that the anamoly should be corrected, Akbaruddin said the new Taliban leader should be sanctioned. 
 
The Taliban had named Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, a conservative cleric in his 50s, as its new leader after Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in an American drone strike last month. 
 
US state department&#39;s deputy spokesperson Mark Toner had said in a press briefing then that Akhundzada was not on any kind of a terrorist designated list. 
 
Akbaruddin further emphasised that groups and individuals perpetrating violence against the people and government of Afghanistan cannot have safe havens and should not be allowed to exercise control and wield influence over any part of Afghanistan&#39;s territory. 
 
&quot;This, in our view, is critical for lasting peace in the country,&quot; he said adding that effective implementation of the security council sanctions regime including the 1267 ISIL/al-Qaeda sanctions and 1988 Taliban&#39;s regime should also be carried out &quot;consistently and with perseverance&quot; for it to serve as a strong deterrent to the listed entities and individuals. 
 
Previously, India has slammed the UN sanctions committee for taking a &quot;selective approach&quot; in tackling terrorism when a technical hold was put on its application to include the name of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar on the committee&#39;s list of designated terrorists. 
 
India had said in April that it finds it &quot;incomprehensible&quot; that while the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was listed in the UN security council committee as far back as 2001 for its known terror activities and links to al Qaeda, the designation of the group&#39;s main leader, financier and motivator has been put on a technical hold. 
(PTI) 
 
 
&nbsp;

The Taliban has named Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, a conservative cleric in his 50s, as the outfit's new leader

India has demanded that the UN slaps sanctions against the new Taliban leader in Afghanistan, saying it is "sheer folly" that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual. "It is sheer folly that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual," India's permanent representative to the UN ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said at a security council debate on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) here yesterday. Supporting New Zealand's position that the anamoly should be corrected, Akbaruddin said the new Taliban leader should be sanctioned. The Taliban had named Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, a conservative cleric in his 50s, as its new leader after Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in an American drone strike last month. US state department's deputy spokesperson Mark Toner had said in a press briefing then that Akhundzada was not on any kind of a terrorist designated list. Akbaruddin further emphasised that groups and individuals perpetrating violence against the people and government of Afghanistan cannot have safe havens and should not be allowed to exercise control and wield influence over any part of Afghanistan's territory. "This, in our view, is critical for lasting peace in the country," he said adding that effective implementation of the security council sanctions regime including the 1267 ISIL/al-Qaeda sanctions and 1988 Taliban's regime should also be carried out "consistently and with perseverance" for it to serve as a strong deterrent to the listed entities and individuals. Previously, India has slammed the UN sanctions committee for taking a "selective approach" in tackling terrorism when a technical hold was put on its application to include the name of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar on the committee's list of designated terrorists. India had said in April that it finds it "incomprehensible" that while the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was listed in the UN security council committee as far back as 2001 for its known terror activities and links to al Qaeda, the designation of the group's main leader, financier and motivator has been put on a technical hold. (PTI)

India slams UN for not slapping sanctions on new Afghan Taliban leader

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