The United States and the Taliban will open fresh negotiations next week, the US negotiator said Saturday, as he voiced hope for progress in ending America's longest war.

Afghanistan: US, Taliban to hold more talks on ending war

Britain on Monday announced a new 170 million-pound ($215 million) five-year aid package of urgent food, water and medicine assistance for people in Afghanistan.

UK announces $215 million food, water and medical help for Afghanistan

At least 38 militants affiliated to the Taliban have been released from jail in Afghanistan`s Herat province, officials said on Monday. The inmates were among the 900 Taliban detainees lodged in various government jails, the provincial governor`s spokesman Jailani Farhad was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency.

38 Taliban inmates released from Afghan jail

As 10 children from the same family were walking to school last year, they came across an unexploded mortar bomb -- a common sight in Afghanistan, where war still rages between the Taliban and US-backed national forces.

Rural Afghans bear brutal cost of endless war

The Taliban are unlikely to call a ceasefire any time soon, the group's leader indicated Saturday, though he said the "doors of dialogue" with the US remain open.

Taliban leader indicates no ceasefire anytime soon

Attacks on schools in Afghanistan increased almost threefold last year, making it increasingly difficult to ensure an education for children in many parts of the country, the United Nations children`s fund UNICEF said on Tuesday.

Education under fire' as attacks on Afghan schools jump: UNICEF

At least four militants, including a local Islamic State (IS) commander, were killed in an operation carried out by Afghan Special Forces in Nangarhar province, local media reported on Saturday.

Local Islamic State commander among 4 killed by Afghan forces

Passengers and crew aboard a US military helicopter were injured when the chopper they were travelling in was destroyed during a "hard landing" in Afghanistan, a US official said Saturday.

US military helicopter destroyed in Afghanistan 'hard landing'

India and China on Friday agreed to work closely on the ongoing efforts to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan. The commitment came after Chinese Special Envoy Ambassador Deng Xijun was on a visit to New Delhi, where he met Indian officials to discuss Afghanistan's current situation.

India, China to cooperate closely on Afghanistan's peace efforts

The US special envoy tasked with forging a peace deal with the Taliban said Saturday that America stands ready for "all sides" to lay down arms in the 17-year conflict.

US ready for 'all sides' to lay down arms in Afghan war: Zalmay Khalilzad

The US military has stopped tracking the amount of territory controlled or influenced by the Afghan government and militants, a US watchdog said on Tuesday, one of the last remaining public metrics that tracked the worsening security situation in the war-torn country.

US military stops tracking key metric on Afghan war: Watchdog

Afghanistan on Monday will convene a rare "loya jirga" -- a massive meeting for delegates from across the country to discuss the war and US efforts to forge a peace deal with the Taliban.

Afghanistan to hold 'massive meeting' to discuss US-led peace talks with Taliban

The assault trial of a Canadian man once held hostage with his American wife in Afghanistan was suspended Friday while a legal dispute over evidence is sorted out.

Former Afghan hostage Joshua Boyle's assault trial delayed

The United Nations Security Council condemned Afghanistan's Taliban on Monday for announcing a spring offensive and called on all parties to instead seize the opportunity to begin talks.

United Nations condemns Taliban spring offensive in Afghanistan

Ancient sport of Afghanistan: Snaring birds in war-torn country

Judges at the International Criminal Court Friday turned down a request to open a war crimes probe in Afghanistan, a week after Washington revoked the court's chief prosecutor's visa over the case.

ICC judges turn down request for Afghanistan war crimes probe

Three US troops and a military contractor were killed in a roadside explosion Monday in the deadliest attack on American forces this year, casting a shadow over ongoing peace talks with the Taliban, which claimed responsibility for the attack.

Four killed in attack on US convoy in Afghanistan

Twin explosions on Saturday in the eastern Afghanistan city of Jalalabad killed three people and injured 19 others, a government spokesman said. Two children and eight security forces were among the casualties, said Ataullah Khogyani, spokesman for the Nangarhar provincial government.

Double blast kills three people, injures 19 in east Afghanistan

The US envoy tasked with forging a peace deal with the Taliban met with officials in Pakistan on Friday, after telling leaders and various groups in Afghanistan they would be included in future talks.

Intra-Afghan dialogue should include representatives from government, civil society: US envoy Khalilzad

Hundreds of Taliban fighters stormed a district in Afghanistan's western Badghis province, with both Afghan government forces and the insurgent group suffering dozens of casualties, provincial officials said.

Taliban storms west Afghanistan district, kills dozens

Afghanistan's vice president, Abdul Rashid Dostum, escaped unhurt from an attack that killed one of his bodyguards on Saturday, dodging death for the second time since returning from exile last year.

Afghan vice president narrowly escapes death for a second time

Nine Afghan policemen were killed when Taliban fighters stormed their checkpoints and launched a follow-up ambush in the eastern Afghanistan city of Ghazni, officials said Saturday.

Taliban kill nine police in checkpoint assault in Afghanistan

At least 13 civilians were killed, mostly children, in an air strike by "international forces" in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz late last week, the United Nations said Monday.

Air strike kills 13 civilians, mostly children, in Afghanistan

Two US service members were killed in Afghanistan Friday, NATO said, in the latest casualties to hit the international coalition amid ongoing peace talks between Washington and the Taliban.

Two US soldiers killed in Afghanistan: NATO

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