The next round of Afghanistan Peace Talks will take place in Qatar in week. More importantly, women will be part of the Peace Talks for the first time in the war-torn country.

WION Gravitas: Women to attend Afghanistan peace talks

The United States does not want to pursue a "precipitous" withdrawal from <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/left-out-of-peace-talks-united-states-allies-reassess-afghan-support-203565&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjvh8m2-NHhAhWTiXAKHQHsBwoQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0sxsb-b8-qZr9s36lX8ROi">Afghanistan</a>, a top Democratic lawmaker said in Kabul on Monday amid an ongoing push to end the war.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who sits on the influential Senate Armed Services Committee that oversees the<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-taliban-talks-end-for-now-with-no-afghan-peace-deal-202982&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjvh8m2-NHhAhWTiXAKHQHsBwoQFggOMAM&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3xA_Yv2_qbP0vM-avxEb88"> US </a>military, also stressed that women must have a place at the table as the US tries to negotiate with the Taliban.

President Donald Trump last year told advisors he wanted to slash America's 14,000-strong troop presence in Afghanistan by about half, prompting criticism he was seeking to rush a withdrawal.

"What we've heard here (is) that whatever negotiated settlement ends the conflict, that it be done in a way that's very deliberate, that ensures a transition that all sides can participate in, and that there should not be a precipitous withdrawal from Afghanistan," Shaheen told reporters at the US embassy.

Congressional colleagues agreed, she said, adding "that's the position of the administration as well".&nbsp;

"There is a deliberate position that may not always be reflected in the tweets that come from the White House," she said, referring to Trump's penchant of firing off unexpected foreign policy messages.

Shaheen also sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is the only woman on the panel.&nbsp;

She said it is vital for women to be included in talks with the Taliban, whose regime shredded any Western notion of women's rights and executed women for allegations of adultery.

"What we know from the data is that when women are engaged, there is about a 35 per cent more likely chance that those negotiations will ... endure for a longer period of time," Shaheen said.

It's important that "whatever comes out of any peace negotiations, that we support having women at the table."

A fresh round of talks is expected to take place later this month between Afghan political leaders, including some officials from the Kabul government, and the Taliban in the Qatari capital Doha.&nbsp;

The Taliban have long refused to speak officially with Kabul, dubbing the government a "puppet" of the West, and the militants have insisted that government officials are attending only in a "personal capacity".

The makeup of the delegation has not yet been announced, but an initial list reportedly only had two female participants.

The United States does not want to pursue a "precipitous" withdrawal from Afghanistan, a top Democratic lawmaker said in Kabul on Monday amid an ongoing push to end the war.

The United States does not want to pursue a "precipitous" withdrawal from Afghanistan, a top Democratic lawmaker said in Kabul on Monday amid an ongoing push to end the war. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who sits on the influential Senate Armed Services Committee that oversees the US military, also stressed that women must have a place at the table as the US tries to negotiate with the Taliban. President Donald Trump last year told advisors he wanted to slash America's 14,000-strong troop presence in Afghanistan by about half, prompting criticism he was seeking to rush a withdrawal. "What we've heard here (is) that whatever negotiated settlement ends the conflict, that it be done in a way that's very deliberate, that ensures a transition that all sides can participate in, and that there should not be a precipitous withdrawal from Afghanistan," Shaheen told reporters at the US embassy. Congressional colleagues agreed, she said, adding "that's the position of the administration as well". "There is a deliberate position that may not always be reflected in the tweets that come from the White House," she said, referring to Trump's penchant of firing off unexpected foreign policy messages. Shaheen also sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is the only woman on the panel. She said it is vital for women to be included in talks with the Taliban, whose regime shredded any Western notion of women's rights and executed women for allegations of adultery. "What we know from the data is that when women are engaged, there is about a 35 per cent more likely chance that those negotiations will ... endure for a longer period of time," Shaheen said. It's important that "whatever comes out of any peace negotiations, that we support having women at the table." A fresh round of talks is expected to take place later this month between Afghan political leaders, including some officials from the Kabul government, and the Taliban in the Qatari capital Doha. The Taliban have long refused to speak officially with Kabul, dubbing the government a "puppet" of the West, and the militants have insisted that government officials are attending only in a "personal capacity". The makeup of the delegation has not yet been announced, but an initial list reportedly only had two female participants.

US does not want 'precipitous' withdrawal from Afghanistan: Senator

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

Afghanistan unveiled 43 tenders for natural resource projects on Monday in a drive to attract investment in a country ravaged by decades of war.

Afghanistan`s mineral assets, estimated to be worth as much as $1 trillion, are seen as key to the country`s economic viability. But development has been blocked by poor security, rampant corruption, and a lack of infrastructure.&nbsp;

The tenders, ranging from mineral to oil and gas projects, were announced in Dubai, a major Middle East investment hub, by Afghanistan`s acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum Nargis Nehan.

"We have a good package of incentives for investors," Nehan told Reuters in an interview.&nbsp;

Afghanistan is opening 14 tenders for large-scale projects to international companies through a competitive bidding process, with the remaining small-scale projects to be awarded to local companies.&nbsp;

The projects have generated interest from US, European, and Gulf companies, Nehan said.

The announcement of the tenders comes amid peace talks between the Taliban and the United States, which wants to exit the country it invaded to overthrow the Taliban nearly two decades ago.

The two sides are scheduled to meet again this month.

"There are two ways of looking at the issue ... the situation might deteriorate," Nehan said amid the uncertainty of what the two sides might agree and whether the United States will soon pull-out.

"There is another perspective to look at it, and that is actually finally having peace," she said.

The government hopes a royalty rate from 2.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent and an import duty exemption on machinery used to work on the projects will encourage investment.

The tenders cover projects in 16 of the country`s 34 provinces and the government estimate $100 million will be spent over the next year on initial assessments, exploration, and evaluation work.

A tender can be awarded within six months and work is expected to start within a further six-month period, Nehan said.

The government will invest in some tender-related infrastructure but expects many companies will choose to do it themselves. Security on the projects will only be provided by local forces, she said.&nbsp;

"The Afghan Public Protection Force ... will asses the areas and based on the needs of the area they will submit a budget and proposal to the company."

Afghanistan unveiled 43 tenders for natural resource projects on Monday in a drive to attract investment in a country ravaged by decades of war. Afghanistan`s mineral assets, estimated to be worth as much as $1 trillion, are seen as key to the country`s economic viability.

Afghanistan unveiled 43 tenders for natural resource projects on Monday in a drive to attract investment in a country ravaged by decades of war. Afghanistan`s mineral assets, estimated to be worth as much as $1 trillion, are seen as key to the country`s economic viability. But development has been blocked by poor security, rampant corruption, and a lack of infrastructure. The tenders, ranging from mineral to oil and gas projects, were announced in Dubai, a major Middle East investment hub, by Afghanistan`s acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum Nargis Nehan. "We have a good package of incentives for investors," Nehan told Reuters in an interview. Afghanistan is opening 14 tenders for large-scale projects to international companies through a competitive bidding process, with the remaining small-scale projects to be awarded to local companies. The projects have generated interest from US, European, and Gulf companies, Nehan said. The announcement of the tenders comes amid peace talks between the Taliban and the United States, which wants to exit the country it invaded to overthrow the Taliban nearly two decades ago. The two sides are scheduled to meet again this month. "There are two ways of looking at the issue ... the situation might deteriorate," Nehan said amid the uncertainty of what the two sides might agree and whether the United States will soon pull-out. "There is another perspective to look at it, and that is actually finally having peace," she said. The government hopes a royalty rate from 2.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent and an import duty exemption on machinery used to work on the projects will encourage investment. The tenders cover projects in 16 of the country`s 34 provinces and the government estimate $100 million will be spent over the next year on initial assessments, exploration, and evaluation work. A tender can be awarded within six months and work is expected to start within a further six-month period, Nehan said. The government will invest in some tender-related infrastructure but expects many companies will choose to do it themselves. Security on the projects will only be provided by local forces, she said. "The Afghan Public Protection Force ... will asses the areas and based on the needs of the area they will submit a budget and proposal to the company."

Afghanistan pushes for investment as it waits for peace

Seven children were killed and 10 more wounded Sunday when an unexploded mortar shell blew up in eastern Afghanistan, an official said.

The incident appears to be the latest instance of discarded ordnance claiming civilian lives, in a country littered with landmines, homemade bombs and old shells.

Assadullah Dawlatzai, the Laghman governor's spokesman, said the circumstances around how the children found the mortar and why it exploded were under investigation.&nbsp;All the victims were below the age of 15, he said.

Abdul Marouf Jalili, the head of the Laghman provincial hospital, said seven bodies and 10 wounded victims had been brought to the facility.&nbsp;He confirmed all were children.

The blast occurred on the outskirts of Mehtarlam, the capital of Laghman province, east of Kabul.

The United Nations Mine Action Service recently said that in 2017, about 150 people each month were killed or wounded in Afghanistan by mines and so-called explosive remnants of war.&nbsp;Curious kids often pick up the devices.

While many landmines come from the Afghan-Soviet war in the 1980s and the civil war in the 1990s, casualties have increased from homemade bombs as a result of the intensifying fight between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

Seven children were killed and 10 more wounded Sunday when an unexploded mortar shell blew up in eastern Afghanistan, an official said. The incident appears to be the latest instance of discarded ordnance claiming civilian lives, in a country littered with landmines, homemade bombs and old shells.

Seven children were killed and 10 more wounded Sunday when an unexploded mortar shell blew up in eastern Afghanistan, an official said. The incident appears to be the latest instance of discarded ordnance claiming civilian lives, in a country littered with landmines, homemade bombs and old shells. Assadullah Dawlatzai, the Laghman governor's spokesman, said the circumstances around how the children found the mortar and why it exploded were under investigation. All the victims were below the age of 15, he said. Abdul Marouf Jalili, the head of the Laghman provincial hospital, said seven bodies and 10 wounded victims had been brought to the facility. He confirmed all were children. The blast occurred on the outskirts of Mehtarlam, the capital of Laghman province, east of Kabul. The United Nations Mine Action Service recently said that in 2017, about 150 people each month were killed or wounded in Afghanistan by mines and so-called explosive remnants of war. Curious kids often pick up the devices. While many landmines come from the Afghan-Soviet war in the 1980s and the civil war in the 1990s, casualties have increased from homemade bombs as a result of the intensifying fight between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

Unexploded mortar shell kills seven children in Afghanistan

Deadly Taliban attack in Afghanistan, 6 killed & more than 50 injured. Watch complete video to know more.

Deadly Taliban attack in Afghanistan, 6 killed & more than 50 injured

At least 27 <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-kill-12-afghan-security-forces-in-western-afghanistan-208762&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiqnruq7szhAhUIiHAKHcfHCzEQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw32temNMOClA8i1AUQ4js2x">Taliban</a> fighters have been killed in their attack on a government building in the province of Nangarhar, eastern Afghanistan, officials said on Saturday.

Two members of the security forces were also killed.

The attack began on Friday around 8 pm local time when suicide bombers detonated two trucks loaded with explosives against the administrative headquarters of Shirzad district and an adjacent security base, the provincial governor's spokesman Attaullah Khogyanai told EFE.

"After the two truck bombs, their fighters started an armed attack against security forces, who were guarding the district compound. [As a] result of the fighting, 27 Taliban fighters were killed and another 32 were injured,” he added.

During the attack, which lasted several hours, two members of the security forces lost their lives and another eight were wounded, with two of them in critical condition, Khogyanai said.

The "Taliban were using nearby civilian houses as fighting positions and security forces were unable to use artillery and air strikes against them,” the spokesman added.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement in which he said that “tens of soldiers and police were killed and injured.”

The attack came a day after the Taliban announced its traditional spring offensive - an increase in operations with which they seek to increase their control in urban areas - and at the same time that the insurgents are trying to move forward in peace talks with the United States.&nbsp;

On Twitter, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, denounced the Taliban's spring offensive announcement as "reckless.”

“Through this announcement, Taliban leaders demonstrate their indifference to the demands of Afghans across the country. The call for more fighting will not advance peace efforts. If executed, it will only yield more suffering and thousands of more casualties,” he said, adding that “a call for fighting suggests the Taliban are stuck in the ways of the past.”

It is expected that the Taliban, politicians and representatives of the Afghan government will be in Doha from Apr. 19 to 21, in what would be the first meeting between representatives of the government and the insurgents since the US and the Taliban began peace talks last year.&nbsp;

At least 27 Taliban fighters have been killed in their attack on a government building in the province of Nangarhar, eastern Afghanistan, officials said on Saturday.

At least 27 Taliban fighters have been killed in their attack on a government building in the province of Nangarhar, eastern Afghanistan, officials said on Saturday. Two members of the security forces were also killed. The attack began on Friday around 8 pm local time when suicide bombers detonated two trucks loaded with explosives against the administrative headquarters of Shirzad district and an adjacent security base, the provincial governor's spokesman Attaullah Khogyanai told EFE. "After the two truck bombs, their fighters started an armed attack against security forces, who were guarding the district compound. [As a] result of the fighting, 27 Taliban fighters were killed and another 32 were injured,” he added. During the attack, which lasted several hours, two members of the security forces lost their lives and another eight were wounded, with two of them in critical condition, Khogyanai said. The "Taliban were using nearby civilian houses as fighting positions and security forces were unable to use artillery and air strikes against them,” the spokesman added. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement in which he said that “tens of soldiers and police were killed and injured.” The attack came a day after the Taliban announced its traditional spring offensive - an increase in operations with which they seek to increase their control in urban areas - and at the same time that the insurgents are trying to move forward in peace talks with the United States. On Twitter, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, denounced the Taliban's spring offensive announcement as "reckless.” “Through this announcement, Taliban leaders demonstrate their indifference to the demands of Afghans across the country. The call for more fighting will not advance peace efforts. If executed, it will only yield more suffering and thousands of more casualties,” he said, adding that “a call for fighting suggests the Taliban are stuck in the ways of the past.” It is expected that the Taliban, politicians and representatives of the Afghan government will be in Doha from Apr. 19 to 21, in what would be the first meeting between representatives of the government and the insurgents since the US and the Taliban began peace talks last year.

At least 27 Afghan Taliban fighters killed in own attack on government building

At least eight persons, including two children, were killed in a flash <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/record-rains-turn-pakistan-citys-roads-into-rivers-six-dead-148797&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjmy8C_7MzhAhXLtY8KHbpxDQIQFggEMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw18-8mX1U6HiDxCZYxKk8pX">flood</a> in northwest Pakistan, officials said.

The incident happened when a vehicle carrying them was heading to a wedding party and it drowned in Wana tehsil of South Waziristan District bordering Afghanistan on Saturday, according to district administration officials.&nbsp;

Six children remain missing and a search operation is underway to find them, the officials said.

The rescue team retrieved six bodies of women and two children. Pakistan Army and district administration officials are continuing a search for the missing individuals.&nbsp;

At least eight persons, including two children, were killed in a flash flood in northwest Pakistan, officials said. The incident happened when a vehicle carrying them was heading to a wedding party and it drowned in Wana tehsil of South Waziristan District bordering Afghanistan on Saturday, according to district administration officials.

At least eight persons, including two children, were killed in a flash flood in northwest Pakistan, officials said. The incident happened when a vehicle carrying them was heading to a wedding party and it drowned in Wana tehsil of South Waziristan District bordering Afghanistan on Saturday, according to district administration officials. Six children remain missing and a search operation is underway to find them, the officials said. The rescue team retrieved six bodies of women and two children. Pakistan Army and district administration officials are continuing a search for the missing individuals.

Pakistan: Flash flood kills eight people

The <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-taliban-talks-end-for-now-with-no-afghan-peace-deal-202982&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjoxKC96snhAhW1mOYKHUaIAtQQFggIMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw29bMLan5YRoAWvYAmzG7U0">Taliban</a> on Friday announced their annual spring offensive, which comes as the US and Afghan politicians try to negotiate for a <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/opinions/afghan-peace-talks-india-must-update-its-contingency-plans-to-prevent-talibans-takeover-of-kabul-207911&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjoxKC96snhAhW1mOYKHUaIAtQQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0k-myC0IJfFubpmNnpeaaN">peace</a> settlement with the Islamist militants.

Operation Fath -- which means "victory" in Arabic -- will be conducted across Afghanistan with the aim of "eradicating occupation" and "cleansing our Muslim homeland from invasion and corruption", the Taliban said in a statement.

The annual spring offensive traditionally marks the start of the so-called fighting season, though the announcement is largely symbolic as in recent winters the Taliban have continued fighting Afghan and US forces.

"Our Jihadi obligation has not yet ended," the Taliban said.&nbsp;

"Even as large parts of our homeland have been freed from the enemy, yet the foreign occupying forces continue exercising military and political influence in our Islamic country."

Qais Mangal, a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defence, said the Taliban's spring offensive is "mere propaganda."

"The Taliban will not reach their vicious goals and their operations will be defeated like previous years," Mangal said.&nbsp;

After suffering horrific bloodshed in 2018, Kabul has in recent weeks enjoyed something of a lull in violence.

But on Monday three US Marines were killed in a Taliban attack at Bagram air base north of the city, and authorities in the capital are on high alert.&nbsp;

The administration of President Ashraf Ghani recently declared its own spring offensive, Operation Khalid, and the Taliban used that announcement as a justification for launching a new push.

It shows "the enemy still seeks to attain its malicious objectives through the use of force", the Taliban said.&nbsp;

The US has held several rounds of talks with the Taliban in a bid to bring an end to the war against the insurgents.&nbsp;

Separately, Afghan politicians also have met with the Taliban in Moscow, and a fresh round of talks is expected to take place later this month between officials from the Kabul government and the Taliban in the Qatari capital Doha.&nbsp;

The US still has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan, nearly 18 years after the US-led invasion to topple the Taliban.

While Western forces quickly ousted the group, the insurgents have reclaimed much of Afghanistan over the years, primarily in rural areas.&nbsp;

In 2018 a record 10,993 civilians were wounded or killed in Afghanistan, according to UN figures.

US President Donald Trump last year decided to slash the number of American soldiers in Afghanistan, though no such drawdown has happened yet.&nbsp;

The Taliban on Friday announced their annual spring offensive, which comes as the US and Afghan politicians try to negotiate for a peace settlement with the Islamist militants.

The Taliban on Friday announced their annual spring offensive, which comes as the US and Afghan politicians try to negotiate for a peace settlement with the Islamist militants. Operation Fath -- which means "victory" in Arabic -- will be conducted across Afghanistan with the aim of "eradicating occupation" and "cleansing our Muslim homeland from invasion and corruption", the Taliban said in a statement. The annual spring offensive traditionally marks the start of the so-called fighting season, though the announcement is largely symbolic as in recent winters the Taliban have continued fighting Afghan and US forces. "Our Jihadi obligation has not yet ended," the Taliban said. "Even as large parts of our homeland have been freed from the enemy, yet the foreign occupying forces continue exercising military and political influence in our Islamic country." Qais Mangal, a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defence, said the Taliban's spring offensive is "mere propaganda." "The Taliban will not reach their vicious goals and their operations will be defeated like previous years," Mangal said. After suffering horrific bloodshed in 2018, Kabul has in recent weeks enjoyed something of a lull in violence. But on Monday three US Marines were killed in a Taliban attack at Bagram air base north of the city, and authorities in the capital are on high alert. The administration of President Ashraf Ghani recently declared its own spring offensive, Operation Khalid, and the Taliban used that announcement as a justification for launching a new push. It shows "the enemy still seeks to attain its malicious objectives through the use of force", the Taliban said. The US has held several rounds of talks with the Taliban in a bid to bring an end to the war against the insurgents. Separately, Afghan politicians also have met with the Taliban in Moscow, and a fresh round of talks is expected to take place later this month between officials from the Kabul government and the Taliban in the Qatari capital Doha. The US still has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan, nearly 18 years after the US-led invasion to topple the Taliban. While Western forces quickly ousted the group, the insurgents have reclaimed much of Afghanistan over the years, primarily in rural areas. In 2018 a record 10,993 civilians were wounded or killed in Afghanistan, according to UN figures. US President Donald Trump last year decided to slash the number of American soldiers in Afghanistan, though no such drawdown has happened yet.

Taliban announce spring offensive amid Afghan peace push

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.

"The judges decided that an investigation into the situation in Afghanistan at this stage would not serve the interests of justice," the Hague-based court said in a statement.

Fatou Bensouda's US visa was revoked over a possible probe involving American soldiers' actions since 2003 in the bloody Afghan conflict.

Bensouda in late 2017 asked judges to give her permission to probe alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan committed by the Taliban, Afghan government forces and international forces including US troops.

The US has never joined the ICC and does not recognise its authority over American citizens, saying it poses a threat to national sovereignty.&nbsp;

Washington also argues that it has its own robust procedures in place to deal with US troops who engage in misconduct.

Judges said Friday that "notwithstanding the fact that all the relevant requirements are met as regards both jurisdiction and admissibility... the current circumstances in Afghanistan... make the prospect of a successful investigation and prosecution extremely limited."

The time elapsed since the opening of a preliminary probe in 2006, Afghanistan's changing political scene and the "lack of political cooperation the prosecutor has received" was likely to grow scarcer should an investigation proceed, the judges said.

The court, which operates on a limited budget, also needed to prioritise its resources on "activities that would have a better chance to succeed," the judges said.

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.

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. "The judges decided that an investigation into the situation in Afghanistan at this stage would not serve the interests of justice," the Hague-based court said in a statement. Fatou Bensouda's US visa was revoked over a possible probe involving American soldiers' actions since 2003 in the bloody Afghan conflict. Bensouda in late 2017 asked judges to give her permission to probe alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan committed by the Taliban, Afghan government forces and international forces including US troops. The US has never joined the ICC and does not recognise its authority over American citizens, saying it poses a threat to national sovereignty. Washington also argues that it has its own robust procedures in place to deal with US troops who engage in misconduct. Judges said Friday that "notwithstanding the fact that all the relevant requirements are met as regards both jurisdiction and admissibility... the current circumstances in Afghanistan... make the prospect of a successful investigation and prosecution extremely limited." The time elapsed since the opening of a preliminary probe in 2006, Afghanistan's changing political scene and the "lack of political cooperation the prosecutor has received" was likely to grow scarcer should an investigation proceed, the judges said. The court, which operates on a limited budget, also needed to prioritise its resources on "activities that would have a better chance to succeed," the judges said.

ICC judges turn down request for Afghanistan war crimes probe

A contractor that officials initially reported having been killed in a Taliban attack on a convoy at a US air base, in fact, survived the incident, NATO said Tuesday.

Three US troops were killed in the suicide bomb attack outside Bagram Air Base north of Kabul on Monday.&nbsp;

"The contractor who was reported as killed is alive," NATO's Resolute Support mission said in a statement.&nbsp;

The contractor, an Afghan citizen, was in stable condition and was treated at Bagram, officials said.

Monday's blast was the deadliest for US forces in Afghanistan this year and brings to seven the number of American troops killed in 2019, compared to 12 for all of last year.

The US now has some 14,000 troops in Afghanistan -- down from a peak of around 100,000 -- most of them deployed to train and advise Afghan counterparts.

A contractor that officials initially reported having been killed in a Taliban attack on a convoy at a US air base, in fact, survived the incident, NATO said Tuesday.

A contractor that officials initially reported having been killed in a Taliban attack on a convoy at a US air base, in fact, survived the incident, NATO said Tuesday. Three US troops were killed in the suicide bomb attack outside Bagram Air Base north of Kabul on Monday. "The contractor who was reported as killed is alive," NATO's Resolute Support mission said in a statement. The contractor, an Afghan citizen, was in stable condition and was treated at Bagram, officials said. Monday's blast was the deadliest for US forces in Afghanistan this year and brings to seven the number of American troops killed in 2019, compared to 12 for all of last year. The US now has some 14,000 troops in Afghanistan -- down from a peak of around 100,000 -- most of them deployed to train and advise Afghan counterparts.

Afghan contractor survived Taliban attack on US convoy

Three American soldiers and a US contractor were killed when their convoy hit a roadside bomb on Monday near the main US base in Afghanistan. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

4 Americans die in roadside Afghanistan blast, Taliban claims responsiblity

Taliban fighters have killed 12 security forces in the last 48 hours in ongoing fighting in Afghanistan's western province of Badghis, the defence ministry said Monday.

In the latest assault on Afghan forces -- who have faced devastating losses in recent years -- <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-to-hold-peace-talks-with-taliban-in-qatar-208717">Taliban fighters</a> last week smashed through government lines near the city of Bala Murghab, seizing several checkpoints.

"It is with great sadness we announce that during these operations, eight Afghan National Army and four police who fought with bravery and courage accepted martyrdom," the defence ministry said in a statement.

Another 10 soldiers and 24 police were wounded in the operation that killed "99 Taliban terrorists," it added.

Clearance operations continue in the district, officials said, and security forces helped Red Cross workers evacuate the bodies of Taliban fighters that had been left on battlefields.

Jamshid Shahabi, the spokesman for the Badghis governor, told AFP that fighting continued near the district's main marketplace.

Afghan and US-led aircraft were striking Taliban positions, he said. "They have suffered heavy casualties."

The defence ministry last week said Afghan forces had made a "tactical retreat" from a number of checkpoints in the district to "avoid civilian casualties".

Abdul Aziz Beg, the head of the Badghis provincial council, had described the situation as "critical" and called for reinforcements.

The Taliban said they had conducted a coordinated attack on a series of government checkpoints, killing 12 security forces.

The militants launched their assault ahead of a widely expected spring offensive.

They typically declare a new fighting season as winter snows melt, and have in the past sought to gain control of district centres and target government facilities.

The clash started as Zalmay Khalilzad, the US envoy tasked with forging a peace deal with the Taliban, was in Afghanistan, where he spoke with national leaders and stakeholders.

Khalilzad is expected in the coming days to go to Qatar, where Taliban and Afghan officials are due to meet.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP the talks were set to begin on April 14.

In January, President Ashraf Ghani said 45,000 security forces had been killed since he took office in September 2014.

Taliban fighters have killed 12 security forces in the last 48 hours in ongoing fighting in Afghanistan's western province of Badghis, the defence ministry said Monday.

Taliban fighters have killed 12 security forces in the last 48 hours in ongoing fighting in Afghanistan's western province of Badghis, the defence ministry said Monday. In the latest assault on Afghan forces -- who have faced devastating losses in recent years -- Taliban fighters last week smashed through government lines near the city of Bala Murghab, seizing several checkpoints. "It is with great sadness we announce that during these operations, eight Afghan National Army and four police who fought with bravery and courage accepted martyrdom," the defence ministry said in a statement. Another 10 soldiers and 24 police were wounded in the operation that killed "99 Taliban terrorists," it added. Clearance operations continue in the district, officials said, and security forces helped Red Cross workers evacuate the bodies of Taliban fighters that had been left on battlefields. Jamshid Shahabi, the spokesman for the Badghis governor, told AFP that fighting continued near the district's main marketplace. Afghan and US-led aircraft were striking Taliban positions, he said. "They have suffered heavy casualties." The defence ministry last week said Afghan forces had made a "tactical retreat" from a number of checkpoints in the district to "avoid civilian casualties". Abdul Aziz Beg, the head of the Badghis provincial council, had described the situation as "critical" and called for reinforcements. The Taliban said they had conducted a coordinated attack on a series of government checkpoints, killing 12 security forces. The militants launched their assault ahead of a widely expected spring offensive. They typically declare a new fighting season as winter snows melt, and have in the past sought to gain control of district centres and target government facilities. The clash started as Zalmay Khalilzad, the US envoy tasked with forging a peace deal with the Taliban, was in Afghanistan, where he spoke with national leaders and stakeholders. Khalilzad is expected in the coming days to go to Qatar, where Taliban and Afghan officials are due to meet. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP the talks were set to begin on April 14. In January, President Ashraf Ghani said 45,000 security forces had been killed since he took office in September 2014.

Taliban kill 12 Afghan security forces in western Afghanistan

In a landmark decision, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/opinions/afghan-peace-talks-india-must-update-its-contingency-plans-to-prevent-talibans-takeover-of-kabul-207911&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiv37P99L_hAhX-7HMBHeszCJAQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ik_GmmZHIZKrcl-l5sQFH">Afghanistan</a> on Sunday (local time) announced that it will send an official delegation to Qatar later this month for <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-taliban-talks-end-for-now-with-no-afghan-peace-deal-202982&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjUiL-V9b_hAhXK6nMBHVGYAOgQFggKMAI&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3if3NX58Ni-BcX6wH8M6S7">peace talks </a>with the Taliban.

"An inclusive official delegation will attend the Qatar meeting representing Afghanistan," Anadolu News Agency quoted Mohammad Umer Daudzai, special presidential envoy, as saying. The Taliban is yet to respond to the development. The group has so far refused to participate in the peace talks initiated by the Afghan government.

The announcement comes in the midst of US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad`s multi-nation tour on Afghanistan`s peace process and to give a renewed push for stalled negotiations between Kabul and the Taliban. It also comes after several rounds of negotiations between the US and Taliban in Doha, Qatar`s capital city.

These negotiations are aimed at ending the nearly two-decades-old conflict in Afghanistan.No dates have been announced yet for the next round of talks, which is slated to take place later this month. Last month, Afghan Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah had said that the Taliban is an "obstacle" in the way of reaching peace in war-torn Afghanistan.

He also professed that the formation of a negotiation team can prevent the Taliban from making an "excuse" to avoid talks."Taliban has been the obstacle for taking the first step (for peace) because they have an excuse that we do not negotiate with government and that is why I say that Taliban is an obstacle on the way of reaching to peace," TOLONews had quoted Abdullah said as saying.

In February, Russia had hosted a meeting on Afghanistan`s peace process in which various Taliban members were invited. However, Afghanistan was not invited to the meet. On being snubbed for the summit, Kabul had expressed reservations and said that the talks in Moscow were held against the spirit of Afghan-led and owned peace process.&nbsp;

In a landmark decision, Afghanistan on Sunday (local time) announced that it will send an official delegation to Qatar later this month for peace talks with the Taliban.

In a landmark decision, Afghanistan on Sunday (local time) announced that it will send an official delegation to Qatar later this month for peace talks with the Taliban. "An inclusive official delegation will attend the Qatar meeting representing Afghanistan," Anadolu News Agency quoted Mohammad Umer Daudzai, special presidential envoy, as saying. The Taliban is yet to respond to the development. The group has so far refused to participate in the peace talks initiated by the Afghan government. The announcement comes in the midst of US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad`s multi-nation tour on Afghanistan`s peace process and to give a renewed push for stalled negotiations between Kabul and the Taliban. It also comes after several rounds of negotiations between the US and Taliban in Doha, Qatar`s capital city. These negotiations are aimed at ending the nearly two-decades-old conflict in Afghanistan.No dates have been announced yet for the next round of talks, which is slated to take place later this month. Last month, Afghan Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah had said that the Taliban is an "obstacle" in the way of reaching peace in war-torn Afghanistan. He also professed that the formation of a negotiation team can prevent the Taliban from making an "excuse" to avoid talks."Taliban has been the obstacle for taking the first step (for peace) because they have an excuse that we do not negotiate with government and that is why I say that Taliban is an obstacle on the way of reaching to peace," TOLONews had quoted Abdullah said as saying. In February, Russia had hosted a meeting on Afghanistan`s peace process in which various Taliban members were invited. However, Afghanistan was not invited to the meet. On being snubbed for the summit, Kabul had expressed reservations and said that the talks in Moscow were held against the spirit of Afghan-led and owned peace process.

Afghanistan to hold peace talks with Taliban in Qatar

Afghanistan's chief executive <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/im-for-talks-with-taliban-without-any-conditions-says-afghanistan-chief-executive-abdullah-abdullah-192333&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjb17zq8L_hAhXL73MBHX_xArgQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3lGAhloVZgWcxIRcd8szOD">Abdullah Abdullah </a>welcomed Kabul's decision Sunday to send a delegation to meet with the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/interim-government-not-in-afghanistans-interests-abdullah-abdullah-189400&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjb17zq8L_hAhXL73MBHX_xArgQFggIMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0-WJpkA7qYW01xJzINrwrG">Taliban</a>, saying he hoped they would present a "unified position" for the Afghan people.

In an ongoing push to find a way out of the country's 17-year-old war, Kabul had earlier announced it would send representatives to "exchange views" with Taliban officials at fresh talks, due to take place in the Qatari capital Doha later this month.

US and Taliban officials have held several rounds of talks but the militant group has so far refused to talk directly to the Afghan government, which they consider an illegitimate regime.

"We need to have governmental and nongovernmental politicians in one platform, and talk future peace and reconciliation," Abdullah told AFP on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Jordan.

"The aim of (the delegation) is to present a unified position of (the) people of Afghanistan", he added.

Mohammad <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-an-obstacle-in-peace-process-afghan-chief-executive-officer-206136&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjb17zq8L_hAhXL73MBHX_xArgQFggLMAI&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1UpH1pikEKs4TdJhoz57PL">Omar Daudzai</a>, President Ashraf Ghani's envoy for peace, said the delegation would serve only to swap views with the Taliban, and its members would not necessarily be the same as a formal negotiating team.

Officials will meet Wednesday in Kabul to finalise delegates, and to decide who might comprise an official negotiating team.

In a statement, the Taliban said the upcoming Doha talks would clarify participants' "views and policies and sharing their stance".

"The said conference is not a negotiations summit or meeting," the Islamist extremist group said.

The Taliban and Afghan opposition groups held a similar meeting in Moscow in February.

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad spent last week in Afghanistan as part of an ongoing push for a peace deal.&nbsp;

His visit came against the backdrop of strains between Washington and Ghani's administration, which has complained bitterly of being sidelined in peace talks.

Khalilzad has repeatedly called on Ghani to form a strong negotiating team to reach a deal before the country's delayed presidential elections, now slated for September.

On Friday, during a side trip, Khalilzad made to Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan said he had some "brotherly advice" for Afghanistan, suggesting an interim government in Kabul to help smooth the talks process.

It was not the first time Khan had made such a suggestion. Kabul was again furious, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned a Pakistani diplomat to explain the remarks.

The notion of an interim government to tide things over between the end of Ghani's term in May and an election has sparked controversy in Afghanistan, and there is as yet no clarity as to what will happen.

An "interim government for the sake just of interim government, I am not for it, (it) will not solve anything," Abdullah said.

"An interim arrangement as a result of the package for peace that is agreed upon between both sides -- why not?"

Khalilzad left Afghanistan on Sunday following what the US embassy called "productive" talks.

"Khalilzad was pleased to see the Afghans with whom he met, inside and outside government, coming together to put peace first," the embassy said in a statement.

Afghanistan's chief executive Abdullah Abdullah welcomed Kabul's decision Sunday to send a delegation to meet with the Taliban, saying he hoped they would present a "unified position" for the Afghan people.

Afghanistan's chief executive Abdullah Abdullah welcomed Kabul's decision Sunday to send a delegation to meet with the Taliban, saying he hoped they would present a "unified position" for the Afghan people. In an ongoing push to find a way out of the country's 17-year-old war, Kabul had earlier announced it would send representatives to "exchange views" with Taliban officials at fresh talks, due to take place in the Qatari capital Doha later this month. US and Taliban officials have held several rounds of talks but the militant group has so far refused to talk directly to the Afghan government, which they consider an illegitimate regime. "We need to have governmental and nongovernmental politicians in one platform, and talk future peace and reconciliation," Abdullah told AFP on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Jordan. "The aim of (the delegation) is to present a unified position of (the) people of Afghanistan", he added. Mohammad Omar Daudzai, President Ashraf Ghani's envoy for peace, said the delegation would serve only to swap views with the Taliban, and its members would not necessarily be the same as a formal negotiating team. Officials will meet Wednesday in Kabul to finalise delegates, and to decide who might comprise an official negotiating team. In a statement, the Taliban said the upcoming Doha talks would clarify participants' "views and policies and sharing their stance". "The said conference is not a negotiations summit or meeting," the Islamist extremist group said. The Taliban and Afghan opposition groups held a similar meeting in Moscow in February. US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad spent last week in Afghanistan as part of an ongoing push for a peace deal. His visit came against the backdrop of strains between Washington and Ghani's administration, which has complained bitterly of being sidelined in peace talks. Khalilzad has repeatedly called on Ghani to form a strong negotiating team to reach a deal before the country's delayed presidential elections, now slated for September. On Friday, during a side trip, Khalilzad made to Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan said he had some "brotherly advice" for Afghanistan, suggesting an interim government in Kabul to help smooth the talks process. It was not the first time Khan had made such a suggestion. Kabul was again furious, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned a Pakistani diplomat to explain the remarks. The notion of an interim government to tide things over between the end of Ghani's term in May and an election has sparked controversy in Afghanistan, and there is as yet no clarity as to what will happen. An "interim government for the sake just of interim government, I am not for it, (it) will not solve anything," Abdullah said. "An interim arrangement as a result of the package for peace that is agreed upon between both sides -- why not?" Khalilzad left Afghanistan on Sunday following what the US embassy called "productive" talks. "Khalilzad was pleased to see the Afghans with whom he met, inside and outside government, coming together to put peace first," the embassy said in a statement.

Afghan chief executive supports delegation for Taliban talks

Afghanistan has slammed Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan over his comments on ongoing Afghan peace talks and country's interim government. Khan came under the radar after he suggested Afghanistan to set up an interim government to break the stalemate on peace.

In an exclusive conversation with WION, Afghanistan President's spokesperson Haroon Chakhansuri called Khan's statements irresponsible and condemnable.&nbsp;

"No one expects such irresponsible statements from a prime minister, not only the Afghan government and people but also our international allies have condemned such behaviours of interference," Chakhansuri said.

According to reports, the Afghan government has summoned a Pakistan diplomat to explain Prime Minister Imran Khan's latest remarks.

It marks the fourth time in about a month and a half that Kabul has demanded an explanation from Islamabad for comments related to peace talks aimed at ending 17 years of war in Afghanistan.

On Friday, Imran Khan addressed a rally in Jamrud, Pakistan. During the address, Khan repeated his controversial statement and said that he had given brotherly advice to Afghanistan but was criticised for it.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-ambassador-to-return-to-pakistan-after-pm-khans-remarks-clarified-206366">Last month, Khan told Pak journalists</a> that forming an interim Afghan government would smooth peace talks between US and Taliban officials.

The Afghan government recalled ambassador Atif Mashal from Islamabad the next day and demanded an explanation for remarks that it called "irresponsible."&nbsp;

Pak foreign ministry said Khan's comments, reported by Pakistani media outlets and picked up in Afghanistan, had been taken out of context.

Afghanistan has slammed Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan over his comments on ongoing Afghan peace talks and country's interim government. Khan came under the radar after he suggested Afghanistan to set up an interim government to break the stalemate on peace.

Afghanistan has slammed Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan over his comments on ongoing Afghan peace talks and country's interim government. Khan came under the radar after he suggested Afghanistan to set up an interim government to break the stalemate on peace. In an exclusive conversation with WION, Afghanistan President's spokesperson Haroon Chakhansuri called Khan's statements irresponsible and condemnable. "No one expects such irresponsible statements from a prime minister, not only the Afghan government and people but also our international allies have condemned such behaviours of interference," Chakhansuri said. According to reports, the Afghan government has summoned a Pakistan diplomat to explain Prime Minister Imran Khan's latest remarks. It marks the fourth time in about a month and a half that Kabul has demanded an explanation from Islamabad for comments related to peace talks aimed at ending 17 years of war in Afghanistan. On Friday, Imran Khan addressed a rally in Jamrud, Pakistan. During the address, Khan repeated his controversial statement and said that he had given brotherly advice to Afghanistan but was criticised for it. Last month, Khan told Pak journalists that forming an interim Afghan government would smooth peace talks between US and Taliban officials. The Afghan government recalled ambassador Atif Mashal from Islamabad the next day and demanded an explanation for remarks that it called "irresponsible." Pak foreign ministry said Khan's comments, reported by Pakistani media outlets and picked up in Afghanistan, had been taken out of context.

Irresponsible and condemnable: Kabul slams Imran Khan over remark on Afghan interim government

Afghan security forces have arrested six alleged members of the Islamic State militant group and accused them of using hundreds of fake accounts on Facebook Inc and other social media to find recruits, authorities said on Thursday.

The men, arrested in the capital, Kabul, also used Twitter Inc, Instagram and Telegram for fake accounts recruiting fighters and promoting Islamic State, Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) said.

The agency said the men had confessed, but have not yet been charged. They were among 16 arrests it said were connected to Islamic State.

The arrests come as Facebook and Twitter have been separately sucked into an information war between India and Pakistan.

The Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, sometimes known as Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) after an old name for the region that includes Afghanistan, has recruited many fighters from around the world, including Western countries.

The group, also known as Daesh, has been active in Afghanistan since 2015, fighting the Taliban as well as Afghan and U.S. forces.

In a separate operation in the eastern province of Nangarhar, the NDS arrested 10 suspects over involvement in assassinations and transporting weapons, ammunition and explosives, it said in the statement.

Islamic State emerged in Nangarhar on the porous border with Pakistan to become one of Afghanistan's most dangerous militant groups for its bombing and complex attacks.

It is difficult to say how many Islamic State fighters are in Afghanistan because they frequently switch allegiances, but the U.S. military estimates there are about 2,000.

U.S.-backed forces proclaimed the capture of Islamic State's last territory in Syria last month, eliminating its rule over a self-proclaimed "caliphate", but the jihadists remain a threat from sleeper cells around the world.

Afghan security forces have arrested six alleged members of the Islamic State militant group and accused them of using hundreds of fake accounts on Facebook Inc and other social media to find recruits, authorities said on Thursday.

Afghan security forces have arrested six alleged members of the Islamic State militant group and accused them of using hundreds of fake accounts on Facebook Inc and other social media to find recruits, authorities said on Thursday. The men, arrested in the capital, Kabul, also used Twitter Inc, Instagram and Telegram for fake accounts recruiting fighters and promoting Islamic State, Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) said. The agency said the men had confessed, but have not yet been charged. They were among 16 arrests it said were connected to Islamic State. The arrests come as Facebook and Twitter have been separately sucked into an information war between India and Pakistan. The Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, sometimes known as Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) after an old name for the region that includes Afghanistan, has recruited many fighters from around the world, including Western countries. The group, also known as Daesh, has been active in Afghanistan since 2015, fighting the Taliban as well as Afghan and U.S. forces. In a separate operation in the eastern province of Nangarhar, the NDS arrested 10 suspects over involvement in assassinations and transporting weapons, ammunition and explosives, it said in the statement. Islamic State emerged in Nangarhar on the porous border with Pakistan to become one of Afghanistan's most dangerous militant groups for its bombing and complex attacks. It is difficult to say how many Islamic State fighters are in Afghanistan because they frequently switch allegiances, but the U.S. military estimates there are about 2,000. U.S.-backed forces proclaimed the capture of Islamic State's last territory in Syria last month, eliminating its rule over a self-proclaimed "caliphate", but the jihadists remain a threat from sleeper cells around the world.

Afghan forces arrest alleged Islamic State online recruiters: Report

Soria Hussaini was not sure what would happen when she decided to perform the first Kabul street concert by a woman in recent memory.&nbsp;

The 20-year-old, whose family fled civil war in Afghanistan for Iran during the 1990s, worried about her safety. But nearly 50 people watched the unadvertised concert by Hussaini's rock group, Azadi, in the city's Kart-e-Char neighbourhood in March, singing and clapping along with the music.

"Some were against this concert, but we did not give up," she said. "We are all scared of suicide bombings, explosions, abductions and other issues in this country."

Hussaini's concert was unusual both for its public setting and the positive response it received in a country where views on women and entertainment are often ultra-conservative.

In sharp contrast, a video surfaced this week and was widely shared on social media showing men whipping a woman, purportedly a Taliban punishment for singing in public. It was not clear when the video was filmed, but it generated fierce online criticism of the Taliban.

Reuters was not able to verify the authenticity of the video. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said he could not confirm the video depicted members of the group, and that it was investigating the incident.

Intensifying peace talks between the United States and the Taliban have brought a focus on the place of women in Afghan society. Many say they fear greater freedoms won in recent years will be eroded under a settlement with the Islamists.&nbsp;

The Taliban banned women from playing music or appearing in public with their faces visible when in power from 1996 to 2001.

One symbol of the changes since the Taliban were overthrown is 18-year-old Zahra Elham, who last month became the first woman to win the vote-in singing competition

Afghan Star in the 14 years since local TV station Tolo began screening the popular show modelled on American Idol.&nbsp;

"They finally supported a girl. That day, I witnessed that there is justice, they let a girl move forward," she said.

Not everyone celebrated her success, however, said Elham, who recalled a frightening 2-km (1.2-mile) walk home from the TV studio one night in January, as her celebrity grew.

"Everyone was taunting me on the way," said Elham, who hails from the Hazara ethnic minority that has long suffered discrimination in Afghanistan. "There were comments about ethnicity since, in our tribe, it is not desired for a girl to become a singer. Now my fear has increased."

TV journalist Farahnaz Forotan, 26, received a more supportive reaction when she launched last month a social media movement with the hashtag "MyRedLine", encouraging women - and men - to publicly declare what rights they would not surrender.

Forotan launched the movement by declaring that her pen, symbolic of her profession, was her red line. Since the Taliban government fell in 2001, a robust media industry has emerged in Afghanistan, including many female journalists.

Forotan's personal RedLine video has been viewed nearly 12,000 times on Facebook. She is planning visits to all 34 Afghan provinces to expand her campaign.&nbsp;

"I thought that we were at a more sensitive and historic situation than any other time in the past and this sensitive and historic situation needs historic deeds," she said.

Supporters recorded short smartphone videos of themselves declaring their own "red lines", including a female lawyer citing her work defending women's rights.

"We emphasize that we won't go back," Forotan said, referring to the Taliban era.

Meanwhile Hussaini, who still lives in Iran, is already planning two more Afghan street concerts, one in Bamiyan province and another in Kabul.

"I see a good future in Afghanistan and am hopeful that street concerts will become more common here," she said. 
&nbsp;

Soria Hussaini was not sure what would happen when she decided to perform the first Kabul street concert by a woman in recent memory. The 20-year-old, whose family fled civil war in Afghanistan for Iran during the 1990s, worried about her safety.

Soria Hussaini was not sure what would happen when she decided to perform the first Kabul street concert by a woman in recent memory. The 20-year-old, whose family fled civil war in Afghanistan for Iran during the 1990s, worried about her safety. But nearly 50 people watched the unadvertised concert by Hussaini's rock group, Azadi, in the city's Kart-e-Char neighbourhood in March, singing and clapping along with the music. "Some were against this concert, but we did not give up," she said. "We are all scared of suicide bombings, explosions, abductions and other issues in this country." Hussaini's concert was unusual both for its public setting and the positive response it received in a country where views on women and entertainment are often ultra-conservative. In sharp contrast, a video surfaced this week and was widely shared on social media showing men whipping a woman, purportedly a Taliban punishment for singing in public. It was not clear when the video was filmed, but it generated fierce online criticism of the Taliban. Reuters was not able to verify the authenticity of the video. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said he could not confirm the video depicted members of the group, and that it was investigating the incident. Intensifying peace talks between the United States and the Taliban have brought a focus on the place of women in Afghan society. Many say they fear greater freedoms won in recent years will be eroded under a settlement with the Islamists. The Taliban banned women from playing music or appearing in public with their faces visible when in power from 1996 to 2001. One symbol of the changes since the Taliban were overthrown is 18-year-old Zahra Elham, who last month became the first woman to win the vote-in singing competition Afghan Star in the 14 years since local TV station Tolo began screening the popular show modelled on American Idol. "They finally supported a girl. That day, I witnessed that there is justice, they let a girl move forward," she said. Not everyone celebrated her success, however, said Elham, who recalled a frightening 2-km (1.2-mile) walk home from the TV studio one night in January, as her celebrity grew. "Everyone was taunting me on the way," said Elham, who hails from the Hazara ethnic minority that has long suffered discrimination in Afghanistan. "There were comments about ethnicity since, in our tribe, it is not desired for a girl to become a singer. Now my fear has increased." TV journalist Farahnaz Forotan, 26, received a more supportive reaction when she launched last month a social media movement with the hashtag "MyRedLine", encouraging women - and men - to publicly declare what rights they would not surrender. Forotan launched the movement by declaring that her pen, symbolic of her profession, was her red line. Since the Taliban government fell in 2001, a robust media industry has emerged in Afghanistan, including many female journalists. Forotan's personal RedLine video has been viewed nearly 12,000 times on Facebook. She is planning visits to all 34 Afghan provinces to expand her campaign. "I thought that we were at a more sensitive and historic situation than any other time in the past and this sensitive and historic situation needs historic deeds," she said. Supporters recorded short smartphone videos of themselves declaring their own "red lines", including a female lawyer citing her work defending women's rights. "We emphasize that we won't go back," Forotan said, referring to the Taliban era. Meanwhile Hussaini, who still lives in Iran, is already planning two more Afghan street concerts, one in Bamiyan province and another in Kabul. "I see a good future in Afghanistan and am hopeful that street concerts will become more common here," she said.

Women singers test limits, signal Afghanistan's changing times

The peripatetic US envoy for the peace process in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad was back this week in Kabul to restart the enigmatic dialogue with Taliban. Are the five rounds of talks between the US and Taliban, the last and most intense at Doha last month, going nowhere or there is light at the end of the tunnel? Hope of a breakthrough is being spread by Pakistan which has the maximum to gain from its success. Here are the known facts.&nbsp;

President Trump last December, unsurprisingly, did a U-turn on Afghanistan. Having been reluctantly persuaded by his Generals to stay the course, in a policy speech on Afghanistan in August 2017, he lashed out at Pakistan saying all it has given the US is lies and deceit after receiving $31 billion and praised India for its constructive role in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

Then Defence Secretary James Mattis issued a ‘last chance’ ultimatum to Pakistan to act against Taliban sanctuaries which did not work despite intensified drone strikes in Pakistan. Soon, Trump did another U-turn: embraced Pakistan, criticised India for doing five minutes of work like building libraries in Afghanistan and sought an exit by appointing Zalmay Khalilzad as an interlocutor with Taliban to work out an exit deal. So far according to the US, four issues have been discussed – US withdrawal from Afghanistan;&nbsp;

Taliban pledge that Afghanistan will not become a base for Al Qaeda and its affiliates for attacks on the US and its allies; ceasefire and composition of a future Afghan government including direct talks between Taliban and Kabul.&nbsp;

The Taliban says only two issues constitute the framework accord. Equally pressing problems like interim government, elections, constitution, exchange of prisoners and lifting the ban on Taliban leaders are also to be addressed. &nbsp;

This kind of peace and reconciliation talks are called talking while fighting or vice versa as a conventional peace process is sequenced roughly like this: ceasefire; disarmament (integration of armies and arms); constitutional arrangements; and elections. The presidential elections have been postponed from April to July to September and maybe indefinitely to accommodate the Taliban.

Similarly, the results of the October 2018 parliamentary elections delayed by two years have not been finalised. Conspicuously, the Afghan government has been kept out of the loop in the present US-Taliban series of engagements, making a mockery of the much-touted peace process being Afghan-owned and Afghan-led. This reflects the urgency Trump attaches to a quick troop withdrawal - half the 14,000 soldiers before the end of the year before his re-election bid and the remainder within two to three years.&nbsp;

The US and Afghanistan have signed in 2012 a Strategic Partnership Agreement according to which, America will not abandon the country militarily or financially for years after 2014 which was the US deadline for foreign forces withdrawal. Then in 2014, a bilateral security agreement was signed that provides US troops access to military bases like Bagram and Kandahar in Afghanistan upto 2024 and beyond. Will Trump forsake the retention of strategic assets in Afghanistan? Is this being kept under wraps?&nbsp;

If the mercurial Trump were to pull out like he reportedly announced recently from Syria and Afghanistan – both denied and later and modified – it could prove catastrophic. The Mattis exit was catalysed by this decision setting the cat among the pigeons in the region. James Dobbins, a former US envoy to Afghanistan, fears it could lead to a civil war – back to 1996? Probably not. Gen Kenneth Mackenzie of CENTCOM has said Afghan National Security Forces will dissolve without US support. In 2014, a report published by Special Inspector General Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) had made the assessment that ANSF would be capable of resisting Taliban independently after December 2014 when International Security Assistance Forces combat role ended but would require US air support and assistance in casualty evacuation. When Konduz became the first provincial capital to fall to Taliban in 2014, all hell broke loose in Pentagon, sparking the fear of a strategic collapse.&nbsp;

With the Taliban staging spectacular suicide attacks and enhancing their territorial control (only 54 per cent of 407 districts were under control/influence of government in October 2018 against 72 per cent in November 2005). ANSF casualties are averaging 120 to 130 a month with complete companies capitulating. Instead of correcting the deficiency of unprepared ANSF in the lead since December 2014, US is considering further cuts and exit. In mid-2009, President Obama had observed that if Afghanistan falls to Taliban it will once again become an Al Qaeda base. On 2 January 2019, unpredictable Trump made the following convoluted observation on Afghanistan. ‘Pakistan is there…it should be fighting. But Russia should be fighting too, to prevent terrorists from going to Russia…and India….Why are we there. And we’re 6000 miles away !’&nbsp;

The Afghans are convinced that Taliban pumped by Pakistan is taking the US for a royal ride. NSA Hamdullah Mohib, addressing UNSC last month, criticised the US peace process, especially Khalilzad stressing: ‘peace at any cost is not acceptable’. Former intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh, has doubts about the sincerity of the Taliban, adding it did not represent the Afghan people but Pakistan. Will Trump spring a surprise by ordering a hasty withdrawal or put in place, a mechanism that ensures that the gains of the last 17 years under US leadership are preserved?&nbsp;

India has been outpaced by developments in Afghanistan mainly due to an impetuous Trump. Army Chief, Gen Bipin Rawat’s advice to engage the Taliban even at this late stage, has been ignored. A backchannel should have been started in 2014-15 after the Konduz debacle. India must update its contingency plans to prevent the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul by force and protect its strategic assets including 5000 Indians. India’s only foreign air base at Ayni in Tajikistan where 100 IAF personnel and engineers are located, must be factored for utilisation after consultations with Russia which has the last word on its use.&nbsp;

Since 2002, India’s right of use has been unclear and combat aircraft have never been stationed there. The Chinese have lately acquired a military base in Tajikistan with its troops operating in the Wakhan corridor. The present government has made national security its prime election issue acting boldly against Pakistan and China but losing sight of Afghanistan.. India’s diminution in Afghanistan will be a jolt to its prestige and image in the region.&nbsp;

For Khalilzad though finding all the pieces to fit into the peace and reconciliation puzzle will be an uphill task and could take time, even as strategic patience is not a virtue Trump is blessed with.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) 
&nbsp;

The peripatetic US envoy for the peace process in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad was back this week in Kabul to restart the enigmatic dialogue with Taliban. Are the five rounds of talks between the US and Taliban, the last and most intense at Doha last month, going nowhere or there is light at the end of the tunnel?

The peripatetic US envoy for the peace process in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad was back this week in Kabul to restart the enigmatic dialogue with Taliban. Are the five rounds of talks between the US and Taliban, the last and most intense at Doha last month, going nowhere or there is light at the end of the tunnel? Hope of a breakthrough is being spread by Pakistan which has the maximum to gain from its success. Here are the known facts. President Trump last December, unsurprisingly, did a U-turn on Afghanistan. Having been reluctantly persuaded by his Generals to stay the course, in a policy speech on Afghanistan in August 2017, he lashed out at Pakistan saying all it has given the US is lies and deceit after receiving $31 billion and praised India for its constructive role in Afghanistan. Then Defence Secretary James Mattis issued a ‘last chance’ ultimatum to Pakistan to act against Taliban sanctuaries which did not work despite intensified drone strikes in Pakistan. Soon, Trump did another U-turn: embraced Pakistan, criticised India for doing five minutes of work like building libraries in Afghanistan and sought an exit by appointing Zalmay Khalilzad as an interlocutor with Taliban to work out an exit deal. So far according to the US, four issues have been discussed – US withdrawal from Afghanistan; Taliban pledge that Afghanistan will not become a base for Al Qaeda and its affiliates for attacks on the US and its allies; ceasefire and composition of a future Afghan government including direct talks between Taliban and Kabul. The Taliban says only two issues constitute the framework accord. Equally pressing problems like interim government, elections, constitution, exchange of prisoners and lifting the ban on Taliban leaders are also to be addressed. This kind of peace and reconciliation talks are called talking while fighting or vice versa as a conventional peace process is sequenced roughly like this: ceasefire; disarmament (integration of armies and arms); constitutional arrangements; and elections. The presidential elections have been postponed from April to July to September and maybe indefinitely to accommodate the Taliban. Similarly, the results of the October 2018 parliamentary elections delayed by two years have not been finalised. Conspicuously, the Afghan government has been kept out of the loop in the present US-Taliban series of engagements, making a mockery of the much-touted peace process being Afghan-owned and Afghan-led. This reflects the urgency Trump attaches to a quick troop withdrawal - half the 14,000 soldiers before the end of the year before his re-election bid and the remainder within two to three years. The US and Afghanistan have signed in 2012 a Strategic Partnership Agreement according to which, America will not abandon the country militarily or financially for years after 2014 which was the US deadline for foreign forces withdrawal. Then in 2014, a bilateral security agreement was signed that provides US troops access to military bases like Bagram and Kandahar in Afghanistan upto 2024 and beyond. Will Trump forsake the retention of strategic assets in Afghanistan? Is this being kept under wraps? If the mercurial Trump were to pull out like he reportedly announced recently from Syria and Afghanistan – both denied and later and modified – it could prove catastrophic. The Mattis exit was catalysed by this decision setting the cat among the pigeons in the region. James Dobbins, a former US envoy to Afghanistan, fears it could lead to a civil war – back to 1996? Probably not. Gen Kenneth Mackenzie of CENTCOM has said Afghan National Security Forces will dissolve without US support. In 2014, a report published by Special Inspector General Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) had made the assessment that ANSF would be capable of resisting Taliban independently after December 2014 when International Security Assistance Forces combat role ended but would require US air support and assistance in casualty evacuation. When Konduz became the first provincial capital to fall to Taliban in 2014, all hell broke loose in Pentagon, sparking the fear of a strategic collapse. With the Taliban staging spectacular suicide attacks and enhancing their territorial control (only 54 per cent of 407 districts were under control/influence of government in October 2018 against 72 per cent in November 2005). ANSF casualties are averaging 120 to 130 a month with complete companies capitulating. Instead of correcting the deficiency of unprepared ANSF in the lead since December 2014, US is considering further cuts and exit. In mid-2009, President Obama had observed that if Afghanistan falls to Taliban it will once again become an Al Qaeda base. On 2 January 2019, unpredictable Trump made the following convoluted observation on Afghanistan. ‘Pakistan is there…it should be fighting. But Russia should be fighting too, to prevent terrorists from going to Russia…and India….Why are we there. And we’re 6000 miles away !’ The Afghans are convinced that Taliban pumped by Pakistan is taking the US for a royal ride. NSA Hamdullah Mohib, addressing UNSC last month, criticised the US peace process, especially Khalilzad stressing: ‘peace at any cost is not acceptable’. Former intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh, has doubts about the sincerity of the Taliban, adding it did not represent the Afghan people but Pakistan. Will Trump spring a surprise by ordering a hasty withdrawal or put in place, a mechanism that ensures that the gains of the last 17 years under US leadership are preserved? India has been outpaced by developments in Afghanistan mainly due to an impetuous Trump. Army Chief, Gen Bipin Rawat’s advice to engage the Taliban even at this late stage, has been ignored. A backchannel should have been started in 2014-15 after the Konduz debacle. India must update its contingency plans to prevent the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul by force and protect its strategic assets including 5000 Indians. India’s only foreign air base at Ayni in Tajikistan where 100 IAF personnel and engineers are located, must be factored for utilisation after consultations with Russia which has the last word on its use. Since 2002, India’s right of use has been unclear and combat aircraft have never been stationed there. The Chinese have lately acquired a military base in Tajikistan with its troops operating in the Wakhan corridor. The present government has made national security its prime election issue acting boldly against Pakistan and China but losing sight of Afghanistan.. India’s diminution in Afghanistan will be a jolt to its prestige and image in the region. For Khalilzad though finding all the pieces to fit into the peace and reconciliation puzzle will be an uphill task and could take time, even as strategic patience is not a virtue Trump is blessed with. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Afghan peace talks: India must update its contingency plans to prevent Taliban’s takeover of Kabul

The British Army said on Wednesday it is investigating after a video emerged showing soldiers on a shooting range firing at a picture of opposition <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-opposition-leader-corbyn-allegedly-calls-pm-theresa-may-stupid-woman-185370">Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn</a>.

The 26 seconds of footage shared on social media, reportedly recorded in Afghanistan, shows four army personnel shooting at an image of the veteran left-wing leader.

"We are aware of a video circulating on social media," an army spokesperson said.

"This behaviour is totally unacceptable and falls well below the high standards the Army expects.

"A full investigation has been launched."

A Labour Party spokesperson said: "This behaviour is alarming and unacceptable. We have confidence in the Ministry of Defence to investigate and act on this incident".

Britain's Press Association said it understood the soldiers had fired a non-lethal hardened wax substance instead of metal bullets at the Corbyn image, which is pockmarked in the footage.

It said the incident is believed to have taken place in the past few days and involved soldiers from the army's 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment.

The range is on a compound in Kabul where personnel practice "guardian angel" drills protecting VIPs, according to Sky News.

Images of celebrities feature at the site, but for use as targets to be protected rather than shot at, it added.

"If authentic this is unacceptable," junior defence minister Tobias Ellwood said on Twitter, vowing that he was "looking into it".

Corbyn, 69, a leftist stalwart, is a reviled figure among many British Conservatives and right-wingers who label him a Marxist.

A low-level fixture of British politics for four decades, he unexpectedly took control of the Labour Party in 2015 on a proudly socialist programme.

A proclaimed pacifist, Corbyn has promised to make "conflict resolution and human rights" central to Britain's foreign policy if he took power, and to be "guided by the values of peace, universal rights and international law".

The British Army said on Wednesday it is investigating after a video emerged showing soldiers on a shooting range firing at a picture of opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

The British Army said on Wednesday it is investigating after a video emerged showing soldiers on a shooting range firing at a picture of opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. The 26 seconds of footage shared on social media, reportedly recorded in Afghanistan, shows four army personnel shooting at an image of the veteran left-wing leader. "We are aware of a video circulating on social media," an army spokesperson said. "This behaviour is totally unacceptable and falls well below the high standards the Army expects. "A full investigation has been launched." A Labour Party spokesperson said: "This behaviour is alarming and unacceptable. We have confidence in the Ministry of Defence to investigate and act on this incident". Britain's Press Association said it understood the soldiers had fired a non-lethal hardened wax substance instead of metal bullets at the Corbyn image, which is pockmarked in the footage. It said the incident is believed to have taken place in the past few days and involved soldiers from the army's 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment. The range is on a compound in Kabul where personnel practice "guardian angel" drills protecting VIPs, according to Sky News. Images of celebrities feature at the site, but for use as targets to be protected rather than shot at, it added. "If authentic this is unacceptable," junior defence minister Tobias Ellwood said on Twitter, vowing that he was "looking into it". Corbyn, 69, a leftist stalwart, is a reviled figure among many British Conservatives and right-wingers who label him a Marxist. A low-level fixture of British politics for four decades, he unexpectedly took control of the Labour Party in 2015 on a proudly socialist programme. A proclaimed pacifist, Corbyn has promised to make "conflict resolution and human rights" central to Britain's foreign policy if he took power, and to be "guided by the values of peace, universal rights and international law".

UK soldiers used Labour leader photo for target practice? Army says it's probing

Swapping Kalashnikovs for bat and pads: Taliban's cricket connection

India and Moscow have discussed the evolving situation in Afghanistan among other things during their Foreign Office Consultations held in Russia. &nbsp;Indian foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale was in Moscow from 1st to 2nd April and meet both the Russian deputy foreign ministers — Igor Morgulov and Sergey Ryabkov.

Last year, India participated at Moscow talks on Afghanistan unofficially by sending two former envoys-- Former Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Amar Sinha &amp; Former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan TCA Raghavan. Taliban was also present in the meet. New Delhi is in touch with Russia, China, Iran and Central Asian countries regarding the Afghan peace process.

The discussions with the Russians come&nbsp;days after Foreign Secretary met United State's special envoy on Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad in Washington and discussed the Afghan peace process. New Delhi has told Washinton that the existing elected political structure in Afghanistan should continue and not replaced by an interim administration. &nbsp;

In a release, the ministry of external affairs said, "Foreign Secretary’s meetings were in-depth and productive, characteristic of the Special &amp; Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia. The meetings resulted in enhanced mutual convergence and coordination of views on all major regional and international issues in the spirit of long-standing and time-tested friendship between India and Russia."

Other than Afghanistan, both sides also discussed India’s participation in the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in September this year, India's Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership and counter-terrorism.&nbsp;

The Russian foreign ministry in its release said," parties noted with satisfaction the ongoing development of Russia-India special privileged strategic partnership, the common approach of two states to the current global and regional challenges, including the creation of security architecture and equal cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and counter-terrorism."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take part in Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok during this phone call earlier this year. Russian President Putin and PM Modi have spoken two times this year. First on January 1 on the occasion of New Year and February 2 to 27 &nbsp;in which President Putin expressed his deep condolences on the Pulwama terrorist attack. A 2nd informal summit between India and Russia is expected to happen this year. The first happened last year in Sochi, Russia.

India and Moscow have discussed the evolving situation in Afghanistan among other things during their Foreign Office Consultations held in Russia. Indian foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale was in Moscow from 1st to 2nd April and meet both the Russian deputy foreign ministers — Igor Morgulov and Sergey Ryabkov.

India and Moscow have discussed the evolving situation in Afghanistan among other things during their Foreign Office Consultations held in Russia. Indian foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale was in Moscow from 1st to 2nd April and meet both the Russian deputy foreign ministers — Igor Morgulov and Sergey Ryabkov. Last year, India participated at Moscow talks on Afghanistan unofficially by sending two former envoys-- Former Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Amar Sinha & Former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan TCA Raghavan. Taliban was also present in the meet. New Delhi is in touch with Russia, China, Iran and Central Asian countries regarding the Afghan peace process. The discussions with the Russians come days after Foreign Secretary met United State's special envoy on Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad in Washington and discussed the Afghan peace process. New Delhi has told Washinton that the existing elected political structure in Afghanistan should continue and not replaced by an interim administration. In a release, the ministry of external affairs said, "Foreign Secretary’s meetings were in-depth and productive, characteristic of the Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia. The meetings resulted in enhanced mutual convergence and coordination of views on all major regional and international issues in the spirit of long-standing and time-tested friendship between India and Russia." Other than Afghanistan, both sides also discussed India’s participation in the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in September this year, India's Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership and counter-terrorism. The Russian foreign ministry in its release said," parties noted with satisfaction the ongoing development of Russia-India special privileged strategic partnership, the common approach of two states to the current global and regional challenges, including the creation of security architecture and equal cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and counter-terrorism." Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take part in Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok during this phone call earlier this year. Russian President Putin and PM Modi have spoken two times this year. First on January 1 on the occasion of New Year and February 2 to 27 in which President Putin expressed his deep condolences on the Pulwama terrorist attack. A 2nd informal summit between India and Russia is expected to happen this year. The first happened last year in Sochi, Russia.

India, Russia discuss situation in Afghanistan

During a lull in Afghanistan's never-ending war, before the fighting season resumes once again in the spring, Taliban fighters recall laying down their Kalashnikovs and, for a brief moment, enjoying a game of cricket.

The sport is the only one most of the fighters enjoy, commanders say, with matches attracting hundreds of spectators from Taliban-controlled villages when there is no fighting. They are also fans of the increasingly successful national team.

"I love cricket," said Mullah Badruddin, a Taliban commander in Khogyani district of Nangarhar, on the border with Pakistan, where a tournament organised by the militants at the start of last winter drew large crowds.

"When Afghanistan play against another team, we listen to the radio with great interest and we also check for scores in social media and follow those in Facebook who give live updates," he told Reuters by telephone.

First played in Afghanistan by British troops in the 19th Century, the game was adopted by Afghans in the refugee camps of cricket-loving Pakistan, where more than 3 million fled a Soviet invasion and civil war in the 1980s and 1990s, and has since made huge strides in the country, particularly among ethnic Pashtuns in the eastern border provinces.

Taj Malook Khan, who helped set up the Afghan Cricket Club in Kacha Gari refugee camp outside the Pakistani city of Peshawar in the 1980s, and a small group of players used to cross into Afghanistan during the 1990s Taliban era to play and promote cricket.

The Taliban had banned games such as cricket and football in the early years of their austere rule because they believed they kept men away from prayers, according to former national cricketer Hasti Gul, but later became more tolerant of cricket.

From there, despite at least two attacks in the past couple of years on cricket matches claimed by the ultra-radical Islamic State group, the game now rivals football for popularity in a country that has long been cut off from international sport.

STAR NAMES

Admitted as a full member of the International Cricket Council in 2017, Afghanistan won its first five-day Test match against Ireland last month after making steady progress in the lower levels of the international game.

However, it is in the dynamic, shorter form of the sport that Afghans have had most impact.

Players such as spin bowler Rashid Khan or big hitting batsman Mohammad Nabi Esakhil have become undisputed stars of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the razzle-dazzle showcase of so-called T20 cricket, the 12th season of which has just got underway.

Despite the Taliban's former suspicion of organised sports and their opposition to much of the transformation in Afghanistan since their hardline Islamic regime was toppled in 2001, many of the mainly Pashtun movement's fighters are fans.

Unlike football, which offends the sensibilities of some very conservative Muslims because it is normally played in shorts, cricket is played in long sleeves and trousers, in line with traditional dress codes. It also bears some resemblance to traditional Afghan children's games involving throwing and using sticks to hit smaller sticks or balls.

Karim Sadiq, a former batsman in the national team and an early pioneer of the sport who visited some Taliban-controlled areas in eastern Afghanistan this year, said he was mobbed by fighters asking about the game and their favourite players.

A video clip he shot on his mobile phone shows dozens of Taliban, many with Kalashnikov automatic rifles slung across their shoulders, dissecting the quality of the team.

"I like all the players but my favourite is Rashid Khan Arman," says one fighter, referring to the young spin bowler who stars for the Afghan national side and IPL's Sunrisers Hyderabad. "His bowling is amazing."

WORLD CUP DREAM

With the approach of the cricket World Cup in England and Wales from May to July, Afghanistan's hopes of making a dent in the tournament are higher than they have ever been, even if few give them a chance against giants of the game such as India, Australia or England.

"We have a very strong team and my dream is Afghanistan bring the World Cup home," said Hazrat Gul, a young cricketer in the eastern city of Jalalabad, as he prepared to play a friendly match against a team from neighbouring Kunar province.

As peace talks between the US government and Taliban officials continue and Afghanistan looks for a way out of 40 years of conflict, excitement is building and officials and government ministers lavish praise on the players, whom President Ashraf Ghani has called national heroes.

From the other side of the war, the feeling is similar. Sadiq who has just returned to practice after a long injury, aiming to take part in the upcoming World Cup, said the Taliban usually send them congratulatory messages through social media and on his cellphone when Afghanistan win.

Such broad appeal has seen the sport widely hailed as a unifying force in Afghanistan, a patchwork of different languages and cultures, sometimes at peace with each other but increasingly in recent years in conflict.

ETHNIC DIVIDES

Not everyone is on board the cricket bandwagon, however.

Look deeper, and the state of the game has much to say about a country where sport has repeatedly attracted violence, including suicide attacks on cricket and wrestling matches, and where politics is increasingly divided along ethnic lines that shade into all aspects of life.

For many Persian-speaking Tajiks and Hazaras, cricket is a sport for Pashtuns, the dominant ethnic group from the south and east of the country that has provided almost all kings and presidents throughout Afghan history.

"I have no interest and don't know anything about cricket," said Ahmad Jawad, a shopkeeper in Parwan, a mainly Tajik province north of Kabul. "It's a Pashtun game with Pashtun players, so let them enjoy their game."

After the Taliban fell following the U.S.-led campaign of 2001, Sadiq and Gul - brothers who, like many teammates, learned their cricket in Pakistan - and other players struggled to convince Tajik commanders from the victorious Northern Alliance that swept into Kabul to allow them to continue playing the game.

"Palace officials told us to join Afghan guard units and forget about cricket," said Gul, who recalled having to cancel a provincial tournament in Kabul in 2005 after losing a fistfight with soccer players who wanted to use the pitch.

Now, with the IPL beamed into homes all over the country and the looming World Cup, he feels change is coming and the sport can give Afghanistan a platform no other can equal, one that offers hope for a more normal future after so many years of war.

"We literally had no support from the government for so many years before they have realized we could bring glory to our country," he said. "Now everyone loves cricket and we are so proud to raise our national flag on the world stage."

During a lull in Afghanistan's never-ending war, before the fighting season resumes once again in the spring, Taliban fighters recall laying down their Kalashnikovs and, for a brief moment, enjoying a game of cricket.

During a lull in Afghanistan's never-ending war, before the fighting season resumes once again in the spring, Taliban fighters recall laying down their Kalashnikovs and, for a brief moment, enjoying a game of cricket. The sport is the only one most of the fighters enjoy, commanders say, with matches attracting hundreds of spectators from Taliban-controlled villages when there is no fighting. They are also fans of the increasingly successful national team. "I love cricket," said Mullah Badruddin, a Taliban commander in Khogyani district of Nangarhar, on the border with Pakistan, where a tournament organised by the militants at the start of last winter drew large crowds. "When Afghanistan play against another team, we listen to the radio with great interest and we also check for scores in social media and follow those in Facebook who give live updates," he told Reuters by telephone. First played in Afghanistan by British troops in the 19th Century, the game was adopted by Afghans in the refugee camps of cricket-loving Pakistan, where more than 3 million fled a Soviet invasion and civil war in the 1980s and 1990s, and has since made huge strides in the country, particularly among ethnic Pashtuns in the eastern border provinces. Taj Malook Khan, who helped set up the Afghan Cricket Club in Kacha Gari refugee camp outside the Pakistani city of Peshawar in the 1980s, and a small group of players used to cross into Afghanistan during the 1990s Taliban era to play and promote cricket. The Taliban had banned games such as cricket and football in the early years of their austere rule because they believed they kept men away from prayers, according to former national cricketer Hasti Gul, but later became more tolerant of cricket. From there, despite at least two attacks in the past couple of years on cricket matches claimed by the ultra-radical Islamic State group, the game now rivals football for popularity in a country that has long been cut off from international sport. STAR NAMES Admitted as a full member of the International Cricket Council in 2017, Afghanistan won its first five-day Test match against Ireland last month after making steady progress in the lower levels of the international game. However, it is in the dynamic, shorter form of the sport that Afghans have had most impact. Players such as spin bowler Rashid Khan or big hitting batsman Mohammad Nabi Esakhil have become undisputed stars of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the razzle-dazzle showcase of so-called T20 cricket, the 12th season of which has just got underway. Despite the Taliban's former suspicion of organised sports and their opposition to much of the transformation in Afghanistan since their hardline Islamic regime was toppled in 2001, many of the mainly Pashtun movement's fighters are fans. Unlike football, which offends the sensibilities of some very conservative Muslims because it is normally played in shorts, cricket is played in long sleeves and trousers, in line with traditional dress codes. It also bears some resemblance to traditional Afghan children's games involving throwing and using sticks to hit smaller sticks or balls. Karim Sadiq, a former batsman in the national team and an early pioneer of the sport who visited some Taliban-controlled areas in eastern Afghanistan this year, said he was mobbed by fighters asking about the game and their favourite players. A video clip he shot on his mobile phone shows dozens of Taliban, many with Kalashnikov automatic rifles slung across their shoulders, dissecting the quality of the team. "I like all the players but my favourite is Rashid Khan Arman," says one fighter, referring to the young spin bowler who stars for the Afghan national side and IPL's Sunrisers Hyderabad. "His bowling is amazing." WORLD CUP DREAM With the approach of the cricket World Cup in England and Wales from May to July, Afghanistan's hopes of making a dent in the tournament are higher than they have ever been, even if few give them a chance against giants of the game such as India, Australia or England. "We have a very strong team and my dream is Afghanistan bring the World Cup home," said Hazrat Gul, a young cricketer in the eastern city of Jalalabad, as he prepared to play a friendly match against a team from neighbouring Kunar province. As peace talks between the US government and Taliban officials continue and Afghanistan looks for a way out of 40 years of conflict, excitement is building and officials and government ministers lavish praise on the players, whom President Ashraf Ghani has called national heroes. From the other side of the war, the feeling is similar. Sadiq who has just returned to practice after a long injury, aiming to take part in the upcoming World Cup, said the Taliban usually send them congratulatory messages through social media and on his cellphone when Afghanistan win. Such broad appeal has seen the sport widely hailed as a unifying force in Afghanistan, a patchwork of different languages and cultures, sometimes at peace with each other but increasingly in recent years in conflict. ETHNIC DIVIDES Not everyone is on board the cricket bandwagon, however. Look deeper, and the state of the game has much to say about a country where sport has repeatedly attracted violence, including suicide attacks on cricket and wrestling matches, and where politics is increasingly divided along ethnic lines that shade into all aspects of life. For many Persian-speaking Tajiks and Hazaras, cricket is a sport for Pashtuns, the dominant ethnic group from the south and east of the country that has provided almost all kings and presidents throughout Afghan history. "I have no interest and don't know anything about cricket," said Ahmad Jawad, a shopkeeper in Parwan, a mainly Tajik province north of Kabul. "It's a Pashtun game with Pashtun players, so let them enjoy their game." After the Taliban fell following the U.S.-led campaign of 2001, Sadiq and Gul - brothers who, like many teammates, learned their cricket in Pakistan - and other players struggled to convince Tajik commanders from the victorious Northern Alliance that swept into Kabul to allow them to continue playing the game. "Palace officials told us to join Afghan guard units and forget about cricket," said Gul, who recalled having to cancel a provincial tournament in Kabul in 2005 after losing a fistfight with soccer players who wanted to use the pitch. Now, with the IPL beamed into homes all over the country and the looming World Cup, he feels change is coming and the sport can give Afghanistan a platform no other can equal, one that offers hope for a more normal future after so many years of war. "We literally had no support from the government for so many years before they have realized we could bring glory to our country," he said. "Now everyone loves cricket and we are so proud to raise our national flag on the world stage."

Swapping Kalashnikovs for bat and pads: Afghan cricket, the Taliban and peace

35 dead as heavy rain, flood hits Afghanistan

Villagers in western Afghanistan began cleaning up Sunday after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/flash-floods-kill-at-least-35-in-afghanistan-officials-206798">worst floods in a decade</a> swept away houses and forced many families -- already displaced by drought -- to abandon damaged homes.

Heavy rains that started early Friday and continued for two days caused flash floods in at least five provinces in western and northern parts of Afghanistan, killing at least 35 people.&nbsp;

Aside from washing away houses, the floods destroyed some internally displaced people's shelters and cut off access to remote villages across several parts of the country.

In Herat province in the west, at least 10 districts and some parts of Herat city were affected.

Video footage from Herat province showed crumpled cars buried deep in mud, collapsed walls, mud houses strewn with debris, fallen trees and people trying to rescue whatever was left of their property from the mud.

"We have lost everything here and have nothing left to survive on," Bibi Gul, a resident of Herat who had lost her house, told AFP.

Fazel Ahmad, another resident, described a similar sense of loss.

"Cows, sheep and even our pigeons are under the debris," Ahmad said.&nbsp;

Mohammad Hanif Arbabzada said about 80 per cent of the houses in his village were destroyed.

In all, more than 3,000 houses were either partially or completely destroyed, according to Hashmat Bahaduri, a spokesman for Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority.

Heavy snowfall across large swathes of Afghanistan this winter raised fears of severe flooding as spring approaches, following years of devastating drought.

Earlier this month, at least 20 people were killed by flash floods caused by heavy rains that swept away thousands of homes and vehicles in southern Kandahar province.

&nbsp;

Villagers in western Afghanistan began cleaning up Sunday after the worst floods in a decade swept away houses and forced many families -- already displaced by drought -- to abandon damaged homes.

Villagers in western Afghanistan began cleaning up Sunday after the worst floods in a decade swept away houses and forced many families -- already displaced by drought -- to abandon damaged homes. Heavy rains that started early Friday and continued for two days caused flash floods in at least five provinces in western and northern parts of Afghanistan, killing at least 35 people. Aside from washing away houses, the floods destroyed some internally displaced people's shelters and cut off access to remote villages across several parts of the country. In Herat province in the west, at least 10 districts and some parts of Herat city were affected. Video footage from Herat province showed crumpled cars buried deep in mud, collapsed walls, mud houses strewn with debris, fallen trees and people trying to rescue whatever was left of their property from the mud. "We have lost everything here and have nothing left to survive on," Bibi Gul, a resident of Herat who had lost her house, told AFP. Fazel Ahmad, another resident, described a similar sense of loss. "Cows, sheep and even our pigeons are under the debris," Ahmad said. Mohammad Hanif Arbabzada said about 80 per cent of the houses in his village were destroyed. In all, more than 3,000 houses were either partially or completely destroyed, according to Hashmat Bahaduri, a spokesman for Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority. Heavy snowfall across large swathes of Afghanistan this winter raised fears of severe flooding as spring approaches, following years of devastating drought. Earlier this month, at least 20 people were killed by flash floods caused by heavy rains that swept away thousands of homes and vehicles in southern Kandahar province.

'We have lost everything': Afghans describe deadly floods

The first woman to win the Afghan version of American Idol says she will fight the Taliban with her music, embracing a victory rich in symbolism as her country faces an uncertain future.

Zahra Elham won the 14th edition of Afghan Star last week, after male contestants took the prize in the hugely popular televised singing competition 13 years in a row.

Elham, from Afghanistan's ethnic Hazara minority, enchanted audiences with her high-pitched, raspy voice, performing Hazara and Persian folk music in traditional loose, colourful Afghan dresses and heels.

The result made international headlines at a time when many women in the deeply patriarchal country fear their hard-won rights may come under threat as Washington, seeking a way out of the war, holds talks with the Taliban.

Elham, who spoke to AFP in an interview at private television channel Tolo, which produces Afghan Star, appeared taken aback by her new fame more than a week on -- but determined to use it to inspire other girls.

"I was very proud of myself but at the same time shocked to be the first woman to win the contest," the young woman in her early 20s said, her hair elegantly covered with an olive green scarf, visibly still uncomfortable with a camera.&nbsp;

No one sings in her family, she said. She was inspired to compete after watching YouTube videos of idols such as Aryana Sayeed, an Afghan pop singer and social media star often likened to Kim Kardashian -- a characterisation that in conservative Afghanistan is a bold, deeply political one.

When asked if she, like Sayeed, is now a role model for Afghanistan's young women, Elham's response underscored the importance of her new platform in a country where women are largely absent from public spaces.

"Yes, my voice is important for the women of Afghanistan," she replied bluntly.

"Other girls will get courage and sing, like I have been following Aryana Sayeed ... when I saw a girl like Aryana Sayeed I thought to myself, 'If she can, so can I. She has two hands and two legs, as do I'."

'Make my future bright'

Despite her passion, Elham, who is also a Justin Bieber and Maher Zain fan, says she has no intention of going in to politics.

But if the Taliban return to some semblance of power in Afghanistan, she says, "I will fight with my music, because I want to make my life music and singing".

The Taliban used their strict interpretation of Islam to ban music and force women behind closed doors and beneath burkas during their austere rule of Afghanistan from 1996 until they were ousted in 2001.

Since then they have waged an increasingly bloody insurgency against the Afghan government and US-led international troops.

Now, as talks with the US progress, fears are sharp in Kabul that Washington may rush to exit, paving the way for the Taliban to return to some semblance of power in Afghanistan.

Young women, keenly aware of how their gender were suppressed under Taliban rule -- and still facing steep restrictions in Afghanistan today -- are among the most vocal in warning they will not compromise their rights if the insurgents return.

For now, however, Elham says her victory is a matter of pride -- and that she remains focused on her music, with plans to learn the guitar and make more video clips of herself performing.

"I see my future in music, and I can make my future bright with singing," she says.

The first woman to win the Afghan version of American Idol says she will fight the Taliban with her music, embracing a victory rich in symbolism as her country faces an uncertain future.

The first woman to win the Afghan version of American Idol says she will fight the Taliban with her music, embracing a victory rich in symbolism as her country faces an uncertain future. Zahra Elham won the 14th edition of Afghan Star last week, after male contestants took the prize in the hugely popular televised singing competition 13 years in a row. Elham, from Afghanistan's ethnic Hazara minority, enchanted audiences with her high-pitched, raspy voice, performing Hazara and Persian folk music in traditional loose, colourful Afghan dresses and heels. The result made international headlines at a time when many women in the deeply patriarchal country fear their hard-won rights may come under threat as Washington, seeking a way out of the war, holds talks with the Taliban. Elham, who spoke to AFP in an interview at private television channel Tolo, which produces Afghan Star, appeared taken aback by her new fame more than a week on -- but determined to use it to inspire other girls. "I was very proud of myself but at the same time shocked to be the first woman to win the contest," the young woman in her early 20s said, her hair elegantly covered with an olive green scarf, visibly still uncomfortable with a camera. No one sings in her family, she said. She was inspired to compete after watching YouTube videos of idols such as Aryana Sayeed, an Afghan pop singer and social media star often likened to Kim Kardashian -- a characterisation that in conservative Afghanistan is a bold, deeply political one. When asked if she, like Sayeed, is now a role model for Afghanistan's young women, Elham's response underscored the importance of her new platform in a country where women are largely absent from public spaces. "Yes, my voice is important for the women of Afghanistan," she replied bluntly. "Other girls will get courage and sing, like I have been following Aryana Sayeed ... when I saw a girl like Aryana Sayeed I thought to myself, 'If she can, so can I. She has two hands and two legs, as do I'." 'Make my future bright' Despite her passion, Elham, who is also a Justin Bieber and Maher Zain fan, says she has no intention of going in to politics. But if the Taliban return to some semblance of power in Afghanistan, she says, "I will fight with my music, because I want to make my life music and singing". The Taliban used their strict interpretation of Islam to ban music and force women behind closed doors and beneath burkas during their austere rule of Afghanistan from 1996 until they were ousted in 2001. Since then they have waged an increasingly bloody insurgency against the Afghan government and US-led international troops. Now, as talks with the US progress, fears are sharp in Kabul that Washington may rush to exit, paving the way for the Taliban to return to some semblance of power in Afghanistan. Young women, keenly aware of how their gender were suppressed under Taliban rule -- and still facing steep restrictions in Afghanistan today -- are among the most vocal in warning they will not compromise their rights if the insurgents return. For now, however, Elham says her victory is a matter of pride -- and that she remains focused on her music, with plans to learn the guitar and make more video clips of herself performing. "I see my future in music, and I can make my future bright with singing," she says.

First woman to win 'Afghan Star' TV show to fight Taliban with music

Academy Award-winning actress and refugee activist Angelina Jolie pushed for the inclusion of women in peace talks to end the conflict in Afghanistan during an address to ministers and diplomats at the United Nations on Friday.

Peace talks between US and Taliban officials began late last year. However, some women fear the freedoms eked out since US-backed Afghan forces overthrew the Taliban in 2001 could slide backwards, and complain their voices are being sidelined.

"In Afghanistan thousands of women have recently come together in public risking their lives to ask that their rights and the rights of their children be guaranteed in peace negotiations that so far they have been allow no part of," Jolie told a ministerial meeting on UN peacekeeping.

"The international community's silent response is alarming to say the least," said Jolie, a special envoy for the UN refugee agency UNHCR, which she began working with 18 years ago. "There can be no peace or stability in Afghanistan or anywhere else in the world that involves trading away the rights of women."

While the Taliban has said in official statements they might consider more liberal policies towards women, their chief negotiator has said the constitution, which protects women's rights, is an obstacle to peace, said the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction on Thursday.

Jolie also touted the importance of a United States that is "part of an international community," after a retreat by US President Donald Trump from US agencies and global agreements that has some countries concerned about his commitment to multilateralism.

"I'm a patriot, I love my country and I want to see it thrive. I also believe in an America that is part of an international community. Countries working together on equal footing is how we reduce the risk of conflict," she said.

"A country that believes that all men and women are born free and equal cannot be true to itself if it doesn't defend those principles for all people, wherever they live," she said.

Academy Award-winning actress and refugee activist Angelina Jolie pushed for the inclusion of women in peace talks to end the conflict in Afghanistan during an address to ministers and diplomats at the United Nations on Friday.

Academy Award-winning actress and refugee activist Angelina Jolie pushed for the inclusion of women in peace talks to end the conflict in Afghanistan during an address to ministers and diplomats at the United Nations on Friday. Peace talks between US and Taliban officials began late last year. However, some women fear the freedoms eked out since US-backed Afghan forces overthrew the Taliban in 2001 could slide backwards, and complain their voices are being sidelined. "In Afghanistan thousands of women have recently come together in public risking their lives to ask that their rights and the rights of their children be guaranteed in peace negotiations that so far they have been allow no part of," Jolie told a ministerial meeting on UN peacekeeping. "The international community's silent response is alarming to say the least," said Jolie, a special envoy for the UN refugee agency UNHCR, which she began working with 18 years ago. "There can be no peace or stability in Afghanistan or anywhere else in the world that involves trading away the rights of women." While the Taliban has said in official statements they might consider more liberal policies towards women, their chief negotiator has said the constitution, which protects women's rights, is an obstacle to peace, said the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction on Thursday. Jolie also touted the importance of a United States that is "part of an international community," after a retreat by US President Donald Trump from US agencies and global agreements that has some countries concerned about his commitment to multilateralism. "I'm a patriot, I love my country and I want to see it thrive. I also believe in an America that is part of an international community. Countries working together on equal footing is how we reduce the risk of conflict," she said. "A country that believes that all men and women are born free and equal cannot be true to itself if it doesn't defend those principles for all people, wherever they live," she said.

Angelina Jolie pushes for women to be part of Afghan peace talks

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.

Attackers ambushed Dostum's convoy on the way from Mazar-i-Sharif, a city in Balkh province, to Jawzjan province in northern Afghanistan, said Bashir Ahmad Tayenj, spokesman for Dostum's Junbish Party. Two other bodyguards were wounded.

Dostum was aware of a planned attack but decided to travel anyway, the spokesman added.

No group took immediate responsibility for the apparent assassination attempt, which comes eight months after Dostum avoided injury in a suicide bombing at Kabul airport.

The attack, which was claimed by Islamic State, took place as he returned home from more than a year in exile in Turkey over allegations of torturing and abusing a political rival.

Dostum had left Afghanistan after heavy pressure from Western donors including the United States.

Less than a year since his return, the general remains a significant, if polarizing, political figure. His Junbish Party is supported mainly by his fellow ethnic Uzbeks.

Dostum has joined the election team of Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, one of several contenders in a presidential election scheduled for September 28.

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.

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. Attackers ambushed Dostum's convoy on the way from Mazar-i-Sharif, a city in Balkh province, to Jawzjan province in northern Afghanistan, said Bashir Ahmad Tayenj, spokesman for Dostum's Junbish Party. Two other bodyguards were wounded. Dostum was aware of a planned attack but decided to travel anyway, the spokesman added. No group took immediate responsibility for the apparent assassination attempt, which comes eight months after Dostum avoided injury in a suicide bombing at Kabul airport. The attack, which was claimed by Islamic State, took place as he returned home from more than a year in exile in Turkey over allegations of torturing and abusing a political rival. Dostum had left Afghanistan after heavy pressure from Western donors including the United States. Less than a year since his return, the general remains a significant, if polarizing, political figure. His Junbish Party is supported mainly by his fellow ethnic Uzbeks. Dostum has joined the election team of Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, one of several contenders in a presidential election scheduled for September 28.

Afghan vice president narrowly escapes death for a second time

Flash floods caused by heavy rains have killed at least 35 people in Afghanistan, washing away houses and cutting off access to remote villages across parts of the country, officials said Saturday.

Heavy flooding that started early Friday killed at least 12 people in the northern province of Faryab and 10 people in the western province of Herat, said Hashmat Bahaduri, a spokesman for Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA).

Eight people were killed in Badghis province in the west and five in Balkh province in the north, Bahaduri told AFP, adding that more than 3,000 houses had been destroyed.

In Herat, 10 districts and some parts of Herat city were impacted, said Jailani Farhad, spokesman for the province's governor.

"Hundreds of houses have been destroyed and thousands displaced," he said.

Mir Gulabuddin Miri, director of the Afghan Red Crescent in Herat, said access to some areas had been cut off, preventing teams from reaching affected people.

"The destruction is huge. Over 12 areas in the province have been badly hit, people have lost their houses. We've only been able to provide them with some food and blankets so far," he said.

Aid workers in the northern provinces of Faryab and Balkh have also been struggling to deliver humanitarian assistance to affected families.

"We have dispatched our food and non-food assistance for the affected families, but the scale of the disaster is massive. We need more humanitarian assistance," an ANDMA spokesman in northern Afghanistan told AFP.

Rescue and aid delivery efforts after disasters such as avalanches and flash floods -- which often hit as snow melts in the spring -- are frequently hampered by a lack of equipment in Afghanistan.

Poor infrastructure also makes it difficult for aid workers to reach isolated areas.

Earlier this month, at least 20 people were killed by flash floods caused by heavy rains that swept away thousands of homes and vehicles in southern Kandahar province.

Flash floods caused by heavy rains have killed at least 35 people in Afghanistan, washing away houses and cutting off access to remote villages across parts of the country, officials said Saturday.

Flash floods caused by heavy rains have killed at least 35 people in Afghanistan, washing away houses and cutting off access to remote villages across parts of the country, officials said Saturday. Heavy flooding that started early Friday killed at least 12 people in the northern province of Faryab and 10 people in the western province of Herat, said Hashmat Bahaduri, a spokesman for Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA). Eight people were killed in Badghis province in the west and five in Balkh province in the north, Bahaduri told AFP, adding that more than 3,000 houses had been destroyed. In Herat, 10 districts and some parts of Herat city were impacted, said Jailani Farhad, spokesman for the province's governor. "Hundreds of houses have been destroyed and thousands displaced," he said. Mir Gulabuddin Miri, director of the Afghan Red Crescent in Herat, said access to some areas had been cut off, preventing teams from reaching affected people. "The destruction is huge. Over 12 areas in the province have been badly hit, people have lost their houses. We've only been able to provide them with some food and blankets so far," he said. Aid workers in the northern provinces of Faryab and Balkh have also been struggling to deliver humanitarian assistance to affected families. "We have dispatched our food and non-food assistance for the affected families, but the scale of the disaster is massive. We need more humanitarian assistance," an ANDMA spokesman in northern Afghanistan told AFP. Rescue and aid delivery efforts after disasters such as avalanches and flash floods -- which often hit as snow melts in the spring -- are frequently hampered by a lack of equipment in Afghanistan. Poor infrastructure also makes it difficult for aid workers to reach isolated areas. Earlier this month, at least 20 people were killed by flash floods caused by heavy rains that swept away thousands of homes and vehicles in southern Kandahar province.

Flash floods kill at least 35 in Afghanistan: Officials

Heavy rains caused flash floods in western Afghanistan that killed at least 17 people, destroying homes and sweeping through makeshift shelters that housed displaced families, a government official said on Saturday.

The floods, which started on Thursday, worsen an already desperate situation. Hundreds of thousands of people are displaced in western Afghanistan from last year's severe drought. Floods in early March caused further destruction and put this year's wheat harvest at risk.

A spokesman for Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority said two people had been killed in Herat, but officials there but the death toll higher. Dr. Abdul Hakim Tamana, head of public health for the province, said eight people were killed and nine injured.

Floods have destroyed hundreds of homes, some historic sites, thousands of acres of farmland, bridges and highways, said Jilani Farhad, a spokesman for Herat province. Aid organization World Vision said in a statement it appeared tens of thousands of Afghans were affected. Some Badghis residents were calling it the worst storm in 20 years, it said.

Heavy rains caused flash floods in western Afghanistan that killed at least 17 people, destroying homes and sweeping through makeshift shelters that housed displaced families, a government official said on Saturday.

Heavy rains caused flash floods in western Afghanistan that killed at least 17 people, destroying homes and sweeping through makeshift shelters that housed displaced families, a government official said on Saturday. The floods, which started on Thursday, worsen an already desperate situation. Hundreds of thousands of people are displaced in western Afghanistan from last year's severe drought. Floods in early March caused further destruction and put this year's wheat harvest at risk. A spokesman for Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority said two people had been killed in Herat, but officials there but the death toll higher. Dr. Abdul Hakim Tamana, head of public health for the province, said eight people were killed and nine injured. Floods have destroyed hundreds of homes, some historic sites, thousands of acres of farmland, bridges and highways, said Jilani Farhad, a spokesman for Herat province. Aid organization World Vision said in a statement it appeared tens of thousands of Afghans were affected. Some Badghis residents were calling it the worst storm in 20 years, it said.

Afghanistan floods kill 17, worsen already desperate situation

India’s reluctance to hold talks with the Taliban in view of the latter’s increasing resurgence against the backdrop of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan is both a good example of moral principle and a bad example of faltering on realpolitik. It is all very well not to hurt the sensitivities of the Kabul government, but India cannot afford to sit idle if the Taliban eventually becomes the chief interlocutor of one of its strategically most important neighbours. India’s need to talk to them becomes even more imperative in the light of Iran’s Shia regime, despite being staunchly hostile to the extremist outfit, a Sunni dispensation, establishing an official dialogue with the Taliban.

The bigger irony is that the ‘peace’ talks between the US and the Taliban are happening against the backdrop of Afghanistan’s tortured presidential race scheduled to be held on July 20 and the Taliban’s refusal to talk to the government. Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy on Afghan reconciliation, who had six days of consecutive talks with representatives of the Taliban insurgents in Doha, Qatar early this year spoke about how the Taliban, wary of giving sole credit to the incumbent President Ashraf Ghani, whom India trusts, is averse to talking to the current Afghan government. Ghani is currently facing a line of tough contenders, some seventeen of them, challenging his bid for his second term. While Khalilzad has been given six months for Afghan peace efforts, Ghani thinks the peace plan needs at least five years. But with uncertainties looming as to who would govern Afghanistan next, the prudent course of action is to resume talks with the Taliban.

Like India’s dilemma in talking with the Taliban, Pakistan would loathe to deal with a dispensation likely to be run by moderate Pashtuns working with Tajiks, Uzbeks, and Hazaras which might be keen to forge a stronger relationship with India than with Pakistan. New Delhi had lent the northern Afghans support during their civil war with the Taliban in the late 1990s, which might prompt them to ally with India. It is not only them who dislike Pakistan; the moderate Pashtun Afghans have remained grateful for the educational and commercial opportunities India offered them, and they resented Pakistan for stirring up trouble in their landlocked nation. It is true that India would have to talk with the Taliban with the lurking and atavistic fear that the Taliban could one day serve as a proxy force to seize India’s half of the Kashmir region. But if India desists from talking to the Taliban, it would also shy away from those favouring India and waste the benefits of goodwill it had earned so meticulously with more than $3 billion invested by it since 2001, and at a great human cost.

It’s important to consider how the Taliban refused to surrender their vision even when confronted by the United States after September 11, 2001 and how, reinventing themselves as part of a broad insurgency that destabilised Afghanistan, they pledged to drive out the Americans, NATO, and their allies and restore their “Islamic Emirate.”

Having conceded that, it is prudent for India to find a mechanism to begin talks with the Taliban not when they appear as non-state actors but when they are legitimate stakeholders of the reconciliation process. Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib had already lambasted Khalilzad for “delegitimising” the Ashraf Ghani government by keeping it outside the loop. Having a pacifist worldview, New Delhi’s posture to “participate in all formats of talks which could bring peace and security in the region” would stand it in good stead. The Taliban are virtually from the Pashtun tribe, which comprises Afghanistan’s dominant ethnic group. Taliban is not one monolithic group that can prevent groups like al-Qaeda from operating or resist the emergence of a new similar terrorist group seeking to build an emirate. Due to the same reason, it is no longer subject to ISI’s machinations, having many clones and offshoots with differing loyalties, notably the Al-Khorasan and the Tehrik-e-Taliban which is a breakaway group from the original Taliban created by the Pakistan government only to become the latter’s sworn enemy as evident in the fissures between Afghan Taliban and Pakistan.

With the conflict in Afghanistan entering a critical phase, political leaders begin to recognise that all stakeholders need to engage with the Taliban to negotiate a sustainable peace. India must learn to drift with the tide.

Afghanistan is too important a country to remain outside India’s strategic bounds.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-delhi-can-t-avoid-talking-to-taliban-in-current-scenario-2734269">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

 
&nbsp;

India’s reluctance to hold talks with the Taliban in view of the latter’s increasing resurgence against the backdrop of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan is both a good example of moral principle and a bad example of faltering on realpolitik.

India’s reluctance to hold talks with the Taliban in view of the latter’s increasing resurgence against the backdrop of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan is both a good example of moral principle and a bad example of faltering on realpolitik. It is all very well not to hurt the sensitivities of the Kabul government, but India cannot afford to sit idle if the Taliban eventually becomes the chief interlocutor of one of its strategically most important neighbours. India’s need to talk to them becomes even more imperative in the light of Iran’s Shia regime, despite being staunchly hostile to the extremist outfit, a Sunni dispensation, establishing an official dialogue with the Taliban. The bigger irony is that the ‘peace’ talks between the US and the Taliban are happening against the backdrop of Afghanistan’s tortured presidential race scheduled to be held on July 20 and the Taliban’s refusal to talk to the government. Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy on Afghan reconciliation, who had six days of consecutive talks with representatives of the Taliban insurgents in Doha, Qatar early this year spoke about how the Taliban, wary of giving sole credit to the incumbent President Ashraf Ghani, whom India trusts, is averse to talking to the current Afghan government. Ghani is currently facing a line of tough contenders, some seventeen of them, challenging his bid for his second term. While Khalilzad has been given six months for Afghan peace efforts, Ghani thinks the peace plan needs at least five years. But with uncertainties looming as to who would govern Afghanistan next, the prudent course of action is to resume talks with the Taliban. Like India’s dilemma in talking with the Taliban, Pakistan would loathe to deal with a dispensation likely to be run by moderate Pashtuns working with Tajiks, Uzbeks, and Hazaras which might be keen to forge a stronger relationship with India than with Pakistan. New Delhi had lent the northern Afghans support during their civil war with the Taliban in the late 1990s, which might prompt them to ally with India. It is not only them who dislike Pakistan; the moderate Pashtun Afghans have remained grateful for the educational and commercial opportunities India offered them, and they resented Pakistan for stirring up trouble in their landlocked nation. It is true that India would have to talk with the Taliban with the lurking and atavistic fear that the Taliban could one day serve as a proxy force to seize India’s half of the Kashmir region. But if India desists from talking to the Taliban, it would also shy away from those favouring India and waste the benefits of goodwill it had earned so meticulously with more than $3 billion invested by it since 2001, and at a great human cost. It’s important to consider how the Taliban refused to surrender their vision even when confronted by the United States after September 11, 2001 and how, reinventing themselves as part of a broad insurgency that destabilised Afghanistan, they pledged to drive out the Americans, NATO, and their allies and restore their “Islamic Emirate.” Having conceded that, it is prudent for India to find a mechanism to begin talks with the Taliban not when they appear as non-state actors but when they are legitimate stakeholders of the reconciliation process. Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib had already lambasted Khalilzad for “delegitimising” the Ashraf Ghani government by keeping it outside the loop. Having a pacifist worldview, New Delhi’s posture to “participate in all formats of talks which could bring peace and security in the region” would stand it in good stead. The Taliban are virtually from the Pashtun tribe, which comprises Afghanistan’s dominant ethnic group. Taliban is not one monolithic group that can prevent groups like al-Qaeda from operating or resist the emergence of a new similar terrorist group seeking to build an emirate. Due to the same reason, it is no longer subject to ISI’s machinations, having many clones and offshoots with differing loyalties, notably the Al-Khorasan and the Tehrik-e-Taliban which is a breakaway group from the original Taliban created by the Pakistan government only to become the latter’s sworn enemy as evident in the fissures between Afghan Taliban and Pakistan. With the conflict in Afghanistan entering a critical phase, political leaders begin to recognise that all stakeholders need to engage with the Taliban to negotiate a sustainable peace. India must learn to drift with the tide. Afghanistan is too important a country to remain outside India’s strategic bounds. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

India can’t avoid talking to Taliban in current scenario

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