<p>British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson dismissed suggestions on Saturday that Britain&#39;s exit from the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as US&nbsp;president would lead to Western powers withdrawing from engagement with the rest of the world.</p>

<p>Speaking during an overnight visit to Kabul that included meetings with President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, Johnson said Britain remained committed to Afghanistan &quot;for the long haul&quot;.</p>

<p>As well as continued support for the NATO-led Resolute Support mission to train Afghan security forces, it was doing &quot;a hell of a lot&quot; for aid and development in Afghanistan, in areas like education, he said.</p>

<p>&quot;None of those will be affected by our relations with the treaties of the European Union, as you would expect,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Britain&#39;s June 23 vote for &#39;Brexit&#39; and Trump&#39;s backing for an &quot;America First&quot; foreign policy have triggered alarm among some commentators who see signs of increasing isolationism among Western powers. However Johnson, one of the leaders of the pro-Brexit camp, rejected such fears.</p>

<p>&quot;If the question is do I think that the western world is going to start withdrawing or turning in on itself, then the answer is emphatically no, I don&#39;t think so,&quot; Johnson told reporters. &quot;That certainly won&#39;t be the situation with the United Kingdom.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;We intend to be more engaged with the world, more outward-looking than ever before,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&quot;I think we&#39;ll have to see how things pan out in Washington but I think that the interest of the United States in the security and stability of this part of the world will remain fundamental.&quot;</p>

<p>Johnson visited Kabul University, where he attended a performance of a scene from Shakespeare&#39;s tragedy Macbeth in Dari, as well as the British cemetery, with its memorial to more than 450 British soldiers killed in Afghanistan.</p>

<p>He said Britain could be proud of the sacrifices and achievements of its troops, despite the deteriorating situation in areas like Helmand, now in large part under Taliban control, where more British soldiers died than in any other province.</p>

<p>&quot;No one is sitting here and pretending that things are perfect but they are better by far than they were,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&quot;There are many ways that in spite of all the difficulties and all the challenges, this place is better for the help that we have tried to give it over the years,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>(Reuters)</p>


Johnson said Britain's exit from the European Union will have no impact on its commitment with Afghanistan

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson dismissed suggestions on Saturday that Britain's exit from the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as US president would lead to Western powers withdrawing from engagement with the rest of the world. Speaking during an overnight visit to Kabul that included meetings with President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, Johnson said Britain remained committed to Afghanistan "for the long haul". As well as continued support for the NATO-led Resolute Support mission to train Afghan security forces, it was doing "a hell of a lot" for aid and development in Afghanistan, in areas like education, he said. "None of those will be affected by our relations with the treaties of the European Union, as you would expect," he said. Britain's June 23 vote for 'Brexit' and Trump's backing for an "America First" foreign policy have triggered alarm among some commentators who see signs of increasing isolationism among Western powers. However Johnson, one of the leaders of the pro-Brexit camp, rejected such fears. "If the question is do I think that the western world is going to start withdrawing or turning in on itself, then the answer is emphatically no, I don't think so," Johnson told reporters. "That certainly won't be the situation with the United Kingdom." "We intend to be more engaged with the world, more outward-looking than ever before," he said. "I think we'll have to see how things pan out in Washington but I think that the interest of the United States in the security and stability of this part of the world will remain fundamental." Johnson visited Kabul University, where he attended a performance of a scene from Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth in Dari, as well as the British cemetery, with its memorial to more than 450 British soldiers killed in Afghanistan. He said Britain could be proud of the sacrifices and achievements of its troops, despite the deteriorating situation in areas like Helmand, now in large part under Taliban control, where more British soldiers died than in any other province. "No one is sitting here and pretending that things are perfect but they are better by far than they were," he said. "There are many ways that in spite of all the difficulties and all the challenges, this place is better for the help that we have tried to give it over the years," he said. (Reuters)

In Afghanistan, Britain's Johnson sees no sign of global retreat

<p>The United States said on Tuesday that its soldiers and spies in Afghanistan are not subject&nbsp;to prosecution by the International Criminal Court, and a war crime investigation into their actions would be &ldquo;unwarranted&rdquo;.</p>

<p>ICC chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, on Monday said she is contemplating whether to launch a full-fledged investigation into allegations that US soldiers and CIA operators tortured Afghan prisoners between 2003 and 2014, news agency AFP reported.</p>

<p>However, Washington has not ratified the ICC&rsquo;s founding Rome Statute, and State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said the US investigates allegations against its personnel thoroughly, AFP reported.</p>

<p>&quot;We have a robust national system of investigation and accountability that is as good as any country in the world,&quot; she said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;We do not believe that an ICC examination or investigation with respect to the actions of US personnel in relation to the situation in Afghanistan is warranted or appropriate,&quot; she added. &quot;As we previously noted, the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute and has not consented to ICC jurisdiction.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last month, criticising moves by some African countries to pull out of the Hague-based court, State Department spokesman John Kirby had said Washington thinks the &quot;ICC has made valuable contributions in the service of accountability&quot;.</p>

<p>However, it has never been suggested that world superpower US would accept international accountability.</p>

<p>Former president George W. Bush&rsquo;s administration authorised the use of &ldquo;enhanced interrogation techniques&rdquo;, including waterboarding, after the September 11, 2001 attacks.</p>

<p>Outgoing president Barack Obama abolished such techniques when he took charge in January 2009 and has admitted US troops torutured Afghan prisoner.</p>

<p>&quot;We tortured some folks,&quot; he had said.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from AFP)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


US has not ratified ICC?s founding Rome Statute and it seems unlikely that the world superpower would accept international accountability

The United States said on Tuesday that its soldiers and spies in Afghanistan are not subject to prosecution by the International Criminal Court, and a war crime investigation into their actions would be “unwarranted”. ICC chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, on Monday said she is contemplating whether to launch a full-fledged investigation into allegations that US soldiers and CIA operators tortured Afghan prisoners between 2003 and 2014, news agency AFP reported. However, Washington has not ratified the ICC’s founding Rome Statute, and State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said the US investigates allegations against its personnel thoroughly, AFP reported. "We have a robust national system of investigation and accountability that is as good as any country in the world," she said. "We do not believe that an ICC examination or investigation with respect to the actions of US personnel in relation to the situation in Afghanistan is warranted or appropriate," she added. "As we previously noted, the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute and has not consented to ICC jurisdiction." Last month, criticising moves by some African countries to pull out of the Hague-based court, State Department spokesman John Kirby had said Washington thinks the "ICC has made valuable contributions in the service of accountability". However, it has never been suggested that world superpower US would accept international accountability. Former president George W. Bush’s administration authorised the use of “enhanced interrogation techniques”, including waterboarding, after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Outgoing president Barack Obama abolished such techniques when he took charge in January 2009 and has admitted US troops torutured Afghan prisoner. "We tortured some folks," he had said. (WION with inputs from AFP)

US rejects ICC 'war crimes' probe for alleged atrocities in Afghanistan

<p>After two winters without snow, Kabul residents are anxiously scouring the hills for the first flakes, wary that the depletion of this major source of water further fuels instability in war-ravaged Afghanistan.</p>

<p>Historically speaking, a snowless year is highly unusual for this ancient capital, built 1,500 metres (5,000 feet) above sea-level in the foothills of the Hindu Kush. &quot;Kabul can be without gold, but not without snow&quot;, according to a local proverb. But as the world gets warmer, that is changing.</p>

<p>&quot;Countrywide, in the last decade nearly every year has seen either flooding or drought,&quot; Mohammad Salim, an expert at the United Nations Development Programs agency said. &quot;And if the current trends continue, droughts will become the new normal.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The mountainous land-locked country was classed in 2012 as among the most vulnerable to climate change, a worldwide problem that is the subject of a UN conference in Marrakesh this week. And it is here that the knock-on effects of global warming will be keenly felt.</p>

<p>Around 80 per cent of Afghanistan&#39;s economy is based on agriculture. Afghan farmers depend on reliable, year-round sources of surface water from melting snow on mountains to irrigate their crops and water their livestock. But only ten per cent of the country&#39;s land is still farmable because of the impact of recent climate-related disasters, Salim says.</p>

<p>That increasingly leaves rural folk in a desperate situation, says Kazim Hamayun, the deputy director of Afghanistan&#39;s National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA).</p>

<p>&quot;If they lose their jobs due to drought, they will join the militancy&quot; of the Taliban, he said.</p>

<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong>Hit and run</strong><strong> </strong></p>

<p>&quot;Being a landlocked country, besides terrorism, climate change is a big challenge for Afghanistan.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;Snow has decreased dramatically and the landscape is not made to absorb rain water. Droughts and land degradation can contribute to terrorism. It disrupts the social order,&quot; Hamayun&nbsp;added.</p>

<p>The Taliban&#39;s insurgency, which they have waged since being ousted from power in 2001 by a US-led coalition, has lately expanded to multiple provinces and beyond the traditional &quot;season&quot; that begins with the spring melt and ends with the first heavy falls of snow.</p>

<p>Last year, the fighting continued into winter as less snow made it easy for insurgents to remain mobile and conduct hit-and-run attacks in northern and central Afghanistan.</p>

<p>Consecutive droughts have plagued Afghanistan since the mid 1990s, hitting farmers in central provinces such as Bamiyan, where the water that drains from the Hindu Kush range is running low. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;When I was child, I remember it was impossible to travel in winter in Bamiyan due to heavy snow. People could only travel on the roads by donkeys. But for the last three years the roads are open, the wells are dry and that is a huge problem,&quot; said Sayed Daoud Mosavi, Afghanistan&#39;s Director of Agriculture Projects.</p>

<p>He added people had stopped cultivating potatoes, one of the main crops in Bamiyan, in at least two districts due to lack of water.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Record year</strong></p>

<p>After two successive record-breaking years, 2016 is shaping up to be the hottest ever. According to Famine Early Warning Systems, a US-funded organisation that provides analysis on drought and food insecurity, there is a likelihood for &quot;average to below-average precipitation across much of Afghanistan&quot; during the wet season that began in October and lasts till May. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Shakir Majeedi, the deputy planning director for the ministry of agriculture and livestock, said the country was getting less snowfall each year due to climate change, making life difficult for some farmers.</p>

<p>&quot;The changes (in the climate) have made a lot of farmers food-insecure. It is too soon to predict this year&#39;s weather, but we hope to have enough snow and rain,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>(AFP)</p>


Recent climate-related disasters have left only 10% of the country farmable. When farmers lose their jobs, they join the Taliban

After two winters without snow, Kabul residents are anxiously scouring the hills for the first flakes, wary that the depletion of this major source of water further fuels instability in war-ravaged Afghanistan. Historically speaking, a snowless year is highly unusual for this ancient capital, built 1,500 metres (5,000 feet) above sea-level in the foothills of the Hindu Kush. "Kabul can be without gold, but not without snow", according to a local proverb. But as the world gets warmer, that is changing. "Countrywide, in the last decade nearly every year has seen either flooding or drought," Mohammad Salim, an expert at the United Nations Development Programs agency said. "And if the current trends continue, droughts will become the new normal." The mountainous land-locked country was classed in 2012 as among the most vulnerable to climate change, a worldwide problem that is the subject of a UN conference in Marrakesh this week. And it is here that the knock-on effects of global warming will be keenly felt. Around 80 per cent of Afghanistan's economy is based on agriculture. Afghan farmers depend on reliable, year-round sources of surface water from melting snow on mountains to irrigate their crops and water their livestock. But only ten per cent of the country's land is still farmable because of the impact of recent climate-related disasters, Salim says. That increasingly leaves rural folk in a desperate situation, says Kazim Hamayun, the deputy director of Afghanistan's National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA). "If they lose their jobs due to drought, they will join the militancy" of the Taliban, he said. Hit and run "Being a landlocked country, besides terrorism, climate change is a big challenge for Afghanistan." "Snow has decreased dramatically and the landscape is not made to absorb rain water. Droughts and land degradation can contribute to terrorism. It disrupts the social order," Hamayun added. The Taliban's insurgency, which they have waged since being ousted from power in 2001 by a US-led coalition, has lately expanded to multiple provinces and beyond the traditional "season" that begins with the spring melt and ends with the first heavy falls of snow. Last year, the fighting continued into winter as less snow made it easy for insurgents to remain mobile and conduct hit-and-run attacks in northern and central Afghanistan. Consecutive droughts have plagued Afghanistan since the mid 1990s, hitting farmers in central provinces such as Bamiyan, where the water that drains from the Hindu Kush range is running low. "When I was child, I remember it was impossible to travel in winter in Bamiyan due to heavy snow. People could only travel on the roads by donkeys. But for the last three years the roads are open, the wells are dry and that is a huge problem," said Sayed Daoud Mosavi, Afghanistan's Director of Agriculture Projects. He added people had stopped cultivating potatoes, one of the main crops in Bamiyan, in at least two districts due to lack of water. Record year After two successive record-breaking years, 2016 is shaping up to be the hottest ever. According to Famine Early Warning Systems, a US-funded organisation that provides analysis on drought and food insecurity, there is a likelihood for "average to below-average precipitation across much of Afghanistan" during the wet season that began in October and lasts till May. Shakir Majeedi, the deputy planning director for the ministry of agriculture and livestock, said the country was getting less snowfall each year due to climate change, making life difficult for some farmers. "The changes (in the climate) have made a lot of farmers food-insecure. It is too soon to predict this year's weather, but we hope to have enough snow and rain," he said. (AFP)

In Afghanistan, climate change fuels insurgency

<p>Four Americans have been killed and 14 wounded in an explosion at a US military base in &nbsp;Afghanistan on Saturday.</p>

<p>Two servicemembers and two contractors were killed at Bagram Airfield by &quot;an apparent suicide bomber,&quot; Carter said in a statement, news agency AFP reported. Carter added that&nbsp;16 other US servicemembers and a Polish soldier participating in US-led NATO military operations was&nbsp;also wounded.</p>

<p>&quot;An explosive device was detonated on Bagram Airfield resulting in multiple casualties. Response teams at Bagram continue to treat the wounded and investigate the incident,&quot; the military coalition said in a statement, AFP reported.</p>

<p>Earlier, Abdul Shokor Qodosi, the district governor of Bagram, had told Reuters that at least three people were killed and 13 injured in the blast.</p>

<p>He also said the blast occurred near a dining facility at the Bagram Airfield, located north of Kabul.</p>

<p>The Taliban&#39;s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for the attack in a message on his Twitter account.</p>

<p>&quot;We can confirm that there was an explosion at Bagram Airfield this morning just after 5:30 am (0100 GMT). There have been casualties,&quot; NATO said in a brief statement.</p>

<p>&quot;Our Force Protection and medical teams are responding to the situation,&quot; the statement added.</p>

<p>Carter&nbsp;expressed his &quot;sincere condolences&quot; to the families of the fallen and promised to &quot;investigate this tragedy to determine any steps we can take to improve it&quot;.</p>

<p>As for the attackers, &quot;my message is simple. We will not be deterred in our mission to protect our homeland and help Afghanistan secure its own future,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>The nationalities of the casualties have not been confirmed yet.</p>

<p>Bagram Airfield is the largest US military base in Afghanistan.</p>

<p>Last December, a motorcycle-riding Taliban suicide bomber killed six US soldiers near Afghanistan&#39;s largest US military base.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>


The explosion wounded 16 other US service members and a Polish soldier participating in US-led NATO military operations

Four Americans have been killed and 14 wounded in an explosion at a US military base in Afghanistan on Saturday. Two servicemembers and two contractors were killed at Bagram Airfield by "an apparent suicide bomber," Carter said in a statement, news agency AFP reported. Carter added that 16 other US servicemembers and a Polish soldier participating in US-led NATO military operations was also wounded. "An explosive device was detonated on Bagram Airfield resulting in multiple casualties. Response teams at Bagram continue to treat the wounded and investigate the incident," the military coalition said in a statement, AFP reported. Earlier, Abdul Shokor Qodosi, the district governor of Bagram, had told Reuters that at least three people were killed and 13 injured in the blast. He also said the blast occurred near a dining facility at the Bagram Airfield, located north of Kabul. The Taliban's spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for the attack in a message on his Twitter account. "We can confirm that there was an explosion at Bagram Airfield this morning just after 5:30 am (0100 GMT). There have been casualties," NATO said in a brief statement. "Our Force Protection and medical teams are responding to the situation," the statement added. Carter expressed his "sincere condolences" to the families of the fallen and promised to "investigate this tragedy to determine any steps we can take to improve it". As for the attackers, "my message is simple. We will not be deterred in our mission to protect our homeland and help Afghanistan secure its own future," he added. The nationalities of the casualties have not been confirmed yet. Bagram Airfield is the largest US military base in Afghanistan. Last December, a motorcycle-riding Taliban suicide bomber killed six US soldiers near Afghanistan's largest US military base. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan: Four Americans killed in blast at US base, Taliban claims responsibility

<p>The Afghan conflict is now in its 16th year but finds little mention in the US presidential election campaign. Even a NATO airstrike in north western Kunduz province of Afghanistan which killed 30 civilians including women and children merited no mention. It underscored the point that the news from Afghanistan is uniformly negative.</p>

<p>Reports say that 33 of that country&#39;s 400 districts are under Taliban control.&nbsp;Hundreds of schools, homes and businesses have been destroyed in fighting with nearly 160,000 civilians displaced by the conflict in the first six months of this year.</p>

<p>The Afghan National Army is at 87 per cent of its authorised strength but desertions currently at 33 per cent are rising.</p>

<p>Worse still, the Taliban is now expanding into areas in the north where they never had a base from Kunduz to Takhar and Badakshan. The Taliban are spreading out, plundering mines for semi-precious stones that are sold to fund their movement.</p>

<p>Peace initiatives have floundered in the face of Pakistan&#39;s determination to be the sole arbiter in Kabul. A recent report of the Taliban secretly meeting representatives of the Afghan government saw Islamabad respond with a warning that the Taliban leadership and their families would be denied any further sanctuary in Pakistan if they tried to cut the latter out.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


It underscored the point that the news from Afghanistan is uniformly negative

The Afghan conflict is now in its 16th year but finds little mention in the US presidential election campaign. Even a NATO airstrike in north western Kunduz province of Afghanistan which killed 30 civilians including women and children merited no mention. It underscored the point that the news from Afghanistan is uniformly negative. Reports say that 33 of that country's 400 districts are under Taliban control. Hundreds of schools, homes and businesses have been destroyed in fighting with nearly 160,000 civilians displaced by the conflict in the first six months of this year. The Afghan National Army is at 87 per cent of its authorised strength but desertions currently at 33 per cent are rising. Worse still, the Taliban is now expanding into areas in the north where they never had a base from Kunduz to Takhar and Badakshan. The Taliban are spreading out, plundering mines for semi-precious stones that are sold to fund their movement. Peace initiatives have floundered in the face of Pakistan's determination to be the sole arbiter in Kabul. A recent report of the Taliban secretly meeting representatives of the Afghan government saw Islamabad respond with a warning that the Taliban leadership and their families would be denied any further sanctuary in Pakistan if they tried to cut the latter out. (WION)

US election campaign never included Afghan conflict

<p>Islam is the official religion of Afghanistan,&nbsp;practiced by over 99 per cent of&nbsp;citizens. Apart from Muslim, there are&nbsp;Sikh&nbsp;and Hindu&nbsp;communities&nbsp;as well.&nbsp;However,&nbsp;most other communities left the country during the times&nbsp;of war and&nbsp;migrated&nbsp;to India and other nations.&nbsp;In&nbsp;1994, the country&nbsp;became the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan from the earlier Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, which imposed fierce religious rules and restrictions on the citizens. As per the Constitiution of Afghanistan,&nbsp;Article Three states that&nbsp;no law shall contravene the tenets and provisions of the holy religion of Islam in Afghanistan. &nbsp;</p>

<p>An Afghan girl reads the Quran at a mosque in Kabul,&nbsp;during the holy month of Ramadan.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/16-20161103071737.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>An elder Afghan devotee&nbsp;prays at the biggest mosque of Kabul, Eid Gah.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/18-20161103072136.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan women pray during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, in Herat.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/8-20161103071618.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan Muslims wash themselves before attending prayers on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at the Paul-e-Khishtee mosque in Kabul.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/6-20161103071338.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan girls offering prayers at a mosque during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Kandahar.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/5-20161103071213.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>An Afghan elderly man reads the Quran during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at a mosque in Herat province.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/1-20161103070903.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Sikh devotees perform prayers before a gathering with former Afghan&nbsp;foreign affairs minister at a Sikh temple in Kabul.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/14-20161103072027.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan men sit on the ground waiting for Eid al-Adha prayers to commence&nbsp;at the Shah-e Do Shamshira mosque in Kabul.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/12-20161103071937.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>An Afghan man prays at the mosque during the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan in Herat province.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/7-20161103071517.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan men offer Eid-al-Adha prayers at the Eid Gah Mosque in Kabul. Afghans have started celebrating Eid al-Adha or the Feast of&nbsp;Sacrifice.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/3-20161103071047.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan children study the Quran during a lesson at a mosque in Ghazni.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/2-20161103071014.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The religious traditions of Islam in Afghaistan

Islam is the official religion of Afghanistan, practiced by over 99 per cent of citizens. Apart from Muslim, there are Sikh and Hindu communities as well. However, most other communities left the country during the times of war and migrated to India and other nations. In 1994, the country became the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan from the earlier Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, which imposed fierce religious rules and restrictions on the citizens. As per the Constitiution of Afghanistan, Article Three states that no law shall contravene the tenets and provisions of the holy religion of Islam in Afghanistan. An Afghan girl reads the Quran at a mosque in Kabul, during the holy month of Ramadan. Source (AFP) × An elder Afghan devotee prays at the biggest mosque of Kabul, Eid Gah. Source (AFP) × Afghan women pray during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, in Herat. Source (AFP) × Afghan Muslims wash themselves before attending prayers on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at the Paul-e-Khishtee mosque in Kabul. Source (AFP) × Afghan girls offering prayers at a mosque during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Kandahar. Source (AFP) × An Afghan elderly man reads the Quran during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at a mosque in Herat province. Source (AFP) × Sikh devotees perform prayers before a gathering with former Afghan foreign affairs minister at a Sikh temple in Kabul. Source (AFP) × Afghan men sit on the ground waiting for Eid al-Adha prayers to commence at the Shah-e Do Shamshira mosque in Kabul. Source (AFP) × An Afghan man prays at the mosque during the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan in Herat province. Source (AFP) × Afghan men offer Eid-al-Adha prayers at the Eid Gah Mosque in Kabul. Afghans have started celebrating Eid al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice. Source (AFP) × Afghan children study the Quran during a lesson at a mosque in Ghazni. Source (AFP) ×

The main religion of Afghanistan: Islam

<p paraeid="{49d2a741-1fe5-41a8-9432-89efc1c7ecaf}{134}" paraid="1899260846">Chinese security forces are ignoring international borders to make regular patrols deep inside eastern Afghanistan, according to sources in the area.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{49d2a741-1fe5-41a8-9432-89efc1c7ecaf}{134}" paraid="1899260846">In exclusive pictures obtained by WION, Chinese-manufactured military vehicles can be seen patrolling in the country&#39;s far eastern Little Pamir region.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{49d2a741-1fe5-41a8-9432-89efc1c7ecaf}{134}" paraid="1899260846">The slim finger of Afghan territory borders China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and India&#39;s Jammu and Kashmir state. It is a remote, sparsely-populated area home to the minority Shia Ismaili community and little in the way of representation from the government in Kabul.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{49d2a741-1fe5-41a8-9432-89efc1c7ecaf}{188}" paraid="354657543"><img id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_editpreview" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/map-20161027115721.jpg" /></p>

<p paraeid="{49d2a741-1fe5-41a8-9432-89efc1c7ecaf}{198}" paraid="1688398149">WION could not independently verify whether the photographs show Chinese People&#39;s Liberation Army (PLA) or private security vehicles, but eyewitnesses in the region accuse the Chinese military of direct involvement.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{49d2a741-1fe5-41a8-9432-89efc1c7ecaf}{198}" paraid="1688398149">If the reports are accurate, Chinese security forces could be guilty of a serious breach of international law.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{49d2a741-1fe5-41a8-9432-89efc1c7ecaf}{198}" paraid="1688398149">Despite repeated attempts by WION to contact him, a spokesperson for Afghanistan&#39;s president did not respond. The Chinese embassy in New Delhi also refused to comment.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{62edf0a6-49eb-4fcb-8664-67ba7f47fc76}{162}" paraid="1609562045" ><strong>Chinese-manufactured vehicles</strong></p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{62edf0a6-49eb-4fcb-8664-67ba7f47fc76}{162}" paraid="1609562045" >Independent military analysts confirmed the images show Chinese-manufactured military vehicles. &nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{49d2a741-1fe5-41a8-9432-89efc1c7ecaf}{234}" paraid="298158729">&#39;&#39;The pictures show Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) and Humvee-type vehicles. Both appear to be Chinese versions of common Western armoured vehicles,&#39;&#39; said Justin Bronk, a Senior Analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{49d2a741-1fe5-41a8-9432-89efc1c7ecaf}{234}" paraid="298158729">&#39;&#39;The Humvee-type vehicle is very identifiable as a Mengshi 4x4, also known as the Dongfeng EQ 2050 (see picture&nbsp;below). They have very distinctive markings on the doors which are absent from US-manufactured Humvees,&#39;&#39; he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{9}" paraid="555663623"><img id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_editpreview" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/afg%203-20161027120611.JPG" /></p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{9}" paraid="555663623">&#39;&#39;MRAPs are trickier to identify. The arrangement of the windows and spare tyre varies depending on the customer and precise sub-model. But the hub cap design in these pictures does fit with the Norinco VP 11 (see picture below),&#39;&#39; Mr&nbsp;Bronk added.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{31}" paraid="958868566"><img id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_editpreview" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/afg%2012-20161027122835.JPG" /></p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{38}" paraid="490140450">Dongfeng and Norinco are both military vehicle manufacturers based in China.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{38}" paraid="490140450">Mr Bronk also confirmed that the vehicles are currently in active service in the PLA. Another military analyst from RUSI, Dr&nbsp;Igor Sutyagin, backed up his analysis of the images.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{62edf0a6-49eb-4fcb-8664-67ba7f47fc76}{168}" paraid="2075212632" ><strong>People&#39;s&nbsp;Liberation Army&nbsp;patrols&nbsp;Little Pamir</strong></p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{62edf0a6-49eb-4fcb-8664-67ba7f47fc76}{168}" paraid="2075212632" >From the photographs alone, analysts could not confirm whether the Chinese-manufactured vehicles belong to the PLA itself.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{62edf0a6-49eb-4fcb-8664-67ba7f47fc76}{168}" paraid="2075212632" >While the Afghan National Army is mostly equipped with US&nbsp;hardware, military analysts say they could be replacing destroyed vehicles with cheaper Chinese models. China also recently pledged to provide equipment to Afghanistan&#39;s border police.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{62edf0a6-49eb-4fcb-8664-67ba7f47fc76}{168}" paraid="2075212632" >But sources inside the region say the PLA enter Little Pamir twice a month through Tajikistan. The troops reportedly stay in a local school in Bozai Gumbaz and are barred from speaking to local Afghan citizens.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{75}" paraid="466765286"><img id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_editpreview" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/afg%204-20161027123259.JPG" /></p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{95}" paraid="695459527"><br />
The exact motivations behind the patrols are not known but Chinese firms hold key mining concessions across Afghanistan. The Mes Aynak copper mine in the Logar province has been hit by repeated delays and security concerns.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{95}" paraid="695459527">Control over its western frontier is also a key security concern for the land-focused Chinese military. In recent years, China has been nervous about the East Turkestan Islamic Movement&#39;s activities in its western Xinjiang province and the wider region.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{95}" paraid="695459527">Kabul has an agreement with China and Tajikistan clarifying borders in the Little Pamir region. According to the Xinhua news agency, foreign ministers from the three governments signed the deal in Beijing in June 2012.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{95}" paraid="695459527">But the two countries have no public agreement to perform training exercises or war games on each other&#39;s soil.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{95}" paraid="695459527">&#39;&#39;China has conducted various diplomatic overtures particularly with regards to mining concessions in Afghanistan, but, to the best of my knowledge, there isn&#39;t an established arrangement of that type,&#39;&#39; said Mr Bronk from RUSI.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{95}" paraid="695459527">By crossing into Afghanistan, the Chinese military or private security companies could, therefore, be in breach of international law.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{95}" paraid="695459527"><strong>Beijing&#39;s aggressive foreign policy in Asia</strong></p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{182}" paraid="1816971619">After decades of inward-looking foreign policy, China has ruffled diplomatic feathers with its aggressive claims in the South China Sea. &nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{182}" paraid="1816971619">And Beijing&#39;s ambitions are not restricted to maritime activity. In India, Chinese troops have been accused of repeated incursions on the Ladakh plateau in the Himalayas.</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{182}" paraid="1816971619">With Afghanistan struggling to contain the Taliban in the Kunduz province, the government now faces increased Chinese activity on its porous eastern border.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{182}" paraid="1816971619">The Wakhan Corridor may be a remote, desolate part of the world, but Chinese expansion in the region will not go unnoticed by neighbouring India, Pakistan and Tajikistan.</p>

<p paraeid="{14c48ebf-46cb-47fc-be27-fbfa863c48df}{182}" paraid="1816971619">(With additional reporting by Mandy Clark from London)&nbsp;</p>


In exclusive pictures obtained by WION, Chinese security forces can be seen in the country's far eastern Little Pamir region

Chinese security forces are ignoring international borders to make regular patrols deep inside eastern Afghanistan, according to sources in the area. In exclusive pictures obtained by WION, Chinese-manufactured military vehicles can be seen patrolling in the country's far eastern Little Pamir region. The slim finger of Afghan territory borders China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and India's Jammu and Kashmir state. It is a remote, sparsely-populated area home to the minority Shia Ismaili community and little in the way of representation from the government in Kabul. WION could not independently verify whether the photographs show Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) or private security vehicles, but eyewitnesses in the region accuse the Chinese military of direct involvement. If the reports are accurate, Chinese security forces could be guilty of a serious breach of international law. Despite repeated attempts by WION to contact him, a spokesperson for Afghanistan's president did not respond. The Chinese embassy in New Delhi also refused to comment. Chinese-manufactured vehicles Independent military analysts confirmed the images show Chinese-manufactured military vehicles. ''The pictures show Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) and Humvee-type vehicles. Both appear to be Chinese versions of common Western armoured vehicles,'' said Justin Bronk, a Senior Analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London. ''The Humvee-type vehicle is very identifiable as a Mengshi 4x4, also known as the Dongfeng EQ 2050 (see picture below). They have very distinctive markings on the doors which are absent from US-manufactured Humvees,'' he said. ''MRAPs are trickier to identify. The arrangement of the windows and spare tyre varies depending on the customer and precise sub-model. But the hub cap design in these pictures does fit with the Norinco VP 11 (see picture below),'' Mr Bronk added. Dongfeng and Norinco are both military vehicle manufacturers based in China. Mr Bronk also confirmed that the vehicles are currently in active service in the PLA. Another military analyst from RUSI, Dr Igor Sutyagin, backed up his analysis of the images. People's Liberation Army patrols Little Pamir From the photographs alone, analysts could not confirm whether the Chinese-manufactured vehicles belong to the PLA itself. While the Afghan National Army is mostly equipped with US hardware, military analysts say they could be replacing destroyed vehicles with cheaper Chinese models. China also recently pledged to provide equipment to Afghanistan's border police. But sources inside the region say the PLA enter Little Pamir twice a month through Tajikistan. The troops reportedly stay in a local school in Bozai Gumbaz and are barred from speaking to local Afghan citizens. The exact motivations behind the patrols are not known but Chinese firms hold key mining concessions across Afghanistan. The Mes Aynak copper mine in the Logar province has been hit by repeated delays and security concerns. Control over its western frontier is also a key security concern for the land-focused Chinese military. In recent years, China has been nervous about the East Turkestan Islamic Movement's activities in its western Xinjiang province and the wider region. Kabul has an agreement with China and Tajikistan clarifying borders in the Little Pamir region. According to the Xinhua news agency, foreign ministers from the three governments signed the deal in Beijing in June 2012. But the two countries have no public agreement to perform training exercises or war games on each other's soil. ''China has conducted various diplomatic overtures particularly with regards to mining concessions in Afghanistan, but, to the best of my knowledge, there isn't an established arrangement of that type,'' said Mr Bronk from RUSI. By crossing into Afghanistan, the Chinese military or private security companies could, therefore, be in breach of international law. Beijing's aggressive foreign policy in Asia After decades of inward-looking foreign policy, China has ruffled diplomatic feathers with its aggressive claims in the South China Sea. And Beijing's ambitions are not restricted to maritime activity. In India, Chinese troops have been accused of repeated incursions on the Ladakh plateau in the Himalayas. With Afghanistan struggling to contain the Taliban in the Kunduz province, the government now faces increased Chinese activity on its porous eastern border. The Wakhan Corridor may be a remote, desolate part of the world, but Chinese expansion in the region will not go unnoticed by neighbouring India, Pakistan and Tajikistan. (With additional reporting by Mandy Clark from London)

Exclusive: Chinese security forces caught patrolling deep inside eastern Afghanistan

<p>Two American soldiers were killed and two others wounded on Thursday during operations in Kunduz province, US officials said.</p>

<p><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>The victims were on a &quot;train, advise, assist&quot; mission with Afghan forces to &quot;clear a Taliban position and disrupt the group&#39;s operations,&quot; American news network NBC News quoted US military as saying.</p>

<p>The soldiers came under fire as they were assisting Afghan troops to clear a Taliban position and disrupt the group&#39;s operations in Kunduz, US forces said in a brief statement.<br />
NBC News further reported that the names of the victims were not immediately released because all their families had not been notified.</p>

<p>&quot;On behalf of all of US Forces, Afghanistan, today&#39;s loss is heartbreaking and we offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of our service members who lost their lives today,&quot; said John Nicholson, commander of NATO&#39;s Resolute Support Mission and US Forces in Afghanistan.</p>

<p>Kunduz province is a Taliban hotbed in northern Afghanistan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


US officials said two others were wounded on Thursday during operations in Kunduz province, a Taliban hotbed in northern Afghanistan

Two American soldiers were killed and two others wounded on Thursday during operations in Kunduz province, US officials said. The victims were on a "train, advise, assist" mission with Afghan forces to "clear a Taliban position and disrupt the group's operations," American news network NBC News quoted US military as saying. The soldiers came under fire as they were assisting Afghan troops to clear a Taliban position and disrupt the group's operations in Kunduz, US forces said in a brief statement. NBC News further reported that the names of the victims were not immediately released because all their families had not been notified. "On behalf of all of US Forces, Afghanistan, today's loss is heartbreaking and we offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of our service members who lost their lives today," said John Nicholson, commander of NATO's Resolute Support Mission and US Forces in Afghanistan. Kunduz province is a Taliban hotbed in northern Afghanistan. (WION)

Afghanistan: 2 US soldiers killed in anti-Taliban operations in Kunduz

<p>The death rate among Afghan security forces is surging far above last year&#39;s levels, a US government watchdog said today, and slew of social gains in the war-torn nation is also eroding.</p>

<p>Afghan forces are nearing the end of their second year providing security across their war-torn country, after NATO moved into an advisory and training role, and the toll on the local forces has been devastating.</p>

<p>2015 was a terrible year, with an estimated 5,000 killed and another 15,000 wounded, primarily by the Taliban.</p>

<p>But the death toll this year is already much worse: From January 1 through August 19, a total of 5,523 Afghan service members were killed, according to a quarterly report from the office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).</p>

<p>An additional 9,665 members were wounded during the same period, the report found.</p>

<p>Violence from the Taliban and other insurgent groups typically spikes over the summer during the &quot;fighting season.&quot;</p>

<p>But increasingly, militants continue launching attacks throughout the year, meaning the death rate will likely rise further still.</p>

<p>&quot;The most immediate challenge to the US reconstruction effort, and to the viability of the Afghan nation state, remains the armed insurgency pursued by the Taliban and other factions,&quot; the inspector general, John Sopko, said in the report.</p>

<p>US Army General John Nicholson, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, warned a week ago that basic leadership failures in many Afghan police and military units were helping drive casualty rates higher.</p>

<p>Still, SIGAR found, morale within the ranks appears good, with three-quarters of recruits saying they have received good care and 90 percent satisfied with their pay.</p>

<p>The report also found that gains in key social areas such as poverty, unemployment, women&#39;s rights and the education gender gap have all eroded this year.</p>

<p>&quot;Deep-rooted cultural traditions and a persistent insurgency continue to threaten the physical safety and health of Afghan women and hold them back from entering public life,&quot; the report states.</p>

<p>The Afghan government still only has full control of two-thirds of the country&#39;s population of 30 million.</p>

<p>Ten per cent is in Taliban hands, and the rest is still being fought over.</p>

<p>This summer&#39;s fighting saw the Taliban try at least seven times to seize a provincial capital, as they did in Kunduz last year.</p>

<p>The Afghans managed to repel these thanks to NATO support, easier rules for the United States to strike targets and the growing confidence of the Afghan air force.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(AFP)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


A total of 5,523 service members have been killed between January 1 and August 19 this year, which is higher than the death toll of 2015

The death rate among Afghan security forces is surging far above last year's levels, a US government watchdog said today, and slew of social gains in the war-torn nation is also eroding. Afghan forces are nearing the end of their second year providing security across their war-torn country, after NATO moved into an advisory and training role, and the toll on the local forces has been devastating. 2015 was a terrible year, with an estimated 5,000 killed and another 15,000 wounded, primarily by the Taliban. But the death toll this year is already much worse: From January 1 through August 19, a total of 5,523 Afghan service members were killed, according to a quarterly report from the office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). An additional 9,665 members were wounded during the same period, the report found. Violence from the Taliban and other insurgent groups typically spikes over the summer during the "fighting season." But increasingly, militants continue launching attacks throughout the year, meaning the death rate will likely rise further still. "The most immediate challenge to the US reconstruction effort, and to the viability of the Afghan nation state, remains the armed insurgency pursued by the Taliban and other factions," the inspector general, John Sopko, said in the report. US Army General John Nicholson, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, warned a week ago that basic leadership failures in many Afghan police and military units were helping drive casualty rates higher. Still, SIGAR found, morale within the ranks appears good, with three-quarters of recruits saying they have received good care and 90 percent satisfied with their pay. The report also found that gains in key social areas such as poverty, unemployment, women's rights and the education gender gap have all eroded this year. "Deep-rooted cultural traditions and a persistent insurgency continue to threaten the physical safety and health of Afghan women and hold them back from entering public life," the report states. The Afghan government still only has full control of two-thirds of the country's population of 30 million. Ten per cent is in Taliban hands, and the rest is still being fought over. This summer's fighting saw the Taliban try at least seven times to seize a provincial capital, as they did in Kunduz last year. The Afghans managed to repel these thanks to NATO support, easier rules for the United States to strike targets and the growing confidence of the Afghan air force. (AFP)

Afghanistan: Surge in military death rate erodes social gains

<p>At least 30 civilians, including children, were killed by suspected Islamic State militants in Afghanistan&#39;s Ghor province, authorities said on Wednesday.</p>

<p>The local government announced the killings&nbsp;on Wednesday&nbsp;and alleged that it was a&nbsp;retaliation for the death of an IS local commander the previous day.</p>

<p>&quot;Our security forces with the help of locals conducted an operation and killed a Daesh (IS) commander yesterday. Daesh fighters in return abducted around 30 villagers, mostly shepherds,&quot;&nbsp;Ghor governor Nasir Khazeh told AFP.</p>

<p>&quot;Their dead bodies were found by local people this (Wednesday) &nbsp;morning,&quot; he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Although the local government has blamed Islamic State members for the attack, the militant group has not claimed responsibility for the attack so far.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The civilians were abducted&nbsp;from north of Firoz Koh, the capital of Ghor, late on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The militant group is slowly extending its reach in Afghanistan and becoming&nbsp;a direct competition to the Afghan Taliban.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Islamic State has continued to wage deadly assaults in the country despite President Ashraf Ghani declaring in March that they had driven out the group from the country after months-long operation. &nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Ghor governor Nasir Khazeh has accused IS of revenge attack after one of their local commanders was killed on Tuesday

At least 30 civilians, including children, were killed by suspected Islamic State militants in Afghanistan's Ghor province, authorities said on Wednesday. The local government announced the killings on Wednesday and alleged that it was a retaliation for the death of an IS local commander the previous day. "Our security forces with the help of locals conducted an operation and killed a Daesh (IS) commander yesterday. Daesh fighters in return abducted around 30 villagers, mostly shepherds," Ghor governor Nasir Khazeh told AFP. "Their dead bodies were found by local people this (Wednesday) morning," he added. Although the local government has blamed Islamic State members for the attack, the militant group has not claimed responsibility for the attack so far. The civilians were abducted from north of Firoz Koh, the capital of Ghor, late on Tuesday. The militant group is slowly extending its reach in Afghanistan and becoming a direct competition to the Afghan Taliban. Islamic State has continued to wage deadly assaults in the country despite President Ashraf Ghani declaring in March that they had driven out the group from the country after months-long operation. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan: 30 civilians abducted, killed by suspected Islamic State militants

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
Afghan dancers perform a traditional dance &#39;Attan&#39; at the Kabul Stadium during&nbsp;the start of a football tournament.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/20-20160926073515.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan Sikh men perform&nbsp;their traditional Chobozi (dance) at a New Year&#39;s Day event in Kabul.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/21-20160926073805.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;Afghan children dance as they celebrate Children&#39;s Day at Maher Mother Kindergarten in Kabul.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del6325479%20(1)-20160926074055.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Newly-graduated Afghan National Police performs a national dance.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/6-20160926074131.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan footballers dance in their dorm room at a communal house in Kabul.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/7-20160926074649.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Young Afghan men dance during a wedding in Kabul.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_hkg4749604%20(1)-20160926074933.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>People perform a&nbsp;traditional dance in the Bagh-e-Babur Gardens in Kabul.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/15-20160926075255.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>An American woman and an Afghan man dressed in traditional Afghan costumes&nbsp;perform an Afghan folk dance during celebrations to mark the New Year Festival of Nowruz.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/5-20160926075551.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Recovering&nbsp;addicts play music and dance at a drug treatment centre in Jalalabad.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/13-20160926082637.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan men perform a traditional dance &#39;Attan&#39;&nbsp;at the Wazir Akbar Khan hill in Kabul.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/14-20160926082818.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Young Afghan men performing at the &quot;The Sound Central Festival&quot; at French cultural center in Kabul.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/8-20160926083030.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan men dance at a wedding ceremony.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del331712-20160926083728.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan men perform a traditional dance during a mass marriage ceremony of 50 Afghan couples in Herat province.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del309839-20160926084135.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Young Afghan men jump over a fire as they celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year Festival, in Herat.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/17-20160928064445.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Indians of Afghan descent from the Pashtun tribe dance&nbsp;to celebrate the festival of Eid.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/19-20160928064909.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan boys dance the traditional dance &#39;Attan&#39;&nbsp;at the Qargha lake near Kabul.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/18-20160928064722.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan men dance during celebrations on the first night of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in Mazar-i-Sharif.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/20-20160928065033.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Here's a glimpse at the different forms of dance that are integral aspects of Afghan culture.

Afghan dancers perform a traditional dance 'Attan' at the Kabul Stadium during the start of a football tournament. Source (AFP) × Afghan Sikh men perform their traditional Chobozi (dance) at a New Year's Day event in Kabul. Source (AFP) × Afghan children dance as they celebrate Children's Day at Maher Mother Kindergarten in Kabul. Source (AFP) × Newly-graduated Afghan National Police performs a national dance. Source (AFP) × Afghan footballers dance in their dorm room at a communal house in Kabul. Source (AFP) × Young Afghan men dance during a wedding in Kabul. Source (AFP) × People perform a traditional dance in the Bagh-e-Babur Gardens in Kabul. Source (AFP) × An American woman and an Afghan man dressed in traditional Afghan costumes perform an Afghan folk dance during celebrations to mark the New Year Festival of Nowruz. Source (AFP) × Recovering addicts play music and dance at a drug treatment centre in Jalalabad. Source (AFP) × Afghan men perform a traditional dance 'Attan' at the Wazir Akbar Khan hill in Kabul. Source (AFP) × Young Afghan men performing at the "The Sound Central Festival" at French cultural center in Kabul. Source (AFP) × Afghan men dance at a wedding ceremony. Source (AFP) × Afghan men perform a traditional dance during a mass marriage ceremony of 50 Afghan couples in Herat province. Source (AFP) × Young Afghan men jump over a fire as they celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year Festival, in Herat. Source (AFP) × Indians of Afghan descent from the Pashtun tribe dance to celebrate the festival of Eid. Source (AFP) × Afghan boys dance the traditional dance 'Attan' at the Qargha lake near Kabul. Source (AFP) × Afghan men dance during celebrations on the first night of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in Mazar-i-Sharif. Source (AFP) ×

Photos: Afghanistan's diverse dance moves

<h2>Hazrat-i- Ali shrine in Mazar-i Sharif&nbsp;</h2>

<p>An Afghan boy feeds pigeons at the Hazrat-i- Ali shrine in Mazar-i Sharif .</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/1-20161024084604.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<h2>Shahe Do Shamshira shrine in Kabul</h2>

<p>Afghans pose for photographs in front of the Shahe Do Shamshira shrine in Kabul.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/3-20161024084711.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<h2>Shahe Do Shamshira shrine in Kabul</h2>

<p>An Afghan resident, one of hundreds who come to feed pigeons in front of the Shah-Do-Shamshira Mosque daily, throws corn kernels to birds outside the shrine in Kabul .</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/4-20161024084823.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<h2>Khoja Abu Nasr Parsa &nbsp;in&nbsp;Balkh city&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Afghan visitors leave the shrine of Khoja Abu Nasr Parsa on the ruins of the ancient city of Balkh, located outside the northern Afghan town of Mazar-i-Sharif .</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/5-20161024084920.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<h2>shrine of Hazrat Alli&nbsp;in North Kabul</h2>

<p>An Afghan man kisses a pole for blessing at the shrine of Hazrat Alli&nbsp;in North Kabul&nbsp;.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/6-20161024085050.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<h2>Hazrat-e Ali shrine, or &#39;Blue Mosque&#39; in&nbsp;Mazar-e Sharif</h2>

<p>Afghan families visit and gather in the courtyard of Hazrat-e Ali shrine, or &#39;Blue Mosque&#39; in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif .&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/7-20161024085158.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Khaja Abdullah Ansari shrine in Herat&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Afghan men pray at the the shrine of the famous 11th Century Sufi poet and mystic philosopher, the Khaja Abdullah Ansari shrine on the outskirts of Herat . Herat is famous for its archaeological monuments.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/10-20161024100657.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<h2>Hazrat-e-Farooq mosque in Kandahar city</h2>

<p>An Afghan woman walks with a child along a street in front of the Hazrat-e-Farooq mosque in Kandahar city .</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/11-20161024100550.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<h2>Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque in Kabul&nbsp;</h2>

<p>An Afghan resident takes &#39;iftar&#39; as he breaks his fast on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at the Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque .</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/12-20161024101043.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<h2>Sakhi Shrine in Kabul</h2>

<p>Afghan burqa-clad women visit The Karte Sakhi Shrine in Kabul . &nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/13-20161024100841.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<h2>Eidga mosque in Kabul</h2>

<p>Afghan Muslims prepare to break their fast with the free evening meal during Iftar at the Eidga mosque in Kabul.&nbsp;during the Islamic month of Ramadan.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/14-20161024100940.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<h2>Ali Shrine in&nbsp;Mazar-i-Sharif City&nbsp;</h2>

<p>&nbsp;shows Afghan men and women at the Ali Shrine in the northern town of Mazar-i-Sharif in Balkh province.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/16-20161024101238.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<h2>Eidgah mosque in Kabul</h2>

<p>An Afghan man runs in front of Eidgah mosque in Kabul.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/17-20161024101333.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Hazrat-i- Ali shrine in Mazar-i Sharif An Afghan boy feeds pigeons at the Hazrat-i- Ali shrine in Mazar-i Sharif . Source (AFP) × Shahe Do Shamshira shrine in Kabul Afghans pose for photographs in front of the Shahe Do Shamshira shrine in Kabul. Source (AFP) × Shahe Do Shamshira shrine in Kabul An Afghan resident, one of hundreds who come to feed pigeons in front of the Shah-Do-Shamshira Mosque daily, throws corn kernels to birds outside the shrine in Kabul . Source (AFP) × Khoja Abu Nasr Parsa in Balkh city Afghan visitors leave the shrine of Khoja Abu Nasr Parsa on the ruins of the ancient city of Balkh, located outside the northern Afghan town of Mazar-i-Sharif . Source (AFP) × shrine of Hazrat Alli in North Kabul An Afghan man kisses a pole for blessing at the shrine of Hazrat Alli in North Kabul . Source (AFP) × Hazrat-e Ali shrine, or 'Blue Mosque' in Mazar-e Sharif Afghan families visit and gather in the courtyard of Hazrat-e Ali shrine, or 'Blue Mosque' in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif . Source (AFP) × Khaja Abdullah Ansari shrine in Herat Afghan men pray at the the shrine of the famous 11th Century Sufi poet and mystic philosopher, the Khaja Abdullah Ansari shrine on the outskirts of Herat . Herat is famous for its archaeological monuments. Source (AFP) × Hazrat-e-Farooq mosque in Kandahar city An Afghan woman walks with a child along a street in front of the Hazrat-e-Farooq mosque in Kandahar city . Source (AFP) × Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque in Kabul An Afghan resident takes 'iftar' as he breaks his fast on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at the Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque . Source (AFP) × Sakhi Shrine in Kabul Afghan burqa-clad women visit The Karte Sakhi Shrine in Kabul . Source (AFP) × Eidga mosque in Kabul Afghan Muslims prepare to break their fast with the free evening meal during Iftar at the Eidga mosque in Kabul. during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Source (AFP) × Ali Shrine in Mazar-i-Sharif City shows Afghan men and women at the Ali Shrine in the northern town of Mazar-i-Sharif in Balkh province. Source (AFP) × Eidgah mosque in Kabul An Afghan man runs in front of Eidgah mosque in Kabul. Source (AFP) ×

Afghanistan Islamic mosque

<p>Police patrol the Afghan capital on a warm Sunday, but not to hunt extremists.</p>

<p>Instead, they are deflating the tyres of parked cars, a theft prevention tactic that is raising eyebrows as the country struggles to contain the growing menace of petty crime.</p>

<p>Kabul and its estimated five million inhabitants are at war, a prime target for Taliban-led insurgent attacks as well as assaults by a nascent Islamic State.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The capital&#39;s fledgling police force are under pressure to prevent atrocities, so, short on time and resources, they have taken a scorched earth approach when it comes to tackling more routine petty crime.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The logic is indisputable: if the car cannot be moved, it cannot be stolen.</p>

<p>&quot;Police politely ask the residents to not park their cars in the open... but when they prefer to pay no heed, then police may move in to remove the air nozzles as a last measure,&quot; says Feraidoon Obaidi, chief of Kabul police&#39;s criminal investigation department.</p>

<p>&quot;We can protect people from both the thieves and the terrorists,&quot; he says.</p>

<p>&quot;But they should know how much energy we have to put in to stop terrorists in the city. By leaving their cars in the open, they are inviting thieves.&quot;</p>

<p>A series of attacks have ripped across Kabul in recent months, jihadists armed with bombs and guns killing dozens of people, including the assault targeting Shiites during the Ashura festival earlier in October that left 14 people dead.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Most have been carried out by the resurgent Taliban, including attacks on a global charity and a university as well as twin blasts in September that killed 41 people.</p>

<p>The Ashura attack was claimed by Islamic State. In July, the Middle East jihadist group, which is struggling to gain a foothold in Afghanistan, claimed bombings that tore through minority Shiite Hazara protesters in Kabul, killing 84 people in the deadliest attack in the capital since 2001.</p>

<p><strong>&nbsp;&#39;It works&#39;&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Official data shows up to 300 cars were stolen in Kabul&#39;s streets from March to July , slightly down from last year, but still frustrating for police.</p>

<p>&quot;In some cases they work in gangs, while others work individually snatching cars, especially (the ones) that can easily be unlocked,&quot; says Kabir Ahmad Barmak, chief of Kabul&#39;s eleventh district police.</p>

<p>&quot;They snatch cars parked in vacant streets especially at night, and sometimes turn them into spare parts,&quot; Barmak says, adding police have been forced to use valuable resources on special mobile patrols to tackle the problem.</p>

<p>Officers used to simply slash the tyres, but now take the slightly more considerate route of removing the air nozzles instead.</p>

<p>&quot;When you see these thieves lurking in dark and people recklessly leaving their cars in the open, it makes you think, best way to protect is to damage the tyres,&quot; says another officer in the district, who requested anonymity.</p>

<p>&quot;It is working,&quot; he adds with a triumphant smile. &quot;Fewer people today leave their cars on streets than before.&quot;</p>

<p>But the tactic is angering a public frustrated with the inconvenience and financial burden of repeated repairs.</p>

<p>&quot;Should one expect the police to serve or to hurt?&quot; says Akbar, a customer at a tyre repairing unit on the roadside outside central Kabul&#39;s &quot;Bush Bazaar&quot;, a black market named after US President George W. Bush.</p>

<p>&quot;It is not fair to puncture a car to avert theft... You park your car here for few minutes, it is either stolen by a thief, or damaged by police,&quot; he says.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;That is vandalism, not service.&quot;</p>

<p>Others pointed out they had little option but to leave their cars in the open.</p>

<p>&quot;When you go to the city, there are not many places to park your car except the streets, and then it is gone without much hope for its recovery,&quot; says Ahmad Shoaib, whose car was stolen last month.</p>

<p>But there is one merry, busy segment of the capital that appears to appreciate the situation.</p>

<p>&quot;Police are doing a service,&quot; says handyman Abdul Shukoor at the roadside mobile tire repairing unit, sipping from his steaming tea with a smile.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;They prevent the cars from being stolen and help me make more money.The world is fair.&quot;</p>

<p>(AFP)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Their logic is indisputable ? if the car cannot be moved, it cannot be stolen

Police patrol the Afghan capital on a warm Sunday, but not to hunt extremists. Instead, they are deflating the tyres of parked cars, a theft prevention tactic that is raising eyebrows as the country struggles to contain the growing menace of petty crime. Kabul and its estimated five million inhabitants are at war, a prime target for Taliban-led insurgent attacks as well as assaults by a nascent Islamic State. The capital's fledgling police force are under pressure to prevent atrocities, so, short on time and resources, they have taken a scorched earth approach when it comes to tackling more routine petty crime. The logic is indisputable: if the car cannot be moved, it cannot be stolen. "Police politely ask the residents to not park their cars in the open... but when they prefer to pay no heed, then police may move in to remove the air nozzles as a last measure," says Feraidoon Obaidi, chief of Kabul police's criminal investigation department. "We can protect people from both the thieves and the terrorists," he says. "But they should know how much energy we have to put in to stop terrorists in the city. By leaving their cars in the open, they are inviting thieves." A series of attacks have ripped across Kabul in recent months, jihadists armed with bombs and guns killing dozens of people, including the assault targeting Shiites during the Ashura festival earlier in October that left 14 people dead. Most have been carried out by the resurgent Taliban, including attacks on a global charity and a university as well as twin blasts in September that killed 41 people. The Ashura attack was claimed by Islamic State. In July, the Middle East jihadist group, which is struggling to gain a foothold in Afghanistan, claimed bombings that tore through minority Shiite Hazara protesters in Kabul, killing 84 people in the deadliest attack in the capital since 2001. 'It works' Official data shows up to 300 cars were stolen in Kabul's streets from March to July , slightly down from last year, but still frustrating for police. "In some cases they work in gangs, while others work individually snatching cars, especially (the ones) that can easily be unlocked," says Kabir Ahmad Barmak, chief of Kabul's eleventh district police. "They snatch cars parked in vacant streets especially at night, and sometimes turn them into spare parts," Barmak says, adding police have been forced to use valuable resources on special mobile patrols to tackle the problem. Officers used to simply slash the tyres, but now take the slightly more considerate route of removing the air nozzles instead. "When you see these thieves lurking in dark and people recklessly leaving their cars in the open, it makes you think, best way to protect is to damage the tyres," says another officer in the district, who requested anonymity. "It is working," he adds with a triumphant smile. "Fewer people today leave their cars on streets than before." But the tactic is angering a public frustrated with the inconvenience and financial burden of repeated repairs. "Should one expect the police to serve or to hurt?" says Akbar, a customer at a tyre repairing unit on the roadside outside central Kabul's "Bush Bazaar", a black market named after US President George W. Bush. "It is not fair to puncture a car to avert theft... You park your car here for few minutes, it is either stolen by a thief, or damaged by police," he says. "That is vandalism, not service." Others pointed out they had little option but to leave their cars in the open. "When you go to the city, there are not many places to park your car except the streets, and then it is gone without much hope for its recovery," says Ahmad Shoaib, whose car was stolen last month. But there is one merry, busy segment of the capital that appears to appreciate the situation. "Police are doing a service," says handyman Abdul Shukoor at the roadside mobile tire repairing unit, sipping from his steaming tea with a smile. "They prevent the cars from being stolen and help me make more money.The world is fair." (AFP)

Kabul police tackle car theft... by deflating tyres

<p>A three-member delegation from the Taliban&#39;s political office in Afghanistan is currently in Pakistan to hold peace talks to end Afghanistan&#39;s 15-year-long war. The meet comes close on the heels of an informal meet between&nbsp;the Taliban and&nbsp;both&nbsp;US and Afghanistan officials in Qatar, the first of the talks&nbsp;in more than a year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Political officials from Qatar --&nbsp;Shahabuddin Dilawar, Jan Mohammad and Abdul Salam Hanafi --&nbsp;and some other officials will brief the Pakistani security agencies about&nbsp;the Qatar meetings, of&nbsp;which Pakistan was not a part, Reuters reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Reuters, a Taliban official had said&nbsp;a Pakistan security&nbsp;agency&nbsp;arrested a senior Taliban commander&nbsp;in a house raid in Quetta to express discontent at being left out of the Qatar talks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;We don&#39;t know what&#39;s going on, but this is second time during the past two months that Pakistani authorities raided a madrassa in Quetta to arrest senior Taliban member,&quot; the Quetta-based Taliban said.</p>

<p>While Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that the delegation will visit Pakistan, it&nbsp;denied that Qatar talks ever took place.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Pakistan foreign ministry said that it is not aware of any Taliban delegation visiting Pakistan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pakistan had hosted the first round of peace talks between Afghanistan and the Taliban, but had cancelled the second after the news broke out that&nbsp;the&nbsp;Afghan Taliban leader,&nbsp;Mullah Omar,&nbsp;had been dead for two years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Taliban had been keeping Omar&#39;s death&nbsp;a secret.&nbsp;Official statements were released in his name after his death.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from Reuters)</p>


The meet comes close on the heels of talks between Qatar and US and Afghan officials, of which Pakistan was not a part

A three-member delegation from the Taliban's political office in Afghanistan is currently in Pakistan to hold peace talks to end Afghanistan's 15-year-long war. The meet comes close on the heels of an informal meet between the Taliban and both US and Afghanistan officials in Qatar, the first of the talks in more than a year. Political officials from Qatar -- Shahabuddin Dilawar, Jan Mohammad and Abdul Salam Hanafi -- and some other officials will brief the Pakistani security agencies about the Qatar meetings, of which Pakistan was not a part, Reuters reported. According to Reuters, a Taliban official had said a Pakistan security agency arrested a senior Taliban commander in a house raid in Quetta to express discontent at being left out of the Qatar talks. "We don't know what's going on, but this is second time during the past two months that Pakistani authorities raided a madrassa in Quetta to arrest senior Taliban member," the Quetta-based Taliban said. While Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that the delegation will visit Pakistan, it denied that Qatar talks ever took place. The Pakistan foreign ministry said that it is not aware of any Taliban delegation visiting Pakistan. Pakistan had hosted the first round of peace talks between Afghanistan and the Taliban, but had cancelled the second after the news broke out that the Afghan Taliban leader, Mullah Omar, had been dead for two years. The Taliban had been keeping Omar's death a secret. Official statements were released in his name after his death. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Taliban delegation visits Pakistan for peace talks

<p>Sixty militants of the Islamic State (IS), a jihadist militant group, were killed and over 18 others were caught alive during security operations in different parts of Afghanistan, said the government on Friday, Pajhwok Afghan news agency reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>At least five soldiers from Afghan National Army (ANA), the main branch of the Afghan Armed Forces&nbsp;responsible for ground warfare in Kabul, were also killed during the operations, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. Weapons, ammunition and other equipment were seized from the militants.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The operations were carried out in different provinces: Nangarhar, Paktika, Ghazni, Paktia, Uruzgan, Helmand, Kandahar,&nbsp;Ghor, Badghis, Herat, Kunduz and Baghlan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


18 other militants were captured alive and at least 5 soldiers from the Afghan National Army were killed, a local news agency reported

Sixty militants of the Islamic State (IS), a jihadist militant group, were killed and over 18 others were caught alive during security operations in different parts of Afghanistan, said the government on Friday, Pajhwok Afghan news agency reported. At least five soldiers from Afghan National Army (ANA), the main branch of the Afghan Armed Forces responsible for ground warfare in Kabul, were also killed during the operations, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. Weapons, ammunition and other equipment were seized from the militants. The operations were carried out in different provinces: Nangarhar, Paktika, Ghazni, Paktia, Uruzgan, Helmand, Kandahar, Ghor, Badghis, Herat, Kunduz and Baghlan. (WION)

60 Islamic State militants killed in security operations in Afghanistan: Reports

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>carpets and rugs are 45 percent &nbsp;main exports &nbsp;of Afghanistan&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>carpet bearing images of a map of Afghanistan and flags of different countries is pictured inside a shop on Chicken Street in Kabul.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/1-20161013104136.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan labourer, Naaser (33) sorts carpet wraps after dying at a traditional yarn factory in Mazar-i-sharif of Balkh province.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/2-20161013104243.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>An Afghan refugee girl makes a carpet at a small factory in Peshawar on June 20, 2016. World Refugee Day is marked each year on June 20. Hundreds of thousands of people fled Afghanistan during the last three decades of war, with a majority of them taking refuge in neighbouring Pakistan.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_c51lj-20161021054717.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan labourer, Shir Ahmad (26) sorts carpet wraps at a traditional yarn factory in Mazar-i-sharif of Balkh province.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/3-20161013104425.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>A young Afghan girl weaves a carpet at a carpet manufacturer in Herat. &nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/5-20161013104920.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>An Afghan shopkeeper, Temorzada,45, waits for customers in his shop on Chicken Street in Kabul.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/6-20161013104942.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>A young Afghan girl weaves a carpet at a carpet manufacturer in Herat.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/7-20161013105051.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan men sort carpet threads inside a traditional factory in Kabul.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/8-20161013105139.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Coloured threads to be woven into a carpet hang inside a traditional factory in Afghanistan&#39;s province of Herat.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/10-20161013105325.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The history of carpet weaving in Afghanistan started five to six thousand years back in the land of Bakhtar and Central Asia.

carpets and rugs are 45 percent main exports of Afghanistan carpet bearing images of a map of Afghanistan and flags of different countries is pictured inside a shop on Chicken Street in Kabul. Source (AFP) × Afghan labourer, Naaser (33) sorts carpet wraps after dying at a traditional yarn factory in Mazar-i-sharif of Balkh province. Source (AFP) × An Afghan refugee girl makes a carpet at a small factory in Peshawar on June 20, 2016. World Refugee Day is marked each year on June 20. Hundreds of thousands of people fled Afghanistan during the last three decades of war, with a majority of them taking refuge in neighbouring Pakistan. Source (AFP) × Afghan labourer, Shir Ahmad (26) sorts carpet wraps at a traditional yarn factory in Mazar-i-sharif of Balkh province. Source (AFP) × A young Afghan girl weaves a carpet at a carpet manufacturer in Herat. Source (AFP) × An Afghan shopkeeper, Temorzada,45, waits for customers in his shop on Chicken Street in Kabul. Source (AFP) × A young Afghan girl weaves a carpet at a carpet manufacturer in Herat. Source (AFP) × Afghan men sort carpet threads inside a traditional factory in Kabul. Source (AFP) × Coloured threads to be woven into a carpet hang inside a traditional factory in Afghanistan's province of Herat. Source (AFP) ×

Afghanistan's antique handweaving carpet and rugs

<p>16-year-old Rababa Mohammadi from Afghanistan&rsquo;s capital, Kabul, was born with partial paralysis in her limbs. The disability, however, does not bring her down anymore.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0VqvYvvNTTU?list=PLmWa9ZZLlCjt0Jlg7kN3JBNX4LH1sRsGh" width="970"></iframe> &nbsp;<br />
<br />
She saw the adverse conditions as an opportunity for herself and learnt to draw and paint using her mouth.&nbsp;The highly talented Afghan girl has decided to not let her disability stop her dreams of becoming a well-known artist.<br />
<br />
The amateur teenage painter recently became a rage on social media when she drew a sketch of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau.</p>


The teenage painter became a rage on social media when she drew a sketch of Canadian PM

16-year-old Rababa Mohammadi from Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, was born with partial paralysis in her limbs. The disability, however, does not bring her down anymore. She saw the adverse conditions as an opportunity for herself and learnt to draw and paint using her mouth. The highly talented Afghan girl has decided to not let her disability stop her dreams of becoming a well-known artist. The amateur teenage painter recently became a rage on social media when she drew a sketch of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau.

Video: Disabled Afghan girl paints using her mouth

<p>Stressing that their &#39;hardline policy remains unchanged&#39;, the Taliban rejected reports of secret meetings with the Afghan government in a bid to resume peace talks, international news agency AFP reported today.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A report in Britain&#39;s Guardian newspaper on Tuesday stated that Afghan government and Taliban &quot;restarted secret peace talks in September and have held two rounds of discussions in Qatar&quot;. &nbsp;The talks were attended by Mullah Abdull Manan Akhund, brother of Taliban founder and long-time leader Mullah Omar who died in 2013, the report further said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But AFP quoted Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid as saying: &quot;The representatives of the Islamic Emirate have not met with Stanekzai or any other officials. Our stance about the negotiations has not changed. Our policy is very clear on that,&quot; Mujahid said, referring to the Taliban`s official title.&quot; &nbsp; The international news agency said that he denied any reports of talks or meetings in a statement released by the Islamic fundamentalist organisation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Taliban have long insisted on the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan as a precondition for peace talks with the government, AFP observes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from AFP)&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The Islamic fundamentalist organisation insisted that its 'hardline policy remains unchanged'

Stressing that their 'hardline policy remains unchanged', the Taliban rejected reports of secret meetings with the Afghan government in a bid to resume peace talks, international news agency AFP reported today. A report in Britain's Guardian newspaper on Tuesday stated that Afghan government and Taliban "restarted secret peace talks in September and have held two rounds of discussions in Qatar". The talks were attended by Mullah Abdull Manan Akhund, brother of Taliban founder and long-time leader Mullah Omar who died in 2013, the report further said. But AFP quoted Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid as saying: "The representatives of the Islamic Emirate have not met with Stanekzai or any other officials. Our stance about the negotiations has not changed. Our policy is very clear on that," Mujahid said, referring to the Taliban`s official title." The international news agency said that he denied any reports of talks or meetings in a statement released by the Islamic fundamentalist organisation. The Taliban have long insisted on the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan as a precondition for peace talks with the government, AFP observes. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Taliban rejects reports of 'peace talks' with Afghanistan

<p>The Taliban and representatives of the Afghan government have restarted secret peace talks in the Gulf state of Qatar without Pakistan, sources told British publication the Guardian on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Sources told the newspaper that two rounds of discussions have already been held in September and October. Among those present at the meeting were a senior American diplomat, former Tabliban chief Mullah Omar&#39;s brother, Mullah Abdul Manan Akhund, and the Afghan representatives. According to sources no Pakistani official took part in the discussions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The presence of the US officials helped make the meeting possible given the Taliban&#39;s reluctance to meet directly with the Afghan government. These are the first known negotiations since the Pakistan-brokered peace process broke down following the death of Mullah Omar&#39;s successor Mullah Akhtar Mansoor in a US drone strike in May, 2016.</p>

<p>The paper said Taliban officials felt the &quot;talks in early September went positively and were held in a trouble-free atmosphere&quot;, in which Akhund sat face to face with Afghanistan&#39;s intelligence chief, Mohammed Masoom Stanekzai. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Afghan government officials have denied any knowledge of the secret meetings. Relations between the governments in Kabul and Islamabad have deteriorated over the past year, with Afghanistan and the US alleging that Pakistan is harbouring the Taliban and not doing enough to bring the group to the negotiating table. Pakistan has denied the accusations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A close aide of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said both the Taliban and the government in Kabul have become deeply disillusioned with Pakistan. &quot;Pakistan was double dealing and insincere with the Afghan government. We no longer think we need Pakistan and the Taliban think the same thing,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Under the new Taliban leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, fighting has raged across Afghanistan and the Taliban captured the city of Kunduz for the second time and were building on Lashkargah in Helmand.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A splinter group of the Taliban in Afghanistan has said it is ready to end fighting if the country gaurantees the exit of the foreign troops, local media reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Khaama Press told that the group led by Mullah Mohammad Rasool, an arch rival of the slain Taliban leader Mansoor, has said they are prepared to sit for peace talks with the government. He added the process should be owned and led by the Afghan people.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


US officials helped bring the two sides to the negotiating table in Qatar, after the Pakistan-brokered peace process came to a halt in May

The Taliban and representatives of the Afghan government have restarted secret peace talks in the Gulf state of Qatar without Pakistan, sources told British publication the Guardian on Tuesday. Sources told the newspaper that two rounds of discussions have already been held in September and October. Among those present at the meeting were a senior American diplomat, former Tabliban chief Mullah Omar's brother, Mullah Abdul Manan Akhund, and the Afghan representatives. According to sources no Pakistani official took part in the discussions. The presence of the US officials helped make the meeting possible given the Taliban's reluctance to meet directly with the Afghan government. These are the first known negotiations since the Pakistan-brokered peace process broke down following the death of Mullah Omar's successor Mullah Akhtar Mansoor in a US drone strike in May, 2016. The paper said Taliban officials felt the "talks in early September went positively and were held in a trouble-free atmosphere", in which Akhund sat face to face with Afghanistan's intelligence chief, Mohammed Masoom Stanekzai. Afghan government officials have denied any knowledge of the secret meetings. Relations between the governments in Kabul and Islamabad have deteriorated over the past year, with Afghanistan and the US alleging that Pakistan is harbouring the Taliban and not doing enough to bring the group to the negotiating table. Pakistan has denied the accusations. A close aide of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said both the Taliban and the government in Kabul have become deeply disillusioned with Pakistan. "Pakistan was double dealing and insincere with the Afghan government. We no longer think we need Pakistan and the Taliban think the same thing," he said. Under the new Taliban leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, fighting has raged across Afghanistan and the Taliban captured the city of Kunduz for the second time and were building on Lashkargah in Helmand. A splinter group of the Taliban in Afghanistan has said it is ready to end fighting if the country gaurantees the exit of the foreign troops, local media reported. Khaama Press told that the group led by Mullah Mohammad Rasool, an arch rival of the slain Taliban leader Mansoor, has said they are prepared to sit for peace talks with the government. He added the process should be owned and led by the Afghan people. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Taliban, Afghan officials restart secret peace talks without Pakistan

<p><br />
Nepal has lifted a four-month ban on workers going to Afghanistan, which was imposed following the killings of Nepalese security guards in a Taliban attack.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The spokesperson at the ministry of labour and employment, Govinda Mani Bhurtel, told Xinhua news agency on &nbsp;Sunday that the decision was made at last week&#39;s cabinet meeting.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The South Asian country&nbsp;imposed the ban on June 23 after the Taliban attack on June 20, killed 13 Nepalese and two Indian nationals who were working as guards at the Canadian Embassy in Kabul.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bhurtel said the ban was lifted under certain conditions under which Nepalese workers will be allowed to work only inside the green zone where the UN and other diplomatic agencies are present.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;The employer should arrange shelter for Nepalese workers around the workplace and if they have to travel outside, there should be the provision of security escort and bullet proof vehicles,&quot; Bhurtel added.</p>

<p><br />
(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>


The ban was imposed?on June 23 ?after a?Taliban attack?killed 13 Nepalese who were?working as guards at the Canadian Embassy in Kabul

Nepal has lifted a four-month ban on workers going to Afghanistan, which was imposed following the killings of Nepalese security guards in a Taliban attack. The spokesperson at the ministry of labour and employment, Govinda Mani Bhurtel, told Xinhua news agency on Sunday that the decision was made at last week's cabinet meeting. The South Asian country imposed the ban on June 23 after the Taliban attack on June 20, killed 13 Nepalese and two Indian nationals who were working as guards at the Canadian Embassy in Kabul. Bhurtel said the ban was lifted under certain conditions under which Nepalese workers will be allowed to work only inside the green zone where the UN and other diplomatic agencies are present. "The employer should arrange shelter for Nepalese workers around the workplace and if they have to travel outside, there should be the provision of security escort and bullet proof vehicles," Bhurtel added. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Nepal lifts ban on sending workers to Afghanistan

<p>Food is a fundamental part of Afghan culture. In this series, we take you through the preparation of a traditional meal that you are likely to find at a restaurant on the streets of Kabul.</p>

<p>Everything starts with spices. A range of spices, both local and imported from neighbours&nbsp;Iran and India, combine to lend the dishes a distinct aroma and flavour.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/25-20161006081854.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Besides rice, bread is the other staple carbohydrate. Many dishes are, in fact, eaten with bread instead of rice.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/23-20161006081713.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Meat is present in most of the dishes and &quot;kebabs&quot; are what the region is famous for.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/24-20161006081808.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>What we have here is the most popular Afghan dish &quot;Qabili Palo&quot; - a mix of rice, raisins and chopped carrots.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/8-20161006080442.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>No Afghan food is complete without pickles. Every vegetable that you can think of is usually pickled.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/22-20161006081517.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Dry fruits are a staple part of Afghan diet. You&rsquo;ll often find people munching on them while sipping tea, either as dessert or as a snack during the day.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/14-20161006081027.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Fruits are present after every meal, with watermelons being the most popular.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/1-20161006075952.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Here comes your tray of Afghan food;&nbsp;enjoy!</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/11-20161006080724.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


From street food to traditional delicacies, discover the food that Afghans have to offer

Food is a fundamental part of Afghan culture. In this series, we take you through the preparation of a traditional meal that you are likely to find at a restaurant on the streets of Kabul. Everything starts with spices. A range of spices, both local and imported from neighbours Iran and India, combine to lend the dishes a distinct aroma and flavour. Source (AFP) × Besides rice, bread is the other staple carbohydrate. Many dishes are, in fact, eaten with bread instead of rice. Source (AFP) × Meat is present in most of the dishes and "kebabs" are what the region is famous for. Source (AFP) × What we have here is the most popular Afghan dish "Qabili Palo" - a mix of rice, raisins and chopped carrots. Source (AFP) × No Afghan food is complete without pickles. Every vegetable that you can think of is usually pickled. Source (AFP) × Dry fruits are a staple part of Afghan diet. You’ll often find people munching on them while sipping tea, either as dessert or as a snack during the day. Source (AFP) × Fruits are present after every meal, with watermelons being the most popular. Source (AFP) × Here comes your tray of Afghan food; enjoy! Source (AFP) ×

Photos: Take a bite into Afghanistan's cuisine

<p>To counter India&#39;s influence over the eight-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Pakistan is exploring the possibility of forming a larger South Asian Economic Alliance, diplomatic observers say, the Dawn newspaper reported Wednesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The idea was pitched by a parliamentary delegation from Pakistan during its visit to Washington last week. The delegation is in New York now.</p>

<p>&quot;A greater South Asia is already emerging,&rdquo; said Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed&nbsp;in an interaction with the media. &ldquo;This greater South Asia includes China, Iran and the neighbouring Central Asian republics.&rdquo;</p>

<p>The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was described by him as the key route linking South Asia with Central Asia. The Gwadar port&nbsp;would be the closest water port for the land-locked Central Asian states, he pointed out.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;We want India to join this arrangement as well,&rdquo; said Hussain.&nbsp;However, India may be unwilling to accept such an arrangement, considering the advantage SAARC provides it with.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a bid to isolate Pakistan, India last month exerted its influence on SAARC when it declared that it would not be attending the South Asia-based regional group&#39;s 19th summit, which was to be held in Islamabad on November 15 and 16 this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pakistan&#39;s alleged involvement in&nbsp;the September 18 terrorist attack in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir was the reason cited by India behind its decision to boycott the summit. However, Pakistani has strongly denied the allegation,&nbsp;citing the absence of any concrete evidence provided by India to support its claim. Yet, India was supported by three other SAARC nations - Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan - who too boycotted the summit.</p>

<p>This exposed Pakistan&#39;s isolation within the group where it had once played a key role. Afghanistan and Bangladesh are India&#39;s close allies. Bhutan, surrounded by India, is way too small and dependent to question New Delhi&#39;s moves.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sri Lanka, Maldives and Nepal share good relations with Pakistan but they are not powerful enough to take on India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;Apparently, the showdown forced Pakistan to conclude that in its present shape, SAARC will always be dominated by India. That&rsquo;s why they are now talking about a greater South Asia,&rdquo; a senior diplomat told Dawn,&nbsp;confirming reports that Pakistan is seeking a new regional agreement,</p>

<p>Pakistan hopes that this new arrangement will give it more room to manoeuvre when India tries to force a decision on it,&rdquo; said another diplomat to Dawn.</p>

<p>The Washington-based diplomatic observers say&nbsp;that the arrangement Pakistan is seeking will also suit China &nbsp;as it remains worried about India&#39;s growing influence in the region. The observers&nbsp;further argue that Central Asian states and Iran may be persuaded by China to join the new arrangement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the analysts&nbsp;warn&nbsp;that SAARC&nbsp;members will not be too keen to support&nbsp;the idea. The new arrangement will not have much in store for Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka as joining a land route far from their borders will not be very favourable to them. Besides, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have their own ports.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Afghanistan, which is a land-locked Central Asian country, is likely to benefit&nbsp;the most from a larger South Asian alliance as any trade route that links South and Central Asian regions is beneficial for Afghanistan. But considering Afghanistan&#39;s links to India, it is unlikely to join any arrangement that hurts India&#39;s interest.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The application for SAARC membership by Afghanistan in 2006&nbsp;paved way for an interesting debate on the definition of South Asian identity as Afghanistan is essentially a Central Asian country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A stipulation for Afghanistan to hold general elections was imposed by SAARC member states. The polls were held in 2005, later enabling the country to join the group in April 2007 as its eighth member.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Even if a larger South Asia became a reality, there is no certainty that its members will stand by the side of Pakistan in its disputes with India, a South Asian diplomat told Dawn.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;Many Central Asian states have strong ties with India and Iran too has problems with Pakistan,&rdquo; the diplomat added.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from Dawn)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The idea was pitched by a parliamentary delegation from Pakistan during its visit to Washington last week

To counter India's influence over the eight-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Pakistan is exploring the possibility of forming a larger South Asian Economic Alliance, diplomatic observers say, the Dawn newspaper reported Wednesday. The idea was pitched by a parliamentary delegation from Pakistan during its visit to Washington last week. The delegation is in New York now. "A greater South Asia is already emerging,” said Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed in an interaction with the media. “This greater South Asia includes China, Iran and the neighbouring Central Asian republics.” The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was described by him as the key route linking South Asia with Central Asia. The Gwadar port would be the closest water port for the land-locked Central Asian states, he pointed out. “We want India to join this arrangement as well,” said Hussain. However, India may be unwilling to accept such an arrangement, considering the advantage SAARC provides it with. In a bid to isolate Pakistan, India last month exerted its influence on SAARC when it declared that it would not be attending the South Asia-based regional group's 19th summit, which was to be held in Islamabad on November 15 and 16 this year. Pakistan's alleged involvement in the September 18 terrorist attack in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir was the reason cited by India behind its decision to boycott the summit. However, Pakistani has strongly denied the allegation, citing the absence of any concrete evidence provided by India to support its claim. Yet, India was supported by three other SAARC nations - Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan - who too boycotted the summit. This exposed Pakistan's isolation within the group where it had once played a key role. Afghanistan and Bangladesh are India's close allies. Bhutan, surrounded by India, is way too small and dependent to question New Delhi's moves. Sri Lanka, Maldives and Nepal share good relations with Pakistan but they are not powerful enough to take on India. “Apparently, the showdown forced Pakistan to conclude that in its present shape, SAARC will always be dominated by India. That’s why they are now talking about a greater South Asia,” a senior diplomat told Dawn, confirming reports that Pakistan is seeking a new regional agreement, Pakistan hopes that this new arrangement will give it more room to manoeuvre when India tries to force a decision on it,” said another diplomat to Dawn. The Washington-based diplomatic observers say that the arrangement Pakistan is seeking will also suit China as it remains worried about India's growing influence in the region. The observers further argue that Central Asian states and Iran may be persuaded by China to join the new arrangement. However, the analysts warn that SAARC members will not be too keen to support the idea. The new arrangement will not have much in store for Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka as joining a land route far from their borders will not be very favourable to them. Besides, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have their own ports. Afghanistan, which is a land-locked Central Asian country, is likely to benefit the most from a larger South Asian alliance as any trade route that links South and Central Asian regions is beneficial for Afghanistan. But considering Afghanistan's links to India, it is unlikely to join any arrangement that hurts India's interest. The application for SAARC membership by Afghanistan in 2006 paved way for an interesting debate on the definition of South Asian identity as Afghanistan is essentially a Central Asian country. A stipulation for Afghanistan to hold general elections was imposed by SAARC member states. The polls were held in 2005, later enabling the country to join the group in April 2007 as its eighth member. Even if a larger South Asia became a reality, there is no certainty that its members will stand by the side of Pakistan in its disputes with India, a South Asian diplomat told Dawn. “Many Central Asian states have strong ties with India and Iran too has problems with Pakistan,” the diplomat added. (WION with inputs from Dawn)

Pakistan seeks larger SAARC to counter India's influence

<p>Seven Afghan army soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash today in northern Baghlan province, ANI reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Afghanistan defence ministry spokesman, Dawlat Waziri said three soldiers and four crew members died. The crash occurred due to a technical problem, he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Around 4am, two M-17 helicopters were supplying a base in Qorghan Tepa of Baghlan, and one of them caught fire due to technical failure and crashed,&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, Taliban&nbsp;in a statement to the media said the helicopter was shot down by the group&#39;s fighters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The helicopter was carrying supplies for a military base when it crashed in Dand-e-Ghori district.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Taliban attempted to overrun Baghlan capital, Pul-e Khumri, but were pushed back by Afghan forces.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


The country's defence ministry has however said that the chopper crashed due to a technical fault

Seven Afghan army soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash today in northern Baghlan province, ANI reported. Afghanistan defence ministry spokesman, Dawlat Waziri said three soldiers and four crew members died. The crash occurred due to a technical problem, he added. "Around 4am, two M-17 helicopters were supplying a base in Qorghan Tepa of Baghlan, and one of them caught fire due to technical failure and crashed," However, Taliban in a statement to the media said the helicopter was shot down by the group's fighters. The helicopter was carrying supplies for a military base when it crashed in Dand-e-Ghori district. The Taliban attempted to overrun Baghlan capital, Pul-e Khumri, but were pushed back by Afghan forces. (WION)

Seven dead as Afghan military helicopter 'shot down' by Taliban

<p>Afghanistan&#39;s flagbearer Mohammad Tawfiq Bakhshi leads his delegation during the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 5, 2016.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_dw22k-20161005065916.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan child Murtaza Ahmadi, 5, and a fan of football player Lionel Messi, plays with a football while wearing a shirt donated and signed by Messi in Pakistan&#39;s southwestern city of Quetta on May 3, 2016. The young Afghan boy who captivated hearts after he was pictured wearing a plastic bag as an improvised Lionel Messi jersey has appealed to the UN refugee agency after fleeing Afghanistan. Murtaza Ahmadi became an Internet sensation in January after his older brother posted the picture on Facebook, with the Argentine superstar sending autographed jerseys to his tiny fan via UNICEF.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_a706h-20161005064551.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghanistan&#39;s Kamia Yousufi competes in the Women&#39;s 100m Preliminary Round during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 12, 2016.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_ek03q-20161005070040.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan female football players from Afghan team celebrate with the trophy after their women&#39;s football tournament final match against Isteghlal in Kabul on December 6, 2013. Afghan defeated Isteghlal to win the tournament. The month-long women&#39;s football tournament, which saw some 16 teams participate, was held to select top players for the Afghan national women&#39;s football team.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del6272004-20161005065407.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan female football players from Isteghlal (in purple) and Afghan (red) compete during the women&#39;s football tournament final match in Kabul on December 6, 2013. Afghan defeated Isteghlal to win the tournament. The month-long women&#39;s football tournament, which saw some 16 teams participate, was held to select top players for the Afghan national women&#39;s football team.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del6271988-20161005065236.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghanistan&#39;s only Olympic medallist, taekwondo star and national hero Rohullah Nikpa ,26, shows his bronze medal at his residence in Kabul on July 16, 2013. Afghanistan&#39;s only Olympic medallist, taekwondo star and national hero Rohullah Nikpa, announced on July 16 that he would boycott international competition unless reforms root out discrimination and mismanagement within the sport in his country.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_hkg8799012-20161005070646.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan-German boxer Hamid Rahimi (C) celebrates after his victory over Tanzanian opponent in Afghanistan&#39;s first professional bout in Kabul on October 30, 2012. Ecstatic supporters mobbed the ring in the capital&#39;s Loya Jirga (grand assembly) tent as the referee declared Rahimi, 29, winner after Said Mbelwa withdrew with an injury in the seventh round.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_par7369003-20161005070746.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>An Afghan football player practises before the final game of the Afghan premiere league at the Afghanistan Football Federation stadium in Kabul on October 19, 2012. Eight teams took part in the league, with all games played in Kabul to try to minimise security risks in this war-torn country where Taliban insurgents are fighting to topple the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai. Football was one of the few types of entertainment not banned by the Taliban during their 1996-2001 rule.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del6160530-20161005065006.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghanistan&#39;s Tahmina Kohistani competes in the women&#39;s 100m heats at the athletics event during the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 3, 2012 in London.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_dv1252369-20161005065758.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan amputee Malek Mohammad trains in a swimming pool in Kabul on April 13, 2012. The 18-year-old, whose legs were blown off by a Soviet landmine, dreams of swimming for Afghanistan in the London Paralympics.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_hkg7288478-20161005070550.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>In this picture taken on February 17, 2011, Afghan horsemen compete over the carcass of headless cattle during Afghanistan&#39;s traditional game of Buzkashi on the Shamali Plain, some 15kms, north of Kabul. Although the brutal pastime with few rules is popular across Afghanistan in winter, this particular game involves the personal players of the country&#39;s vice-president, warlord-turned-politician Mohammed Qasim Fahim. This is also Fahim&#39;s personal pitch, and he watches from a stage at one end, elevated above the crowd, surveying the scrum of his two teams as they fight it out over several hours in snowy conditions.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_hkg4794354-20161005070450.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Sayed Mohammad Amiri (L) of Afghanistan competes against Hsiah Wen-Huang (R) of Taiwan in the men&#39;s -60KG karate at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou on November 25, 2010. Afghanistan karate fighter Sayed Amiri, who was stretchered away in agony after collapsing from a blow to the head in an Asian Games bout on Thursday, was accused of faking his injury by his Taiwanese opponent.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_dv876465-20161005065550.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>A flag bearer leads the Afghanistan delegation during the opening ceremony of the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou on November 12, 2010.The 15-day Asian Games officially opened with a glitzy gala ceremony tonight, culminating years of planning for a massive event that is set to reinforce China&#39;s regional sporting dominance.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_dv861391-20161005065512.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghanistan Football Federation president Karim Keramuddin (C) receives the 2013 FIFA Fair Play award next to Jordan Football Association president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein (R) during the FIFA Ballon d&#39;Or award ceremony at the Kongresshaus in Zurich on January 13, 2014.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_arp3763225-20161005064802.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghanistan cricketer Mohammad Nabi plays a shot during the second One Day International (ODI) cricket match between Bangladesh and Afghanistan at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on September 28, 2016.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_gl1se-20161005070322.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Afghan bodybuilders pose as they compete in the Mr. Afghanistan nationwide bodybuilding competition on stage in Kabul on August 24, 2016. Bodybuilding is one of the country&#39;s most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. Kabul played host to the final round of competitions for Mr. Afghanistan 2016. Mohammad Haroon Azemi was given the title Mr. Afghanistan among the 435 contestants from 24 provinces of the country.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_fl08b-20161005071804.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>In this photo taken on April 24, 2015, spectators watch as an Afghan youth practices his parkour skills behind the ruins of Darul Aman Palace in Kabul. Parkour, which originated in France in the 1990s and is also known as free-running, involves getting around urban obstacles with a fast-paced mix of jumping, vaulting, running and rolling.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_hkg10193365-20161005071900.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Source (AFP)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Afghanistan's flagbearer Mohammad Tawfiq Bakhshi leads his delegation during the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 5, 2016. Source (AFP) × Afghan child Murtaza Ahmadi, 5, and a fan of football player Lionel Messi, plays with a football while wearing a shirt donated and signed by Messi in Pakistan's southwestern city of Quetta on May 3, 2016. The young Afghan boy who captivated hearts after he was pictured wearing a plastic bag as an improvised Lionel Messi jersey has appealed to the UN refugee agency after fleeing Afghanistan. Murtaza Ahmadi became an Internet sensation in January after his older brother posted the picture on Facebook, with the Argentine superstar sending autographed jerseys to his tiny fan via UNICEF. Source (AFP) × Afghanistan's Kamia Yousufi competes in the Women's 100m Preliminary Round during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 12, 2016. Source (AFP) × Afghan female football players from Afghan team celebrate with the trophy after their women's football tournament final match against Isteghlal in Kabul on December 6, 2013. Afghan defeated Isteghlal to win the tournament. The month-long women's football tournament, which saw some 16 teams participate, was held to select top players for the Afghan national women's football team. Source (AFP) × Afghan female football players from Isteghlal (in purple) and Afghan (red) compete during the women's football tournament final match in Kabul on December 6, 2013. Afghan defeated Isteghlal to win the tournament. The month-long women's football tournament, which saw some 16 teams participate, was held to select top players for the Afghan national women's football team. Source (AFP) × Afghanistan's only Olympic medallist, taekwondo star and national hero Rohullah Nikpa ,26, shows his bronze medal at his residence in Kabul on July 16, 2013. Afghanistan's only Olympic medallist, taekwondo star and national hero Rohullah Nikpa, announced on July 16 that he would boycott international competition unless reforms root out discrimination and mismanagement within the sport in his country. Source (AFP) × Afghan-German boxer Hamid Rahimi (C) celebrates after his victory over Tanzanian opponent in Afghanistan's first professional bout in Kabul on October 30, 2012. Ecstatic supporters mobbed the ring in the capital's Loya Jirga (grand assembly) tent as the referee declared Rahimi, 29, winner after Said Mbelwa withdrew with an injury in the seventh round. Source (AFP) × An Afghan football player practises before the final game of the Afghan premiere league at the Afghanistan Football Federation stadium in Kabul on October 19, 2012. Eight teams took part in the league, with all games played in Kabul to try to minimise security risks in this war-torn country where Taliban insurgents are fighting to topple the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai. Football was one of the few types of entertainment not banned by the Taliban during their 1996-2001 rule. Source (AFP) × Afghanistan's Tahmina Kohistani competes in the women's 100m heats at the athletics event during the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 3, 2012 in London. Source (AFP) × Afghan amputee Malek Mohammad trains in a swimming pool in Kabul on April 13, 2012. The 18-year-old, whose legs were blown off by a Soviet landmine, dreams of swimming for Afghanistan in the London Paralympics. Source (AFP) × In this picture taken on February 17, 2011, Afghan horsemen compete over the carcass of headless cattle during Afghanistan's traditional game of Buzkashi on the Shamali Plain, some 15kms, north of Kabul. Although the brutal pastime with few rules is popular across Afghanistan in winter, this particular game involves the personal players of the country's vice-president, warlord-turned-politician Mohammed Qasim Fahim. This is also Fahim's personal pitch, and he watches from a stage at one end, elevated above the crowd, surveying the scrum of his two teams as they fight it out over several hours in snowy conditions. Source (AFP) × Sayed Mohammad Amiri (L) of Afghanistan competes against Hsiah Wen-Huang (R) of Taiwan in the men's -60KG karate at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou on November 25, 2010. Afghanistan karate fighter Sayed Amiri, who was stretchered away in agony after collapsing from a blow to the head in an Asian Games bout on Thursday, was accused of faking his injury by his Taiwanese opponent. Source (AFP) × A flag bearer leads the Afghanistan delegation during the opening ceremony of the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou on November 12, 2010.The 15-day Asian Games officially opened with a glitzy gala ceremony tonight, culminating years of planning for a massive event that is set to reinforce China's regional sporting dominance. Source (AFP) × Afghanistan Football Federation president Karim Keramuddin (C) receives the 2013 FIFA Fair Play award next to Jordan Football Association president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein (R) during the FIFA Ballon d'Or award ceremony at the Kongresshaus in Zurich on January 13, 2014. Source (AFP) × Afghanistan cricketer Mohammad Nabi plays a shot during the second One Day International (ODI) cricket match between Bangladesh and Afghanistan at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on September 28, 2016. Source (AFP) × Afghan bodybuilders pose as they compete in the Mr. Afghanistan nationwide bodybuilding competition on stage in Kabul on August 24, 2016. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. Kabul played host to the final round of competitions for Mr. Afghanistan 2016. Mohammad Haroon Azemi was given the title Mr. Afghanistan among the 435 contestants from 24 provinces of the country. Source (AFP) × In this photo taken on April 24, 2015, spectators watch as an Afghan youth practices his parkour skills behind the ruins of Darul Aman Palace in Kabul. Parkour, which originated in France in the 1990s and is also known as free-running, involves getting around urban obstacles with a fast-paced mix of jumping, vaulting, running and rolling. Source (AFP) ×

Photos: Afghans playing cricket, football, buzkashi, judo, and other sports you may not expect

<p>Turkey suspended more than 12,000 police officers today over suspected links to Fethullah Gulen, accused of orchestrating the failed coup in July.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Of the 12,801 suspended from duty as part of the investigation into the coup attempt, 2,523 were police chiefs, the police headquarters said in a statement. In total, Turkey has suspended around 270,000 police officers, international news agency&nbsp;AFP reported.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The decision was made over their suspected links to the Gulen movement which Turkey blames for the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>A former Erdogan ally, Fethullah Gulen, has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999. He has denied involvement in the coup bid and has also ridiculed the description of his group by the Turkish authorities as the Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO), saying he merely runs a peaceful organisation called Hizmet (Service).</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The government announced a three-month state of emergency a few days after the coup attampt. The emergency was extended on Monday a futher 90 days from October 19.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to AFP, a Turkish official, who did not wish to be named, confirmed the suspension, adding that the individuals would continue to be paid two-thirds of their salary &quot;pending further investigation&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, a prominent pro-Kurdish television channel was raided and broadcasts cut under the emergency laws, over accusations of supporting Kurdish militants.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Turkish authorities have repeatedly asked the United States to extradite or detain Gulen. A team of US officials is reviewing the evidence against the cleric.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Turkey also led a massive crackdown on media after the attempted coup, imprisoning hundreds of journalists and shutting down media outlets.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from AFP)</p>


Turkey suspended more than 12,000 police officers today over suspected links to Fethullah Gulen, accused of orchestrating the failed coup in July. Of the 12,801 suspended from duty as part of the investigation into the coup attempt, 2,523 were police chiefs, the police headquarters said in a statement. In total, Turkey has suspended around 270,000 police officers, international news agency AFP reported. The decision was made over their suspected links to the Gulen movement which Turkey blames for the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15. A former Erdogan ally, Fethullah Gulen, has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999. He has denied involvement in the coup bid and has also ridiculed the description of his group by the Turkish authorities as the Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO), saying he merely runs a peaceful organisation called Hizmet (Service). The government announced a three-month state of emergency a few days after the coup attampt. The emergency was extended on Monday a futher 90 days from October 19. According to AFP, a Turkish official, who did not wish to be named, confirmed the suspension, adding that the individuals would continue to be paid two-thirds of their salary "pending further investigation". Meanwhile, a prominent pro-Kurdish television channel was raided and broadcasts cut under the emergency laws, over accusations of supporting Kurdish militants. Turkish authorities have repeatedly asked the United States to extradite or detain Gulen. A team of US officials is reviewing the evidence against the cleric. Turkey also led a massive crackdown on media after the attempted coup, imprisoning hundreds of journalists and shutting down media outlets. (WION with inputs from AFP)

<p><br />
At least four people were wounded in Afghan capital of Kabul today when an explosion hit a bus carrying government employees during rush hour traffic, police and witnesses told Reuters news agency.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>A spokesman for the interior ministry, Sediq Seqqi.&nbsp;said: &quot;The target appeared to be a bus carrying employees of the ministry of mining and petroleum.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The blast was reported at around 5 pm (1230 GMT) on a major road near a university and an old parliament building.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reuters quoted officials as saying that three men and one woman were among the wounded.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


The target appeared to be a bus carrying employees of the ministry of mining and petroleum, an official said

At least four people were wounded in Afghan capital of Kabul today when an explosion hit a bus carrying government employees during rush hour traffic, police and witnesses told Reuters news agency. A spokesman for the interior ministry, Sediq Seqqi. said: "The target appeared to be a bus carrying employees of the ministry of mining and petroleum." The blast was reported at around 5 pm (1230 GMT) on a major road near a university and an old parliament building. Reuters quoted officials as saying that three men and one woman were among the wounded. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Explosion hits bus carrying government employees in Kabul, at least four injured

<p><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p><br />
The European Union (EU) has signed a deal with the Afghan government under which its member states will be allowed to deport an &lsquo;unlimited number&rsquo; of&nbsp;asylum seekers from the country, the Guardian reported on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the British daily, the deal was being worked upon for months, leading to a large EU-hosted donor conference in Brussels this week.&nbsp;Donors in the conference are expected to pledge about $3 billion a year for Afghanistan through 2020.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Guardian&#39;s report suggests that&nbsp;in a previously leaked memo, the EU hinted stripping Afghanistan of aid if its government did not cooperate.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The deal was signed on Sunday and has not been made public but the Guardian reports that Kabul will commit to re-admitting any Afghan citizen who has not been granted asylum in Europe and those who do not want to go back voluntarily. The agreement called the &#39;Joint Way Forward&#39;&nbsp;also opens up the deportation of women and children, which at the moment almost exclusively happens from Norway.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;Special measures will ensure that such vulnerable groups receive adequate protection, assistance and care throughout the whole process.&rdquo;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>If family members in Afghanistan cannot be located, unaccompanied children can be returned only with &ldquo;adequate reception and caretaking arrangement having been put in place in Afghanistan&rdquo;, the text of the agreement says, as per the report.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Kabul will commit to 're-admitting any Afghan citizen who has not been granted asylum in Europe'

The European Union (EU) has signed a deal with the Afghan government under which its member states will be allowed to deport an ‘unlimited number’ of asylum seekers from the country, the Guardian reported on Monday. According to the British daily, the deal was being worked upon for months, leading to a large EU-hosted donor conference in Brussels this week. Donors in the conference are expected to pledge about $3 billion a year for Afghanistan through 2020. Meanwhile, Guardian's report suggests that in a previously leaked memo, the EU hinted stripping Afghanistan of aid if its government did not cooperate. The deal was signed on Sunday and has not been made public but the Guardian reports that Kabul will commit to re-admitting any Afghan citizen who has not been granted asylum in Europe and those who do not want to go back voluntarily. The agreement called the 'Joint Way Forward' also opens up the deportation of women and children, which at the moment almost exclusively happens from Norway. “Special measures will ensure that such vulnerable groups receive adequate protection, assistance and care throughout the whole process.” If family members in Afghanistan cannot be located, unaccompanied children can be returned only with “adequate reception and caretaking arrangement having been put in place in Afghanistan”, the text of the agreement says, as per the report. (WION)

EU signs 'deal' with Kabul allowing member states to deport asylum seekers

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Afghan Taliban launched an attack on Afghanistan&#39;s northern Kunduz city on Sunday night.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The commander of the 808 Tandar police zone in Kunduz, Sheer Ali Kamal, said the attack began around midnight (1930 GMT Sunday) and that the fighting was still ongoing, Reuters reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;We are putting all our efforts together to push them back, &quot; he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reuters added that one of their reporters saw at least five Taliban fighters armed with AK-47 assault rifles, machines guns,&nbsp;and rocket-propelled grenades.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kunduz fell briefly to the Taliban&nbsp;last year and the city has witnessed spurts of heavy fighting ever since with the insurgents hoping to repeat their succcess.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


The city fell briefly to the insurgents last year and they have been hoping to repeat that success ever since

The Afghan Taliban launched an attack on Afghanistan's northern Kunduz city on Sunday night. The commander of the 808 Tandar police zone in Kunduz, Sheer Ali Kamal, said the attack began around midnight (1930 GMT Sunday) and that the fighting was still ongoing, Reuters reported. "We are putting all our efforts together to push them back, " he said. Reuters added that one of their reporters saw at least five Taliban fighters armed with AK-47 assault rifles, machines guns, and rocket-propelled grenades. Kunduz fell briefly to the Taliban last year and the city has witnessed spurts of heavy fighting ever since with the insurgents hoping to repeat their succcess. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Taliban mounts attack on Afghanistan's Kunduz city

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>A high intensity blast rocked kabul early today morning killing at least one person and leaving two injured.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An interior ministry official confirmed that an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) detonated in Charqala area of Kabul.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Afghan news website, Khaama Press, the IED was attached to a bicycle parked in Charqala. Khaama reported several were injured in the blast.&nbsp;</p>

<p>No militant group has claimed responsibilty for the attack yet.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


Khaama Press reported that an Improvised Explosive Device was attached to a bicycle parked in Charqala

A high intensity blast rocked kabul early today morning killing at least one person and leaving two injured. An interior ministry official confirmed that an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) detonated in Charqala area of Kabul. According to Afghan news website, Khaama Press, the IED was attached to a bicycle parked in Charqala. Khaama reported several were injured in the blast. No militant group has claimed responsibilty for the attack yet. (WION)

1 killed, several injured in Kabul blast- reports

<p>Taliban fighters have made their way into the centre of the Afghan city of Kunduz on Monday, seising the central intersection where their flag was raised a year earlier in what was then the their biggest success of the 15-year conflict, Reuters reported.</p>

<p>Witnesses and police have told Reuters that the insurgents who entered the city in the early hours today were attacking the police headquarters and the governor&#39;s compound, even as some officials were seen fleeing tot the airport.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Unverified footage posted by the Afghan Taliban on social media shows fighters in Kunduz describing how they had captured army strong points and taken prisoners during a day of fighting, Reuters reported.</p>

<p>The fighters are reported to have slipped through a defensive security line that was set up around Kunduz, entering the city from four directions before clashes broke out, witnesses told Reuters.</p>

<p>Police spokesman Mahfozullah Akbari told Reuters that &nbsp;security forces were preparing to drive out the fighters, who had infiltrated the Khak Kani area in the city&#39;s southwest.</p>

<p>&quot;The Taliban are inside some civilian houses and we have to carry out operations very carefully,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The attack on Kunduz comes in only a day before an international donors&#39;&nbsp;conference in Brussels, where&nbsp;donors are &nbsp;expected to pledge about $3&nbsp;billion a year&nbsp;for Afghanistan through 2020.</p>

<p>Government forces in Afghanistan are reported to have control of&nbsp;no more than two-thirds of the country.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from Reuters)<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Some officials were reportedly seen fleeing to the airport

Taliban fighters have made their way into the centre of the Afghan city of Kunduz on Monday, seising the central intersection where their flag was raised a year earlier in what was then the their biggest success of the 15-year conflict, Reuters reported. Witnesses and police have told Reuters that the insurgents who entered the city in the early hours today were attacking the police headquarters and the governor's compound, even as some officials were seen fleeing tot the airport. Unverified footage posted by the Afghan Taliban on social media shows fighters in Kunduz describing how they had captured army strong points and taken prisoners during a day of fighting, Reuters reported. The fighters are reported to have slipped through a defensive security line that was set up around Kunduz, entering the city from four directions before clashes broke out, witnesses told Reuters. Police spokesman Mahfozullah Akbari told Reuters that security forces were preparing to drive out the fighters, who had infiltrated the Khak Kani area in the city's southwest. "The Taliban are inside some civilian houses and we have to carry out operations very carefully," he said. The attack on Kunduz comes in only a day before an international donors' conference in Brussels, where donors are expected to pledge about $3 billion a year for Afghanistan through 2020. Government forces in Afghanistan are reported to have control of no more than two-thirds of the country. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Taliban gain foothold in Afghanistan's Kunduz

<p>At least 11 people were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan&rsquo;s southern province of Helmand on Saturday, news agencies reported.</p>

<p>&quot;They were travelling in Bolan, an area on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah, around mid-day. Their vehicle touched off an improvised explosive device (IED),&quot; Xinhua news agency quoted an official as saying.</p>

<p>According to Xinhua, the official blamed Taliban militants for planting the IED.</p>

<p>Taliban has been using IEDs to target security forces but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians, according to military officers, Xinhua said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Authorities blame Taliban for the blast in Afghanistan?s southern province of Helmand today

At least 11 people were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan’s southern province of Helmand on Saturday, news agencies reported. "They were travelling in Bolan, an area on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah, around mid-day. Their vehicle touched off an improvised explosive device (IED)," Xinhua news agency quoted an official as saying. According to Xinhua, the official blamed Taliban militants for planting the IED. Taliban has been using IEDs to target security forces but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians, according to military officers, Xinhua said. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan: 11 dead in powerful roadside explosion

afghanistan-0

Afghanistan, News on Afghanistan, stories on Afghanistan, articles on Afghanistan, Afghanistan stories at Wion, Afghanistan news, Afghanistan latest news

afghanistan 0

In Afghanistan, Britain's Johnson sees no sign of global retreat

US rejects ICC 'war crimes' probe for alleged atrocities in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, climate change fuels insurgency

Afghanistan: Four Americans killed in blast at US base, Taliban claims responsibility

US election campaign never included Afghan conflict

The main religion of Afghanistan: Islam

Exclusive: Chinese security forces caught patrolling deep inside eastern Afghanistan

Afghanistan: 2 US soldiers killed in anti-Taliban operations in Kunduz

Afghanistan: Surge in military death rate erodes social gains

Afghanistan: 30 civilians abducted, killed by suspected Islamic State militants

Photos: Afghanistan's diverse dance moves

Afghanistan Islamic mosque

Kabul police tackle car theft... by deflating tyres

Taliban delegation visits Pakistan for peace talks

60 Islamic State militants killed in security operations in Afghanistan: Reports

Afghanistan's antique handweaving carpet and rugs

Video: Disabled Afghan girl paints using her mouth

Taliban rejects reports of 'peace talks' with Afghanistan

Taliban, Afghan officials restart secret peace talks without Pakistan

Nepal lifts ban on sending workers to Afghanistan

Photos: Take a bite into Afghanistan's cuisine

Pakistan seeks larger SAARC to counter India's influence

Seven dead as Afghan military helicopter 'shot down' by Taliban

Photos: Afghans playing cricket, football, buzkashi, judo, and other sports you may not expect

Photos: Afghans playing cricket, football, buzkashi, judo, and other sports you may not expect

Explosion hits bus carrying government employees in Kabul, at least four injured