A senior US official said on Thursday that the donors, at an upcoming international conference, are expected to pledge about USD 3 billion dollars a year&nbsp;for Afghanistan through 2020.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Afghanistan and European Union (EU) are set to host a donor conference on October 4 in Brussels to seek backing for reforms and work towards stabilising and developing the South Asian nation. Around 70 states and 30 international organisations are expected to attend the conference, Reuters reported today. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

The US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Olson told a Washington forum that the US government would seek to maintain US assistance &quot;at, or near&quot; current levels for the period to 2020, through Congress.

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The funds, however, will be dependent on reforms and efforts to counter corruption, he said.&nbsp;

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<h5>Afghanistan and European Union (EU) are set to host a donor conference on October 4 in Brussels to seek backing for reforms and work towards stabilising and developing the South Asian nation</h5>
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The conference comes in the backdrop of a reduced US and international military presence in Afghanistan and will work towards helping the Afghan government in establishing an agenda for increased self-reliance, according to the international news agency.

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&quot;We expect strong pledges of renewed support to be announced next week, collectively totalling over $3 billion a year in development support through 2020,&quot; Olson said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

According to Olson, US secretary of state John Kerry is &quot;ready to indicate clearly American intentions to maintain a strong leadership role within the broad coalition of allies and partners engaged in Afghanistan.&quot;

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The US spends $5 billion a year in Afghanistan and Olson stressed the assistance will not be a &nbsp;&quot;not a blank check&quot; and would be dependent on Afghanistan&#39;s&nbsp;progress in carrying out reforms, including countering corruption.

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US senators had warned earlier this month that a failure to address corruption in Afghanistan could lead &nbsp;them to rethink the money US spends in Afghanistan each year.

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The assistance, however, would depend on Afghanistan's efforts in carrying out reforms and countering corruption, a US official said

A senior US official said on Thursday that the donors, at an upcoming international conference, are expected to pledge about USD 3 billion dollars a year for Afghanistan through 2020. Afghanistan and European Union (EU) are set to host a donor conference on October 4 in Brussels to seek backing for reforms and work towards stabilising and developing the South Asian nation. Around 70 states and 30 international organisations are expected to attend the conference, Reuters reported today. The US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Olson told a Washington forum that the US government would seek to maintain US assistance "at, or near" current levels for the period to 2020, through Congress. The funds, however, will be dependent on reforms and efforts to counter corruption, he said. Afghanistan and European Union (EU) are set to host a donor conference on October 4 in Brussels to seek backing for reforms and work towards stabilising and developing the South Asian nation × The conference comes in the backdrop of a reduced US and international military presence in Afghanistan and will work towards helping the Afghan government in establishing an agenda for increased self-reliance, according to the international news agency. "We expect strong pledges of renewed support to be announced next week, collectively totalling over $3 billion a year in development support through 2020," Olson said. According to Olson, US secretary of state John Kerry is "ready to indicate clearly American intentions to maintain a strong leadership role within the broad coalition of allies and partners engaged in Afghanistan." The US spends $5 billion a year in Afghanistan and Olson stressed the assistance will not be a "not a blank check" and would be dependent on Afghanistan's progress in carrying out reforms, including countering corruption. US senators had warned earlier this month that a failure to address corruption in Afghanistan could lead them to rethink the money US spends in Afghanistan each year. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

US expects donors to pledge $3 bn a year for Afghanistan at Brussels conference

In a&nbsp;further embarrassment for Islamabad, the current SAARC Chair,&nbsp;Nepal&nbsp;has decided to move the annual summit out of Pakistan, Indian newspaper, The Hindu, reported. &nbsp;

A senior diplomat source in Kathmandu told the Hindu that Nepal has decided to find an alternate venue for the summit.&nbsp;

A formal announcement is expected soon. The move to shift the summit out of Islamabad was taken after four nations raised objections to the meet being held in Pakistan.&nbsp;

&ldquo;There is no question of holding the summit if four countries declare their unwillingness to participate. As the current SAARC Chair, Nepal has the responsibility of seeking a solution to such pre-summit disputes but under the current circumstances nothing much can be attempted. We will do the due formalities and will declare the summit of 2016 should be cancelled due to non-participation of member states,&rdquo; the Kathmandu-based diplomatic source told The Hindu.&nbsp;

According to reports, a high-level meeting was called by Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal in an effort to salvage the SAARC summit.&nbsp;

Since India said last night that it would not be attending the SAARC summit in Pakistan in November, three more countries have followed suit.&nbsp;

Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Afghanistan have all conveyed to Nepal -- the current SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) chair -- that they too will not be attending.&nbsp;

&quot;The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016,&quot; Bangladesh said in a statement.

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<h5>The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016&#39;</h5>
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&quot;Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad,&quot; it added.

Bhutan said it is committed to the SAARC process but the &quot;recent escalation of terrorism in the region... has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.

&quot;Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances.&quot;

Afghanistan followed up with: &quot;Due to the increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, the President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit.&quot;&nbsp;

The SAARC summit was of course over the minute India pulled out -- the by-laws governing the association insist on consensus and it can take absolutely no decision without all 8 countries agreeing.&nbsp;

India had pulled out after 18 of its soldiers lost their lives in a terror attack on an army camp in Uri, Kashmir. India blames terrorists nurtured on Pakistani soil for the attack, and has been looking for ways to &quot;respond&quot; to the attack ever since.&nbsp;

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting yesterday to review the Indus Waters treaty. India and Pakistan signed the treaty in 1960 and it has survived three wars between the two countries so far.&nbsp;

The treaty gives Pakistan up to 80% of the waters of six rivers shared by the two countries, and is in India of often thought of as being too soft on Pakistan. Consequently, there have been numerous calls in India for the scrapping of the treaty.&nbsp;

&quot;Blood and water cannot flow together,&quot; Mr Modi is reported to have said at the meeting.&nbsp;

Mr Modi has called another meeting tomorrow to review the Most Favoured Nation status India gave Pakistan in 1999 -- Pakistan does not give the same back to India -- and will for that be meeting with officials from the foreign and commerce ministries.&nbsp;

(WION) 
&nbsp;

Nepal said it will find an alternate venue for the summit after four nations decided to boycott meet in Pakistan

In a further embarrassment for Islamabad, the current SAARC Chair, Nepal has decided to move the annual summit out of Pakistan, Indian newspaper, The Hindu, reported. A senior diplomat source in Kathmandu told the Hindu that Nepal has decided to find an alternate venue for the summit. A formal announcement is expected soon. The move to shift the summit out of Islamabad was taken after four nations raised objections to the meet being held in Pakistan. “There is no question of holding the summit if four countries declare their unwillingness to participate. As the current SAARC Chair, Nepal has the responsibility of seeking a solution to such pre-summit disputes but under the current circumstances nothing much can be attempted. We will do the due formalities and will declare the summit of 2016 should be cancelled due to non-participation of member states,” the Kathmandu-based diplomatic source told The Hindu. According to reports, a high-level meeting was called by Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal in an effort to salvage the SAARC summit. Since India said last night that it would not be attending the SAARC summit in Pakistan in November, three more countries have followed suit. Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Afghanistan have all conveyed to Nepal -- the current SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) chair -- that they too will not be attending. "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016," Bangladesh said in a statement. The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016' × "Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it added. Bhutan said it is committed to the SAARC process but the "recent escalation of terrorism in the region... has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016. "Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances." Afghanistan followed up with: "Due to the increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, the President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit." The SAARC summit was of course over the minute India pulled out -- the by-laws governing the association insist on consensus and it can take absolutely no decision without all 8 countries agreeing. India had pulled out after 18 of its soldiers lost their lives in a terror attack on an army camp in Uri, Kashmir. India blames terrorists nurtured on Pakistani soil for the attack, and has been looking for ways to "respond" to the attack ever since. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting yesterday to review the Indus Waters treaty. India and Pakistan signed the treaty in 1960 and it has survived three wars between the two countries so far. The treaty gives Pakistan up to 80% of the waters of six rivers shared by the two countries, and is in India of often thought of as being too soft on Pakistan. Consequently, there have been numerous calls in India for the scrapping of the treaty. "Blood and water cannot flow together," Mr Modi is reported to have said at the meeting. Mr Modi has called another meeting tomorrow to review the Most Favoured Nation status India gave Pakistan in 1999 -- Pakistan does not give the same back to India -- and will for that be meeting with officials from the foreign and commerce ministries. (WION)

SAARC chair Nepal seeks new venue for November summit: Report

Afghan Particpants wear traditional clothes as dance in a event entitled Rainbow _ appreciating the 
differences cultural festival in Kabul .&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/3-20160926073021.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : AFP&nbsp; 
 
 
Afghan dancers performs a traditional dance &#39;Attan&#39; at Kabul Stadium in kabul during the start of a football tournament .&nbsp;
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/20-20160926073515.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : AFP 
&nbsp; 
 
Afghan sikh men performs their traditional Chobozi dance at the opening of the sports day in conjuction with New Year Day in Kabul .&nbsp;&nbsp;
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/21-20160926073805.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : AFP&nbsp; 
 
 
Afghan children dance as they celebrate Children&#39;s Day at Maher Mother Kindergarten in Kabul .&nbsp;
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del6325479%20(1)-20160926074055.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : AFP&nbsp; 
 
Newly_ Graduated Afghan National Police dance a national dance .
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/6-20160926074131.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : Afp&nbsp; 
 
Afghan footballers dance in their dorm room at a communal house in Kabul&nbsp;
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/7-20160926074649.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : AFP&nbsp; 
 
Afghan young men dance in a wedding in a wedding Hall in Kabul .&nbsp;
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_hkg4749604%20(1)-20160926074933.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : AFP&nbsp; 
 
Afghan visitors perform a traditional dance in the Bagh -e- Babur Garden in Kabul .
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/15-20160926075255.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : AFP 
An American women and an Afghan man wear traditional Afghan costumes as they 
perform an Afghan folk dance during celebration to mark the Afghan New Year festival of Nowruz.&nbsp;
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/5-20160926075551.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : AFP&nbsp; 
 
Afghan Kochi tribesmen dance an Afghan national dance .&nbsp;
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/19-20160926082353.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : AFP 
 
Afghan drug addicts play music and dance at a drug treatment center in Jalalabad .&nbsp;
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/13-20160926082637.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : AFP&nbsp; 
 
Afghan men dance a national dance after an inauguration ceremony at Wazir Akbar Khan hill in Kabul .&nbsp;
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/14-20160926082818.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : AFP&nbsp; 
 
 
Afghan young men perform break dance and Hip Hop dance during The sound Central Festival in at French Cultural Center in Kabul .&nbsp;
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/8-20160926083030.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : AFP 
 
 
Afghan mendance at the wedding party .&nbsp;
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del331712-20160926083728.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Source : AFP&nbsp; 
 
 
Afghan men performs traditional dance during a mass marriage ceremony of fifty Afghan couples in Herat province .&nbsp;
</div>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del309839-20160926084135.jpg" /> 
 
 
Source : AFP&nbsp;

Afghan Particpants wear traditional clothes as dance in a event entitled Rainbow _ appreciating the differences cultural festival in Kabul . Source : AFP Afghan dancers performs a traditional dance 'Attan' at Kabul Stadium in kabul during the start of a football tournament . Source : AFP Afghan sikh men performs their traditional Chobozi dance at the opening of the sports day in conjuction with New Year Day 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 dance a national dance . Source : Afp Afghan footballers dance in their dorm room at a communal house in Kabul Source : AFP Afghan young men dance in a wedding in a wedding Hall in Kabul . Source : AFP Afghan visitors perform a traditional dance in the Bagh -e- Babur Garden in Kabul . Source : AFP An American women and an Afghan man wear traditional Afghan costumes as they perform an Afghan folk dance during celebration to mark the Afghan New Year festival of Nowruz. Source : AFP Afghan Kochi tribesmen dance an Afghan national dance . Source : AFP Afghan drug addicts play music and dance at a drug treatment center in Jalalabad . Source : AFP Afghan men dance a national dance after an inauguration ceremony at Wazir Akbar Khan hill in Kabul . Source : AFP Afghan young men perform break dance and Hip Hop dance during The sound Central Festival in at French Cultural Center in Kabul . Source : AFP Afghan mendance at the wedding party . Source : AFP Afghan men performs traditional dance during a mass marriage ceremony of fifty Afghan couples in Herat province . Source : AFP

Afghan dance

Afghanistan has a rich and diverse culture of music and arts. Here is a photo journey through the country. 
 
An Afghan youth playing the violin at Afghanistan&#39;s National Institute for Music in Kabul.
<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/7-20160920084002.jpg" />
(Source: AFP)
</div>
Afghan music student Salahdeen (7) rehearses with a guitar.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_hkg9186422-20160920084402.jpg" />
(Source: AFP)
</div>
Afghan rapper band 143 performs to mark Human Rights week at the French Culture Centre in Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del6272698-20160920084750.jpg" />
( Source AFP )
</div>
Afghan rapper Ramika Khabiri performs during The Sound Culture Festival at the French Culture Centre in Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/11-20160919121843.jpg" />
(Source AFP )
</div>
Afghan music student Mushgan plays a traditional musical instrument at Afghanistan&#39;s National Institute for music in Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/9-20160919121612.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>
Afghanistan&#39;s first famale rap musician practicing with Afghan pop musician Farid Rastagar at a recording studio in Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/8-20160919121436.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>
Afghan singer Fardin Fakhir performs during the Rumi Music Awards show in Bagh-e-Babur in Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/19-20160920060824.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>
Afghan traditional music performers in Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/17-20160920061009.jpg" />
(AFP)
</div>
Huma Rahimy student of &nbsp;Afhanistan National Institute of Music sitar and Ensemble,&nbsp;performs&nbsp;in the Dean Aceson Auditorium.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/1-20160920063450.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>
A folk singer from Herat plays a stringed instrument.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/2-20160920063555.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>
Afghan guitarist Masoud Hassanzada perform in a cafe in Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_par8187738-20160920064104.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>
Afghan music student chat and practice the guitar at Kabul School of Rock in Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_hkg9186430-20160920064318.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>
Young Afghan rapers perform during Peace Concert in Babur Gardan in Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del6257790-20160920064529.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>
Afghan woman singer Farida Tarana singing at a studio in Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_hkg1088637-20160920065151.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>
An Afghan youth plays the keyboards as a friend listens at the an art school in Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_hkg2339157-20160920063912.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>
Afghan singer Farhad Darya a United Nations goodwill ambassador, performs during a concert for Afghan girls and women at Amani High School in Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/15-20160919122410.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>
Young Afghan musician performs during a stage performance at French Culture Center in Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/12-20160919122028.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>
Afghan music student plays the sitar in Herat.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del6241889-20160920075216.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>
Afghan female singer Aryana Sayeed listens to a contestant from &#39;The Voice of Afghanistan&#39; television show at Qargha lake on the outskirts of Kabul.

<div class="media-description"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/14-20160919122220.jpg" />
(Source AFP)
</div>

Travel through the diverse and rich tradition of music in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has a rich and diverse culture of music and arts. Here is a photo journey through the country. An Afghan youth playing the violin at Afghanistan's National Institute for Music in Kabul. (Source: AFP) Afghan music student Salahdeen (7) rehearses with a guitar. (Source: AFP) Afghan rapper band 143 performs to mark Human Rights week at the French Culture Centre in Kabul. ( Source AFP ) Afghan rapper Ramika Khabiri performs during The Sound Culture Festival at the French Culture Centre in Kabul. (Source AFP ) Afghan music student Mushgan plays a traditional musical instrument at Afghanistan's National Institute for music in Kabul. (Source AFP) Afghanistan's first famale rap musician practicing with Afghan pop musician Farid Rastagar at a recording studio in Kabul. (Source AFP) Afghan singer Fardin Fakhir performs during the Rumi Music Awards show in Bagh-e-Babur in Kabul. (Source AFP) Afghan traditional music performers in Kabul. (AFP) Huma Rahimy student of Afhanistan National Institute of Music sitar and Ensemble, performs in the Dean Aceson Auditorium. (Source AFP) A folk singer from Herat plays a stringed instrument. (Source AFP) Afghan guitarist Masoud Hassanzada perform in a cafe in Kabul. (Source AFP) Afghan music student chat and practice the guitar at Kabul School of Rock in Kabul. (Source AFP) Young Afghan rapers perform during Peace Concert in Babur Gardan in Kabul. (Source AFP) Afghan woman singer Farida Tarana singing at a studio in Kabul. (Source AFP) An Afghan youth plays the keyboards as a friend listens at the an art school in Kabul. (Source AFP) Afghan singer Farhad Darya a United Nations goodwill ambassador, performs during a concert for Afghan girls and women at Amani High School in Kabul. (Source AFP) Young Afghan musician performs during a stage performance at French Culture Center in Kabul. (Source AFP) Afghan music student plays the sitar in Herat. (Source AFP) Afghan female singer Aryana Sayeed listens to a contestant from 'The Voice of Afghanistan' television show at Qargha lake on the outskirts of Kabul. (Source AFP)

Photo-story: Musical journey through Afghanistan

Afghanistan today signed a peace agreement with warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, making way for him to come back to politics after years of hiding and despite a history of war crimes. 
 
Hekmatyar, heads the Hezb-i-Islami militant group and is the latest in a series of controversial figures that Kabul has sought to reintegrate in the post-Taliban era. 
 
A delegation from the Hezb-i-Islami met &nbsp;with the members of High Peace Council (HPC), which is responsible for reconciliation efforts with militants, and the national security adviser at an official ceremony in Kabul. 
 
The deal with Afghanistan&#39;s second-biggest militant group, though largely dormant,marks a symbolic victory for President Ashraf Ghani, who has struggled to revive peace talks with the more powerful Taliban. 
 
&quot;This is not just a peace deal between Hezb-i-Islami and the government of Afghanistan,&quot; Mohammad Amin Karim, head of the insurgent delegation, said at the ceremony, which was not attended by Hekmatyar, AFP reported. 
 
&quot;It is a beginning of a new era of peace all around the country.&quot; 
 
The agreement will be formally signed by Ghani and Hekmatyar, following which it will be implemented. 
 
As a part of the agreement, the government will offer Hekmatyar legal immunity &quot;in all past political and military proceedings&quot; as well as release Hezb-i-Islami prisoners in exchange for a permanent ceasefire, AFP reported. 
 
&quot;Destruction is the only consequence of war. So I urge all the opposition groups to pursue peace and reconciliation,&quot; said HPC chief Sayed Ahmad Gilani. 
 
Hekmatyar, is often referred to as the &quot;butcher of Kabul&quot; and &nbsp;was a prominent anti-Soviet commander in the 1980s. 
 
He has been accused of killing thousands of people in the Afghan capital during the 1992-1996 civil war. Reports in the past have claimed that is hiding Pakistan but his group says he remains in Afghanistan. 
 
The deal has drawn flak from several human rights groups and residents of Kabul who survived the civil war. 
 
Activists protested in Kabul with placards &nbsp;showing Hekmatyar with blood spilling from his mouth and a rocket piercing his nose. It read: &quot;We cannot forgive the executioner of Kabul.&quot;, AFP reported. 
 
&quot;His return will compound the culture of impunity that the Afghan government and its foreign donors have fostered by not pursuing accountability for the many victims of forces commanded by Hekmatyar and other warlords that laid waste to much of the country in the 1990s,&quot; Human Rights Watch said last month., AFP reported. 
 
US has called Hekmatyar a &ldquo;global terrorist&rdquo; and the warlord has also been blacklisted by the UN. As a part of the deal the Afghan government will also work towards lifting these restrictions. 
 
 
&quot;Afghanistan has been failing in negotiating peace with militant groups for the last 15 years, and this deal marks the first practical success in that regard,&quot; Kabul-based analyst Haroun Mir told AFP. 
 
&quot;This could be a template for peace deals with other militant groups and marks an achievement for Ghani ahead of the Brussels&quot; development aid conference in October, he added. 
 
The deal was hailed by the country&#39;s international partners including the United States and the United Nations. 
 
&quot;The initialling of a peace agreement... sends a strong signal of hope for Afghanistan,&quot; the European Union said, expressing hope for an early implementation of the deal, AFP reported. 
 
&quot;It demonstrates that political processes can succeed where conflict cannot.&quot; 
 
 
 
( WION with inputs from AFP) 
 
 
?

According to the agreement, the government will offer Gulbuddin Hekmatyar legal immunity 'in all past political and military proceedings'

Afghanistan today signed a peace agreement with warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, making way for him to come back to politics after years of hiding and despite a history of war crimes. Hekmatyar, heads the Hezb-i-Islami militant group and is the latest in a series of controversial figures that Kabul has sought to reintegrate in the post-Taliban era. A delegation from the Hezb-i-Islami met with the members of High Peace Council (HPC), which is responsible for reconciliation efforts with militants, and the national security adviser at an official ceremony in Kabul. The deal with Afghanistan's second-biggest militant group, though largely dormant,marks a symbolic victory for President Ashraf Ghani, who has struggled to revive peace talks with the more powerful Taliban. "This is not just a peace deal between Hezb-i-Islami and the government of Afghanistan," Mohammad Amin Karim, head of the insurgent delegation, said at the ceremony, which was not attended by Hekmatyar, AFP reported. "It is a beginning of a new era of peace all around the country." The agreement will be formally signed by Ghani and Hekmatyar, following which it will be implemented. As a part of the agreement, the government will offer Hekmatyar legal immunity "in all past political and military proceedings" as well as release Hezb-i-Islami prisoners in exchange for a permanent ceasefire, AFP reported. "Destruction is the only consequence of war. So I urge all the opposition groups to pursue peace and reconciliation," said HPC chief Sayed Ahmad Gilani. Hekmatyar, is often referred to as the "butcher of Kabul" and was a prominent anti-Soviet commander in the 1980s. He has been accused of killing thousands of people in the Afghan capital during the 1992-1996 civil war. Reports in the past have claimed that is hiding Pakistan but his group says he remains in Afghanistan. The deal has drawn flak from several human rights groups and residents of Kabul who survived the civil war. Activists protested in Kabul with placards showing Hekmatyar with blood spilling from his mouth and a rocket piercing his nose. It read: "We cannot forgive the executioner of Kabul.", AFP reported. "His return will compound the culture of impunity that the Afghan government and its foreign donors have fostered by not pursuing accountability for the many victims of forces commanded by Hekmatyar and other warlords that laid waste to much of the country in the 1990s," Human Rights Watch said last month., AFP reported. US has called Hekmatyar a “global terrorist” and the warlord has also been blacklisted by the UN. As a part of the deal the Afghan government will also work towards lifting these restrictions. "Afghanistan has been failing in negotiating peace with militant groups for the last 15 years, and this deal marks the first practical success in that regard," Kabul-based analyst Haroun Mir told AFP. "This could be a template for peace deals with other militant groups and marks an achievement for Ghani ahead of the Brussels" development aid conference in October, he added. The deal was hailed by the country's international partners including the United States and the United Nations. "The initialling of a peace agreement... sends a strong signal of hope for Afghanistan," the European Union said, expressing hope for an early implementation of the deal, AFP reported. "It demonstrates that political processes can succeed where conflict cannot." ( WION with inputs from AFP) ?

Afghanistan signs peace agreement with 'butcher of Kabul'

Art transcends all borders and goes beyond the definition of geographical divides. Here are some 11 noteworthy cultural festivals celebrated in the South Asian region that you must know about: 
 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Jaisalmer Desert Festival, India</li>
</ul>
Set against the sand dunes, the festival is a unique showcase of folk culture. Held every year, there are programs for folk singing, puppet shows, acrobats, fire dancing, and others. Home of the camels, you can also take a camel ride, enjoy a game of camel polo, participate in camel decoration and pack some exciting desert memories with you.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/jaisalmer-20160915100616.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
A glimpse of Jaisalmer Desert Festival in India 
&nbsp;
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Kala Pola, Sri Lanka</li>
</ul>
Kala Pola is Sri Lanka&rsquo;s open-air art exhibition cum fair which happens every year. Attracting artists from across the country, it serves as a launch pad for talent. A wide array of art forms are displayed for the crowd to cheer and appreciate.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del6189267-20160915100439.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Kala Pola festival in Sri Lanka 
&nbsp;
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Annual Bhutan International Festival, Bhutan</li>
</ul>
It&rsquo;s a collaborative effort to encourage different countries to come and engage, while showcasing their culture and art. The festival boasts of some of the best entertainment performances by world known artists. The festival has an intimate setting and welcomes everyone interested.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/bhutan1-20160915103529.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
Bhutanese monks at the Bhutan International festival 
&nbsp;
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Rann Utsav, India</li>
</ul>
Rann Utsav is a quarter year-long winter celebration in white sandy desert. You set up your makeshift tents and absorb the local tradition and culture. The region known for it&rsquo;s distinct handicrafts, also offers options for kite flying, camel rides and desert safaris.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/rann1-20160915103938.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
Local artists at Rann Utsav
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>World Performing Arts Festival, Pakistan</li>
</ul>
An international cultural event, this festival brings performing artists from all over the world to celebrate music, theatre, concert, dance, puppet shows and others. Serving as a nurturing ground for local talent, it brings to fore the vibrancy of Pakistan&rsquo;s talents and helps people engage in a cultural exchange.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/pakistan-20160915113108.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
World Performing Arts Festival, Pakistan
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Hornbill Festival, India</li>
</ul>
The aboriginal Naga tribes of Nagaland are a sight to watch. Held every year in the month of December, Hornbill festival is a weeklong celebration of music, culture, art, sport and cuisine takes place. You will see some exquisite paintings, wood carvings and sculptures that form an essential part of Nagaland&rsquo;s cultural identity.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del527342-20160915113835.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
A Naga tribesman eats a stump of smouldering firewood during annual Hornbill Festival
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Afghan Arts and Culture Festival, Afghanistan</li>
</ul>
It is one of the largest coming together of artists and music bands in Afghanistan. Opening its doors to fellow countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan United States, the festival started with an aim to show the world Afghanistan&rsquo;s rich culture. Bikers, break dancers, rock bands and other performers come together every year.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/afghan1-20160915012131.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
Local Afghan dancers
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>South Ari Atoll, Maldives</li>
</ul>
A festival with a thought, South Ari Atoll is a collaboration between artists from Maldives and Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme. It is a platform for showcasing artworks representing the island&rsquo;s marine diversity with a special emphasis on the shark population of Maldives. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/cqi9uwpumaae2vl.jpg-large-20160916014323.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
South Ari Atoll in Maldives where the Conservation festival happens
</div>
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Pohela Boishakh, Bangladesh</li>
</ul>
The Bengali New Year is celebrated with a lot of fervour all across the state of West Bengal in India and Bangladesh. Called Vasanta Utsav, the festivals starts at Shantiniketan in India and Bangladesh at the same time. The festivity celebrates art and diversity of both the regions. Among songs, dance and fairs, people are seen enjoying themselves around that time of the year.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/crh9vswuaaamwpn.jpg-large-20160916015136.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
Pohela Boishakh in Bangladesh 
&nbsp;
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Kathmandu International Art Festival, Nepal</li>
</ul>
Almost in every three years, Nepal celebrates its artists with an International Art festival. Artists come together to exhibit their works at different venues in the capital city of Kathmandu.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/a8hm7l3ceaac3w9.jpg-large-20160916015737.jpeg" />
<div class="media-description">
A glimpse of Kathmandu International Art Festival, Nepal
</div>
 
 
(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

Discover how art and culture in South Asia binds the region together

Art transcends all borders and goes beyond the definition of geographical divides. Here are some 11 noteworthy cultural festivals celebrated in the South Asian region that you must know about: Jaisalmer Desert Festival, India Set against the sand dunes, the festival is a unique showcase of folk culture. Held every year, there are programs for folk singing, puppet shows, acrobats, fire dancing, and others. Home of the camels, you can also take a camel ride, enjoy a game of camel polo, participate in camel decoration and pack some exciting desert memories with you. A glimpse of Jaisalmer Desert Festival in India Kala Pola, Sri Lanka Kala Pola is Sri Lanka’s open-air art exhibition cum fair which happens every year. Attracting artists from across the country, it serves as a launch pad for talent. A wide array of art forms are displayed for the crowd to cheer and appreciate. Kala Pola festival in Sri Lanka Annual Bhutan International Festival, Bhutan It’s a collaborative effort to encourage different countries to come and engage, while showcasing their culture and art. The festival boasts of some of the best entertainment performances by world known artists. The festival has an intimate setting and welcomes everyone interested. Bhutanese monks at the Bhutan International festival Rann Utsav, India Rann Utsav is a quarter year-long winter celebration in white sandy desert. You set up your makeshift tents and absorb the local tradition and culture. The region known for it’s distinct handicrafts, also offers options for kite flying, camel rides and desert safaris. Local artists at Rann Utsav World Performing Arts Festival, Pakistan An international cultural event, this festival brings performing artists from all over the world to celebrate music, theatre, concert, dance, puppet shows and others. Serving as a nurturing ground for local talent, it brings to fore the vibrancy of Pakistan’s talents and helps people engage in a cultural exchange. World Performing Arts Festival, Pakistan Hornbill Festival, India The aboriginal Naga tribes of Nagaland are a sight to watch. Held every year in the month of December, Hornbill festival is a weeklong celebration of music, culture, art, sport and cuisine takes place. You will see some exquisite paintings, wood carvings and sculptures that form an essential part of Nagaland’s cultural identity. A Naga tribesman eats a stump of smouldering firewood during annual Hornbill Festival Afghan Arts and Culture Festival, Afghanistan It is one of the largest coming together of artists and music bands in Afghanistan. Opening its doors to fellow countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan United States, the festival started with an aim to show the world Afghanistan’s rich culture. Bikers, break dancers, rock bands and other performers come together every year. Local Afghan dancers South Ari Atoll, Maldives A festival with a thought, South Ari Atoll is a collaboration between artists from Maldives and Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme. It is a platform for showcasing artworks representing the island’s marine diversity with a special emphasis on the shark population of Maldives. South Ari Atoll in Maldives where the Conservation festival happens Pohela Boishakh, Bangladesh The Bengali New Year is celebrated with a lot of fervour all across the state of West Bengal in India and Bangladesh. Called Vasanta Utsav, the festivals starts at Shantiniketan in India and Bangladesh at the same time. The festivity celebrates art and diversity of both the regions. Among songs, dance and fairs, people are seen enjoying themselves around that time of the year. Pohela Boishakh in Bangladesh Kathmandu International Art Festival, Nepal Almost in every three years, Nepal celebrates its artists with an International Art festival. Artists come together to exhibit their works at different venues in the capital city of Kathmandu. A glimpse of Kathmandu International Art Festival, Nepal (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

11 cultural festivals in South Asia that you must attend at least once in your lifetime

As two gunmen entered Mirwais hospital in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar today, a freelance journalist at the spot live-tweeted the incident. 
 
Both the attackers were confronted by security forces as soon as they entered the hospital, Reuters reported. 
 
Feroz Mahbobi, a freelance journalist based in Afghanistan, first tweeted that the insurgents had entered the surgery ward and were firing.&nbsp;
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kandahar?src=hash">#Kandahar</a>, Insurgents are in surgery ward of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mirwais_Hospital?src=hash">#Mirwais_Hospital</a> they are firing. One insurgent is killed. More later....
&mdash; Feroz Mahbobi (@ferozmahbobi) <a href="https://twitter.com/ferozmahbobi/status/775231116202696704">September 12, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
 
A few hours later he tweeted that both the gunmen were killed, one NDS officer was injured and officials said that there were no other casualties.
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kandahar?src=hash">#Kandahar</a>: the fight come to an End, two terrorists are killed. One NDS officer is injured. Official says there is no other casualties.
&mdash; Feroz Mahbobi (@ferozmahbobi) <a href="https://twitter.com/ferozmahbobi/status/775250055607488513">September 12, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
 
Spokesman for the provincial governor of Kandahar Samim Khpalwak said, &quot;So far, no patients, visitors, hospital personnel or our security forces have been hurt.&quot; 
 
&quot;We are taking steps forward very carefully.&quot; 
 
The identity of the gunmen was not known or their affiliation to any insurgent group.&nbsp; 
 
The Mirwais Hospital is a regional facility which provides health services to war victims, including the army and police, reported Reuters. 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Officials said that nobody was hurt during the attack and the identity of the attackers was not yet known

As two gunmen entered Mirwais hospital in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar today, a freelance journalist at the spot live-tweeted the incident. Both the attackers were confronted by security forces as soon as they entered the hospital, Reuters reported. Feroz Mahbobi, a freelance journalist based in Afghanistan, first tweeted that the insurgents had entered the surgery ward and were firing. #Kandahar, Insurgents are in surgery ward of #Mirwais_Hospital they are firing. One insurgent is killed. More later.... — Feroz Mahbobi (@ferozmahbobi) September 12, 2016 A few hours later he tweeted that both the gunmen were killed, one NDS officer was injured and officials said that there were no other casualties. #Kandahar: the fight come to an End, two terrorists are killed. One NDS officer is injured. Official says there is no other casualties. — Feroz Mahbobi (@ferozmahbobi) September 12, 2016 Spokesman for the provincial governor of Kandahar Samim Khpalwak said, "So far, no patients, visitors, hospital personnel or our security forces have been hurt." "We are taking steps forward very carefully." The identity of the gunmen was not known or their affiliation to any insurgent group. The Mirwais Hospital is a regional facility which provides health services to war victims, including the army and police, reported Reuters. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Afghanistan: Security forces kill two gunmen entering Kandahar hospital

A rocket attack in Afghanistan&#39;s northern Baghlan province killed at least 8 and wounded 14 others, Khaama Press reported today. 
 
The incident happened yesterday in the new city of Baghlan Markazi, Khaama reported. 
 
Baghlan province&#39;s public health officials confirmed the death of 8 civilians, including a woman and two children. 
 
Officials warned that the death toll could rise further since the injured were in critical condition. 
 
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. 
 
Khaama had earlier reported another rocket attack on the governor&#39;s compound in Baghlan in February this year. One person was killed and two wounded in that attack. 
 
(WION)

Baghlan province's public health officials confirmed the death of 8 civilians, including a woman and two children

A rocket attack in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province killed at least 8 and wounded 14 others, Khaama Press reported today. The incident happened yesterday in the new city of Baghlan Markazi, Khaama reported. Baghlan province's public health officials confirmed the death of 8 civilians, including a woman and two children. Officials warned that the death toll could rise further since the injured were in critical condition. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Khaama had earlier reported another rocket attack on the governor's compound in Baghlan in February this year. One person was killed and two wounded in that attack. (WION)

Rocket attack in Afghanistan's Baghlan province kills at least 8, wounds 14

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said that the attack on American University in Kabul was &nbsp;&ldquo;organised and orchestrated&rdquo; from Pakistan, in &nbsp;yet another blow to the cooling ties between the two countries. 
 
According to media reports, Ghani spoke to Pakistan army chief general Raheel Sharif over phone and demanded &ldquo;serious measure against the terrorists&rdquo;. 
 
Raheel Sharif has reportedly told Ghani that &ldquo; &quot;Pakistani soil would not be allowed to be used for any type of terrorism in Afghanistan.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Media reports say that Afghan authorities have shared three mobile phone numbers that were allegedly used during the attack and Pakistan security forces have launched combing operations based on those numbers. 
 
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<h5>Media reports say that Afghan authorities have shared three mobile phone numbers that were allegedly used during the attack and Pakistan security forces have launched combing operations based on those numbers.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Media reports say that Afghan authorities have shared three mobile phone numbers that were allegedly used during the attack and Pakistan security forces have launched combing operations based on those numbers." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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16 people were killed after at least two gunmen raided the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul late on Wednesday night.&nbsp; 
 
The militants stormed classrooms after a suspected car bomb was used to get into the walled complex,. 
 
There has been no claim of responsibility for the raid . 
 
University attracted foreign staff despite security concerns, heart of liberal learning 
 
Partly funded by US aid the American University, was founded in 2006, and offered the country&#39;s most sought after degrees. 
 
Despite security concerns, fuelled by the growth of&nbsp;insurgency and attacks on foreigners in Kabul, the university has &nbsp;continued to attract overseas teaching staff. 
 
Some 60 per cent of professors are foreign and the wider academic staff are drawn from 16 countries including Afghanistan, said Shamroz Khan Masjidi, a university spokesman told Reuters. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

Afghan President spoke to Pakistan army chief over phone on Thursday, following which security forces in Pakistan began combing operations

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said that the attack on American University in Kabul was “organised and orchestrated” from Pakistan, in yet another blow to the cooling ties between the two countries. According to media reports, Ghani spoke to Pakistan army chief general Raheel Sharif over phone and demanded “serious measure against the terrorists”. Raheel Sharif has reportedly told Ghani that “ "Pakistani soil would not be allowed to be used for any type of terrorism in Afghanistan." Media reports say that Afghan authorities have shared three mobile phone numbers that were allegedly used during the attack and Pakistan security forces have launched combing operations based on those numbers. Media reports say that Afghan authorities have shared three mobile phone numbers that were allegedly used during the attack and Pakistan security forces have launched combing operations based on those numbers. 16 people were killed after at least two gunmen raided the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul late on Wednesday night. The militants stormed classrooms after a suspected car bomb was used to get into the walled complex,. There has been no claim of responsibility for the raid . University attracted foreign staff despite security concerns, heart of liberal learning Partly funded by US aid the American University, was founded in 2006, and offered the country's most sought after degrees. Despite security concerns, fuelled by the growth of insurgency and attacks on foreigners in Kabul, the university has continued to attract overseas teaching staff. Some 60 per cent of professors are foreign and the wider academic staff are drawn from 16 countries including Afghanistan, said Shamroz Khan Masjidi, a university spokesman told Reuters. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Kabul blames Islamabad for 'orchestrating' American University attack

Sixteen people were killed after militants stormed the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul, officials said Thursday, in a nearly 10-hour raid that prompted anguished pleas for help from trapped students. 
 
Explosions and gunfire rocked the campus after the attack began Wednesday evening, just weeks after two university professors -- an American and an Australian -- were kidnapped at gunpoint near the school. 
 
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the assault, but it occurred as the Taliban ramp up their nationwide summer offensive against the Western-backed government. 
 
The presidential office said the attack was &quot;orchestrated&quot; from Pakistan, Afghanistan&#39;s longtime regional nemesis often accused of harbouring the Taliban. 
 
&quot;Sixteen people, including eight students, were killed and 53 others were wounded,&quot; health ministry spokesman Waheed Majroh told AFP. &quot;Some of the wounded are in critical condition.&quot; 
 
The interior ministry said the fatalities included policemen, a university guard and a guard from the neighbouring vocational school for the visually impaired. 
 
Hundreds of trapped students were rescued during the overnight operation, many of whom tweeted desperate messages for help. Some used classroom furniture to barricade the doors while others made a mad scramble to escape through windows. 
 
The attack began just after dusk, when the private university is usually packed with students, many of them working professionals doing part-time courses. 
 
&quot;Students were pushing each other out of the classroom window,&quot; Farzana, a young student who managed to flee told AFP. &quot;I was reluctant to jump but a fellow student pushed me and I fell down. The rest I don&#39;t remember.&quot; 
 
Authorities refused to confirm whether any hostages had been taken. 
 
NATO military advisers helped Afghan forces to respond to the attack, a US official said, without specifying how many troops were involved. 
 
At dawn, after the assault had ended, a few women students, some of them terrified and weeping, were escorted out of the campus by policemen. 
 
&#39;Brutal attack&#39; 
 
The attack, apparently the first major militant assault on a prominent university in Afghanistan, has cast a pall on the education sector, seen as a rare symbol of hope for the country&#39;s burgeoning youth at a time of rising insecurity. 
 
The growing number of students attending university, especially women, has been hailed as a success story in Afghanistan since the 2001 ouster of the Taliban regime, which banned women&#39;s education. 
 
&quot;Terrorist groups, by attacking civilians, educational institutions, residential areas, culverts, bridges, electricity stations... want to obstruct growth and strengthening of the values that Afghans believe in,&quot; President Ashraf Ghani said in a statement, condemning the &quot;brutal attack&quot;. 
 
The attack was &quot;organised and orchestrated&quot; from Pakistan, his office said in a separate statement, adding that Ghani spoke to Pakistan&#39;s powerful army chief General Raheel Sharif to demand &quot;serious measures against the terrorists&quot;. 
 
The elite American University of Afghanistan, which opened in 2006 and enrols more than 1,700 students, was long seen as a high-profile target for militants partly because it attracts foreign faculty members. 
 
The two foreign professors at the university were seized from their vehicle on August 7, when the kidnappers smashed the passenger window and hauled them away at gunpoint. 
 
Their whereabouts are still unknown and no group so far has publicly claimed responsibility for the abductions, the latest in a series of kidnappings of foreigners. 
 
The uptick in violence comes as the Taliban escalate nationwide attacks, underscoring the worsening security situation since NATO forces ended their combat mission at the end of 2014. 
 
Afghan forces backed by US troops are seeking to head off a potential Taliban takeover of Lashkar Gah, the capital of the southern opium-rich province of Helmand. 
 
The turmoil convulsing Helmand, blighted by a huge opium harvest that helps fund the insurgency, has left thousands of people displaced, sparking a humanitarian crisis. 
 
The Taliban have also closed in on Kunduz -- the northern city they briefly seized last year in their biggest military victory so far -- leaving Afghan forces stretched on multiple fronts. 
&nbsp;

No group has claimed responsibility for the assault but the presidential office said the attack was 'orchestrated' from Pakistan

Sixteen people were killed after militants stormed the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul, officials said Thursday, in a nearly 10-hour raid that prompted anguished pleas for help from trapped students. Explosions and gunfire rocked the campus after the attack began Wednesday evening, just weeks after two university professors -- an American and an Australian -- were kidnapped at gunpoint near the school. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the assault, but it occurred as the Taliban ramp up their nationwide summer offensive against the Western-backed government. The presidential office said the attack was "orchestrated" from Pakistan, Afghanistan's longtime regional nemesis often accused of harbouring the Taliban. "Sixteen people, including eight students, were killed and 53 others were wounded," health ministry spokesman Waheed Majroh told AFP. "Some of the wounded are in critical condition." The interior ministry said the fatalities included policemen, a university guard and a guard from the neighbouring vocational school for the visually impaired. Hundreds of trapped students were rescued during the overnight operation, many of whom tweeted desperate messages for help. Some used classroom furniture to barricade the doors while others made a mad scramble to escape through windows. The attack began just after dusk, when the private university is usually packed with students, many of them working professionals doing part-time courses. "Students were pushing each other out of the classroom window," Farzana, a young student who managed to flee told AFP. "I was reluctant to jump but a fellow student pushed me and I fell down. The rest I don't remember." Authorities refused to confirm whether any hostages had been taken. NATO military advisers helped Afghan forces to respond to the attack, a US official said, without specifying how many troops were involved. At dawn, after the assault had ended, a few women students, some of them terrified and weeping, were escorted out of the campus by policemen. 'Brutal attack' The attack, apparently the first major militant assault on a prominent university in Afghanistan, has cast a pall on the education sector, seen as a rare symbol of hope for the country's burgeoning youth at a time of rising insecurity. The growing number of students attending university, especially women, has been hailed as a success story in Afghanistan since the 2001 ouster of the Taliban regime, which banned women's education. "Terrorist groups, by attacking civilians, educational institutions, residential areas, culverts, bridges, electricity stations... want to obstruct growth and strengthening of the values that Afghans believe in," President Ashraf Ghani said in a statement, condemning the "brutal attack". The attack was "organised and orchestrated" from Pakistan, his office said in a separate statement, adding that Ghani spoke to Pakistan's powerful army chief General Raheel Sharif to demand "serious measures against the terrorists". The elite American University of Afghanistan, which opened in 2006 and enrols more than 1,700 students, was long seen as a high-profile target for militants partly because it attracts foreign faculty members. The two foreign professors at the university were seized from their vehicle on August 7, when the kidnappers smashed the passenger window and hauled them away at gunpoint. Their whereabouts are still unknown and no group so far has publicly claimed responsibility for the abductions, the latest in a series of kidnappings of foreigners. The uptick in violence comes as the Taliban escalate nationwide attacks, underscoring the worsening security situation since NATO forces ended their combat mission at the end of 2014. Afghan forces backed by US troops are seeking to head off a potential Taliban takeover of Lashkar Gah, the capital of the southern opium-rich province of Helmand. The turmoil convulsing Helmand, blighted by a huge opium harvest that helps fund the insurgency, has left thousands of people displaced, sparking a humanitarian crisis. The Taliban have also closed in on Kunduz -- the northern city they briefly seized last year in their biggest military victory so far -- leaving Afghan forces stretched on multiple fronts.

16 dead, 53 wounded in attack on American University in Kabul

Fifteen years after fleeing his home in Afghanistan to escape the Taliban, Mehdi Salehi is today working on a project to save the lives of drowning refugees. 
 
The 33-year-old Afghan wants to help people like him survive the dangerous journey across the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. 
 
&#39;Drones for Refugees&#39; is a project designed to enable rescuers to swiftly locate and reach migrant boats in difficulty, cutting the time it otherwise takes to reach them. 
 
The sea route between Turkey and the Greek Islands, which was a favourite among smugglers, saw heavy traffic post the Syrian conflict. 
 
Salehi, now a lecturer at the Parsons School of Design in New York, saw images of many who did not make it through the seas and decided to do something about it. 
 
With support from Parsons alumni and faculty, Mehdi and his partner Kristen Kersh bought and customised the drone tested on Lesbos. They added cameras, sensors, data-sharing points and designed a web&nbsp;platform. 
 
Footage from the cameras and the infrared sensors can be streamed live to websites and mobile devices used by coastguards, search and rescue teams and merchant ships. 
 
With drones making news for all the wrong reasons in the recent times, Mehdi insists that the technology must be used for saving lives. 
 
&quot;With the technology that we have today, people shouldn&rsquo;t be dying at sea. When I crossed, we had to buy a paper map to find the closest point to Greece on the Turkish seashore,&quot; he tells AFP. 
 
Esther Camps, Lesbos coordinator of Spanish lifeguard group Pro-Activa, says that the project could provide vital information on what rescuers need to expect ahead of time: &quot;If they need medical assistance, the number&nbsp;of people on board, availability of life-jackets on them, can all be tracked,&quot; she says. 
 
When Salehi crossed the Aegean from Turkey in 2001, he arrived on Chios island in Greece with a friend. 
 
Salehi and his friend were arrested and thrown in jail for five months until a Greek doctor working for Amnesty International visited the 
prison and Salehi asked her for help in filling out his Greek asylum application. 
 
She found him a lawyer and he got his papers.
<h2>Better drones</h2>
Drones for Refugees plans to build bigger drones, able to fly over larger areas of the Mediterranean where the survival of refugees and migrants depends on being spotted and rescued by a ship. 
 
The final prototype is likely to be ready by the end of this year, Salehi says. 
 
Until now, the group has been funding itself but Salehi and his team will need more cash if they are to build larger drones with longer 
flight autonomy. 
 
After being granted asylum in Greece, Salehi obtained a master&#39;s degree in architecture from the University of Volos in 2011. 
 
Moving to the United States, he received a second master&#39;s in design and technology from Parson&#39;s School of Design in New York. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

'Drones for Refugees' is a project designed to enable rescuers to swiftly locate and reach migrant boats in difficulty

Fifteen years after fleeing his home in Afghanistan to escape the Taliban, Mehdi Salehi is today working on a project to save the lives of drowning refugees. The 33-year-old Afghan wants to help people like him survive the dangerous journey across the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. 'Drones for Refugees' is a project designed to enable rescuers to swiftly locate and reach migrant boats in difficulty, cutting the time it otherwise takes to reach them. The sea route between Turkey and the Greek Islands, which was a favourite among smugglers, saw heavy traffic post the Syrian conflict. Salehi, now a lecturer at the Parsons School of Design in New York, saw images of many who did not make it through the seas and decided to do something about it. With support from Parsons alumni and faculty, Mehdi and his partner Kristen Kersh bought and customised the drone tested on Lesbos. They added cameras, sensors, data-sharing points and designed a web platform. Footage from the cameras and the infrared sensors can be streamed live to websites and mobile devices used by coastguards, search and rescue teams and merchant ships. With drones making news for all the wrong reasons in the recent times, Mehdi insists that the technology must be used for saving lives. "With the technology that we have today, people shouldn’t be dying at sea. When I crossed, we had to buy a paper map to find the closest point to Greece on the Turkish seashore," he tells AFP. Esther Camps, Lesbos coordinator of Spanish lifeguard group Pro-Activa, says that the project could provide vital information on what rescuers need to expect ahead of time: "If they need medical assistance, the number of people on board, availability of life-jackets on them, can all be tracked," she says. When Salehi crossed the Aegean from Turkey in 2001, he arrived on Chios island in Greece with a friend. Salehi and his friend were arrested and thrown in jail for five months until a Greek doctor working for Amnesty International visited the prison and Salehi asked her for help in filling out his Greek asylum application. She found him a lawyer and he got his papers. Better drones Drones for Refugees plans to build bigger drones, able to fly over larger areas of the Mediterranean where the survival of refugees and migrants depends on being spotted and rescued by a ship. The final prototype is likely to be ready by the end of this year, Salehi says. Until now, the group has been funding itself but Salehi and his team will need more cash if they are to build larger drones with longer flight autonomy. After being granted asylum in Greece, Salehi obtained a master's degree in architecture from the University of Volos in 2011. Moving to the United States, he received a second master's in design and technology from Parson's School of Design in New York. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghan refugee makes drones to save drownings

The US blocked USD 300 million military aid to&nbsp;Islamabad as it failed to get a Congressional certification for&nbsp;&quot;satisfactory&quot; action against the dreaded Haqqani network, the Pentagon has&nbsp;said as it warned that it was in Pakistan&#39;s interest to take action against&nbsp;terrorists. 
 
The Haqqani Network has carried out a number of kidnappings and attacks&nbsp;against US interests in Afghanistan, the Afghan government and other civilian&nbsp;targets. 
 
The group is also blamed for several deadly attacks against Indian interests&nbsp;in Afghanistan including the 2008 bombing of the Indian mission in Kabul that&nbsp;killed 58 people. 
 
The Pentagon said it was in Pakistan&#39;s interest to take action against&nbsp;terrorists in &quot;as many ways as possible&quot;. 
 
&quot;We continue to have a close relationship with Pakistan with regard to&nbsp;terrorism and fighting terrorism. (But) It&#39;s obviously in Pakistan&#39;s own&nbsp;interest and the United States interest to combat terrorism in as many ways&nbsp;as possible,&quot; Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters yesterday. 
 
US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter did not give Congressional certification&nbsp;to Pakistan for satisfactory action against the Haqqani network this year,&nbsp;Cook said. 
 
In the absence of the certification, the Pentagon blocked disbursement of USD&nbsp;300 million to Pakistan under Coalition Support Fund, which is essentially&nbsp;reimbursement money for the expenses made by Pakistan Army in support of US&nbsp;operations in Afghanistan. 
 
&quot;With regard to that USD 300 million, there was a (June 30) deadline in terms&nbsp;of whether or not to transfer that money or to use that money in other ways,&nbsp;and it was determined that at this moment in time, it was best to reprogramme&nbsp;that money in other directions,&quot; Cook said. 
 
The Washington Post, which first reported about it, has described the&nbsp;withholding of the US military assistance to Pakistan as a &quot;potential blow&quot;&nbsp;to US-Pak ties. 
 
The Pentagon press secretary, however, said the US will continue to work&nbsp;&quot;closely with Pakistan and we&#39;ve seen significant efforts on the part of the&nbsp;Pakistanis.&quot; 
 
(PTI)

The group has carried out a number of attacks?against US and Indian interests in Afghanistan

The US blocked USD 300 million military aid to Islamabad as it failed to get a Congressional certification for "satisfactory" action against the dreaded Haqqani network, the Pentagon has said as it warned that it was in Pakistan's interest to take action against terrorists. The Haqqani Network has carried out a number of kidnappings and attacks against US interests in Afghanistan, the Afghan government and other civilian targets. The group is also blamed for several deadly attacks against Indian interests in Afghanistan including the 2008 bombing of the Indian mission in Kabul that killed 58 people. The Pentagon said it was in Pakistan's interest to take action against terrorists in "as many ways as possible". "We continue to have a close relationship with Pakistan with regard to terrorism and fighting terrorism. (But) It's obviously in Pakistan's own interest and the United States interest to combat terrorism in as many ways as possible," Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters yesterday. US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter did not give Congressional certification to Pakistan for satisfactory action against the Haqqani network this year, Cook said. In the absence of the certification, the Pentagon blocked disbursement of USD 300 million to Pakistan under Coalition Support Fund, which is essentially reimbursement money for the expenses made by Pakistan Army in support of US operations in Afghanistan. "With regard to that USD 300 million, there was a (June 30) deadline in terms of whether or not to transfer that money or to use that money in other ways, and it was determined that at this moment in time, it was best to reprogramme that money in other directions," Cook said. The Washington Post, which first reported about it, has described the withholding of the US military assistance to Pakistan as a "potential blow" to US-Pak ties. The Pentagon press secretary, however, said the US will continue to work "closely with Pakistan and we've seen significant efforts on the part of the Pakistanis." (PTI)

In Pak's interest to take action against Haqqani network: Pentagon

India is set to deliver more arms to Afghanistan to help it fight Islamist militants, Kabul&#39;s envoy to New Delhi said, even if Pakistan is wary of closer military cooperation between countries lying to its east and west. 
 
India has provided a little over $2 billion in economic assistance to Afghanistan in the last 15 years, but has been more measured in providing weapons in order to avoid a backlash from Pakistan, which sees Afghanistan as its area of influence. 
 
Last December, after years of dragging its feet, New Delhi announced the supply of four attack helicopters in India&#39;s first transfer of lethal equipment to the government in Kabul since the hardline Islamist Taliban movement was toppled. 
 
Kabul immediately deployed three of the Russian Mi-25 attack helicopters to go after insurgents, and the fourth will be inducted in the next few weeks. 
 
Shaida Mohammad Abdali, the Afghan ambassador to India, said regional security was deteriorating and Afghan national forces were in dire need of military supplies to tackle the Taliban, Islamic State and other militant groups. 
 
&quot;We are grateful for the four helicopters. But we need more, we need much more. Today we are heading into a situation that is worrisome for everyone in the region including India,&quot; he told Reuters in an interview. 
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<h5>We are grateful for the four helicopters. But we need more, we need much more. Today we are heading into a situation that is worrisome for everyone in the region including India,&quot; - Afghan ambassador to India</h5>
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On August 29, the head of the Afghan army, General Qadam Shah Shahim, is expected in New Delhi to submit a list of military equipment drawn up in consultation with the US military, Indian defence officials said. 
 
It is not yet clear how much would be paid for and how much would be handed over for free. 
 
The equipment includes more Mi-25s, smaller helicopters used for transporting troops and medical emergencies, and spares for existing Russian-origin aircraft in the Afghan air force fleet. 
 
&quot;The agenda for the army chief&#39;s visit is clear. We will be finalising the enhancement of defence ties,&quot; Abdali said. India, he added, had told the Afghans that it would do whatever it could to meet the security forces&#39; requirements. 
 
Indian leader rankles Pakistan 
 
The fact that much of the proposed equipment originates from Russia need not be a stumbling block to an agreement, the United States has said, despite Western sanctions against Moscow. 
 
Russia and the United States share a common goal in stabilising Afghanistan, and India can act as a go-between to help re-equip Afghan forces which fall well short of the capacity required despite billions of Dollars in US spending. 
 
The Afghan government lost control or influence of nearly 5 per cent of its territory between January and May, the US government&#39;s top watchdog on Afghanistan said in a report, highlighting the challenges its forces are facing. 
 
But the move to increase cooperation with Afghanistan is likely to aggravate fears in Pakistan of being wedged between two hostile neighbours. 
 
Relations with both countries have cooled lately. 
 
Afghanistan says Pakistan must do more to stop militants operating on its territory, while India has blamed Pakistan for unrest in the disputed region of Kashmir. 
 
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned up the dial a notch by making a rare reference to Pakistan&#39;s restive Balochistan province in a recent speech. 
 
Asked about the prospect of closer military ties between Afghanistan and India, a Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman said the government did not comment on bilateral ties between two countries. 
 
But he warned against attempts to destabilise Pakistan, which, like its arch-rival India, has a nuclear arsenal. 
 
&quot;Our expectation is that India should not be allowed to use Afghan soil to create instability in Pakistan.&quot; 
 
According to an Indian defence ministry official, discussions with Kabul included the possibility of increasing the number of Afghan officers being trained in Indian military institutions each year from around 800 now. 
 
US support 
 
The United States, which has allocated more than $68 billion to train and equip the Afghan security forces since 2002, has welcomed greater Indian military assistance to fill shortfalls in hardware and personnel. 
 
Earlier this month, the commander of US forces in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, held talks with Indian officials to find ways in which New Delhi could help the Afghan air force, which is struggling to maintain ageing Russian aircraft because of sanctions on Moscow. 
 
Nicholson said donor nations had contributed $4.5 billion to Afghanistan, but those funds could not be used to buy Russian aircraft or spare parts because of the restrictions triggered by the conflict in Ukraine. 
 
India is not constrained by such considerations and can export Russian-made equipment it already owns or source hardware and spares from Russia to send on to Afghanistan. 
 
&quot;Any additional aircraft or spare parts that India can provide Afghanistan would be greatly appreciated and welcomed by them to help build and maintain the Afghan Air Force,&quot; Nicholson said at the end of his trip. 
 
A Russian diplomat said Moscow supported efforts to strengthen Afghan forces, even if it cannot directly equip it. 
 
&quot;Our policy is simple; we would not like to be involved directly, but we would support any initiative that strengthens the ability of the Afghan authorities to fight against terrorist groups and stabilise the situation in the country,&quot; the diplomat said. 
 
(Reuters)

India has been measured in providing weapons in order to avoid conflict with Pakistan, which sees Afghanistan as its area of influence

India is set to deliver more arms to Afghanistan to help it fight Islamist militants, Kabul's envoy to New Delhi said, even if Pakistan is wary of closer military cooperation between countries lying to its east and west. India has provided a little over $2 billion in economic assistance to Afghanistan in the last 15 years, but has been more measured in providing weapons in order to avoid a backlash from Pakistan, which sees Afghanistan as its area of influence. Last December, after years of dragging its feet, New Delhi announced the supply of four attack helicopters in India's first transfer of lethal equipment to the government in Kabul since the hardline Islamist Taliban movement was toppled. Kabul immediately deployed three of the Russian Mi-25 attack helicopters to go after insurgents, and the fourth will be inducted in the next few weeks. Shaida Mohammad Abdali, the Afghan ambassador to India, said regional security was deteriorating and Afghan national forces were in dire need of military supplies to tackle the Taliban, Islamic State and other militant groups. "We are grateful for the four helicopters. But we need more, we need much more. Today we are heading into a situation that is worrisome for everyone in the region including India," he told Reuters in an interview. We are grateful for the four helicopters. But we need more, we need much more. Today we are heading into a situation that is worrisome for everyone in the region including India," - Afghan ambassador to India On August 29, the head of the Afghan army, General Qadam Shah Shahim, is expected in New Delhi to submit a list of military equipment drawn up in consultation with the US military, Indian defence officials said. It is not yet clear how much would be paid for and how much would be handed over for free. The equipment includes more Mi-25s, smaller helicopters used for transporting troops and medical emergencies, and spares for existing Russian-origin aircraft in the Afghan air force fleet. "The agenda for the army chief's visit is clear. We will be finalising the enhancement of defence ties," Abdali said. India, he added, had told the Afghans that it would do whatever it could to meet the security forces' requirements. Indian leader rankles Pakistan The fact that much of the proposed equipment originates from Russia need not be a stumbling block to an agreement, the United States has said, despite Western sanctions against Moscow. Russia and the United States share a common goal in stabilising Afghanistan, and India can act as a go-between to help re-equip Afghan forces which fall well short of the capacity required despite billions of Dollars in US spending. The Afghan government lost control or influence of nearly 5 per cent of its territory between January and May, the US government's top watchdog on Afghanistan said in a report, highlighting the challenges its forces are facing. But the move to increase cooperation with Afghanistan is likely to aggravate fears in Pakistan of being wedged between two hostile neighbours. Relations with both countries have cooled lately. Afghanistan says Pakistan must do more to stop militants operating on its territory, while India has blamed Pakistan for unrest in the disputed region of Kashmir. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned up the dial a notch by making a rare reference to Pakistan's restive Balochistan province in a recent speech. Asked about the prospect of closer military ties between Afghanistan and India, a Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman said the government did not comment on bilateral ties between two countries. But he warned against attempts to destabilise Pakistan, which, like its arch-rival India, has a nuclear arsenal. "Our expectation is that India should not be allowed to use Afghan soil to create instability in Pakistan." According to an Indian defence ministry official, discussions with Kabul included the possibility of increasing the number of Afghan officers being trained in Indian military institutions each year from around 800 now. US support The United States, which has allocated more than $68 billion to train and equip the Afghan security forces since 2002, has welcomed greater Indian military assistance to fill shortfalls in hardware and personnel. Earlier this month, the commander of US forces in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, held talks with Indian officials to find ways in which New Delhi could help the Afghan air force, which is struggling to maintain ageing Russian aircraft because of sanctions on Moscow. Nicholson said donor nations had contributed $4.5 billion to Afghanistan, but those funds could not be used to buy Russian aircraft or spare parts because of the restrictions triggered by the conflict in Ukraine. India is not constrained by such considerations and can export Russian-made equipment it already owns or source hardware and spares from Russia to send on to Afghanistan. "Any additional aircraft or spare parts that India can provide Afghanistan would be greatly appreciated and welcomed by them to help build and maintain the Afghan Air Force," Nicholson said at the end of his trip. A Russian diplomat said Moscow supported efforts to strengthen Afghan forces, even if it cannot directly equip it. "Our policy is simple; we would not like to be involved directly, but we would support any initiative that strengthens the ability of the Afghan authorities to fight against terrorist groups and stabilise the situation in the country," the diplomat said. (Reuters)

India set to supply arms to Afghanistan to fight Islamist militants

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

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

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

Afghanistan's Khwaja Ghar district falls to Taliban

Afghanistan&#39;s campaign to clear millions of landmines left by the Soviet invasion and ensuing civil war is in danger of stalling, as international aid slumps and militant violence makes more of the country inaccessible. 
 
The mammoth task, vital to the country&#39;s economic recovery, was to have been completed by 2013, and nearly four fifths of the country is now considered mine free. 
 
But slowing progress means the deadline set by the international community was pushed back 10 years, and even that looks a tall order in a country that remains one of the most heavily mined in the world. 
 
&quot;The longer these minefields last, the higher the human cost,&quot; said Mohammad Shafiq Yosufi, chief of the Afghan government&#39;s Directorate of Mine Action Coordination. 
 
&quot;They kill and maim people, prevent economic growth, investment, and tourism, hurt livelihoods and cause psychological fear that cannot end until they are gone.&quot; 
 
Nearly 600 square km of old minefields and battlefields remain to be cleared, encompassing more than 3,000 known sites and affecting 1,570 communities, according to the United Nations. 
 
One such area lies near the Salang Pass, some 80 km (50 miles) north of Kabul, where earlier this month mine clearers dressed in bulky blue kevlar armour and protective face masks lumbered slowly across fields waving metal detectors before them. 
 
When they hear a warning beep, they painstakingly scrape layers of soil and rock away by hand until the metal object is revealed. Sometimes it is an old drinks can. Here it is more likely to be a rusty mortar shell or old Soviet land mine. 
 
&quot;I choose this profession to serve my country and feed my family,&quot; said Abdul Wakil, a deminer working for a company contracted by the government. 
 
Standing on a hill where any step could be his last, Wakil shrugs off the risk. 
 
&quot;There are dangers, but we have to cope with it to provide a better environment for our people.&quot; 
 
RISKS RISING AGAIN 
 
Recently the crew made a potentially deadly find: a 30-year-old landmine connected by trip wire to a grenade. 
 
From April to June, at least 28 people were killed and 53 wounded by landmines and other unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan, according to the government. 
 
That is sharply down from the average of 507 casualties per quarter recorded in 2001, when the Taliban regime was toppled by a U.S.-led military operation. But it is an increase over the same period last year, when 38 civilians were killed or injured. 
 
Nearly 80 percent of casualties from landmines and other explosives this year were children, the United Nations said. 
 
&quot;It is like one war on top of another,&quot; said Abdul Qadir Halimi, a liaison between the Afghan government and demining organizations, as he dropped a shattered hunk of metal back into a pile of grenades, mortar shells, and bullets that testify to ferocious battles that haunt these hills. 
 
Demining has always been a dangerous job, but increasing insurgent violence around the country has meant clearance operations are limited to fewer areas, and deminers face more risks. 
 
In the first six months of 2016, they faced 25 security incidents, with six people killed and nine wounded. Another 67 were kidnapped and eventually released. In 2015, 35 incidents were recorded, with eight killed, 34 wounded and 63 kidnapped. 
 
&quot;Security is an increasing problem,&quot; Yosufi said. 
 
Officials said there were recorded minefields or other hazardous areas in at least 26 of Afghanistan&#39;s 34 provinces that are now too dangerous for clearance operations. 
 
In some cases, insurgents or criminals have targeted deminers. In others, Taliban fighters have respected them. 
 
Ghulam Dastigir, a team leader, said his demining identification card may have saved him when militants pulled him and other passengers off a bus. 
 
WHERE IS THE MONEY? 
 
International funding earmarked for demining in 2016 is $22 million, a fraction of the $85 million United Nations officials say is needed. 
 
Donations have plunged since 2011, when donors provided $97 million for demining. At the same time, yearly funding needs have increased, partly due to more minefields being discovered and partly because of the shortfall in past years. 
 
Last year $38 million was provided for demining, out of $65.9 million required. 
 
Afghan and U.N. officials fear that this year&#39;s total may not be enough, as international attention and spending shifts to other conflicts like those in Syria and Iraq. 
 
&quot;If these concerns continue, there is a risk we won&#39;t be able to attain our goal of clearing the country by 2023,&quot; Yosufi said. 
 
The United States, the largest contributor to demining programmes, said it was committed to maintaining support of around $20 million per year, but that work was needed to encourage others to do the same. 
 
&quot;The United States has actively worked in diplomatic channels to re-energize other international donor nations to keep this effort moving forward,&quot; said David McKeeby, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of State&#39;s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. 
 
Representatives of some previous donor nations that have reduced or ended funding for demining in Afghanistan did not respond to requests for comment. 
 
McKeeby added: &quot;The United States, together with our many international partners, has helped Afghanistan make significant progress. Despite this progress, much work remains before Afghanistan reaches its goal of becoming mine free by 2023.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The target was to be achieved by 2013, and four fifths of the country is currently considered mine free

Afghanistan's campaign to clear millions of landmines left by the Soviet invasion and ensuing civil war is in danger of stalling, as international aid slumps and militant violence makes more of the country inaccessible. The mammoth task, vital to the country's economic recovery, was to have been completed by 2013, and nearly four fifths of the country is now considered mine free. But slowing progress means the deadline set by the international community was pushed back 10 years, and even that looks a tall order in a country that remains one of the most heavily mined in the world. "The longer these minefields last, the higher the human cost," said Mohammad Shafiq Yosufi, chief of the Afghan government's Directorate of Mine Action Coordination. "They kill and maim people, prevent economic growth, investment, and tourism, hurt livelihoods and cause psychological fear that cannot end until they are gone." Nearly 600 square km of old minefields and battlefields remain to be cleared, encompassing more than 3,000 known sites and affecting 1,570 communities, according to the United Nations. One such area lies near the Salang Pass, some 80 km (50 miles) north of Kabul, where earlier this month mine clearers dressed in bulky blue kevlar armour and protective face masks lumbered slowly across fields waving metal detectors before them. When they hear a warning beep, they painstakingly scrape layers of soil and rock away by hand until the metal object is revealed. Sometimes it is an old drinks can. Here it is more likely to be a rusty mortar shell or old Soviet land mine. "I choose this profession to serve my country and feed my family," said Abdul Wakil, a deminer working for a company contracted by the government. Standing on a hill where any step could be his last, Wakil shrugs off the risk. "There are dangers, but we have to cope with it to provide a better environment for our people." RISKS RISING AGAIN Recently the crew made a potentially deadly find: a 30-year-old landmine connected by trip wire to a grenade. From April to June, at least 28 people were killed and 53 wounded by landmines and other unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan, according to the government. That is sharply down from the average of 507 casualties per quarter recorded in 2001, when the Taliban regime was toppled by a U.S.-led military operation. But it is an increase over the same period last year, when 38 civilians were killed or injured. Nearly 80 percent of casualties from landmines and other explosives this year were children, the United Nations said. "It is like one war on top of another," said Abdul Qadir Halimi, a liaison between the Afghan government and demining organizations, as he dropped a shattered hunk of metal back into a pile of grenades, mortar shells, and bullets that testify to ferocious battles that haunt these hills. Demining has always been a dangerous job, but increasing insurgent violence around the country has meant clearance operations are limited to fewer areas, and deminers face more risks. In the first six months of 2016, they faced 25 security incidents, with six people killed and nine wounded. Another 67 were kidnapped and eventually released. In 2015, 35 incidents were recorded, with eight killed, 34 wounded and 63 kidnapped. "Security is an increasing problem," Yosufi said. Officials said there were recorded minefields or other hazardous areas in at least 26 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces that are now too dangerous for clearance operations. In some cases, insurgents or criminals have targeted deminers. In others, Taliban fighters have respected them. Ghulam Dastigir, a team leader, said his demining identification card may have saved him when militants pulled him and other passengers off a bus. WHERE IS THE MONEY? International funding earmarked for demining in 2016 is $22 million, a fraction of the $85 million United Nations officials say is needed. Donations have plunged since 2011, when donors provided $97 million for demining. At the same time, yearly funding needs have increased, partly due to more minefields being discovered and partly because of the shortfall in past years. Last year $38 million was provided for demining, out of $65.9 million required. Afghan and U.N. officials fear that this year's total may not be enough, as international attention and spending shifts to other conflicts like those in Syria and Iraq. "If these concerns continue, there is a risk we won't be able to attain our goal of clearing the country by 2023," Yosufi said. The United States, the largest contributor to demining programmes, said it was committed to maintaining support of around $20 million per year, but that work was needed to encourage others to do the same. "The United States has actively worked in diplomatic channels to re-energize other international donor nations to keep this effort moving forward," said David McKeeby, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. Representatives of some previous donor nations that have reduced or ended funding for demining in Afghanistan did not respond to requests for comment. McKeeby added: "The United States, together with our many international partners, has helped Afghanistan make significant progress. Despite this progress, much work remains before Afghanistan reaches its goal of becoming mine free by 2023." (Reuters)

Afghan goal of mine-free country hampered by funding cuts, insurgency

The first two-day South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) Young Parliamentarians&#39; Conference with the key theme of &quot;Peace &amp; Harmony for Development&quot; concluded in Pakistani capital Islamabad on Wednesday. 
 
Delegates from Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the host Pakistan participated in the conference. The objective of the conference was to give young narrative of progress to the upcoming SAARC conference to be held in Islamabad in November. 
 
The young parliamentarians of the SAARC countries agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of energy, trade, and human security and for easement of visa and travel arrangements. 
 
An understanding to this effect came in a joint communiqu? issued on the conclusion of the conference. 
 
The communiqu? emphasised developing mechanisms for strengthening cooperation in climate change, environment, education, tourism and sports. 
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<h5>&quot;We believe that SAARC is the future for this region, and it is the only way, and we can ensure progress and development of all the people of all the countries in SAARC region&quot;</h5>
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Promotion of people-to-people interactions, cultural exchanges, and cooperation to address issues of corruption and financial crime was also underlined in the communiqu?. 
 
The conference was jointly hosted by National Assembly (lower house) of Pakistan and Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services. 
 
Amid the rising tensions between India and Pakistan over recent violence in Kashmir, a three member Indian Parliamentary delegation also participated in the meet. 
 
Led by Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, leader of Biju Janata Dal party in the Lok Sabha, the other two members in the delegation were Alok Tiwari of Samajwadi Party in the Rajya Sabha and another Lok Sabha MP Devisingh Patel. 
 
&quot;We believe that SAARC is the future for this region, and it is the only way, and we can ensure progress and development of all the people of all the countries in SAARC region,&quot; Deo told the audience at concluding ceremony. 
 
&quot;I certainly intend to strive to ensure that this declaration is put in action by my country,&quot; he added. 
 
Addressing the ceremony, National assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq said the conference will help improve Pakistan&#39;s image abroad. He said the region was faced with common problems. 
 
&quot;We have established SDGS (Sustainable Development Goals Secretariat) because the issue we need to tackle is women&#39;s issue, it is child labour, it is population, growing population, it is food security, it is education, it is health, and there are numerous issues that we need to tackle. But what I feel is that this is not only Pakistan&#39;s issue but the issue is in entire SAARC region. Collectively, putting our minds together we might be able to learn from each other&#39;s experiences and take advantage of the situation,&quot; said Sadiq. 
 
He said the SAARC countries should allow the youth to lead their nations from the front to promote peace, stability and cooperation in the region. 
 
Sidiq said like all civilized nations, Pakistan wants to resolve all outstanding issues with India peacefully through dialogue. 
 
Significantly, the next big item on the SAARC agenda for the year is SAARC Finance Ministers&#39; Conference to be held at Islamabad on August 25-26. It is not known as yet whether the Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley would travel to Pakistan for the meet. Doubts have been raised after the recent unpleasant situation that arose when Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Pakistan to attend the SAARC Home/Interior Ministers conference. 
 
A report on the Pakistan state-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said that Pakistan minister for finance senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Saturday chaired a meeting to review the arrangements for the upcoming SAARC Finance Ministers conference. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Amid rising tensions between India, Pakistan over recent violence in Kashmir, a 3-member Indian Parliamentary delegation also participated

The first two-day South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) Young Parliamentarians' Conference with the key theme of "Peace & Harmony for Development" concluded in Pakistani capital Islamabad on Wednesday. Delegates from Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the host Pakistan participated in the conference. The objective of the conference was to give young narrative of progress to the upcoming SAARC conference to be held in Islamabad in November. The young parliamentarians of the SAARC countries agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of energy, trade, and human security and for easement of visa and travel arrangements. An understanding to this effect came in a joint communiqu? issued on the conclusion of the conference. The communiqu? emphasised developing mechanisms for strengthening cooperation in climate change, environment, education, tourism and sports. "We believe that SAARC is the future for this region, and it is the only way, and we can ensure progress and development of all the people of all the countries in SAARC region" Promotion of people-to-people interactions, cultural exchanges, and cooperation to address issues of corruption and financial crime was also underlined in the communiqu?. The conference was jointly hosted by National Assembly (lower house) of Pakistan and Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services. Amid the rising tensions between India and Pakistan over recent violence in Kashmir, a three member Indian Parliamentary delegation also participated in the meet. Led by Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, leader of Biju Janata Dal party in the Lok Sabha, the other two members in the delegation were Alok Tiwari of Samajwadi Party in the Rajya Sabha and another Lok Sabha MP Devisingh Patel. "We believe that SAARC is the future for this region, and it is the only way, and we can ensure progress and development of all the people of all the countries in SAARC region," Deo told the audience at concluding ceremony. "I certainly intend to strive to ensure that this declaration is put in action by my country," he added. Addressing the ceremony, National assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq said the conference will help improve Pakistan's image abroad. He said the region was faced with common problems. "We have established SDGS (Sustainable Development Goals Secretariat) because the issue we need to tackle is women's issue, it is child labour, it is population, growing population, it is food security, it is education, it is health, and there are numerous issues that we need to tackle. But what I feel is that this is not only Pakistan's issue but the issue is in entire SAARC region. Collectively, putting our minds together we might be able to learn from each other's experiences and take advantage of the situation," said Sadiq. He said the SAARC countries should allow the youth to lead their nations from the front to promote peace, stability and cooperation in the region. Sidiq said like all civilized nations, Pakistan wants to resolve all outstanding issues with India peacefully through dialogue. Significantly, the next big item on the SAARC agenda for the year is SAARC Finance Ministers' Conference to be held at Islamabad on August 25-26. It is not known as yet whether the Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley would travel to Pakistan for the meet. Doubts have been raised after the recent unpleasant situation that arose when Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Pakistan to attend the SAARC Home/Interior Ministers conference. A report on the Pakistan state-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said that Pakistan minister for finance senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Saturday chaired a meeting to review the arrangements for the upcoming SAARC Finance Ministers conference. (Reuters)

SAARC young parliamentarians meet in Islamabad

Pakistan&#39;s military killed at least 14 militants in air strikes&nbsp;and a ground operation in a restive tribal region near the Afghan&nbsp;border on Tuesday. 
 
The army offensive took place in the mountainous terrain of Rajgal&nbsp;in Khyber region, one of the seven semi-autonomous tribal&nbsp;districts where the military has been fighting Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked militants for over a decade. 
 
&quot;The operation was conducted in areas close to Afghan border in&nbsp;which 11 terrorists were also injured,&quot; the military said in a&nbsp;statement. 
 
Pakistan has been battling a homegrown Islamist insurgency since&nbsp;2004, following the US-led invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan in&nbsp;2001 and the subsequent spillover of militants into its territory. 
 
The army launched the &quot;Zarb-e-Azb&quot; operation in June 2014 in a bid&nbsp;to wipe out militant bases in North Waziristan tribal area and so&nbsp;bring an end to the bloody insurgency that has cost thousands of&nbsp;civilian lives. 
 
Security in the country has since improve. Scattered attacks still&nbsp;take place, but they are fewer and of a lesser intensity than in&nbsp;previous years. 
 
(AFP)

The army offensive took place in the mountainous terrain of Rajgal?in Khyber region the semi-autonomous tribal?districts

Pakistan's military killed at least 14 militants in air strikes and a ground operation in a restive tribal region near the Afghan border on Tuesday. The army offensive took place in the mountainous terrain of Rajgal in Khyber region, one of the seven semi-autonomous tribal districts where the military has been fighting Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked militants for over a decade. "The operation was conducted in areas close to Afghan border in which 11 terrorists were also injured," the military said in a statement. Pakistan has been battling a homegrown Islamist insurgency since 2004, following the US-led invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan in 2001 and the subsequent spillover of militants into its territory. The army launched the "Zarb-e-Azb" operation in June 2014 in a bid to wipe out militant bases in North Waziristan tribal area and so bring an end to the bloody insurgency that has cost thousands of civilian lives. Security in the country has since improve. Scattered attacks still take place, but they are fewer and of a lesser intensity than in previous years. (AFP)

Pakistan military kills 14 militants near Afghan border

Taliban insurgents, seeking to force the NATO-led coalition out of Afghanistan and bring in Islamic law, captured a key district in the northern province of Baghlan after days of fighting, officials said on Monday. 
 
Fighting has escalated in Afghanistan as the Taliban insurgency spreads from its traditional strongholds in the south and east of the country to once peaceful regions in the north. 
 
Despite air support from U.S. and Afghan warplanes, government troops are struggling against the resilient Taliban, with senior government officials saying the insurgents are becoming better trained and equipped. 
 
Amir Gul Hussainkhil, deputy police chief of Baghlan, said Dahan-e-Ghori district was under siege for days and the Taliban managed to seize it late on Sunday as dozens of Afghan forces made &quot;a tactical retreat&quot;. 
 
The district is next to the provincial capital of Pol-e-Khomri, which has been threatened by insurgents for months. 
 
&quot;Afghan forces fought for days but no help arrived and they had to retreat and the Taliban captured the district,&quot; Hussainkhil told Reuters, adding that five Afghan police were killed. 
 
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the fighters captured the district and hoisted their white flag. 
 
&quot;Many Afghan and militia forces have been killed and 33 soldiers are captured,&quot; Mujahid said in an email statement to media. 
 
Both sides often release casualty figures without independent verification. 
 
Baghlan borders Kunduz province, where the Taliban briefly captured a provincial capital last year for the first time since they were ousted by a U.S.-led operation in 2001. 
 
In the southern province of Helmand, there has been fighting in four districts as Afghan forces hold off insurgents advancing on the provincial capital, government officials said. 
 
In Nuristan province in the east, dozens of Taliban attacked Want Waygal district as Afghan forces killed 40 militants during days of fighting, according to officials. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Fighting has escalated as the Taliban insurgency spreads from its traditional strongholds in the south, east to once peaceful north

Taliban insurgents, seeking to force the NATO-led coalition out of Afghanistan and bring in Islamic law, captured a key district in the northern province of Baghlan after days of fighting, officials said on Monday. Fighting has escalated in Afghanistan as the Taliban insurgency spreads from its traditional strongholds in the south and east of the country to once peaceful regions in the north. Despite air support from U.S. and Afghan warplanes, government troops are struggling against the resilient Taliban, with senior government officials saying the insurgents are becoming better trained and equipped. Amir Gul Hussainkhil, deputy police chief of Baghlan, said Dahan-e-Ghori district was under siege for days and the Taliban managed to seize it late on Sunday as dozens of Afghan forces made "a tactical retreat". The district is next to the provincial capital of Pol-e-Khomri, which has been threatened by insurgents for months. "Afghan forces fought for days but no help arrived and they had to retreat and the Taliban captured the district," Hussainkhil told Reuters, adding that five Afghan police were killed. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the fighters captured the district and hoisted their white flag. "Many Afghan and militia forces have been killed and 33 soldiers are captured," Mujahid said in an email statement to media. Both sides often release casualty figures without independent verification. Baghlan borders Kunduz province, where the Taliban briefly captured a provincial capital last year for the first time since they were ousted by a U.S.-led operation in 2001. In the southern province of Helmand, there has been fighting in four districts as Afghan forces hold off insurgents advancing on the provincial capital, government officials said. In Nuristan province in the east, dozens of Taliban attacked Want Waygal district as Afghan forces killed 40 militants during days of fighting, according to officials. (Reuters)

Taliban captures key district in Afghanistan, officials confirm

The killing of the Islamic State group&#39;s leader in Afghanistan and Pakistan has dealt a major blow to the jihadists, but despite a US-backed scorched earth offensive the regional franchise is far from over, observers said today.&nbsp; 
 
Hafiz Saeed Khan was killed in a US airstrike in eastern Nangarhar province last month, the Pentagon announced Friday, as Afghan forces mount an operation against the militants after they claimed the deadliest attack in Kabul for 15 years. 
 
The death of Saeed, the second prominent militant to be killed in a US regional strike in recent months, is a setback to the group&#39;s efforts to expand beyond its heartland of Syria and Iraq into Afghanistan and Pakistan. 
 
&quot;The killing of IS leader Hafiz Saeed in a US airstrike is a major blow to the group, which will struggle to make gains without a strong leadership,&quot; Kabul-based political analyst Haroun Mir told AFP. 
 
&quot;But the IS threat in the region is still far from over.&quot; 
 
The group claimed twin bombings last month that tore through crowds of minority Shiite Hazaras protesters in Kabul, killing 80 people in the deadliest attack in the capital since 2001. 
 
The devastating attack in the capital represented a major escalation for IS, which so far has largely been confined to its stronghold in Nangarhar, where it is notorious for brutality including beheadings. 
 
But officials denied that it marked a turning point for IS in Afghanistan, saying the group has been under heavy pressure from both US air strikes and a ground offensive led by Afghan forces. 
 
The US military says the group&#39;s nascent presence in Afghanistan has dwindled, with fighters largely confined to two or three districts in Nangarhar from around nine in January. 
 
But despite the offensive, residents of Nangarhar say the group is still maintaining its reign of tyranny in the region. 
 
IS-Taliban alliance? 
 
&quot;The offensive is going on and the government says they are winning,&quot; a tribal leader in Hiska Mina, one of the worst-hit districts in Nangarhar, told AFP. 
 
&quot;But Daesh fights every night, and the insecurities have increased, not decreased,&quot; he added, using the Arabic acronym for IS. 
 
Local tribal leaders say the Taliban, a stronger group than IS, has forged an informal alliance with the jihadists after a year of fierce rivalry in order to effectively combat government forces. 
 
&quot;The Daesh and Taliban have stopped fighting each other and are both fighting the government,&quot; said Malek Haseeb, a tribal leader in Kot, a mountainous district from where IS militants were last month flushed out by Afghan troops. 
 
&quot;Once government forces leave, we fear Daesh will return and resume their operations,&quot; he added. 
 
An army commander in Nangarhar confirmed the informal insurgent alliance, but the Taliban have strongly denied joining hands with IS. 
 
The Taliban, who have themselves often been accused of savagery during their 15-year insurgency, have publicly sought to appear as a bulwark against IS&#39;s reign of brutality and as a legitimate group waging an Islamic war. 
 
The NATO-led coalition estimates there are around 1,500 IS militants in Afghanistan -- mostly disaffected Pakistani and Afghan Taliban, as well as Uzbek militants and local residents of Nangarhar. 
 
The group has so far not announced a successor to Saeed. 
 
Afghan authorities erroneously believed Saeed had been killed in another strike in July 2015, when a US drone targeted dozens of IS-linked cadres in Nangarhar, close to the Pakistani border. 
 
News of his death comes after former Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in another US drone strike inside Pakistan in May. 
 
(AFP) 
 
&nbsp;

Hafiz Saeed Khan was killed in a US airstrike in eastern Nangarhar province last month, the Pentagon announced Friday

The killing of the Islamic State group's leader in Afghanistan and Pakistan has dealt a major blow to the jihadists, but despite a US-backed scorched earth offensive the regional franchise is far from over, observers said today. Hafiz Saeed Khan was killed in a US airstrike in eastern Nangarhar province last month, the Pentagon announced Friday, as Afghan forces mount an operation against the militants after they claimed the deadliest attack in Kabul for 15 years. The death of Saeed, the second prominent militant to be killed in a US regional strike in recent months, is a setback to the group's efforts to expand beyond its heartland of Syria and Iraq into Afghanistan and Pakistan. "The killing of IS leader Hafiz Saeed in a US airstrike is a major blow to the group, which will struggle to make gains without a strong leadership," Kabul-based political analyst Haroun Mir told AFP. "But the IS threat in the region is still far from over." The group claimed twin bombings last month that tore through crowds of minority Shiite Hazaras protesters in Kabul, killing 80 people in the deadliest attack in the capital since 2001. The devastating attack in the capital represented a major escalation for IS, which so far has largely been confined to its stronghold in Nangarhar, where it is notorious for brutality including beheadings. But officials denied that it marked a turning point for IS in Afghanistan, saying the group has been under heavy pressure from both US air strikes and a ground offensive led by Afghan forces. The US military says the group's nascent presence in Afghanistan has dwindled, with fighters largely confined to two or three districts in Nangarhar from around nine in January. But despite the offensive, residents of Nangarhar say the group is still maintaining its reign of tyranny in the region. IS-Taliban alliance? "The offensive is going on and the government says they are winning," a tribal leader in Hiska Mina, one of the worst-hit districts in Nangarhar, told AFP. "But Daesh fights every night, and the insecurities have increased, not decreased," he added, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Local tribal leaders say the Taliban, a stronger group than IS, has forged an informal alliance with the jihadists after a year of fierce rivalry in order to effectively combat government forces. "The Daesh and Taliban have stopped fighting each other and are both fighting the government," said Malek Haseeb, a tribal leader in Kot, a mountainous district from where IS militants were last month flushed out by Afghan troops. "Once government forces leave, we fear Daesh will return and resume their operations," he added. An army commander in Nangarhar confirmed the informal insurgent alliance, but the Taliban have strongly denied joining hands with IS. The Taliban, who have themselves often been accused of savagery during their 15-year insurgency, have publicly sought to appear as a bulwark against IS's reign of brutality and as a legitimate group waging an Islamic war. The NATO-led coalition estimates there are around 1,500 IS militants in Afghanistan -- mostly disaffected Pakistani and Afghan Taliban, as well as Uzbek militants and local residents of Nangarhar. The group has so far not announced a successor to Saeed. Afghan authorities erroneously believed Saeed had been killed in another strike in July 2015, when a US drone targeted dozens of IS-linked cadres in Nangarhar, close to the Pakistani border. News of his death comes after former Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in another US drone strike inside Pakistan in May. (AFP)

Islamic State threat in Afghanistan 'far from over' despite leader's death

Afghan government chief executive Abdullah Abdullah has sharply criticized President Ashraf Ghani, a dramatic public break that exposed long-simmering tension within the former election rivals&#39; fragile unity government. 
 
Abdullah&#39;s televised remarks brought fresh questions about the stability of the coalition formed in 2014 after both Ghani and Abdullah claimed victory in a presidential election and there were fears of armed clashes between their supporters. 
 
Abdullah said late on Thursday that Ghani did not deserve to govern as he had failed to work collaboratively or to enact electoral reforms. 
 
The post of chief executive was created for former foreign minister Abdullah as part of a US-brokered deal to end deadlock over the election. 
 
But he complained he had been left out of key decisions, and painted Ghani as arrogant and out of touch with the deteriorating situation in the country. 
 
&quot;The government is paralyzed and ministers do not have the chance to speak&hellip; (Ghani) provides a one-hour lecture but he should listen to the ministers for 15 minutes,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;If someone does not have tolerance, they do not deserve the presidency.&quot; 
 
Ghani&#39;s office was not immediately available to respond on Friday. 
 
Abdullah and Ghani have officially shared power since 2014 but the set-up has never appeared to satisfy either side. 
 
While rivalry between the camps has been no secret, until now, Abdullah largely kept his complaints private. 
 
Abdullah&#39;s criticism comes at a particularly sensitive time, as the government has yet to officially confirm Abdullah&#39;s position past a September deadline that had been set for doing so, or to clear up the problems that plagued the last election. 
 
Taliban insurgents have also made considerable gains in recent month in different parts of the country. Government forces have suffered heavy casualties since taking over full responsibility for security after most foreign troops withdrew at the end of 2014. 
 
Despite the criticism, Abdullah said he would not leave the unity government and said he planned to meet Ghani to discuss their differences. 
 
(Reuters)

Abdullah's criticism comes at a sensitive time, as the government is yet to officially confirm his position

Afghan government chief executive Abdullah Abdullah has sharply criticized President Ashraf Ghani, a dramatic public break that exposed long-simmering tension within the former election rivals' fragile unity government. Abdullah's televised remarks brought fresh questions about the stability of the coalition formed in 2014 after both Ghani and Abdullah claimed victory in a presidential election and there were fears of armed clashes between their supporters. Abdullah said late on Thursday that Ghani did not deserve to govern as he had failed to work collaboratively or to enact electoral reforms. The post of chief executive was created for former foreign minister Abdullah as part of a US-brokered deal to end deadlock over the election. But he complained he had been left out of key decisions, and painted Ghani as arrogant and out of touch with the deteriorating situation in the country. "The government is paralyzed and ministers do not have the chance to speak… (Ghani) provides a one-hour lecture but he should listen to the ministers for 15 minutes," he said. "If someone does not have tolerance, they do not deserve the presidency." Ghani's office was not immediately available to respond on Friday. Abdullah and Ghani have officially shared power since 2014 but the set-up has never appeared to satisfy either side. While rivalry between the camps has been no secret, until now, Abdullah largely kept his complaints private. Abdullah's criticism comes at a particularly sensitive time, as the government has yet to officially confirm Abdullah's position past a September deadline that had been set for doing so, or to clear up the problems that plagued the last election. Taliban insurgents have also made considerable gains in recent month in different parts of the country. Government forces have suffered heavy casualties since taking over full responsibility for security after most foreign troops withdrew at the end of 2014. Despite the criticism, Abdullah said he would not leave the unity government and said he planned to meet Ghani to discuss their differences. (Reuters)

Rival-turned-government partner Abdullah criticises  Afghan President Ghani

Officials warned on Tuesday of a humanitarian crisis in Helmand as fierce fighting sent refugees fleeing to the capital of the southern Afghan province, with Taliban insurgents tightening their grip despite intensified US air strikes. 
 
Helmand, a hub of militancy and opium production, has seen a recent increase in militant attacks, with fighters seizing more territory in the volatile province since NATO troops withdrew in 2014. 
 
The provincial governor&#39;s spokesman Omar Zawak told AFP Lashkar Gah is struggling to cope with an influx of people fleeing the fighting elsewhere in the province. 
 
&quot;Around 30,000 people have been displaced in Helmand in the past several weeks. Most of them are coming to Lashkar Gah,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;It difficult for the city to contain all of them. Families, children, women, all have to sleep on the streets. There is a shortage of food and clean water, we need urgent support.&quot; 
 
&quot;The shelling is pretty heavy this morning,&quot; an official with aid organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres in the city told AFP on condition of anonymity. 
 
Residents voiced fears the city could fall, saying insurgents had heavily mined the roads and exhausted soldiers were running out of food. 
 
&quot;The Taliban are in control of all the roads leading to Lashkar Gah,&quot; resident Haji Qayum told AFP. 
 
&quot;The police check posts are falling one by one. There is a great fear the capital may fall to Taliban soon too.&quot; 
 
As the fierce battles continue, NATO has stepped up air strikes supporting Afghan forces on the ground, highlighting the intensity of the combat in Helmand. 
 
&quot;The situation down there remains tense and somewhat contested,&quot; a NATO spokesman said. 
 
&quot;It remains an ongoing security concern and there has been fighting down there for the last several weeks. We remain confident that the Afghan forces are fighting effectively and that they will continue to secure Lashkar Gah.&quot; 
 
Toryalai Hemat, the provincial governor&#39;s media adviser, said NATO&#39;s air strikes have inflicted heavy casualties on the Taliban. 
 
NATO officially ended its combat mission in December 2014, but US forces were granted greater powers in June to strike at the insurgents as President Barack Obama vowed a more aggressive campaign. 
 
The US has deployed several hundred troops in Helmand in recent weeks. 
 
Last August Taliban insurgents briefly captured the town of Musa Qala in Helmand before Afghan forces backed by NATO retook it. 
 
(AFP)

Fierce fighting has sent refugees fleeing to the capital of the southern Afghan province

Officials warned on Tuesday of a humanitarian crisis in Helmand as fierce fighting sent refugees fleeing to the capital of the southern Afghan province, with Taliban insurgents tightening their grip despite intensified US air strikes. Helmand, a hub of militancy and opium production, has seen a recent increase in militant attacks, with fighters seizing more territory in the volatile province since NATO troops withdrew in 2014. The provincial governor's spokesman Omar Zawak told AFP Lashkar Gah is struggling to cope with an influx of people fleeing the fighting elsewhere in the province. "Around 30,000 people have been displaced in Helmand in the past several weeks. Most of them are coming to Lashkar Gah," he said. "It difficult for the city to contain all of them. Families, children, women, all have to sleep on the streets. There is a shortage of food and clean water, we need urgent support." "The shelling is pretty heavy this morning," an official with aid organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres in the city told AFP on condition of anonymity. Residents voiced fears the city could fall, saying insurgents had heavily mined the roads and exhausted soldiers were running out of food. "The Taliban are in control of all the roads leading to Lashkar Gah," resident Haji Qayum told AFP. "The police check posts are falling one by one. There is a great fear the capital may fall to Taliban soon too." As the fierce battles continue, NATO has stepped up air strikes supporting Afghan forces on the ground, highlighting the intensity of the combat in Helmand. "The situation down there remains tense and somewhat contested," a NATO spokesman said. "It remains an ongoing security concern and there has been fighting down there for the last several weeks. We remain confident that the Afghan forces are fighting effectively and that they will continue to secure Lashkar Gah." Toryalai Hemat, the provincial governor's media adviser, said NATO's air strikes have inflicted heavy casualties on the Taliban. NATO officially ended its combat mission in December 2014, but US forces were granted greater powers in June to strike at the insurgents as President Barack Obama vowed a more aggressive campaign. The US has deployed several hundred troops in Helmand in recent weeks. Last August Taliban insurgents briefly captured the town of Musa Qala in Helmand before Afghan forces backed by NATO retook it. (AFP)

Officials warn of humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan's Helmand

A bomb in a crowded in market in the north Afghanistan city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Tuesday killed at least two people and wounded 15, police officials said. 
 
Mazar-i-Sharif, an important commercial centre near the border with Uzbekistan, has generally been spared the violence unleashed by insurgent groups battling the NATO-backed government in Kabul. 
 
The attack on Tuesday was carried out by a suicide bomber, said police commander Baba Jan. 
 
&quot;The bomber detonated his explosives in the main market and all the victims are civilians,&quot; he said. 
 
The Ministry of Interior, however, reported that a bomb had been hidden in a cart. 
 
In February, three people were killed in an attack on a bus carrying military personnel not far from Mazar-i-Sharif, and in January, militants attacked the Indian consulate in the city. 
 
(Reuters)

Mazar-i-Sharif has generally been spared the violence unleashed by insurgent groups battling the NATO-backed government in Kabul

A bomb in a crowded in market in the north Afghanistan city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Tuesday killed at least two people and wounded 15, police officials said. Mazar-i-Sharif, an important commercial centre near the border with Uzbekistan, has generally been spared the violence unleashed by insurgent groups battling the NATO-backed government in Kabul. The attack on Tuesday was carried out by a suicide bomber, said police commander Baba Jan. "The bomber detonated his explosives in the main market and all the victims are civilians," he said. The Ministry of Interior, however, reported that a bomb had been hidden in a cart. In February, three people were killed in an attack on a bus carrying military personnel not far from Mazar-i-Sharif, and in January, militants attacked the Indian consulate in the city. (Reuters)

Bomb goes off in crowded city market in Afghanistan, two killed, 15 injured

Militants linked to Islamic State have released photos that purport to show weapons and equipment that belonged to American soldiers and were captured by the group in eastern Afghanistan.

The photos, which came to light on Saturday, show an American portable rocket launcher, radio, grenades and other gear not commonly used by Afghan troops, as well as close-up views of identification cards for a US army soldier, Specialist Ryan Larson.

The US military command in Kabul denied any suggestion the soldier had been captured, saying he &quot;has been accounted for and remains in a duty status within his unit&quot;.

American special operations troops have been fighting alongside Afghan forces in a renewed offensive against militants who claim allegiance to Islamic State in Nangarhar Province, which borders Pakistan.

&quot;SPC Larson was attached to a unit conducting a partnered (operation) with Afghan Forces,&quot; US military spokesman Commander Ron Flesvig said in an emailed statement on Sunday.&nbsp;&quot;The soldier&#39;s ID&nbsp;and some of the equipment were left behind after the (operation). The loss of personal identification is unfortunate.&quot;

In July, US commanders said at least five special forces were injured in fighting in the province.

The website that published the photos speculated that the equipment and weapons were left behind during that engagement, but Flesvig said American officials are still trying to determine exactly when and how it was lost.

The push in Nangarhar came after President Barack Obama cleared American troops to take a more active role in fighting militants in Afghanistan.&nbsp;Besides advising work and special operations missions, American aircraft deployed at least 545 weapons in the first six months of 2016. 
 
(Reuters)

IS released photos on Saturday showing an American portable rocket launcher, radio, grenades and other gear not used by Afghan troops

Militants linked to Islamic State have released photos that purport to show weapons and equipment that belonged to American soldiers and were captured by the group in eastern Afghanistan. The photos, which came to light on Saturday, show an American portable rocket launcher, radio, grenades and other gear not commonly used by Afghan troops, as well as close-up views of identification cards for a US army soldier, Specialist Ryan Larson. The US military command in Kabul denied any suggestion the soldier had been captured, saying he "has been accounted for and remains in a duty status within his unit". American special operations troops have been fighting alongside Afghan forces in a renewed offensive against militants who claim allegiance to Islamic State in Nangarhar Province, which borders Pakistan. "SPC Larson was attached to a unit conducting a partnered (operation) with Afghan Forces," US military spokesman Commander Ron Flesvig said in an emailed statement on Sunday. "The soldier's ID and some of the equipment were left behind after the (operation). The loss of personal identification is unfortunate." In July, US commanders said at least five special forces were injured in fighting in the province. The website that published the photos speculated that the equipment and weapons were left behind during that engagement, but Flesvig said American officials are still trying to determine exactly when and how it was lost. The push in Nangarhar came after President Barack Obama cleared American troops to take a more active role in fighting militants in Afghanistan. Besides advising work and special operations missions, American aircraft deployed at least 545 weapons in the first six months of 2016. (Reuters)

Islamic State captures US weapons in Afghanistan

An Afghan official says at least 10 people have been killed in two explosions in the eastern province of Paktia. 
 
Naqib Ahmad Atal, spokesman for the provincial governor, says five members of one family died when their vehicle struck a hidden roadside bomb. He says another five people were killed when their tractor hit a similar device an hour later today afternoon. 
 
Both incidents happened in Chamkani district.&nbsp;Atal blamed Taliban fighters who are active in the area and regularly seed the roads with bombs. The Taliban use such terrorising tactics to intimidate local residents. 
 
The United Nations says the Taliban are responsible for the vast majority of civilians killed and wounded in the war. The world body has said that 1,601 died in the first half of 2016.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI)

Five people died when their vehicle struck a hidden roadside bomb. Another five died when their tractor hit a similar device an hour later

An Afghan official says at least 10 people have been killed in two explosions in the eastern province of Paktia. Naqib Ahmad Atal, spokesman for the provincial governor, says five members of one family died when their vehicle struck a hidden roadside bomb. He says another five people were killed when their tractor hit a similar device an hour later today afternoon. Both incidents happened in Chamkani district. Atal blamed Taliban fighters who are active in the area and regularly seed the roads with bombs. The Taliban use such terrorising tactics to intimidate local residents. The United Nations says the Taliban are responsible for the vast majority of civilians killed and wounded in the war. The world body has said that 1,601 died in the first half of 2016. (PTI)

10 civilians killed by roadside bombs: Afghan official

Afghanistan scrambled today to free six crew members of a Pakistani helicopter taken hostage by the Taliban after it crash-landed in the country&#39;s volatile east. 
 
Militants set the Mi-17 transport helicopter on fire and took the six crew to a Taliban-controlled area after it made an emergency landing in Logar province on Thursday, local authorities said. 
 
The crew included retired Pakistani military officers and a Russian navigator, Pakistan&#39;s Dawn newspaper reported citing senior local officials. 
 
&quot;We have launched an investigation into the incident... and the government has instructed security forces to spare no efforts to secure the release of the crew members,&quot; the Afghan defense ministry said in a statement. 
 
The ministry said Pakistan had sought permission to fly a helicopter, being sent to Russia for overhauling, over Afghan air space. 
 
But it added it was investigating whether the crashed chopper was the one for which permission had been granted. 
 
Kabul has long been suspicious of Pakistan, which it accuses of nurturing Taliban sanctuaries on its soil in the effort to maintain influence in Afghanistan. 
 
Pakistani army chief seeks US intervention&nbsp; 
 
Pakistani army chief General Raheel Sharif tweeted that he had telephoned Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to secure the release of the crew. 
 
&quot;President Ashraf Ghani assured all possible assistance in this regard,&quot; he tweeted. 
 
Pakistan army spokesman said that General Sharif also called NATO and US forces top commander in Afghanistan General John Nicholson to get back the crew. 
 
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also stated federal government is in constant touch with the relevant authorities in Afghanistan and the state&#39;s resources are fully utilised to rescue the personnel who were onboard in the helicopter. 
 
&quot;Formal and informal channels are being used to ensure safe recovery of the entire crew,&quot; he said in a statement. 
 
&quot;We are profoundly concerned about the safety of the whole team that was travelling on the helicopter. We have formally requested the Government of Afghanistan to help in their safe recovery, at the earliest possible,&quot; he said further. 
 
Russia&#39;s foreign ministry said it was checking media reports that one of their citizens had been taken hostage, adding it was in contact with Afghan and Pakistani authorities to secure his release. 
 
The Taliban have so far not commented on the incident.&nbsp; 
 
Pakistan&#39;s military uses Russian-made MI-17 helicopters, several of which have crashed in recent years. 
 
In February, an army officer was killed when a military helicopter crashed in northern Pakistan on a routine night training mission. 
 
In May 2015, the ambassadors of Norway and the Philippines, the wives of the Malaysian and Indonesian ambassadors, two pilots and a crew member were killed when the Pakistani Mi-17 carrying them crashed in northern Naltar valley. 
 
(AFP, PTI)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Six crew members were taken hostage after militants set Mi-17 transport helicopter on fire as it made emergency landing in Logar province

Afghanistan scrambled today to free six crew members of a Pakistani helicopter taken hostage by the Taliban after it crash-landed in the country's volatile east. Militants set the Mi-17 transport helicopter on fire and took the six crew to a Taliban-controlled area after it made an emergency landing in Logar province on Thursday, local authorities said. The crew included retired Pakistani military officers and a Russian navigator, Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported citing senior local officials. "We have launched an investigation into the incident... and the government has instructed security forces to spare no efforts to secure the release of the crew members," the Afghan defense ministry said in a statement. The ministry said Pakistan had sought permission to fly a helicopter, being sent to Russia for overhauling, over Afghan air space. But it added it was investigating whether the crashed chopper was the one for which permission had been granted. Kabul has long been suspicious of Pakistan, which it accuses of nurturing Taliban sanctuaries on its soil in the effort to maintain influence in Afghanistan. Pakistani army chief seeks US intervention Pakistani army chief General Raheel Sharif tweeted that he had telephoned Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to secure the release of the crew. "President Ashraf Ghani assured all possible assistance in this regard," he tweeted. Pakistan army spokesman said that General Sharif also called NATO and US forces top commander in Afghanistan General John Nicholson to get back the crew. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also stated federal government is in constant touch with the relevant authorities in Afghanistan and the state's resources are fully utilised to rescue the personnel who were onboard in the helicopter. "Formal and informal channels are being used to ensure safe recovery of the entire crew," he said in a statement. "We are profoundly concerned about the safety of the whole team that was travelling on the helicopter. We have formally requested the Government of Afghanistan to help in their safe recovery, at the earliest possible," he said further. Russia's foreign ministry said it was checking media reports that one of their citizens had been taken hostage, adding it was in contact with Afghan and Pakistani authorities to secure his release. The Taliban have so far not commented on the incident. Pakistan's military uses Russian-made MI-17 helicopters, several of which have crashed in recent years. In February, an army officer was killed when a military helicopter crashed in northern Pakistan on a routine night training mission. In May 2015, the ambassadors of Norway and the Philippines, the wives of the Malaysian and Indonesian ambassadors, two pilots and a crew member were killed when the Pakistani Mi-17 carrying them crashed in northern Naltar valley. (AFP, PTI)

Afghanistan scrambles to free Pakistan chopper crash hostages

16-year-old wonder girl from Afghanistan defeated partial paralysis of her limbs to pursue painting dreams!

Afghanistan's inspiring disabled artist

Surrounded by male advisors and condescending &quot;mansplainers&quot;, Masooma Muradi holds her own against a deep underswell of sexism in a society unaccustomed to women exercising authority. 
 
Breaking new ground as Afghanistan&#39;s only female governor, Muradi&#39;s ascent to the top post in remote Daikundi province is a remarkable feat in Afghanistan, where stubborn patriarchal traditions are at odds with progressive ideas about a woman&#39;s place in the world. 
 
Travails of being solo governor&nbsp; 
 
Barely a year after President Ashraf Ghani appointed Muradi, her job hangs by a thread, with growing calls for her ouster from religious conservatives and opponents.&nbsp;It highlights the travails of being the only woman in an overwhelmingly male preserve. 
 
&quot;People claim to be open-minded, but many cannot bear having a woman in this position,&quot; Muradi, 37, told AFP, sinking into an overstuffed sofa in her office in the capital Nili, decorated with faux sunflowers and a large portrait of a pouting child. 
 
&quot;I won&#39;t allow men to hush me up; society is not used to that from a woman,&quot; she added. 
 
Barely five feet tall, Muradi&#39;s diminutive frame and soft demeanour belies her steely instinct for survival.&nbsp;The mother-of-two was handpicked by Ghani in Kabul to lead Daikundi, a mosaic of rolling hills and boulder-strewn ridges in central Afghanistan, hemmed in by insurgency-wracked provinces. 
 
But protests erupted even before she arrived in Daikundi, with political opponents, almost all men, pillorying her lack of governance experience.&nbsp;Muradi has since managed to hold on to the job, but the resentment was palpable when she recently stepped out in Nili with AFP, trailed by Kalashnikov-toting guards. 
 
&quot;Useless,&quot; one man barked as she passed by.&nbsp;&quot;Maybe she should be a governor just for women,&quot; another growled. 
 
&nbsp;Boys&#39; club&nbsp; 
 
Women have made giant strides since the Taliban regime was ousted in 2001, but they are still so absent from public life that the social media hashtag #WhereAreTheWomen has gained traction in Afghanistan. 
 
&quot;The attitudes throughout Afghanistan still are such that not everyone is ready to be governed by a woman,&quot; said Douglas Keh, Afghanistan country director at the United Nations Development Programme. 
 
&quot;Women leaders need all the support they can get,&quot; he added. 
 
Daikundi&#39;s administration has long been a boys&#39; club, which was apparent at a recent provincial council meeting, attended by more than a dozen men but just one woman. 
 
Swaddled in a blue scarf, she sat at the edge of the room doodling on the sofa upholstery using her finger as an imaginary pen.&nbsp;When she tried to talk, the man chairing the meeting stuck his palm up to make her stop.&nbsp;Only when a woman UNDP official attending the meeting asked for her view, was she able to speak. 
 
&quot;I recently replaced a man in the provincial council,&quot; she began.&nbsp;A council member interjected with a smirk.&nbsp;&quot;Say something about men&#39;s problems too,&quot; he said, setting off a ripple of titters. &quot;We really are worried about men&#39;s rights.&quot; 
 
Sexist wisecracks&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Paying lip service to women&#39;s empowerment is one thing but real empowerment comes with deference to a woman leader&#39;s authority,&quot; the UNDP official later said, referring to Muradi&#39;s struggles. 
 
Muradi, who holds a degree in business administration but lacks political clout, stands in strong contrast to warlords and strongmen who govern other provinces amid a deep-rooted system of patronage politics.&nbsp;The antipathy towards her, observers say, highlights not just sexism but also clashing political interests. 
 
Daikundi is among the most challenging of Afghanistan&#39;s 34 provinces to govern.&nbsp;Cut off from the outside world by heavy snow for several months of the year, its meagre almond harvests, mainstay of the local economy, are dependent on the brutal vagaries of weather.&nbsp;Rampant joblessness is a ticking time bomb and most development plans are just on paper. 
 
&quot;There are schools but most don&#39;t have buildings, there are hospitals but many don&#39;t have doctors,&quot; said Haji Rasouli, a grocery seller in Nili. 
 
&quot;I support women&#39;s empowerment but will having a woman governor solve all these problems?&quot; 
 
Ebbing international donor funding has exacerbated Muradi&#39;s struggles. 
 
&quot;Anyone in that position, man or woman, would struggle with dwindling resources,&quot; said Habibullah Radmanesh, Daikundi&#39;s deputy governor. 
 
After coming to power, Ghani has appointed four female ministers 
 
For his part, Ghani has appointed four female ministers since he came to power in 2014, risking political capital.&nbsp;Last year, for the first time in Afghanistan&#39;s history he nominated a woman to the supreme court, but when she was rejected by Parliament he appointed a man instead.&nbsp;He also dismissed the only other woman governor, of central Ghor province, after protests from religious conservatives. 
 
&quot;To genuinely give women a role in governance, Ghani needs to push forward when he encounters opposition,&quot; said Heather Barr, a women&#39;s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. &quot;This hasn&#39;t been happening.&quot; 
 
There are fears that Muradi might meet the same fate.&nbsp;But she can count on the unbridled support of at least one person: her husband. 
 
Late one evening, after Muradi returned home, Khalil Hashem walked into the room and said something you would seldom hear an Afghan husband, traditionally blind to domestic details, say to his wife: &quot;Dinner has been served.&quot; 
 
But he has also been at the receiving end of sexist wisecracks.&nbsp;&quot;People call me her secretary, her babysitter,&quot; he said. &quot;But I am very proud of her.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Masooma Muradi, the mother-of-two handpicked by Afghan President, faces sexist insults and calls to step down by religious conservatives

Surrounded by male advisors and condescending "mansplainers", Masooma Muradi holds her own against a deep underswell of sexism in a society unaccustomed to women exercising authority. Breaking new ground as Afghanistan's only female governor, Muradi's ascent to the top post in remote Daikundi province is a remarkable feat in Afghanistan, where stubborn patriarchal traditions are at odds with progressive ideas about a woman's place in the world. Travails of being solo governor Barely a year after President Ashraf Ghani appointed Muradi, her job hangs by a thread, with growing calls for her ouster from religious conservatives and opponents. It highlights the travails of being the only woman in an overwhelmingly male preserve. "People claim to be open-minded, but many cannot bear having a woman in this position," Muradi, 37, told AFP, sinking into an overstuffed sofa in her office in the capital Nili, decorated with faux sunflowers and a large portrait of a pouting child. "I won't allow men to hush me up; society is not used to that from a woman," she added. Barely five feet tall, Muradi's diminutive frame and soft demeanour belies her steely instinct for survival. The mother-of-two was handpicked by Ghani in Kabul to lead Daikundi, a mosaic of rolling hills and boulder-strewn ridges in central Afghanistan, hemmed in by insurgency-wracked provinces. But protests erupted even before she arrived in Daikundi, with political opponents, almost all men, pillorying her lack of governance experience. Muradi has since managed to hold on to the job, but the resentment was palpable when she recently stepped out in Nili with AFP, trailed by Kalashnikov-toting guards. "Useless," one man barked as she passed by. "Maybe she should be a governor just for women," another growled. Boys' club Women have made giant strides since the Taliban regime was ousted in 2001, but they are still so absent from public life that the social media hashtag #WhereAreTheWomen has gained traction in Afghanistan. "The attitudes throughout Afghanistan still are such that not everyone is ready to be governed by a woman," said Douglas Keh, Afghanistan country director at the United Nations Development Programme. "Women leaders need all the support they can get," he added. Daikundi's administration has long been a boys' club, which was apparent at a recent provincial council meeting, attended by more than a dozen men but just one woman. Swaddled in a blue scarf, she sat at the edge of the room doodling on the sofa upholstery using her finger as an imaginary pen. When she tried to talk, the man chairing the meeting stuck his palm up to make her stop. Only when a woman UNDP official attending the meeting asked for her view, was she able to speak. "I recently replaced a man in the provincial council," she began. A council member interjected with a smirk. "Say something about men's problems too," he said, setting off a ripple of titters. "We really are worried about men's rights." Sexist wisecracks "Paying lip service to women's empowerment is one thing but real empowerment comes with deference to a woman leader's authority," the UNDP official later said, referring to Muradi's struggles. Muradi, who holds a degree in business administration but lacks political clout, stands in strong contrast to warlords and strongmen who govern other provinces amid a deep-rooted system of patronage politics. The antipathy towards her, observers say, highlights not just sexism but also clashing political interests. Daikundi is among the most challenging of Afghanistan's 34 provinces to govern. Cut off from the outside world by heavy snow for several months of the year, its meagre almond harvests, mainstay of the local economy, are dependent on the brutal vagaries of weather. Rampant joblessness is a ticking time bomb and most development plans are just on paper. "There are schools but most don't have buildings, there are hospitals but many don't have doctors," said Haji Rasouli, a grocery seller in Nili. "I support women's empowerment but will having a woman governor solve all these problems?" Ebbing international donor funding has exacerbated Muradi's struggles. "Anyone in that position, man or woman, would struggle with dwindling resources," said Habibullah Radmanesh, Daikundi's deputy governor. After coming to power, Ghani has appointed four female ministers For his part, Ghani has appointed four female ministers since he came to power in 2014, risking political capital. Last year, for the first time in Afghanistan's history he nominated a woman to the supreme court, but when she was rejected by Parliament he appointed a man instead. He also dismissed the only other woman governor, of central Ghor province, after protests from religious conservatives. "To genuinely give women a role in governance, Ghani needs to push forward when he encounters opposition," said Heather Barr, a women's rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. "This hasn't been happening." There are fears that Muradi might meet the same fate. But she can count on the unbridled support of at least one person: her husband. Late one evening, after Muradi returned home, Khalil Hashem walked into the room and said something you would seldom hear an Afghan husband, traditionally blind to domestic details, say to his wife: "Dinner has been served." But he has also been at the receiving end of sexist wisecracks. "People call me her secretary, her babysitter," he said. "But I am very proud of her." (AFP)

Afghan's only female governor breaks new ground in a man's world

A powerful Taliban truck bomb struck a guesthouse housing foreigners in Kabul on early Monday, officials said, just days after the deadliest attack in the Afghan capital for 15 years. 
 
The attack ended on Monday&nbsp;after all three Taliban fighters were killed, around seven hours after the assault began, police said. 
 
&quot;The operation is over now. One policeman lost his life and three others were wounded but none of the hotel staff or guests were hurt,&quot; Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi told reporters. 
 
&quot;A truck packed with explosives struck the entrance of Northgate guesthouse,&quot; a security source said, without offering any further details. 
 
Northgate, close to the US-run Bagram air base north of Kabul, houses foreign contractors and is a heavily guarded compound with blast walls and watchtowers. The guesthouse, which was cordoned off by security officials, was not immediately reachable by telephone. 
 
The Taliban said the truck bomb at a guest house belonging to &quot;American invaders&quot; paved the way for their fighters to enter the facility with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms.&nbsp;The insurgents claimed that more than 100 people were killed and wounded in the attack. The Taliban are routinely known to exaggerate battlefield claims. 
 
Tremors from the powerful explosion, which was preceded by a power outage, were felt across the city. &nbsp;The attack comes as the Taliban ramp up their annual summer offensive after a brief lull during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which ended earlier this month. 
 
The attack comes after twin bombings left 80 people dead in the Afghan capital on July 23, in the deadliest attack in the city since the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001. 
 
The bombings tore through crowds of minority Shiite Hazara protesters as they gathered to demand that a major power line be routed through the central province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan.&nbsp;That assault was claimed by the Islamic State group, which is making gradual inroads into Afghanistan, challenging the Taliban on their own turf.&nbsp; 
 
Afghan forces backed by US airstrikes have since ramped up an offensive against IS jihadists in their eastern stronghold of Nangarhar.&nbsp;The latest attack highlights growing insecurity in Afghanistan, which has resulted in large civilian casualties. 
 
The UN last week said civilian casualties rose to a record high in the first half of 2016, with children in particular paying a heavy price as the conflict escalates. 
 
Between January and June, 1,601 civilians were killed and 3,565 were wounded; a four per cent increase in casualties compared to the same period last year, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said. 
 
Monday&#39;s assault illustrates the report&#39;s finding that suicide bombings and complex attacks are now hurting more civilians than roadside bombs. 
 
(AFP)

Police gained control seven hours after the assault began, and say none of the hotel staff or guests were hurt

A powerful Taliban truck bomb struck a guesthouse housing foreigners in Kabul on early Monday, officials said, just days after the deadliest attack in the Afghan capital for 15 years. The attack ended on Monday after all three Taliban fighters were killed, around seven hours after the assault began, police said. "The operation is over now. One policeman lost his life and three others were wounded but none of the hotel staff or guests were hurt," Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi told reporters. "A truck packed with explosives struck the entrance of Northgate guesthouse," a security source said, without offering any further details. Northgate, close to the US-run Bagram air base north of Kabul, houses foreign contractors and is a heavily guarded compound with blast walls and watchtowers. The guesthouse, which was cordoned off by security officials, was not immediately reachable by telephone. The Taliban said the truck bomb at a guest house belonging to "American invaders" paved the way for their fighters to enter the facility with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms. The insurgents claimed that more than 100 people were killed and wounded in the attack. The Taliban are routinely known to exaggerate battlefield claims. Tremors from the powerful explosion, which was preceded by a power outage, were felt across the city. The attack comes as the Taliban ramp up their annual summer offensive after a brief lull during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which ended earlier this month. The attack comes after twin bombings left 80 people dead in the Afghan capital on July 23, in the deadliest attack in the city since the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001. The bombings tore through crowds of minority Shiite Hazara protesters as they gathered to demand that a major power line be routed through the central province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan. That assault was claimed by the Islamic State group, which is making gradual inroads into Afghanistan, challenging the Taliban on their own turf. Afghan forces backed by US airstrikes have since ramped up an offensive against IS jihadists in their eastern stronghold of Nangarhar. The latest attack highlights growing insecurity in Afghanistan, which has resulted in large civilian casualties. The UN last week said civilian casualties rose to a record high in the first half of 2016, with children in particular paying a heavy price as the conflict escalates. Between January and June, 1,601 civilians were killed and 3,565 were wounded; a four per cent increase in casualties compared to the same period last year, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said. Monday's assault illustrates the report's finding that suicide bombings and complex attacks are now hurting more civilians than roadside bombs. (AFP)

Taliban bomb strikes foreigners' guesthouse in Kabul; 3 militants, 1 policeman killed

German police have searched a mosque and eight apartments in Hildesheim that are believed to be a hotbed of a radical Salafist community, the interior minister of the northern state of Lower Saxony said today. 
 
Germany is on high alert after a spate of attacks since July 18 left 15 people dead - including four attackers - and dozens injured. Two assailants, a Syrian asylum seeker and a refugee from either Pakistan or Afghanistan, had links to Islamist militancy, officials say. 
 
&#39;Search was important step in banning the organisation&#39; 
 
Interior Minister Boris Pistorius said in a statement that up to 400 police - including mobile squads and a special forces police commando - were involved in the raids on Wednesday in the Hildesheim area, which is a short drive south of Hanover. 
 
&quot;The German-speaking Islamic circle (DIK) in Hildesheim is a nationwide hotspot of the radical Salafist scene that Lower Saxony security authorities have been monitoring for a long time,&quot; the state official said. 
 
Pistorius said the search followed months of planning and was an important step towards banning the association, which security authorities say has radicalised Muslims and encouraged them to take part in jihad in combat zones. 
 
Hotbed of Salafists&nbsp; 
 
Numerous members of the mosque have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join Islamic State, while sermons, seminars and speeches call for &quot;hate against non-believers,&quot; the ministry said. 
 
Germany has seen sharp increases in the number of ultra-conservative Islamists known as Salafists in recent years, with the total number of sympathisers now seen at 8,900, up from 7,000 at the end of 2014, German officials have said. 
 
Security authorities say the DIK in Hildesheim is believed to have become the focal point of Salafist activities in Lower Saxony, the second-largest of Germany&#39;s 16 states after Bavaria. 
 
&quot;We will not put up with Salafist associations and their backers flouting our rules and bringing our rule of law into question and convincing young people that they want to join the so-called IS,&quot; Pistorius said. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m convinced that our freedom is stronger than the inhuman ideology of the extremists,&quot; he added. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Germany is on high alert after a spate of attacks since July 18 left 15 people dead - including four attackers - and dozens injured

German police have searched a mosque and eight apartments in Hildesheim that are believed to be a hotbed of a radical Salafist community, the interior minister of the northern state of Lower Saxony said today. Germany is on high alert after a spate of attacks since July 18 left 15 people dead - including four attackers - and dozens injured. Two assailants, a Syrian asylum seeker and a refugee from either Pakistan or Afghanistan, had links to Islamist militancy, officials say. 'Search was important step in banning the organisation' Interior Minister Boris Pistorius said in a statement that up to 400 police - including mobile squads and a special forces police commando - were involved in the raids on Wednesday in the Hildesheim area, which is a short drive south of Hanover. "The German-speaking Islamic circle (DIK) in Hildesheim is a nationwide hotspot of the radical Salafist scene that Lower Saxony security authorities have been monitoring for a long time," the state official said. Pistorius said the search followed months of planning and was an important step towards banning the association, which security authorities say has radicalised Muslims and encouraged them to take part in jihad in combat zones. Hotbed of Salafists Numerous members of the mosque have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join Islamic State, while sermons, seminars and speeches call for "hate against non-believers," the ministry said. Germany has seen sharp increases in the number of ultra-conservative Islamists known as Salafists in recent years, with the total number of sympathisers now seen at 8,900, up from 7,000 at the end of 2014, German officials have said. Security authorities say the DIK in Hildesheim is believed to have become the focal point of Salafist activities in Lower Saxony, the second-largest of Germany's 16 states after Bavaria. "We will not put up with Salafist associations and their backers flouting our rules and bringing our rule of law into question and convincing young people that they want to join the so-called IS," Pistorius said. "I'm convinced that our freedom is stronger than the inhuman ideology of the extremists," he added. (Reuters)

German police clamps down on Salafists, raids mosque and apartments

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

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

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

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

At least 80 people were killed and 231 wounded in twin explosions that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, an attack claimed by the Islamic State terror group. Members of Afghanistan&#39;s Hazara minority were demonstrating over the route of a planned multimillion dollar power line at Dehmazang square in Kabul when explosions struck the peaceful protest.&nbsp; 
 
Afghanistan&#39;s President Ashraf Ghani said he was &quot;deeply saddened&quot; by the carnage, adding that &quot;peaceful protest is the right of every citizen&quot;. 
 
Condolences continued to pour in from across the world on the attack on the Persian-speaking Shia community that has threatened to exacerbate ethnic tensions among other groups.&nbsp; 
 
&#39;A despicable crime&#39;&nbsp; 
 
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon led the world body&#39;s strong condemnation of the terror attack in Afghanistan, describing it as a &quot;despicable crime&quot; while calling for bringing to justice the perpetrators of the assault.&nbsp; 
 
According to a statement issued by his office, Ban called for those responsible for the attack to be brought to justice.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The Secretary-General condemns the terrorist attack in Kabul. This despicable crime targeted citizens peacefully exercising their fundamental human rights,&quot; the statement said.&nbsp; 
 
The powerful UN Security Council also issued a statement, condemning &quot;in the strongest terms&quot; the &quot;heinous and cowardly&quot; terror attack yesterday.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The members of the Security Council reiterated their serious concern at the threats posed by the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), illegal and armed groups to the local population, National Defense and Security Forces and international presence in Afghanistan,&quot; the statement said.&nbsp; 
 
The 15-nation Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these &quot;reprehensible&quot; acts of terrorism to justice and urged all UN member nations to cooperate actively with the Afghan authorities in this regard.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The members of the Security Council stressed the need to take measures to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism, terrorist organisations and individual terrorists,&quot; in accordance with UN resolutions.&nbsp; 
 
Asserting that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal, the Council said terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group.&nbsp; 
 
The Council reiterated that &quot;no violent or terrorist acts&quot; can reverse the Afghan-led process along the path towards peace, democracy and stability in Afghanistan, which is supported by the people and the Afghan government and by the international community.&nbsp; 
 
Head of the UN Assistance Mission for Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto called the attack &quot;an outrage that cannot be justified and stressed that the perpetrators of the attack must be held accountable.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
&quot;An attack deliberately targeting a large, concentrated group of civilians amounts to a war crime,&quot; he said in the statement, which was issued by UNAMA.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;This attack is particularly heinous because it targeted civilians as they exercised their rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression,&quot; Yamamoto said.&nbsp; 
 
UN General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft expressed his deepest sorrow and anger over the terrible terror attacks and &quot;mass murders&quot; taking place around the world.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&#39;Inhumane and un-Islamic&#39;, says Iran&nbsp; 
 
Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif condemned the attack and expressed grief.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Afghanistan terror bombings another instance of depth of Daesh depravity: Shia and Sunni are both victims &amp; must unite to defeat extremists,&quot; Zarif tweeted on Saturday, using another name for the Islamic State.&nbsp; 
 
Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi added that &quot;eradicating this unfortunate phenomenon wouldn&#39;t be possible without a joint cooperation and understanding among all countries&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
The &quot;inhumane and un-Islamic&quot; attacks were &quot;unjustifiable anywhere,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The first major IS assault on Kabul was apparently aimed at sowing sectarian discord in a country known for relative Shia-Sunni harmony.&nbsp; 
 
Iran, a country with a large Shiite majority, has a long border with Afghanistan.&nbsp; 
 
Pakistan expresses grief&nbsp; 
 
Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Office (FO) on Sunday said in a statement, &quot;The government and the people of Pakistan extend their sincere condolences and profound sympathies to the families of the bereaved people and convey their earnest prayers and wishes for early recovery of those injured in this heinous act of terrorism.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(Agencies)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

UN Security Council statement condemns the "heinous and cowardly" attack, Iran calls it 'inhumane and un-Islamic'

At least 80 people were killed and 231 wounded in twin explosions that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, an attack claimed by the Islamic State terror group. Members of Afghanistan's Hazara minority were demonstrating over the route of a planned multimillion dollar power line at Dehmazang square in Kabul when explosions struck the peaceful protest. Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani said he was "deeply saddened" by the carnage, adding that "peaceful protest is the right of every citizen". Condolences continued to pour in from across the world on the attack on the Persian-speaking Shia community that has threatened to exacerbate ethnic tensions among other groups. 'A despicable crime' United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon led the world body's strong condemnation of the terror attack in Afghanistan, describing it as a "despicable crime" while calling for bringing to justice the perpetrators of the assault. According to a statement issued by his office, Ban called for those responsible for the attack to be brought to justice. "The Secretary-General condemns the terrorist attack in Kabul. This despicable crime targeted citizens peacefully exercising their fundamental human rights," the statement said. The powerful UN Security Council also issued a statement, condemning "in the strongest terms" the "heinous and cowardly" terror attack yesterday. "The members of the Security Council reiterated their serious concern at the threats posed by the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), illegal and armed groups to the local population, National Defense and Security Forces and international presence in Afghanistan," the statement said. The 15-nation Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these "reprehensible" acts of terrorism to justice and urged all UN member nations to cooperate actively with the Afghan authorities in this regard. "The members of the Security Council stressed the need to take measures to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism, terrorist organisations and individual terrorists," in accordance with UN resolutions. Asserting that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal, the Council said terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group. The Council reiterated that "no violent or terrorist acts" can reverse the Afghan-led process along the path towards peace, democracy and stability in Afghanistan, which is supported by the people and the Afghan government and by the international community. Head of the UN Assistance Mission for Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto called the attack "an outrage that cannot be justified and stressed that the perpetrators of the attack must be held accountable." "An attack deliberately targeting a large, concentrated group of civilians amounts to a war crime," he said in the statement, which was issued by UNAMA. "This attack is particularly heinous because it targeted civilians as they exercised their rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression," Yamamoto said. UN General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft expressed his deepest sorrow and anger over the terrible terror attacks and "mass murders" taking place around the world. 'Inhumane and un-Islamic', says Iran Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif condemned the attack and expressed grief. "Afghanistan terror bombings another instance of depth of Daesh depravity: Shia and Sunni are both victims & must unite to defeat extremists," Zarif tweeted on Saturday, using another name for the Islamic State. Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi added that "eradicating this unfortunate phenomenon wouldn't be possible without a joint cooperation and understanding among all countries". The "inhumane and un-Islamic" attacks were "unjustifiable anywhere," he added. The first major IS assault on Kabul was apparently aimed at sowing sectarian discord in a country known for relative Shia-Sunni harmony. Iran, a country with a large Shiite majority, has a long border with Afghanistan. Pakistan expresses grief Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) on Sunday said in a statement, "The government and the people of Pakistan extend their sincere condolences and profound sympathies to the families of the bereaved people and convey their earnest prayers and wishes for early recovery of those injured in this heinous act of terrorism." (Agencies)

World leaders express solidarity with Afghanistan in wake of deadly Kabul attacks

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