Afghan President Ashraf Ghani apologised Wednesday to the families of civilians, mainly children, killed when the country's air force sprayed an outdoor religious gathering with rockets and machine gun fire last month.

The April 2 airstrike on a ceremony attended by hundreds of men and boys in Dasht-e-Archi district -- a Taliban stronghold in the northern province of Kunduz -- left at least 36 people dead including 30 &nbspchildren, a United Nations investigation has shown.&nbsp

Seventy-one people were wounded, including 51 children, it said, adding that it had "credible information" the tolls could be even higher.

Originally the government and military had said the Afghan Air Force targeted a Taliban base where senior members of the group were planning attacks.&nbsp

The defence ministry initially denied any civilians had been hurt, then claimed the Taliban had shot them.

On Wednesday Ghani met families as well as local elders and apologised, a statement from the presidential palace said.

"(T)he difference between evildoers and a legitimate government is that a legitimate government apologises for the mistakes made," he said, according to the statement.&nbsp

He also vowed that the government would pay compensation to the families, and build a minaret in memory of the victims as well as a mosque for the region. The statement gave no further details.&nbsp

The UN investigators could not confirm if the casualties were all civilians or whether Taliban leaders had been present at the time of the air strike. They have called for further investigations. &nbsp &nbsp&nbsp

The government has sent two teams to conduct an investigation into the incident but so far neither team has "publicly reported their findings", the UN said.&nbsp

The April 2 airstrike on a ceremony attended by hundreds of men and boys in Dasht-e-Archi district -- a Taliban stronghold in the northern province of Kunduz -- left at least 36 people dead including 30 children

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani apologised Wednesday to the families of civilians, mainly children, killed when the country's air force sprayed an outdoor religious gathering with rockets and machine gun fire last month. The April 2 airstrike on a ceremony attended by hundreds of men and boys in Dasht-e-Archi district -- a Taliban stronghold in the northern province of Kunduz -- left at least 36 people dead including 30 &nbspchildren, a United Nations investigation has shown. Seventy-one people were wounded, including 51 children, it said, adding that it had "credible information" the tolls could be even higher. Originally the government and military had said the Afghan Air Force targeted a Taliban base where senior members of the group were planning attacks. The defence ministry initially denied any civilians had been hurt, then claimed the Taliban had shot them. On Wednesday Ghani met families as well as local elders and apologised, a statement from the presidential palace said. "(T)he difference between evildoers and a legitimate government is that a legitimate government apologises for the mistakes made," he said, according to the statement. He also vowed that the government would pay compensation to the families, and build a minaret in memory of the victims as well as a mosque for the region. The statement gave no further details. The UN investigators could not confirm if the casualties were all civilians or whether Taliban leaders had been present at the time of the air strike. They have called for further investigations. The government has sent two teams to conduct an investigation into the incident but so far neither team has "publicly reported their findings", the UN said.

Ashraf Ghani apologises after Afghan air strike kills 30 children

India has always maintained cordial relations with Afghanistan through it's consistent infrastructural, healthcare, education and financial support to the country.&nbsp

The various assistance&nbspprovided to Afghanistan over the years has made India very popular in the country.&nbsp

India has been one of the biggest donors in the war-torn area since November 2001. The country has donated about $3.1 billion in assistance to Afghanistan.

Besides building the Afghan Parliament which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi in December 2015, Indian has also contributed in the construction of the Salma Dam. The dam was collectively built by Afghan and Indian engineers and was later renamed as Afghanistan and Indian Friendship Dam.

One of the most expensive projects that India had undertaken in Afghanistan was the hydel power and irrigation projects accounting for about $275 million.&nbsp

Delaram to Zarang highway is also one of the finest examples of growing India and Afghanistan relations. The highway opened a shorter route between Afghanistan and Iran. It provides India with an easy access to Afghanistan via Iran.

Since 2017 India has been a constant supplier of wheat to Afghanistan through Chabahar Port.

At the Wuham summit, PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed a project for a joint Indo-Afghan connectivity project through Afghanistan connecting China with Iran. India&nbsphas also initiated projects with the US in Afghanistan and has also held a dialogue over the situation with Russia.

In September India took up projects to assist in development projects like the Shatoot dam and drinking water supply for Kabul, low cost housing for returning refugees, water supply network for Charikar city and a polyclinic in Mazar-e-Sharif. The plans also incuded strengthening assistance for the Afghan national defence and security forces in fighting terrorism, organised crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering. An agreement on&nbspa vehicular movement&nbspto boost overland transit between India and Afghanistan was also signed between the two countries.

The growing popularity and friendship between India and Afghanistan has always been a cause of concern for Pakistan.

India has been one of the biggest donors in the war-torn area since November 2001. The country has donated about $3.1 billion in assistance to Afghanistan

India has always maintained cordial relations with Afghanistan through it's consistent infrastructural, healthcare, education and financial support to the country. The various assistance&nbspprovided to Afghanistan over the years has made India very popular in the country. India has been one of the biggest donors in the war-torn area since November 2001. The country has donated about $3.1 billion in assistance to Afghanistan. Besides building the Afghan Parliament which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi in December 2015, Indian has also contributed in the construction of the Salma Dam. The dam was collectively built by Afghan and Indian engineers and was later renamed as Afghanistan and Indian Friendship Dam. One of the most expensive projects that India had undertaken in Afghanistan was the hydel power and irrigation projects accounting for about $275 million. Delaram to Zarang highway is also one of the finest examples of growing India and Afghanistan relations. The highway opened a shorter route between Afghanistan and Iran. It provides India with an easy access to Afghanistan via Iran. Since 2017 India has been a constant supplier of wheat to Afghanistan through Chabahar Port. At the Wuham summit, PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed a project for a joint Indo-Afghan connectivity project through Afghanistan connecting China with Iran. India&nbsphas also initiated projects with the US in Afghanistan and has also held a dialogue over the situation with Russia. In September India took up projects to assist in development projects like the Shatoot dam and drinking water supply for Kabul, low cost housing for returning refugees, water supply network for Charikar city and a polyclinic in Mazar-e-Sharif. The plans also incuded strengthening assistance for the Afghan national defence and security forces in fighting terrorism, organised crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering. An agreement on&nbspa vehicular movement&nbspto boost overland transit between India and Afghanistan was also signed between the two countries. The growing popularity and friendship between India and Afghanistan has always been a cause of concern for Pakistan.

Afghanistan's parliament, a highway, dams: What India is building in the country

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani launched his country's e-ID scheme in Kabul today. the IDs are seen as important ahead of assembly and presidential polls over the next 12 months.

With first lady Rula Ghani and other senior leaders present, President Ghani becomes the first Afghan to receive a national e-ID card. The scheme intends to formalise identity cards across the country.&nbsp

President Ghani talked about recent suicide attacks, saying fake IDs were a crucial aspect. The cards are also being seen as a way to root out corruption in government schemes.&nbsp

However, minorities like the Hazaras, Tajiks and Uzbeks have been protesting against the ethnicity entry for I-cards.&nbsp

Their argument is that declaring ethnicity as Afghans is discriminatory as that is linked to the majority Pashtuns.

Voting for the Afghan parliamentary and district council elections will take place on October 20.

The presidential polls will take place in 2019.

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani launched his country's e-ID scheme in Kabul today

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani launched his country's e-ID scheme in Kabul today. the IDs are seen as important ahead of assembly and presidential polls over the next 12 months. With first lady Rula Ghani and other senior leaders present, President Ghani becomes the first Afghan to receive a national e-ID card. The scheme intends to formalise identity cards across the country. President Ghani talked about recent suicide attacks, saying fake IDs were a crucial aspect. The cards are also being seen as a way to root out corruption in government schemes. However, minorities like the Hazaras, Tajiks and Uzbeks have been protesting against the ethnicity entry for I-cards. Their argument is that declaring ethnicity as Afghans is discriminatory as that is linked to the majority Pashtuns. Voting for the Afghan parliamentary and district council elections will take place on October 20. The presidential polls will take place in 2019.

Ahead of assembly elections, national e-IDs launched in Afghanistan

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani launched new electronic ID cards on Thursday and faced immediate opposition in his own government towards a system that has fuelled bitter rows over ethnic politics only months before parliamentary elections are due.

The much delayed "e-tezkera" system, named after the local term for identity cards, is intended to reduce fraud, streamline public administration and give a clearer picture of the population by centralizing data on one digitized card.

"E-tezkera will help security in the country," Ghani said at a ceremony at which he received the first card to be issued.

"The problem with the traditional ID card was that the foreign terrorists could easily make fake national Afghan IDs and challenge our security."

But the inclusion of a national identity denomination that is rejected by some groups in Afghanistan has laid bare the persistent ethnic divisions that have widened sharply over the past year.

The new system has been the subject of furious argument because it designates a holder's nationality as "Afghan", a term used in the past to denote Pashtuns, traditionally the most politically powerful ethnic group.

Some members of other groups, notably Persian-speaking ethnic Tajiks, say that use of the term on the cards is intended to entrench the power of the Pashtuns by suggesting that their identity is equivalent with that of the nation as a whole.

Like almost all kings and presidents of Afghanistan, Ghani is an ethnic Pashtun and he has faced increasing opposition from Tajiks as presidential elections next year approach.

Shortly after the ceremony, Ghani's partner in government, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, whose Jamiat party mainly represents ethnic Tajiks from northern Afghanistan, rejected the new cards.

"Large national processes need more work and strategy that can achieve people's satisfaction," he told a news conference. "There are far important priorities.

"I am not against electronic ID cards, but this was not the time for it, because there are disagreements among the people about the e-ID cards."

The new cards have faced long delays for both technical and political reasons and Ghani's original intention of using them to register voters and reduce fraud in parliamentary elections scheduled for October has been abandoned.

Registration will be based on the old paper ID cards, although as many Afghans do not even have one of these, millions will have to be issued by October for sufficient numbers of voters to be included, a process already behind schedule.

The term 'Afghan' was used in the past to denote Pashtuns, traditionally the most politically powerful ethnic group

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani launched new electronic ID cards on Thursday and faced immediate opposition in his own government towards a system that has fuelled bitter rows over ethnic politics only months before parliamentary elections are due. The much delayed "e-tezkera" system, named after the local term for identity cards, is intended to reduce fraud, streamline public administration and give a clearer picture of the population by centralizing data on one digitized card. "E-tezkera will help security in the country," Ghani said at a ceremony at which he received the first card to be issued. "The problem with the traditional ID card was that the foreign terrorists could easily make fake national Afghan IDs and challenge our security." But the inclusion of a national identity denomination that is rejected by some groups in Afghanistan has laid bare the persistent ethnic divisions that have widened sharply over the past year. The new system has been the subject of furious argument because it designates a holder's nationality as "Afghan", a term used in the past to denote Pashtuns, traditionally the most politically powerful ethnic group. Some members of other groups, notably Persian-speaking ethnic Tajiks, say that use of the term on the cards is intended to entrench the power of the Pashtuns by suggesting that their identity is equivalent with that of the nation as a whole. Like almost all kings and presidents of Afghanistan, Ghani is an ethnic Pashtun and he has faced increasing opposition from Tajiks as presidential elections next year approach. Shortly after the ceremony, Ghani's partner in government, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, whose Jamiat party mainly represents ethnic Tajiks from northern Afghanistan, rejected the new cards. "Large national processes need more work and strategy that can achieve people's satisfaction," he told a news conference. "There are far important priorities. "I am not against electronic ID cards, but this was not the time for it, because there are disagreements among the people about the e-ID cards." The new cards have faced long delays for both technical and political reasons and Ghani's original intention of using them to register voters and reduce fraud in parliamentary elections scheduled for October has been abandoned. Registration will be based on the old paper ID cards, although as many Afghans do not even have one of these, millions will have to be issued by October for sufficient numbers of voters to be included, a process already behind schedule.

Afghanistan President launches ID cards terming everyone 'Afghan', but citizens dissent

Five people kidnapped by Taliban from voter registration in Afghanistan were freed on Thursday.

The abducted persons were released without any ransom. However, some negotiation talks were&nbspdone by the tribal leaders and the local elders with the Taliban.

Kidnapped people includes three employees of Independent Election Commission (IEC) and two policemen. They were abducted from the Taliban-controlled area of Ghor after gunmen attacked the voter registration centre.

Voting will continue after security officials give the green light.

The attack raised concerns about the security in the war-torn area's upcoming legislative elections which are scheduled for October 20.

On Tuesday, armed men stormed the voter registration centre while the staff was registering voters. They destroyed voters' documents and kidnapped 3 three employees of Independent Election Commission and two policemen.

The&nbspattack was condemned by the United States as it hoped the process to continue peacefully.

Last weekend Afghanistan started registering voters as it seeks to ensure fraud-free and credible elections.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani also urged religious leaders to encourage worshippers coming to the mosques to register themselves and their family members.

The IEC has also acknowledged the security concerns and said that ensuring security in voter registration centre would be a major challenge, especially in rural areas. 
&nbsp

The abducted persons were released without any ransom. However, some negotiation talks were done by the tribal leaders and the local elders with the Taliban

Five people kidnapped by Taliban from voter registration in Afghanistan were freed on Thursday. The abducted persons were released without any ransom. However, some negotiation talks were&nbspdone by the tribal leaders and the local elders with the Taliban. Kidnapped people includes three employees of Independent Election Commission (IEC) and two policemen. They were abducted from the Taliban-controlled area of Ghor after gunmen attacked the voter registration centre. Voting will continue after security officials give the green light. The attack raised concerns about the security in the war-torn area's upcoming legislative elections which are scheduled for October 20. On Tuesday, armed men stormed the voter registration centre while the staff was registering voters. They destroyed voters' documents and kidnapped 3 three employees of Independent Election Commission and two policemen. The&nbspattack was condemned by the United States as it hoped the process to continue peacefully. Last weekend Afghanistan started registering voters as it seeks to ensure fraud-free and credible elections. Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani also urged religious leaders to encourage worshippers coming to the mosques to register themselves and their family members. The IEC has also acknowledged the security concerns and said that ensuring security in voter registration centre would be a major challenge, especially in rural areas.

Kidnapped Afghan election staff freed by Taliban

The Afghan government on Thursday accused Pakistan of air strikes in the Afghan province of Kunar, which borders Pakistan, causing "huge financial damage".

The tension comes ahead of a scheduled visit to Kabul on Friday by Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, when he and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani are expected to discuss cooperation in stopping militant attacks.

Pakistani jets dropped four bombs on Wednesday evening in Kunar's Dangam district, according to a statement from Afghanistan's ministry of foreign affairs. It did not elaborate on the damage and made no mention of any casualties.

"Afghanistan warns that continuing violations of international norms ... will have further consequences on the relations between the two countries," the ministry said.

Pakistan's foreign ministry and military did not respond to requests for comment.

Afghanistan's Western-backed government has long accused Pakistan of harbouring Afghan Taliban insurgents, a charge that Islamabad denies.

Islamabad, in turn, accuses Afghanistan of not doing enough to eradicate Pakistani Taliban militants, many of whom are based in Afghanistan and mostly carry out attacks inside Pakistan.

The tension comes ahead of a scheduled visit to Kabul on Friday by Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, when he and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani are expected to discuss cooperation in stopping militant attacks

The Afghan government on Thursday accused Pakistan of air strikes in the Afghan province of Kunar, which borders Pakistan, causing "huge financial damage". The tension comes ahead of a scheduled visit to Kabul on Friday by Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, when he and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani are expected to discuss cooperation in stopping militant attacks. Pakistani jets dropped four bombs on Wednesday evening in Kunar's Dangam district, according to a statement from Afghanistan's ministry of foreign affairs. It did not elaborate on the damage and made no mention of any casualties. "Afghanistan warns that continuing violations of international norms ... will have further consequences on the relations between the two countries," the ministry said. Pakistan's foreign ministry and military did not respond to requests for comment. Afghanistan's Western-backed government has long accused Pakistan of harbouring Afghan Taliban insurgents, a charge that Islamabad denies. Islamabad, in turn, accuses Afghanistan of not doing enough to eradicate Pakistani Taliban militants, many of whom are based in Afghanistan and mostly carry out attacks inside Pakistan.

Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of air strikes ahead of leaders' talks

The UN Security Council has urged the Taliban to go ahead with the peace process with the Afghan government without any preconditions and threat of violence, as it welcomed Kabul&#39;s offer to the terror group to engage in direct talks.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on February 28 unveiled a plan to open peace talks with the Taliban, including eventually recognising them as a political party, days after the militants called for direct negotiations with the US.

Welcoming the offer for the peace talks, Security Council President Karel Jan Gustaaf van Oosterom of Netherlands, in a statement said the UNSC members commended the convening of the second meeting of the Kabul Process for Peace and Security Cooperation in Afghanistan last month and the declaration agreed to by its participants.

&quot;The members of the Security Council also welcomed the offer made by the Afghan Government to the Taliban to engage in direct peace talks, and called upon the Taliban to accept this offer without any preconditions and without the threat of violence, with the aim of an ultimate political settlement that leads to sustainable peace for the people of Afghanistan, the statement said yesterday.

The 15-nation Council underlined the importance of an inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process for the long-term prosperity and stability of Afghanistan and expressed their full support for the Afghan government&#39;s commitment to developing a practical plan for reconciliation.

They welcomed that the participants of the meeting recognised the Kabul Process as a forum and vehicle under the leadership of the Afghan government to lead peace efforts to end violence in Afghanistan.

&quot;The Kabul Process must lead to the renunciation of violence and breaking of all ties to international terrorism, as well as the respect for the equal rights of all Afghans, including women, under the Afghan Constitution, the Council said in the statement.

The members of the Security Council also welcomed ongoing international efforts to advance peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on February 28 unveiled a plan to open peace talks with the Taliban, including eventually recognising them as a political party, days after the militants called for direct negotiations with the US

The UN Security Council has urged the Taliban to go ahead with the peace process with the Afghan government without any preconditions and threat of violence, as it welcomed Kabul's offer to the terror group to engage in direct talks. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on February 28 unveiled a plan to open peace talks with the Taliban, including eventually recognising them as a political party, days after the militants called for direct negotiations with the US. Welcoming the offer for the peace talks, Security Council President Karel Jan Gustaaf van Oosterom of Netherlands, in a statement said the UNSC members commended the convening of the second meeting of the Kabul Process for Peace and Security Cooperation in Afghanistan last month and the declaration agreed to by its participants. "The members of the Security Council also welcomed the offer made by the Afghan Government to the Taliban to engage in direct peace talks, and called upon the Taliban to accept this offer without any preconditions and without the threat of violence, with the aim of an ultimate political settlement that leads to sustainable peace for the people of Afghanistan, the statement said yesterday. The 15-nation Council underlined the importance of an inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process for the long-term prosperity and stability of Afghanistan and expressed their full support for the Afghan government's commitment to developing a practical plan for reconciliation. They welcomed that the participants of the meeting recognised the Kabul Process as a forum and vehicle under the leadership of the Afghan government to lead peace efforts to end violence in Afghanistan. "The Kabul Process must lead to the renunciation of violence and breaking of all ties to international terrorism, as well as the respect for the equal rights of all Afghans, including women, under the Afghan Constitution, the Council said in the statement. The members of the Security Council also welcomed ongoing international efforts to advance peace and stability in Afghanistan.

UNSC calls upon Taliban to go ahead with peace talks without any preconditions

The United Nations envoy to Afghanistan on Thursday urged the Taliban to take up an offer by the Afghan government of direct talks on peace.

&quot;The offer of negotiation is on the table,&quot; said Tadamichi Yamamoto at a Security Council meeting to mark the annual renewal of the UN mission to the war-torn country.

&quot;It is now incumbent upon the Taliban to come forward with an offer of their own, and start direct talks with the government to put an end to the suffering of the Afghan people,&quot; he said.

&quot;Making peace and reaching out to opponents requires resolve, courage and above all national unity,&quot; he added. &quot;Political leaders need to place the national interest above partisan agenda.&quot;

He said he hoped that parliamentary elections could be held in 2018 and a presidential vote in 2019.

He also expressed concern about the growing number of civilian casualties at the hands of the Islamic State group in Khorasan province.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) was launched in March 2002 to help Afghans build a more stable and peaceful society, although 16 years later the country is still racked by violence and instability.&nbsp;

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani recently unveiled a plan to open talks with the Taliban, including eventually recognizing them as a political party.

In return, Ghani said the militants should officially recognize the Afghan government and constitution, a perennial sticking point in past attempts to open talks.

'The offer of negotiation is on the table,' said Tadamichi Yamamoto at a Security Council meeting to mark the annual renewal of the UN mission to the war-torn country

The United Nations envoy to Afghanistan on Thursday urged the Taliban to take up an offer by the Afghan government of direct talks on peace. "The offer of negotiation is on the table," said Tadamichi Yamamoto at a Security Council meeting to mark the annual renewal of the UN mission to the war-torn country. "It is now incumbent upon the Taliban to come forward with an offer of their own, and start direct talks with the government to put an end to the suffering of the Afghan people," he said. "Making peace and reaching out to opponents requires resolve, courage and above all national unity," he added. "Political leaders need to place the national interest above partisan agenda." He said he hoped that parliamentary elections could be held in 2018 and a presidential vote in 2019. He also expressed concern about the growing number of civilian casualties at the hands of the Islamic State group in Khorasan province. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) was launched in March 2002 to help Afghans build a more stable and peaceful society, although 16 years later the country is still racked by violence and instability. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani recently unveiled a plan to open talks with the Taliban, including eventually recognizing them as a political party. In return, Ghani said the militants should officially recognize the Afghan government and constitution, a perennial sticking point in past attempts to open talks.

United Nations calls on Taliban to take up offer of direct talks

The Afghan Taliban has accepted to join the peace dialogue initiated by the President Ashraf Ghani.&nbsp;

According to media reports, Afghanistan&#39;s Herat provincial council chairman Kamran Alizai said the talks were held with the militant group regarding the same and in return, the Taliban set pre-conditions such as securing employment on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project.

&quot;The armed group (Taliban) said they will join the peace process if employed on the TAPI project. They will also ensure the project&#39;s security,&quot; said Alizai.

The group&#39;s move was welcomed by Herat governor Mohammad Asif Rahimi and assured to provide them with employment opportunities after they join the peace process.

&quot;The door is open, the offer has been made to all the anti-government armed groups,&quot; Rahimi said.

This comes after a group of 10 insurgents also joined the peace process in support of the TAPI project.

Meanwhile, Pakistan also supported Ghani&#39;s initiative, in what was seen as the first possible breakthrough in the thawing of frosty ties between Kabul and Islamabad.

The TAPI is an under-construction pipeline which will transport natural gas starting from the Galkynysh Gas Field in Turkmenistan through Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.&nbsp;

The pipeline expected to be operational by 2019.

Taliban has set pre-conditions before joining the talks

The Afghan Taliban has accepted to join the peace dialogue initiated by the President Ashraf Ghani. According to media reports, Afghanistan's Herat provincial council chairman Kamran Alizai said the talks were held with the militant group regarding the same and in return, the Taliban set pre-conditions such as securing employment on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project. "The armed group (Taliban) said they will join the peace process if employed on the TAPI project. They will also ensure the project's security," said Alizai. The group's move was welcomed by Herat governor Mohammad Asif Rahimi and assured to provide them with employment opportunities after they join the peace process. "The door is open, the offer has been made to all the anti-government armed groups," Rahimi said. This comes after a group of 10 insurgents also joined the peace process in support of the TAPI project. Meanwhile, Pakistan also supported Ghani's initiative, in what was seen as the first possible breakthrough in the thawing of frosty ties between Kabul and Islamabad. The TAPI is an under-construction pipeline which will transport natural gas starting from the Galkynysh Gas Field in Turkmenistan through Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. The pipeline expected to be operational by 2019.

Afghan Taliban accepts President Ghani's peace dialogue

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani offered recognition of Taliban insurgents as a legitimate political group on Wednesday as part of a proposed political process that could lead to talks aimed at ending more than 16 years of war.

The offer, made at the start of an international conference aimed at creating a platform for peace talks, adds to a series of signals from both the Western-backed government and the Taliban suggesting a greater willingness to consider dialogue.

Ghani proposed a ceasefire and a release of prisoners. He also said he would be ready to accept a review of the constitution as part of a pact with the Taliban, who have so far refused to accept direct talks with the government in Kabul.

&ldquo;The government offers peace negotiations to the Taliban without any conditions,&rdquo; Ghani said in opening remarks to the conference attended by officials from around 25 countries involved in the so-called Kabul Process.

The comments represented a significant shift for Ghani, who in the past has regularly called the Taliban &ldquo;terrorists&rdquo; and &ldquo;rebels&rdquo; although he has also offered to talk with parts of the movement that accepted peace.

The Taliban, fighting to restore Islamic rule after their 2001 ouster by U.S.-led troops, have offered to begin talks with the United States but have so far refused direct talks with Kabul. It was unclear whether they would be prepared to shift their stance, despite growing international pressure.

Ghani said a political framework for peace negotiations should be created with a ceasefire and the Taliban recognised as a legitimate political group with an official political office. In return, the movement would have to recognise the Afghan government and respect the rule of law.

In addition, Taliban prisoners could be released and their names removed from international blacklists, while security arrangements could be made for Taliban agreeing to join a process of reconciliation. Former fighters and refugees could be reintegrated and provided with jobs.

The United States last year stepped up its military assistance to Afghanistan, notably through a sharp increase in air strikes, with the aim of breaking a stalemate with the insurgents and forcing them to the negotiating table.

While the U.S. military says the strategy has hit the Taliban hard, they still control or contest much of the country and continue to inflict severe casualties on Afghan forces.

They also claimed responsibility for two major attacks in Kabul last month that killed or wounded hundreds of civilians.

Ghani proposed a ceasefire and a release of prisoners

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani offered recognition of Taliban insurgents as a legitimate political group on Wednesday as part of a proposed political process that could lead to talks aimed at ending more than 16 years of war. The offer, made at the start of an international conference aimed at creating a platform for peace talks, adds to a series of signals from both the Western-backed government and the Taliban suggesting a greater willingness to consider dialogue. Ghani proposed a ceasefire and a release of prisoners. He also said he would be ready to accept a review of the constitution as part of a pact with the Taliban, who have so far refused to accept direct talks with the government in Kabul. “The government offers peace negotiations to the Taliban without any conditions,” Ghani said in opening remarks to the conference attended by officials from around 25 countries involved in the so-called Kabul Process. The comments represented a significant shift for Ghani, who in the past has regularly called the Taliban “terrorists” and “rebels” although he has also offered to talk with parts of the movement that accepted peace. The Taliban, fighting to restore Islamic rule after their 2001 ouster by U.S.-led troops, have offered to begin talks with the United States but have so far refused direct talks with Kabul. It was unclear whether they would be prepared to shift their stance, despite growing international pressure. Ghani said a political framework for peace negotiations should be created with a ceasefire and the Taliban recognised as a legitimate political group with an official political office. In return, the movement would have to recognise the Afghan government and respect the rule of law. In addition, Taliban prisoners could be released and their names removed from international blacklists, while security arrangements could be made for Taliban agreeing to join a process of reconciliation. Former fighters and refugees could be reintegrated and provided with jobs. The United States last year stepped up its military assistance to Afghanistan, notably through a sharp increase in air strikes, with the aim of breaking a stalemate with the insurgents and forcing them to the negotiating table. While the U.S. military says the strategy has hit the Taliban hard, they still control or contest much of the country and continue to inflict severe casualties on Afghan forces. They also claimed responsibility for two major attacks in Kabul last month that killed or wounded hundreds of civilians.

Afghanistan's Ghani offers peace talks with Taliban 'without condition'

A governor in northern Afghanistan has become the second in the region to defy an order by President Ashraf Ghani to step down, deepening a political crisis facing the US-backed government in Kabul.

Abdul Karim Khadam, the governor of northern Samangan province, was sacked along with four other provincial governors last week.&nbsp;

But he followed Atta Mohammad Noor, the heavyweight governor of neighbouring Balkh province, who refused to leave office after he was also sacked in December.

Noor&#39;s refusal to step down has turned the so-called &quot;King of the North&quot; into one of Afghanistan&#39;s most infamous politicians and a potential contender in presidential elections due in 2019, while underscoring the weakness of Ghani&#39;s government.

Khadam&#39;s decision to follow suit has deepened the crisis and threatened to further ethnic divisions between Tajiks and the Pashtun-dominated south, which often dominate Afghanistan&#39;s politics.

An ethnic Turkmen, Khadam belongs to the Tajik-dominated Jamiat-e-Islami party, of which Noor is also a member.

&quot;The decision is unfair and unjust. It is against the principles. I condemn this decision and don&#39;t accept it. I will wait for Jamiat party stance about this,&quot; he told reporters late on Sunday.

Jamiat in a statement on Monday said his removal was &quot;unjustified and yet another step toward increasing tension in the country&quot;.

The dispute comes at a bad time for Ghani&#39;s US-backed government, which is facing growing public fury over recent deadly attacks in Kabul and elsewhere in the war-torn country that have laid bare its inability to protect civilians.

Ghani, who belongs to the country&#39;s largest Pashtun ethnic group, took the presidency in 2014 in a US-brokered power-sharing deal with his rival, Jamiat-backed Abdullah Abdullah, who was named chief executive.

Jamiat has accused Ghani of failing to fulfil the terms of the agreement and has submitted demands to the president&#39;s negotiators, including a restructuring of parliament.

Noor has used the ongoing crisis to show off his strength, holding televised rallies and meeting representatives of various ethnic groups and political parties from across the country.

But as the talks drag on there are growing fears the crisis could turn violent, sparking calls from the White House and others for a peaceful resolution.

Last week, Noor asked his supporters to protest around the country, including in the capital Kabul, at end of this month if negotiations with the government failed.&nbsp;

A governor in northern Afghanistan has become the second in the region to defy an order by President Ashraf Ghani to step down, deepening a political crisis facing the US-backed government in Kabul

A governor in northern Afghanistan has become the second in the region to defy an order by President Ashraf Ghani to step down, deepening a political crisis facing the US-backed government in Kabul. Abdul Karim Khadam, the governor of northern Samangan province, was sacked along with four other provincial governors last week. But he followed Atta Mohammad Noor, the heavyweight governor of neighbouring Balkh province, who refused to leave office after he was also sacked in December. Noor's refusal to step down has turned the so-called "King of the North" into one of Afghanistan's most infamous politicians and a potential contender in presidential elections due in 2019, while underscoring the weakness of Ghani's government. Khadam's decision to follow suit has deepened the crisis and threatened to further ethnic divisions between Tajiks and the Pashtun-dominated south, which often dominate Afghanistan's politics. An ethnic Turkmen, Khadam belongs to the Tajik-dominated Jamiat-e-Islami party, of which Noor is also a member. "The decision is unfair and unjust. It is against the principles. I condemn this decision and don't accept it. I will wait for Jamiat party stance about this," he told reporters late on Sunday. Jamiat in a statement on Monday said his removal was "unjustified and yet another step toward increasing tension in the country". The dispute comes at a bad time for Ghani's US-backed government, which is facing growing public fury over recent deadly attacks in Kabul and elsewhere in the war-torn country that have laid bare its inability to protect civilians. Ghani, who belongs to the country's largest Pashtun ethnic group, took the presidency in 2014 in a US-brokered power-sharing deal with his rival, Jamiat-backed Abdullah Abdullah, who was named chief executive. Jamiat has accused Ghani of failing to fulfil the terms of the agreement and has submitted demands to the president's negotiators, including a restructuring of parliament. Noor has used the ongoing crisis to show off his strength, holding televised rallies and meeting representatives of various ethnic groups and political parties from across the country. But as the talks drag on there are growing fears the crisis could turn violent, sparking calls from the White House and others for a peaceful resolution. Last week, Noor asked his supporters to protest around the country, including in the capital Kabul, at end of this month if negotiations with the government failed.

Afghan political crisis deepens as second governor refuses to resign

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left open on Saturday the possibility for talks with militants who accept peace but said the door was closed to those who cause tragedies like recent attacks in the capital, Kabul.

An attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul on Jan. 20 and a suicide bombing on a crowded city street a week later have stoked public anger and stepped up pressure on Ghani&#39;s Western-backed government to improve security.

The attacks, which killed more than 130 people and were claimed by the Taliban, have also raised fresh doubt about long-running efforts to initiate talks with the insurgents.

The president&#39;s office said on Tuesday the militants had crossed a &quot;red line&quot; and peace would have to be won on the battle field.

But Ghani raised the possibility of reconciliation with some militants in a speech to Islamic clerics in Kabul.

&quot;Those who are responsible for this tragedy and do not want peace, the door of peace is closed to them,&quot; Ghani said.

&quot;Those who accept peace, they will witness that the nation will embrace them. But there is a clear difference, our commitment to bringing peace does not mean we will sit quietly and won&#39;t retaliate.&quot;

&quot;We will dig them out from any hiding holes.&quot;

Afghanistan&#39;s government has made such vows for years but the insurgency appears ever more resilient. Peace efforts have been made in fits and starts but without progress.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump appeared to dash any hope for peace efforts on Monday when he condemned the Taliban for the Kabul violence and rejected the idea of talks.

Trump last year ordered an increase in US&nbsp;troops, air strikes and other assistance to Afghan forces, to force the Taliban to negotiate.

But his comments on Monday suggested he saw a military victory over the Taliban, an outcome that US&nbsp;military and diplomatic officials said could not be achieved with the resources and manpower he had authorised.

US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan said in Kabul on Tuesday the US&nbsp;strategy had not changed and the aim was still to press the Taliban militarily to convince them that they had to negotiate.

The Taliban are fighting to drive out foreign troops and re-establish their form of strict Islamic law.

Afghanistan has long accused neighbouring Pakistan of failing to act against Taliban plotting violence from safe havens on the Pakistani side of the border.

On Friday, Ghani accused Pakistan of being the &quot;Taliban centre&quot; and said he was waiting for Pakistani action.

Pakistan denies helping the Taliban and a Pakistani delegation led by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua visited Kabul on Saturday with the aim of fostering cooperation. Janjua called for both sides to stop the &quot;blame game&quot;, Pakistani media reported.

The United States said last month it would cut security aid to Pakistan, complaining it was not doing enough to fight militants sheltering there. 
&nbsp;

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left open on Saturday the possibility for talks with militants who accept peace but said the door was closed to those who cause tragedies like recent attacks in the capital, Kabul

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left open on Saturday the possibility for talks with militants who accept peace but said the door was closed to those who cause tragedies like recent attacks in the capital, Kabul. An attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul on Jan. 20 and a suicide bombing on a crowded city street a week later have stoked public anger and stepped up pressure on Ghani's Western-backed government to improve security. The attacks, which killed more than 130 people and were claimed by the Taliban, have also raised fresh doubt about long-running efforts to initiate talks with the insurgents. The president's office said on Tuesday the militants had crossed a "red line" and peace would have to be won on the battle field. But Ghani raised the possibility of reconciliation with some militants in a speech to Islamic clerics in Kabul. "Those who are responsible for this tragedy and do not want peace, the door of peace is closed to them," Ghani said. "Those who accept peace, they will witness that the nation will embrace them. But there is a clear difference, our commitment to bringing peace does not mean we will sit quietly and won't retaliate." "We will dig them out from any hiding holes." Afghanistan's government has made such vows for years but the insurgency appears ever more resilient. Peace efforts have been made in fits and starts but without progress. US President Donald Trump appeared to dash any hope for peace efforts on Monday when he condemned the Taliban for the Kabul violence and rejected the idea of talks. Trump last year ordered an increase in US troops, air strikes and other assistance to Afghan forces, to force the Taliban to negotiate. But his comments on Monday suggested he saw a military victory over the Taliban, an outcome that US military and diplomatic officials said could not be achieved with the resources and manpower he had authorised. US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan said in Kabul on Tuesday the US strategy had not changed and the aim was still to press the Taliban militarily to convince them that they had to negotiate. The Taliban are fighting to drive out foreign troops and re-establish their form of strict Islamic law. Afghanistan has long accused neighbouring Pakistan of failing to act against Taliban plotting violence from safe havens on the Pakistani side of the border. On Friday, Ghani accused Pakistan of being the "Taliban centre" and said he was waiting for Pakistani action. Pakistan denies helping the Taliban and a Pakistani delegation led by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua visited Kabul on Saturday with the aim of fostering cooperation. Janjua called for both sides to stop the "blame game", Pakistani media reported. The United States said last month it would cut security aid to Pakistan, complaining it was not doing enough to fight militants sheltering there.

Afghan president leaves open possibility of talks with some Taliban

Afghan <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/attack-on-kabuls-intercontinental-hotel-was-planned-in-pakistan-afghan-envoy-to-us-31193">President Ashraf Ghani today lashed</a> out at Pakistan accusing its neighbour of being the &quot;Taliban centre&quot;.

&quot;We are waiting for Pakistan to act,&quot; Ghani said in a televised address to the nation.

&quot;Pakistan is the centre of the Taliban. It is time for the Pakistani government to take a decision,&quot; the president said.

Afghanistan blamed terrorists in Pakistan for the recent attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul.&nbsp;A suicide bomber hit a crowded city street a week later. At least 130 people were killed in both attacks stroking public anger.

Afghan and US officials said the Haqqani Network linked to the Taliban and believed to be based in Pakistan was responsible.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&quot;Is what they want for themselves the same for all Islamic countries, or is it an image that only their Islamic scholars know but that other Islamic scholars don&#39;t know?,&quot; the Afghan president said in anger.

Pakistan&#39;s foreign office was quick to react asserting that Pakistan and Afghanistan were both victims of terrorism and needed to work together to fight the common threat.

&quot;We reject any allegations of support to the Haqqani network or the Taliban, and of allowing them to use our soil. Pakistan has been taking action against all terrorists groups in its territory,&quot; Pakistan&#39;s foreign office said.&nbsp;

&quot;It is our commitment to eradicate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,&quot; the statement added.

&quot;Pakistan affirms solidarity with the people and government of Afghanistan in fighting the menace of terrorism,&quot; he said in a statement.&nbsp;

&quot;We feel the pain of our Afghan brothers and sisters,&quot; the foreign office added. 
&nbsp;

Pakistan foreign office was quick to react asserting that Pakistan and Afghanistan were both victims of terrorism

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani today lashed out at Pakistan accusing its neighbour of being the "Taliban centre". "We are waiting for Pakistan to act," Ghani said in a televised address to the nation. "Pakistan is the centre of the Taliban. It is time for the Pakistani government to take a decision," the president said. Afghanistan blamed terrorists in Pakistan for the recent attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul. A suicide bomber hit a crowded city street a week later. At least 130 people were killed in both attacks stroking public anger. Afghan and US officials said the Haqqani Network linked to the Taliban and believed to be based in Pakistan was responsible. "Is what they want for themselves the same for all Islamic countries, or is it an image that only their Islamic scholars know but that other Islamic scholars don't know?," the Afghan president said in anger. Pakistan's foreign office was quick to react asserting that Pakistan and Afghanistan were both victims of terrorism and needed to work together to fight the common threat. "We reject any allegations of support to the Haqqani network or the Taliban, and of allowing them to use our soil. Pakistan has been taking action against all terrorists groups in its territory," Pakistan's foreign office said. "It is our commitment to eradicate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," the statement added. "Pakistan affirms solidarity with the people and government of Afghanistan in fighting the menace of terrorism," he said in a statement. "We feel the pain of our Afghan brothers and sisters," the foreign office added.

Pakistan is 'centre' of Taliban, says Afghan President Ashraf Ghani

Vice President Mike Pence made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan to meet its leaders and underscore US&nbsp;commitment to the country four months after President Donald Trump agreed to an open-ended war against insurgents here.

Pence arrived on a military plane at Bagram Airfield under the cover of darkness on Thursday night after leaving Washington on Wednesday night. He then flew by helicopter to Kabul, where he met President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah at the presidential palace.

Pence told the leaders he hoped his presence there was tangible evidence that the United States was &quot;here to see this through.&quot;

In a reversal of his campaign call for a swift withdrawal of US&nbsp;forces from Afghanistan, Trump in August pledged a stepped-up military campaign against Taliban insurgents and signalled the United States would send more troops to fight in what is the longest war in its history.

At the end of August, there were some 11,000 US&nbsp;troops in Afghanistan and more have since arrived.

Ghani expressed gratitude to the US government and said Afghanistan&#39;s partnership with the United States was cemented in sacrifice.

Pence told reporters the strategy of increased troops on the ground and greater authorities for military leaders was paying dividends.

&quot;The results are really beginning to become evident around the country,&quot; he said, adding that Ghani and Abdullah had said, &quot;they&#39;ve begun to see a sea change in the attitudes among the Taliban.&quot; Pence said their hope was that &quot;eventually the enemy will tire of losing&quot; and be willing to talk peace.

Asked if more troops would be needed, Pence said that would be a decision for Trump in the days ahead.

Pence said he pressed the Afghan leaders for political reforms and Ghani assured him that an election commission was developing a framework for parliamentary elections in 2018.

Pence had originally planned to travel to Israel and Egypt this week, but he postponed that trip to remain in Washington while Congress passed legislation to overhaul US&nbsp;tax law.

The short visit to Afghanistan, originally part of the Middle East trip, was shrouded in secrecy for security reasons. Reporters travelling with the vice president were asked not to reveal his whereabouts until after the delegation arrived back at the air base from Kabul and Pence had addressed US&nbsp;troops.

Pence almost did not make it to the presidential palace. The helicopters he and others were flying in came close to turning back to Bagram because of poor visibility, but the pilots were able to find a route in the end, a White House official said.

Pence, who coordinated the process that resulted in Trump&#39;s new Afghanistan policy, has been one of the main interlocutors between the White House and the Afghan leadership since Trump entered office in January.

He repeated his promise of US&nbsp;commitment to the region during remarks to troops at Bagram.

&quot;Under President Donald Trump, the armed forces of the United States will remain engaged in Afghanistan until we eliminate the terrorist threat to our homeland, our people once and for all,&quot; Pence said.

Trump&#39;s views of the 16-year-long Afghan conflict have shifted since he came to power.

As a presidential candidate, he called for a swift withdrawal of US&nbsp;forces, which were bogged down through the presidencies of Republican George W&nbsp;Bush and Democrat Barack Obama after a US-led coalition overthrew the Islamist Taliban government for harboring al Qaeda militants who plotted the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.

But Trump, while acknowledging the decision went against his instincts, argued in August that a hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum for Islamic State and al Qaeda to fill.

He declined to set a timeline for withdrawal or outline benchmarks for the new strategy&#39;s success.

Echoing Trump&#39;s comments when he unveiled the new strategy, Pence had sharp words for neighbouring Pakistan, which he said had provided safe haven to the Taliban and other groups for too long.

&quot;Those days are over,&quot; Pence said. Pakistan had much to gain from partnering with the United States, and much to lose by harbouring &quot;criminals and terrorists,&quot; he said at Bagram.

US&nbsp;troops are involved in training Afghan security forces and carrying out counter-terrorism operations, hoping to reverse gains by the Taliban and prod it to negotiate for peace.

Some 2,400 US&nbsp;forces have died in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion.

Mike Pence told the leaders he hoped his presence there was tangible evidence that the United States was 'here to see this through'

Vice President Mike Pence made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan to meet its leaders and underscore US commitment to the country four months after President Donald Trump agreed to an open-ended war against insurgents here. Pence arrived on a military plane at Bagram Airfield under the cover of darkness on Thursday night after leaving Washington on Wednesday night. He then flew by helicopter to Kabul, where he met President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah at the presidential palace. Pence told the leaders he hoped his presence there was tangible evidence that the United States was "here to see this through." In a reversal of his campaign call for a swift withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, Trump in August pledged a stepped-up military campaign against Taliban insurgents and signalled the United States would send more troops to fight in what is the longest war in its history. At the end of August, there were some 11,000 US troops in Afghanistan and more have since arrived. Ghani expressed gratitude to the US government and said Afghanistan's partnership with the United States was cemented in sacrifice. Pence told reporters the strategy of increased troops on the ground and greater authorities for military leaders was paying dividends. "The results are really beginning to become evident around the country," he said, adding that Ghani and Abdullah had said, "they've begun to see a sea change in the attitudes among the Taliban." Pence said their hope was that "eventually the enemy will tire of losing" and be willing to talk peace. Asked if more troops would be needed, Pence said that would be a decision for Trump in the days ahead. Pence said he pressed the Afghan leaders for political reforms and Ghani assured him that an election commission was developing a framework for parliamentary elections in 2018. Pence had originally planned to travel to Israel and Egypt this week, but he postponed that trip to remain in Washington while Congress passed legislation to overhaul US tax law. The short visit to Afghanistan, originally part of the Middle East trip, was shrouded in secrecy for security reasons. Reporters travelling with the vice president were asked not to reveal his whereabouts until after the delegation arrived back at the air base from Kabul and Pence had addressed US troops. Pence almost did not make it to the presidential palace. The helicopters he and others were flying in came close to turning back to Bagram because of poor visibility, but the pilots were able to find a route in the end, a White House official said. Pence, who coordinated the process that resulted in Trump's new Afghanistan policy, has been one of the main interlocutors between the White House and the Afghan leadership since Trump entered office in January. He repeated his promise of US commitment to the region during remarks to troops at Bagram. "Under President Donald Trump, the armed forces of the United States will remain engaged in Afghanistan until we eliminate the terrorist threat to our homeland, our people once and for all," Pence said. Trump's views of the 16-year-long Afghan conflict have shifted since he came to power. As a presidential candidate, he called for a swift withdrawal of US forces, which were bogged down through the presidencies of Republican George W Bush and Democrat Barack Obama after a US-led coalition overthrew the Islamist Taliban government for harboring al Qaeda militants who plotted the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. But Trump, while acknowledging the decision went against his instincts, argued in August that a hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum for Islamic State and al Qaeda to fill. He declined to set a timeline for withdrawal or outline benchmarks for the new strategy's success. Echoing Trump's comments when he unveiled the new strategy, Pence had sharp words for neighbouring Pakistan, which he said had provided safe haven to the Taliban and other groups for too long. "Those days are over," Pence said. Pakistan had much to gain from partnering with the United States, and much to lose by harbouring "criminals and terrorists," he said at Bagram. US troops are involved in training Afghan security forces and carrying out counter-terrorism operations, hoping to reverse gains by the Taliban and prod it to negotiate for peace. Some 2,400 US forces have died in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion.

US Vice President Mike Pence makes surprise visit to Afghanistan

One of Afghanistan&#39;s most powerful regional politicians was ousted as governor of the northern province of Balkh on Monday, setting up a confrontation that adds to the uncertainty around President Ashraf Ghani&#39;s Western-backed government.

Atta Mohammad Noor is one of the leading figures in Jamiat-e-Islami, a party which mainly represents Afghanistan&#39;s Tajik ethnic group, and has used his position in Balkh, on the northern border of the country, as a power base to push for a major role on the national stage.

His removal, at a time when tensions between Tajiks and Pashtuns, Afghanistan&#39;s two biggest ethnic groups, have been rising, injects extra uncertainty to the already fractured political landscape ahead of presidential elections in 2019.

&quot;This is a unilateral, unprofessional decision by Ghani and his team and we will never accept it&quot;, a close aide to Atta Noor said.&nbsp;Atta Noor is one of a clutch of powerful regional and ethnic leaders whom Ghani has struggled to control. He has had a complicated relationship with the president, who has tried previously to remove him but with whom he also discussed a possible role in the government earlier this year.

He submitted his resignation several months ago but the move never took effect until Ghani approved it on Monday, announcing at the same time that Mohammad Daoud, also from Jamiat, would become the next governor of Balkh province.&nbsp;

&quot;The Afghan president has accepted Atta Mohammad Noor&#39;s resignation and announced Engineer Mohammad Daoud as the new governor&quot;, Shah Hussain Murtazawi a spokesman for Ghani said.&nbsp;The aide to Atta Noor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the resignation had been offered with conditions attached. He did not specify what these were but said they had been issued to strengthen national unity and had not been respected.

Ghani&#39;s national unity government, formed after the disputed election of 2014 forced him into an uneasy power-sharing arrangement with his former rival Abdullah Abdullah from Jamiat, retains the support of the international community and the United States. But it has faced mounting criticism from an array of opposition groups.

Parliamentary elections originally due to be held next year are in doubt and former President Hamid Karzai has called for a loya jirga, or traditional grand council of political leaders and elders to decide the future of the government.

The confrontation with Atta Noor comes several months after a standoff with Vice President Rashid Dostum over accusations of the sexual abuse of a political opponent. Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek leader and veteran of decades of Afghan politics, has been in Turkey since May, ostensibly for medical treatment.

Atta Mohammad Noor has had a complicated relationship with the president, who has tried previously to remove him but with whom he also discussed a possible role in the government earlier this year.

One of Afghanistan's most powerful regional politicians was ousted as governor of the northern province of Balkh on Monday, setting up a confrontation that adds to the uncertainty around President Ashraf Ghani's Western-backed government. Atta Mohammad Noor is one of the leading figures in Jamiat-e-Islami, a party which mainly represents Afghanistan's Tajik ethnic group, and has used his position in Balkh, on the northern border of the country, as a power base to push for a major role on the national stage. His removal, at a time when tensions between Tajiks and Pashtuns, Afghanistan's two biggest ethnic groups, have been rising, injects extra uncertainty to the already fractured political landscape ahead of presidential elections in 2019. "This is a unilateral, unprofessional decision by Ghani and his team and we will never accept it", a close aide to Atta Noor said. Atta Noor is one of a clutch of powerful regional and ethnic leaders whom Ghani has struggled to control. He has had a complicated relationship with the president, who has tried previously to remove him but with whom he also discussed a possible role in the government earlier this year. He submitted his resignation several months ago but the move never took effect until Ghani approved it on Monday, announcing at the same time that Mohammad Daoud, also from Jamiat, would become the next governor of Balkh province. "The Afghan president has accepted Atta Mohammad Noor's resignation and announced Engineer Mohammad Daoud as the new governor", Shah Hussain Murtazawi a spokesman for Ghani said. The aide to Atta Noor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the resignation had been offered with conditions attached. He did not specify what these were but said they had been issued to strengthen national unity and had not been respected. Ghani's national unity government, formed after the disputed election of 2014 forced him into an uneasy power-sharing arrangement with his former rival Abdullah Abdullah from Jamiat, retains the support of the international community and the United States. But it has faced mounting criticism from an array of opposition groups. Parliamentary elections originally due to be held next year are in doubt and former President Hamid Karzai has called for a loya jirga, or traditional grand council of political leaders and elders to decide the future of the government. The confrontation with Atta Noor comes several months after a standoff with Vice President Rashid Dostum over accusations of the sexual abuse of a political opponent. Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek leader and veteran of decades of Afghan politics, has been in Turkey since May, ostensibly for medical treatment.

Powerful Afghan regional leader ousted as political picture clouds

A protest in Kabul turned&nbsp;violent and left&nbsp;seven people dead and at least ten injured. &nbsp;

This morning, two days after the deadly attack which killed at least 90 people and injured more than 500, people took to the streets of Kabul to protest against the deteriorating security scenario in the country.&nbsp;

The Afghan police initially used water cannons and tear gas to block the protest and then resorted to automatic gunfire into the air. A journalist from the Afghan media TOLOnews, said that protesters pelted stones against security forces.&nbsp;

It is still unclear how the protesters have died, but sources on the ground said that police forces started firing live bullets against the crowd.&nbsp;

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An ugly image from today&#39;s protest in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash">#Kabul</a> : Police shooting live bullets. <a href="https://t.co/raISFSRgi9">pic.twitter.com/raISFSRgi9</a>
&mdash; Tahir Qadiry (@tahirqadiry) <a href="https://twitter.com/tahirqadiry/status/870555113273864192">June 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Angry protesters are trying 2 make into <a href="https://twitter.com/ARG_AFG">@ARG_AFG</a> where they are resisted by firefighters. Police have reportedly detained many protesters <a href="https://t.co/QqTU9UZO2G">pic.twitter.com/QqTU9UZO2G</a>
&mdash; Tahir Qadiry (@tahirqadiry) <a href="https://twitter.com/tahirqadiry/status/870541451117158401">June 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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According to Reuters there were approximately 1,000 people carrying pictures of victims.&nbsp;

TOLOnews said that protestors were chanting slogans against the government and its two main leaders, President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah. A participant was holding out of a car window a banner reading &quot;Ghani! Abdullah! Resign! Resign!&quot;, along with a picture of bloodstained children.&nbsp;

Demonstrators, most of whom are residents of Kabul,&nbsp;criticised the government for not being able&nbsp;to secure the country and assuring safety for its people. They demanded the resignation of the head of the National Security Council and of the National Directorate of Security.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash">#Kabul</a> - Police stop Kabul protestors from marching towards the Presidential Palace - Video <a href="https://t.co/dkpQ0wsP9h">pic.twitter.com/dkpQ0wsP9h</a>
&mdash; TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/TOLOnews/status/870560076674760704">June 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Afghanistan&#39;s capital city has lately witnessed an increasing number of attacks and memories of relative peace are quickly fading away. Wednesday&#39;s attack happened in the heart of the city where several embassies are located. &nbsp;

The fact that the explosive-laden sewage tank managed to cross security checkpoints raised immediate concerns on the effectiveness of the safety measures active in the city.&nbsp;

Lack of security is becoming perhaps the most pressing issue for the Afghan government, which is losing ground to a renewed Taliban offensive. According to the US top commander in Afghanistan, Lt&nbsp;Gen&nbsp;John Nicholson, the central government controls only 60 per cent of the country. &nbsp;

The overall situation could deteriorate further if the Afghan government decides to go ahead with its decision of hanging as many as eleven convicted leaders of both the Taliban and&nbsp;the Haqqani network, which President Ghani believes to have masterminded the massacre. Anas Haqqani, operational leader of the namesake organisation is not among the prisoners to be executed.

Retaliation is an integral part of the Taliban history and they are likely to react if the government decides to kill members of their movement.&nbsp;

The Afghan national army and the country&#39;s security forces struggle to oppose the insurgents, opium production is increasing and the US and the NATO decided to increase their presence in the country. President Ashraf Ghani is facing the most difficult moment of his presidency, gripped between a growing discontent and the necessity of foreign aid. &nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Police fired on protesters demanding resignation of President Ghani and top security officers after Wednesday's suicide attack killed 90 in Kabul

A protest in Kabul turned violent and left seven people dead and at least ten injured. This morning, two days after the deadly attack which killed at least 90 people and injured more than 500, people took to the streets of Kabul to protest against the deteriorating security scenario in the country. The Afghan police initially used water cannons and tear gas to block the protest and then resorted to automatic gunfire into the air. A journalist from the Afghan media TOLOnews, said that protesters pelted stones against security forces. It is still unclear how the protesters have died, but sources on the ground said that police forces started firing live bullets against the crowd. An ugly image from today's protest in #Kabul : Police shooting live bullets. pic.twitter.com/raISFSRgi9 — Tahir Qadiry (@tahirqadiry) June 2, 2017 × Angry protesters are trying 2 make into @ARG_AFG where they are resisted by firefighters. Police have reportedly detained many protesters pic.twitter.com/QqTU9UZO2G — Tahir Qadiry (@tahirqadiry) June 2, 2017 × According to Reuters there were approximately 1,000 people carrying pictures of victims. TOLOnews said that protestors were chanting slogans against the government and its two main leaders, President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah. A participant was holding out of a car window a banner reading "Ghani! Abdullah! Resign! Resign!", along with a picture of bloodstained children. Demonstrators, most of whom are residents of Kabul, criticised the government for not being able to secure the country and assuring safety for its people. They demanded the resignation of the head of the National Security Council and of the National Directorate of Security. #Kabul - Police stop Kabul protestors from marching towards the Presidential Palace - Video pic.twitter.com/dkpQ0wsP9h — TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) June 2, 2017 × Afghanistan's capital city has lately witnessed an increasing number of attacks and memories of relative peace are quickly fading away. Wednesday's attack happened in the heart of the city where several embassies are located. The fact that the explosive-laden sewage tank managed to cross security checkpoints raised immediate concerns on the effectiveness of the safety measures active in the city. Lack of security is becoming perhaps the most pressing issue for the Afghan government, which is losing ground to a renewed Taliban offensive. According to the US top commander in Afghanistan, Lt Gen John Nicholson, the central government controls only 60 per cent of the country. The overall situation could deteriorate further if the Afghan government decides to go ahead with its decision of hanging as many as eleven convicted leaders of both the Taliban and the Haqqani network, which President Ghani believes to have masterminded the massacre. Anas Haqqani, operational leader of the namesake organisation is not among the prisoners to be executed. Retaliation is an integral part of the Taliban history and they are likely to react if the government decides to kill members of their movement. The Afghan national army and the country's security forces struggle to oppose the insurgents, opium production is increasing and the US and the NATO decided to increase their presence in the country. President Ashraf Ghani is facing the most difficult moment of his presidency, gripped between a growing discontent and the necessity of foreign aid. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Afghanistan: 7 dead as protests erupt in Kabul against worsening security scenario

The number of Islamic State fighters killed by a massive US bomb in eastern Afghanistan has nearly tripled to at least 90, Afghan officials said Saturday.

The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb -- dubbed the &quot;Mother Of All Bombs&quot; -- was unleashed in combat for the first time, hitting IS positions in eastern Nangarhar province on Thursday.

The bomb smashed their mountain hideouts, a tunnel-and-cave complex that had been mined against conventional ground attacks, engulfing the remote area in towering flames.

&quot;At least 92 Daesh (IS) fighters were killed in the bombing,&quot; Achin district governor Esmail Shinwari told AFP on Saturday. Nangarhar provincial spokesman Attaullah Khogyani gave a toll of 90.

Afghan officials had earlier said the bombing had killed 36 IS fighters.

Shinwari insisted there were &quot;no military and civilian casualties at all&quot;.&nbsp;

Security experts say IS had built their redoubts close to civilian homes, but the government said thousands of local families had already fled the area in recent months of fighting.

The massive bomb was dropped after fighting intensified over the past week and US-backed ground forces struggled to advance on the area. An American special forces soldier was killed last Saturday in Nangarhar while conducting anti-IS operations.

President Ashraf Ghani threw his support behind the bombardment.

But some officials close to him condemned the use of Afghanistan as what they called a testing ground for the weapon, and against a militant group that controls only a tiny sliver of territory and is not considered a huge threat.

IS, notorious for its reign of terror in Syria and Iraq, has made inroads into Afghanistan in recent years, attracting disaffected members of the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban as well as Uzbek Islamists.

But the group has been steadily losing ground in the face of heavy pressure both from US air strikes and a ground offensive led by Afghan forces.

(AFP)

The bomb smashed IS' mountain hideouts, a tunnel-and-cave complex that had been mined against conventional ground attacks

The number of Islamic State fighters killed by a massive US bomb in eastern Afghanistan has nearly tripled to at least 90, Afghan officials said Saturday. The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb -- dubbed the "Mother Of All Bombs" -- was unleashed in combat for the first time, hitting IS positions in eastern Nangarhar province on Thursday. The bomb smashed their mountain hideouts, a tunnel-and-cave complex that had been mined against conventional ground attacks, engulfing the remote area in towering flames. "At least 92 Daesh (IS) fighters were killed in the bombing," Achin district governor Esmail Shinwari told AFP on Saturday. Nangarhar provincial spokesman Attaullah Khogyani gave a toll of 90. Afghan officials had earlier said the bombing had killed 36 IS fighters. Shinwari insisted there were "no military and civilian casualties at all". Security experts say IS had built their redoubts close to civilian homes, but the government said thousands of local families had already fled the area in recent months of fighting. The massive bomb was dropped after fighting intensified over the past week and US-backed ground forces struggled to advance on the area. An American special forces soldier was killed last Saturday in Nangarhar while conducting anti-IS operations. President Ashraf Ghani threw his support behind the bombardment. But some officials close to him condemned the use of Afghanistan as what they called a testing ground for the weapon, and against a militant group that controls only a tiny sliver of territory and is not considered a huge threat. IS, notorious for its reign of terror in Syria and Iraq, has made inroads into Afghanistan in recent years, attracting disaffected members of the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban as well as Uzbek Islamists. But the group has been steadily losing ground in the face of heavy pressure both from US air strikes and a ground offensive led by Afghan forces. (AFP)

At least 90 Islamic State fighters killed in US MOAB strike, claim Afghanistan officials

Afghan security forces blocked roads and took up positions around the house of vice president Rashid Dostum on Tuesday as a standoff flared up over accusations his men tortured one of his political opponents.

In an address to supporters at his Kabul residence, broadcast live on television, Dostum warned President Ashraf Ghani that any action against him would weaken the government but said he would not order his own militia fighters to take action against government forces.

&quot;My message to the president is to maintain our national unity,&quot; he said.

Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek warlord who has manoeuvred his way through decades of Afghan conflict, faces accusations that he ordered members of his militia forces to detain Ahmad Ishchi, a former ally, who says he was severely beaten and threatened with sexual violence over several days.

Foreign governments, including the United States, have expressed serious concerns over the case and last month, the attorney general&#39;s office issued arrest warrants against nine of Dostum&#39;s bodyguards.

The men have not so far been taken into custody, however, and the standoff has increased widespread perceptions of the fragility of Ghani&#39;s national unity government, formed after the disputed election of 2014.

Dostum&#39;s chief of staff Babur Farhamand said it was not clear why security forces had been stationed around the vice president&#39;s heavily fortified residence but their presence was causing concern.

&quot;The security forces who are taken position near the compound of first vice president are not giving us a clear answer about their presence,&quot; he told Afghanistan&#39;s One TV.

&quot;They tell us that they are here to ensure the security of the first vice president but this heavy military presence has raised the anger and concern of the vice president&#39;s supporters,&quot; he said.

As night fell, police appeared to have withdrawn from the area but the sight of armed forces in the streets heightened the sense of growing tensions within the government.

The Ishchi case has caused severe embarrassment to Ghani, who brought Dostum into the government despite accusations of serious human rights violations by his forces.

Since then, he has been a difficult and unpredictable ally and has repeatedly clashed with Ghani but his standing among the Uzbek minority, estimated to make up around 9 per cent of the population, has&nbsp;made it hard to replace him in the government.

Western officials have said they want to see the case tried in court to show that high officials cannot break the law with impunity but the tangled realities of Afghan politics and the fragility of Ghani&#39;s government have so far delayed any action.

(Reuters)

In a live broadcast from his residence, Rashid Dostum warned President Ghani that any action against him would weaken the government

Afghan security forces blocked roads and took up positions around the house of vice president Rashid Dostum on Tuesday as a standoff flared up over accusations his men tortured one of his political opponents. In an address to supporters at his Kabul residence, broadcast live on television, Dostum warned President Ashraf Ghani that any action against him would weaken the government but said he would not order his own militia fighters to take action against government forces. "My message to the president is to maintain our national unity," he said. Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek warlord who has manoeuvred his way through decades of Afghan conflict, faces accusations that he ordered members of his militia forces to detain Ahmad Ishchi, a former ally, who says he was severely beaten and threatened with sexual violence over several days. Foreign governments, including the United States, have expressed serious concerns over the case and last month, the attorney general's office issued arrest warrants against nine of Dostum's bodyguards. The men have not so far been taken into custody, however, and the standoff has increased widespread perceptions of the fragility of Ghani's national unity government, formed after the disputed election of 2014. Dostum's chief of staff Babur Farhamand said it was not clear why security forces had been stationed around the vice president's heavily fortified residence but their presence was causing concern. "The security forces who are taken position near the compound of first vice president are not giving us a clear answer about their presence," he told Afghanistan's One TV. "They tell us that they are here to ensure the security of the first vice president but this heavy military presence has raised the anger and concern of the vice president's supporters," he said. As night fell, police appeared to have withdrawn from the area but the sight of armed forces in the streets heightened the sense of growing tensions within the government. The Ishchi case has caused severe embarrassment to Ghani, who brought Dostum into the government despite accusations of serious human rights violations by his forces. Since then, he has been a difficult and unpredictable ally and has repeatedly clashed with Ghani but his standing among the Uzbek minority, estimated to make up around 9 per cent of the population, has made it hard to replace him in the government. Western officials have said they want to see the case tried in court to show that high officials cannot break the law with impunity but the tangled realities of Afghan politics and the fragility of Ghani's government have so far delayed any action. (Reuters)

Afghanistan: Security forces surround vice president's house over abuse case

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani accused Pakistan of launching an &quot;undeclared war&quot; on his country by supporting several terror networks including the Taliban.&nbsp;

The Afghan president said that instead of donating large amounts of money to Afghanistan, the funds &quot;could well be used to contain extremists&quot; within Pakistan.

&quot;We thank Pakistan for pledging $500 million towards reconstruction of Afghanistan.

&quot;This fund Mr Aziz could very well be used to contain extremists because without peace any amount of assistance will not meet the needs of our people,&quot; he told the Heart of Asia conference aimed at getting regional players together to help stabilise his country.

Pakistan foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz, among representatives of 30 countries who attended the conference, said it was true that there had been an upsurge in violence in Afghanistan but it doesn&#39;t help &quot;blaming one country&quot;.

Afghanistan blames Pakistan

Ghani also asserted military operations in Pakistan have only brought about selective displacement of terrorists.

Ghani also called for the state-sponsored sanctuaries in Pakistan to be dismantled.

Last year, Afghanistan suffered the highest number of civilian casualties and military-related deaths in the world, Ghani said.

&quot;This is unacceptable.&nbsp;Some still provide sanctuary for terrorists. As a Taliban figure said recently, if they had no sanctuary in Pakistan, they wouldn&#39;t last a month,&quot; he said.

Analysts say Pakistan has historically backed the Afghan Taliban to counter the influence of arch-rival India in the neighbourhood.

Slamming Pakistan&#39;s habit of denying cross-border terror attacks, the Afghan President called for setting up of international mechanism without &quot;playing games&quot;, to find out who was benefiting from terror, extremism and other illicit activities.

Violence has spread around Afghanistan, with the Taliban increasingly conducting coordinated high profile attacks in the capital Kabul. This has put pressure on Ghani&#39;s western-backed government to provide better security to a war-weary people.

He said despite Afghanistan&#39;s bilateral and multilateral ties with Pakistan, the &quot;undeclared war&quot; that started in winter of 2014, had intensified after the recent Brussels conference on Afghanistan&#39;s transition.

&quot;There should be an Asian or international regime, whatever is acceptable to Pakistan, should be put in place to verify frontier activities and terrorist operations.&quot;

He also called for the setting up of a global fund to contain terrorism.

&quot;We do not want blame game, we want verification,&quot; he said. &quot;We need to set up a fund to combat extremism.&quot;

The Afghan president lauded India&#39;s role in Afghanistan&#39;s transition and said that there were no hidden deals in India&#39;s growing engagement in the war-ravaged country.

&quot;India&#39;s assistance is transparent and with no strings attached, the Afghani president said. &quot;There are no hidden deals between India and Afghanistan,&quot; he said, adding an air corridor between India and Afghanistan will be soon launched to deepen trade ties.

Ghani, who visited Amritsar&#39;s iconic Golden temple last evening with Modi, said the city used to be a centre of commerce and business which connected India to Central Asia, Russia and beyond.

He said there were spontaneous celebrations all over Afghanistan following the inauguration of Salma Dam by Modi and him in Aghanistan&#39;s Herat province in June.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said regional players had to act against not only the militants but their sponsors. &quot;It must be backed by resolute action. Not just against forces of terrorism, but also against those who support, shelter, train and finance them.&quot;

(WION with inputs from PTI and Reuters)

President Ashraf Ghani also accused Pakistan of supporting several terror networks and urged it to dismantle state-sponsored sanctuaries

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani accused Pakistan of launching an "undeclared war" on his country by supporting several terror networks including the Taliban. The Afghan president said that instead of donating large amounts of money to Afghanistan, the funds "could well be used to contain extremists" within Pakistan. "We thank Pakistan for pledging $500 million towards reconstruction of Afghanistan. "This fund Mr Aziz could very well be used to contain extremists because without peace any amount of assistance will not meet the needs of our people," he told the Heart of Asia conference aimed at getting regional players together to help stabilise his country. Pakistan foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz, among representatives of 30 countries who attended the conference, said it was true that there had been an upsurge in violence in Afghanistan but it doesn't help "blaming one country". Afghanistan blames Pakistan Ghani also asserted military operations in Pakistan have only brought about selective displacement of terrorists. Ghani also called for the state-sponsored sanctuaries in Pakistan to be dismantled. Last year, Afghanistan suffered the highest number of civilian casualties and military-related deaths in the world, Ghani said. "This is unacceptable. Some still provide sanctuary for terrorists. As a Taliban figure said recently, if they had no sanctuary in Pakistan, they wouldn't last a month," he said. Analysts say Pakistan has historically backed the Afghan Taliban to counter the influence of arch-rival India in the neighbourhood. Slamming Pakistan's habit of denying cross-border terror attacks, the Afghan President called for setting up of international mechanism without "playing games", to find out who was benefiting from terror, extremism and other illicit activities. Violence has spread around Afghanistan, with the Taliban increasingly conducting coordinated high profile attacks in the capital Kabul. This has put pressure on Ghani's western-backed government to provide better security to a war-weary people. He said despite Afghanistan's bilateral and multilateral ties with Pakistan, the "undeclared war" that started in winter of 2014, had intensified after the recent Brussels conference on Afghanistan's transition. "There should be an Asian or international regime, whatever is acceptable to Pakistan, should be put in place to verify frontier activities and terrorist operations." He also called for the setting up of a global fund to contain terrorism. "We do not want blame game, we want verification," he said. "We need to set up a fund to combat extremism." The Afghan president lauded India's role in Afghanistan's transition and said that there were no hidden deals in India's growing engagement in the war-ravaged country. "India's assistance is transparent and with no strings attached, the Afghani president said. "There are no hidden deals between India and Afghanistan," he said, adding an air corridor between India and Afghanistan will be soon launched to deepen trade ties. Ghani, who visited Amritsar's iconic Golden temple last evening with Modi, said the city used to be a centre of commerce and business which connected India to Central Asia, Russia and beyond. He said there were spontaneous celebrations all over Afghanistan following the inauguration of Salma Dam by Modi and him in Aghanistan's Herat province in June. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said regional players had to act against not only the militants but their sponsors. "It must be backed by resolute action. Not just against forces of terrorism, but also against those who support, shelter, train and finance them." (WION with inputs from PTI and Reuters)

Pakistan waging undeclared war: Afghan president

Here's the full text of the Amritsar declaration adopted at the 6th Heart of Asia ministerial conference

Amritsar Declaration: Complete text

Afghanistan&#39;s anti-corruption court has held its inaugural public hearings in Kabul, the first steps on the long road to transparency in one of the most corrupt countries in the world -- and expectations are immense.

Afghans hope the Criminal Justice Centre against Corruption, created by presidential decree, is destined to prosecute the rich and powerful behind major cases of graft.

These, according to anti-corruption NGO Transparency International, are numerous. Afghanistan is at the very bottom of their authoritative global ranking, alongside North Korea and Somalia.

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&quot;It is a very important moment that will put an end to impunity. One hopes to reach the highest levels of the state, to the former ministers and important people who were never held to account until now,&quot; says Yama Torabi, chairman of the Independent Committee for the Observation of Corruption.&nbsp;

The anti-corruption centre, the fulfilment of a promise made by President Ashraf Ghani to the international community last May, is armed with prosecutors, judges and police criminal investigators, and had a war chest of half a million dollars for its first four months.

It is headed by a 32-year-old judge, Mohammed Alif Urfani, who sits in prefabricated offices in a heavily guarded compound between the headquarters of the special police and the anti-drug units.&nbsp;

Threats and pressures 
&quot;I see two types of threats: within the government, some do not want the centre to work; and the Taliban, they do not want the government to be strong,&quot; he told AFP.&nbsp;

A father of two young children, Urfani is guarded by two soldiers and one member of the Afghan intelligence service.&nbsp;

&quot;I have not received any direct threats, but this is just the beginning. The pressure will inevitably increase when the biggest cases are reached,&quot; he says, citing threatening phone calls received by police officers who arrested a three-star general at the Ministry of Defence.

Thirty-five people, including 14 judges, have been assigned to the centre, which comprises a court of first instance and a court of appeal.

&quot;Whoever they are, they have been checked and cleared,&quot; the spokesman for Attorney General Jamsheed Rasooli told AFP.&nbsp;

To date, they have taken 55 cases and 31 suspects behind bars, with &quot;five ministries&quot; in their sights, as well as &quot;the Central Bank of Afghanistan and the issuing authority of identity cards&quot;, he says, but gives no further details.

Earlier this month the court handed down its first sentence: two and a half years in prison for military prosecutor General Abdul Haye Jurat.

He was caught red-handed as he pocketed 50,000 Afghanis ($760) from a prisoner&#39;s family, demanded to secure the man&#39;s release at the end of his sentence.

The offence appears minor in view of the billion dollars diverted from Kabul Bank in 2010, a massive scandal that highlighted how deep the roots of corruption go in Afghanistan -- but it is a start.

&quot;The sum is small but the accused is a two-star general,&quot; said Urfani. &quot;We proved that we can bring high-ranking officers to justice.&quot;&nbsp;

- Impatience - 
&quot;We know that the population and the international community are scrutinising us,&quot; says the young judge, the only person in his village to learn to read and write. Today his childhood friends watch when he appears on television.

He regrets the &quot;impatience&quot; of Afghans: &quot;Some cases take years: when you want to bring a minister to justice, you need proof and to arrest the people involved. If you go too fast, you will lose.&quot;&nbsp;

At a very high level, witnesses fear for their relatives. &quot;People are scared to help us, they fear kidnappings, the mafia is inside the government,&quot; he says.&nbsp;

The first hearings were attended by a large number of foreign observers, including those of the embassies which financially support the centre - the United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands in particular.&nbsp;

&quot;This is a considerable challenge when it&#39;s about the rich and powerful... Corruption is the basic problem,&quot; the European Union ambassador, Franz-Michael Mellbin, told AFP, referring to the many &quot;ghost employees&quot; of the ministries and even of the army or the police.

But both the international community and the Afghan people must be realistic, he added.&nbsp;

&quot;Previously a lot of cases were poorly prepared and it was very easy for defence lawyers to dismiss them,&quot; he adds, justifying the need to &quot;isolate the institution from the power to let them work and gather the evidence and build the cases properly&quot;.

(AFP)

The country's anti-corruption court -- the Criminal Justice Centre against Corruption -- has held its inaugural public hearings in Kabul

Afghanistan's anti-corruption court has held its inaugural public hearings in Kabul, the first steps on the long road to transparency in one of the most corrupt countries in the world -- and expectations are immense. Afghans hope the Criminal Justice Centre against Corruption, created by presidential decree, is destined to prosecute the rich and powerful behind major cases of graft. These, according to anti-corruption NGO Transparency International, are numerous. Afghanistan is at the very bottom of their authoritative global ranking, alongside North Korea and Somalia. The court is headed by a 32-year-old judge, Mohammed Alif Urfani, who sits in prefabricated offices in a heavily guarded compound between the headquarters of the special police and the anti-drug units × "It is a very important moment that will put an end to impunity. One hopes to reach the highest levels of the state, to the former ministers and important people who were never held to account until now," says Yama Torabi, chairman of the Independent Committee for the Observation of Corruption. The anti-corruption centre, the fulfilment of a promise made by President Ashraf Ghani to the international community last May, is armed with prosecutors, judges and police criminal investigators, and had a war chest of half a million dollars for its first four months. It is headed by a 32-year-old judge, Mohammed Alif Urfani, who sits in prefabricated offices in a heavily guarded compound between the headquarters of the special police and the anti-drug units. Threats and pressures "I see two types of threats: within the government, some do not want the centre to work; and the Taliban, they do not want the government to be strong," he told AFP. A father of two young children, Urfani is guarded by two soldiers and one member of the Afghan intelligence service. "I have not received any direct threats, but this is just the beginning. The pressure will inevitably increase when the biggest cases are reached," he says, citing threatening phone calls received by police officers who arrested a three-star general at the Ministry of Defence. Thirty-five people, including 14 judges, have been assigned to the centre, which comprises a court of first instance and a court of appeal. "Whoever they are, they have been checked and cleared," the spokesman for Attorney General Jamsheed Rasooli told AFP. To date, they have taken 55 cases and 31 suspects behind bars, with "five ministries" in their sights, as well as "the Central Bank of Afghanistan and the issuing authority of identity cards", he says, but gives no further details. Earlier this month the court handed down its first sentence: two and a half years in prison for military prosecutor General Abdul Haye Jurat. He was caught red-handed as he pocketed 50,000 Afghanis ($760) from a prisoner's family, demanded to secure the man's release at the end of his sentence. The offence appears minor in view of the billion dollars diverted from Kabul Bank in 2010, a massive scandal that highlighted how deep the roots of corruption go in Afghanistan -- but it is a start. "The sum is small but the accused is a two-star general," said Urfani. "We proved that we can bring high-ranking officers to justice." - Impatience - "We know that the population and the international community are scrutinising us," says the young judge, the only person in his village to learn to read and write. Today his childhood friends watch when he appears on television. He regrets the "impatience" of Afghans: "Some cases take years: when you want to bring a minister to justice, you need proof and to arrest the people involved. If you go too fast, you will lose." At a very high level, witnesses fear for their relatives. "People are scared to help us, they fear kidnappings, the mafia is inside the government," he says. The first hearings were attended by a large number of foreign observers, including those of the embassies which financially support the centre - the United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands in particular. "This is a considerable challenge when it's about the rich and powerful... Corruption is the basic problem," the European Union ambassador, Franz-Michael Mellbin, told AFP, referring to the many "ghost employees" of the ministries and even of the army or the police. But both the international community and the Afghan people must be realistic, he added. "Previously a lot of cases were poorly prepared and it was very easy for defence lawyers to dismiss them," he adds, justifying the need to "isolate the institution from the power to let them work and gather the evidence and build the cases properly". (AFP)

Afghanistan takes on rich and powerful in war on graft

As he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani lashed out at Pakistan for its extremely &ldquo;shortsighted&rdquo; approach for dealing with terrorism in his address at the Institute of Defence and Analyses in Delhi.&nbsp; 
 
He also said that &ldquo;Pakistan celebrates every single of its defeat as victory and every single one of its intelligence failure as a confirmation of conspiracy theory&rdquo;. 
 
&ldquo;They agreed that this phenomenon presented the single biggest threat to peace, stability and progress in the region and beyond,&quot; a joint statement said without naming Pakistan, a nation that both countries accuse of sponsoring terror. 
 
The Afghan President added that countries that feel threatened by increasing cooperation between India and Afghanistan &ldquo;need to change their outlook and not blame others&rdquo;. 
 
He emphasised on the need to put an end to terrorism for achieving political aims and condemned Pakistan&#39;s myopic stance on &ldquo;good terrorists and bad terrorists&rdquo;.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;&quot;We see that there is a distinction between good and bad terrorists. Good terrorists are the ones that attack your neighbours, bad terrorists are the ones who attack you. This type of approach is enormously shortsighted. The blowback phenomenon is going to be bad. Terrorism will bite, like a snake, who feeds it,&rdquo; he said. 
 
Ghani stressed on the need for regional cooperation to fight terrorists and said one country&#39;s response is &quot;totally insufficient&quot;. 
 
Asked about Pakistan blocking road route to Afghanistan via the Wagah border, Ghani said both countries need to worry as there is air connectivity and efforts are on to increase that. 
 
However, he said those who try to block two great nations, will be blocked themselves. 
 
Told that they are reports that he had warned Pakistan that their export to central Asian countries through Afghanistan will be blocked, Ghani said he speaks sternly. 
 
(WION with inputs from PTI)

On Pakistan blocking India's trade route to Afghanistan, Ghani said, 'those who try to block the two nations will be blocked themselves'

As he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani lashed out at Pakistan for its extremely “shortsighted” approach for dealing with terrorism in his address at the Institute of Defence and Analyses in Delhi. He also said that “Pakistan celebrates every single of its defeat as victory and every single one of its intelligence failure as a confirmation of conspiracy theory”. “They agreed that this phenomenon presented the single biggest threat to peace, stability and progress in the region and beyond," a joint statement said without naming Pakistan, a nation that both countries accuse of sponsoring terror. The Afghan President added that countries that feel threatened by increasing cooperation between India and Afghanistan “need to change their outlook and not blame others”. He emphasised on the need to put an end to terrorism for achieving political aims and condemned Pakistan's myopic stance on “good terrorists and bad terrorists”. “"We see that there is a distinction between good and bad terrorists. Good terrorists are the ones that attack your neighbours, bad terrorists are the ones who attack you. This type of approach is enormously shortsighted. The blowback phenomenon is going to be bad. Terrorism will bite, like a snake, who feeds it,” he said. Ghani stressed on the need for regional cooperation to fight terrorists and said one country's response is "totally insufficient". Asked about Pakistan blocking road route to Afghanistan via the Wagah border, Ghani said both countries need to worry as there is air connectivity and efforts are on to increase that. However, he said those who try to block two great nations, will be blocked themselves. Told that they are reports that he had warned Pakistan that their export to central Asian countries through Afghanistan will be blocked, Ghani said he speaks sternly. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Pakistan has a shortsighted approach to terrorism: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani

Pakistan has rejected the demand voiced by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani that India be made a party to its transit trade pact with Kabul. The pact will allow Afghanistan to export Indian goods through the Wagah border. 
 
Pakistan has denied Afghan President Ashraf Ghani&#39;s accusations that it has closed its Wagah port for the country&#39;s trade with India, clarifying that it is only opposed to the &quot;transit of Indian goods to Afghanistan through its border&quot;. 
 
&quot;Pakistan is fulfilling its commitment to the Afghan people by providing them a trade transit facility,&quot; foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria told BBC Urdu on Saturday.&nbsp; 
 
Pakistan&#39;s trade ministry spokesperson Muhammad Ashraf was quoted by The Express Tribune as saying: &quot;Under the Pak-Afghan transit trade agreement, Afghan products go to India through Wagah. There has been no change in this policy in Pakistan.&quot; 
 
The clarifications come after Ghani&#39;s warning on Friday that he would close the transit route for Pakistan&#39;s exports to Central Asia if Pakistan prohibited trade with India through Wagah Border. 
 
&ldquo;If Pakistan does not allow Afghan traders to use the Wagah border for imports and exports of their goods, Afghanistan will also not allow Pakistan to use Afghan transit routes to reach Central Asia and other countries for exports. Afghanistan is no more a landlocked country as several other options and transit routes are available for the import and export of commodities of the Afghan traders,&quot; President Ashraf Ghani said in a meeting with UK&rsquo;s special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Owen Jenkins in Kabul. 
 
The Afghan president also alleged that Pakistan usually closes transit routes during the fresh-fruit season which incurs loss of millions of dollars to the Afghan traders. 
 
Afgan sources said Pakistan allowed the transportation of fruits only up to Wagah from where they had to be offloaded and carried in carts up to Attari. &quot;This adds to transportation cost as well as to a significant spoilage,&rdquo; sources told The Express Tribune. 
 
(WION) 
&nbsp;

Islamabad has clarified that it is fulfilling its commitment by providing a trade transit facility for Afghan goods to move into India

Pakistan has rejected the demand voiced by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani that India be made a party to its transit trade pact with Kabul. The pact will allow Afghanistan to export Indian goods through the Wagah border. Pakistan has denied Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's accusations that it has closed its Wagah port for the country's trade with India, clarifying that it is only opposed to the "transit of Indian goods to Afghanistan through its border". "Pakistan is fulfilling its commitment to the Afghan people by providing them a trade transit facility," foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria told BBC Urdu on Saturday. Pakistan's trade ministry spokesperson Muhammad Ashraf was quoted by The Express Tribune as saying: "Under the Pak-Afghan transit trade agreement, Afghan products go to India through Wagah. There has been no change in this policy in Pakistan." The clarifications come after Ghani's warning on Friday that he would close the transit route for Pakistan's exports to Central Asia if Pakistan prohibited trade with India through Wagah Border. “If Pakistan does not allow Afghan traders to use the Wagah border for imports and exports of their goods, Afghanistan will also not allow Pakistan to use Afghan transit routes to reach Central Asia and other countries for exports. Afghanistan is no more a landlocked country as several other options and transit routes are available for the import and export of commodities of the Afghan traders," President Ashraf Ghani said in a meeting with UK’s special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Owen Jenkins in Kabul. The Afghan president also alleged that Pakistan usually closes transit routes during the fresh-fruit season which incurs loss of millions of dollars to the Afghan traders. Afgan sources said Pakistan allowed the transportation of fruits only up to Wagah from where they had to be offloaded and carried in carts up to Attari. "This adds to transportation cost as well as to a significant spoilage,” sources told The Express Tribune. (WION)

Pakistan rejects Afghanistan's demand for exporting Indian goods through Wagah border

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

Afghanistan recently sent a team of officials to investigate alleged abuses by militias loyal to two rival strongmen in the country&#39;s north, underlining concern that tensions there are undermining the authority of the government in Kabul. 
 
Fighters under first vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum, a veteran of Afghan politics and war since the 1980s, have clashed repeatedly with those controlled by Atta Mohammad Noor, acting governor of the northern province of Balkh. 
 
The rivalry has simmered for years, but according to a confidential report drafted by the investigators and seen by Reuters, areas of the north have descended into lawlessness. 
 
The deterioration comes as Dostum has publicly voiced frustration with President Ashraf Ghani and as other politicians question the longer term legitimacy of the awkward unity government formed after a disputed 2014 election. 
 
&quot;They (Kabul) decide whatever they want and later I am informed,&quot; Dostum said in a video recorded last week in the northern province of Faryab and shared widely on social media. 
 
He accused Ghani&#39;s government of &quot;trying to weaken my constituency and repeating the mistakes of the past government&quot;. 
 
Ever since a US-led campaign drove the Taliban from power in 2001, Afghanistan&#39;s Western allies have feared the return of former warlords with private armies fighting for control of trade routes and lucrative contracts in their fiefdoms. 
 
But the timing of the latest dispute is worrying for Ghani and his international partners, who meet at a NATO summit in Warsaw this week to decide on extending military support for Afghanistan. 
 
&quot;A political confrontation is the last thing Afghanistan needs as it endeavours to cope with its current challenges,&quot; the outgoing United Nations Special Representative for Afghanistan, Nicholas Haysom, told the Security Council in June. 
 
Pressure has been building on the unity government headed by Ghani and his former rival, government Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. 
 
District and parliamentary elections that were originally due to be held this year and which would be necessary for the new constitutional settlement to be reached now appear unlikely. 
 
Despite assurances by US Secretary of State John Kerry that Ghani&#39;s government should remain in office past the September deadline, the potential for political destabilisation is rising as opposition groups call for change. 
 
 
&quot;No one to stop them&quot; 
 
Afghanistan needs a stable government as armed forces try to contain a Taliban insurgency that kills thousands of soldiers, police and civilians each year and prevents an economic recovery after decades of war. 
 
While local militias like Dostum&#39;s often take the place of badly stretched government forces in fighting the insurgents, the power that gives their commanders can create its own security threat. 
 
Investigators on the recent trip north said that both Dostum&#39;s Junbish party and Jamiat-e-Islami, a party in which Atta is one of the most powerful figures, were undermining central authority. 
 
&quot;Local commanders loyal to Junbish and Jamiat have been involved in a number of killings, extortion from the public, land grabbing, armed robbery, harassment collection of ushur (illegal levies) and other activities for the advantage of their respective political parties,&quot; the inspectors noted. 
 
Key police and local government officials have been put in place on the basis of personal loyalty rather than competence, the inspectors added. 
 
A spokesman for Dostum dismissed suggestions that he was building a private militia to challenge the central government, blaming such allegations on rivals seeking to undermine him. 
 
Some regional elders say it is Dostum, not the government, who is in charge in parts of Faryab. 
 
&quot;Everyone in those areas bows to Dostum, and he is the one to hire and fire government employees,&quot; said Asadullah Jamali, a prominent tribal elder in the province. 
 
The situation in Balkh, where Atta remains in the governor&#39;s palace despite efforts by Ghani to oust him, is similar, said Shujauddin Shuja, deputy head of the provincial council. 
 
Atta spokesman Munir Ahmad Farhad denied that the Balkh governor was involved in any wrongdoing or that he was arming a private militia force. 
 
Dostum, a general in the Afghan army during the Soviet war in the 1980s, has been an integral part of the political scene in the years since, with a power base in the Uzbek minority of the north and an image polished by the TV cameras that accompany his frequent trips to the frontline in combat fatigues. 
 
On Sunday, a delegation of tribal elders from the northern province of Sar-e-Pul came to Kabul to plead with the government to intervene and rein Dostum in. 
 
&quot;We&#39;ve had it up to the neck with the militias,&quot; said Junat Gul, a resident of Qaisar district in the northern province of Faryab on the border with Turkmenistan, where militias and Taliban insurgents have been battling for months. 
 
&quot;There is no one to stop them.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Afghanistan recently sent a team of officials to investigate alleged abuses by militias loyal to two rival strongmen in the country's north

Afghanistan recently sent a team of officials to investigate alleged abuses by militias loyal to two rival strongmen in the country's north, underlining concern that tensions there are undermining the authority of the government in Kabul. Fighters under first vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum, a veteran of Afghan politics and war since the 1980s, have clashed repeatedly with those controlled by Atta Mohammad Noor, acting governor of the northern province of Balkh. The rivalry has simmered for years, but according to a confidential report drafted by the investigators and seen by Reuters, areas of the north have descended into lawlessness. The deterioration comes as Dostum has publicly voiced frustration with President Ashraf Ghani and as other politicians question the longer term legitimacy of the awkward unity government formed after a disputed 2014 election. "They (Kabul) decide whatever they want and later I am informed," Dostum said in a video recorded last week in the northern province of Faryab and shared widely on social media. He accused Ghani's government of "trying to weaken my constituency and repeating the mistakes of the past government". Ever since a US-led campaign drove the Taliban from power in 2001, Afghanistan's Western allies have feared the return of former warlords with private armies fighting for control of trade routes and lucrative contracts in their fiefdoms. But the timing of the latest dispute is worrying for Ghani and his international partners, who meet at a NATO summit in Warsaw this week to decide on extending military support for Afghanistan. "A political confrontation is the last thing Afghanistan needs as it endeavours to cope with its current challenges," the outgoing United Nations Special Representative for Afghanistan, Nicholas Haysom, told the Security Council in June. Pressure has been building on the unity government headed by Ghani and his former rival, government Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. District and parliamentary elections that were originally due to be held this year and which would be necessary for the new constitutional settlement to be reached now appear unlikely. Despite assurances by US Secretary of State John Kerry that Ghani's government should remain in office past the September deadline, the potential for political destabilisation is rising as opposition groups call for change. "No one to stop them" Afghanistan needs a stable government as armed forces try to contain a Taliban insurgency that kills thousands of soldiers, police and civilians each year and prevents an economic recovery after decades of war. While local militias like Dostum's often take the place of badly stretched government forces in fighting the insurgents, the power that gives their commanders can create its own security threat. Investigators on the recent trip north said that both Dostum's Junbish party and Jamiat-e-Islami, a party in which Atta is one of the most powerful figures, were undermining central authority. "Local commanders loyal to Junbish and Jamiat have been involved in a number of killings, extortion from the public, land grabbing, armed robbery, harassment collection of ushur (illegal levies) and other activities for the advantage of their respective political parties," the inspectors noted. Key police and local government officials have been put in place on the basis of personal loyalty rather than competence, the inspectors added. A spokesman for Dostum dismissed suggestions that he was building a private militia to challenge the central government, blaming such allegations on rivals seeking to undermine him. Some regional elders say it is Dostum, not the government, who is in charge in parts of Faryab. "Everyone in those areas bows to Dostum, and he is the one to hire and fire government employees," said Asadullah Jamali, a prominent tribal elder in the province. The situation in Balkh, where Atta remains in the governor's palace despite efforts by Ghani to oust him, is similar, said Shujauddin Shuja, deputy head of the provincial council. Atta spokesman Munir Ahmad Farhad denied that the Balkh governor was involved in any wrongdoing or that he was arming a private militia force. Dostum, a general in the Afghan army during the Soviet war in the 1980s, has been an integral part of the political scene in the years since, with a power base in the Uzbek minority of the north and an image polished by the TV cameras that accompany his frequent trips to the frontline in combat fatigues. On Sunday, a delegation of tribal elders from the northern province of Sar-e-Pul came to Kabul to plead with the government to intervene and rein Dostum in. "We've had it up to the neck with the militias," said Junat Gul, a resident of Qaisar district in the northern province of Faryab on the border with Turkmenistan, where militias and Taliban insurgents have been battling for months. "There is no one to stop them." (Reuters)

Open criticism, unruly militias add to Afghan government woes

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