Two bomb explosions rocked Afghanistan Monday morning. In the first, a&nbsp;suicide bomber killed at least 14 and wounded eight in an attack on a minibus carrying Nepalese security contractors in the Afghan capital, Kabul, officials said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
A Reuters witness saw several apparently dead victims and at least two wounded being carried out of the yellow bus, while police and emergency service vehicles surrounded the scene in the Banae district of the city.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said on Twitter that 14 people had been killed and eight wounded. Police were working to identify the victims, he said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The casualties appeared to include both Afghans and Nepalese security contractors, Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
He said the suicide bomber had waited near the compound housing the security contractors and struck as the vehicle moved through early morning traffic. As well as the bus passengers, several people in an adjacent market were also wounded.&nbsp; 
 
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack on the minibus that was carrying Nepalese security guards in Kabul. He said India will provide all assistance to Nepal government in this hour of tragedy.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We strongly condemn the horrible tragedy in Kabul. Our deep condolences to the people and governments of Afghanistan and Nepal on the loss of innocent lives,&quot; he said in a tweet.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are taking steps to provide all relevant assistance to the Nepal government in this hour of tragedy,&quot; PM Modi said.&nbsp; 
 
Fourteen Nepalese security guards were killed when a Taliban suicide bomber targetted their minibus in the Afghan capital.&nbsp; 
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, which occurred during Ramadan, Islam&#39;s holy month.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
It underlined how serious the security threat facing Afghanistan remains since the death of former Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike last month.&nbsp; 
 
Also Monday morning, at least eight people were killed and 18 injured in a seprate attack Monday morning, when a motorcycle bomb exploded in a crowded market in Afghanistan&#39;s northeastern Badakhshan province, local authorities said. 
 
&quot;Our initial information is eight people were martyred, and 18 others were wounded, all the victims are civilians,&quot; the Badakhshan provincial governor&#39;s spokesman Naweed Froutan told AFP, adding that the death toll is set to rise. 
 
The district governor of Keshim, where the attack took place, gave a higher toll of at least 10 killed and 30 wounded. 
 
&quot;It was a motorcycle bomb explosion inside a main market in Keshim district of Badakhshan province,&quot; Abdul Salam Paiman told AFP, adding that some of the wounded were in critical condition and all had been taken to hospital. 
 
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the blast in the remote, mountainous province. 
 
Reuters reports that the attack was the latest in a recent surge of violence that highlights the challenges faced by the Afghan government in Kabul and its Western backers as Washington slowly draws down its remaining troops despite a persistent insurgency. &nbsp; 
 
AFP notes that the attacks come just days after Washington expanded the US military&#39;s authority to carry out airstrikes on the insurgents. 
(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Suicide attack and so far unclaimed motorcycle bomb devastate country as insurgency persists despite Taliban leader's recent death

Two bomb explosions rocked Afghanistan Monday morning. In the first, a suicide bomber killed at least 14 and wounded eight in an attack on a minibus carrying Nepalese security contractors in the Afghan capital, Kabul, officials said. A Reuters witness saw several apparently dead victims and at least two wounded being carried out of the yellow bus, while police and emergency service vehicles surrounded the scene in the Banae district of the city. Interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said on Twitter that 14 people had been killed and eight wounded. Police were working to identify the victims, he said. The casualties appeared to include both Afghans and Nepalese security contractors, Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi said. He said the suicide bomber had waited near the compound housing the security contractors and struck as the vehicle moved through early morning traffic. As well as the bus passengers, several people in an adjacent market were also wounded. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack on the minibus that was carrying Nepalese security guards in Kabul. He said India will provide all assistance to Nepal government in this hour of tragedy. "We strongly condemn the horrible tragedy in Kabul. Our deep condolences to the people and governments of Afghanistan and Nepal on the loss of innocent lives," he said in a tweet. "We are taking steps to provide all relevant assistance to the Nepal government in this hour of tragedy," PM Modi said. Fourteen Nepalese security guards were killed when a Taliban suicide bomber targetted their minibus in the Afghan capital. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, which occurred during Ramadan, Islam's holy month. It underlined how serious the security threat facing Afghanistan remains since the death of former Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike last month. Also Monday morning, at least eight people were killed and 18 injured in a seprate attack Monday morning, when a motorcycle bomb exploded in a crowded market in Afghanistan's northeastern Badakhshan province, local authorities said. "Our initial information is eight people were martyred, and 18 others were wounded, all the victims are civilians," the Badakhshan provincial governor's spokesman Naweed Froutan told AFP, adding that the death toll is set to rise. The district governor of Keshim, where the attack took place, gave a higher toll of at least 10 killed and 30 wounded. "It was a motorcycle bomb explosion inside a main market in Keshim district of Badakhshan province," Abdul Salam Paiman told AFP, adding that some of the wounded were in critical condition and all had been taken to hospital. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the blast in the remote, mountainous province. Reuters reports that the attack was the latest in a recent surge of violence that highlights the challenges faced by the Afghan government in Kabul and its Western backers as Washington slowly draws down its remaining troops despite a persistent insurgency. AFP notes that the attacks come just days after Washington expanded the US military's authority to carry out airstrikes on the insurgents. (With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Twin blasts rock Afghanistan Monday morning: At least 22 dead, 26 injured

The NATO alliance agreed today to hold onto its broad geographic layout of bases in Afghanistan, a move that could make it easier for the United States to keep more troops there as Kabul struggles with a resurgent Taliban threat. 
 
President Barack Obama has planned to slash the number of US forces in Afghanistan from about 9,800 to 5,500 before he leaves office in 2017, despite calls from former commanders and envoys to halt the drawdown. 
 
NATO defence ministers gathered in Brussels signalled a willingness to stay, with Britain&#39;s Michael Fallon saying flatly: &quot;This is the wrong time to walk away from Afghanistan.&quot; 
 
He warned any collapse of the country would send thousands more migrants heading to Europe at a time when the continent already faces uncontrolled migration flows. 
 
Fallon told reporters that US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told the ministers during closed-door talks that America troop levels &quot;are being looked at again&quot;. 
 
Carter declined to confirm that however, telling a news conference it was &quot;not a topic of discussion&quot; and saying only that Obama would be willing to consider security conditions in Afghanistan and their impact on force levels later in the year. 
 
NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said several nations today committed to a troop presence next year in Afghanistan, underscoring a theme likely to figure prominently at next month&#39;s NATO summit in Warsaw. 
 
&quot;With a regional presence, we will continue to advise, train and assist the Afghan national forces because we are very committed to continuing to support Afghans,&quot; Stoltenberg said. 
 
The United States contributes 6,800 troops to NATO&#39;s training mission in Afghanistan, which will fall to 3,400 under the current plan, a NATO diplomat said. Washington also carries out a unilateral counter-terrorism mission in Afghanistan. 
 
NATO&#39;s &quot;hub-and-spoke&quot; model for troops training and advising Afghan forces extends well beyond the capital Kabul to allow an international military presence at regional hubs. But NATO policymakers had been examining whether it was possible to keep those posts open, even as force levels fall. 
 
&quot;I believe we&#39;ll have sufficient resources, and our military commanders have told us we&#39;ll have sufficient resources, to stay in the basic posture,&quot; the diplomat said. 
 
The senior diplomat, speaking to a small group of reporters on condition of anonymity, also expected NATO leaders to agree to some $5 billion in funding to sustain Afghan security forces at the current levels through 2020. 
 
The current NATO commitment to fund the Afghan security forces only extends through 2017. 
 
The funding is based on maintaining a goal of 352,000 Afghan soldiers and police. The official roster currently includes about 320,000 members of the security forces, a US military commander said earlier this week. 
(Reuters)

Obama had planned to cut the number of US forces in Afghanistan, but NATO defence ministers have signalled they have other ideas

The NATO alliance agreed today to hold onto its broad geographic layout of bases in Afghanistan, a move that could make it easier for the United States to keep more troops there as Kabul struggles with a resurgent Taliban threat. President Barack Obama has planned to slash the number of US forces in Afghanistan from about 9,800 to 5,500 before he leaves office in 2017, despite calls from former commanders and envoys to halt the drawdown. NATO defence ministers gathered in Brussels signalled a willingness to stay, with Britain's Michael Fallon saying flatly: "This is the wrong time to walk away from Afghanistan." He warned any collapse of the country would send thousands more migrants heading to Europe at a time when the continent already faces uncontrolled migration flows. Fallon told reporters that US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told the ministers during closed-door talks that America troop levels "are being looked at again". Carter declined to confirm that however, telling a news conference it was "not a topic of discussion" and saying only that Obama would be willing to consider security conditions in Afghanistan and their impact on force levels later in the year. NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said several nations today committed to a troop presence next year in Afghanistan, underscoring a theme likely to figure prominently at next month's NATO summit in Warsaw. "With a regional presence, we will continue to advise, train and assist the Afghan national forces because we are very committed to continuing to support Afghans," Stoltenberg said. The United States contributes 6,800 troops to NATO's training mission in Afghanistan, which will fall to 3,400 under the current plan, a NATO diplomat said. Washington also carries out a unilateral counter-terrorism mission in Afghanistan. NATO's "hub-and-spoke" model for troops training and advising Afghan forces extends well beyond the capital Kabul to allow an international military presence at regional hubs. But NATO policymakers had been examining whether it was possible to keep those posts open, even as force levels fall. "I believe we'll have sufficient resources, and our military commanders have told us we'll have sufficient resources, to stay in the basic posture," the diplomat said. The senior diplomat, speaking to a small group of reporters on condition of anonymity, also expected NATO leaders to agree to some $5 billion in funding to sustain Afghan security forces at the current levels through 2020. The current NATO commitment to fund the Afghan security forces only extends through 2017. The funding is based on maintaining a goal of 352,000 Afghan soldiers and police. The official roster currently includes about 320,000 members of the security forces, a US military commander said earlier this week. (Reuters)

NATO approves holding onto Afghan bases to keep with Taliban threat

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri, in an online audio message, pledged allegiance to the new head of the Afghan Taliban, who was appointed last month after his predecessor was killed in a US drone strike. 
 
The veteran Islamist militant became al-Qaeda&#39;s leader after US Navy Seals killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011. He is thought to be hiding in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region having been based there since the late 1990s. 
 
&quot;As leader of the al-Qaeda organisation for jihad I extend my pledge of allegiance once again to the approach of Osama to invite the Muslim nation to support the Islamic Emirate,&quot; al-Zawahri said in a 14-minute recording. 
 
During its years in power, from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and it has been fighting an insurgency since to regain control of the country. 
 
The authenticity of the recording could not be immediately verified. 
 
Haibatullah Akhundzada, Islamic legal scholar who was one of former leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour&#39;s deputies, was appointed a few days after Mansour was killed by a US drone attack in a remote border area just inside Pakistan. 
 
Since al-Zawahri, an Egyptian doctor-turned-militant, succeeded bin Laden, al-Qaeda has lost ground to the Islamic State in the leadership of the global jihadist movement. 
 
Some Afghan insurgent commanders have broken away from the Taliban to pledge support for Islamic State, despite it operating largely in Iraq and Syria, and parts of North Africa. 
 
Al-Qaeda was set up by Arab guerrillas who flocked to Afghanistan to fight Soviet occupation forces in the 1980s. It had thrived under the Taliban&#39;s rule before both groups were driven underground following the US invasion that followed Al-Qaeda&#39;s September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.

The al-Qaeda leader is following Osama Bin Laden's approach to support the Taliban to regain ground in the global jihadist movement

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri, in an online audio message, pledged allegiance to the new head of the Afghan Taliban, who was appointed last month after his predecessor was killed in a US drone strike. The veteran Islamist militant became al-Qaeda's leader after US Navy Seals killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011. He is thought to be hiding in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region having been based there since the late 1990s. "As leader of the al-Qaeda organisation for jihad I extend my pledge of allegiance once again to the approach of Osama to invite the Muslim nation to support the Islamic Emirate," al-Zawahri said in a 14-minute recording. During its years in power, from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and it has been fighting an insurgency since to regain control of the country. The authenticity of the recording could not be immediately verified. Haibatullah Akhundzada, Islamic legal scholar who was one of former leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour's deputies, was appointed a few days after Mansour was killed by a US drone attack in a remote border area just inside Pakistan. Since al-Zawahri, an Egyptian doctor-turned-militant, succeeded bin Laden, al-Qaeda has lost ground to the Islamic State in the leadership of the global jihadist movement. Some Afghan insurgent commanders have broken away from the Taliban to pledge support for Islamic State, despite it operating largely in Iraq and Syria, and parts of North Africa. Al-Qaeda was set up by Arab guerrillas who flocked to Afghanistan to fight Soviet occupation forces in the 1980s. It had thrived under the Taliban's rule before both groups were driven underground following the US invasion that followed Al-Qaeda's September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.

Al-Qaeda leader pledges allegiance to new Afghan Taliban leader

<div style="text-align: justify;">Suspected Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan killed 12 people after stopping their vehicles on a road in the east of the country, while kidnapping 50 people in the north,&nbsp;officials said today. 
 
The Taliban have made considerable gains in fighting in various parts of the country in recent months. The killing of their leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, in a US drone attack last month has had no discernable impact on the violence. 
 
Attackers in the eastern province of Ghazni stopped two cars late on Tuesday and shot dead everyone they found. Several members of the security forces were among those killed, said Jawid Salangi a spokesman for the provincial governor. 
 
&quot;Taliban ordered the passengers out and brutally shot them,&quot; Salangi said.&nbsp;Villagers later found 12 bodies, he said. 
 
Taliban spokesmen were not immediately available for comment. 
 
A suspected Taliban stopped a bus and a car near the northern city of Kunduz and took all 50 in the vehicles hostage, a police spokesman in the area, Mahfozullah Akbari, said. 
 
&quot;We are putting all our efforts into freeing them as soon as we can,&quot; he said. 
 
Travellers have faced a string of murders and kidnappings on roads in the recent weeks&nbsp;with the attack being the latest in the spate of highway killings. 
 
The Taliban insurgents had killed at least nine people and kidnapped 20 when they held up three buses in Kunduz late last month.</div>

Suspected Taliban insurgents stopped two cars and shot dead all occupants in the eastern province of Ghazni

Suspected Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan killed 12 people after stopping their vehicles on a road in the east of the country, while kidnapping 50 people in the north, officials said today. The Taliban have made considerable gains in fighting in various parts of the country in recent months. The killing of their leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, in a US drone attack last month has had no discernable impact on the violence. Attackers in the eastern province of Ghazni stopped two cars late on Tuesday and shot dead everyone they found. Several members of the security forces were among those killed, said Jawid Salangi a spokesman for the provincial governor. "Taliban ordered the passengers out and brutally shot them," Salangi said. Villagers later found 12 bodies, he said. Taliban spokesmen were not immediately available for comment. A suspected Taliban stopped a bus and a car near the northern city of Kunduz and took all 50 in the vehicles hostage, a police spokesman in the area, Mahfozullah Akbari, said. "We are putting all our efforts into freeing them as soon as we can," he said. Travellers have faced a string of murders and kidnappings on roads in the recent weeks with the attack being the latest in the spate of highway killings. The Taliban insurgents had killed at least nine people and kidnapped 20 when they held up three buses in Kunduz late last month.

12 killed, 50 injured in Afghan highway attacks

&nbsp;The NPR photojournalist and his Afghan colleague killed in Afghanistan on Sunday died on the first day of an embed with local troops, highlighting the risks for reporters in a country where increasing amounts of territory are off-limits. 
 
Photographer David Gilkey and Zabihullah Tamanna, an Afghan journalist working as a translator, were killed in a Taliban ambush shortly after joining Afghan troops in Helmand province, one of the most volatile areas in the country. 
 
The NPR team, including Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman and producer Monika Evstatieva, had just spent several days with coalition troops, including U.S. special forces, before they went over to an Afghan unit, said Colonel Michael Lawhorn, a spokesman for the NATO-led military coalition. 
 
The team spent Sunday morning in the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah interviewing local officials, according to Shakil Ahmad Tasal, a public affairs officer for the 205th Corps who accompanied the NPR team during the drive. 
 
The team carried a letter from the Afghan Ministry of Defence, directing the soldiers to escort them to the town of Marjah, roughly 30 km (18 miles) away, he said. 
 
While Lashkar Gah has remained in government control, some surrounding areas of Helmand have been under serious pressure from Islamist militants from the Taliban insurgency. 
 
Earlier this year in Marjah, U.S. forces conducted several air strikes to help beleaguered Afghan troops, and a U.S. Special Forces soldier was killed and two others were wounded during a Taliban attack. 
 
On Sunday afternoon, a convoy of six lightly armoured Humvees, which also carried an Afghan general, was nearing Marjah when Taliban gunmen opened fire, pelting the vehicles with small arms and rocket fire. 
 
&quot;We were taking very heavy fire,&quot; Tasal told Reuters. 
 
The Humvee carrying Tamanna and Gilkey was hit by a shell and caught fire, killing the journalists and the soldier driving the vehicle, according to witnesses and NPR. 
 
DOZENS FORM GUARD OF HONOUR 
 
A gunfight raged for at least 30 minutes before coalition and Afghan aircraft arrived overhead, apparently prompting the Taliban to break off the attack, Tasal said. 
 
The coalition said its aircraft provided surveillance for the Afghans, while attack aircraft were put on standby but never launched. 
 
The other two NPR staffers, travelling in another vehicle, were unharmed. 
 
A veteran photojournalist, Gilkey, 50, had reported from Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001, and won awards for covering veterans issues in the United States and the ebola breakout in Africa. 
 
In a video posted by NPR on May 13, just prior to his departure for Afghanistan, Gilkey described a desire to get close to what is happening. 
 
&quot;What I always try to show in my pictures is what it&#39;s like for the guys on the ground that are having to operate there,&quot; he said. 
 
Like many Afghan journalists who perform the lion&#39;s share of the work covering their country, Tamanna had worked for a variety of foreign outlets, including the Chinese news agency Xinhua and Turkey&#39;s Anadolu News Agency. 
 
Qualified journalists in their own right, Afghans like Tamanna are often contracted to provide translation and other help for foreign reporters. 
 
&quot;He was a very honest, responsible person and loved his country,&quot; Haroon Sabawoon, a friend and business partner, said of Tamanna. &quot;He was very polite, calm and had high hopes for peace and security.&quot; 
 
Tamanna, 38, left behind a wife and three children. 
 
Afghan troops recovered the bodies of the slain journalists and handed them over to coalition forces at Camp Shorab, where the team had just previously been embedded with American troops, Lawhorn said. 
 
&quot;Dozens and dozens&quot; of U.S. troops at the base formed an honour guard, stood to attention and saluted when the journalists&#39; remains arrived, Bowman reported to NPR. 
 
Coalition CH-47 helicopters then transported them to the base at Kandahar Air Field, Lawhorn said.

Photographer David Gilkey and Zabihullah Tamanna, an Afghan journalist working as a translator, were killed in a Taliban ambush shortly after joining Afghan troops in Helmand province, one of the most volatile areas in the country.

The NPR photojournalist and his Afghan colleague killed in Afghanistan on Sunday died on the first day of an embed with local troops, highlighting the risks for reporters in a country where increasing amounts of territory are off-limits. Photographer David Gilkey and Zabihullah Tamanna, an Afghan journalist working as a translator, were killed in a Taliban ambush shortly after joining Afghan troops in Helmand province, one of the most volatile areas in the country. The NPR team, including Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman and producer Monika Evstatieva, had just spent several days with coalition troops, including U.S. special forces, before they went over to an Afghan unit, said Colonel Michael Lawhorn, a spokesman for the NATO-led military coalition. The team spent Sunday morning in the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah interviewing local officials, according to Shakil Ahmad Tasal, a public affairs officer for the 205th Corps who accompanied the NPR team during the drive. The team carried a letter from the Afghan Ministry of Defence, directing the soldiers to escort them to the town of Marjah, roughly 30 km (18 miles) away, he said. While Lashkar Gah has remained in government control, some surrounding areas of Helmand have been under serious pressure from Islamist militants from the Taliban insurgency. Earlier this year in Marjah, U.S. forces conducted several air strikes to help beleaguered Afghan troops, and a U.S. Special Forces soldier was killed and two others were wounded during a Taliban attack. On Sunday afternoon, a convoy of six lightly armoured Humvees, which also carried an Afghan general, was nearing Marjah when Taliban gunmen opened fire, pelting the vehicles with small arms and rocket fire. "We were taking very heavy fire," Tasal told Reuters. The Humvee carrying Tamanna and Gilkey was hit by a shell and caught fire, killing the journalists and the soldier driving the vehicle, according to witnesses and NPR. DOZENS FORM GUARD OF HONOUR A gunfight raged for at least 30 minutes before coalition and Afghan aircraft arrived overhead, apparently prompting the Taliban to break off the attack, Tasal said. The coalition said its aircraft provided surveillance for the Afghans, while attack aircraft were put on standby but never launched. The other two NPR staffers, travelling in another vehicle, were unharmed. A veteran photojournalist, Gilkey, 50, had reported from Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001, and won awards for covering veterans issues in the United States and the ebola breakout in Africa. In a video posted by NPR on May 13, just prior to his departure for Afghanistan, Gilkey described a desire to get close to what is happening. "What I always try to show in my pictures is what it's like for the guys on the ground that are having to operate there," he said. Like many Afghan journalists who perform the lion's share of the work covering their country, Tamanna had worked for a variety of foreign outlets, including the Chinese news agency Xinhua and Turkey's Anadolu News Agency. Qualified journalists in their own right, Afghans like Tamanna are often contracted to provide translation and other help for foreign reporters. "He was a very honest, responsible person and loved his country," Haroon Sabawoon, a friend and business partner, said of Tamanna. "He was very polite, calm and had high hopes for peace and security." Tamanna, 38, left behind a wife and three children. Afghan troops recovered the bodies of the slain journalists and handed them over to coalition forces at Camp Shorab, where the team had just previously been embedded with American troops, Lawhorn said. "Dozens and dozens" of U.S. troops at the base formed an honour guard, stood to attention and saluted when the journalists' remains arrived, Bowman reported to NPR. Coalition CH-47 helicopters then transported them to the base at Kandahar Air Field, Lawhorn said.

Embed quickly turned deadly for NPR team in Afghanistan

The illegal mining of some of Afghanistan&#39;s most important minerals is funneling millions of dollars into the hands of insurgents and corrupt warlords, according to activists, who say the money is fuelling war.&nbsp; 
 
The mountains of Afghanistan hold as much as $1 trillion to $3 trillion in mineral resources, according to estimates by the US and Afghan governments, including world-famous lapis lazuli, a deep blue, semi-precious stone that has been mined in northern Afghanistan&#39;s Badakhshan province for thousands of years. 
 
&quot;In the current circumstances, where 50 per cent of the mining revenue is going to the Taliban, and before that it was going to armed groups, by any reasonable definition lapis is a conflict mineral,&quot; said Stephen Carter, a researcher for Global Witness, a non-profit watchdog that investigates the links between natural resources, corruption and conflict. 
 
&quot;And that means people should think very hard about buying it,&quot; he said. 
 
Since 2014, at least 12,500 tonnes of lapis worth $200 million have been extracted, much of it illegally or in a way that avoided nearly $30 million in government taxes, according to a report released by Global Witness&nbsp;today. 
 
Global Witness said not only are the Taliban continuing to profit from the illegal mining of lapis and other jewels in Badakhshan, but that senior players in the Afghan government may have a direct involvement too. 
 
Global Witness accused the&nbsp;former defence minister Bismillah Mohammadi, as well as several members of parliament with ties to northern Afghanistan, from profiting from the illegal trade. 
 
However, a close aide to Mohammadi rejected the claims as &quot;baseless&quot; and as an effort to defame the former minister. 
 
Gul Mohammed Bedar, a deputy governor of Badakhshan, also denied allegations that government officials had their fingers in the illicit trade, but confirmed that the lapis mines are controlled by &quot;illegal armed groups&quot; as well as the Taliban, making it difficult for the government to manage. 
 
Lapis mining was outlawed last year, but the mines now lie in a lawless region controlled by the Taliban and warlords of varying allegiances. 
 
Much of the illegal lapis is being smuggled out through neighbouring Panjshir province, which is the home to some of Afghanistan&#39;s most powerful players the officials said. 
 
The mining sector across the country is plagued by corruption and conflict, with as many as 10,000 deposits estimated to be outside government control, according to a report released on Sunday by the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. 
 
&quot;Natural resources have long played a role in conflict in Afghanistan,&quot; the report said. &quot;This has been shown most recently in the violent conflict over the natural lapis in Badakhshan among groups of warlords who are backed by political elites in Kabul.&quot;

Global Witness, a non-profit organization that investigates links between natural resources, corruption and conflict, said that the Taliban receives as much as 50 per cent of the country's mining revenue

The illegal mining of some of Afghanistan's most important minerals is funneling millions of dollars into the hands of insurgents and corrupt warlords, according to activists, who say the money is fuelling war. The mountains of Afghanistan hold as much as $1 trillion to $3 trillion in mineral resources, according to estimates by the US and Afghan governments, including world-famous lapis lazuli, a deep blue, semi-precious stone that has been mined in northern Afghanistan's Badakhshan province for thousands of years. "In the current circumstances, where 50 per cent of the mining revenue is going to the Taliban, and before that it was going to armed groups, by any reasonable definition lapis is a conflict mineral," said Stephen Carter, a researcher for Global Witness, a non-profit watchdog that investigates the links between natural resources, corruption and conflict. "And that means people should think very hard about buying it," he said. Since 2014, at least 12,500 tonnes of lapis worth $200 million have been extracted, much of it illegally or in a way that avoided nearly $30 million in government taxes, according to a report released by Global Witness today. Global Witness said not only are the Taliban continuing to profit from the illegal mining of lapis and other jewels in Badakhshan, but that senior players in the Afghan government may have a direct involvement too. Global Witness accused the former defence minister Bismillah Mohammadi, as well as several members of parliament with ties to northern Afghanistan, from profiting from the illegal trade. However, a close aide to Mohammadi rejected the claims as "baseless" and as an effort to defame the former minister. Gul Mohammed Bedar, a deputy governor of Badakhshan, also denied allegations that government officials had their fingers in the illicit trade, but confirmed that the lapis mines are controlled by "illegal armed groups" as well as the Taliban, making it difficult for the government to manage. Lapis mining was outlawed last year, but the mines now lie in a lawless region controlled by the Taliban and warlords of varying allegiances. Much of the illegal lapis is being smuggled out through neighbouring Panjshir province, which is the home to some of Afghanistan's most powerful players the officials said. The mining sector across the country is plagued by corruption and conflict, with as many as 10,000 deposits estimated to be outside government control, according to a report released on Sunday by the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. "Natural resources have long played a role in conflict in Afghanistan," the report said. "This has been shown most recently in the violent conflict over the natural lapis in Badakhshan among groups of warlords who are backed by political elites in Kabul."

Money from Afghanistan's 'conflict jewels' fuels war: activists

The Taliban killed at least 16 people and kidnapped dozens of others today after pulling them from buses in northern Afghanistan in the latest assault since the insurgents named a new leader last week, officials said. 
The Taliban have so far not commented on the incident in Aliabad district in the volatile province of Kunduz, where the insurgents briefly overran the provincial capital in a stunning military victory last year. 
&quot;The Taliban shot dead 16 passengers and they are still holding more than 30 others,&quot; said Sayed Mahmood Danish, spokesman for the governor of Kunduz province. 
Police commander Shir Aziz Kamawal gave a death toll of 17. 
&quot;They (Taliban) have released some passengers but are holding many others. None of the passengers were wearing military uniform, but some may have been former police,&quot; he said. 
The Afghan Taliban last Wednesday announced Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new leader, elevating a low-profile religious figure in a swift power transition after officially confirming the death of Mullah Mansour in a US drone strike.

The Taliban haven't commented on the killings so far, but the spokesman of the governor of the Kunduz province has ascertained the same.

The Taliban killed at least 16 people and kidnapped dozens of others today after pulling them from buses in northern Afghanistan in the latest assault since the insurgents named a new leader last week, officials said. The Taliban have so far not commented on the incident in Aliabad district in the volatile province of Kunduz, where the insurgents briefly overran the provincial capital in a stunning military victory last year. "The Taliban shot dead 16 passengers and they are still holding more than 30 others," said Sayed Mahmood Danish, spokesman for the governor of Kunduz province. Police commander Shir Aziz Kamawal gave a death toll of 17. "They (Taliban) have released some passengers but are holding many others. None of the passengers were wearing military uniform, but some may have been former police," he said. The Afghan Taliban last Wednesday announced Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new leader, elevating a low-profile religious figure in a swift power transition after officially confirming the death of Mullah Mansour in a US drone strike.

Taliban kill 16 bus passengers in northern Afghanistan

After a break of 20 years,&nbsp;Afghanistan&#39;s first&nbsp;cementfactory is once more clanking noisily in the countryside near Kabul as crushed-up limestone rocks rattle along a battered conveyor belt to the newly restored kiln.

In an area desperately short of industry and jobs, workers hope the relaunch of the plant, built by Czech engineers in 1957 and shut by the Taliban in 1995, heralds the revival of an industry shattered by decades of war and destruction.

&quot;By selling our products and improving the factory&#39;s production, we can avoid having our young generation go abroad,&quot; said Amir Mohammad. &quot;If there are job possibilities, they can stay with their families and look after their children.&quot;

But the outdated state-owned plant 75 km (47 miles) outside Kabul also shows how far there is to go before that promise can be achieved and there are serious questions whether the plant has a viable future unless it is thoroughly modernised.

Jabal Saraj, which now employs 150 workers, is a small factory with daily capacity of 100 tonnes and equipment that is at least 40 years out of date, the U.S. Geological Survey said in a 2011 report.

&quot;We&#39;ve tried our best and got the factory running using its old machinery,&quot; said Abdul Wakil, one of a group of former workers who have returned to help get the plant working again. &quot;As long as we have electricity, it will work.&quot;

Talks with a private operator to develop a separate, larger plant at Jabal Saraj have run for months, but for now, the government has decided the old plant still serves a purpose, a spokesman for the country&#39;s mines and petroleum ministry said.

&quot;This old factory is useful and has a profitable production capacity,&quot; Mohyaddin Noori added. &quot;It provides job opportunities.&quot;

Afghanistan&#39;s only other major&nbsp;cement&nbsp;manufacturer, the Ghori&nbsp;cement&nbsp;plant, has daily capacity of more than 1,000 tonnes, but domestic industry is dwarfed by the millions of tonnes of imports from neighbours, including Pakistan and Iran.

That fierce competition makes it tough to find domestically produced&nbsp;cement&nbsp;in Kabul&#39;s main wholesale markets, even despite the fact that domestic&nbsp;cement&#39;s bulk and relatively low cost should penalize foreign&nbsp;cement, trucked in hundreds of miles.

&quot;We have only Pakistani&nbsp;cement,&quot; said trader Ershad Shinwari. &quot;Afghan-made&nbsp;cement&nbsp;is not coming to us.&quot;

Demand for building materials has fallen sharply since international forces left in 2014 but the market has not collapsed and director Mohammadi hopes for domestic growth.

&quot;There is huge demand for&nbsp;cement&nbsp;in&nbsp;Afghanistan,&quot; he said. &quot;We&#39;ve got the factory working, so it will give investors a chance.&quot;

For the moment, however, Jabal Saraj relies on government subsidy to survive. The economics may be tough, but it is people nearby who are mainly looking for work.

&quot;We ask the other countries to help this factory and provide new machinery to replace the old machines,&quot; said plant worker Wazir Mohammad.

&quot;It will be very useful for our people as long as there is poverty in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;and everyone suffers insecurity.&quot;

After a break of 20 years,?Afghanistan's first?cementfactory is once more clanking noisily in the countryside near Kabul as crushed-up limestone rocks rattle along a battered conveyor belt to the newly restored kiln. In an area desperately short of industry and jobs, workers hope the relaunch of the plant built by Czech engineers in 1957 and shut by the Taliban in 1995.

After a break of 20 years, Afghanistan's first cementfactory is once more clanking noisily in the countryside near Kabul as crushed-up limestone rocks rattle along a battered conveyor belt to the newly restored kiln. In an area desperately short of industry and jobs, workers hope the relaunch of the plant, built by Czech engineers in 1957 and shut by the Taliban in 1995, heralds the revival of an industry shattered by decades of war and destruction. "By selling our products and improving the factory's production, we can avoid having our young generation go abroad," said Amir Mohammad. "If there are job possibilities, they can stay with their families and look after their children." But the outdated state-owned plant 75 km (47 miles) outside Kabul also shows how far there is to go before that promise can be achieved and there are serious questions whether the plant has a viable future unless it is thoroughly modernised. Jabal Saraj, which now employs 150 workers, is a small factory with daily capacity of 100 tonnes and equipment that is at least 40 years out of date, the U.S. Geological Survey said in a 2011 report. "We've tried our best and got the factory running using its old machinery," said Abdul Wakil, one of a group of former workers who have returned to help get the plant working again. "As long as we have electricity, it will work." Talks with a private operator to develop a separate, larger plant at Jabal Saraj have run for months, but for now, the government has decided the old plant still serves a purpose, a spokesman for the country's mines and petroleum ministry said. "This old factory is useful and has a profitable production capacity," Mohyaddin Noori added. "It provides job opportunities." Afghanistan's only other major cement manufacturer, the Ghori cement plant, has daily capacity of more than 1,000 tonnes, but domestic industry is dwarfed by the millions of tonnes of imports from neighbours, including Pakistan and Iran. That fierce competition makes it tough to find domestically produced cement in Kabul's main wholesale markets, even despite the fact that domestic cement's bulk and relatively low cost should penalize foreign cement, trucked in hundreds of miles. "We have only Pakistani cement," said trader Ershad Shinwari. "Afghan-made cement is not coming to us." Demand for building materials has fallen sharply since international forces left in 2014 but the market has not collapsed and director Mohammadi hopes for domestic growth. "There is huge demand for cement in Afghanistan," he said. "We've got the factory working, so it will give investors a chance." For the moment, however, Jabal Saraj relies on government subsidy to survive. The economics may be tough, but it is people nearby who are mainly looking for work. "We ask the other countries to help this factory and provide new machinery to replace the old machines," said plant worker Wazir Mohammad. "It will be very useful for our people as long as there is poverty in Afghanistan and everyone suffers insecurity."

Hopes and fears for jobs as Afghan cement factory reopens

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