An air strike in Afghanistan has killed at least eight civilians, officials said Saturday, as the war-torn country prepares for a "reduction in violence" under a deal between Taliban militants and the United States.

Eight civilians killed in Afghanistan air strike: Officials

Afghan government forces and Taliban insurgents waged war against each other in the past 24 hours despite US officials saying there had been a breakthrough in recent days in peace talks to end the 18-year-old conflict.

Taliban, Afghan forces clash despite talk of breakthrough in peace deal

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Thursday that the United States and the Taliban had negotiated a proposal for a seven-day reduction in violence. Sources had told Reuters that a US-Taliban peace deal could be signed this month if the Taliban significantly reduces violence, which could lead to an eventual withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

US, Taliban have negotiated proposal for 7-day reduction in violence: Pentagon chief

Sheharyar Mehsud who is the leader of the banned terrorist organisation Tehreek-e-Taliban has reportedly died in a bomb blast in Afghanistan. Mehsud died after a remote control bomb went off in Kunar province.

Tehreek-e-Taliban leader killed in bomb blast

A suicide bomber killed six people near a military academy in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Tuesday, the interior ministry said. The Taliban denied involvement in the blast and there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Six killed in suicide blast in Kabul, Taliban deny attack

The US and the Taliban appeared closer Wednesday to sealing a deal for an American troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani reported "notable progress" in negotiations and a senior Taliban official said violence could be slashed in the coming days.

US-Taliban breakthrough appears closer as Afghan President Ghani reports progress

London-based Pakistan activist Gul Bukhari has been threatened with terror charges. Bukhari has been accused of harbouring anti-Pakistan agenda, being a part of a cyber-terrorism ring and being associated with the Haqqani network and the Balochistan Liberation army.

Pakistan's anti-terror wing summons activist Gul Bukhari

Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai requested the United States to "stop killing Afghans" and end all military operations after the air strikes on Saturday.

I urge the United States to stop killing our people: Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai

A leading member of the Pakistan Taliban has escaped custody more than two years after surrendering to authorities, a senior security official said Sunday. The confirmation comes days after Ehsanullah Ehsan -- the former spokesman for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- released an audio message claiming he had escaped detention and was now in Turkey.

Surrendered Pakistani Taliban spokesman escapes custody: Official

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan's (TTP) former spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan, who took the responsibility for the attempted murder of Malala Yousafzai and for carrying several attacks in Pakistan including deadly Peshawar Army school terror attack, has escaped from an Army Jail in Pakistan.

Taliban leader Ehsanullah Ehsan escapes Pakistan's jail

The United States was accused by the Taliban on Twitter for obstructing negotiations over a potential withdrawal deal that would result in the Americans ending their 18-year-old war in Afghanistan.

Taliban takes to Twitter; accuses US Government of halting peace talks

The Taliban lashed out at the Trump administration on Wednesday, accusing the US of holding up negotiations over a potential withdrawal deal that would see the Americans end their 18-year war in Afghanistan.

Negotiation process has been harmed by Trump and US demands: Taliban

US President Donald Trump reiterated his vow to negotiate troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in his State of the Union address on Wednesday. He said that he will put an end to ''America's longest war'' as he had no desire to kill "hundreds of thousands" in an endless fight.

Trump reiterates pledge to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan in State of the Union addresss

Pakistan police on Monday claimed to have thwarted a terror attack on a building of an intelligence agency in Punjab province and arrested three Taliban terrorists.

Pak police foils terror plot, arrests three Taliban terrorists

The US special envoy leading negotiations with the Taliban was set to meet with the Afghan president Saturday, an official confirmed, in an apparent renewed push for talks on an agreement with the insurgents.

US envoy for Taliban talks back in Kabul: Official

Violent attacks in Afghanistan's war jumped to record levels in the last quarter of 2019, a US government watchdog said Friday, underscoring the conflict's continued toll despite relative calm in Kabul.

Amid US-Taliban peace talks, violence in Afghanistan rises: Watchdog

American warplanes dropped more bombs on Afghanistan in 2019 than at any other time in at least a decade, according to the US Air Force, as Washington intensified attacks in the country amid withdrawal talks with the Taliban.

United States bombing of Afghanistan hits 10-year high: US Air Force

Taiban said on Friday that the insurgent group is "optimistic" of signing a deal with the United States by the end of this month. In another development, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday doubled down on his support to Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, signing a number of infrastructure and trade deals in his state visit to Myanmar.

Top 10 world news today: Taliban 'optimistic' on peace deal, China-Myanmar bonhomie, and more

Hours after a plane crashed in Afghanistan's Ghazni province, Taliban claimed responsibility of the incident and confirmed that it was a US military aircraft, spokesperson of the insurgents' group said on Monday.

US military plane brought down in Ghazni province, claims Taliban

At least six civilians were killed in an airstrike in northern Afghanistan over the weekend, the UN confirmed on Monday, as fighting continues to rage across the country despite hopes the US and Taliban were hammering out a ceasefire.

Six civilians killed in Afghanistan airstrike: United Nations

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has received top US and NATO representatives in Kabul and was briefed about the ongoing peace negotiations with the Taliban, presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said on Sunday.

Afghan President briefed by US officials on peace talks with Taliban

US President Donald Trump told Afghan counterpart, Ashraf Ghani, on Wednesday said he wants to see a "significant" drop in violence by Taliban guerrillas before "meaningful" negotiations can happen.

Trump wants 'significant' drop in Taliban violence for Afghan talks

Taiban said on Friday that the insurgent group is "optimistic" of signing a deal with the United States by the end of this month. Taliban had also agreed to "scale down" military operations in Afghanistan in order to provide a safe environment for withdrawal of foreign forces from the region, Taliban chief spokesperson Suhail Shaheen told Pakistani daily Dawn.

Taliban says deal with US can be signed before end of this month: Report

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