The negotiators from parties of the Intra-Afghanistan peace negotiations — the Taliban and the Afghanistan government — have agreed on procedural rules with 21 items for the intra-Afghan talks on November 15, said the Taliban Spokesperson on Saturday.

"The procedure of Intra-Afghan negotiations between the negotiating teams was completed and finalized in 21 articles on the 15th of November 2020," tweeted Mohammad Naeem, a spokesman for the Taliban.

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Citing sources, Tolo News reported that, this week, a breakthrough in the talks and said both sides have agreed to include the US-Taliban agreement, UN endorsements for the Afghan peace process, commitments of the negotiating teams and the will of the people of Afghanistan.

However, the Presidential Palace denied the reports that any progress had been made in the peace talks and said that the deadlock still remained.

Afghan chief negotiator Mohammad Massoom Stanikzai and presidential peace adviser Salam Rahimi have been on a secret trip to Kabul over the past three days, seeking President Ghani`s approval for the agreed formulation, according to sources this week.

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The peace negotiations between teams from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban started on September 12 but to date, no direct talks have started because of disagreements on procedural rules for the negotiations.

Since the start of negotiations in Doha, members of the contact groups of both sides of the peace negotiations have met several times to agree on the contested issue.

"The Taliban has staged attacks on the centers of at least 50 districts in 16 provinces of the country following the signing of the peace deal with the US in Doha in February, and most of these attacks happened in the last two months after the start of the negotiations in Qatar on September 12," sources from various provinces said Thursday, reported by Tolo News.&nbsp;

The negotiators from parties of the Intra-Afghanistan peace negotiations — the Taliban and the Afghanistan government — have agreed on procedural rules with 21 items for the intra-Afghan talks on November 15, said the Taliban Spokesperson on Saturday.

The negotiators from parties of the Intra-Afghanistan peace negotiations — the Taliban and the Afghanistan government — have agreed on procedural rules with 21 items for the intra-Afghan talks on November 15, said the Taliban Spokesperson on Saturday. "The procedure of Intra-Afghan negotiations between the negotiating teams was completed and finalized in 21 articles on the 15th of November 2020," tweeted Mohammad Naeem, a spokesman for the Taliban. Also read| Australia to discharge 13 soldiers after Afghan war crimes probe Citing sources, Tolo News reported that, this week, a breakthrough in the talks and said both sides have agreed to include the US-Taliban agreement, UN endorsements for the Afghan peace process, commitments of the negotiating teams and the will of the people of Afghanistan. However, the Presidential Palace denied the reports that any progress had been made in the peace talks and said that the deadlock still remained. Afghan chief negotiator Mohammad Massoom Stanikzai and presidential peace adviser Salam Rahimi have been on a secret trip to Kabul over the past three days, seeking President Ghani`s approval for the agreed formulation, according to sources this week. Also read| India's role praised by President Ghani at Afghanistan conference in Geneva The peace negotiations between teams from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban started on September 12 but to date, no direct talks have started because of disagreements on procedural rules for the negotiations. Since the start of negotiations in Doha, members of the contact groups of both sides of the peace negotiations have met several times to agree on the contested issue. "The Taliban has staged attacks on the centers of at least 50 districts in 16 provinces of the country following the signing of the peace deal with the US in Doha in February, and most of these attacks happened in the last two months after the start of the negotiations in Qatar on September 12," sources from various provinces said Thursday, reported by Tolo News.

On November 15 Doha Negotiators agreed on rules: Taliban

The Afghan Presidential palace has rejected any progress and peace negotiations between Afghanistan negotiators and the Taliban.

Afghanistan: No progress in peace talks, what’s next?

A breakthrough in the prelude to Afghanistan peace talks has failed to materialise after more than two months of intensive negotiations.

WION Dispatch: What's next for Afghan peace talks?

At least two explosions were reported in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-role-praised-by-president-ghani-at-afghanistan-conference-in-geneva-345123">Afghanistan's</a> Bamiyan&nbsp;at a local market&nbsp;near a hotel in the city centre.

Reports said two magnetic bombs exploded killing at least two people and wounding six others.&nbsp;

No group has taken responsibility for the blasts so far.

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Violence has surged across <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-pledges-227-million-annual-civilian-and-food-aid-to-afghanistan-345076">Afghanistan</a> in recent weeks with the Taliban stepping up daily attacks against Afghan security forces although the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-using-drones-to-target-government-forces-afghanistan-spy-chief-344908">Taliban</a> had started peace talks with the Afghan government in September, but hardliners have stepped up attacks in subsequent weeks and months.

Amid the escalation in violence, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged "immediate, unconditional ceasefire" in Afghanistan to create an environment of peace for Doha peace talks with the Taliban.

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"An inclusive process, in which women, young people and victims of conflict are meaningfully represented, offers the best hope of sustainable peace," Guterres said, adding, "Progress toward peace will contribute to the development of the entire region, and is a vital step towards the safe, orderly and dignified return of millions of displaced Afghans."

The Taliban and Trump administration had signed a deal in February as with the US government agreed to withdraw all foreign forces in exchange for security guarantees as President Trump asserted that he wants US troops out of the country as quickly as possible.&nbsp;

However, the Taliban has launched several attacks since then including one on Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province.

At least two explosions were reported in Afghanistan's Bamiyan at a local market near a hotel in the city centre. Reports said two magnetic bombs exploded killing at least two people and wounding six others.

At least two explosions were reported in Afghanistan's Bamiyan at a local market near a hotel in the city centre. Reports said two magnetic bombs exploded killing at least two people and wounding six others. No group has taken responsibility for the blasts so far. Also Read: India to launch phase 4 of community development projects in Afghanistan Violence has surged across Afghanistan in recent weeks with the Taliban stepping up daily attacks against Afghan security forces although the Taliban had started peace talks with the Afghan government in September, but hardliners have stepped up attacks in subsequent weeks and months. Amid the escalation in violence, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged "immediate, unconditional ceasefire" in Afghanistan to create an environment of peace for Doha peace talks with the Taliban. Also Read: Women who killed Afghan official with promises of sex, released with Taliban prisoners "An inclusive process, in which women, young people and victims of conflict are meaningfully represented, offers the best hope of sustainable peace," Guterres said, adding, "Progress toward peace will contribute to the development of the entire region, and is a vital step towards the safe, orderly and dignified return of millions of displaced Afghans." The Taliban and Trump administration had signed a deal in February as with the US government agreed to withdraw all foreign forces in exchange for security guarantees as President Trump asserted that he wants US troops out of the country as quickly as possible. However, the Taliban has launched several attacks since then including one on Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province.

Twin blasts in market in Afghanistan's Bamiyan; at least 2 killed

Afghanistan's spy chief has said that the Taliban is using drones to carry out attacks on government forces in an address to parliament on Monday.&nbsp;

"The drones they are using are sold in the market. They are basically camera drones," Ahmad Zia Shiraj, chief of National Directorate of Security (NDS) said, as quoted by news agency AFP.

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He also said that NDS wants to stop the import of these drones that are used by these terror groups to implant explosives.&nbsp;

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Reportedly, the Taliban used a drone to blast the compound Kunduz province's governor.

The NDS chief did not confirm the attack but highlighted that drones were used in Kunduz and Paktia regions.&nbsp;

Such devices have been used by Islamic State (IS) terrorists to carry out bombings in Iraq and Syria since 2016, but the technology is new for the Taliban.&nbsp;

IS has a small but deadly presence in Afghanistan and was responsible for recent rocket attacks in Kabul that killed scores of people.&nbsp;

Shiraj said that IS leadership has been "destroyed", but their "second layer are young are still active".

Meanwhile, Afghan and the Taliban are expected to soon start formal talks as several official sources from both the sides have suggested that many contentious issues have been resolved.&nbsp;

Afghanistan's spy chief has said that the Taliban is using drones to carry out attacks on government forces in an address to parliament on Monday. "The drones they are using are sold in the market.

Afghanistan's spy chief has said that the Taliban is using drones to carry out attacks on government forces in an address to parliament on Monday. "The drones they are using are sold in the market. They are basically camera drones," Ahmad Zia Shiraj, chief of National Directorate of Security (NDS) said, as quoted by news agency AFP. Also read | Afghan VP vows to track those behind Kabul terror attack He also said that NDS wants to stop the import of these drones that are used by these terror groups to implant explosives. Also read | Afghanistan, Taliban resolve several disputed issues: Officials Reportedly, the Taliban used a drone to blast the compound Kunduz province's governor. The NDS chief did not confirm the attack but highlighted that drones were used in Kunduz and Paktia regions. Such devices have been used by Islamic State (IS) terrorists to carry out bombings in Iraq and Syria since 2016, but the technology is new for the Taliban. IS has a small but deadly presence in Afghanistan and was responsible for recent rocket attacks in Kabul that killed scores of people. Shiraj said that IS leadership has been "destroyed", but their "second layer are young are still active". Meanwhile, Afghan and the Taliban are expected to soon start formal talks as several official sources from both the sides have suggested that many contentious issues have been resolved.

Taliban using drones to target government forces: Afghanistan spy chief

The Afghan government and the Taliban have resolved several conflicting issues and established basic rules to begin formal talks, several sources said on Friday.

News agency AFP quoted several anonymous sources from both the sides to suggest that the peace talks are moving in the right direction.&nbsp;

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A senior Taliban leader said, "sufficient progress" has been made and added they are closing in to begin the formal talks and the announcement for the same could be made in the next few days.

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"A joint statement will be issued soon," the Taliban leader said.&nbsp;

Another Taliban leader, who is in Pakistan, said the sides have agreed on the basic rules to start the formal discussions and a third source close to the Taliban also confirmed the developments.&nbsp;

An Afghan official close to negotiators in Doha said that many disputed issues between the Taliban and the Afghan government have been resolved.&nbsp;

He also said several officials from Afghanistan government returned from Doha to Kabul for final consultations, following which a breakthrough announcement could be done by President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah. &nbsp;

The Afghan government and the Taliban have resolved several conflicting issues and established basic rules to begin formal talks, several sources said on Friday.

The Afghan government and the Taliban have resolved several conflicting issues and established basic rules to begin formal talks, several sources said on Friday. News agency AFP quoted several anonymous sources from both the sides to suggest that the peace talks are moving in the right direction. Also read | Afghan VP vows to track those behind Kabul terror attack A senior Taliban leader said, "sufficient progress" has been made and added they are closing in to begin the formal talks and the announcement for the same could be made in the next few days. Also read | Women who killed Afghan official with promises of sex, released with Taliban prisoners "A joint statement will be issued soon," the Taliban leader said. Another Taliban leader, who is in Pakistan, said the sides have agreed on the basic rules to start the formal discussions and a third source close to the Taliban also confirmed the developments. An Afghan official close to negotiators in Doha said that many disputed issues between the Taliban and the Afghan government have been resolved. He also said several officials from Afghanistan government returned from Doha to Kabul for final consultations, following which a breakthrough announcement could be done by President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah.

Afghanistan, Taliban resolve several disputed issues: Officials

Two women who had been charged and proven guilty for murdering an Afghanistan official have been officially released along with other Taliban prisoners under the Afghan-Taliban peace deal.

This duo had lured an Afghan official with promises of sex and had then shot him dead and dumped his body at a cemetery nearby. The two were then arrested and were kept with several other Taliban prisoners in Afghanistan.

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The two women were now released with other Taliban prisoners when Afghanistan government held peace talks with the Taliban.

Muzghan and her aunt Nasreen have confessed being a part of&nbsp;Taliban's ultra-violent Haqqani network. The two were also found guilty in several other murders. Their main charge was for killing an Afghan intelligence agent at their home where they had lured him "under the pretext of selling her body". After successfully luring him, the two shot the man with a pistol, fitted with a silencer, and then stuffed his corpse into a metal box which was then discarded at a nearby graveyard.

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The two were also infamous for brutal murders, other than their 'honeytrap' killings. They had also murdered their own relatives by poisoning one and setting a "sticky bomb" under the car seat of another.

"I was arrested for murder, kidnapping and cooperating with the Haqqani network," Muzghan said in a video authorities made prior to her release.

"I will not join this group again."

Two women who had been charged and proven guilty for murdering an Afghanistan official have been officially released along with other Taliban prisoners under the Afghan-Taliban peace deal.

Two women who had been charged and proven guilty for murdering an Afghanistan official have been officially released along with other Taliban prisoners under the Afghan-Taliban peace deal. This duo had lured an Afghan official with promises of sex and had then shot him dead and dumped his body at a cemetery nearby. The two were then arrested and were kept with several other Taliban prisoners in Afghanistan. Also read| Afghan peace talks 'close' to breaking deadlock: Official The two women were now released with other Taliban prisoners when Afghanistan government held peace talks with the Taliban. Muzghan and her aunt Nasreen have confessed being a part of Taliban's ultra-violent Haqqani network. The two were also found guilty in several other murders. Their main charge was for killing an Afghan intelligence agent at their home where they had lured him "under the pretext of selling her body". After successfully luring him, the two shot the man with a pistol, fitted with a silencer, and then stuffed his corpse into a metal box which was then discarded at a nearby graveyard. Also read| Pompeo meets Taliban, Afghan government officials in Qatar The two were also infamous for brutal murders, other than their 'honeytrap' killings. They had also murdered their own relatives by poisoning one and setting a "sticky bomb" under the car seat of another. "I was arrested for murder, kidnapping and cooperating with the Haqqani network," Muzghan said in a video authorities made prior to her release. "I will not join this group again."

Women who killed Afghan official with promises of sex, released with Taliban prisoners

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met negotiators from the Afghan government & the Taliban in Doha. The meet shows progress in talks between the groups as Washington DC is speeding up its withdraw from the region.

Mike Pompeo in Qatar, meets Taliban negotiators

The Afghan government and the Taliban are "very close" to breaking a deadlock in peace talks, a senior Afghan official said Saturday, adding that the US troops military presence was still necessary.

Talks began in Doha on September 12, but there were soon issues over agenda disagreements, the basic framework of discussions and religious interpretations.

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Meanwhile, violence has raged in Afghanistan with a series of rocket attacks Saturday in Kabul, which killed at least eight people.

The Taliban, who are Sunni hardliners, denied responsibility and the attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group.

"We haven't moved towards discussion of the main substance of negotiations, the main agenda," Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, said in an interview with AFP during a visit to Turkey.

But, giving cause for optimism, he added: "We are close, we are very close. Hopefully we pass this phase and get to the substantial issues" including security.

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Abdullah's comments come a day after a senior Taliban leader based in Pakistan told AFP that "sufficient progress" had been made on key sticking points.

Abdullah held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Friday in Istanbul as Afghanistan seeks support for the negotiations from Turkey.

Turkish forces have taken part in NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, while Turkey has also been a transit country for Afghans fleeing violence and seeking refuge in Europe.

Abdullah also said US troops should withdraw from Afghanistan "when the conditions are met".

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President Donald Trump's administration said this month it would pull 2,000 of its 4,500 troops from Afghanistan by January.

"Of course we would have preferred it differently," Abdullah said, warning the move would have "some impact".

US President-elect Joe Biden also advocates winding down the war.

'Flexible'

"My message to the next administration will be to see the conditions because those troops are there for a reason. They're there to help in the fight against terrorism, and are also supporting Afghan institutions," Abdullah said.

The peace talks in the Qatari capital started after the Taliban and Washington signed a deal in February, in which the US agreed to withdraw its forces by mid-2021.

The Taliban in exchange said it would not attack US forces and agreed to talks.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday was due to hold talks with Afghan government negotiators and the Taliban.

Abdullah said Afghans still wanted a ceasefire but suggested the government was flexible on what that would mean on the ground.

"If a complete comprehensive ceasefire is not possible, moving towards a humanitarian ceasefire, or a significant reduction in violence so the people can see and feel like there is a change" could be options, he said.

"Our delegation has been advised to be flexible."

But Abdullah warned the increasing violence was "damaging the trust of the people over the process and the government will not be immune from that impact".

The Afghan government this week said the Taliban killed over 1,200 civilians in 53 suicide attacks and 1,250 explosions over the past six months.

The Afghan government and the Taliban are "very close" to breaking a deadlock in peace talks, a senior Afghan official said Saturday, adding that the US troops military presence was still necessary.

The Afghan government and the Taliban are "very close" to breaking a deadlock in peace talks, a senior Afghan official said Saturday, adding that the US troops military presence was still necessary. Talks began in Doha on September 12, but there were soon issues over agenda disagreements, the basic framework of discussions and religious interpretations. Also read| Kabul terror attack: Islamic State claims responsibility Meanwhile, violence has raged in Afghanistan with a series of rocket attacks Saturday in Kabul, which killed at least eight people. The Taliban, who are Sunni hardliners, denied responsibility and the attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group. "We haven't moved towards discussion of the main substance of negotiations, the main agenda," Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, said in an interview with AFP during a visit to Turkey. But, giving cause for optimism, he added: "We are close, we are very close. Hopefully we pass this phase and get to the substantial issues" including security. Also read| Kabul terror attack: Islamic State claims responsibility Abdullah's comments come a day after a senior Taliban leader based in Pakistan told AFP that "sufficient progress" had been made on key sticking points. Abdullah held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Friday in Istanbul as Afghanistan seeks support for the negotiations from Turkey. Turkish forces have taken part in NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, while Turkey has also been a transit country for Afghans fleeing violence and seeking refuge in Europe. Abdullah also said US troops should withdraw from Afghanistan "when the conditions are met". Also read| Pompeo meets Taliban, Afghan government officials in Qatar President Donald Trump's administration said this month it would pull 2,000 of its 4,500 troops from Afghanistan by January. "Of course we would have preferred it differently," Abdullah said, warning the move would have "some impact". US President-elect Joe Biden also advocates winding down the war. 'Flexible' "My message to the next administration will be to see the conditions because those troops are there for a reason. They're there to help in the fight against terrorism, and are also supporting Afghan institutions," Abdullah said. The peace talks in the Qatari capital started after the Taliban and Washington signed a deal in February, in which the US agreed to withdraw its forces by mid-2021. The Taliban in exchange said it would not attack US forces and agreed to talks. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday was due to hold talks with Afghan government negotiators and the Taliban. Abdullah said Afghans still wanted a ceasefire but suggested the government was flexible on what that would mean on the ground. "If a complete comprehensive ceasefire is not possible, moving towards a humanitarian ceasefire, or a significant reduction in violence so the people can see and feel like there is a change" could be options, he said. "Our delegation has been advised to be flexible." But Abdullah warned the increasing violence was "damaging the trust of the people over the process and the government will not be immune from that impact". The Afghan government this week said the Taliban killed over 1,200 civilians in 53 suicide attacks and 1,250 explosions over the past six months.

Afghan peace talks 'close' to breaking deadlock: Official

The top US diplomat met separately with the Afghan government and Taliban negotiation teams in a luxury hotel in the Qatari capital

US Secretary of State Pompeo meets Taliban, Kabul negotiators in Qatar

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet on Saturday Taliban and the Afghanistan negotiators of the intra-Afghan deal, the State Department said on Friday. &nbsp;

Pompeo will meet teams of both the sides separately in the Qatari capital Doha.&nbsp;

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He will also meet Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and the foreign minister during the Doha visit.

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Earlier this week, the Pentagon said it would soon withdraw 2,000 American troops from Afghanistan, ramping up the commitments with Taliban agreed in February.&nbsp;

It said the US would pull out 2,000 of its troops by mid-January that will leave only 2,500 in the region.&nbsp;

Donald Trump has repeatedly called for ending "foreign wars", including the one in Afghanistan which began after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

President-elect Joe Biden, also in a rare consensus supports pulling out troops from the region, however, experts say he will not look for a fast withdrawal as was aimed by Trump.&nbsp;

The talks between Taliban and Afghanistan have shown little sign of progress, but news agency AFP has said several sources confirmed that a key sticking point between the two sides has been resolved.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet on Saturday Taliban and the Afghanistan negotiators of the intra-Afghan deal, the State Department said on Friday. Pompeo will meet teams of both the sides separately in the Qatari capital Doha.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet on Saturday Taliban and the Afghanistan negotiators of the intra-Afghan deal, the State Department said on Friday. Pompeo will meet teams of both the sides separately in the Qatari capital Doha. Also read | Taliban welcome US troop drawdown from Afghanistan as 'good step' He will also meet Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and the foreign minister during the Doha visit. Also read | Pakistani Taliban was involved in Helmand attacks: Afghan Interior Minister spokesperson to WION Earlier this week, the Pentagon said it would soon withdraw 2,000 American troops from Afghanistan, ramping up the commitments with Taliban agreed in February. It said the US would pull out 2,000 of its troops by mid-January that will leave only 2,500 in the region. Donald Trump has repeatedly called for ending "foreign wars", including the one in Afghanistan which began after the September 11, 2001 attacks. President-elect Joe Biden, also in a rare consensus supports pulling out troops from the region, however, experts say he will not look for a fast withdrawal as was aimed by Trump. The talks between Taliban and Afghanistan have shown little sign of progress, but news agency AFP has said several sources confirmed that a key sticking point between the two sides has been resolved.

Mike Pompeo to meet Taliban, Afghan negotiators in Doha

In a strongly-worded statement, India has slammed Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for destabilizing Afghanistan, saying, "terror flow across Durand line should stop". Durand Line is the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.&nbsp;

India's envoy to United Nations, TS Tirumurti speaking at Arria Formula Meeting of United Nations Security Council said, "There needs to be zero tolerance of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations....It is important to ensure that no one provides sanctuary to terrorists who threaten Afghanistan or any other country in the region. Those who do so must be held accountable."

The number of terror attacks in Afghanistan has had links in Pakistan, and the long, porous border has helped the easy movement of terrorists. Report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team under the Al-Qaeda/Da’esh Sanctions Committee of UN has pointed out the presence of foreign fighters in Afghanistan, many of which include Pakistani nationals.&nbsp;

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Tirumurti also pointed out, how Pakistan has not allowed "full transit rights to Afghanistan", hindering trade and connectivity between India and Afghanistan. He explained, how it is being used by "States to extract a political price from Afghanistan" and "the international community should discourage medieval mentalities and work towards removal of artificial transit barriers imposed on Afghanistan."

To increase connectivity, India has started an air corridor with Afghanistan and also via Chabahar port in Iran. In fact, amidst the COVID pandemic, New Delhi sent 75000 MT of wheat to the country to deal with the crisis.&nbsp;

On the Afghan peace process, the envoy reiterated India's stance that the process must be "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled" and "solutions must come from the Afghans themselves, in line with the wishes and aspirations of the all sections of Afghan society."

He also said, "gains of the last two decades" especially rights of women and minorities should be "strongly protected" and "safeguarded."&nbsp;

This year saw the US-Taliban pact and the start of the intra-Afghan ties between the Afghan govt and Taliban, but the violence level remains high in the country. America plans to substantially reduce troops level in Afghanistan by January, even hostilities on the ground continue.&nbsp;

India has played an important role in the development of Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. It has helped build mega infrastructure projects like Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam in Herat, the Afghan National Parliament building in Kabul, and the electricity supply grid between Kabul and northern Afghanistan and capacity building.

As the envoy had put, "India and Afghanistan are contiguous neighbors. We are connected together by centuries of historical, people-to-people, and cultural relations. India has stood resolutely behind the Government and people of Afghanistan and has supported the development of Afghanistan."

New Delhi has also been involved in over 400 high impact community development projects spread across 34 provinces of Afghanistan.

In a strongly-worded statement, India has slammed Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for destabilizing Afghanistan, saying, "terror flow across Durand line should stop".

In a strongly-worded statement, India has slammed Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for destabilizing Afghanistan, saying, "terror flow across Durand line should stop". Durand Line is the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. India's envoy to United Nations, TS Tirumurti speaking at Arria Formula Meeting of United Nations Security Council said, "There needs to be zero tolerance of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations....It is important to ensure that no one provides sanctuary to terrorists who threaten Afghanistan or any other country in the region. Those who do so must be held accountable." The number of terror attacks in Afghanistan has had links in Pakistan, and the long, porous border has helped the easy movement of terrorists. Report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team under the Al-Qaeda/Da’esh Sanctions Committee of UN has pointed out the presence of foreign fighters in Afghanistan, many of which include Pakistani nationals. Also Read | Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri may have died in Afghanistan: Report Tirumurti also pointed out, how Pakistan has not allowed "full transit rights to Afghanistan", hindering trade and connectivity between India and Afghanistan. He explained, how it is being used by "States to extract a political price from Afghanistan" and "the international community should discourage medieval mentalities and work towards removal of artificial transit barriers imposed on Afghanistan." To increase connectivity, India has started an air corridor with Afghanistan and also via Chabahar port in Iran. In fact, amidst the COVID pandemic, New Delhi sent 75000 MT of wheat to the country to deal with the crisis. On the Afghan peace process, the envoy reiterated India's stance that the process must be "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled" and "solutions must come from the Afghans themselves, in line with the wishes and aspirations of the all sections of Afghan society." He also said, "gains of the last two decades" especially rights of women and minorities should be "strongly protected" and "safeguarded." This year saw the US-Taliban pact and the start of the intra-Afghan ties between the Afghan govt and Taliban, but the violence level remains high in the country. America plans to substantially reduce troops level in Afghanistan by January, even hostilities on the ground continue. India has played an important role in the development of Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. It has helped build mega infrastructure projects like Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam in Herat, the Afghan National Parliament building in Kabul, and the electricity supply grid between Kabul and northern Afghanistan and capacity building. As the envoy had put, "India and Afghanistan are contiguous neighbors. We are connected together by centuries of historical, people-to-people, and cultural relations. India has stood resolutely behind the Government and people of Afghanistan and has supported the development of Afghanistan." New Delhi has also been involved in over 400 high impact community development projects spread across 34 provinces of Afghanistan.

India slams Pakistan at UNSC for destabilising Afghanistan; says 'terror flow across Durand Line should stop'

India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will represent India at the international conference on humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in Geneva. He will join the meet virtually that will take place on November&nbsp;23 and&nbsp;24

The conference is being co-hosted by the Afghan government, the Government of Finland, and the United Nations. The event will see the participation of representatives from 70 countries, international organizations, and comes at a time when America substantially plans to reduce its troops in the country.&nbsp;

This year saw a Taliban-US govt pact in February, followed by the start of intra-Afghan talks but has not resulted in peace in the country. The violence level in the country remains high.

India meanwhile has increased its outreach with all stakeholders in Afghanistan. In September, EAM had represented India virtually at the start of intra-Afghan talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.&nbsp;

It was followed by 3 high profile visits to New Delhi, first by Senior Afghan leader Abdul Rashid Dostum, followed by the Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation of Afghanistan, Dr Abdullah Abdullah, and then by former Governor of Balkh Atta Muhammad Noor.

New Delhi has been a close partner of Afghan govt and has been helping in capacity building and infrastructure development in the country. Amid&nbsp;the Covid pandemic, it sent 75000 MT of Wheat to the country via Chabahar port in Iran.

India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will represent India at the international conference on humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in Geneva. He will join the meet virtually that will take place on November 23 and 24 The conference is being co-hosted by the Afghan government, the Government of Finland, and the United Nations.

India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will represent India at the international conference on humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in Geneva. He will join the meet virtually that will take place on November 23 and 24 The conference is being co-hosted by the Afghan government, the Government of Finland, and the United Nations. The event will see the participation of representatives from 70 countries, international organizations, and comes at a time when America substantially plans to reduce its troops in the country. This year saw a Taliban-US govt pact in February, followed by the start of intra-Afghan talks but has not resulted in peace in the country. The violence level in the country remains high. India meanwhile has increased its outreach with all stakeholders in Afghanistan. In September, EAM had represented India virtually at the start of intra-Afghan talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. It was followed by 3 high profile visits to New Delhi, first by Senior Afghan leader Abdul Rashid Dostum, followed by the Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation of Afghanistan, Dr Abdullah Abdullah, and then by former Governor of Balkh Atta Muhammad Noor. New Delhi has been a close partner of Afghan govt and has been helping in capacity building and infrastructure development in the country. Amid the Covid pandemic, it sent 75000 MT of Wheat to the country via Chabahar port in Iran.

Foreign minister S Jaishankar to represent India at Afghan conference in Geneva

The Taliban on Wednesday welcomed the Pentagon's announcement it would soon pull about 2,000 US troops from Afghanistan as a "good step" that will help end the country's long-running conflict.

The Pentagon announced Tuesday that the US will slash troop levels in Afghanistan and Iraq to their lowest levels in nearly 20 years of war after President Donald Trump pledged to end conflicts abroad.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hasty-pullout-of-us-allied-troops-from-afghanistan-could-exact-very-high-price-nato-chief-stoltenberg-343712" hreflang="en">Hasty pullout of US &amp; allied troops from Afghanistan could exact 'very high' price: NATO chief Stoltenberg</a>

"It is a good step and in the interest of the people of both countries," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP, referring to the US and Afghanistan.

"The sooner the foreign forces leave, the more the war will be prevented."&nbsp;

Critics have expressed concerns that a precipitous departure could embolden the Taliban and erode gains made since 2001, when US-led forces ousted the hardline Islamists in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

The latest Pentagon move would see 2,000 US troops quit Afghanistan by January 15, less than a week before President-elect Joe Biden is expected to be sworn into office.

The withdrawal follows outgoing President Donald Trump's plan to end US military involvement in Afghanistan.

Under a deal signed February 29, the Trump administration agreed to pull all foreign forces from the country by May 2021.&nbsp;

In return, the Taliban promised not to attack US forces and said they would stop transnational jihadist groups like Al-Qaeda and Islamic State from operating in the country.

Germany, which has hundreds of troops in northern Afghanistan, on Wednesday said it was worried the speedy US withdrawal could affect the bid to find peace in Afghanistan.

"We are particularly concerned over what the US announcement could mean for the continuation of peace talks in Afghanistan," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said.

"We should not create additional hurdles -- something that a hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan would most certainly lead to".

The US-Taliban deal, signed in Doha, paved the way for peace talks to start between the Taliban and Afghan government on September 12.&nbsp;

In the months since, negotiators have made almost no tangible progress and talks now appeared stalled.

Afghan officials downplayed the US troop cut, which would leave about 2,500 American service members in Afghanistan after January 15.

"The Afghan security and defence forces are already conducting 96 percent of the operations independently and are prepared to continue to defend the country against our enemies," Afghan National Security Council spokesman Rahmatullah Andar said.

Since the US-Taliban deal, the Pentagon has shut several military bases across Afghanistan and rotated thousands of soldiers out of the country.

The Taliban on Wednesday welcomed the Pentagon's announcement it would soon pull about 2,000 US troops from Afghanistan as a "good step" that will help end the country's long-running conflict.

The Taliban on Wednesday welcomed the Pentagon's announcement it would soon pull about 2,000 US troops from Afghanistan as a "good step" that will help end the country's long-running conflict. The Pentagon announced Tuesday that the US will slash troop levels in Afghanistan and Iraq to their lowest levels in nearly 20 years of war after President Donald Trump pledged to end conflicts abroad. Also read| Hasty pullout of US & allied troops from Afghanistan could exact 'very high' price: NATO chief Stoltenberg "It is a good step and in the interest of the people of both countries," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP, referring to the US and Afghanistan. "The sooner the foreign forces leave, the more the war will be prevented." Critics have expressed concerns that a precipitous departure could embolden the Taliban and erode gains made since 2001, when US-led forces ousted the hardline Islamists in the wake of the September 11 attacks. The latest Pentagon move would see 2,000 US troops quit Afghanistan by January 15, less than a week before President-elect Joe Biden is expected to be sworn into office. The withdrawal follows outgoing President Donald Trump's plan to end US military involvement in Afghanistan. Under a deal signed February 29, the Trump administration agreed to pull all foreign forces from the country by May 2021. In return, the Taliban promised not to attack US forces and said they would stop transnational jihadist groups like Al-Qaeda and Islamic State from operating in the country. Germany, which has hundreds of troops in northern Afghanistan, on Wednesday said it was worried the speedy US withdrawal could affect the bid to find peace in Afghanistan. "We are particularly concerned over what the US announcement could mean for the continuation of peace talks in Afghanistan," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said. "We should not create additional hurdles -- something that a hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan would most certainly lead to". The US-Taliban deal, signed in Doha, paved the way for peace talks to start between the Taliban and Afghan government on September 12. In the months since, negotiators have made almost no tangible progress and talks now appeared stalled. Afghan officials downplayed the US troop cut, which would leave about 2,500 American service members in Afghanistan after January 15. "The Afghan security and defence forces are already conducting 96 percent of the operations independently and are prepared to continue to defend the country against our enemies," Afghan National Security Council spokesman Rahmatullah Andar said. Since the US-Taliban deal, the Pentagon has shut several military bases across Afghanistan and rotated thousands of soldiers out of the country.

Taliban welcome US troop drawdown from Afghanistan as 'good step'

Afghan govt has said that Pakistan Taliban had a role in the Helmand attacks and Afghan forces have killed around 200 Pakistani nationals involved in the incident.&nbsp;

Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian speaking to WION from Kabul said, &nbsp;"The Helmand attacks, planned by the Taliban, more than 200 Pakistani Taliban had participated in it and our Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) killed all the Taliban. This includes the Pakistani Taliban."

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-strongly-rejects-claims-of-its-territory-being-used-for-terror-acts-against-pakistan-343314">Afghanistan 'strongly' rejects claims of its territory being used for terror acts against Pakistan</a>

Helmand province in southern Afghanistan has a major uptick in violence in the last few weeks. The violence comes even as the US plans to withdraw from the country by Christmas, sparking concerns of Pakistan increasing its foothold in the country.&nbsp;

He highlighted that the Afghan and Pakistan Taliban has cooperation and "they had planned to attack ANDSF near the city of Helmand and district of Kandahar."&nbsp;

Adding, "It was a success for our forces and we have shared the list of Taliban commanders, including Pakistani Taliban. More than 300 Pakistani Taliban had participated in this. Our ANDSF had success in other provinces like Kunduz. "

He pointed out that in other provinces of Afghanistan, like Kandahar, "Taliban had planned attacks on ANDSF and response by us saw the killing of the Taliban, and they had casualties."

Taliban and the Afghan government are in talks in Doha, which are leading nowhere. &nbsp;This year saw 2 important pacts, the Taliban and US govt pact in February, and in September start of talks in Doha. Despite the signing of a pact, and the start of talks, the Taliban is unwilling to reduce violence in the country.&nbsp;

Afghan govt has said that Pakistan Taliban had a role in the Helmand attacks and Afghan forces have killed around 200 Pakistani nationals involved in the incident.

Afghan govt has said that Pakistan Taliban had a role in the Helmand attacks and Afghan forces have killed around 200 Pakistani nationals involved in the incident. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian speaking to WION from Kabul said, "The Helmand attacks, planned by the Taliban, more than 200 Pakistani Taliban had participated in it and our Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) killed all the Taliban. This includes the Pakistani Taliban." Also read | Afghanistan 'strongly' rejects claims of its territory being used for terror acts against Pakistan Helmand province in southern Afghanistan has a major uptick in violence in the last few weeks. The violence comes even as the US plans to withdraw from the country by Christmas, sparking concerns of Pakistan increasing its foothold in the country. He highlighted that the Afghan and Pakistan Taliban has cooperation and "they had planned to attack ANDSF near the city of Helmand and district of Kandahar." Adding, "It was a success for our forces and we have shared the list of Taliban commanders, including Pakistani Taliban. More than 300 Pakistani Taliban had participated in this. Our ANDSF had success in other provinces like Kunduz. " He pointed out that in other provinces of Afghanistan, like Kandahar, "Taliban had planned attacks on ANDSF and response by us saw the killing of the Taliban, and they had casualties." Taliban and the Afghan government are in talks in Doha, which are leading nowhere. This year saw 2 important pacts, the Taliban and US govt pact in February, and in September start of talks in Doha. Despite the signing of a pact, and the start of talks, the Taliban is unwilling to reduce violence in the country.

Pakistani Taliban was involved in Helmand attacks: Afghan Interior Minister spokesperson to WION

It is no surprise that several educational institutions in Pakistan give birth to extremism and radicalism, which eventually lead to terrorism.&nbsp;

And one such institution is Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary in Akora Khattak, about 60 kilometres (35 miles) east of Peshawar, which is dubbed as "university of jihad" by critics.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-strongly-rejects-claims-of-its-territory-being-used-for-terror-acts-against-pakistan-343314">Afghanistan 'strongly' rejects claims of its territory being used for terror acts against Pakistan</a>

Maulana Yousaf Shah, a known cleric of Haqqania, proudly shares the list of former students of the seminary that later joined Taliban and reached its top brass.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sharif-committed-highest-treason-by-targeting-military-leadership-pm-imran-khan-342918">Sharif committed 'highest treason' by targeting military leadership: PM Imran Khan</a>

"Russia was broken into pieces by the students and graduates of Darul Uloom Haqqania and America was also sent packing," said Shah to news agency AFP. &nbsp;

"We are proud."

About 4,000 students are currently admitted in this seminary, which gives them free food and education.&nbsp;

Several Pakistani and Afghan refugees have also been given education in this seminary, where they are taught to initiate war against the Russians and Americans or spread jihad.

Despite, the links with terrorism, it has been given state support.&nbsp;

Darul Uloom Haqqania's leaders this month proudly acknowledged supporting the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan in a video shared online, inviting the wrath of government in Kabul.&nbsp;

These institutions "give birth to radical jihadism, produce Taliban and are threatening our country", said Sediq Sediqqi, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's spokesman, demanding their shut down.&nbsp;

It is no surprise that several educational institutions in Pakistan give birth to extremism and radicalism, which eventually lead to terrorism. And one such institution is Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary in Akora Khattak, about 60 kilometres (35 miles) east of Peshawar, which is dubbed as "university of jihad" by critics.

It is no surprise that several educational institutions in Pakistan give birth to extremism and radicalism, which eventually lead to terrorism. And one such institution is Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary in Akora Khattak, about 60 kilometres (35 miles) east of Peshawar, which is dubbed as "university of jihad" by critics. Also read | Afghanistan 'strongly' rejects claims of its territory being used for terror acts against Pakistan Maulana Yousaf Shah, a known cleric of Haqqania, proudly shares the list of former students of the seminary that later joined Taliban and reached its top brass. Also read | Sharif committed 'highest treason' by targeting military leadership: PM Imran Khan "Russia was broken into pieces by the students and graduates of Darul Uloom Haqqania and America was also sent packing," said Shah to news agency AFP. "We are proud." About 4,000 students are currently admitted in this seminary, which gives them free food and education. Several Pakistani and Afghan refugees have also been given education in this seminary, where they are taught to initiate war against the Russians and Americans or spread jihad. Despite, the links with terrorism, it has been given state support. Darul Uloom Haqqania's leaders this month proudly acknowledged supporting the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan in a video shared online, inviting the wrath of government in Kabul. These institutions "give birth to radical jihadism, produce Taliban and are threatening our country", said Sediq Sediqqi, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's spokesman, demanding their shut down.

A look at Pakistan's 'university of jihad' which is proud of Taliban alumni

Five Talibani terrorists were killed on Saturday as Afghan police repelled an attack in Afghanistan's Kandahar province. Police spokesman said that another terrorist was injured.

"Last night, the Taliban attacked Yaro Qala and Maruf Qala [towns], including the seventh and eight [police] stations in Mianshin in Dand [districts]. Five terrorists were killed and one more was injured in the police counterattack," said Jamal Nasir Barakzai, a spokesman for the provincial police headquarters.

Taliban has not commented on the matter.

In a separate incident, five soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack. The attack took place in Khawaja Ghar district in Afghanistan`s northern Takhar province on Saturday, district governor Mohammad Omar Omar said

The armed terrorists stormed security checkpoints in Hawa Shinasi area outside district headquarters in the wee hours of Saturday, triggering a gun battle, the official said, adding that five soldiers were killed and five others injured in the fighting.He said the Taliban have suffered casualties but did not give an exact figure.

(With ANI inputs)

Five Talibani terrorists were killed on Saturday as Afghan police repelled an attack in Afghanistan's Kandahar province. Police spokesman said that another terrorist was injured.

Five Talibani terrorists were killed on Saturday as Afghan police repelled an attack in Afghanistan's Kandahar province. Police spokesman said that another terrorist was injured. "Last night, the Taliban attacked Yaro Qala and Maruf Qala [towns], including the seventh and eight [police] stations in Mianshin in Dand [districts]. Five terrorists were killed and one more was injured in the police counterattack," said Jamal Nasir Barakzai, a spokesman for the provincial police headquarters. Taliban has not commented on the matter. In a separate incident, five soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack. The attack took place in Khawaja Ghar district in Afghanistan`s northern Takhar province on Saturday, district governor Mohammad Omar Omar said The armed terrorists stormed security checkpoints in Hawa Shinasi area outside district headquarters in the wee hours of Saturday, triggering a gun battle, the official said, adding that five soldiers were killed and five others injured in the fighting.He said the Taliban have suffered casualties but did not give an exact figure. (With ANI inputs)

Five Taliban killed as Afghan police repel attack in Kandahar

KABUL, Afghanistan — Three U.S. presidents and 19 years later, it is President-elect Joe Biden’s turn to inherit the U.S. war in Afghanistan. The question that is leaving Afghans hanging is just how quickly he will remove troops.

It is a desperately difficult time for Afghanistan. U.S. troops, honoring President Donald Trump’s deal with the Taliban, are still on their way out of the country, despite the stalling of peace talks between the insurgency and the Afghan government, and a wave of intensified Taliban offensives near important cities.

Officials in Kabul are very aware that Americans are tired of the war — a fact made clear by a near absence of the issue in presidential debates, and by Biden’s seeming agreement with Trump’s desire to get out of Afghanistan.

“It is past time to end the forever wars, which have cost the United States untold blood and treasure,” Biden wrote in Foreign Affairs earlier this year. “As I have long argued, we should bring the vast majority of our troops home from the wars in Afghanistan and the Middle East and narrowly define our mission as defeating al-Qaida and the Islamic State (or ISIS)."

Still, in Biden, Afghan officials said they hoped to gain a less capricious and more communicative ally, though they know he is unlikely to stop the troop withdrawal.

“We understand there’s not going to be U-turn on the U.S. side on the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan,” said Nargis Nehan, a former minister of mines and petroleum under President Ashraf Ghani. “But under the leadership of the Biden administration, we hope and believe that it’s going to be done with a much more responsible strategy in comparison to the Trump administration.”

Both in Kabul and Washington, officials with knowledge of security briefings said there was fear that Trump might try to accelerate an all-out troop withdrawal in his final days in office — though the amount of American infrastructure still in the country would be physically impossible to remove by January, according to security officials.

A Pentagon shake-up in recent days, while Trump has sought to contest his election loss, has cast more confusion on the issue. Security officials said that Thursday, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Austin S. Miller, was traveling to Washington for consultations.

A spokesperson for the U.S.-led mission in Afghanistan, Col. Sonny Leggett, denied that Miller was going to Washington for consultations, saying instead that he was on “preplanned travel.”

American commanders, while careful not to contravene Trump in public, have warned that it was vital to keep the withdrawal contingent on the Taliban’s keeping their pledges.

Afghan officials are also publicly urging Biden to better support the stalled peace talks in Qatar, which some Afghans felt were pushed too hard by the Trump administration without enough protections for them. On Monday, Afghanistan’s second vice president, Sarwar Danesh, called on the incoming Biden administration to conduct a review of the Afghan peace process and to put more pressure on the Taliban to negotiate fairly.

A decade ago, as vice president in the Obama administration, Biden was the in-house skeptic of the war, pushing against the huge troop surge in Afghanistan that began in 2009.

For years, U.S. policymakers and officials likened the task of building new government institutions and modern security forces in Afghanistan in the middle of a war to building an airplane midflight. In 2009, Biden sought a different approach: to focus on international terrorist threats in Afghanistan and little else.

“I don’t think he has his changed his mind much since then: to get out of Afghanistan, let Afghans govern themselves, but keep a light footprint in the form of counterterrorism, primarily to ensure U.S. national security interests,” said Tamim Asey, a former Afghan deputy defense minister under Ghani.

That approach — keeping a small number of troops in Afghanistan as a counterterrorism force to keep al-Qaida and Islamic State group loyalists in check — has been urged by the Pentagon and some U.S. lawmakers.

In the Feb. 29 agreement with the United States that started the troop withdrawal, the Taliban agreed to publicly separate itself from al-Qaida — which was under the Taliban government’s protection when it launched the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — and to deny terrorist groups the use of Afghan territory as a haven. But the troop withdrawal has continued even though last month an al-Qaida leader was killed in a Taliban-controlled district in the country’s east, and there has been no evidence of any decisive severing of ties between the groups.

Afghan officials and analysts say they hope Biden will proceed more cautiously, and not be as likely to leave Afghanistan at the mercy of the Taliban and meddling neighbor countries.

“A commitment to defeating al-Qaida and the Islamic State is something that is part of Afghanistan’s formula for long-term stability and serves an important role here,” said Orzala Nemat, an independent researcher in Afghanistan. “A symbolic presence of international military forces balances this very weak position that Afghanistan is in the region, surrounded by nuclear powers.”

Biden “knows Afghanistan, he has been here a dozen times as a senator and he has interacted with many Afghan leaders,” said Asey, the former deputy defense minister.

Afghan officials were quick to note that Biden and Ghani have long been friendly toward each other. But Asey said that Biden also had a history of tension with other important Afghan officials — notably with former President Hamid Karzai, whom he told that Pakistan was “50 times more important” to the United States than Afghanistan, and whom he lectured about corruption.

One way that Afghan officials hope Biden can make a difference is by simply taking their concerns seriously. Some Afghan officials said they felt bullied by Trump and U.S. officials to accept terms with the Taliban they did not agree to, particularly on the mass release of Taliban prisoners.

Human rights activists said they were also concerned that the peace process included too few protections for women and ethnic and religious minorities. In that, they are hoping the U.S. Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris, can be an important voice as well.

“We hope she will be a strong advocate for Afghan women within the Biden administration,” said Nehan, the former mining minister, of Harris. “We felt abandoned by the Trump administration.”

“Whatever achievement in regards to women’s rights we are talking about does not just belong to Afghan women, it’s a universal achievement that we all have our own part in and a responsibility in protecting them,” she added.

While there are currently around 4,500 U.S. troops still in Afghanistan, Taliban officials have implied that the February deal would collapse if the incoming Biden administration prolongs the presence of U.S. forces in the country, including any counterterrorism forces.

But for now the Taliban leadership will watch and wait, as their fighters keep up their offensives.

The United States has responded by increasing airstrikes in defense of Afghan forces. While permitted under the February deal, anything drastically more under a new administration, such as attacking Taliban behind their front lines, could nullify the agreement.

October was the deadliest month in Afghanistan for civilians since September 2019, according to data compiled by The New York Times. At least 212 civilians were killed.

In a statement, the Taliban called the U.S. election and its outcome an “internal issue of the United States.”

“The Islamic Emirate would like to stress to the new American president-elect and future administration that implementation of the agreement is the most reasonable and effective tool for ending the conflict between both our countries,” the statement said.

But Qari Mohammad Farooq, a Taliban shadow district governor in Jowzjan province, laid it out plainly.

“I heard that Joe Biden won, but none of them are good for us,” Farooq said. “For me it doesn’t matter who won, but it is important that they must leave.”

KABUL, Afghanistan — Three U.S. presidents and 19 years later, it is President-elect Joe Biden’s turn to inherit the U.S. war in Afghanistan. The question that is leaving Afghans hanging is just how quickly he will remove troops.

KABUL, Afghanistan — Three U.S. presidents and 19 years later, it is President-elect Joe Biden’s turn to inherit the U.S. war in Afghanistan. The question that is leaving Afghans hanging is just how quickly he will remove troops. It is a desperately difficult time for Afghanistan. U.S. troops, honoring President Donald Trump’s deal with the Taliban, are still on their way out of the country, despite the stalling of peace talks between the insurgency and the Afghan government, and a wave of intensified Taliban offensives near important cities. Officials in Kabul are very aware that Americans are tired of the war — a fact made clear by a near absence of the issue in presidential debates, and by Biden’s seeming agreement with Trump’s desire to get out of Afghanistan. “It is past time to end the forever wars, which have cost the United States untold blood and treasure,” Biden wrote in Foreign Affairs earlier this year. “As I have long argued, we should bring the vast majority of our troops home from the wars in Afghanistan and the Middle East and narrowly define our mission as defeating al-Qaida and the Islamic State (or ISIS)." Still, in Biden, Afghan officials said they hoped to gain a less capricious and more communicative ally, though they know he is unlikely to stop the troop withdrawal. “We understand there’s not going to be U-turn on the U.S. side on the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan,” said Nargis Nehan, a former minister of mines and petroleum under President Ashraf Ghani. “But under the leadership of the Biden administration, we hope and believe that it’s going to be done with a much more responsible strategy in comparison to the Trump administration.” Both in Kabul and Washington, officials with knowledge of security briefings said there was fear that Trump might try to accelerate an all-out troop withdrawal in his final days in office — though the amount of American infrastructure still in the country would be physically impossible to remove by January, according to security officials. A Pentagon shake-up in recent days, while Trump has sought to contest his election loss, has cast more confusion on the issue. Security officials said that Thursday, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Austin S. Miller, was traveling to Washington for consultations. A spokesperson for the U.S.-led mission in Afghanistan, Col. Sonny Leggett, denied that Miller was going to Washington for consultations, saying instead that he was on “preplanned travel.” American commanders, while careful not to contravene Trump in public, have warned that it was vital to keep the withdrawal contingent on the Taliban’s keeping their pledges. Afghan officials are also publicly urging Biden to better support the stalled peace talks in Qatar, which some Afghans felt were pushed too hard by the Trump administration without enough protections for them. On Monday, Afghanistan’s second vice president, Sarwar Danesh, called on the incoming Biden administration to conduct a review of the Afghan peace process and to put more pressure on the Taliban to negotiate fairly. A decade ago, as vice president in the Obama administration, Biden was the in-house skeptic of the war, pushing against the huge troop surge in Afghanistan that began in 2009. For years, U.S. policymakers and officials likened the task of building new government institutions and modern security forces in Afghanistan in the middle of a war to building an airplane midflight. In 2009, Biden sought a different approach: to focus on international terrorist threats in Afghanistan and little else. “I don’t think he has his changed his mind much since then: to get out of Afghanistan, let Afghans govern themselves, but keep a light footprint in the form of counterterrorism, primarily to ensure U.S. national security interests,” said Tamim Asey, a former Afghan deputy defense minister under Ghani. That approach — keeping a small number of troops in Afghanistan as a counterterrorism force to keep al-Qaida and Islamic State group loyalists in check — has been urged by the Pentagon and some U.S. lawmakers. In the Feb. 29 agreement with the United States that started the troop withdrawal, the Taliban agreed to publicly separate itself from al-Qaida — which was under the Taliban government’s protection when it launched the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — and to deny terrorist groups the use of Afghan territory as a haven. But the troop withdrawal has continued even though last month an al-Qaida leader was killed in a Taliban-controlled district in the country’s east, and there has been no evidence of any decisive severing of ties between the groups. Afghan officials and analysts say they hope Biden will proceed more cautiously, and not be as likely to leave Afghanistan at the mercy of the Taliban and meddling neighbor countries. “A commitment to defeating al-Qaida and the Islamic State is something that is part of Afghanistan’s formula for long-term stability and serves an important role here,” said Orzala Nemat, an independent researcher in Afghanistan. “A symbolic presence of international military forces balances this very weak position that Afghanistan is in the region, surrounded by nuclear powers.” Biden “knows Afghanistan, he has been here a dozen times as a senator and he has interacted with many Afghan leaders,” said Asey, the former deputy defense minister. Afghan officials were quick to note that Biden and Ghani have long been friendly toward each other. But Asey said that Biden also had a history of tension with other important Afghan officials — notably with former President Hamid Karzai, whom he told that Pakistan was “50 times more important” to the United States than Afghanistan, and whom he lectured about corruption. One way that Afghan officials hope Biden can make a difference is by simply taking their concerns seriously. Some Afghan officials said they felt bullied by Trump and U.S. officials to accept terms with the Taliban they did not agree to, particularly on the mass release of Taliban prisoners. Human rights activists said they were also concerned that the peace process included too few protections for women and ethnic and religious minorities. In that, they are hoping the U.S. Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris, can be an important voice as well. “We hope she will be a strong advocate for Afghan women within the Biden administration,” said Nehan, the former mining minister, of Harris. “We felt abandoned by the Trump administration.” “Whatever achievement in regards to women’s rights we are talking about does not just belong to Afghan women, it’s a universal achievement that we all have our own part in and a responsibility in protecting them,” she added. While there are currently around 4,500 U.S. troops still in Afghanistan, Taliban officials have implied that the February deal would collapse if the incoming Biden administration prolongs the presence of U.S. forces in the country, including any counterterrorism forces. But for now the Taliban leadership will watch and wait, as their fighters keep up their offensives. The United States has responded by increasing airstrikes in defense of Afghan forces. While permitted under the February deal, anything drastically more under a new administration, such as attacking Taliban behind their front lines, could nullify the agreement. October was the deadliest month in Afghanistan for civilians since September 2019, according to data compiled by The New York Times. At least 212 civilians were killed. In a statement, the Taliban called the U.S. election and its outcome an “internal issue of the United States.” “The Islamic Emirate would like to stress to the new American president-elect and future administration that implementation of the agreement is the most reasonable and effective tool for ending the conflict between both our countries,” the statement said. But Qari Mohammad Farooq, a Taliban shadow district governor in Jowzjan province, laid it out plainly. “I heard that Joe Biden won, but none of them are good for us,” Farooq said. “For me it doesn’t matter who won, but it is important that they must leave.”

US troops are still leaving, but Afghans hope Biden will help

A famous journalist, the father of an oft-threatened mayor and at least 22 others, many of them university students — all were killed within the span of a week in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, the victims of targeted assassinations and a terrorist attack.

The series of assaults, while highlighting a city under violent siege, has also exposed growing, and very public, discontent with an Afghan government unable to protect its people despite its many public promises.

The public cry for security has juxtaposed starkly with the stalled peace negotiations between Afghan and Taliban officials in Doha, Qatar, where both parties have haggled for weeks over ground rules for the talks with little progress.

Hundreds of miles away from the gilded ballrooms and fancy hotels in Doha, rising violence across Afghanistan has left many deeply skeptical of the notion that the talks could reach a peaceful resolution anytime soon.

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That has been especially acute in Kabul, where constant targeted killings, carried out by unnamed attackers, have bred an environment of fear and anxiety. In rural areas across the country, daily life is dominated by pitched battles between the Taliban and the government.

October was the deadliest month in Afghanistan for civilians since September 2019, according to data compiled by The New York Times. At least 212 civilians were killed.

The most recent was Yama Siawash, a former anchor for Tolo News, Afghanistan’s first 24-hour news network, who was killed Saturday morning, along with two others. The cause of death: a magnetic bomb — a signature weapon of the unclaimed attacks that have become commonplace around the capital. His death was a discouraging coda to a violent week.

Siawash’s close friend and former colleague, Parwiz Shamal, pointed to the Afghan government’s failures before singling out the attackers.

“I have no faith in the government. They can’t control anything. We see that day by day the situation gets worse,” Shamal said. “The government is literally like a grasshoppers’ group. They jump from one thing to another without any plan. People die on a daily basis and the government doesn’t bother to provide them with security.”

Two days earlier, Abdul Wasi Ghafari, an Afghan army colonel and the father of Zarifa Ghafari, one of Afghanistan’s first female mayors, herself often threatened, was shot at close-range in front of his house in Kabul, even as the military was warning that he could be attacked.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-forces-receive-military-vehicles-from-us-341089" hreflang="en">Afghanistan forces receive military vehicles from US</a>

The Taliban claimed credit for the killing, though the insurgent group often uses unclaimed attacks as well to spread fear and undercut the Afghan government — all while trying to avoid committing high-profile urban assaults under a February agreement with the United States that encouraged, but did not say outright, that all sides would reduce violence.

In turn, under that deal, all U.S. troops would eventually withdraw from the country, and direct Afghan-Taliban negotiations would get underway following the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners. Those talks began in September.

After a surge of crime and violence in Kabul this fall, President Ashraf Ghani appointed the senior vice president, Amrullah Saleh, to take charge of security in the capital, so far with mixed results.

“There have been a lot of statements and meetings by the government,” Shaharzad Akbar, the chairwoman of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, said of the rise in violence. “But when you look at the daily life of civilians they don’t see an increased confidence in their security.”

Saleh’s plan, called the “Kabul Security Compact,” has drawn critical public scrutiny, particularly his decision to post pictures across Kabul, some drawn from social media, of people accused of crimes, detailing their offensives on the posters. But in at least two instances, an Afghan official said, officials mistakenly used photos of people not accused of a crime.

“I think everyone in Kabul feels unsafe, they feel like the government isn’t delivering,” said Said Sabir Ibrahimi, an Afghan researcher at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation. “The Ghani administration is focusing on individuals by giving Saleh the security profile as if it’s a silver bullet.”

“At the end of the day, the issue is much deeper,” he said.

A famous journalist, the father of an oft-threatened mayor and at least 22 others, many of them university students — all were killed within the span of a week in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, the victims of targeted assassinations and a terrorist attack.

A famous journalist, the father of an oft-threatened mayor and at least 22 others, many of them university students — all were killed within the span of a week in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, the victims of targeted assassinations and a terrorist attack. The series of assaults, while highlighting a city under violent siege, has also exposed growing, and very public, discontent with an Afghan government unable to protect its people despite its many public promises. The public cry for security has juxtaposed starkly with the stalled peace negotiations between Afghan and Taliban officials in Doha, Qatar, where both parties have haggled for weeks over ground rules for the talks with little progress. Hundreds of miles away from the gilded ballrooms and fancy hotels in Doha, rising violence across Afghanistan has left many deeply skeptical of the notion that the talks could reach a peaceful resolution anytime soon. Also read| Afghanistan: Former TV presenter killed in bomb attack That has been especially acute in Kabul, where constant targeted killings, carried out by unnamed attackers, have bred an environment of fear and anxiety. In rural areas across the country, daily life is dominated by pitched battles between the Taliban and the government. October was the deadliest month in Afghanistan for civilians since September 2019, according to data compiled by The New York Times. At least 212 civilians were killed. The most recent was Yama Siawash, a former anchor for Tolo News, Afghanistan’s first 24-hour news network, who was killed Saturday morning, along with two others. The cause of death: a magnetic bomb — a signature weapon of the unclaimed attacks that have become commonplace around the capital. His death was a discouraging coda to a violent week. Siawash’s close friend and former colleague, Parwiz Shamal, pointed to the Afghan government’s failures before singling out the attackers. “I have no faith in the government. They can’t control anything. We see that day by day the situation gets worse,” Shamal said. “The government is literally like a grasshoppers’ group. They jump from one thing to another without any plan. People die on a daily basis and the government doesn’t bother to provide them with security.” Two days earlier, Abdul Wasi Ghafari, an Afghan army colonel and the father of Zarifa Ghafari, one of Afghanistan’s first female mayors, herself often threatened, was shot at close-range in front of his house in Kabul, even as the military was warning that he could be attacked. Also read| Afghanistan forces receive military vehicles from US The Taliban claimed credit for the killing, though the insurgent group often uses unclaimed attacks as well to spread fear and undercut the Afghan government — all while trying to avoid committing high-profile urban assaults under a February agreement with the United States that encouraged, but did not say outright, that all sides would reduce violence. In turn, under that deal, all U.S. troops would eventually withdraw from the country, and direct Afghan-Taliban negotiations would get underway following the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners. Those talks began in September. After a surge of crime and violence in Kabul this fall, President Ashraf Ghani appointed the senior vice president, Amrullah Saleh, to take charge of security in the capital, so far with mixed results. “There have been a lot of statements and meetings by the government,” Shaharzad Akbar, the chairwoman of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, said of the rise in violence. “But when you look at the daily life of civilians they don’t see an increased confidence in their security.” Saleh’s plan, called the “Kabul Security Compact,” has drawn critical public scrutiny, particularly his decision to post pictures across Kabul, some drawn from social media, of people accused of crimes, detailing their offensives on the posters. But in at least two instances, an Afghan official said, officials mistakenly used photos of people not accused of a crime. “I think everyone in Kabul feels unsafe, they feel like the government isn’t delivering,” said Said Sabir Ibrahimi, an Afghan researcher at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation. “The Ghani administration is focusing on individuals by giving Saleh the security profile as if it’s a silver bullet.” “At the end of the day, the issue is much deeper,” he said.

String of attacks have people in Kabul pointing a finger, at the government

Senior American diplomat Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad who is the US special representative for Afghan reconciliation has landed in Islamabad to meet with Pakistan government and military's top brass to seek support towards a political solution to the ongoing unrest in Afghanistan.

Khalilzad, who landed here on Monday, has met with the Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi where detailed discussion on the "regional security situation and Afghan peace process" was discussed.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/international-donors-likely-to-pledge-less-aid-for-afghanistan-sources-340115">International donors likely to pledge less aid for Afghanistan: Sources</a>

"Regional security situation and Afghan peace process -- with particular reference to border management -- as well as way forward for a lasting peace in Afghanistan were discussed during the meeting," stated official press release of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

During the meeting, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt General Faiz Hameed and other senior officials were also present.

The ISPR maintained that Khalilzad appreciated Pakistan's efforts in facilitating the peace through dialogue process forward. While the ISPR press release did not share more details into the meeting, analysts say that the increase in short visits of Khalilzad to Pakistan are aimed at seeking help in persuading the Taliban for a ceasefire in Afghanistan.

"The flurry of visits by the top US diplomat is part of efforts to convince the Taliban for a ceasefire of at least reduction in violence," stated Kamran Yousaf, a senior analyst.

However, the Taliban till now have refrained from agreeing to announce the ceasefire, maintaining that it would be part of the overall agreement that may be reached through the intra-Afghan dialogue, which are currently going on in Doha.

Even though Intra-Afghan dialogue is in process, terror attacks and loss of innocent lives has continued unabated in Afghanistan. On Monday, Kabul was rocked by a deadly terrorist attack, targeted at Kabul University, claiming several lives of students and teachers.

The Taliban, however, did not claim responsibility for the attack.

Pakistan condemned the attack calling it a "mindless terrorist attack".

"Pakistan strongly condemns the mindless attack at Kabul University today, resulting in loss of so many precious lives and injuries to many more. This act of terrorism is particularly despicable as it targeted an institution of learning," read a statement from the Pakistan foreign office.

It is believed that Washington has serious concerns over the ongoing violence in Afghanistan and Khalilzad's frequent visits and meeting with Pakistan's military establishment are aimed at seeking Islamabad's help to convince Taliban to either announce ceasefire or reduce terror attacks at a time when Intra-Afghan dialogue is in process.

Senior American diplomat Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad who is the US special representative for Afghan reconciliation has landed in Islamabad to meet with Pakistan government and military's top brass to seek support towards a political solution to the ongoing unrest in Afghanistan.

Senior American diplomat Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad who is the US special representative for Afghan reconciliation has landed in Islamabad to meet with Pakistan government and military's top brass to seek support towards a political solution to the ongoing unrest in Afghanistan. Khalilzad, who landed here on Monday, has met with the Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi where detailed discussion on the "regional security situation and Afghan peace process" was discussed. Also read | International donors likely to pledge less aid for Afghanistan: Sources "Regional security situation and Afghan peace process -- with particular reference to border management -- as well as way forward for a lasting peace in Afghanistan were discussed during the meeting," stated official press release of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). During the meeting, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt General Faiz Hameed and other senior officials were also present. The ISPR maintained that Khalilzad appreciated Pakistan's efforts in facilitating the peace through dialogue process forward. While the ISPR press release did not share more details into the meeting, analysts say that the increase in short visits of Khalilzad to Pakistan are aimed at seeking help in persuading the Taliban for a ceasefire in Afghanistan. "The flurry of visits by the top US diplomat is part of efforts to convince the Taliban for a ceasefire of at least reduction in violence," stated Kamran Yousaf, a senior analyst. However, the Taliban till now have refrained from agreeing to announce the ceasefire, maintaining that it would be part of the overall agreement that may be reached through the intra-Afghan dialogue, which are currently going on in Doha. Even though Intra-Afghan dialogue is in process, terror attacks and loss of innocent lives has continued unabated in Afghanistan. On Monday, Kabul was rocked by a deadly terrorist attack, targeted at Kabul University, claiming several lives of students and teachers. The Taliban, however, did not claim responsibility for the attack. Pakistan condemned the attack calling it a "mindless terrorist attack". "Pakistan strongly condemns the mindless attack at Kabul University today, resulting in loss of so many precious lives and injuries to many more. This act of terrorism is particularly despicable as it targeted an institution of learning," read a statement from the Pakistan foreign office. It is believed that Washington has serious concerns over the ongoing violence in Afghanistan and Khalilzad's frequent visits and meeting with Pakistan's military establishment are aimed at seeking Islamabad's help to convince Taliban to either announce ceasefire or reduce terror attacks at a time when Intra-Afghan dialogue is in process.

Khalilzad seeks Pak military help to push Afghan peace forward

Afghanistan is likely to receive reduced pledges for aid from international donors gathering in Geneva next month, three sources familiar with discussions said, amid uncertainty over how the government's peace talks with the Taliban will progress.

Washington is hoping the intra-Afghan peace process will eventually bring the curtain down on the United States' longest war, as it plans to withdraw the remaining few thousand personnel still in Afghanistan by May.

But the withdrawal of foreign forces will leave behind a country still dependent on foreign aid, and one in which the Taliban could secure greater influence, making donors uneasy over whether the hardline Islamists will try to roll back progress made on human rights and girls education.

The Taliban did not respond to requests for comment on the concerns, and it was not known whether their representatives would be invited to the donors conference in Geneva on Nov. 23/24.

But some analysts see foreign aid as vital in helping donors shape policies of any future Afghan government.

"It's one of the primary forms of leverage the U.S. and international community believe they have over the Taliban," said Andrew Watkins, an analyst covering Afghanistan for International Crisis Group. "Any future Afghan state will rely on foreign aid almost as much as the current one does."

The impact of the coronavirus epidemic this year has made Afghanistan's plight worse, with government revenues sinking, and unemployment and poverty projected to rise dramatically.

Yet, donors are likely to tell Afghanistan to expect, possibly significantly, less aid, while also imposing stricter conditions and committing funds for a shorter period, said the three sources, who declined to be named because the discussions are private.

All three sources said the United States, Afghanistan's largest donor, is likely to make deep cuts to its current annual contribution of around $800 million for civilian funding, beyond the money allocated for defence and security needs.

One said Washington could not only "cut aid by half", but could also move "away from a four-year-commitment cycle" to pledge funds for just a year.

Other NATO members like Britain and France were also considering reducing pledges, while Australia was planning cuts of up to 30%, two sources said.

The U.S. State Department and Australia's department of foreign affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment. France's Embassy in Kabul declined to comment and the British Foreign Office did not respond to questions around its plans on aid pledges.

Switching to annual reviews

Dozens of donor nations and multilateral institutions have met every four years to pledge the billions of dollars that fund roughly three-quarters of the Afghan government's budget.

The aid is largely pledged to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), a World Bank managed fund that finances vital national priority programs in a country where the United States has been fighting for 19 years.

At the last donor conference in Brussels four years ago, donors pledged $15.2 billion in aid to support Afghanistan between 2017-2020, an equivalent to $3.8 billion per year.

A spokesman at Afghanistan's finance ministry said it was premature to comment on aid figures, but the government did not expect any reductions in pledges.

Finland's foreign minister Pekka Haavisto, whose government is co-organising the Geneva meeting, said one major change will be a switch to reviewing funding annually, rather every four years.

He said "strict conditions" would be applied during reviews to address donor concerns about corruption, and to safeguard progress made on rights issues since U.S. backed forces ousted a Taliban government in 2001.

"The donor community don't want to lose the achievements of the last 19 years," Haavisto told Reuters. "The best answer has been yearly check-ups and clear conditionality."

Afghanistan is likely to receive reduced pledges for aid from international donors gathering in Geneva next month, three sources familiar with discussions said, amid uncertainty over how the government's peace talks with the Taliban will progress.

Afghanistan is likely to receive reduced pledges for aid from international donors gathering in Geneva next month, three sources familiar with discussions said, amid uncertainty over how the government's peace talks with the Taliban will progress. Washington is hoping the intra-Afghan peace process will eventually bring the curtain down on the United States' longest war, as it plans to withdraw the remaining few thousand personnel still in Afghanistan by May. But the withdrawal of foreign forces will leave behind a country still dependent on foreign aid, and one in which the Taliban could secure greater influence, making donors uneasy over whether the hardline Islamists will try to roll back progress made on human rights and girls education. The Taliban did not respond to requests for comment on the concerns, and it was not known whether their representatives would be invited to the donors conference in Geneva on Nov. 23/24. But some analysts see foreign aid as vital in helping donors shape policies of any future Afghan government. "It's one of the primary forms of leverage the U.S. and international community believe they have over the Taliban," said Andrew Watkins, an analyst covering Afghanistan for International Crisis Group. "Any future Afghan state will rely on foreign aid almost as much as the current one does." The impact of the coronavirus epidemic this year has made Afghanistan's plight worse, with government revenues sinking, and unemployment and poverty projected to rise dramatically. Yet, donors are likely to tell Afghanistan to expect, possibly significantly, less aid, while also imposing stricter conditions and committing funds for a shorter period, said the three sources, who declined to be named because the discussions are private. All three sources said the United States, Afghanistan's largest donor, is likely to make deep cuts to its current annual contribution of around $800 million for civilian funding, beyond the money allocated for defence and security needs. One said Washington could not only "cut aid by half", but could also move "away from a four-year-commitment cycle" to pledge funds for just a year. Other NATO members like Britain and France were also considering reducing pledges, while Australia was planning cuts of up to 30%, two sources said. The U.S. State Department and Australia's department of foreign affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment. France's Embassy in Kabul declined to comment and the British Foreign Office did not respond to questions around its plans on aid pledges. Switching to annual reviews Dozens of donor nations and multilateral institutions have met every four years to pledge the billions of dollars that fund roughly three-quarters of the Afghan government's budget. The aid is largely pledged to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), a World Bank managed fund that finances vital national priority programs in a country where the United States has been fighting for 19 years. At the last donor conference in Brussels four years ago, donors pledged $15.2 billion in aid to support Afghanistan between 2017-2020, an equivalent to $3.8 billion per year. A spokesman at Afghanistan's finance ministry said it was premature to comment on aid figures, but the government did not expect any reductions in pledges. Finland's foreign minister Pekka Haavisto, whose government is co-organising the Geneva meeting, said one major change will be a switch to reviewing funding annually, rather every four years. He said "strict conditions" would be applied during reviews to address donor concerns about corruption, and to safeguard progress made on rights issues since U.S. backed forces ousted a Taliban government in 2001. "The donor community don't want to lose the achievements of the last 19 years," Haavisto told Reuters. "The best answer has been yearly check-ups and clear conditionality."

International donors likely to pledge less aid for Afghanistan: Sources

Twelve years after a New York Times journalist and two others were taken hostage at gunpoint in Afghanistan and held for more than seven months, an Afghan man has been arrested and charged in the kidnapping, federal authorities said Wednesday.

The man, Haji Najibullah, who has been described as a former Taliban commander, was ordered detained in by a federal magistrate judge in Manhattan on Wednesday.

The journalist, David Rohde, as well as an Afghan journalist, Tahir Ludin, eventually made a desperate nighttime escape in June 2009 from the second floor of a Taliban compound in North Waziristan, in Pakistan’s tribal areas, that included dropping down a high wall with a rope and making their way to a Pakistani militia post. The third hostage, Asadullah Mangal, their driver, did not escape with them but managed to flee five weeks later.

A federal indictment unsealed Wednesday charges Najibullah, 42, with six counts, including kidnapping, hostage taking, conspiracy and using a machine gun in furtherance of violent crimes. Each count carries a potential life sentence.

The circumstances of Najibullah’s capture and arrest were not described in a news release issued along with the indictment, but it said he had been transferred to the United States from Ukraine.

Rohde declined to comment on the news of Najibullah’s arrest.

The indictment unsealed Wednesday is dated 2014, which shows that authorities had maintained it under seal until they were able to carry out Najibullah’s arrest.

“Najibullah’s alleged reprehensible actions over a decade ago earned him a flight to the U.S. yesterday,” William Sweeney Jr., head of the FBI’s New York office, said Wednesday.

Audrey Strauss, the acting U.S. attorney in Manhattan, added that Najibullah’s prosecution “shows that law enforcement will never stop in our mission to hold accountable those who commit violent crimes against American citizens.”

Najibullah was taken before the judge remotely, with the proceedings handled over the phone because of the pandemic. A Pashto interpreter translated the proceedings for Najibullah. Afterward, Mark B. Gombiner, Najibullah’s federal public defender, declined to comment.

Rohde, Ludin, who was assisting Rohde as an interpreter, and Mangal were abducted Nov. 10, 2008, outside Kabul, Afghanistan, during a trip on which Rohde was to interview a Taliban commander in Logar province, south of Kabul.

Rohde has written that the commander he was to interview was called Abu Tayeb, which the indictment says was an alias used by Najibullah.

Ludin, in an interview with the Times after his release, said that the commander had granted previous interviews to foreign journalists and had built a degree of trust. Ludin said the commander had betrayed that trust by directly orchestrating the kidnapping.

After their abduction, Rohde and the two other hostages, escorted by a half-dozen armed guards, were forced to hike across the border from Afghanistan to Pakistan, the indictment said.

The kidnappers ordered the hostages to make calls and videos seeking help, authorities said.

At one point, Najibullah ordered Rhode to call his wife in New York using a satellite phone, and another time, Najibullah recorded a video of Rohde begging for help while the barrel of a machine gun was pointed at his face, according to the indictment.

Najibullah, whose first name also has been spelled Hajji, was identified in a 2014 Times article as the nominal leader of Feday-e-Mahaz, which has been described as a radical offshoot of the Taliban. In 2014, the group claimed responsibility for the killing of Nils Horner, a Swedish journalist in Kabul.

Najibullah was still affiliated with the Taliban during the abduction of Rohde and his colleagues, though he appears to have later broken away after the Taliban acknowledged that they were exploring the possibility of holding peace talks, The Times reported.

Rohde, in a series of articles after his release, said he was traveling with his two colleagues to see a Taliban commander who had invited him for an interview when armed men surrounded their car.

“We reached a dry riverbed, and the car stopped,” Rohde wrote. “‘They’re going to kill us,’ Tahir whispered. ‘They’re going to kill us.’

“Tahir and Asad were ordered out of the car. Gunmen from a second vehicle began beating them with their rifle butts and led them away. I was told to get out of the car and take a few steps up a sand-covered hillside.

“While one guard pointed his Kalashnikov at me, the other took my glasses, notebook, pen and camera. I was blindfolded, my hands tied behind my back. My heart raced. Sweat poured from my skin.”

Rohde wrote that five weeks after he and Ludin escaped, the third hostage, Mangal, fled after a guard left him alone, and he was able to make his way to the Afghan border.

The indictment also charged two other men, who apparently remain fugitives. One was identified as Timor Shah, described as the head guard of the three hostages during the last six months of their captivity. The other, Akhund Zada, was described as one of the armed guards who forced the hostages to hike across the border into Pakistan after their abduction.

Throughout the ordeal, until word of Rohde’s escape, the Times sought to keep the abduction secret, concluding that not reporting on it would lessen the risk to the lives of Rohde and the others. The Times persuaded other news organizations not to report on the abduction as well and even managed to keep it off the Wikipedia website.

Rohde, who is now executive editor for news of newyorker.com, is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize. Besides The Times, he also has worked for Reuters and The Christian Science Monitor, and he covered the wars in Afghanistan and Bosnia.

The possibility of abduction — and perhaps death at the hands of the abductors — has been one of the biggest risks confronting journalists covering the wars that have punctuated the Middle East and Afghanistan for the past two decades.

Besides Rohde, former Times journalist Stephen Farrell was held in Afghanistan for four days in September 2009. A few years later, Farrell, along with three other journalists working for the Times — Anthony Shadid, Tyler Hicks and Lynsey Addario — were held for six days in Libya during the uprising against Moammar Gadhafi.

Syria has been especially dangerous. James Foley, a freelance journalist for GlobalPost, an international news website, was abducted in Syria by Islamic State group militants in 2012 and killed in 2014. Austin Tice, a freelance journalist who had contributed to The Washington Post, McClatchy and other news organizations, was believed to have been abducted in Syria in 2012. His parents have said they believe he is still alive.

Twelve years after a New York Times journalist and two others were taken hostage at gunpoint in Afghanistan and held for more than seven months, an Afghan man has been arrested and charged in the kidnapping, federal authorities said Wednesday.

Twelve years after a New York Times journalist and two others were taken hostage at gunpoint in Afghanistan and held for more than seven months, an Afghan man has been arrested and charged in the kidnapping, federal authorities said Wednesday. The man, Haji Najibullah, who has been described as a former Taliban commander, was ordered detained in by a federal magistrate judge in Manhattan on Wednesday. The journalist, David Rohde, as well as an Afghan journalist, Tahir Ludin, eventually made a desperate nighttime escape in June 2009 from the second floor of a Taliban compound in North Waziristan, in Pakistan’s tribal areas, that included dropping down a high wall with a rope and making their way to a Pakistani militia post. The third hostage, Asadullah Mangal, their driver, did not escape with them but managed to flee five weeks later. A federal indictment unsealed Wednesday charges Najibullah, 42, with six counts, including kidnapping, hostage taking, conspiracy and using a machine gun in furtherance of violent crimes. Each count carries a potential life sentence. The circumstances of Najibullah’s capture and arrest were not described in a news release issued along with the indictment, but it said he had been transferred to the United States from Ukraine. Rohde declined to comment on the news of Najibullah’s arrest. The indictment unsealed Wednesday is dated 2014, which shows that authorities had maintained it under seal until they were able to carry out Najibullah’s arrest. “Najibullah’s alleged reprehensible actions over a decade ago earned him a flight to the U.S. yesterday,” William Sweeney Jr., head of the FBI’s New York office, said Wednesday. Audrey Strauss, the acting U.S. attorney in Manhattan, added that Najibullah’s prosecution “shows that law enforcement will never stop in our mission to hold accountable those who commit violent crimes against American citizens.” Najibullah was taken before the judge remotely, with the proceedings handled over the phone because of the pandemic. A Pashto interpreter translated the proceedings for Najibullah. Afterward, Mark B. Gombiner, Najibullah’s federal public defender, declined to comment. Rohde, Ludin, who was assisting Rohde as an interpreter, and Mangal were abducted Nov. 10, 2008, outside Kabul, Afghanistan, during a trip on which Rohde was to interview a Taliban commander in Logar province, south of Kabul. Rohde has written that the commander he was to interview was called Abu Tayeb, which the indictment says was an alias used by Najibullah. Ludin, in an interview with the Times after his release, said that the commander had granted previous interviews to foreign journalists and had built a degree of trust. Ludin said the commander had betrayed that trust by directly orchestrating the kidnapping. After their abduction, Rohde and the two other hostages, escorted by a half-dozen armed guards, were forced to hike across the border from Afghanistan to Pakistan, the indictment said. The kidnappers ordered the hostages to make calls and videos seeking help, authorities said. At one point, Najibullah ordered Rhode to call his wife in New York using a satellite phone, and another time, Najibullah recorded a video of Rohde begging for help while the barrel of a machine gun was pointed at his face, according to the indictment. Najibullah, whose first name also has been spelled Hajji, was identified in a 2014 Times article as the nominal leader of Feday-e-Mahaz, which has been described as a radical offshoot of the Taliban. In 2014, the group claimed responsibility for the killing of Nils Horner, a Swedish journalist in Kabul. Najibullah was still affiliated with the Taliban during the abduction of Rohde and his colleagues, though he appears to have later broken away after the Taliban acknowledged that they were exploring the possibility of holding peace talks, The Times reported. Rohde, in a series of articles after his release, said he was traveling with his two colleagues to see a Taliban commander who had invited him for an interview when armed men surrounded their car. “We reached a dry riverbed, and the car stopped,” Rohde wrote. “‘They’re going to kill us,’ Tahir whispered. ‘They’re going to kill us.’ “Tahir and Asad were ordered out of the car. Gunmen from a second vehicle began beating them with their rifle butts and led them away. I was told to get out of the car and take a few steps up a sand-covered hillside. “While one guard pointed his Kalashnikov at me, the other took my glasses, notebook, pen and camera. I was blindfolded, my hands tied behind my back. My heart raced. Sweat poured from my skin.” Rohde wrote that five weeks after he and Ludin escaped, the third hostage, Mangal, fled after a guard left him alone, and he was able to make his way to the Afghan border. The indictment also charged two other men, who apparently remain fugitives. One was identified as Timor Shah, described as the head guard of the three hostages during the last six months of their captivity. The other, Akhund Zada, was described as one of the armed guards who forced the hostages to hike across the border into Pakistan after their abduction. Throughout the ordeal, until word of Rohde’s escape, the Times sought to keep the abduction secret, concluding that not reporting on it would lessen the risk to the lives of Rohde and the others. The Times persuaded other news organizations not to report on the abduction as well and even managed to keep it off the Wikipedia website. Rohde, who is now executive editor for news of newyorker.com, is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize. Besides The Times, he also has worked for Reuters and The Christian Science Monitor, and he covered the wars in Afghanistan and Bosnia. The possibility of abduction — and perhaps death at the hands of the abductors — has been one of the biggest risks confronting journalists covering the wars that have punctuated the Middle East and Afghanistan for the past two decades. Besides Rohde, former Times journalist Stephen Farrell was held in Afghanistan for four days in September 2009. A few years later, Farrell, along with three other journalists working for the Times — Anthony Shadid, Tyler Hicks and Lynsey Addario — were held for six days in Libya during the uprising against Moammar Gadhafi. Syria has been especially dangerous. James Foley, a freelance journalist for GlobalPost, an international news website, was abducted in Syria by Islamic State group militants in 2012 and killed in 2014. Austin Tice, a freelance journalist who had contributed to The Washington Post, McClatchy and other news organizations, was believed to have been abducted in Syria in 2012. His parents have said they believe he is still alive.

After 12 years, arrest made in abduction of former Times journalist David Rohde

United Nations said on Monday that more than 1280 Afghan civilians were killed in first six months of the year as fighting raged in Afghanistan in spite of a pact between the US and Taliban.&nbsp;

United Nations said on Monday that more than 1280 Afghan civilians were killed in first six months of the year as fighting raged in Afghanistan in spite of a pact between the US and Taliban. A) said in a report.

“The reality remains that Afghanistan continues to be one of the deadliest conflicts in the world for civilians,” it said in the mid-year report.

In spite of a drop of 13 per cent in casualties from the corresponding period of the last year, the UN said that Taliban continued to cause majority of civilian casualties. The Taliban were responsible for 43 per cent of civilian casualties and government forces caused 23 per cent.

In February, the United States and the Taliban signed an agreement in Doha, laying out plans for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees from the militants.

However, fighting has spiked in recent weeks, prompted by differences over an exchange of prisoners between the Taliban and Afghan government, as Kabul proved reluctant to free hundreds of jailed militants.

The Doha deal provided for the government to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners in exchange for hundreds of Afghan troops, the main plank in starting peace negotiations between the two sides in the effort to end the 18-year-old war.

While the Afghan government has released more than 4,000 Taliban prisoners, it has refused to release another 600, saying they were involved in murder, illicit drug trafficking and major attacks.

United Nations said on Monday that more than 1280 Afghan civilians were killed in first six months of the year as fighting raged in Afghanistan in spite of a pact between the US and Taliban.

United Nations said on Monday that more than 1280 Afghan civilians were killed in first six months of the year as fighting raged in Afghanistan in spite of a pact between the US and Taliban. United Nations said on Monday that more than 1280 Afghan civilians were killed in first six months of the year as fighting raged in Afghanistan in spite of a pact between the US and Taliban. A) said in a report. “The reality remains that Afghanistan continues to be one of the deadliest conflicts in the world for civilians,” it said in the mid-year report. In spite of a drop of 13 per cent in casualties from the corresponding period of the last year, the UN said that Taliban continued to cause majority of civilian casualties. The Taliban were responsible for 43 per cent of civilian casualties and government forces caused 23 per cent. In February, the United States and the Taliban signed an agreement in Doha, laying out plans for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees from the militants. However, fighting has spiked in recent weeks, prompted by differences over an exchange of prisoners between the Taliban and Afghan government, as Kabul proved reluctant to free hundreds of jailed militants. The Doha deal provided for the government to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners in exchange for hundreds of Afghan troops, the main plank in starting peace negotiations between the two sides in the effort to end the 18-year-old war. While the Afghan government has released more than 4,000 Taliban prisoners, it has refused to release another 600, saying they were involved in murder, illicit drug trafficking and major attacks.

Nearly 3500 Afghans killed or hurt in first half of 2020: UN

As Afghan peace talks grind on, the Taliban are trying to portray themselves as a viable government-in-waiting in an image makeover that includes rehabilitating their ultra-violent affiliate, the Haqqani network.

Negotiators from both sides in Afghanistan's 19-year-old war have been meeting in Qatar since September and are&nbsp;attempting to draw up a blueprint for the country after US and foreign forces leave next year.

The languid pace of talks at a luxury hotel in Doha belies the chaos on the ground in Afghanistan.

As the militants push for battlefield dominance including a major assault this month in Helmand province, the Taliban's propaganda arm is churning out a steady stream of social media messages and videos, and publishing reports on a slick website depicting themselves as good governors.

A recent article said Taliban task forces had been deployed in Kabul to protect the population against "lawlessness and corruption", a swipe at overwhelmed authorities struggling to control crime.

A video released on Facebook by the group this year showed members in surgical masks distributing hand sanitisers after the coronavirus reached Afghanistan.

And even though they frequently blow up telecom towers and government buildings, the terrorists are also circulating claims on WhatsApp about their infrastructure projects such as roads and irrigation canals.

Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani, highlighted the apparent contradiction.

"On one hand, they are talking about brotherhood, mercy, service, humility, and unity, and affection among the Muslims," he told AFP.&nbsp;

"And on the other hand, they are killing and wounding innocent civilians, including women and children."

In power from 1996-2001, the Taliban ran a brutal form of an Islamist government that punished women for leaving the house, forbade entertainment, and made public beatings and executions routine.

Haqqani 'the great reformer'

Perhaps the most dramatic part of the public relations push is around the Haqqani network, a violent Taliban wing blamed for some of the worst atrocities in Afghanistan's war.

A new documentary tracing the life of Jalaluddin Haqqani, founder of the eponymous network, depicts him as a "great reformer" who fought heroically over four decades, first against the Soviets and then against the Americans.

Designated a foreign terrorist group by the US State Department in 2012 and suspected of ties to Pakistan's secretive security apparatus, the Haqqani network has been linked to a string of attacks against foreign forces and Afghan civilians, including a 2017 truck bombing near the German embassy in Kabul that killed more than 150 people.

The film features archive footage of the bearded and turbaned Haqqani, who died in 2018, and claims he was an effective administrator in his former stronghold of Khost province, where he opened dozens of madrassas, "focused on charity" and fought corruption.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the film aimed to "introduce" Haqqani as an "icon".

"We wanted to show his way of life, his sacrifices, his speeches to our future leaders and young mujahideen," he told AFP.

Taliban and Haqqani 'same thing'

The film seeks to rebrand the deadly and once semi-autonomous Haqqani network and present them as unified with the broader Taliban movement, Andrew Watkins, an analyst on Afghanistan for the Crisis Group think tank, told AFP.

The Taliban "clearly has an agenda" to show supporters and outside audiences that the two groups "are the same thing".

"They may not have been in the past but they are today. And the Taliban celebrating the Haqqani network's patriarch is a way of solidifying that," Watkins said.

In February, Sirajuddin Haqqani, one of Haqqani's sons who now heads the Haqqani network and is also deputy leader of the Taliban, penned an editorial in The New York Times.

Sirajuddin wrote that the Taliban were ready to agree to "a new, inclusive political system in which the voice of every Afghan is reflected and where no Afghan feels excluded".

The Taliban's attempt to depict themselves and the Haqqanis as efficient rulers is a far cry from early public relations efforts when the terrorists produced videos showing suicide bombers and gloated about attacks on Western troops.

Watkins said the effort being pumped into the image revamp is directly linked to the peace talks: "They've expanded their capability and are producing on a staggering scale now."

As Afghan peace talks grind on, the Taliban are trying to portray themselves as a viable government-in-waiting in an image makeover that includes rehabilitating their ultra-violent affiliate, the Haqqani network.

As Afghan peace talks grind on, the Taliban are trying to portray themselves as a viable government-in-waiting in an image makeover that includes rehabilitating their ultra-violent affiliate, the Haqqani network. Negotiators from both sides in Afghanistan's 19-year-old war have been meeting in Qatar since September and are attempting to draw up a blueprint for the country after US and foreign forces leave next year. The languid pace of talks at a luxury hotel in Doha belies the chaos on the ground in Afghanistan. As the militants push for battlefield dominance including a major assault this month in Helmand province, the Taliban's propaganda arm is churning out a steady stream of social media messages and videos, and publishing reports on a slick website depicting themselves as good governors. A recent article said Taliban task forces had been deployed in Kabul to protect the population against "lawlessness and corruption", a swipe at overwhelmed authorities struggling to control crime. A video released on Facebook by the group this year showed members in surgical masks distributing hand sanitisers after the coronavirus reached Afghanistan. And even though they frequently blow up telecom towers and government buildings, the terrorists are also circulating claims on WhatsApp about their infrastructure projects such as roads and irrigation canals. Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani, highlighted the apparent contradiction. "On one hand, they are talking about brotherhood, mercy, service, humility, and unity, and affection among the Muslims," he told AFP. "And on the other hand, they are killing and wounding innocent civilians, including women and children." In power from 1996-2001, the Taliban ran a brutal form of an Islamist government that punished women for leaving the house, forbade entertainment, and made public beatings and executions routine. Haqqani 'the great reformer' Perhaps the most dramatic part of the public relations push is around the Haqqani network, a violent Taliban wing blamed for some of the worst atrocities in Afghanistan's war. A new documentary tracing the life of Jalaluddin Haqqani, founder of the eponymous network, depicts him as a "great reformer" who fought heroically over four decades, first against the Soviets and then against the Americans. Designated a foreign terrorist group by the US State Department in 2012 and suspected of ties to Pakistan's secretive security apparatus, the Haqqani network has been linked to a string of attacks against foreign forces and Afghan civilians, including a 2017 truck bombing near the German embassy in Kabul that killed more than 150 people. The film features archive footage of the bearded and turbaned Haqqani, who died in 2018, and claims he was an effective administrator in his former stronghold of Khost province, where he opened dozens of madrassas, "focused on charity" and fought corruption. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the film aimed to "introduce" Haqqani as an "icon". "We wanted to show his way of life, his sacrifices, his speeches to our future leaders and young mujahideen," he told AFP. Taliban and Haqqani 'same thing' The film seeks to rebrand the deadly and once semi-autonomous Haqqani network and present them as unified with the broader Taliban movement, Andrew Watkins, an analyst on Afghanistan for the Crisis Group think tank, told AFP. The Taliban "clearly has an agenda" to show supporters and outside audiences that the two groups "are the same thing". "They may not have been in the past but they are today. And the Taliban celebrating the Haqqani network's patriarch is a way of solidifying that," Watkins said. In February, Sirajuddin Haqqani, one of Haqqani's sons who now heads the Haqqani network and is also deputy leader of the Taliban, penned an editorial in The New York Times. Sirajuddin wrote that the Taliban were ready to agree to "a new, inclusive political system in which the voice of every Afghan is reflected and where no Afghan feels excluded". The Taliban's attempt to depict themselves and the Haqqanis as efficient rulers is a far cry from early public relations efforts when the terrorists produced videos showing suicide bombers and gloated about attacks on Western troops. Watkins said the effort being pumped into the image revamp is directly linked to the peace talks: "They've expanded their capability and are producing on a staggering scale now."

Taliban seek image revamp as Afghan peace talks grind on

Around 33 Taliban terrorists were killed during armed clashes with security forces in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, a local official confirmed on Saturday.

According to the 4th Infantry Brigade of the 201st Selab Corps, the Taliban attacked its security posts in the Hashim Khel area of the Sherzad district, after which the security forces launched a retaliatory operation.

Officials also said that the bodies of 16 terrorists, seven AK-47 assault rifles and a grenade launcher remained in the battle zone.

The Afghan government delegation and the Taliban are continuing the negotiations in Doha that may pave a way to political settlement after almost two decades of conflict in the country.

Despite the ongoing talks, Afghanistan is still engulfed in violence, with the Taliban staging attacks across the country and the law enforcement forces being engaged in operations against the Islamist group.

(With inputs from agencies)

Around 33 Taliban terrorists were killed during armed clashes with security forces in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, a local official confirmed on Saturday.

Around 33 Taliban terrorists were killed during armed clashes with security forces in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, a local official confirmed on Saturday. According to the 4th Infantry Brigade of the 201st Selab Corps, the Taliban attacked its security posts in the Hashim Khel area of the Sherzad district, after which the security forces launched a retaliatory operation. Officials also said that the bodies of 16 terrorists, seven AK-47 assault rifles and a grenade launcher remained in the battle zone. The Afghan government delegation and the Taliban are continuing the negotiations in Doha that may pave a way to political settlement after almost two decades of conflict in the country. Despite the ongoing talks, Afghanistan is still engulfed in violence, with the Taliban staging attacks across the country and the law enforcement forces being engaged in operations against the Islamist group. (With inputs from agencies)

33 Taliban terrorists killed in a security operation in east Afghanistan

Atta Mohammad&nbsp;Noor, an influential Afghan politician, once a key leader of the Northern Alliance that fought against the Taliban in the 1990s has said India should engage with the Taliban.

Speaking to WION's&nbsp;diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Atta Noor said, "India has the right and engages the Taliban and in line with their national interests".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistans-ata-mohammad-noor-meets-eam-foreign-secretary-in-delhi-briefs-about-the-afghan-peace-process-336971">Afghanistan's Ata Mohammad Noor meets EAM, Foreign Secretary in Delhi; briefs about the Afghan peace process</a>

Noor who is in Delhi and met with India's External Affairs Minister and&nbsp;Foreign Secretary in 2016 took up arms himself to save the Indian consulate in Mazar E Sharif. On ties with India, Mohammad Noor explained, "India has got a good relationship with its old and traditional friends, who stood against the imposed war in the past.". He is the 3rd top Afghan leader to visit India in the last one month as peace talks gain pace. In the current situation in his country, Noor said, "If we have active diplomacy ....there is justice in the talks, we won’t get back but other wise we have to prepare ourselves for a second resistance". He also spoke on Pakistan, Hekmatyar's Islamabad visit.

WION: Big focus of your India Visit?

Atta Noor: Thanks, in the name of God. I am very happy to be in India on an official invitation from our friends, our brotherly and friendly country. It is the old friend of the Afghan government and the Afghan people. Our people have affection for this country. I&nbsp;am happy and have met with the leadership. We discussed issues of mutual interest. Regarding peace, the talks are going on. people of Afghanistan want peace, this is one of the desires of the Afghan people. We have been suffering for the last 42 years. Our country has been burning. The talks are going on, but with no results. Regarding the talks and the regional issues, India as an influential and big country with a big economy and capacity, it should engage in the peace talks in Afghanistan. It should be amongst the countries facilitating the talks and also it should be a member of the regional countries in consensus. India has got a good relationship with the Afghan government and we appreciate it. India has got a good relationship with its old and traditional friends, who stood against the imposed war in the past.&nbsp;

WION: You met with the Indian leadership, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and&nbsp;FS Shringla. What were the talks like?

Atta Noor: I have had a good meeting with FS Shingla, a seasoned diplomat. I have also had insightful meetings with MEA Jaishankar, who is a scholar too. I talked about the common concerns we have, the common enemies we have. We also discussed the peace talks. We have common values, trade, and cultural values with India. I am satisfied with the messages I have received. India has reiterated to stand by the Republic and by gains we have made and by the Afghan people.&nbsp;

WION: Do you think India should engage with the Taliban?

Atta Noor: India as one of the biggest regional and Asian countries has its own interests and I appreciate and respect their plans. But regarding the peace process in Afghanistan, they have to have a pro-active policy and engage the ongoing talks. When China has the right to meet the Taliban and meet their interests, but when the Russians and Iran and other countries, so India has the right and engage the Taliban and in line with their national interests and helping the Afghanistan people.

WION: Do you think the repetition of what happened in the 1990s, the Taliban coming?

Atta Noor: we are hopeful that the 90s will not repeat again. I hope that the US will not repeat what the Russians did. I hope the peace process will yield results and our strategic friends care for Afghanistan. If there is no active diplomacy and the gains of the 19 years are not preserved and if the former resistance leaders and prominent leaders are not supported, the situation will get worst. If we have active diplomacy and the results of the peace deal will be in line with what our people want, and there is justice in the talks, we won’t get back but otherwise, we have to prepare ourselves for a second resistance&nbsp;

WION: How do you see Pakistan's role?

Atta Noor: There is no doubt that Pakistan is our neighbour and shares a border of 2500km. We share culture. There have to be good relations between the two countries. Pakistan is the mother of the Taliban, supporters of the Taliban, and sending them to Afghanistan,. no one can ignore this. If Pakistan believes that peace in Afghanistan is peace in the region, we will work towards building good relations. If Pakistan thinks they can support insurgents in northern Waziristan and they send it to Kashmir as well, it will be repetition that will burn both countries. Pakistan says that they support the peace process led by Afghanistan, I hope they really mean it. Time will reveal it.

WION: While you are in Delhi, Hekmatyar is in Islamabad. How do you see him, and his ties with you?

Atta Noor: Respecting Hekmatyar who is a jihadi leader and leader of&nbsp;Hezbi Islami, but over the last 20 years who he has been in a hideout, I don’t see any changes in his character. when he surrendered to the Afghanistan government, we thought his attitude would have been charged, but nothing changed. We are living in the 21st century, we have a new generation that is equipped with new equipment and are connected with the world, but his mindset has frozen 50 years ago. He still has discrimination, he has an ego. maybe it is a coincidence that I am here and he is there, I have also been to Pakistan for a peace conference, his invitation to Pakistan is against the former resistance. we have seen that the Afghan government wants peace, it had loyal jirga, made the negotiation team, it even gave privileges to the Taliban, the government to make peace released 5000 Taliban prisoners. But Hekmatyar’s first word was that the Afghan government doesn’t want peace. In short, Hekmatyar is waiting for the opportunity to spread his venom to the former resistance group and to the regional friends.

Atta Mohammad Noor, an influential Afghan politician, once a key leader of the Northern Alliance that fought against the Taliban in the 1990s has said India should engage with the Taliban.

Atta Mohammad Noor, an influential Afghan politician, once a key leader of the Northern Alliance that fought against the Taliban in the 1990s has said India should engage with the Taliban. Speaking to WION's diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Atta Noor said, "India has the right and engages the Taliban and in line with their national interests". Also read: Afghanistan's Ata Mohammad Noor meets EAM, Foreign Secretary in Delhi; briefs about the Afghan peace process Noor who is in Delhi and met with India's External Affairs Minister and Foreign Secretary in 2016 took up arms himself to save the Indian consulate in Mazar E Sharif. On ties with India, Mohammad Noor explained, "India has got a good relationship with its old and traditional friends, who stood against the imposed war in the past.". He is the 3rd top Afghan leader to visit India in the last one month as peace talks gain pace. In the current situation in his country, Noor said, "If we have active diplomacy ....there is justice in the talks, we won’t get back but other wise we have to prepare ourselves for a second resistance". He also spoke on Pakistan, Hekmatyar's Islamabad visit. WION: Big focus of your India Visit? Atta Noor: Thanks, in the name of God. I am very happy to be in India on an official invitation from our friends, our brotherly and friendly country. It is the old friend of the Afghan government and the Afghan people. Our people have affection for this country. I am happy and have met with the leadership. We discussed issues of mutual interest. Regarding peace, the talks are going on. people of Afghanistan want peace, this is one of the desires of the Afghan people. We have been suffering for the last 42 years. Our country has been burning. The talks are going on, but with no results. Regarding the talks and the regional issues, India as an influential and big country with a big economy and capacity, it should engage in the peace talks in Afghanistan. It should be amongst the countries facilitating the talks and also it should be a member of the regional countries in consensus. India has got a good relationship with the Afghan government and we appreciate it. India has got a good relationship with its old and traditional friends, who stood against the imposed war in the past. WION: You met with the Indian leadership, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and FS Shringla. What were the talks like? Atta Noor: I have had a good meeting with FS Shingla, a seasoned diplomat. I have also had insightful meetings with MEA Jaishankar, who is a scholar too. I talked about the common concerns we have, the common enemies we have. We also discussed the peace talks. We have common values, trade, and cultural values with India. I am satisfied with the messages I have received. India has reiterated to stand by the Republic and by gains we have made and by the Afghan people. WION: Do you think India should engage with the Taliban? Atta Noor: India as one of the biggest regional and Asian countries has its own interests and I appreciate and respect their plans. But regarding the peace process in Afghanistan, they have to have a pro-active policy and engage the ongoing talks. When China has the right to meet the Taliban and meet their interests, but when the Russians and Iran and other countries, so India has the right and engage the Taliban and in line with their national interests and helping the Afghanistan people. WION: Do you think the repetition of what happened in the 1990s, the Taliban coming? Atta Noor: we are hopeful that the 90s will not repeat again. I hope that the US will not repeat what the Russians did. I hope the peace process will yield results and our strategic friends care for Afghanistan. If there is no active diplomacy and the gains of the 19 years are not preserved and if the former resistance leaders and prominent leaders are not supported, the situation will get worst. If we have active diplomacy and the results of the peace deal will be in line with what our people want, and there is justice in the talks, we won’t get back but otherwise, we have to prepare ourselves for a second resistance WION: How do you see Pakistan's role? Atta Noor: There is no doubt that Pakistan is our neighbour and shares a border of 2500km. We share culture. There have to be good relations between the two countries. Pakistan is the mother of the Taliban, supporters of the Taliban, and sending them to Afghanistan,. no one can ignore this. If Pakistan believes that peace in Afghanistan is peace in the region, we will work towards building good relations. If Pakistan thinks they can support insurgents in northern Waziristan and they send it to Kashmir as well, it will be repetition that will burn both countries. Pakistan says that they support the peace process led by Afghanistan, I hope they really mean it. Time will reveal it. WION: While you are in Delhi, Hekmatyar is in Islamabad. How do you see him, and his ties with you? Atta Noor: Respecting Hekmatyar who is a jihadi leader and leader of Hezbi Islami, but over the last 20 years who he has been in a hideout, I don’t see any changes in his character. when he surrendered to the Afghanistan government, we thought his attitude would have been charged, but nothing changed. We are living in the 21st century, we have a new generation that is equipped with new equipment and are connected with the world, but his mindset has frozen 50 years ago. He still has discrimination, he has an ego. maybe it is a coincidence that I am here and he is there, I have also been to Pakistan for a peace conference, his invitation to Pakistan is against the former resistance. we have seen that the Afghan government wants peace, it had loyal jirga, made the negotiation team, it even gave privileges to the Taliban, the government to make peace released 5000 Taliban prisoners. But Hekmatyar’s first word was that the Afghan government doesn’t want peace. In short, Hekmatyar is waiting for the opportunity to spread his venom to the former resistance group and to the regional friends.

Exclusive: Former northern alliance leader Atta Noor says India should engage with Taliban

An airstrike hit a mosque in Afghanistan and has taken lives on 11 children and a prayer leader, local authorities reported on Thursday.

The incident happened in a village in the&nbsp;northeastern province of Takhar on Wednesday came during the ongoing clashes between the Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters, the&nbsp;provincial police spokesman Khalil Aseer reported.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistans-ata-mohammad-noor-meets-eam-foreign-secretary-in-delhi-briefs-about-the-afghan-peace-process-336971">Also read|&nbsp;Afghanistan's Ata Mohammad Noor meets EAM, Foreign Secretary in Delhi; briefs about the Afghan peace process</a>

"The air strike was carried out when the victims were busy studying the Holy Koran," Aseer said, adding a prayer leader was killed alongside the 11 students. He said 14 people were wounded.

While some officials are confirming the report of children being killed, the Ministry of Defence has denied that the airstrike killed any civilians.&nbsp;Afghanistan's Vice President Amrullah Saleh said that no children were killed and the news along this matter was "baseless".

"Twelve Taliban including several of their commanders were killed," the ministry&nbsp;said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-ambush-kills-25-afghan-security-persons-336886">Also read|&nbsp;Taliban ambush kills 25 Afghan security persons</a>

"We have undeniable evidence that those who killed our security forces... were killed," he wrote on Facebook. "Those who spread rumours will be dealt with legally."

Mohammad Jawad Hejri, the spokesman for the Takhar provincial governor, however, confirmed deaths of 11 children.

The ministry has said it will launch an investigation into the matter.

An airstrike hit a mosque in Afghanistan and has taken lives on 11 children and a prayer leader, local authorities reported on Thursday. The incident happened in a village in the northeastern province of Takhar on Wednesday came during the ongoing clashes between the Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters, the provincial police spokesman Khalil Aseer reported.

An airstrike hit a mosque in Afghanistan and has taken lives on 11 children and a prayer leader, local authorities reported on Thursday. The incident happened in a village in the northeastern province of Takhar on Wednesday came during the ongoing clashes between the Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters, the provincial police spokesman Khalil Aseer reported. Also read| Afghanistan's Ata Mohammad Noor meets EAM, Foreign Secretary in Delhi; briefs about the Afghan peace process "The air strike was carried out when the victims were busy studying the Holy Koran," Aseer said, adding a prayer leader was killed alongside the 11 students. He said 14 people were wounded. While some officials are confirming the report of children being killed, the Ministry of Defence has denied that the airstrike killed any civilians. Afghanistan's Vice President Amrullah Saleh said that no children were killed and the news along this matter was "baseless". "Twelve Taliban including several of their commanders were killed," the ministry said. Also read| Taliban ambush kills 25 Afghan security persons "We have undeniable evidence that those who killed our security forces... were killed," he wrote on Facebook. "Those who spread rumours will be dealt with legally." Mohammad Jawad Hejri, the spokesman for the Takhar provincial governor, however, confirmed deaths of 11 children. The ministry has said it will launch an investigation into the matter.

Airstrike that hit mosque kills 11 children in Afghanistan: Officials

Senior Afghan politician Ata Mohammad Noor is in Delhi for talks with the Indian leadership. CEO of Jamiat Party Ata Noor is India's close ally in Afghanistan and has in the past served as the governor of northern Balkh province in Afghanistan.

In 2016, he had personally taken up arms to repel a terrorist attack on the Indian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif and protected it. During the Taliban rein in the country in 1990s, Noor had served as a commander in Ahmad Shah Massoud's Nothern front.

Noor, an ethnic Tajik is the 3rd prominent Afghan leader to visit India in last one month. Earlier Abdul Rashid Dostum, former vice president of Afghanistan and Chairperson of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation Dr Abdullah Abdullah had visited India.

Interestingly, Noor's son Khalid Noor is part of the Afghan government's negotiating team for intra-Afghan talks. In fact, at 25, Khalid Noor is the youngest member of the team negotiating with the Taliban.

Earlier this year, speaking to WION, Khalid said, his "vision for his country is peaceful, independent and democratic Afghanistan" and "even if the Taliban tries to come to Afghanistan by force, they will face the national army and people Afghanistan and it will unrealistic to say that the Taliban came to Afghanistan the way they came in 1996." 
&nbsp;

Senior Afghan politician Ata Mohammad Noor is in Delhi for talks with the Indian leadership. CEO of Jamiat Party Ata Noor is India's close ally in Afghanistan and has in the past served as the governor of northern Balkh province in Afghanistan.

Senior Afghan politician Ata Mohammad Noor is in Delhi for talks with the Indian leadership. CEO of Jamiat Party Ata Noor is India's close ally in Afghanistan and has in the past served as the governor of northern Balkh province in Afghanistan. In 2016, he had personally taken up arms to repel a terrorist attack on the Indian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif and protected it. During the Taliban rein in the country in 1990s, Noor had served as a commander in Ahmad Shah Massoud's Nothern front. Noor, an ethnic Tajik is the 3rd prominent Afghan leader to visit India in last one month. Earlier Abdul Rashid Dostum, former vice president of Afghanistan and Chairperson of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation Dr Abdullah Abdullah had visited India. Interestingly, Noor's son Khalid Noor is part of the Afghan government's negotiating team for intra-Afghan talks. In fact, at 25, Khalid Noor is the youngest member of the team negotiating with the Taliban. Earlier this year, speaking to WION, Khalid said, his "vision for his country is peaceful, independent and democratic Afghanistan" and "even if the Taliban tries to come to Afghanistan by force, they will face the national army and people Afghanistan and it will unrealistic to say that the Taliban came to Afghanistan the way they came in 1996."

Senior Afghan politician Ata Mohammad Noor in Delhi for talks

At least 25 Afghan security force personnel were killed in an ambush considered to be carried out by Taliban. The attack took place in the northeastern part of Afghanistan. Although Taliban was believed to be behind the attack, it did not accept responsibility in the immediate aftermath.

"Fighting is still continuing and the Taliban have also suffered heavy casualties," Jawad Hejri, a spokesman for the governor of Takhar province was quoted by AFP as saying.

Takhar provincial health director Abdul Qayoum confirmed the incident but said 34 security personnel had been killed -- including the deputy police chief of the province.

"These security forces were on their way for an operation in the district when they were attacked by the Taliban," said Hejri.

"The Taliban had taken positions in the houses around the area. They ambushed our forces who were there for an operation against the enemy."

The Taliban have so far not commented on the attack.

It comes as spiraling violence across Afghanistan imperils ongoing peace talks between the hardline group and the government in Qatar.

(With AFP inputs)

At least 25 Afghan security force personnel were killed in an ambush considered to be carried out by Taliban. The attack took place in the northeastern part of Afghanistan.

At least 25 Afghan security force personnel were killed in an ambush considered to be carried out by Taliban. The attack took place in the northeastern part of Afghanistan. Although Taliban was believed to be behind the attack, it did not accept responsibility in the immediate aftermath. "Fighting is still continuing and the Taliban have also suffered heavy casualties," Jawad Hejri, a spokesman for the governor of Takhar province was quoted by AFP as saying. Takhar provincial health director Abdul Qayoum confirmed the incident but said 34 security personnel had been killed -- including the deputy police chief of the province. "These security forces were on their way for an operation in the district when they were attacked by the Taliban," said Hejri. "The Taliban had taken positions in the houses around the area. They ambushed our forces who were there for an operation against the enemy." The Taliban have so far not commented on the attack. It comes as spiraling violence across Afghanistan imperils ongoing peace talks between the hardline group and the government in Qatar. (With AFP inputs)

Taliban ambush kills 25 Afghan security persons

KABUL, Afghanistan — In a long conflict waged by men, she has been a rare female warlord, defending her fief in northern Afghanistan against the Taliban, her own relatives and even against the U.S.-backed central government she allied with.

As she grew into her 70s, ailing and bedridden with bad knees, the warlord, Bibi Ayesha, took pride in having an undefeated record in decades of war. She is popularly known by a nom de guerre: Commander Kaftar, which means “pigeon” in Farsi, “because she moved and killed with the elegance of a bird,” as one profile put it.

On Thursday, the Taliban declared the end of her high-flying days: Kaftar, along with her men, had surrendered to them, they said in a statement.

“The officials of our Invite and Guidance Commission welcomed them,” the statement said.

Local officials in restive Baghlan province, where she is based, and her relatives confirmed the commander’s surrender and said it was an act of survival. Her valley was so surrounded, with other neighboring militias switching sides to the Taliban, that she had no choice.

Mohammad Hanif Kohgadai, a member of the Baghlan provincial council representing Kaftar’s district, said she had reached a deal through a Taliban commander related to her family.

“The Taliban spent the night at Commander Kaftar’s house, they ate there,” Kohgadai said in an interview Friday. “Today, they left the house and took with them 13 weapons and other military gear.”

One of Kaftar’s sons played down the episode, saying it was more a truce than a surrender.

“It is just a rumor. My mother is sick,” said Raz Mohammad, one of her three remaining sons. (Three others were killed in years of fighting.) “She hasn’t joined the Taliban. We don’t fight the Taliban anymore; we have weapons to protect ourselves from our enemies.”

Kaftar’s surrender brings little to the Taliban militarily but is another propaganda victory against the struggling Afghan government, suggesting that in a bloody, stalemated war some were switching sides to the insurgents. The Taliban have increasingly reached out to those disenchanted with the Afghan government as the country’s military struggles amid the continuing U.S. withdrawal.

For a group that kept women confined to their homes when they were in power in the 1990s, a Taliban alliance with a female commander could prove tricky. The Taliban have yet to provide any detailed positions in ongoing peace talks on the role of women in a future government. But what makes Kaftar’s shift easier is that she commands hundreds of men in a deeply conservative and misogynistic society.

The surrender exposes a larger vulnerability of the Afghan government: Its defenses are partly reliant on thousands of unreliable militias with track records of abuse and local feuding, and a history of switching sides.

President Ashraf Ghani has sent mixed signals about the militias over the years.

When Ghani came to office in late 2014, he tried aggressively to dismantle the militias. Encountering the president’s wrath, militia commanders simply refused to fight the Taliban, opening the way for the insurgents to march on Kunduz City.

In recent years, as the Afghan army and police have been stretched thin against Taliban offensives, Ghani has accepted the militias as a reality. Over the summer, the Afghan president spoke publicly about “investing more” in some militias as a line of defense.

Kaftar’s experience speaks to the complicated reality upon which the U.S.-bankrolled democracy has been built — on the legacy of a previous invasion and years of anarchy and warlord rule.

Her reputation began to grow with the killing of Soviet commandos who had swarmed her valley during an invasion starting in 1979. She has not put down arms since, raising a militia that protected her valley as her little kingdom. Even when the Taliban swept through most of Afghanistan in the 1990s, she fended them off.

She has often recounted how she taunted the Taliban commander for her province with a lose-lose offer: If she arrested him, she would parade him around town on a donkey and people would laugh at him for being defeated by a woman. And if he arrested her? The town would scold the Taliban commander for arresting a woman.

After the U.S. invasion in 2001, the new Afghan government moved to disarm militias like hers. She and many other militia commanders resisted. Asked about the government wanting to disarm her, she said, “If they come, you will see what I will do to the government.”

Even in Kabul she was celebrated as an anti-Taliban hero and inspiration for women, with the country’s former human rights chief attending a celebration of her hosted by Afghanistan’s vice president.

“This war won’t end in peace — only God, or this beautiful Kalashinkov can solve it,” she once said in an interview, the weapon on her lap. “The Taliban are not capable of change or reform.”

But even as media reports list 20 of her family members lost in the war with the Taliban, much of her fight in recent years has involved spiraling family feuds.

Some of those disputes, including a fight with one of her sisters, have dragged on over two decades with many dead on each side. In another prolonged feud, she chased a relative out of the valley after deaths on both sides, only for the man to return years later as a commander of the Taliban that she has now surrendered to.

The news of Kaftar’s fate raised questions of whether it was the result of a truce between two families, or as it was publicly portrayed: the surrender of a militia commander to a Taliban leader. In large parts of Afghanistan, with the lines of war increasingly blurred, the two are the same.

“Commander Pigeon was an old decrepit warlord, a broken-down woman,” writer Jennifer Percy wrote in a 2014 profile in The New Republic. “Lonely, she survived on attention, on her ability to inspire fear through the power of her own myth. In Afghanistan, the ability to create a mythology is powerful, maybe even more powerful than military prowess.”

KABUL, Afghanistan — In a long conflict waged by men, she has been a rare female warlord, defending her fief in northern Afghanistan against the Taliban, her own relatives and even against the U.

KABUL, Afghanistan — In a long conflict waged by men, she has been a rare female warlord, defending her fief in northern Afghanistan against the Taliban, her own relatives and even against the U.S.-backed central government she allied with. As she grew into her 70s, ailing and bedridden with bad knees, the warlord, Bibi Ayesha, took pride in having an undefeated record in decades of war. She is popularly known by a nom de guerre: Commander Kaftar, which means “pigeon” in Farsi, “because she moved and killed with the elegance of a bird,” as one profile put it. On Thursday, the Taliban declared the end of her high-flying days: Kaftar, along with her men, had surrendered to them, they said in a statement. “The officials of our Invite and Guidance Commission welcomed them,” the statement said. Local officials in restive Baghlan province, where she is based, and her relatives confirmed the commander’s surrender and said it was an act of survival. Her valley was so surrounded, with other neighboring militias switching sides to the Taliban, that she had no choice. Mohammad Hanif Kohgadai, a member of the Baghlan provincial council representing Kaftar’s district, said she had reached a deal through a Taliban commander related to her family. “The Taliban spent the night at Commander Kaftar’s house, they ate there,” Kohgadai said in an interview Friday. “Today, they left the house and took with them 13 weapons and other military gear.” One of Kaftar’s sons played down the episode, saying it was more a truce than a surrender. “It is just a rumor. My mother is sick,” said Raz Mohammad, one of her three remaining sons. (Three others were killed in years of fighting.) “She hasn’t joined the Taliban. We don’t fight the Taliban anymore; we have weapons to protect ourselves from our enemies.” Kaftar’s surrender brings little to the Taliban militarily but is another propaganda victory against the struggling Afghan government, suggesting that in a bloody, stalemated war some were switching sides to the insurgents. The Taliban have increasingly reached out to those disenchanted with the Afghan government as the country’s military struggles amid the continuing U.S. withdrawal. For a group that kept women confined to their homes when they were in power in the 1990s, a Taliban alliance with a female commander could prove tricky. The Taliban have yet to provide any detailed positions in ongoing peace talks on the role of women in a future government. But what makes Kaftar’s shift easier is that she commands hundreds of men in a deeply conservative and misogynistic society. The surrender exposes a larger vulnerability of the Afghan government: Its defenses are partly reliant on thousands of unreliable militias with track records of abuse and local feuding, and a history of switching sides. President Ashraf Ghani has sent mixed signals about the militias over the years. When Ghani came to office in late 2014, he tried aggressively to dismantle the militias. Encountering the president’s wrath, militia commanders simply refused to fight the Taliban, opening the way for the insurgents to march on Kunduz City. In recent years, as the Afghan army and police have been stretched thin against Taliban offensives, Ghani has accepted the militias as a reality. Over the summer, the Afghan president spoke publicly about “investing more” in some militias as a line of defense. Kaftar’s experience speaks to the complicated reality upon which the U.S.-bankrolled democracy has been built — on the legacy of a previous invasion and years of anarchy and warlord rule. Her reputation began to grow with the killing of Soviet commandos who had swarmed her valley during an invasion starting in 1979. She has not put down arms since, raising a militia that protected her valley as her little kingdom. Even when the Taliban swept through most of Afghanistan in the 1990s, she fended them off. She has often recounted how she taunted the Taliban commander for her province with a lose-lose offer: If she arrested him, she would parade him around town on a donkey and people would laugh at him for being defeated by a woman. And if he arrested her? The town would scold the Taliban commander for arresting a woman. After the U.S. invasion in 2001, the new Afghan government moved to disarm militias like hers. She and many other militia commanders resisted. Asked about the government wanting to disarm her, she said, “If they come, you will see what I will do to the government.” Even in Kabul she was celebrated as an anti-Taliban hero and inspiration for women, with the country’s former human rights chief attending a celebration of her hosted by Afghanistan’s vice president. “This war won’t end in peace — only God, or this beautiful Kalashinkov can solve it,” she once said in an interview, the weapon on her lap. “The Taliban are not capable of change or reform.” But even as media reports list 20 of her family members lost in the war with the Taliban, much of her fight in recent years has involved spiraling family feuds. Some of those disputes, including a fight with one of her sisters, have dragged on over two decades with many dead on each side. In another prolonged feud, she chased a relative out of the valley after deaths on both sides, only for the man to return years later as a commander of the Taliban that she has now surrendered to. The news of Kaftar’s fate raised questions of whether it was the result of a truce between two families, or as it was publicly portrayed: the surrender of a militia commander to a Taliban leader. In large parts of Afghanistan, with the lines of war increasingly blurred, the two are the same. “Commander Pigeon was an old decrepit warlord, a broken-down woman,” writer Jennifer Percy wrote in a 2014 profile in The New Republic. “Lonely, she survived on attention, on her ability to inspire fear through the power of her own myth. In Afghanistan, the ability to create a mythology is powerful, maybe even more powerful than military prowess.”

A storied female warlord surrenders, Taliban say, exposing afghan weakness

The US&nbsp;military defended on Sunday its air strikes against&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;fighters last week, as the insurgent group accused Washington of violating a signed agreement.

The&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;launched a major offensive in the southern province of Helmand in a bid to take its capital, prompting US&nbsp;air strikes in support of Afghan security forces, which were being overrun.

"American forces have violated the Doha agreement in various forms by carrying out excessive air strikes following the new developments in Helmand,"&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;spokesman Qari Muhammad Yousuf Ahmadi said in a statement.

The US-Taliban&nbsp;pact, signed in Doha, provides for foreign forces to leave Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees and a pledge from the insurgents to sit down with the Afghan government to find a peaceful settlement to decades of war.

Col. Sonny Leggett, a spokesman for the US&nbsp;forces, denied that the strikes violated the deal.

"The entire world has witnessed the&nbsp;Taliban's offensive operations in Helmand - attacks which injured and displaced thousands of innocent Afghan civilians," Leggett said on Twitter, reiterating a call for "all sides" to reduce violence.

US&nbsp;special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who met the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;last week in Doha, the capital of Qatar, to agree to a 'reset' of their commitments, said violence was still too high.

"Unfounded charges of violations and inflammatory rhetoric do not advance peace," he said on Twitter on Monday, urging strict adherence to the troop withdrawal deal and a gradual easing of violence.

While last week's major fighting in Helmand has simmered down, violence elsewhere continues.

Since Saturday,&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;clashes with security forces in several districts of northeastern Badakhshan, including its capital of Faizabad, have killed at least four of the forces.

Talks between&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;and Afghan government negotiators began last month in Doha, but the process has only moved slowly, while violence escalated, a factor diplomats and officials have said is sapping the trust needed for negotiations to succeed.

The US military defended on Sunday its air strikes against Taliban fighters last week, as the insurgent group accused Washington of violating a signed agreement.

The US military defended on Sunday its air strikes against Taliban fighters last week, as the insurgent group accused Washington of violating a signed agreement. The Taliban launched a major offensive in the southern province of Helmand in a bid to take its capital, prompting US air strikes in support of Afghan security forces, which were being overrun. "American forces have violated the Doha agreement in various forms by carrying out excessive air strikes following the new developments in Helmand," Taliban spokesman Qari Muhammad Yousuf Ahmadi said in a statement. The US-Taliban pact, signed in Doha, provides for foreign forces to leave Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees and a pledge from the insurgents to sit down with the Afghan government to find a peaceful settlement to decades of war. Col. Sonny Leggett, a spokesman for the US forces, denied that the strikes violated the deal. "The entire world has witnessed the Taliban's offensive operations in Helmand - attacks which injured and displaced thousands of innocent Afghan civilians," Leggett said on Twitter, reiterating a call for "all sides" to reduce violence. US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who met the Taliban last week in Doha, the capital of Qatar, to agree to a 'reset' of their commitments, said violence was still too high. "Unfounded charges of violations and inflammatory rhetoric do not advance peace," he said on Twitter on Monday, urging strict adherence to the troop withdrawal deal and a gradual easing of violence. While last week's major fighting in Helmand has simmered down, violence elsewhere continues. Since Saturday, Taliban clashes with security forces in several districts of northeastern Badakhshan, including its capital of Faizabad, have killed at least four of the forces. Talks between Taliban and Afghan government negotiators began last month in Doha, but the process has only moved slowly, while violence escalated, a factor diplomats and officials have said is sapping the trust needed for negotiations to succeed.

US military defends air strikes that Taliban says violate troop pact

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