Posts published in February 2016

With the representatives of the United States, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan meeting in Kabul this week, it is for the first time that the most important quadrilateral peace talks have been held in Afghanistan. The talks have discussed ways for moving forward on peace negotiations with the Taliban. The talks are being held in the backdrop of deadly violence that continues to escalate in Afghanistan. According to the United Nations, more than 11,000 civilians were…

Security forces have launched operation against militants in Atghar District of southern Zabul which according to officials has been successfully going on. Deputy Police Chief of the province told reporters on Friday that security forces killed the so-called governor of Taliban for Atghar district and his body guard during a three hour clash in Zeyarat village last night. Colonel Ghulam Jailani identified the Taliban shadow governor as Mullah Nasir. He said Taliban left the dead…

The Afghan National Army (ANA) forces released a group of thirty five civilians imprisoned by Taliban during a night raid in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the raid was conducted by the Special Operations Forces of the Afghan National Army (ANA) in Nad-e-Ali district. A statement by MoD said the group of thirty civilians included five women, five men and twenty five children who were kept in a cell…

Suicide attack on leader of anti-Taliban militia leaves over 50 killed, wounded in Kunar Suicide attack on a leader of anti-Taliban militia has left over 50 people killed and wounded in Asadabad, the provincial capital of eastern Kunar province. The suicide bomber reportedly detonated his explosives near the governor house this morning. Eyewitnesses say the suicide bomber who was riding on a motorcycle targeted Haji Khan Jan who was leader of the uprising forces in…

At least three militants affiliated with the Al-Qaeda terrorist network were killed in a drone strike in eastern Paktika province of Afghanistan. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the airstrike was carried out by the coalition forces in Gomal district targeting the militants in Dadul village on Friday. The Afghan Special Operations Forces Operational Coordination Command said two motorcycles belonging to the militants were also destroyed in the air raid. The anti-government armed militant groups…

At least seven militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were killed during clearance operations in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the loyalists of the terror group were killed in air and ground operations in Achin district. MoD said at least four others were also wounded during the operations in Pekha and Gor areas of Achin district. A statement by MoD said the…

An Afghan woman has killed a Taliban commander over home privacy breach in northern Baghlan province of Afghanistan, security officials said Friday. Provincial police spokesman, Jawed Basharat, said the incident took place in Khwajah Bahauddin district of Baghlan province late on Thursday night. Meanwhile, provincial police chief, Gen. Ewaz Mohammad Nazeri, said the Taliban commander was killed after he entered into the house of the woman, an act that is considered a serious breach of…

LAHORE – Saut-ul-Ummat, a splinter of Hizbut Tahrir made bids to get the franchise of al-Qaeda and its affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra in Pakistan but the efforts have not succeeded until now, intelligence officials told The Nation yesterday. Since the action against militancy picked up pace in the country, main terrorist groups broke down and new groups like Saut-ul-Ummat emerged. “Saut-ul-Ummat like its mother organisation Hizbut Tahrir focuses on educated middle and lower middle class and…

Pakistan is playing an increasingly proactive role in peace talks both to the east and the west. The announcement that Pakistan is to host the latest direct talks between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban as well as other ‘insurgent’ groups is welcome. Getting other ‘insurgent’ groups on-side is almost as important as getting on the same page as the Taliban. Talks are imminent, probably to be held in the first week of March…

Islamabad has been set as the venue for talks between the Afghan government and Taliban representatives in the first week of March. After a third meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group sans the Taliban, the QCG announced their support for direct talks between the missing Taliban and the Afghan government. The QCG has been conducting futile meetings since January but has been unable to bring the Taliban to the talks table. After the announcement was…