Posts published in “Day: September 15, 2016”

Terrorism is ever-evolving, sometimes quickly, and the Islamic State (IS) is evolving faster than most. In its present form, it has only been around since April 2013 and since that time has had a profound effect globally. Initially it was aggressively territorial and captured and subjugated parts of Syria and Iraq. Military advances against it in the last six months have shrunk the borderless caliphate but it remains a potent force militarily, and has sophisticated…

ISLAMABAD: The outgoing week has witnessed a surge of Taliban operations in Afghanistan with three attacks in Kabul on a single day and intense fighting in southern, eastern and northern parts of the country. Taliban bombers struck vehicles of defence officials on September 5, killing and injuring dozens of security personnel. The incident triggered a wave off criticism against the government and security agencies for failing to counter serious threats to the security of the…

The Taliban supreme leader Mawlavi Hibatullah Akhundzada has instructed the group’s fighters to adopt softer approach in his message released on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha. The statement by Akhundzada comes in contrast to the brutal approach of insurgency adopted by the group as Taliban accused of causing the majority of civilian casualties in the country. Claiming victory in the ongoing insurgency led by the group, Akhundza, in his Eid message said the group should bring…

At least thirteen Daesh militants were killed in airstrikes in Nangarhar province, local officials said Saturday. In a press release issued by the Selab 201 corps the Daesh militants were killed in the past 24 hours in Achin and Deh Bala districts of the province. Two other Daesh militants were wounded, officials said. No civilian casualties were reported.http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/27190-nangarhar-airstrikes-kill-13-daesh-militants

Taliban fighters have been pushed back in the ongoing battle with Afghan security forces in Trinkot city in Uruzgan province, local officials said Friday. TOLOnews reporter Abdullah Achakzai said that according to local officials the Taliban insurgents were pushed back on Thursday after reinforcements arrived in the city. Achakzai said that local officials have told him that nearly 100 Taliban fighters and 15 security force members have been killed in the battle so far. He…

General Qadam Shah Shahim, chief of army staff, said on Friday during a visit to Paktia, that Haqqani network in cooperation with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) intends to take control of Musakhel and Jani Khel in Paktia and Khost provinces and use the districts as their main havens. However, Shahim said that Afghan security forces have fought the insurgents and their plans have been foiled. “Haqqani network in cooperation with the Pakistani military intelligence in…

A peace deal between Hezb-e-Islami led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and the Afghan government is expected to be signed later today, sources close to Hekmatyar have said. The sources further added that the draft peace agreement between Hezb-e-Islami and the Afghan government has been amended during the negotiations. According to the sources, Hekmatyar had some remarks regarding the draft peace agreement which led to the amendment of the draft agreement. A spokesman for the High Peace…

KABUL – Afghan President Ashraf Ghani yesterday warned to close Pakistan’s transit route to Central Asian countries over closure of Wagah port for Afghan traders’ import and export. President Ghani made the remarks during a meeting with the UK’s special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Owen Jenkins in Kabul. He said Afghanistan was no more a landlocked country as several other options and transit routes were available to Afghan traders for import and export of…

ISLAMABAD: Kabul has threatened to shut the Afghan transit route for Pakistani exports to Central Asia if Islamabad does not allow Afghan traders to use Lahore’s Wagah border for trade with India. “If Pakistan does not allow Afghan traders to use the Wagah border for imports and exports of their goods, Afghanistan will also not allow Pakistan to use Afghan transit routes to reach Central Asia and other countries for exports,” President Ashraf Ghani said…

There is no let-up in the ongoing dispute between Pakistan and India or any sign that either side is inclined to take a more emollient line. It is very much a he-said-he-said shouting match which has taken an uptick since September 8 with the Foreign Office (FO) accusing New Delhi of sponsoring and financing terrorism in South Asia — which is the exact obverse of what Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said on more…