Afghan National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib on Thursday traveled to Beijing, the Office of the National Security Council of Afghanistan said in a statement. According to the statement, during a two-day visit to China, Mohib will meet senior Chinese officials to discuss a range of issues pertaining to Afghanistan-China bilateral …
Read More »Taliban Must Not Repeat Mujahideen’s Mistake: MPs
The Taliban insurgent group is making the same mistake as Mujahideen did during the Soviet-Afghan War, a number of Afghan lawmakers said on Wednesday. “Mujahideen made the biggest mistake by refusing to negotiate with Dr. Najibullah. I’m calling on the Taliban that based on our religion peace is in our …
Read More »NDS Arrests 11 Taliban Militants in Kandahar
A group of 11 Taliban militants has been arrested by the Afghan intelligence agency in Kandahar province, the agency said on Wednesday. According to a statement released by the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the militants were plotting to carry out coordinated suicide attacks in Kandahar city. The group was …
Read More »Balkh – Istanbul Air Corridor Inaugurated
Balkh – Istanbul air corridor, linking Afghanistan with European countries via Turkey, inaugurated on Wednesday. The inauguration ceremony was kicked off in Mawlana Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi International Airport in Mazar-i-Sharif City. The first flight with two tons of raisins and three tons of dried berries took off to London. According …
Read More »Khalilzad Starts another Tour to Region to Discuss Afghan Peace
The U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has started another trip to the region, starting from Jan 8 – 21, the U.S. Department of State said in a statement on Tuesday. According to the statement, Ambassador Khalilzad will visit India, China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to discuss Afghan peace …
Read More »Taliban Kills a Journalist in Farah
The Taliban executed a journalist who was traveling on a bus with around 30 other passengers in western Farah province when it was stopped and searched at a Taliban roadblock, Reporters without Borders (RSF) said in a statement. Condemning the incident, RSF in the statement said that Javid Noori was …
Read More »Taliban Cancels Planned Peace Talks with U.S. Officials in Qatar: Report
Taliban has canceled planned peace talks with U.S. officials in Qatar this week on Wednesday over an agenda disagreement, Reuters reported. “Both sides have agreed to not meet in Qatar,” senior Taliban members based in Afghanistan told Reuters. The talks had been planned for two days in Qatar, where both …
Read More »Jamiat-e-Islami Reacts to Leaked Audio Tape Attributed to Qanoni
Jamiat-e-Islami party on Tuesday reacted to a leaked audio tape attributed to Mohammad Yunus Qanoni, a former vice president and senior member of Jamiat. In the audio tape obtained by Ariana News on Monday, Qanoni talks about Jamiat’s electoral strategy and differences among its members. He says Jamiat’s strategy for …
Read More »Qatar to Host Next Round of U.S.-Taliban Peace Talks on Wednesday
The U.S. officials and the Taliban representatives will sit down to two-day peace talks on Wednesday in Qatar, sources told Ariana News, adding that no Afghan government officials will be involved in the meeting. This will be the fourth time in a series of talks between Taliban leaders and U.S. …
Read More »Heavy Blast Hits Khost City
At least two people were killed and 25 others wounded in an explosion in eastern Khost province on Tuesday morning, an official said. A hospital source in the province told Ariana News that the blast happened near a mosque in the city. He added that so far two dead bodies …
Read More »Trump, Modi Discuss Afghanistan in Phone Call
U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have discussed increasing cooperation in Afghanistan among other issues in a phone call on Monday. According to reports, the two leaders agreed to work closely on plans to strengthen economic ties between U.S. and India and, as well as to increase their …
Read More »Parliament Asks Gov’t to Introduce Acting Ministers for Vote of Confidence
The documents of four ministerial nominees and two Supreme Court members have reached the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament), the house said on Monday, urging the government to introduce the acting ministers for a vote of confidence. A number of key government institutions including the Ministry of Defense, Interior, and Foreign …
Read More »More Than 230 People Referred to AGO Over Alleged Election Crimes
Following the last year’s chaotic parliamentary elections, more than 230 people including senior employees of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) has been referred to the Attorney General’s office over alleged election crimes. Jamshid Rasooli, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s office on Monday said they have registered at least 80 …
Read More »Pakistan, UAE Agree to Work on Peace in Afghanistan
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates’ Armed Forces, and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan have agreed to work jointly for peace and stability in Afghanistan. The two leaders on Sunday held talks on bilateral matters and strongly …
Read More »Roadside Bomb Blast Kills Five Civilians in Paktika
At least five civilians were killed and three others wounded in a roadside bomb blast in Paktika province, police said on Monday. Provincial police spokesman Shah Mohammad Arian told Ariana News that the incident happened in Jani Khel district of eastern Paktika province on Monday morning. He added that all …
Read More »Taliban Shadow District Governor Among 19 Killed in Faryab
The Taliban shadow district governor and head of the group’s red unit were killed by Afghan forces in northern Faryab province, the 209th Shaheen Military Corps said in a statement on Monday. The two Taliban officials were identified as Mullah Sarwar the Taliban’s shadow governor for Almar district, and Habib …
Read More »Eight Taliban Commanders Killed in Maidan Wardak
At least 14 Taliban militants including eight commanders of the group were killed by Afghan forces during a military operation in Maidan Wardak province, an official said on Monday. Provincial Police Chief Gen. Wais Samimi told Ariana News that the operation was conducted in Jalrez district of the province. He …
Read More »Taliban Ambushes Afghan Forces in Baghlan, Killing One
An Afghan security official was killed and three soldiers were wounded in a Taliban attack in northern Baghlan province, a local official said on Monday. The incident happened this morning in Kilagay area of Doshi district. Mohammad Safdar Mohseni the Head of Baghlan Provincial Council told Ariana News that the …
Read More »U.S. Troop Drawdown Won’t have ‘Significant Impact’: NSA Mohib
National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib says the U.S. troop drawdown will not have “significant impact” on the security situation of war-torn Afghanistan. Speaking in an interview with Indian TV channel SNi during his visit to India, Hamdullah Mohib said the Afghan forces have been leading the security efforts since 2014 …
Read More »Pakistan Hosting Taliban Leadership, Can Arrange Their Talks with Kabul: HPC
Afghanistan’s High Peace Council (HPC) says Pakistan which is hosting the Afghan Taliban leadership could bring the Taliban to a negotiating table with the Afghan government. Sayed Ehsan Tahiri, a spokesman for HPC said that Islamabad has close ties with the Afghan Taliban and that has an important role to …
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