Taliban

Pakistan military chief seeks US help on release of IMF loan

THE ASIA LIVE Jul 31, 2022

Pakistan’s powerful army chief has contacted Washington, seeking U.S. help in securing an early release of a crucial $1.7 billion installment from the International Monetary Fund to his country, struggling with a deepening economic crisis,…

Afghanistan: The quiet Afghan valley standing up to the Taliban

THE ASIA LIVE Jul 27, 2022

Taliban are more powerful and better armed than ever before, here and in the neighbouring province of Panjshir, they are facing a nascent armed resistance to their rule in Afghanistan.

Afghan Taliban order women TV anchors to cover their faces

THE ASIA LIVE May 19, 2022

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers ordered all female presenters on TV channels to cover their faces on air, the country’s biggest media outlet said Thursday.

Militant attacks hurt Pakistan relations with Afghan Taliban

THE ASIA LIVE May 19, 2022

Faced with rising violence, Pakistan is taking a tougher line to pressure Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to crack down on militants hiding on their soil, but so far the Taliban remain reluctant to take action — trying instead to broker a…

Taliban hard-liners turning back the clock in Afghanistan

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 29, 2022

Taliban hard-liners are turning back the clock in Afghanistan with a flurry of repressive edicts over the past days that hark back

Taliban assert neutrality, call for restraint between Russia, Ukraine

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 25, 2022

Interim Afghan government urges Moscow, Kyiv to 'resolve crisis through dialogue, peaceful means'

Norway refuses to recognize Taliban government in Afghanistan: Foreign Minister

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 20, 2022

Afghan Aftershocks: From Ashes to Ashes?" "We are reluctant to recognize and will not do that

Boy trapped for three days in Afghan well dies after rescue

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 18, 2022

Afghan village well died minutes after being pulled out today, following a rescue effort the country’s new Taliban rulers said showed they would spare nothing for their citizens.

Afghanistan humanitarian crisis to affect Pakistan, warn Senators

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 8, 2022

Islamabad Pakistan's senators have warned that a humanitarian crisis is brewing in Afghanistan that could have serious ramifications for Pakistan's national security, local media reported on Tuesday. Speaking on the rapidly developing…

Taliban closer to international recognition, says foreign minister

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 3, 2022

KABUL The Taliban are inching closer towards international recognition, but any concessions Afghanistan's new rulers make will be on their terms, the regime's foreign minister said in an interview with AFP. In his first interview…

Rejected by New Zealand, reporter turns to Taliban for help

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 31, 2022

WELLINGTON A pregnant New Zealand journalist says she turned to the Taliban for help and is now stranded in Afghanistan after her home country has prevented her from returning due to a bottleneck of people in its coronavirus quarantine…

U.N. report says Taliban killed have killed scores of former Afghan officials, others

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 31, 2022

WASHINGTON A U.N. report the Taliban and its allies are believed to have killed scores of former Afghan officials, security force members and people who worked with the international military contingent since the U.S.-led pullout.…

Humanitarian aid tops agenda as Taliban meet Western officials

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 23, 2022

KABUL Human rights and the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where hunger threatens millions, will be in focus at talks opening Sunday in Oslo between the Taliban, the West and members of Afghan civil society. In their first visit…

IS kills Taliban’s local intelligence chief of Bati Kot

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 11, 2022

KABUL The Islamic State (IS) on Tuesday killed Abid Bashir, the head of the Islamic Emirate Intelligence Agency of Bati Kot district in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar. According to the source, IS terrorists ambushed Bashir…

Pakistan finalizes $63M education package for Afghan students

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 11, 2022

ISLAMABAD Pakistan has finalized an Rs11.2 billion ($63 million) education package for Afghan students and plans to establish a university campus in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital, a senior official said on Monday. The Ministry of…

Imran Khan asks the international community to engage with the Taliban

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 16, 2021

ISLAMABAD Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan asked the international community to engage with the Taliban whose foreign assets have been frozen. The Ashraf Ghani-led government in Afghanistan was overthrown in mid-August this year,…

No place for Daesh/ISIS in Afghanistan: Taliban

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 9, 2021

KABUL, Afghanistan The Afghan interim government has arrested over 670 militants of Daesh/ISIS, also known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP or ISIS-K), during the last three months, the Taliban spokesman said, adding that…

Kabul residents struggle due to rising value of dollar against Afghan currency

THE ASIA LIVE Nov 26, 2021

KABUL The Taliban takeover and deteriorating economy, a number of Kabul residents expressed concerns over the rising value of the dollar against Afghan currency, local media reported. According to the residents, the depreciation of…

Key aid group says Afghanistan’s most pressing need is cash

THE ASIA LIVE Nov 19, 2021

Afghanistan is facing a looming humanitarian crisis as aid organizations struggle with ways to pay doctors, nurses and others on the ground because there is currently no way to transfer salaries to bank accounts there, the head of the…

Taliban’s Afghanistan, Haqqani Network is the new kingmaker: Report

THE ASIA LIVE Nov 18, 2021

Washington Three months since the Taliban take over of Afghanistan, the Haqqani Network --- which was often responsible for the deadliest and highest-profile terrorist attacks on US forces -- has now emerged as kingmakers in Kabul.…

Taliban set up military tribunal to enforce Shariah law in Afghanistan

THE ASIA LIVE Nov 10, 2021

The interim Taliban administration announced on Wednesday the establishment of a military tribunal to enforce Islamic law in Afghanistan. The tribunal has been formed on the command of supreme leader Hebatullah Akhundzada to enforce…

‘Why can’t we study?’ – Afghan girls still barred from school

THE ASIA LIVE Oct 17, 2021

KABUL Afghan teenager Amena saw dozens of classmates killed when her girls' school was targeted by an Islamic State bomb attack in May, but she was determined to continue her education. Now, like most secondary school girls in the…

Taliban say they won’t work with US to contain Islamic State

THE ASIA LIVE Oct 9, 2021

KABUL The Taliban on Saturday ruled out cooperation with the U.S. to contain extremist groups in Afghanistan, staking out an uncompromising position on a key issue ahead of the first direct talks between the former foes since America…

US hold first in-person talks with Taliban since Afghan withdrawal

THE ASIA LIVE Oct 9, 2021

WASHINGTON The United States and the Taliban will hold their first in-person talks because of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan starting today, the State Department said. The US delegation will meet today and tomorrow in the Qatari…

Mosque powerful blast kills ‘many’ in northern Afghanistan

THE ASIA LIVE Oct 8, 2021

A powerful blast ripped through a mosque full of worshippers in northern Afghanistan on Friday, killing and injuring "many," officers confirmed. Eyewitnesses told the blast rocked a Shi'a community mosque at around 1.30 p.m. local time…

Taliban representative meets Uzbek Foreign Minister, discuss transit, energy

THE ASIA LIVE Oct 7, 2021

Kabul Taliban Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met with Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov on Thursday in Kabul, foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said, adding that they discussed transit, energy, and…

Ex-British soldier arrested by Taliban rescued from Afghanistan

THE ASIA LIVE Oct 6, 2021

KABUL A former British soldier arrested by the Taliban has been flown out of Afghanistan by a traveling delegation from the United Kingdom, Sputnik reported citing an international broadcaster. Ben Slater used to be detained by the…

Afghanistan to start issuing passports again

THE ASIA LIVE Oct 5, 2021

KABUL Afghanistan will begin issuing passports to its citizens again today, a senior official said, following months of delays that hampered attempts via these trying to flee the country after the Taliban seized control in August. The…

Afghanistan’s health system at breaking point

THE ASIA LIVE Oct 4, 2021

KABUL At an overcrowded hospital in Afghanistan, the few remaining doctors and nurses try urgently to treat skeletal babies and malnourished children packed side by side on beds. The country's healthcare system is on the verge of…

Taliban rally outside Kabul as they consolidate rule

THE ASIA LIVE Oct 3, 2021

KOHDAMAN, Afghanistan Around 1,000 Taliban supporters attended a rally today in a vast field to the north of Kabul, in a show of strength as they consolidate their rule of Afghanistan. The crowd, made up only of men and boys, listened…

Afghan central bank drained dollar stockpile before Kabul fell: document

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 29, 2021

The Afghan central bank ran down most of its U.S. dollar cash reserves within the weeks before the Taliban took control of the country, according to an assessment prepared for Afghanistan's international donors, exacerbating the current…

Afghan’s Peace and Stability for Pan-Himalayas Region

bidhur dhakal Sep 28, 2021

Seven weeks after the Taliban took control over Kabul and, three weeks after the announcement of the new caretaker government by the Taliban; the world’s powers are yet to recognize the ‘Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan who is also the…

‘First batch of Chinese aid to reach Afghanistan before winter’

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 28, 2021

BEIJING Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu on Monday announced that China's first batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan will be departed before the winter. In a meeting with Afghanistan's Acting foreign minister Amir Khan…

Kabul airport ready for domestic, international flights, says Taliban

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 26, 2021

Kabul The Taliban announced on Sunday that all technical glitches at the Kabul airport are repaired and that international flights could resume. The interim government in Afghanistan assured all airlines of full cooperation and said…

Russia says it’s in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 26, 2021

UNITED NATIONS Russia, China, Pakistan, and also the united states are working together to make sure that Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers keep their promises, especially to make a genuinely representative government and stop extremism…

US, Pakistan allies again on face Afghanistan threats

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 25, 2021

WASHINGTON The Taliban’s takeover of Kabul has deepened the mutual distrust between the U.S. and Pakistan, two putative allies who have tangled over Afghanistan. But each side still needs each other. With the Biden administration…

Economic sanctions on Afghanistan must end: China’s foreign minister

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 23, 2021

BEIJING The various unilateral sanctions or restrictions on Afghanistan should be lifted as soon as possible, said China's State Councillor and foreign minister Wang Yi. Economic sanctions on Afghanistan must end, the Chinese foreign…

5 killed in multiple attacks in Jalalabad

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 23, 2021

Kabul The eastern province of Nangarhar witnessed multiple attacks in Jalalabad city on Wednesday resulting in the death of 5 persons, reported Tolo News. Four explosions in different parts of the town took the lives of two people and…

UN: Afghanistan’s Taliban want to deal with General Assembly

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 22, 2021

UNITED NATIONS Who should represent Afghanistan at the United Nations this month? It’s a complex question with plenty of political implications. The Taliban, the country’s new rulers for a matter of weeks, are challenging the…

Taliban say no Al-Qaeda or ISIS in Afghanistan

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 21, 2021

KABUL Afghanistan's Taliban rulers said on Tuesday (Sept 21) there was no evidence of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Al-Qaeda militants being within the country, days after ISIS claimed responsibility for bomb attacks…

Guterres calls for UN engagement with Taliban

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 20, 2021

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the international community wants to ascertain an inclusive government in Afghanistan and to realize that the United Nations must engage with the Taliban. According to Guterres, the…

153 media outlets at risk of closure since Taliban takeover, says IFJ

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 19, 2021

International Federation of Journalists in its latest report said that 153 media outlets have hardly been impacted since the Taliban takeover and are on verge of closing their offices forever. The report also reads that the liberty of…

Three blasts kill at least two in Afghan’s Jalalabad

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 18, 2021

JALALABAD Two people were killed when three blasts struck the Afghan city of Jalalabad on Saturday (Sept 18), at least one among which targeted a Taliban vehicle, within the country’s first deadly attack since we withdrew. The…

Thousands homeless as Taliban eject Afghans

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 18, 2021

Kandahar, Afghanistan Ikramullah was at work on a car wash in Kandahar city on Saturday when he got an urgent call from his family. The 28-year-old rushed home to search out a group of armed Taliban fighters who had found his house,…

UN refugee chief says Afghan stability needed

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 15, 2021

KABUL, Afghanistan The international community and therefore the Taliban will get to find how to affect one another for the sake of stabilizing Afghanistan, the chief of the U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday. Filippo Grandi said the…

With Taliban’s rise, India sees renewed threat in Kashmir

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 14, 2021

SRINAGAR, India India’s leaders are anxiously watching the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, fearing that it will benefit their bitter rival Pakistan and feed a long-simmering insurgency in the disputed region of Kashmir, where militants…

Taliban now in charge in a Kabul prison

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 14, 2021

KABUL Once, Kabul’s main prison was crowded with thousands of Taliban captured and arrested by the govt. On Monday, a Taliban commander strolled through its empty halls and cell blocks, showing his friends where he had once been…

Blinken readies for contentious Afghan hearings in Congress

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 13, 2021

WASHINGTON Secretary of State Antony Blinken is preparing to face tough congressional questioning this week over the Biden administration’s handling of the military withdrawal from Afghanistan. In separate House and Senate hearings,…

Donors voice concerns over Taliban rule as UN seeks funds

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 13, 2021

GENEVA Western governments and therefore the U.N. human rights chief voiced concerns Monday about the Taliban’s first steps as they establish power in Afghanistan. The United Nations, meanwhile, hosted a donors conference to beat up…

Taliban co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar releases audio statement after death rumours

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 13, 2021

KABUL The Taliban co-founder and now deputy prime minister of Afghanistan released an audio statement Monday saying he was alive and well after news of his supposed demise went viral on social media. Abdul Ghani Baradar, who was last…

Taliban modified the curriculum

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 13, 2021

KABUL The Ministry of Higher Education announced on Sunday that some subjects which contrast with Islam's Sharia are going to be dropped from the upper education curriculum. It comes as private universities and other education…

How the planet has changed since 9/11 terrorist attacks

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 10, 2021

The world has changed dramatically since the terrorist attacks on new york And Washington on 9/11, 2001. pop culture has evolved — significantly — as have the ways we eat, communicate, work, and obtain our information about the planet.…

Russia not planning to negotiate with Taliban

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 10, 2021

Moscow Russia isn't planning to negotiate with the Taliban after the outfit has ousted the democratically chose government in Afghanistan, Russian President Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said. These comments came from the Press…

150 Americans expected to fly out of Kabul

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 9, 2021

KABUL Two Qatari officials say they expect 100 to 150 Americans to fly out from Kabul’s airport in the coming hours. If confirmed, this would mark the first large-scale evacuation of Americans from Afghanistan since the last U.S.…

Taliban money trail: How funding continued over 20 years

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 9, 2021

Kabul The blitzkrieg of the Taliban in Afghanistan is an issue of debate among experts. Apart from determination, a military conquest is also a battle of resources, so where did the Taliban get the funds to conduct their blitz through…

China offer 200 million RMB and 3 million vaccine doses to Afghanistan

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 8, 2021

Beijing China has decided to urgently provide 200 million yuan (30.96 million U.S. dollars) worth of grains, winter supplies, vaccines, and medicines to Afghanistan according to the needs of the Afghan people. Chinese State Councilor…

Former Afghan President Ghani, says ‘leaving Kabul was most difficult decision of my…

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 8, 2021

Abu Dhabi Former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has issued a statement refuting multiple allegations that he fled Kabul carrying millions of dollars and offered an explanation for leaving abruptly after the Taliban entered the…

Taliban arrests 5 journalists after forming caretaker govt

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 8, 2021

Kabul A day after forming the new caretaker government, the Taliban on Wednesday arrested five journalists of Etilaatroz, a daily newspaper, in Kabul. The information of the arrest was shared by the Editor-in-Chief of the Etilaatroz,…

China eyes Bagram airfield to expand influence, embarrass US, report says

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 8, 2021

Kabul China is eyeing the former US airbase of Bagram in Afghanistan in order to expand its influence in the region and embarrass America. Paul D Shinkman, writing in US News said that China has secured friendly relations with the new…

Cricket Australia unclear on Afghanistan Test following Taliban takeover

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 8, 2021

Melbourne Cricket Australia's chief executive Nick Hockley on Wednesday said that the call to go ahead with the one-off Test against Afghanistan lies with the Australian federal government. Hockley also said that the international…

Key players in the Taliban’s new government

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 8, 2021

KABUL Taliban on Tuesday announced prominent posts for their new government after they seized control of the country and ousted the previous regime last month. Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, who is on a UN sanctions list, was named as…

Intensive conflicts continue between resistance forces, Taliban in Panjshir

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 7, 2021

Intensive fighting continues in Afghanistan's northern Panjshir Province which didn't yield the Taliban radical development that held seized power in the country, a source near the National Resistance Front in the area told in the early…

Biden says US’ recognition of Taliban ‘a long way off’

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 7, 2021

WASHINGTON President Joe Biden said late Monday that the US is a long way from recognizing the Taliban after the group took over the Afghan capital Kabul in mid-August following the US pullout. "That's a long way off," Biden told…

Afghan Women hold protest in Balkh province, demand representation in future govt

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 7, 2021

Kabul A group of women held a protest in Balkh province on Monday calling to preserve the achievements of the past 20 years and demanding women's representation in the future government in Afghanistan. These developments came as the…

Around 1,000 people, including dozens of American citizens and Afghans waiting for departure

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 6, 2021

New York The Taliban are forestalling around 1000 people including many American citizens and Afghans holding visas to the US or different nations, from leaving Afghanistan, US media reports said on Sunday. Numerous planes are waiting…

17 killed, 41 injured by celebratory gunfire in Afghan capital

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 5, 2021

KABUL, Afghanistan At least 17 people were killed and 41 others injured by celebratory gunfire in different parts of Afghanistan's capital after false reports arose that the Taliban caught the northeastern Panjshir valley, a hospital…

1,500 Americans still waiting for Kabul evacuation

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 26, 2021

WASHINGTON Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that as many as 1,500 Americans might accomplish its highest priority from Afghanistan, a figure that recommends the U.S. may accomplish its most elevated need for the airlift —…

Taliban shows ‘special forces’ in propaganda

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 25, 2021

The Taliban has been flaunting its own " special forces" via social media, fighters in new uniforms equipped with equipped American equipment who contrasts sharply with the picture of the usual Afghan extremist. Pictures and videos of…

Taliban’s treatment of women will mark ‘red line’: UN rights

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 24, 2021

The UN rights chief voiced grave concern Tuesday at the situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban swept into power, saying their treatment of women would mark a "fundamental red line". the opening of a crisis emergency session in…

Biden: US expanded Kabul airport access to aid in departures

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 23, 2021

US force has extended their perimeter around Kabul air terminal as a feature of their endeavors to speed up departures of American residents, weak Afghans, and residents of US partners, President Joe Biden said on Sunday. Biden told…

OIC offers to facilitate evacuations help Afghanistan peace

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 23, 2021

JEDDAH 57 Islamic states accumulated to reaffirm their obligation to Afghanistan during the current emergency, urging the future Afghan administration to promote national reconciliation and adhere to the UN's charter and resolutions.…

China situating itself as global accomplice to Taliban in Afghanistan

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 22, 2021

KABUL China is clearly situating itself to be a significant global accomplice to the Taliban after the fall of Kabul as it is looking at Afghanistan's $1-2 trillion worth of uncommon materials-most outstandingly lithium. James Stavridis…

Taliban Official says Structure of New Govt Expected Soon

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 22, 2021

A senior Taliban official has told the framework for the creation of the new government is expected to be declared in the announced in the next few weeks. Sources have said that the Taliban and other Afghan political leaders have…

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s Brother Allegiance to Taliban

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 21, 2021

Kabul Giving a significant shame to Afghanistan's previous President Ashraf Ghani, who is confronting enormous analysis for leaving his kin and country in the midst of a brutal quick assault by the Taliban, his sibling Hashmat Ghani…

World reacting to Afghan refugees

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 21, 2021

Taliban takeover of Kabul on Aug. 15, many thousands of Afghans rushed to the air terminal in the capital bearing in mind the end hopes of catching planes to western nations. In the days subsequent to holding onto power, Taliban…

Biden focuses on evacuating Americans, Afghan partners

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 21, 2021

President Biden on Friday said his organization was thinking about "each chance and each signify" to get Americans and Afghan partners through Taliban designated spots and into the Kabul air terminal. Biden said Taliban aggressors are…

Taliban ‘Doing House to house Manhunt’

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 20, 2021

The Taliban have moved forward their quest for individuals who worked for Nato powers or the past Afghan government, a UN report has cautioned. It said the assailants have been going house to house to discover targets and compromise…

Afghan reality awakening

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 20, 2021

In the midst of the disarray of Taliban-held Afghanistan, part of the global media, a few intellectuals, and the Biden organization are pushing stories that build up their own self-serving sees, yet regularly don't mirror the truth on the…

Afghan Female Journalist Request that Taliban for Right Work

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 20, 2021

Afghan ladies Journalist on Thursday requested that the Taliban regard their entitlement to work. Shabnam Khan Dawran, an anchor at RTA (Radio TV Afghanistan) said that the Taliban has not permitted her to enter her office to proceed…

EU pulls Afghanistan financing, will possibly work with Taliban if basic liberties regarded

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 19, 2021

LONDON The European Association has suspended improvement financing to Afghanistan after the Taliban held onto control of the conflict torn nation . The news comes as European leaders focus on evacuating Europeans from Kabul, as well…

Taliban takeover leaves China unsure about Afghanistan

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 19, 2021

BEIJING The Taliban's dazzling triumph in Afghanistan has left China confronting the disturbing possibility that the recently encouraged Islamic fundamentalist system on its line could agitate security and financial interests across the…

Three killed as Afghan fights test Taliban’s guarantee of quiet

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 18, 2021

Three individuals are accounted for killed in Jalalabad during the city's fights against the Taliban standard supplanting Afghanistan's national flag. Taliban fights in the eastern city of Jalalabad over the expulsion of the Afghan flag…

The Taliban’s real test

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 18, 2021

Abdul Sattar The triumph of the Taliban may have created a ripple of excitement among right-wing circles in Pakistan but it has also sent a shiver down the spines of human rights activists, who fear reprisals and revenge killings. The…

Would you recognize the Taliban?

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 18, 2021

The Taliban have returned to power in Afghanistan after two decades. Over the next few weeks and months, a host of foreign nations with a stake in the country's future will have to make a very tough choice: grant legitimacy to a regime that…

Taliban Announces “General Amnesty”, Asks Officials To Return To Work

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 17, 2021

Kabul The Taliban moved Tuesday to quickly restart the Afghan capital following their stunning takeover of Kabul and told government staff to return to work, though residents reacted cautiously and few women took to the streets. Tens…

US withdraws from Afghanistan all eyes are on Pakistan

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 17, 2021

As the US withdrawal from Afghanistan is now well underway, all eyes have turned to a country at the heart of the decades-long struggle for dominance there… Pakistan, where the effects of 20 years of Afghan war have been felt acutely.…

Taliban Discussing Future Govt in Doha

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 16, 2021

The Taliban said discussions are underway in Doha about a future government, including its structure and name, and they are expected to report on the process in the very near future. A high-ranking official of the Taliban told their…

Taliban sweep into Afghan capital after government collapses

THE ASIA LIVE Aug 16, 2021

KABUL, Afghanistan  The Taliban swept into Afghanistan’s capital Sunday after the government collapsed and the embattled president joined an exodus of his fellow citizens and foreigners, signaling the end of a costly two-decade U.S.…

First US evacuation flight brings 200 Afghans to new home

THE ASIA LIVE Jul 30, 2021

WASHINGTON The first flight evacuating Afghan interpreters and others who worked alongside Americans in Afghanistan landed early Friday at Washington Dulles International Airport, according to an internal U.S. government document and a…

Afghan president urges Taliban to ‘learn lessons from Syria, Iraq, Yemen’

THE ASIA LIVE Jul 10, 2021

Shadi Khan Saif | KABUL, Afghanistan Afghanistan’s president on Saturday urged the Taliban to learn lessons from Syria, Iraq, and Yemen and shun violence to join the peace process. Mohammad Ashraf Ghani was addressing a public…

Taliban claim to control 85% of Afghanistan, blame US for Doha deal failure

THE ASIA LIVE Jul 9, 2021

Elena Teslova | MOSCOW A delegation of the Taliban political office, headed by Shahabuddin Delawar, met with Russian Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov in Moscow on Friday. The two sides held "informal consultations"…

Afghan Taliban announces 3-day cease-fire for Eid holiday

THE ASIA LIVE May 10, 2021

KABUL ,Afghanistan The Taliban declared early Monday that they will observe a three-day cease-fire this week across Afghanistan for the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday. In a statement issued on Twitter, the group's spokesman, Zabihullah…

Afghan leaders seek political agreement ahead of troop withdrawal

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 19, 2021

KABUL Afghan politicians hope that the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban will achieve a political agreement on peace ahead of the announced date for the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan, predicting that an…

A critical stage in Afghan peace process

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 18, 2021

Merve Seren First attempts to initiate peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government to establish peace in Afghanistan came to the fore during Obama’s term. Still, the efforts between 2011 and 2013 failed. The talks planned…

Muslim group urges Afghan gov’t, Taliban to stop fighting

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 13, 2021

The International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS) urged the warring parties in Afghanistan on Monday to stop fighting as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is approaching. In a statement, IUMS Secretary-General Ali al-Qaradaghi called on…

‘Afghan president will sit out proposed early polls’

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 4, 2021

KABUL, Afghanistan The Afghan government is ready to hold early elections to push efforts for peace, but President Ashraf Ghani will not be a candidate, according to a top official. Hamdullah Mohib, the country’s national security…

Afghan officials reverse ban on girls singing after social media backlash

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 15, 2021

Kabul A ban on girls singing in public imposed by education officials in the Afghan capital last week has been overturned after a social media campaign that included local women uploading videos of themselves belting out their favourite…

UN reports surge in violence against civilians in Afghanistan after peace talks

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 23, 2021

KABUL The United Nations says civilian casualties in Afghanistan escalated sharply after peace talks began last year, calling for a ceasefire as negotiators met for the first time after weeks of inaction. US-brokered peace talks began…

NATO to expand Iraq mission to around 4,000 personnel

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 18, 2021

The increase in NATO's Iraq mission was aimed at strengthening the country's military as it looks to curb the resurgence of the Islamic State (IS) group, said Stoltenberg. "The size of our mission will increase from 500 personnel to…

US should extend May Afghan withdrawal deadline: report

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 4, 2021

WASHINGTON The Biden administration should work to extend a May 1 deadline for the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, a report to lawmakers said Wednesday. The Afghanistan Study Group said in its final report to Congress that…

Taliban delegation visits Iran for Afghan peace talks

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 26, 2021

TEHRAN A high-level Taliban delegation arrived in Tehran on Tuesday for talks with Iranian officials on the peace process in war-torn Afghanistan. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the delegation's visit of the…

Afghan Shiite leader in Pakistan after killings of miners

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 12, 2021

ISLAMABAD An influential Afghan Shiite leader is visiting Pakistan where members of the minority sect are still reeling from the brutal killing of 11 Shiite coal miners, nine of whom were Afghan immigrants, earlier this month. The…

Afghan peace talks may suffer from Trump’s departure

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 6, 2021

KABUL, Afghanistan Already shaken by a fresh flare-up of violence, the fragile Afghan peace process may face “problems” following the departure of US President Donald Trump on Jan. 20, experts believe. They also argue that incoming…

Afghanistan mourns victims of university carnage

THE ASIA LIVE Nov 3, 2020

KABUL, Afghanistan Afghanistan marked a national day of mourning on Tuesday in connection with a brazen Kabul University attack that left at least 19 students and teachers dead a day earlier. Hundreds of Kabul residents gathered in…

Afghanistan: Peace negotiator’s sojourn to entice India, Pakistan

THE ASIA LIVE Oct 16, 2020

KABUL, Afghanistan Afghanistan is walking on a tight rope, balancing its ties between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, lest their enmity affects the peace process in the war-torn country. Last week, Abdullah Abdullah, chairman High…

Pompeo says Afghan negotiations likely to be ‘contentious’

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 11, 2020

ISLAMABAD Much anticipated negotiations between Afghanistan’s warring parties are likely to be “contentious,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Friday, but are the only way forward if Afghans are to find peace after decades of…

Afghan officials: Kabul bomb targets VP, kills 10 civilians

THE ASIA LIVE Sep 9, 2020

KABUL, Afghanistan A bombing in the Afghan capital on Wednesday targeted the convoy of the country’s first vice president, killing 10 people and wounding more than a dozen others, including several of the vice president’s bodyguards, the…

Critics of US-Taliban deal say militants can’t be trusted

THE ASIA LIVE Jul 4, 2020

WASHINGTON Intelligence that Afghan militants might have accepted Russian bounties for killing American troops did not scuttle the U.S.-Taliban agreement or President Donald Trump’s plan to withdraw thousands more troops from the war. It…

Russia denies supplying weapons to Afghanistan’s Taliban

THE ASIA LIVE Jul 2, 2020

MOSCOW Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that Moscow has never delivered weapons to the Taliban movement in Afghanistan, countering U.S. allegations. Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova rejected the claim by U.S. Secretary of State…

Trump, top officials defend response to Russia bounty threat

THE ASIA LIVE Jul 2, 2020

WASHINGTON Criticized for inaction, President Donald Trump and top officials stepped up their defense of the administration’s response to intelligence assessments that Russia offered bounties for killing U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Trump’s…

Pakistan rejects India’s ‘distortion, falsification’ of facts from UN’s…

THE ASIA LIVE Jun 5, 2020

Islamabad Pakistan on Thursday categorically rejected Indian foreign ministry's "distortion and falsification of the contents" of a United Nations' report on the Taliban and situation in Afghanistan. In a statement issued Thursday, the…

Afghan government to release 900 more Taliban prisoners

THE ASIA LIVE May 26, 2020

KABUL The Afghan government will be releasing 900 more Taliban prisoners on Tuesday, as demands for the a ceasefire extension grew on the eve of its end. The pause in fighting — which came into effect Sunday to mark the Eid ul-Fitr…

Afghan gov’t says ready to start talks with Taliban

THE ASIA LIVE May 24, 2020

KABUL, Afghanistan The Afghan government's negotiating team is ready to begin the long-due intra-Afghan peace talks with the Taliban, President Ashraf Ghani announced in his Eid al-Fitr message on Sunday. Flanked by his top aides outside…

Zalmay Khalilzad demands reduction in Afghanistan violence

THE ASIA LIVE May 22, 2020

KABUL The US special envoy for Afghanistan has demanded that all sides reduce violence, he said on Thursday, after shuttling from Kabul to the Gulf to push a peace effort that looks increasingly precarious. The envoy, Afghan-born Zalmay…

Fragile Afghan peace deal hinges on prisoner swap

THE ASIA LIVE May 13, 2020

KABUL, Afghanistan A rejuvenated yet fragile Afghan peace deal hinges on a slow-moving prisoner swap that is testing the patience of the erratic warring parties. In line with the landmark US-Taliban peace agreement cautiously welcomed by…

Soldier, 5 militants killed in clash in NW Pakistan

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 20, 2020

KARACHI, Pakistan Five suspected militants and an army soldier were killed in a clash in northwest Pakistan on Monday, the army said. A group of militants, according to the Pakistan Army's media wing, attacked a military checkpoint near…

Taliban attack in south Afghanistan kills 5 policemen

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 20, 2020

Kabul At least five Afghan police officers were killed in a terror attack conducted by the Taliban in Trin Kot, capital of Uruzgan province in the southern part of the country, on Sunday night, provincial authorities said. Apart from the…

3 Taliban militants killed, 5 injured in Afghanistan

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 12, 2020

Kabul Three Taliban terrorists have been killed, and five more have suffered injuries in a preemptive strike by the Afghan armed forces in Helmand province, the country's military said in a statement on Sunday. According to the 215th…

Taliban halts talks with Afghan govt on prisoner exchange

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 7, 2020

Kabul The Taliban on Tuesday broke off talks with the Afghan government on prisoner exchange, the main step in peace talks being brokered by the United States after it agreed on a troop withdrawal pact with the group. "We sent a technical…

Taliban warn peace deal with US near breaking point

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 6, 2020

Kabul,Afghanistan The Taliban said their peace deal with the United States was nearing a breaking point, accusing Washington of violations that included drone attacks on civilians, while also chastising the Afghan government for delaying…

3 Taliban militants killed in bomb blast in Aghanistan

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 4, 2020

Kabul At least three militants affiliated to the Taliban died when a bomb planted by them went off in Afghanistan's central Ghor province, the Afghan government announced on Saturday. "The dead Taliban members planted the bomb to target…

Pompeo says Afghan negotiating team looks ‘pretty inclusive’

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 31, 2020

WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday praised an Afghan government negotiating team identified to hold talks with the Taliban as appearing to be fairly broad and inclusive. “We have seen a team identified. It looks…

Taliban wait for Afghan president to order release of fighters in prisoner swap

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 10, 2020

KABUL The Taliban sent vehicles for fighters set to be released by the Afghan government in a prisoner swap expected to be announced on Tuesday, and were ready to honor their side of the deal by handing over 1,000 captured government…

In Afghanistan, another Great Game set to unfold

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 6, 2020

An unease in India, jubilation in Pakistan, and cautious optimism on the streets of Afghanistan sum up the varied moods in South Asia after the signing of the U.S.-Taliban peace deal. While the deal offers a glimmer of hope that peace may…

U.S. carries out airstrike on Taliban fighters for first time since Doha deal-spokesman

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 4, 2020

KABUL The United States conducted an airstrike on Wednesday against Taliban fighters in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province, a U.S. forces spokesman said, the first strike since a troop withdrawal agreement was signed between the two…

US, Taliban reach agreement to seven-day reduction in violence

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 15, 2020

The United States and Taliban have reached a deal for a seven-day reduction of violence in Afghanistan, a senior American official said, unveiling details of the agreement Washington hopes will lead to a full peace accord. The weeklong…

Five killed in suicide attack on Afghan military academy in Kabul

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 11, 2020

KABUL A suicide attack targeting a military academy in the Afghan capital killed at least five people early Tuesday, the first major assault in the city in months. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the dawn attack, which…

Amid peace talks, US dropped 7,423 bombs on Afghanistan in 2019

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 2, 2020

New US air force statistics show the US dropped more bombs on Afghanistan last year than any year since 2013, even as Washington’s peace envoy sought to boost regional support for a reduction in violence ahead of a final deal to end…

Pentagon says New Jersey soldier killed in Afghanistan

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 24, 2019

KABUL, Afghanistan  A 33-year-old American soldier was killed in combat Monday in Afghanistan, the U.S. military said. The Taliban claimed they were behind a fatal roadside bombing in northern Kunduz province. In a statement Monday night,…