Afghanistan

NATO Reaffirms Plans to Stay in Afghanistan Through 2014
Despite suggestions from US and French leaders that an earlier exit might be warranted, NATO stated that it would be operating in Afghanistan until the end of 2014.

Afghanistan Creates Rules for Dealing with Taliban
Afghanistan has laid down some ground rules for dealing with peace talks with the Taliban that include the establishment of an office for the talks.

Suicide Bombs Kill Dozens in Kabul, Afghanistan
In what is being described as sectarian violence on a scale not typically seen in Afghanistan, suicide bombers killed at least 55 and wounded 160 in separate attacks in Kabul.

First Music Festival in Afghanistan in 30 Years
Afghanistan is a country that has long been oppressed, but this weekend a music festival saw live music played in Kabul for the first time in 30 years.

CIA Station in Kabul Attacked by Afghan Gunman, One American Killed
A U.S. citizen was shot and killed by an Afghan employee of the U.S. embassy who opened fire in the CIA station within the embassy.

Former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani Killed
Several Afghan government sources are reporting that former president and head of the peace council Burhanuddin Rabbani has been killed in his home in Kabul.

Taliban Forces Attack U.S. Embassy and NATO HQ in Kabul
Insurgents and members of the Taliban launched a mid-day attack on the U.S. Embassy and NATO Headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan and the gun battle is still raging.

August Now Deadliest Month of War in Afghanistan
66 U.S. troops were killed this month in the War in Afghanistan, with 30 perishing when a helicopter transporting Navy Seals was shot down by insurgents.

New Details Emerging in Downing of Afghan Special Forces Helicopter
Various media outlets have been attempting to piece together sparse details about what exactly happened on the night that 30 U.S. Special Forces soldiers were shot down and killed.

Afghan President’s Half Brother Killed in Kandahar
The powerful half brother of the Afghan president, Ahmed Wali Karzai, was assassinated yesterday in his home, further destabilizing the nation.

History of Afghanistan
Join us as we follow the amazing history of Afghanistan timeline to find out how things have changed in this war torn nation. Going through this is bound to amaze you as you will realize that there is much more to know about this country.

Afghanistan Culture
Though the first thing that comes to our mind when we hear the word 'Afghanistan' is war, there is a lot more to know about this nation. Afghanistan culture is regarded as one of the most ancient and historically important cultures in the world. Read on to know more about the culture of Afghanistan.

Earthquake Rocks Afghanistan
A strong earthquake, measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale, rocked Afghanistan just after midnight on Friday, causing panic and sending people into the streets.

Poll Runoff in Afghanistan
Afghanistan is going to have a poll runoff between Hamid Karzai and chief rival, Abdullah Abdullah.

Kabul Bombing Target's Indian Embassy, Kills 18
Suicide bomb attack at the Indian Embassy in Kabul kills 18 and injures many.

Afghanistan - Culture, Traditions and Customs
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is located in Central Asia. Its culture, traditions and customs are unique to its geographical setting as a landlocked country. It is flanked by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and China...

Is It The Right Might?
So what is going on in Afghanistan? The US and NATO military forces have been swatting the Taliban like bothersome flies for five years now; but they keep swarming around. They even seem to be breeding. There are a lot more of them now than there were two years ago.

Obama Introduces Plan to Wind Down Afghan War
President Obama addressed the nation last night to inform us that he would begin the long-awaited process of winding down the Afghan War, but his proposal is being met with disappointment from both sides of the aisle.

NATO Overrules Karzai on Afghan House Strikes
Despite claims from Hamid Karzai that NATO airstrikes would no longer be allowed to target Afghan houses, NATO said that the strikes would continue out of necessity.

At Least 30 Killed in Suicide Blast in Afghanistan
A suicide bombing in the increasingly violent northern area of Afghanistan has left at least 30 dead and wounded 40 more.

John Kerry Questions Obama's Approach to Afghanistan
John Kerry recently talked to the Boston Globe about his views on Afghanistan and whether things need to change.

NATO and U.S. Don’t See Eye to Eye on 2014 Afghan Combat Exit
The U.S. and other NATO countries envision an end to combat missions in Afghanistan by 2014, but the U.S. is much less firm about it that her European allies.

Top U.S. Leaders say Afghans in Control by 2014
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen confirm that 2014 is reasonable date for Afghans to control their country.

Afghan President Acknowledges Receiving Funds from Iran and U.S.
The president of Afghanistan has noted that both Iran and the U.S. give him cash, though the admission is not quite so duplicitous as it may seem.

Nine NATO Troops Killed in Afghan Helicopter Crash
In the deadliest copter crash in four years, nine members of NATO coalition forces were killed in Afghanistan on Tuesday.

Afghan Vote Marred by Concerns Over Election Fraud
The vote in Afghanistan over the weekend appears to have been marred by both violence and fraud.

Afghan Attorney General Calls for Greater Autonomy
The Afghan attorney general, Mohammad Ishaq Aloko, is seeking greater autonomy for his government in ferreting out corruption.

Japanese Reporter Escapes Captors by Using Twitter
A Japanese journalist who had been imprisoned in Afghanistan for five months managed to gain his freedom, in part due to a Twitter message.

Taliban Stones Couple in Afghanistan for Committing Adultery
For the first time in over 9 years, stoning has been chosen as the means of execution for adulterers in Afghanistan, as Taliban operatives carried out the punishment without a court or a sentence.

Haqqani Fighters Being Pursued by Afghan and NATO Troops
A Taliban group that had been wreaking havoc in Afghanistan is largely on the run now thanks to joint Afghan and NATO strikes.

WikiLeaks Vows to Release Remaining Classified Afghan Documents
In a recent interview, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said that he intends to publish the remaining 15,000 classified Afghanistan War documents.

Afghanistan War Disclosures Could Be Bad News for U.S.
The U.S. is bracing for major blowback from recently-released documents on the war in Afghanistan.

Clinton Seeks to Refine Afghanistan War Goals
Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Afghanistan to redefined the aims of the war in that beleaguered country.

Militant Attacks in Afghanistan Kill 11 Police Officers
Militant attacks in northern Afghanistan killed 12 people, even as attacks in other parts of the country have been orchestrated by the Taliban in response to ramped-up coalition efforts to break their hold on Afghanistan.

General Petraeus Confirms Long-term Commitment in Afghanistan
General David Petraeus appears poised to tackle an increasingly difficult war in Afghanistan with patience and a commitment to a long-term U.S. presence.

Top U.S. General in Afghanistan to White House to Explain Himself
General Stanley McChrystal, the top general in Afghanistan, was critical of the president in a magazine interview and now may lose his job.

Over $1 Trillion in Vast Mineral Deposits Confirmed in Afghanistan
A staggering amount of some of the world's most precious minerals have been confirmed lying beneath the surface of the barren landscape of Afghanistan.

Helicopter Shot Down in Afghanistan, Four American Soldiers Killed
A NATO helicopter was shot down by hostile fire southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, pushing the NATO death toll to 28 already in June.

NATO Losses in Afghanistan at 24 for Month of June
June has been a bad month for NATO forces, with 24 dead so far in just eight days and the possibility of more violence to come ahead of a big NATO operation in the area.

Six Afghan Soldiers Die by German Friendly Fire
In the midst of violence in Afghanistan, German friendly fire has killed six Afghan soldiers.

Prior to Huge Offensive, U.S. Troops Close Taliban Escape Route
U.S. and Afghan soldiers, along with U.S. Marines, are closing off escape routes prior to invading a Taliban stronghold believed to contain nearly 1,000 insurgents.

NATO Airstrikes Kill 4 Afghan Soldiers, Sparking Anger
A NATO airstrike that occurred after a case of mistaken identity has killed four Afghan soldiers, leading to great anger among the Afghan Defense Ministry.

Taliban Offered Financial Incentives to Reintegrate in Afghanistan
A proposal is on the table which would devote over $500 million to providing financial and educational incentives for Taliban fighters to peacefully reintegrate into Afghanistan society.

Ex-Blackwater Guards Charged with Murdering Two Afghans
Two ex-Blackwater guards who fired at a car that rammed into a vehicle in their convoy and then sped towards them have been charged with murder, but it appears unlikely that the charges have any merit.

Troops from Fort Hood, Texas Deploy to Afghanistan
The remaining soldiers in the grief counseling unit who lost several members during the recent shootings at Fort Hood are deploying to Afghanistan with a renewed sense of purpose.

Obama Facing Criticism for Afghan Troop Increase
Although the official announcement has yet to be made, President Obama is already facing critics of his plan to increase U.S. Troops in Afghanistan.

President Obama Expected to Announce Troop Surge in Afghanistan
Media outlets are reporting that President Obama has decided to send between 25,000 and 35,000 troops to Afghanistan to help quell the insurgency.

U.S. Ambassador Attempts to Dissuade Obama from Troop Surge
As President Obama prepares to make his decision about the U.S. course in Afghanistan, the U.S. envoy there, Karl Eikenberry, has come forward to question the idea of more troops.

Afghan Government Says UN Representative Overstepped Authority
A Norwegian diplomat, the top U.N. presence in Afghanistan, has made comments that have angered the Afghan government, but from all other sides it appears that advice offered just makes good sense.

UN Relocating Staff in Afghanistan Following Attacks
After five foreign UN staff members were killed in suicide attacks in Afghanistan, the organization has decided to pull back staff and relocate them.

Two Helicopter Crashes in Afghanistan Kill at Least 14 Americans
Hostile fire is not believed to be involved in the crashes that killed at least 14 Americans, including civilians working for the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Obama Keeping Quiet on Adding Troops in Afghanistan
President Obama will not downgrade the Afghanistan war to a counterterrorism effort, but he has not yet noted if more troops will be sent overseas.

Taliban Leader Encourages U.S. and NATO Forces to Study History
As ambushes grow more sophisticated and more deadly, a Taliban leader has warned U.S. and NATO forces that foreign forces have rarely had success in Afghanistan.

Taliban Militants Crushed after 3 U.S. Troops Killed in Ambush
NATO forces and the U.S. military reacted strongly to a Taliban ambush that killed three U.S. troops, sending in airstrikes and killing at least 50 militants.

U.S. Marines Launch Offensive Against Taliban
Operation Eastern Resolve 2 launched just before dawn on Wednesday, attacking a long-time Taliban base with hopes of stabilizing the region before next week's elections.

U.S. Forces Targeting Drug Barons in Afghanistan
A new U.S. "kill or capture" list has placed Afghanistan’s drug traffickers in the middle of the U.S. military’s crosshairs.

U.S. Military Operations Ramping Up in Afghanistan
U.S. military operations have been ramped up considerably in Afghanistan as U.S. forces seek to stabilize a Taliban-controlled area ahead of the August Afghan presidential election.

Pentagon Removes Top U.S. Military Commander in Afghanistan
Defense Secretary Robert Gates decided to remove Army General David McKiernan from his post as the top U.S. military officer in Afghanistan.

Hillary Clinton Apologizes to for Afghan Bombing that Killed Civilians
The latest US set-back in Afghanistan is the erroneous bombing and killing of dozens of Afghan civilians who may have been mistaken for Taliban or al-Qaeda fighters.

U.S. Military Expecting Increase in Taliban Bombings
Stepped-up troop levels in Afghanistan are leading to further bombings by the Taliban and other terrorist groups, leading the Pentagon to look into new ways to combat improvised explosive devices.

Taliban Reject U.S. Offer of Honorable Reconciliation
The Taliban have made their position very clear to the United States. They will not accept any terms other than the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.

Obama to Dispatch More Troops and Civilians to Afghanistan
The war effort in Afghanistan is getting a boost, with thousands of troops being called on in addition to the 17,000 troops and civilian trainers that have already been ordered.

NATO Sending More Troops to Afghanistan for August Elections
In what will ultimately be viewed as the most important indicator of progress in Afghanistan, the country will hold a presidential election in August.

U.S. to Invite Iran to Conference on Future of Afghanistan
In a new type of diplomacy in the Middle East, Pakistan and Iran will be invited to talks on the future of Afghanistan.

Top U.S. General Predicts a Tough Year Ahead in Afghanistan
President Obama has agreed to send an additional 17,000 troops to Afghanistan, fewer than the 30,000 requested, and the top general in the area is already stating that 2009 will be a tough year in that country.

Russian Leader Says His Country Wants to Help U.S. in Afghanistan
Russia, which fought its own 10-year war in Afghanistan, has noted via President Dmitry Medvedev that they would be willing to assist the U.S. in bringing stability to the war-torn country.

U.S. Sending More Troops to Afghanistan by Summer
Continuing Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced that more troops will be headed to Afghanistan by the summer, increasingly shifting the U.S. focus away from Iraq.

Government Refuses to Allow Wiccan Emblem on Soldier’s Headstone
Nevada officials and the wife of a fallen soldier are diligently trying to get the federal government to allow the placement of a Wiccan symbol on the memorial plaque of Sgt. Patrick Stewart, who was killed in Afghanistan last fall. But the government doesn’t approve.