Tag Archives: Afghan
Afghan Taliban announces death of Haqqani network leader
The founder of the Haqqani network, one of Afghanistan’s most effective and feared militant groups, has died after a long illness, their allies the Afghan Taliban announced Tuesday. Jalaluddin Haqqani, whose son Sirajuddin Haqqani now heads the brutal group and is also the Taliban’s deputy leader, died “after a long battle with illness”, the Taliban said in a statement. Jalaluddin “was from among the great distinguished Jihadi personalities of this era,” the Taliban said in the English version of its statement posted on Twitter.
Afghan teen to appear in court for Amsterdam station attack
A 19-year-old Afghan man who was shot and wounded by Dutch police after allegedly attacking bystanders at Amsterdam’s Central Station will briefly appear in court on Monday, police said. The suspect, identified by authorities as “Jawed S.”, “will appear before a judge and until then no further details will be released,” the Amsterdam police said in a statement on Sunday. Two American citizens — both believed to be male — were seriously injured when a knife-wielding man attacked bystanders around noon on Friday at the busy station next to the Dutch capital’s historic city centre.
Taliban launch attacks on approaches to Afghan city of Ghazni
The Taliban raided three villages on the outskirts of Ghazni late on Thursday, destroying some newly built checkpoints and cutting off power to some parts of the city. Provincial police chief Farid Mashal said government forces counter-attacked to block the insurgents from approaching the city. “We were swift to push the Taliban out of the villages, but many civilians fled to neighboring villages fearing the fighters could kill them,” said Mashal.
Aid arrives in Afghan city after Taliban onslaught
Aid trickled into Ghazni Sunday, residents and relief workers said, days after security forces pushed Taliban militants from the eastern Afghan city following nearly a week of heavy fighting. “We need this aid to survive,” said Gul Badshah, one of many in Ghazni who made their way to distribution centres Sunday, who said his home had been destroyed by two rockets during the onslaught. Siraj Ahmad, another resident, said he was collecting aid for a neighbour whose husband — a police officer — and young son were killed by the Taliban during the fighting.
The Afghan President Has Called for a Cease-Fire With the Taliban During Eid al-Adha
Afghan president offers Taliban new provisional ceasefire
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani declared a provisional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban in a televised broadcast Sunday, a move welcomed by Washington but yet to receive a reply from the militants themselves. The announcement followed a bloody week of fighting across Afghanistan which saw the Taliban launch a massive assault against the provincial capital Ghazni. Anticipation had been mounting ahead of Ghani’s speech following mixed signals from the presidential palace over whether the government would offer a fresh truce — following a brief, unprecedented ceasefire earlier in June.
Afghan president calls for Eid cease-fire, Taliban to reply
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has called for a conditional cease-fire with Taliban insurgents for the duration of the Eid al-Adha holiday.
Taliban overrun Afghan army base, kill 17 troops
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban overran a remote base in northern Afghanistan, killing 17 soldiers, as Afghan forces battled the insurgents for the fifth straight day in the eastern city of Ghazni on Tuesday, trying to flush them out of the city's outskirts, officials said.
Raw: Afghan City in Ruins As Battles Continue
Intense fighting as Taliban presses to take Afghan city
Taliban insurgents attacked police headquarters and other government buildings in Ghazni in central Afghanistan on Sunday, killing dozens of soldiers and police and threatening to seize control of the city, officials and residents said. U.S. aircraft conducted at least four air strikes but details of the fighting were unclear as most of the city’s telecoms masts were destroyed in fighting over recent days. A senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said around 80 members of the security forces, as well as an unknown number of civilians had been killed.
