Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Month: April 2014

Elections 2014 (17): Journalists argue over neutrality, patriotism and the E-Day blackout

Kate Clark

A debate has opened up on the role of the media during the Afghan presidential elections and its relationship with the Afghan state. It turns out that many journalists did not report or minimised reporting of Taleban attacks on election day – for a mix of political, patriotic and editorial reasons. In the days after, […]

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Years Of Drought Exacerbate Deadly Floods In Afghanistan

AAN

Think Progress (blog), 29 April 2014 Relatively short, but useful background on Afghanistan’s environmental problems, given the latest natural disasters in the country.

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Mystery surrounds move of Afghan ‘torturer in chief’ to U.S. amid allegations of spy agency abuse

AAN

Washington Post, 29 April 2014 A protrait of Haji Gulalai who, writes the daily, “had run Afghan intelligence operations in Kandahar after the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 and later served as head of the spy service’s detention and interrogation branch. After 2009, his whereabouts were unknown”.  

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Afganistan’ın geleceği muğlak

Thomas Ruttig

T24, 28 April 2014 In an article by this Turkish news channel on the anniversary of the left-wing “Saur revolution”, AAN’s Thomas Ruttig is quoted here (apparently through Deutsche Welle): Afgan Analistler Ağı’ndan Afganistan uzmanı Thomas Ruttig de Afgan güvenlik güçlerinin ISAF’ın çekilmesinin ardından sorumluluğu tek başına üstlenmeye hazır olduğu konusunda şüpheli. Ruttig, Afgan güvenlik […]

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Afghanen kiezen in juni tussen Abdullah en Ghani

AAN

Volkskrant, 28 April 2014 AAN's Martine van Bijlert is quoted in this Dutch daily on the possible vote banks for the two main candidates, saying that "Abdullah ook in de eerste rond al een substantieel aantal Pathaanse kiezers heeft getrokken. 'Daar waren veel proteststemmen bij', zegt ze. Een deel van de proteststemmen zal Abdullah volgens haar […]

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Lull Prompts Question: What Are Taliban Up To?

Thomas Ruttig

New York Times, 28 April 2014 In an article trying to make sense of the Taleban’s relative inactivity on Afghan election day and after, AAN’s Thomas Ruttig is quoted: “They [the Taleban] want to be recognized as a legitimate party. Why else do they call themselves the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and not the Taliban […]

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Elections 2014 (16): Final preliminary results, complaints, campaigns and negotiations

Martine van Bijlert

The preliminary results of the 2014 presidential election have been announced, with two clear frontrunners – Dr Abdullah Abdullah, with 44.9 per cent of the vote and Dr Ashraf Ghani with 31.5 per cent – and no outright winner. These are still preliminary results, not yet taking into consideration the findings of the complaints commission (IECC), […]

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Abdullah Abdullah pas encore président d’Afghanistan

AAN

Libération, 28 April 2014 In an analysis of the Afghan election prcess so far, the French daily quotes AAN: “Selon le cabinet d’analyse politique Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), des rumeurs récurrentes évoquent également un rapprochement entre Abdullah Abdullah et Abdul Rassoul Sayaf.”

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Killing of Americans at Kabul hospital highlights foreigners’ risk

AAN

Los Angeles Times, 25 April 2014 In another article about the killing of three medical staff of a NGO-run hospital in Kabul, AAN's Kate Clark is quoted with an explanation: "They [foreign civilians] can be seen as the soft underbelly of the intervention, an easy way to hit Western governments rather than trying to fight […]

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Afghan Officer Kills 3 Americans at Hospital

AAN

Wall Street Journal, 25 April 2014 In an article on the killing of three medical staff at a NGO-run hospital in Kabul, AAN's Kate Clark tries an explanation:  "There is perhaps the start of a trend of foreign civilians being targeted," said Kate Clark, a veteran analyst with the Kabul-based Afghan Analysts Network. "For various […]

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Elections 2014 (15): Hazaras overturning all expectations

Qayoom Suroush

Before the elections, no-one had expected Abdullah Abdullah to win the Hazarajat’s votes, especially by such a large margin. His strong showing here – and that of his vice president, Mohammad Mohaqeq – could have consequences for the presidential election as a whole; the Hazaras, as one of the largest minorities in the country, could play […]

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Illegal, non-professional excavation of a mine in Chilan valley underway

AAN

Pajhwok News Agency, 24 April 2014 Another story about the mining hazard, will all ingredients: weak government and insurgents’ influence.

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