Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Month: January 2016

The 2016 Insurgency in the North: Beyond Kunduz city – lessons (not taken) from the Taleban takeover

Obaid Ali •

In the last two months of 2015, Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) conducted a significant counteroffensive to remove the Taleban from areas just outside Kunduz city as well as from a number of its outlying district centres. Since recapturing the city on 13 October 2015, efforts have barely had an impact, especially in the districts. Yet, […]

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د ندي غوښو مېله چې کورنۍ او خپلوان ه يو ځای کوي

AAN •

Urband, Dalw 1394 (Jan/Feb 2015) Reprint, in the Pashto magazine Urband (“Ceasefire”, in English) of Fazl Muzhary’s AAN dispatch over the joy of producing and eating landai dry meat in the Afghan season, a feast that brings families and friends together (not online). A PDF version can be found here.    

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Taliban Blow Line Transmitting Uzbek Electricity to Kabul

AAN •

The Diplomat, 27 January 2016 Catherine Putz refers to two AAN pieces –by our former colleague Gran Hewad and by guest author Mohsin Amin – as background for her article about the Taleban blowing up the electricity transmission line to Kabul from Uzbekistan: As noted by Gran Hewad in an excellent piece for the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), […]

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Sample of E-Tazkera (Source: Pajhwok)

The Troubled History of the E-tazkera (Part 2): Technical stumbling blocks

Jelena Bjelica • Martine van Bijlert •

The introduction of electronic ID cards – or e-tazkera – in Afghanistan remains haunted by delays, obstacles and poor planning. Although CEO Dr Abdullah approved the e-tazkera pilot phase on 3 August 2015, the process has yet to begin. Since then, President Ghani has questioned the very feasibility of this oft-delayed project, while main donors […]

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Protest in eastern Nangarhar province in September 2015 for inclusion of words of Afghan and Islam in new electronic national identity cards. (Pajhwok/Zeerak Fahim)

The Troubled History of the E-tazkera (Part 1): Political upheaval

Jelena Bjelica • Martine van Bijlert •

There is a fairly broad consensus among Afghans and donors alike that the introduction of an electronic ID card – or e-tazkera – would be a good thing; it would provide accurate population data, standardised ID documents and the possibility of, in the case of elections, drawing up reliable voter lists. The project, however, has […]

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The two Talibans and how they operate

AAN •

Express Tribune, 25 January 2016 Michael Semple’s comparison of the Afghan and Pakistani Taleban’s organisational structure, modus operandi and patterns of violence in the context of the Charsadda attack.

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New four-party group could steer Afghanistan toward reconciliation

AAN •

Global Times, 24 January 2016 Probably China’s official position on its role in Taleban talks, in China’s official newspaper for the world.

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Taliban demands prisoner release to rejoin Afghan peace talks

Thomas Ruttig •

Reuters, 24 January 2016 Two short quotes by AAN’s Thomas Ruttig in this Reuters piece: Thomas Ruttig, co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network in Kabul, said the Taliban have been fairly consistent in their demands and he is skeptical the latest push would yield any results [the latter refers to the quadrilateral talks hosted by […]

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Kabul’s blast walls protect a powerful few while causing misery for many

AAN •

Washington Post, 23 January 2016 How metal scavengers and taxi drivers suffer from reduced mobility; artists, who can’t remove the walls, at least try to make them more colourful; and about the right to have proper security.

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Casting a Very Wide Net: Did Ghani just authorise interning Afghans without trial?

Kate Clark • Lenny Linke •

A recent decree by President Ghani on how to deal with terrorist crimes has introduced the prospect of detaining, without trial, Afghans (and foreigners in Afghanistan) suspected of planning acts of terrorism. The relevant article allows the Afghan authorities to detain suspects indefinitely on very little evidence and with little or no opportunity to defend […]

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Integreren met een eigen mentor; Minderjarige asielzoekers in Zweden

Thomas Ruttig •

De Volkskrant, 20 January 2016 In this reportage about underage Afghan refugees in Sweden in the Durch daily, AAN’s Thomas Ruttig is quoted on possible reasons why so many of them come to Europe (not online): Waarom juist zoveel minderjarige mannen uit Afghanistan komen, is vol- gens Thomas Ruttig, een Duitse onder- zoeker bij het […]

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Afghanistan Sets Election Date (or Maybe Not)

AAN •

The Diplomat, 20 January 2016 This report on the setting of Afghanistan’s next election date quotes AAN’s Martine van Bijlert several times: Martine van Bijlert, of the Afghanistan Analysts Network, noted in her evaluation of the news that the “Abdullah camp, apart from generally pushing for changes to the electoral system, has particularly insisted on the […]

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