Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Month: February 2017

How Neglect and Remoteness Bred Insurgency and a Poppy Boom: The story of Badghis

Jelena Bjelica •

Badghis, a far-flung province in the west of the country, was the bad surprise in the 2016 Afghanistan Opium Survey of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. The poppy cultivation area in Badghis increased almost by 200 percent compared to 2015, contributing significantly to the overall countrywide increase of ten per cent. AAN’s Jelena […]

Economy, Development, Environment Read more

Afghanistanexperte zum Lagebericht des Auswärtigen Amtes: Thema verfehlt

Thomas Ruttig •

Pro Asyl, 22 February 2017 The largest German non-governmental refugee support organisation picks up an analysis of AAN’s Thomas Ruttig (on his German blog Afghanistan Zhaghdablai) about the classified situation report of the German foreign office on the Afghan security situation with a view on asylum seekers (in German).

AAN in the Media Read more

Die Flüchtlinge – eine Zwischenbilanz: Noch viel Arbeit für das BAMF

Thomas Ruttig •

Waiblinger Kresizeitung, 22 February 2017 The southern German local newspaper quotes AAN’s Thomas Ruttig on the security situation in Bamian, one of the provinces considered ‘safe’ for deportations by the German federal government, pointing out that it is insufficient to assess the situation in a certain area independent of its environment: Im Interview mit der […]

AAN in the Media Read more

Wie sicher ist Afghanistan?

Thomas Ruttig •

ZDF heute plus, 21 February 2017 See and listen to a two minutes video (in German) with AAN’s Thomas Ruttig summarising the security situation in Afghanistan for the nes channel of Germany’s second countrywide TV network.

AAN in the Media Read more

Is Afghanistan weer terug bij af?

Martine van Bijlert •

NOS nieuws, 20 February 2017 Brief news article wonders whether Afghanistan is back at square one and quotes AAN’s co-director Martine van Bijlert. She describes the situation as “fluid,” with the Taleban moving into areas that easier to occupy, while setting their sights on more strategic areas (like the provincial capital Kunduz): Martine van Bijlert, […]

AAN in the Media Read more

Germany: Afghan exodus: Afghan asylum seekers in Europe

Thomas Ruttig •

South Africa News, 18 February 2017 The South African news site tops with Thomas Ruttig’s AAN dispatch about the situation of Afghan refugees in Germany (via Relief Web) – and it tops even news about Angelina Jolie.

AAN in the Media Read more
Belgrade squat, November 2016. Photo: Martine van Bijlert

Thematic Dossier XIV: Afghan migration to Europe

AAN Team •

Recent images of migrants freezing in the cold in Greece and Serbia have made disturbing world headlines. Many of those stranded are part of the wave of Afghan migration to Europe, which gained a momentum in early 2015 and has resulted in about 250,000 Afghans arriving in Europe since then. In the past two years, […]

Dossiers Read more

How an Afghan refugee’s path to freedom took another twist in France

AAN •

The Globe and Mail, 17 February 2017 The Canadian daily tells the story of a young Afghan from Takhar who dreams about Canada – and describes his long winding odyssey through Europe: Turkey-Greece-Croatia-Switzerland-Croatia-France…, all documented by his photos and facebook posts

Recommended Reads Read more
Demonstration in Berlin against deportation of Afghan asylum seekers on February 11, 2017 Photo: Hadi Ahmady. (Newsgroup Afghanistan)

Afghan Exodus: Afghan asylum seekers in Europe (3) – case study Germany

Thomas Ruttig •

Germany led in Europe in almost all categories of incoming refugees and asylum applications in 2015 and 2016, both in absolute and relative figures. Roughly six out of ten migrants who came to Europe ended up in Germany. Afghans were strongly represented in all those categories. This prompted the German government to change its 2015 […]

Migration Read more

‘Not Even Dogs Live Like This’ — Afghan Refugees Return Home To Find Squalid Conditions

AAN •

RFE/RL, 16 February 2016 Frud Bezhan’s story about the appaling conditions under which forces returnees from Pakistan live at the outskirts of Kabul

Recommended Reads Read more

Afganistan luisuu kohti kaaosta – Kun Mohammad Shafi, 37, lähti töistä, vastassa oli itsemurhapommittaja

Thomas Ruttig •

Helsingin Sanomat, 16 February 2017 In this reportage from Kabul in the leading Finnish daily, AAN’s Thomas Ruttig is quoted extensively, together with UNAMA human rights chief Danielle Bell: ”Tilanne on huonontunut tasaisesti sitten vuoden 2005. Alussa ongelmat olivat hyvin kaukaisilla ­alueilla, mutta Taleban tuli takaisin”, Afghanistan Analysts Networkin vanhempi analyytikko Thomas Ruttig Kabulista sanoo. Ruttingin mielestä […]

AAN in the Media Read more

Afghanistan raakt weer in de greep van fundamentalisten

Thomas Ruttig •

Volkskrant, 15 February 2017 The Dutch daily carries a report on the discussion about possible US troops increases and quotes, among others, AAN’s Thomas Ruttig: Thomas Ruttig van het Afghanistan Analysts Network in Kabul: ‘De westerse bondgenoten konden de Taliban al niet verslaan of zelfs maar terugdringen toen zij onder ISAF en Enduring Freedom de […]

AAN in the Media Read more

Subscribe to receive updates from the Afghanistan Analysts Network

Sign up