Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Month: March 2018

12 new electoral commissioners (seven for the IEC and five for the EEC), sworn into office on 22 November 2017, are now facing demands for their dismissal. IEC chairman Najibullah Ahmadzai (second from the left) has already been dismissed. Photo: Presidential Palace

AAN’s Ali Yawar Adili discusses the preparations for the elections in Afghanistan. Episode: 1 – February 2018

Ali Yawar Adili •

AAN’s Ali Yawar Adili discusses the various dynamics related to the preparation of elections in Afghanistan.  

Podcasts Read more

Afghan AF Getting New Hellfire-Shooting Planes; More Airstrikes Coming

Thomas Ruttig •

Breaking Defence, 13 March 2018 In this article looking on the increased number of US airstrikes in Afghanistan, AAN’s Thomas Ruttig is quoted on possible adverse effects: Thomas Ruttig, co-founder of the Afghanistan Analysts Network, said he is particularly concerned about the impact the coming wave of airstrikes will have on civilians. “We have seen […]

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«Norsk» provins kan bli overtatt av Taliban

Thomas Ruttig •

Bistandsaktuelt, 13 March 2018 The Norwegian website picks up AAN’s latest analysis of the upsurge in fighting in Faryab province where Norwegian troops have been deployed for many years under ISAF and summarises it, with a commentary of PRIO’s Kristian Harpviken: Dette er noen av hovedpunktene i en fersk rapport  skrevet av Thomas Ruttig og […]

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Afghanistan: Kampf um Faryab

AAN •

Augen geradeaus! 12 March 2018 The German security policy blog run by Thomas Wiegold refers to AAN’s latest analysis of the military situation in the northern Afghan province and adds an interesting detail: that German soldiers are currently evaluating the effectiveness of the Afghan forces there.

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Battle for Faryab: Fighting intensifies on one of Afghanistan’s major frontlines

Obaid Ali • Thomas Ruttig •

An intense battle is under way near the city of Maimana, the capital of Faryab. In this northern province, the Taleban gained control over a majority of districts over 2017, including all of those close to the provincial capital, which is practically under siege. They also threaten the national ring road and important provincial roads. […]

War and Peace Read more

Afghanistans præsident rækker hånden frem til talibanerne

Thomas Ruttig •

Jyllands-Posten, 11 March 2018 The leading Danish newspaper reports about the latest Afghan peace overtures to the Taleban and extensively quotes AAN’s Thomas Ruttig (behind a paywall): Og ifølge afghanistan- eksperten Thomas Ruttig fra Afghan Analyst Network [sic] i Berlin er der tale om »det mest vidtgående fredstilbud siden 2001«. »De este af elementerne i […]

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Afghanistan Election Conundrum (5): A late demand to change the electoral system

Ali Yawar Adili •

A group of influential political parties have called for a change to the electoral system. This emerged out of the ongoing dispute between one of the parties, predominantly Tajik Jamiat-e Islami, and the presidential palace over the contested dismissal of Balkh Governor Atta Muhammad Nur. The group wants political parties to have a greater role […]

Political Landscape Read more

Afghanistan’s forgotten ‘gypsies’ seek legal recognition

AAN •

AFP, 8 March 2018 A very interesting article about one of Afghanistan’s most underreported minorities, the Jogi. Most of the group of 20,000 to 30,000 who are Sunni Muslims live in northern Afghanistan, many near Mazar-e Sharif. But Afghanistan’s constitution does not explicitly recognise them as Afghans, making it difficult for them to obtain a tazkira. In 2006, the […]

Recommended Reads Read more
One of the refugee families who returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan in 2017. Last year, some 57,000 people returned. This year, a far bigger, forced exodus is feared. Photo: Andrew Quilty, 2017, Nangrahar.

AAN at 6 March 2018 Vienna event: “Afghanistan in Pakistan”

AAN •

Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees over decades. 2016 it began, however, to push them out in masses. The deported Afghans return into a country with a  catastrophic security situation.  Their situation will be discussed on a podium which includes AA’s Jelena Bjelica.   Time and location Tuesday, 6 March 2018, 19:00 – 21:00 […]

Events Read more

Precarious Consolidation: Qari Hekmat’s IS-affiliated ‘island’ survives another Taleban onslaught

Obaid Ali •

Qari Hekmat, a self-proclaimed IS commander in control of parts of Jawzjan, has survived another Taleban attempt to oust him from the area in January 2018. Following this, he attempted – without success – to take a district centre in the province from government control. AAN’s Obaid Ali has compiled additional information about how he […]

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An offer for peace with Taliban

Thomas Ruttig •

The Hindu, 3 March 2018 This article on President Ghani’s peace proposal to the Taleban quotes from AAN research by Thomas Ruttig and Jelena Bjelica: The proposal has a reference to “negotiation of… any contested aspect of the international community’s future role in Afghanistan”. This, in the opinion of security analysts Thomas Ruttig and Jelena […]

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Die Taliban sind nicht zu besiegen

Thomas Ruttig •

NZZ am Sonntag, 3 March 2018 A short quote from AAN’s Thomas Ruttig in this article about the current situation in Afghanistan in the Sunday edition of leading Swiss daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German): Ein entscheidender strategischer Vorteil der Taliban sei die Möglichkeit, sich bei Bedarf nach Pakistan zurückzuziehen, sagt Thomas Ruttig vom Afghanistan […]

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