Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Month: July 2019

Afghan Presidential Candidates Face Election Uncertainty, Campaign Controversy, And Danger

AAN •

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 30 July 2019 AAN’s Ali Adili is quoted in this article about the start of the Afghan campaign for the September presidential election: “Candidates are hesitant to launch their campaign because they are not sure if the election will be held,” said Ali Adili, a researcher at the Afghanistan Analysts Network, […]

AAN in the Media Read more
Lizards far from home. Some of the specimens brought back from Afghanistan in 1972 and now part of the Belgrade collection of lizards from Afghanistan at the Siniša Stanković Institute for Biological Research at the University of Belgrade. Photo: Jelena Bjelica

Lizards of Afghanistan: An unknown collection discovered in Serbia

Jelena Bjelica •

In the summer of 1972, Serbian ornithologist Voislav Vasić travelled to Afghanistan and brought back a collection of lizards. It was a favour to a herpetologist (specialist in reptiles and amphibians) colleague. The collection, practically forgotten since has been rediscovered and re-examined by a Czech herpetologist Daniel Jablonski who published a paper with Serbian colleagues […]

Context and Culture Read more

As Afghan election campaign opens, insurgents attack office of Ghani’s top running mate

AAN •

Washington Post, 29 July 2019 AAN’s latest election analysis by Ali Adili is quoted in this report: In a report released Sunday, the independent Afghanistan Analysts Network noted that some experts believe a change of government should not take place until the Taliban can participate, although others argue that “sacrificing elections might mean they are […]

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An IEC registration officer registers a voter at Naderia High School in Kabul as the IEC launched a 22-day top up voter registration across the country on 8 June. Photo: IEC Facebook page, 8 June 2018

Afghanistan’s 2019 elections (6): Presidential campaign kicks off amid uncertainty

Ali Yawar Adili •

The campaign to become Afghanistan’s new president will be launched later today. As 18 candidates approach the starting line, AAN researcher Ali Yawar Adili looks at lingering doubts that the election will actually happen, at the rules on campaigning, and the divisions and splits in the various political parties that have taken place in the […]

Political Landscape Read more

Friedensgespräche in Doha: „Nur ein kleiner Schritt auf einem sehr langen Weg“

Thomas Ruttig •

Aachener Zeitung, 26 July 2019 Full interview in the German daily with AAN’s Thomas Ruttig (in German) on the outcome of the seventh round of US-Taleban negotiations and the intra-Afghan dialogue in Doha as well as an prospects of the forthcoming talks.  

AAN in the Media Read more

What the U.S. and Taliban Must Get Right on Negotiations in Afghanistan

AAN •

World Policy Review, 26 July 2019 Candace Rondeaux quotes AAN reporting on “some reassuring Taliban gestures toward women attending the unofficial, intra-Afghan backchannel talks in Doha earlier this month, as the Afghanistan Analysts Network notes“.

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Reden und Morden: Dialog mit den Taliban

Thomas Ruttig •

Jungle World, 25 July 2019 Op-ed in the German left-wing weekly by AAN’s Thomas Ruttig on the latest intra-Afghan dialogue and its ‘non-binding’ calls to reduce violence in Afghanistan (in German).

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The dispute was involving this ballot with a pen mark in favour of Rahmani who considered it to be a valid ballot and claimed that it should be counted. His opponents argued that this was invalid and should be excluded from the ballot count. Photo: Herat MP Nahid Farid Facebook page, 21 May 2019

The disputed election of the Wolesi Jirga’s speaker: A story of a balance of power, political allegiance and money

Ali Yawar Adili • Rohullah Sorush •

The Wolesi Jirga – the lower house of Afghanistan’s parliament – has, at last, been able to elect its speaker and the rest of its administrative board. This took place more than two months after the house was inaugurated and following several weeks of controversy that followed an extremely close and disputed run-off in the […]

Political Landscape Read more

Beginning of a New Era at the AIHRC: Nine fresh commissioners

Ehsan Qaane •

The National Unity Government has finally, after 13 painful months mulling the matter over, appointed nine new commissioners to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC). The new chair is Shaharzad Akbar, a well-known human rights activist, who has served as a deputy at the National Security Council on peace, protection of civilians and fallen […]

Rights and Freedoms Read more

Schaharsad Akbar wird Afghanistans neue Menschen­rechtschefin

Thomas Ruttig •

Tageszeitung, 19 July 2019 AAN’s Thomas Ruttig wrote a portrait of Afghanistan’s new AIHRC chairwoman Shaharzad Akbar in the Berlin-based daily (in German). A more detailed German version here.

AAN in the Media Read more

In Afghanistan, give peace a chance — and a lot of time

AAN •

The Hill, 18 July 2019 An interesting inside (ex-government) look at the US attempts to reach an agreement with the Taleban by former US ambassador to Afghanistan Ronald E Neumann (from 2005-2007), also former deputy assistant secretary of State, and now president of the American Academy of Diplomacy, with some warnings: An agreement on paper […]

Recommended Reads Read more
Fatemiyun fighters’ graves in Behesht-e Zahra cemetery in southern Tehran. Three of the ten women interviewed had lost men in the war in Syria. Casualties among the Fatemiyun have been heavy. Photo: Mohsen Hamidi, April 2019

The Two Faces of the Fatemiyun (II): The women behind the fighters

Mohsen Hamidi •

Existing studies on the Fatemiyun have focused on the Afghan men fighting for the Iran-backed government in Syria. The women behind the fighters – wives, mothers and sisters – have remained invisible, despite the fact that many fighters decided to go to Syria with family concerns in mind. Based on interviews with ten women in […]

Regional Relations Read more

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