Month: May 2020

The Taliban, The Government, And Islamic State: Who Controls What In Afghanistan?

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 31 May 2020 AAN’s Obaid Ali is quoted in this article, commenting on the Afghan government’s (lack of a) strategy, on links between non-Taleban foreign militant groups and the Taleban and on the strength of ISKP: “The government faced serious challenges for months,” says Obaid Ali, an expert on the insurgency […]

31 May 2020

Is the Citizens’ Charter the Right Vehicle for Reconciliation? The risks of monetising peace

Jelena Bjelica •

The Citizens’ Charter is a community-driven development programme, currently implemented in one third of Afghanistan, which is seen as key means of reducing poverty. However, there are pilots planned that will stretch this ambitious programme beyond its economic goals, to use it as a vehicle for peace. AAN’s Jelena Bjelica looks at the mixed achievements of […]

31 May 2020

The Cost of Support to Afghanistan: New special report considers the reasons for inequality, poverty and a failing democracy

Kate Clark •

In a new AAN special report, Kate Clark considers the apparent paradox that despite almost two decades of international support to Afghanistan, poverty for most Afghans has deepened. She also explores the gap between the promise of the 2002 Bonn Agreement and 2004 constitution, a multi-ethnic, fully representative government, a democracy with strong checks and […]

29 May 2020

The Cost of Support to Afghanistan: New special report considers the causes of inequality, poverty and a failing democracy

Kate Clark •

A new AAN special report looks at why the political vision of the 2002 Bonn Agreement and 2004 constitution with its promises of a representative democracy has failed to materialise. It finds answers in the huge levels of unearned foreign income that has flowed into Afghanistan since 2001, both aid and the money spent by […]

29 May 2020

UNSC will not lift sanctions from Taliban [yet]: Russian envoy

Anadolu Agency, 28 May 2020 Russia’s presidential envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov in an exclusive interview with Turkish Anadolu Agency, with two interesting points: First, he said that the UN Security Council has not, as planned, voted on lifting sanctions from the Taleban in accordance with the February 2020 US-Taleban agreement on 29 May. He […]

28 May 2020

Pentagon plans for expected Trump order to pull thousands more troops from Afghanistan

Washington Post, 27 May 2020 Not so much that there is also a scenario of larger than agreed (with the Taleban) or even full US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan is the news in this report, but how the US forces have already prepared for a full or nearly full withdrawal: Last year, Miller directed his […]

27 May 2020

Taliban Sources Repository

FFI/UiO, 2 April 2020 This repository is based on a private collection, was established through the Taliban Sources Project (TSP) and launched online in 2020 by the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) in cooperation with the University of Oslo (UiO). It includes the movement’s cultural, social, and legal output for the years 1979-2011. It includes original documents – […]

25 May 2020

AAN wishes a peaceful and healthy Eid al-Fitr to all our readers

AAN Team •

After a Ramadan that has been difficult for many in Afghanistan, there is finally some better news: the Taleban have announced a three-day ceasefire to mark Eid ul-Fitr and the Afghan government has reciprocated. Acknowledging that the many people who have lost dear ones in the brutal violence this spring or are afflicted by coronavirus […]

24 May 2020

The case of Mawlawi Mehdi and Balkhab District: Are the Taleban attracting Hazaras?

Thomas Ruttig •

Recently, a story appeared in the media reporting that the Taleban have appointed a Shia Hazara as a shadow district governor in Sar-e Pul province. This ethno-religious group is barely represented in the insurgent movement, and stands in the way of the Taleban’s attempt to present itself as nation-wide. Mehdi, however, is not physically present […]

23 May 2020

Coalition halts expansion of local force meant to hold back the Taliban

Stars and Stripes, 22 May 2020 In this report about a “pause” in the planned expansion – from 105 to 121 companies – of the Afghan National Army Territorial Force due to “supply issues” and “leadership gaps,” AAN’s Kate Clark is quoted: Integrating the Taliban, however, could prove difficult for a force that relies on the […]

22 May 2020

‘Where are the women?’ Outcry over all-male government meeting in Afghanistan

The Guardian, 22 May 2020 A tweet by AAN’s Ali Yawar Adili is quoted here, in reports about frustration in Afghanistan about the lack of women participation in the latest political deal between president Ghani and his old/new coalition partner, Dr Abdullah: Ali Adili, a researcher for the Afghanistan Analysts Network, tweeted: “Where are the […]

22 May 2020

“Eine rasche Friedenslösung in Afghanistan wäre eine grosse Überraschung”

Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 22 May 2020 Full interview with AAN’s Thomas Ruttig (in German) about the ‘peace process’ in Afghanistan, saying that the time frame given in the US-Taleban deal of February 2020 was “unrealistic” and solely due to “domestic considerations.” H says that thought the Taleban were tired of war was “wishful thinking” – […]

22 May 2020