Happy Nawruz: May every day be Nawruz for AAN readers AAN wishes a happy new year and joyful Nawruz to all its readers. Afghans and many others across the region will be celebrating the first day of 1398, also the first day of spring, with family visits, special food and picnics. In Kabul, some will go to the Sakhi Shrine, while many others will congregate […] 21 Mar 2019 AAN Team • Context and Culture
AAN Obituary: Muhammad Sharif Fayez (1944-2019) – a higher education reformer, come too early or maybe too late With Muhammad Sharif Fayez, another member of the first post-Taleban Afghan cabinet has passed away. In this cabinet, Fayez served as Minister of Higher Education from 2001 to 2004. In 2004, he became the founding president of the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF), which he chaired until 2006. As president emeritus until his passing, he […] 14 Mar 2019 Michael Daxner • Context and Culture
Commemoration in the Basement: Kabul’s hidden war victims museum (2) With the Afghanistan Centre for Memories and Dialogue, a new museum dedicated to the victims of the Afghan wars of the last four decades and their families has opened in Kabul in February this year. It was initially supposed to be housed in the capital’s landmark Behzad cinema but now is confined to a provisional […] 11 Mar 2019 Thomas Ruttig • Rights and Freedoms
What’s in a Woman’s Name? No name, no public persona Across Afghanistan, women are not addressed or referred to by their names in public. Even on wedding invitations and tombstones, they are typically referred to as the daughter, wife or mother of their father, husband or eldest son. Many Afghans believe naming a woman in public dishonours her. Others are arguing that a tradition that […] 8 Mar 2019 Rohullah Sorush • Rights and Freedoms
AAN Co-director, Thomas Ruttig discusses 30 years of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan (in German) – March 2019 AAN Co-director, Thomas Ruttig discusses the 30 years of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan with ARD. 6 Mar 2019 Thomas Ruttig • Podcasts
Afghanistan’s 2019 Elections (3): New electoral commissioners, amendments to the electoral law President Ashraf Ghani has appointed new commissioners and heads of secretariats for both electoral commissions, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and the Election Complaints Commission (ECC). This follows a busy few weeks in which the election law was amended, all the old electoral commissioners were dismissed and new electoral officers voted in by the presidential […] 5 Mar 2019 Ali Yawar Adili • Political Landscape
AAN Co-director, Thomas Ruttig discusses the possible ‘peace in sight’ in Afghanistan after 40 years (in German) – March 2019 AAN’s Thomas Ruttig discusses the possible ‘peace in sight’ in Afghanistan after 40 years of conflict with Lage Der Nation (in German). 4 Mar 2019 Thomas Ruttig • Podcasts
Guide to Kabul’ Police Districts In maps and text, AAN charts Kabul’s 22 police districts, their history, landmarks and architecture, population and security. The full report can be downloaded here: Kabul Police Districts. 2 Mar 2019 Others
Kabul Unpacked: A Geographical Guide to a Metropolis In The Making Today, AAN publishes a new report, “Kabul Unpacked: A Geographical Guide to a Metropolis In The Making”. In maps and text, Author Fabrizio Foschini charts Kabul’s 22 police districts, their history, landmarks and architecture, population and security. We hope this guide will be a go-to, easily-used backgrounder for a city that many of us love, […] 2 Mar 2019 Fabrizio Foschini • Special Reports
Fabrizio Foschini discusses his new report mapping Kabul’s 22 police districts – March 2019 Fabrizio Foschini, author of the new AAN report, “Kabul Unpacked: A Geographical Guide to a Metropolis In The Making” discusses the history and development of Kabul city. 2 Mar 2019 Fabrizio Foschini • Podcasts
