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Official list of Afghanistan’s districts

Before Afghanistan’s (delayed) 2018 parliamentary elections, the country’s Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) have published a joint, consolidated list of Afghanistan’s 387 districts. The number had been controversial that far and had led to different figures used by different sources. (Some sources, for example, add the capitals of […]

16 Aug 2018 Afghan government documents

The Afghanistan Election Conundrum (12): Good news and bad news about district numbers

Afghan authorities have solved one of the most long-standing and consequential problems in the country‘s complex election system: the number of districts. It is 387. This is pending a final decision by parliament, as there are some so-called ‘temporary’ districts that could boost the number. If parliament takes this issue up, however, there is a […]

16 Aug 2018 Thomas Ruttig • Political Landscape

Afghanistan Election Conundrum (11): Electoral reform and the preparations for the 2018 elections – a summary

Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for 20 October this year, three and a half years late. They were delayed so that the electoral system could be reformed – although what that delay achieved in terms of reforms, is questionable. The country’s first district elections are also still scheduled for the same day, although the Independent Election Commission […]

10 Aug 2018 Ali Yawar Adili • Political Landscape

Thematic Dossier XX: Electoral reform and the preparations for the 2018 elections

Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for 20 October this year, three and a half years late. They were delayed so that the electoral system could be reformed – although what that delay achieved in terms of reforms, is questionable. The country’s first district elections are also still scheduled for the same day, although the Independent Election Commission […]

10 Aug 2018 AAN Team • Dossiers

Afghanistan Election Conundrum (10): Failure to hold the first ever district council elections?

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) has proposed a delay in the district council elections, citing a lack of candidates. According to a report from the body, only a tenth of the country’s districts have enough male and female candidates to compete. The IEC listed several reasons as to why so few people wanted to stand: […]

7 Aug 2018 Ali Yawar Adili • Political Landscape

Qari Hekmat’s Island Overrun: Taleban defeat ‘ISKP’ in Jawzjan

 The Taleban have eliminated the self-proclaimed Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) group that had been holding an enclave of territory in the isolated districts of Qush Tepa and Darzab in Jawzjan province for the last three years. It was the only ISKP-aligned group with territorial control outside the east of Afghanistan. The group failed to […]

4 Aug 2018 Obaid Ali • War and Peace

“The Eid ceasefire helped our efforts well”: Helmand peace marchers keep up the pressure

Although the Eid ceasefires have been and gone, they have rekindled hopes across Afghanistan that peace is possible. Helmand’s peace movement is keeping up the pressure. It has staged sit-ins in front of embassies in Kabul and sent letters to countries participating in or supporting the war effort. The movement has also reached other parts […]

2 Aug 2018 Thomas Ruttig • Ali Mohammad Sabawoon • War and Peace

AAN’s Doris Buddenberg and Jelena Bjelica on opium in Afghanistan – July 2018. Episode: 2

Member of AAN’s advisory board and also, the Former Resident Representative of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Afghanistan Doris Buddenberg and AAN’s Jelena who also worked with the UNODC between 2010-14. Together they discuss the role on opium in Afghanistan.  

31 Jul 2018 AAN Guests • Podcasts

Less Rain and Snowfall in Afghanistan: High level of food assistance needed until early 2019

The Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) has reported that in 22 of Afghanistan’s provinces, cumulative rain and snowfall during the ‘wet season’ – October 2017 to May 2018 – was 30 to 60 per cent below average. The northwest of the country has been particularly hard hit. AAN’s Jelena Bjelica (with input from Obaid Ali […]

30 Jul 2018 Jelena Bjelica • Economy, Development, Environment

The Insecure Spring of Ghazni: Results of third-grade treatment by the centre?

Ghazni is one province where the Taleban have long-established significant influence. Actually, they dominate it militarily, with the exception of the provincial capital, all but one of the 18 district centres and some larger areas in three districts. Over the spring of 2018, the Taleban – although not capturing more territory –, have significantly expanded […]

25 Jul 2018 Ehsan Qaane • War and Peace