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The ANSF’s Zurmat Operation: Abuses against local civilians

In early January 2016, an Afghan National Security Force (ANSF) operation in Zurmat, a southern district of Paktia province, resulted in civilian casualties. According to local residents, the Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers’ heavy shelling of villages they suspected to be Taleban hideouts caused the most harm. Abuses, such as beatings and the use of […]

4 Mar 2016 Fazl Rahman Muzhary • War and Peace

In Search of a Peace Process: A ‘new’ HPC and an ultimatum for the Taleban

Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US – the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) – are pushing to open a new chapter in the ongoing search for a peace process for Afghanistan. The group has now met for the fourth time, although direct talks with the Taleban have yet to begin. Earlier this week, it issued an […]

26 Feb 2016 Thomas Ruttig • War and Peace

2015 Performance of the Wolesi Jirga: Low attendance, nominal oversight

The lower house of the Afghan parliament, the Wolesi Jirga, will end its winter recess and begin its next sitting on 6 March 2016. With elections delayed, the current group of MPs is likely to be in place for some time. This seemed like a good time, then, to review the lower house’s performance in 2015. […]

22 Feb 2016 Salima Ahmadi • Political Landscape

An Afghan Exodus (2): Unaccompanied minors in Sweden

The increased refugee influx into Europe is testing cooperation within the European Union, has led to attempts to close borders and is affecting domestic politics. AAN advisory board member Ann Wilkens looks at the Swedish example. Sweden has seen more asylum seekers per head of population than any other European country and liberal asylum policies […]

18 Feb 2016 Ann Wilkens • Migration

External Publication: Afghanistan’s Post-Liberal Peace: between external intervention and local efforts

In: “​ Post-Liberal Peace Transitions Between Peace Formation and State Formation”​, Oliver P. Richmond, Sandra Pogodda (eds), Edinburgh University Press Publication date: January 2016

15 Feb 2016 Martine van Bijlert • External publications

The Bloodiest Year Yet: UN reports on civilian casualties in 2015

2015 was the worst year for civilians in the Afghan conflict since UNAMA started systematically documenting casualties in 2009. Its annual report looking at the protection of civilians in 2015 found the trend towards more casualties in 2015 particularly marked for women and children. For women, IEDs are now the second biggest killer, with increased […]

14 Feb 2016 Kate Clark • War and Peace

The New Taleban Deputy Leaders: Is there an obvious successor to Akhtar Mansur?

Reports of the alleged killing of new Taleban leader Akhtar Mansur in December 2015 as well as his subsequent disappearance from public view have raised the question as to who might be next-in-line and whether there exists an internal, legitimate mechanism for succession. This question is all the more pressing given the continuing, albeit dwindling, […]

10 Feb 2016 Thomas Ruttig • War and Peace

External AAN Publication: Daesh and Taleban in Afghanistan

Oxford Analytica Daily Brief, 17 November 2015 Thomas Ruttig, “Afghan Taliban Contain Islamic States’ Regional Reach” Reported clashes between Islamic State group’s (ISG) fighters and Afghan security forces, and the appearance of ISG-style black flags, have raised concerns about the ISG threat in Afghanistan. However, many of the alleged sightings of ISG fighters are vague […]

10 Feb 2016 Thomas Ruttig • External publications

New Building, Old MPs: A guide to the Afghan parliament

Afghanistan’s parliament has relocated to a new building of Indian construction in Kabul. Moreover, a date has finally been set for the next parliamentary elections. With the parliament’s term extended until the elections, it has another year of sessions, which raises the issue of its very legality. AAN researcher Salima Ahmadi (with contributions from senior […]

4 Feb 2016 Salima Ahmadi • Thomas Ruttig • Political Landscape

The 2016 Insurgency in the North: Beyond Kunduz city – lessons (not taken) from the Taleban takeover

In the last two months of 2015, Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) conducted a significant counteroffensive to remove the Taleban from areas just outside Kunduz city as well as from a number of its outlying district centres. Since recapturing the city on 13 October 2015, efforts have barely had an impact, especially in the districts. Yet, […]

30 Jan 2016 Obaid Ali • War and Peace