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Back to Stopgap Appointments? The story behind the replacement of Herat’s governor

Among the recent batch of governors’ changes, that of Herat’s Daud Shah Saba was probably the most conspicuous. Saba, a technocrat, had found himself in a confrontation with supporters of the pre-eminent local strongman, Minister for Energy and Water, Ismail Khan, and this conflict eventually led him to resign. So what is now in store […]

24 Jul 2013 Fabrizio Foschini • Political Landscape

Tit for Tat – and Worse: The long history of enmity between parliament and government

The relationship between the Afghan president and, by extension, his cabinet and Afghanistan’s parliament has frequently been turbulent over the past years. The latest example came yesterday (22 July 2013) with parliament’s voting out of office of the interior minister, Mujtaba Patang. Earlier, from April to July, conflict centred around the finance minister, Omar Zakhilwal, […]

23 Jul 2013 Claudio Franco • Gran Hewad • Thomas Ruttig • Political Landscape

Too Cocky for Parliament’s Taste? Interior Minister voted out

In a sudden turn of events – especially for a very hot and demanding day of Ramazan – the minister of interior, Mujtaba Patang, has been voted out of his position by the Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of the parliament. The reasons given were: deterioration of security on highways, the charges of corruption that […]

22 Jul 2013 Fabrizio Foschini • Political Landscape

Ground Battles: Kabul’s disabled street sellers take on the government

In the past months, Kabul has seen large demonstrations of disabled people, most of whom were injured during fighting in one or more of the wars of the past three decades. Up to 300 men marched in front of the parliament or the presidential palace. The protests were in response to a campaign by the […]

21 Jul 2013 Obaid Ali • Rights and Freedoms

A Journey’s End: Returning to Kabul after three decades

Nearly 30 years ago, the mother of AAN guest author Ali M. Latifi fled Kabul from the Soviet-backed regime, holding her three children by the hand. Shortly before this year’s Ramadan began, she came back for the first time. She wanted to visit Ali, her youngest child, who now works in Kabul. And she wanted […]

19 Jul 2013 Ali M Latifi • Context and Culture

Targeted Killing in Takhar: Family of a victim takes UK government to court

A case of civilian casualties originally researched by AAN has found its way to the High Court in London. A bank worker from rural Takhar, Habib Rahman, who lost five close relatives in a targeting killing during the 2010 Afghan election campaign, is challenging the legality of the alleged involvement of a British civilian police […]

17 Jul 2013 Kate Clark • Rights and Freedoms

Ethnic Revolt or Mujahedin Solidarity? A look at the power shuffle in Takhar (amended)

Takhar has a new governor. The reason? For two weeks, large numbers of Uzbeks were up in arms, protesting against the dismissal of one of ‘their’ people, the provincial police commander, by the governor who is Tajik. The demonstrations turned violent and three people were killed. The government, far from reprimanding the demonstrators, fired the […]

17 Jul 2013 Gran Hewad • Political Landscape

Police and Thieves in Ishkashim: Local residents react to flaws and abuses

When a robber who had been detained by villagers in a remote district of Badakhshan escaped police custody overnight on Saturday, local residents blamed police connivance. Exasperated, they took to the streets, demanding the arrest of the runaway and the removal of the district chief of police and governor. Surprisingly, they won the day. Yet, […]

15 Jul 2013 Fabrizio Foschini • Rights and Freedoms

The Road to Ghazni: Bombs, battles and blockades

Step outside Kabul, about 30 miles away, and the road to Ghazni starts to bring you the sense of the battlefield. You pass by fierce skirmishes, exploding bombs, burning oil tankers, gun-toting Afghan forces and convoys of US forces that look hostile to anyone Afghan. Some drivers have gotten so used to the constant violence […]

13 Jul 2013 Borhan Osman • War and Peace

Another Post-2014 Capability Gap: Spin and reality of the Afghan air force’s readiness

The Afghan air force (AAF) is of critical importance to the success of the Afghan National Security Forces, given the terrain and the continuing threat of roadside bombs. ISAF has been praising the ‘professional Afghan airmanship’ of late. But how accurate is this assessment? What is the Afghan air force’s real ability to provide for […]

11 Jul 2013 Gary Owen • War and Peace

17-21 July 2013, Belfast: Summer School on Transitional Justice with AAN participation

The University of Ulster’s Belfast Campus will play host to the 6th annual international Summer School on Transitional Justice from 17-21 July 2013. Organised by the Transitional Justice Institute, the Summer School brings together practitioners, academics and postgraduate students from around the world to share in a week long programme of interactive seminars and workshops. […]

10 Jul 2013 Martine van Bijlert • Events

Who Played Havoc with the Qatar Talks? Five possible scenarios to explain the mess

The bizarre turn of events following the opening of the Taleban office in Doha has led many to wonder whether the affair could have been deliberately sabotaged. Was it possible it had just been badly handled? So rapidly did the optimism about potential talks give way to bewilderment at their suspension, and the Taleban’s re-appearance […]

9 Jul 2013 Borhan Osman • Kate Clark • War and Peace

Winding Down or in for the Long Haul? The emergence of a new US counter-terrorism strategy

The great behemoth of US counter-terrorism strategy is shifting. President Barack Obama has said he wants to end the war, not just in Afghanistan, but also, ultimately against al-Qaida. Congress has also been making its first attempts to claw back some of the unprecedented powers it gave the president to wage war when, just after […]

8 Jul 2013 Kate Clark • International Engagement

Watching Warblers: A bird lover’s delight in Kabul

Did you think the vast, loud and smoggy capital of Afghanistan was the last place to watch birds? Think again. With its parks and gardens, it is an oasis for tired migrants in the otherwise rocky and dry region. Siberian Chiffchaffs, Hume’s Leaf Warblers, Bluethroats, Hoopoes and many more – they all come to rest […]

7 Jul 2013 Mark Mallalieu • Context and Culture

Still Temporary and Exclusive: A new leadership for Jamiat

Jamiat-e Islami, one of Afghanistan’s oldest and largest political parties (and formerly one of its most powerful military factions) has made a half-hearted choice in picking its new leadership. The choice was made by a small group and without holding its long-overdue full party congress, so the new appointments are all temporary. It seems the […]

5 Jul 2013 Thomas Ruttig • Political Landscape

A Giant Arch, a Secret Garden, a Dragon and Myriads of Mud-Coloured Frogs: Our summer travel tips for Bamyan Province

Bamyan is one of the most famous places in Afghanistan and has, in the last 12 years, probably received a greater share of visitors than aid. Travelling Bamyan is a treat and a must for everyone, Afghan or foreigner, who is able to arrange transport there – which is not always easy. The start of […]

4 Jul 2013 Fabrizio Foschini • Context and Culture

Who will Control the 2014 Electoral Process: An update on Afghanistan’s electoral laws

With only nine months to go to the presidential and provincial council elections in April 2014, the two main laws that determine how Afghanistan’s elections should be conducted are still inching their way through the legislative process. It has been a long and winding road, accompanied by strong emotions and high stakes; this is, after […]

4 Jul 2013 Martine van Bijlert • Political Landscape

A ‘Georgian’ Jihad via Youtube? Afghanistan-related video sparks speculations

The Afghanistan link goes all the way to Georgia – not the US Georgia but the Caucasian Georgia, the post-Soviet republic independent since 1991. As the largest non-Nato contributor, the small country has been paying a heavy toll of lives on the battlefields of Helmand. Its participation to the Afghan mission is now being questioned […]

3 Jul 2013 Diana Janse • Regional Relations

Joint Statement Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework (TMAF) – 3 July 2013

Joint Statement Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework (TMAF) Senior Officials Meeting Kabul, Afghanistan, 3 July 2013 – You can read the statement here

3 Jul 2013 admin • International documents on Afghanistan

Talking to the Taliban: A British perspective

The deputy commander of ISAF and most senior British soldier in Afghanistan, General Nick Carter, has told The Guardian that, ‘the west should have tried talking to the Taliban a decade ago, after they had just been toppled from power’. AAN Senior Analyst, Kate Clark, who witnessed many of the events of that time, not […]

3 Jul 2013 Kate Clark • War and Peace