Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Sudhansu Verma

Traditional local jirgas violative of human rights

AAN •

Pajhwok News Agency, 14 December 2013 The Kabul-based news agency picks up a hot iron, with the issue of traditional ('tribal') justice and comes to the conclusion that they "are violative of human rights in many cases and their decisions are illegal and contrary to shariah". (What about the Afghan constitution?) Such jirgas are often "condoning […]

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Highway 1 shows the difficulties ahead in Afghanistan

AAN •

USA Today, 5 December 2013 A telling piece about how transition to the ANSF and the US withdrawal looks in practice: "Highway 1 is more than just a dusty asphalt road. It … is supposed to be an example of the success of the 12-year effort by multinational forces to end Taliban control and showcase the […]

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Lack of cash and monitors add to Afghan election troubles

AAN •

Reuters, 1 December 2013 A good overview over shortcomings that stand in the way of orderly 2014 elections: "Organizers of Afghanistan's make-or-break presidential election next year say poor security, a shortage of monitors and funding holes are undermining their ability to safeguard the process from the widespread fraud that marred the last poll in 2009." Worryingly, […]

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Ghazni Militia Holds Locals to Ransom

AAN •

IWPR, 30 November 2013 The anti-Taleban 'uprising'/ALP saga continues with a telling report from Moqor district in Ghazni were three ALP commanders terrorise the population and run private prisons, a well-known feature from all stages of Afghans wars. The three commanders admitted they received regular payments from Kabul until [former NDS head] Asadullah Khaled left Afghanistan for medical […]

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When Most U.S. Forces Leave Afghanistan, Contractors May Stay

AAN •

NPR, 28 Novermber 2013 The number of US private military contractors has been higher than that of the US military in Afghanistan at least since 2007: "In December 2007, there were 25,000 American troops, compared to 36,000 contractors. In March of this year, the number of U.S. troops stood at about 66,000 — supported by a […]

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29 November 2013, Brussels: AAN’s Sari Kouvo at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the EU

Sudhansu Verma •

Sari Kouvo, Co-director and Co-founder of the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) will be speaking about the political and security situation developing inside Afghanistan over the next few years and its regional implications. She will also discuss the current state of governance in Afghanistan at the seminar on Central Asia: Life after ISAF – regional dynamic and political and security […]

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28 November 2013, University of Bologna: AAN’s Fabrizio Foschini will present AAN’s latest thematic report on nomadic communities in Afghanistan

Sudhansu Verma •

Fabrizio Foschini of Afghanistan Analysts Network will be presenting AAN’s lates thematic report “The Social Wandering of the Afghan Kuchis Changing patterns, perception and politics of an Afghan community” at the University of Bologna on Thursday 28 November, 4pm. More information can be found here

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The Nation’s Voice? Afghanistan’s loya jirgas in the historical context

Benjamin Buchholz •

On 21 November, another loya jirga (grand assembly) is forthcoming in Afghanistan, convened to represent ‘the nation’s voice’ about the still pending Afghan-US Bilateral Partnership Agreement (BSA), the basis for any post-2014 NATO mission in the country. This will be the fifth such assembly under the Karzai government. On this occasion, our guest author Benjamin Buchholz […]

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In Kabul, clinic funded by U.S. military closing because of lack of government support

AAN •

Washington Post, 18 November 2013 Another "White Elephant" or victim of Afghan government inability? – the story of the Urgent and Primary Care Clinic in Kabul, "the brainchild of Asad Mojadidi, an Afghan-born doctor" who now is advisor to the Afghan Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), build with Pentagon money and inaugurated by then ISAF commander Eikenberry in […]

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Afghan Talks at Impasse Before Vote, Officials Say

AAN •

New York Times, 17 November 2013 "Despite recent optimism about talks over a future American military presence here, two senior Afghan officials said on Sunday that the negotiations [about the US-Afghan BSA] were at a profound impasse", days before the BSA loya jirga is scheduled to meet. "The officials said both sides had refused to budge […]

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Jirga Schedule Set, Karzai Reaffirms BSA Focus

AAN •

ToloNews, 13 November 2013 Not much has filtered out yet about the choice of delegates, composition, agenda and so forth of the upcoming jirga that will decided about the US-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement. Here a few details, like delegates will break up into "17 categories" on the gathering's first day to be briefed about details […]

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Fazlullah has Mulla Omar’s backing

AAN •

The News International (Pakistan), 8 November 2013 Although the "news" in the headline is not detailed and based on anonymous, somewhat dubious sources, the rest of the article is highly interesting because it details the inner strcutures and dealings of the Pakistani Taleban, in he light of the killing – through a drone attack – of […]

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