Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Thomas Ruttig

Neuer Talibanchef in Pakistan: Rache statt Friedensverhandlungen

Thomas Ruttig •

Tageszeitung (Berlin), 9 November 2013 Read a portrait of the new Pakistani Taleban leader Mulla Fazlullah by AAN’s Thomas Ruttig (in German). Referring to media reports that Fazullah has announced that his organisation, as revenge for the killing of his predecessor Hakimullah Mehsud, will launch an offensive against Pakistai installations and politicians, Thomas concludes that this […]

AAN in the Media Read more

“As Easy As Growing Potatoes”: How formerly ‘poppy-free’ Ghor is at risk of becoming an important player in Afghanistan’s opium business

Obaid Ali •

Ghor province has been considered poppy-free for a long time, but in the past two years opium production and drug trafficking have picked up sharply. With insecurity in the province on the rise, obstructing income sources and basic services, many of Ghor’s farmers migrated to neighbouring provinces like Helmand, helping in the local drug production […]

Economy, Development, Environment Read more

Comeback of Some Well-Known Faces: Election-related cabinet mini-reshuffle

Thomas Ruttig •

President Karzai has appointed five new ministers to fill the voids left in his cabinet by the incumbents resigning to join the presidential race. His 28 October mini-reshuffle in the cabinet brings back some long-standing allies, two relative newcomers and one controversial figure. AAN analysts, Thomas Ruttig, Gran Hewad and Kate Clark, have been looking […]

Political Landscape Read more

Pluralistic within Limits, but Not Democratic: Afghanistan’s political landscape before the 2014 elections

Thomas Ruttig •

A look at the broad variety of (potential) presidential candidates seems to indicate some political pluralism. This is an illusion, however. Afghan analysts have recently argued that President Karzai’s political approach has hampered democratic party-based politics. This is only one side of the coin, argues AAN’s senior analyst Thomas Ruttig. He explains that the other […]

Political Landscape Read more

Talebs in Tajikistan? Part 2 on the alleged IMU-Taleban nexus

Thomas Ruttig •

If one listens to ISAF and to Central Asian governments, there are overlapping networks of jihadist terrorists subverting Afghanistan and Tajikistan, if not the whole region. Few of these reports are substantiated by details that can be independently scrutinised. But they are often picked up by media and other outlets, presented as proven facts and […]

Regional Relations Read more

Talebs in Tajikistan? The ‘terrorist spill-over’ hype

Thomas Ruttig •

If one listens to ISAF and to Central Asian governments, there are overlapping networks of jihadist terrorists subverting Afghanistan and Tajikistan, if not the whole region. Those networks, it is said, link the Taleban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) with al-Qaeda and other Pakistan-based groups. Few of these reports are substantiated by details […]

Regional Relations Read more

The Road Through Qatar: Opportunities and hurdles for a political solution in Afghanistan

Thomas Ruttig •

Central Asia and the Caucasus, 03-04/2013 In its Afghanistan-special, the Sweden-based academic journal published an article by AAN’s Thomas Ruttig. Only abstract accessible online: “While a military solution in Afghanistan has failed, the search for a political solution that includes the insurgent Taliban movement has not yielded any significant results, despite initial U.S.-Taliban contacts in […]

External publications Read more

On Your Marks! Alliances and actors before the 2014 presidential election

Thomas Ruttig •

Yesterday, 16 September 2013, the three-week period for registering candidates for the April 2014 presidential election started. The field of contenders will only have become clear, though, by the last day, 6 October 2013. Alliance building and political manoeuvring is continuing, as the two major camps – the supporters of President Karzai and a new opposition alliance – […]

Political Landscape Read more

End of a Peace Process? Pressure on Islamist party undermines Tajik post-civil war consensus

Thomas Ruttig •

Tajikistan’s government is cracking down on the main opposition party, the Islamist IRPT. Some say this is just part of a pre-election campaign (the country is to elect its president in November); others see longer-term implications that could jeopardise the 1997 peace agreement that still shapes the country’s political reality. The IRPT – the only […]

Regional Relations Read more

Daudzai In – and Out: Pre-election cabinet reshuffles

Thomas Ruttig •

Within two days, President Hamed Karzai has changed two of his key cabinet posts: Muhammad Omar Daudzai was appointed acting interior minister on 1 September 2013, one day after Rahmatullah Nabil became acting head of the Afghan intelligence service. AAN’s Senior Analyst Thomas Ruttig looks at the implications and predicts that, with the registration of […]

Political Landscape Read more

The Other Side of the Amu Darya: Tajik and Afghans, neighbours apart

Thomas Ruttig •

Despite pushes from the West and economic needs, Afghan-Central Asian economic cooperation has not taken off, yet. The people of Tajikistan, for example, are not very interested in or even prejudiced towards their southern neighbours, as they concentrate on their troubles with their former Uzbek brothers. The Tajik government and the other more or less authoritarian […]

Regional Relations Read more

Narrower Than Expected: Political opposition presents “Electoral Union of Afghanistan”

Gran Hewad • Thomas Ruttig •

Today, 29 August 2013, a coalition of powerful groups and opposition parties, dominated by Northern powerbrokers, came forward and announced their “electoral union.” It could have been one of the first real political happenings in the wheeling and dealing before the presidential election of April 2014. Instead it was a surprisingly uninspired and chaotic event. […]

Political Landscape Read more

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