Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Thomas Ruttig

Afghanistan: Grappling with fall-out of dwindling foreign aid 

Eurasianet, 12 May 2025 The website turned AAN’s 9 May 2025 report “The End of US Aid to Afghanistan: What will it mean for families, services and the economy?” into a news item.

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Aufnahmeprogramm: Afghanin verklagt Auswärtiges Amt (Admission programme: Afghan woman sues Foreign Office)

ARD-Tagesschau, 12 May 2025 The leading German public prime-time news programme reports (in German) that an Afghan women who had worked for the pre-Taleban government and, after 16 months, is still waiting with her family in Pakistan for a visa to Germany, despite having received an admission letter, is sueing the German Federal Foreign Office […]

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Ex-UK Special Forces break silence on ‘war crimes’ by colleagues

BBC, 12 May 2025 This report by BBC’s Panorama programme, based on testimony “from more than 30 people who served with or alongside UK Special Forces” about “war crimes” committed by British troops in Afghanistan, “stretching over more than a decade” is a horrible read, but it also explains why parts of the Afghan civilian […]

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Taliban planning to cut 13 percent of staff at Ministry of Economy, source says

Amu TV, 12 May 2025 In this report about planned economy ministry staff reductions by the Taleban, AAN is quoted as background: According to Afghanistan Analysts Network, the ministry employs approximately 964 staff members. Taliban have not provided any information about the annual budget of the ministry.

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Kabul’s Water Crisis “nearing a tipping point”

Mercy Corps, April 2025 An alarming report by Mercy Corps showing that Kabul could become the first modern city to completely run out of water, if there is no urgent, coordinated investment. The organisation says: “Kabul’s water crisis is nearing a tipping point.” Currently, almost half of the city’s boreholes – the primary source of […]

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Tunics & turbans: Taliban-imposed school uniforms add an extra financial burden

AFP, 30 April 2025 Since the start of the school year in March, Afghan boys have been required by the Taleban regime to wear new uniforms. “Male students must wear a light blue shalwar kameez along with a cap up to the age of around 15, afterwards donning white and wearing a turban.” Teachers and […]

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Presentation to the Doha-format participants: Comprehensive approach for Afghanistan

United Nations, 17 February 2025 Afghan diaspora news platform Amu TV reports it got hold of a UN power point presentation for participants of the UN-organised Doha-format meeting on Afghanistan held on 17 February 2025 that identifies three (not new) priorities from each side (the international community and the IEA) and suggest a mixed modus […]

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Abschiebungen nach Afghanistan: Immer weniger Scheu vor den Taliban

Frankfurter Rundschau, 19 April 2025 In this article about the tacit moving of Germany’s position toward talks with the Taleban, from ‘technical’ contacts only to ‘discrete’ contacts about deportations, AAN’s Thomas Ruttig is quoted on this aspect and on Qatar’s role in Germany’s first post-Taleban takeover deportation flight to Afghanistan in August 2024, saying that […]

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Deutschland rettet noch mal Af­gha­n*in­nen

Tageszeitung, 17 April 2025 AAN’s Thomas Ruttig reports (in German) about the fourth German evacuation flight for former Afghan employees of Germany and activists under threat from Islamabad in 2025 – and about the vicious right-wing campaign demanding an immediate stop of the flights. The incoming new government already announced it will stop them, “as […]

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Abschiebungen unter Trump: Viele Afghanen in den USA müssen ausreisen

Tageszeitung, 13 April 2025 AAN’s Thomas Ruttig, for the Berlin-based daily, summarises the reports about the Trump administration telling 14,600 Afghans (and almost 10,000 Cameroonians) with Temporary Protection Status to leave the country within seven days. He also reports the Pakistani government’s decision not to extend transit visa for Afghans staying there and expecting relocation […]

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US issues 7-Day Deadline for [14,600 TPS status] Afghan Refugees

Khaama, 12 April 2025 The dumping of Afghans – considered allies for two decades – by the Trump administration continues: US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem found the conditions in Afghanistan no longer merited US protections, according to a statement from DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin. The Khaama report says: Shawn VanDiver, President […]

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Focus Afghanistan: Rückkehr aus dem Ausland [Return from Abroad]

SEM, 14 February 2025 An analysis [in German] by Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) about the situation of Afghan returnees and deportees to the IEA. It covers the following questions: Go to “Asien und Nahost” and then to “Afghanistan” via the link given above.

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