Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Thomas Ruttig

Inside Afghanistan’s Desperate Battle to Control a Dam [Kajaki] in Taliban Country

AAN •

Vice, 6 August 2019 A rare and insightful photo reportage by Andrew Quilty from the government-controlled enclave near Kajaki dam.

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Afghan Presidential Candidates Face Election Uncertainty, Campaign Controversy, And Danger

AAN •

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 30 July 2019 AAN’s Ali Adili is quoted in this article about the start of the Afghan campaign for the September presidential election: “Candidates are hesitant to launch their campaign because they are not sure if the election will be held,” said Ali Adili, a researcher at the Afghanistan Analysts Network, […]

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As Afghan election campaign opens, insurgents attack office of Ghani’s top running mate

AAN •

Washington Post, 29 July 2019 AAN’s latest election analysis by Ali Adili is quoted in this report: In a report released Sunday, the independent Afghanistan Analysts Network noted that some experts believe a change of government should not take place until the Taliban can participate, although others argue that “sacrificing elections might mean they are […]

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Friedensgespräche in Doha: „Nur ein kleiner Schritt auf einem sehr langen Weg“

Thomas Ruttig •

Aachener Zeitung, 26 July 2019 Full interview in the German daily with AAN’s Thomas Ruttig (in German) on the outcome of the seventh round of US-Taleban negotiations and the intra-Afghan dialogue in Doha as well as an prospects of the forthcoming talks.  

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What the U.S. and Taliban Must Get Right on Negotiations in Afghanistan

AAN •

World Policy Review, 26 July 2019 Candace Rondeaux quotes AAN reporting on “some reassuring Taliban gestures toward women attending the unofficial, intra-Afghan backchannel talks in Doha earlier this month, as the Afghanistan Analysts Network notes“.

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Reden und Morden: Dialog mit den Taliban

Thomas Ruttig •

Jungle World, 25 July 2019 Op-ed in the German left-wing weekly by AAN’s Thomas Ruttig on the latest intra-Afghan dialogue and its ‘non-binding’ calls to reduce violence in Afghanistan (in German).

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Schaharsad Akbar wird Afghanistans neue Menschen­rechtschefin

Thomas Ruttig •

Tageszeitung, 19 July 2019 AAN’s Thomas Ruttig wrote a portrait of Afghanistan’s new AIHRC chairwoman Shaharzad Akbar in the Berlin-based daily (in German). A more detailed German version here.

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In Afghanistan, give peace a chance — and a lot of time

AAN •

The Hill, 18 July 2019 An interesting inside (ex-government) look at the US attempts to reach an agreement with the Taleban by former US ambassador to Afghanistan Ronald E Neumann (from 2005-2007), also former deputy assistant secretary of State, and now president of the American Academy of Diplomacy, with some warnings: An agreement on paper […]

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Young Academic Pits Himself Against Warlords in Afghanistan Poll

AAN •

Bloomberg, 16 July 2019 This article about one candidate for the 2019 presidential election briefly mentions AAN’s research about the field of contenders: His chief rivals include Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who’ve uneasily shared power since the last disputed election five years ago. Also in the running is Haneef Atmar, a former national […]

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Afghanistan’s Forests Are Turning a Profit for the Islamic State

AAN •

Foreign Policy, 15 July 2019 Apart from the fact that the report largely glimpses over that the major part of the damage to Kunar’s forests was done long before the IS emerged, an interesting look at the current state of affairs in one of Afghanistan’s few forested habitats.

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AAN Q&A: What came out of the Doha intra-Afghan conference?

Thomas Ruttig •

Representatives of Afghanistan’s warring parties and civil society met at a peace conference in Qatar’s capital Doha on 7-8 July 2019. They all participated ‘in their personal capacities’ in order to circumvent the Taleban’s rejection of direct talks with the Afghan government. The conference that took place behind closed doors ended with a joint final […]

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Erstmals gemeinsame Erklärung Afghanistan-Konferenz: Ein kleiner Schritt Richtung Frieden

Thomas Ruttig •

dpa/Westfälische Nachrichten, 9 July 2019 The German Press Agency quotes AAN’s Thomas Ruttig on the outcome of the intra-Afghan peace dialogue in Doha (in German): Doch was ist das zweiseitige Papier wert? Laut Afghanistan-Experten Thomas Ruttig von der Denkfabrik Afghanistan Analysts Network ist es ein kleiner Erfolg. «Es ist schon positiv, dass die Seiten zu […]

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