Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Reports

Reports – previously known as dispatches – are the flagship of the AAN website and our main type of publication. AAN reports are based on extensive desk and field research and provide timely and in-depth information and analysis.

Al-Qaeda headless – Taleban unaltered

Thomas Ruttig •

The symbiotic relationship between al-Qaeda and the Taleban had been over-emphasised. Therefore, the impact on them by OBL’s death will remain limited, argues AAN’s Thomas Ruttig – in part 2 of a series of still raw thoughts on the Abbottabad raid. ‘Bin Laden had mostly taken on a symbolic role and his removal doesn’t directly […]

War and Peace Read more

The Kabul Bank Investigations; Central Bank Gives Names and Figures

Martine van Bijlert •

On Wednesday, 27 April 2011, the head of Afghanistan’s Central Bank, Abdul Qadir Fitrat, and the new (Central Bank appointed) chief of the Kabul Bank, Massud Ghazi, briefed the Parliament on what was going on with the Kabul Bank. They named names, gave detail of the close to one billion USD irregular loans that brought […]

Economy, Development, Environment Read more

The Afghan War without Osama – seven boiled-down thoughts

Martine van Bijlert •

So what to add to the cacophony of opinion and analysis that has already filled the airwaves and the internet? Some thoughts, boiled down to their very basic bottom-line. I don’t think the death of bin Laden will directly impact the fighting capabilities of any of the parties engaged in the war in Afghanistan. I […]

War and Peace Read more

The Easter Egg Question in the Light of Orientalism

Thomas Ruttig •

This (Easter Sunday) morning I was listening to my local German radio station where an expert on religion was explaining how certain ‘European’ Easter traditions – like painting and hiding eggs for children – were increasingly adopted elsewhere. He linked this to the spread of television and children’s books and opined that ‘a majority of […]

Context and Culture Read more

The Ongoing Saga of the Parliament and the Special Court

Martine van Bijlert •

Seven months after the Wolesi Jirga vote, and three months after the inauguration of Parliament, MPs are still not sure who will finally be declared the winners and losers of the election. Rumours surrounding the investigations by the Special Court have been wildly contradictory and have kept them on edge. It is a perfect example […]

Political Landscape Read more

In Quest of the Arghawan (and the Rhubarb)

Fabrizio Foschini •

Kabul, having been a serious city for some thousands years now, even a capital at different times, and withstood many an invasion – from the Hephtalites to the Hippies, from the Mongols to the Contractors – has a long tradition of urban pleasures. Foremost among them is that of escaping the city’s chaos and noise […]

Context and Culture Read more

Taleban ‘spring campaign starts’: more suicide attacks, fewer civilian casualties?

Kate Clark •

The suicide attack today (18 April 2011) on the Afghan ministry of defence followed a warning by the Taleban spokesman that the movement would be focussing on greater infiltration of the Afghan security forces in order to carry out attacks. He said the attack marked the start of the Taleban’s ‘spring campaign’. It was a […]

War and Peace Read more

Facts and Fiction on the Frontier: The Haqqanis and the Kurram peace deal

Fabrizio Foschini •

For a few weeks, it looked like the sectarian conflict in Kurram Tribal Agency had been brought to a solution. The years-long siege on Shia residents had been lifted thanks to a much talked about peace agreement, allegedly brokered with the help of Jalaluddin Haqqani. This, however, now looks increasingly doubtful and seems to be […]

Regional Relations Read more

Victims Organisations Sound a Wake-up Call

Sari Kouvo •

AAN continues its analysis of civil society’s role in and ability to influence the processes unfolding in Afghanistan. AAN’s Sari Kouvo and Obaid Ali participated in the National Victims Conference held in Kabul 30-31 March. The National Victims’ Conference held in Kabul 30-31 March brought together representatives from victims and martyrs organizations, civil society and […]

Rights and Freedoms Read more

Jallywood follows Bollywood

Naqib Ahmad Atal •

In Jalalabad, a vibrant film scene has emerged since the fall of the Taleban. Movies are recorded on mobile phones. Illegally copied DVDs are sold for low prices. Filmmakers are requesting the government to build a cinema. And even governor Sherzai has produced songs for a Hindi movie. But one element is missing: female actors. […]

Context and Culture Read more

One Week in Vain: An operation in Nerkh

Thomas Ruttig •

In March, US troops carried out an operation to secure the volatile district of Nerkh, just south of Kabul. They thought it will take them less than a week to bring ‘visible improvements’, establish a couple of shuras and ‘local police’. A Spanish journalist witnessed this operation and found that nothing of this finally materialised […]

War and Peace Read more

Kandahar in Revolt: The Quran demos in the light of history

Felix Kuehn •

The sort of violent demonstrations which took place in Kandahar in the first week of April against the burning of a Qur’an in the United States, with large gatherings of people and clashes with Afghan security forces, have not been seen since the late 1950s and early 1980s. Usually, says our guest blogger, the freelance […]

Context and Culture Read more

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