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.

Elections 2014 (17): Journalists argue over neutrality, patriotism and the E-Day blackout

Kate Clark •

A debate has opened up on the role of the media during the Afghan presidential elections and its relationship with the Afghan state. It turns out that many journalists did not report or minimised reporting of Taleban attacks on election day – for a mix of political, patriotic and editorial reasons. In the days after, […]

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Elections 2014 (16): Final preliminary results, complaints, campaigns and negotiations

Martine van Bijlert •

The preliminary results of the 2014 presidential election have been announced, with two clear frontrunners – Dr Abdullah Abdullah, with 44.9 per cent of the vote and Dr Ashraf Ghani with 31.5 per cent – and no outright winner. These are still preliminary results, not yet taking into consideration the findings of the complaints commission (IECC), […]

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Elections 2014 (15): Hazaras overturning all expectations

Qayoom Suroush •

Before the elections, no-one had expected Abdullah Abdullah to win the Hazarajat’s votes, especially by such a large margin. His strong showing here – and that of his vice president, Mohammad Mohaqeq – could have consequences for the presidential election as a whole; the Hazaras, as one of the largest minorities in the country, could play […]

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Elections 2014 (14): Why two thirds of Andar’s polling centres may have never opened

Fazal Rahman •

Andar district, which is located along Highway 1 after Ghazni city and also straddles the main road to Paktia, has long been a stronghold for the Taleban. The district is home to the Nur-ul-Madaris madrassa where a number of key Taleban leaders once studied and was one of the first places where the insurgency reappeared […]

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Elections 2014 (13): The IEC and IECC’s reluctance to be transparent

Martine van Bijlert •

An overriding theme over the past two weeks has been the reluctance of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) to publicly release detailed information as to what is going on with the vote count. Both bodies are now catching up, but only reluctantly so, and the first round of the […]

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Elections 2014 (12): The Taleban rant and take a harder line on peace

Borhan Osman •

As well as launching armed attacks on election day, the Taleban also tried to disrupt the elections with a ‘public relations’ campaign against the legitimacy of the vote. Like many others, they also appear to have been thrown off kilter by the large turnout. Their response has been characterised by incoherence and distress, with Taleban statements […]

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Elections 2014 (11): How the Hazaras voted in Bamyan

Qayoom Suroush •

Initial observations appear to show that Dr Abdullah has won the majority of the vote in Bamyan – with Ashraf Ghani so far second by a large margin. Bamyan is important – a province which is generally secure and has a highly motivated electorate. It is also the one province with an overwhelmingly ethnic Hazara […]

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Elections 2014 (10): Paktia – where rain helped the ‘king making’ voters

Pakteen Ibrahimi •

A week after the election, AAN looks at how Paktia province, with the southeastern region’s centre Gardez, fared in the elections and after. Like Kandahar, Paktia returns a mixed picture: a large turnout in the city and some district centres, but far less participation already at the city borders and in other districts. A specific […]

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Elections 2014 (9): Making sense of the first ten per cent of the results

Martine van Bijlert •

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has released its long-awaited first, partial results, having counted a little over half a million votes, representing a 10 per cent result in 26 provinces. The results, announced on 13 April 2014 in a short press conference, showed Dr Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani firmly in the lead – something which […]

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Elections 2014 (8): Kandahar, a centre-districts divide and the weakening of the tribal factor

Borhan Osman •

Election day has already been praised for the high voter turnout and the relatively peaceful atmosphere it went down in. Pictures from Kandahar, a province perceived as notoriously insecure, surprised many, showing men and women lining up in long queues to vote. A look at the micro-level, however, reveals a more nuanced picture. Borhan Osman, […]

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Elections 2014 (7): An emerging mixed picture

Martine van Bijlert •

It is four days after the election. The country is generally still in a good mood after a poll that went much better than expected. At the same time, a more complete picture is emerging and it is, unsurprisingly, mixed. Alongside a robust genuine and determined vote, there are indications of significant irregularities: old patterns of intimidation, ballot-stuffing, and ‘ghost polling stations’ in […]

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Elections 2014 (6): Two types of security in the Shomali

Fabrizio Foschini •

The Shomali plain is the plateau spanning north of Kabul to the Salang. A fertile and comparatively rich area of the country, it also features strong political-armed networks dating back to the mujaheddin time. Fabrizio Foschini came back from observing the election in the Shomali with mixed feelings. The success achieved by Afghan security forces […]

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