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.

Students Oppose Re-naming University after Slain Ex-President

Kate Clark •

It is now a week since students at the University of Education began protesting over President Karzai’s decision to change its name to the Ustad (Professor) Burhanuddin Rabbani University. On Saturday, they managed to block MPs – and one of AAN’s researchers – from getting into parliament. The students have been cautiously – and rather […]

Political Landscape Read more

Right Livelihood Award for Sima Samar

Kate Clark •

Dr Sima Samar, chair of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) has won this year’s Right Livelihood Award – along with a British anti-arms campaigning group, a Turkish environmental campaigner and a veteran American thinker and activist for non-violent resistance. The jury said they awarded Samar what is often called the alternative Nobel peace […]

Economy, Development, Environment Read more

Ambiguity Reiterated: The 20-parties ‘Democracy Charter’

Thomas Ruttig •

Most of Afghanistan’s major political parties have put their differences on many issues aside and made a rare joint statement. In their ‘Democracy Charter’, they demand that the 2014 presidential elections are held on time and according to the constitution. They also call for a stronger role for political parties in making decisions about major […]

Political Landscape Read more

Insurgents and Factions: Waves of insecurity rising in Faryab

Obaid Ali •

Faryab province has turned, in the past few years, into an area of serious concern in Northern Afghanistan. Tensions between different factions still run high. The Jowzjan-Faryab highway faces a dire lack of security, and, except for a few areas, police only appear on it during daylight. The establishment of Afghan Local Police (ALP) units […]

War and Peace Read more

The Haqqani Network Blacklisted: From US Asset to Special Foe

Thomas Ruttig •

Earlier this month, the US government blacklisted the Haqqani network, labelling it a ‘foreign terrorist organisation’. Leaving aside the pros and cons of this decision, which have been fairly widely discussed, AAN co-director Thomas Ruttig looks at other questions: why did the blacklisting happen so late and why is the network singled out from the […]

International Engagement Read more

Bagram and Insider Attacks: ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’ no longer?

Kate Clark •

It has been a rough week for US-led international forces, with threats, tensions and setbacks multiplying. The Taleban’s spectacular attack on Camp Bastion on 15 September, which left two soldiers – including a lieutenant colonel – dead, six fighter planes destroyed and two others damaged and ISAF’s narrative of a weakening insurgency looking fragile, was […]

International Engagement Read more

Under Strange Flags: Afghans’ delayed protests against an ‘anti-Islam film’

Borhan Osman •

Afghanistan’s public has reacted, after a few days of delay, to a video produced by fringe anti-Islam activists in the US. While last Friday saw violent demonstrations in many parts of the Muslim world, Afghans widely remained quite calm despite mullahs across major cities preaching angry sermons about the hostility of America or the West, […]

Context and Culture Read more

Shelling at the Durand Line: Popular outrage building up

Gran Hewad •

For the second year in a row, Pakistan is shelling Afghanistan’s eastern provinces, especially Kunar. The issue has recently become politically explosive, with calls for an army of volunteers to man the border and two key ministers being dismissed (on 4 August) over their failure to stop the shelling. Ordinary Afghans expect their government to […]

Regional Relations Read more

Filling the Power Ministries (3): Three Security Bosses Voted In

Fabrizio Foschini •

Today, after an indecisive week, the Wolesi Jirga smoothly voted its confidence for three out of four candidates previously introduced for the ministry posts. The morning mood inside the house left few doubts as to an eventual positive outcome; the protesters were few and mostly went unheeded. Even the only exception, the failure of Haji […]

Political Landscape Read more

Filling the Power Ministries (2): (No) News Flash

Kate Clark •

In an attempt to keep informing our readers about the key issue of the expected cabinet reshuffle, we had to invent a new category today: the No News Flash. The reason: the parliament’s lower house postponed the decision to Saturday, for the time being, and busied itself with statistics instead. AAN Researcher Obaid Ali, Senior […]

Political Landscape Read more

Filling the Power Ministries: Biographies of the four candidates

Kate Clark •

Parliament was about to start scrutinising President Karzai’s nominations for three of the most powerful positions in government, plus one less significant ministry yesterday (Tuesday). But the nominees did not make into the Wolesi Jirga because the MPs demanded that they must be accompanied by either the President or one of his deputies in person.(1) […]

Political Landscape Read more

The ‘Other Guantanamo’ (3): Bagram and the Struggle for Sovereignty

Kate Clark •

Bagram Detention Centre has been officially transferred to Afghan control today, with the fundamental question of sovereignty – who has the right to arrest and detain Afghans on Afghan soil – still not resolved. The US insists it still has the right; the government says this is illegal. On Saturday (8 September 2012), President Karzai, […]

Political Landscape Read more

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