Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Fabrizio Foschini

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

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

Towards a More United Voice of Civil Society

Fabrizio Foschini •

During the last months, AAN’s Fabrizio Foschini has had the chance to follow closely the process leading to the formation of a network of Afghan civil society organisations, its path to a two-day conference in Kabul, and its plans for future initiatives. ‘On one thing I don’t agree with my colleagues: this is not the […]

Political Landscape Read more

The Enteqal Seven (1): A Nowruz chakar to Bamian

Fabrizio Foschini •

Spring is here again. With the first warmth, AAN staff starts its occasional migration to higher pastures, Bamian in this case. The Nowruz holidays offer a much appreciated opportunity (and the announcement of Bamian as one of the first seven areas where Afghan security forces will take over from July onwards) to do so without […]

Political Landscape Read more

Sherzai Staying or Leaving? A Nangrahar Tug-of-War

Fabrizio Foschini •

Gul Agha Sherzai may well be satisfied with the ‘gold medal’ he has been awarded on Sunday by a local labour organization for his services. It could represent the final achievement of his long-lasting tenure as governor of Nangrahar province. After almost six years, many local powerbrokers in Eastern Afghanistan, and maybe himself too, seem […]

Political Landscape Read more

Willing, able and Uzbek: the Wolesi Jirga looks for a minority speaker

Fabrizio Foschini •

Yesterday’s parliament session did not just add to an already long list of failures to solve the impasse over the speaker’s election, it additionally cast a gloomy communitarian shadow on the Lower House. AAN’s Fabrizio Foschini reports about the (non)outcome of a parliamentary morning abruptly ended by an ethnically-polarized, politically-motivated strife. It had not started […]

Political Landscape Read more

A Taleban ‘Shock and Awe’ Campaign

Fabrizio Foschini •

The recent string of attacks, seemingly aimed at hitting in the heart of Afghan cities in a spectacular and murderous manner, continues. Starting from the battle at the Kandahar central police station on 12 February, in a ten-day span four more attacks – unlike the former aimed at soft, largely civilian targets – hit population […]

War and Peace Read more

MPs unite and split, while Special Court raids the IEC

Fabrizio Foschini •

The Lower House of the Afghan parliament is still trying to overcome the difficult hurdle of electing its speaker. Different groups of MPs are arranging for alternative, if not conflicting, solutions. AAN’s Fabrizio Foschini listened to different opinions on the best way to get out of the impasse, and discusses their pro and cons. What […]

Political Landscape Read more

Wolesi Jirga, Next Movement: Andantino con Blackout (amended)

Fabrizio Foschini •

Another two inconclusive sessions – when it comes to the election of the speaker – of the Wolesi Jirga, the Lower House in Kabul, have been held over the Western weekend. But they were worth following, nevertheless, since they brought interesting, ‘anti-authoritarian’ decisions: new candidates will run and not the two main contenders, Sayyaf and […]

Political Landscape Read more

Lower House speaker election: Intermezzo of the Surprise Candidates

Fabrizio Foschini • Gran Hewad •

As widely predicted, also the second attempt to elect a speaker of the newly inaugurated Wolesi Jirga that took place on Wednesday did not give any decisive result. Afghanistan’s lower house now has held already its first four sessions without being able to do so. AAN’s Gran Hewad and Fabrizio Foschini have attended the meeting […]

Political Landscape Read more

Afghanistan’s new parliament and yet another election (updated)

Fabrizio Foschini •

130 days after the parliamentary vote and 64 days after the final results, not to mention a fair deal of wrangling, the new Wolesi Jirga was inaugurated on Wednesday 26 January. The process had been long and full of hurdles and it is still not completely certain that it is over. As late as Saturday […]

Political Landscape Read more

High Hurdles Race to the Afghan Parliament (updated)

Fabrizio Foschini •

As expected, President Karzai’s announcement of 5-to-12 to delay the Parliament’s inauguration for one month has opened a tough political match. For the last three days, the winning candidates have kept meeting every morning at the Intercontinental hotel. The majority remained committed to proceed with the inauguration on Sunday as well as with their rejection […]

Political Landscape Read more

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