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2018-12-09 10:16
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
Pakistan won’t fight anyone else's war; can’t be treated as ‘hired gun’, says PM Khan
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician, was known on the pitch for his flamboyance and aggression. A fierce competitor, he always led his team by example and turned aggression into a lethal weapon to subdue his competitors and gain upper hand over them.
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2018-12-07 21:03
‘Intra-Afghan dialogue the only way to reach peace’
TEHRAN – Former Iranian Ambassador to Afghanistan Fada-Hossein Maleki says intra-Afghan dialogue, and not continuation of U.S. intervention, is the only way to reach peace in Afghanistan.
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2018-12-06 02:00
'Pakistan wants peace in Afghanistan'
Pakistan wishes to see peace beyond its borders, especially in the war-ravaged Afghanistan, senior Pakistani military official has said.
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2018-12-05 23:35
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
'Afghan women's engagement in decision-making processes remains symbolic'
Last week, the world community gathered in Geneva to review the progress made by the Afghan government and the challenges remaining in front of it. Many issues came up for discussion including governance, rule of law, fight against corruption, and ongoing peace talks with Taliban.
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2018/12/03
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
U.S. propaganda war against Iran doomed to fail
TEHRAN _ At a time when the Trump administration is facing backlash at home over its military support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and disgraceful defeat in Afghanistan after 18 years of war, spin doctors in Washington are looking for convenient scapegoats to escape accountability.
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2018-12-02 10:48
At Geneva summit, Afghan government presents 'roadmap for peace and prosperity'
TEHRAN _ The much-awaited two-day Geneva conference on Afghanistan, co-hosted by the Afghan government and United Nations, was held this week, attended by delegations from 61 countries and 35 international organizations.
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2018-12-02 08:49
U.S. airstrike kills 23 in Afghanistan
TEHRAN _Compounding the misery of war-weary Afghans, the U.S. forces are carrying out deadly aerial operations in Afghanistan, resulting in the killing of innocent civilians. In a latest incident, the U.S. led airstrike in southern Helmand province on Tuesday killed as many as 23 civilians, most of them women and children, the United Nations confirmed.
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2018-11-22 10:47
Taliban not losing, admits U.S. general
TEHRAN _ In a candid admission of U.S. defeat in Afghanistan after 18 years of war that began in 2001, U.S. General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says the Taliban "are not losing" in the war-torn country.
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2018/11/21
Syed Zafar Mehdi
Kabul 'Mawlid' attack, Takfiri plot to divide Muslims
TEHRAN_On Tuesday afternoon, a large congregation of top-notch Afghan clerics had assembled at a wedding hall in Kabul to mark the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Festive fervor pervaded the air, as clerics, young and old, greeted and embraced each other in a beautiful spirit of camaraderie and compassion that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) preached and propagated all his life.
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2018-11-19 22:29
U.S. envoy holds talks with Taliban
TEHRAN - Less than a fortnight after participating in a peace dialogue in Moscow, which also saw participation of representatives from over dozen countries, Afghan Taliban held talks with a U.S. envoy in Qatar this week.
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2018-11-17 23:30
‘Moscow talks step towards peace’
TEHRAN - The landmark conference in Moscow last week that saw the participation of Taliban representatives and officials from nearly a dozen countries was the “first and positive step” towards long-lasting peace in war-torn Afghanistan, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said.
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2018/11/12
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
Taliban talks: Dialogue and violence can’t go together
TEHRAN _ Dialogue and violence cannot go hand in hand. The first cardinal principle of ‘peace negotiations’ is an unconditional ceasefire. That is how the two warring sides build trust, bury the hatchet and make peace with each other. You cannot extend an olive branch and point the barrel of gun at the same time. That renders the whole exercise futile.
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2018-11-11 10:12
‘Casualties in Afghan polls highest ever’
TEHRAN _ The number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections last month was higher than casualties recorded in four previous elections in Afghanistan, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a report.
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2018-11-10 22:57
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
Taliban launch attacks on Hazara Shias in multiple Afghan provinces
TEHRAN _ While the Afghan government and the Taliban resume ‘peace talks’ in Moscow, security situation continues to deteriorate in Afghanistan with the insurgent group upping the ante and launching a series of attacks in different parts of the country.
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2018-11-10 22:54
Syed Zafar Mehdi
Moscow talks opportunity to “open a new page” in Afghanistan’s history
TEHRAN _ On Friday, Russia hosted a landmark international meeting on Afghanistan, which saw the participation of representatives from the Taliban, Afghan government and many regional countries, including Iran.
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2018-11-06 07:45
‘Peaceful Afghanistan in interest of region’
TEHRAN - Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said that a peaceful Afghanistan is in the best interest of the region, especially Pakistan so all the regional countries should come together to ensure peace in Afghanistan.
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2018-11-06 07:38
Russia to host international ‘peace talks’ on Afghanistan on Nov 9
TEHRAN -In a bid to broker peace between the Afghan government and the Taliban, Moscow will be hosting international talks on Afghanistan on November 9, which is likely to see participation of representatives from the Afghan government, the Taliban and regional countries.
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2018-10-28 09:53
‘Iranians are victims of Taliban terrorist group’
TEHRAN – Iranians are the victims of the Taliban terrorist group, an Iranian lawmaker said on Saturday, while denouncing U.S. sanctions against Iran for alleged support of the Taliban.
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2018-10-16 08:16
UN chief decries violence ahead of Afghan polls
TEHRAN - The United Nations chief has denounced violent attacks targeting electoral booths in Afghanistan as the country gears up for parliamentary elections later this week.
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2018-10-10 21:30
Taliban warn to disrupt polls
TEHRAN- Breaking their silence on the upcoming parliamentary polls, the Taliban on Monday issued a stern warning of disrupting the October 20 elections, adding to the anxiety of candidates and voters.
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2018-10-08 23:00
UN urges Taliban not to use IEDs
TEHRAN - The United Nations has called on insurgent groups in Afghanistan to refrain from using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in civilian areas, after it reported a sharp rise in civilian casualties caused by the explosives this year.
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2018/10/08
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
17 years of America’s disastrous Afghanistan venture
TEHRAN - On Sunday, the protracted war in Afghanistan completed 17 years. It was on October 7, 2001 the U.S. government and its allies launched the so-called ‘Operation Freedom’ apparently to topple the Taliban regime in Kabul, following the 9/11 attacks. Yet 17 years later, America’s longest war still grinds on, despite more than $2 trillion investment and thousands of casualties.
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2018-10-08 19:21
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
‘The blame for resurrecting the insurgency in Afghanistan ultimately rests with the U.S.’
TEHRAN - The war in Afghanistan, which began on October 7, 2001, completed 17 years this week. More than 17 years after invading the country, the U.S.-led international coalition has reluctantly conceded defeat to insurgent groups, after miserably failing in counter-terrorism efforts. Today, security situation remains volatile, government is in disarray, terrorists are stronger than ever, and civilians continue to pay the heavy price.
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2018-09-18 09:49
15 policemen killed in clashes in Afghanistan
TEHRAN - The situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate with insurgents upping the ante across the country. In latest clashes, at least 15 police officials were killed in northwestern provinces of Baghdis and Farah.
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2018-09-11 09:48
‘U.S. govt. misleading people on Afghan war’
TEHRAN - A scathing report that indicts the U.S. government for its failure in Afghanistan despite 17 years of war and investment worth billions of dollars has blasted Trump administration for misleading the people of America on facts about war in Afghanistan.
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2018/09/06
By: Syed Zafar Mehdi
Life, death and legacy of U.S. ally turned foe Haqqani
TEHRAN - The death of Jalaluddin Haqqani, the patriarch of the dreaded militant group Haqqani Network, has generated a palpable buzz and made international headlines. The announcement was made by the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday, hailing him as a “religious scholar and exemplary warrior”, even though Afghan officials insist that he had been dead for at least four years.
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2018-09-02 14:25
By Banafshe Esmaili
Taliban and Moscow summit; the diplomatic push to America
TEHRAN - The Russian Foreign Ministry has recently announced that 12 countries, including Iran, Pakistan, India and China, have been invited to participate in September in a Moscow summit, but the United States and the Afghan government have stated they will not attend.
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2018/08/28
By Mona Hossaini
Women's critical role in Afghan peace process
TEHRAN - The contemporary history of the South Asian region nearly always had a substantial component of conflict. Some examples include the India-Pakistan conflict over Kashmir that has been ongoing since 1947; the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war; civil war and rise of insurgency and conflict in Nepal; and the ethnic conflict and insurgency in Sri Lanka, among others.
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2018-08-26 10:21
Who delivers weapons to ISIS, asks Russia
TEHRAN - The debate over who helps militants in Afghanistan has again come alive. Russia has noticed unidentified helicopters delivering weapons to the Taliban and ISIS fighters in northern Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing on Thursday.
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2018-08-26 10:06
By: Syed Zafar Mehdi
‘Peace talks with Taliban are not feasible without Afghan government leading it’
The security situation continues to worsen in war-ravaged Afghanistan with a spate of terror attacks in recent months. The Afghan government and the Taliban observed an unprecedented three-day ceasefire on Eid al Fitr but it turned out to be a lull before the storm. This week, to mark Eid al Azha, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who has been under tremendous pressure, again announced conditional ceasefire but the Taliban has not responded to it.