SECURITY
40 Slain Soldiers were from Baghlan Province alone
At least 40 of the Afghan National Army soldiers, killed in the Taliban attack on Friday at the 209 Shaheen Military Corps Headquarters in Balkh, were from Baghlan province. The incident happened due to negligence on the part of officials including the commander of the corps, said a victim’s relative. Tolonews
Taliban Shadow Governor for Takhar Killed In U.S Air Strike
Kunduz: United States Forces confirmed in a statement that Quari Tayib, the Taliban shadow governor for Takhar province, was killed in an airstrike in Archi district of Kunduz province. Tayib was responsible for targeting the U.S service members in Afghanistan. Eight other Taliban insurgents were killed in the strike. Tolonews
Al-Qaeda Members among 10 Killed in South of Afghanistan Airstrikes
Zabul: At least ten militants including members of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network were killed in a series of airstrikes in southern Zabul province of Afghanistan. The airstrikes were carried out in the past 24 hours in Shahjoi district. Five Al-Qaeda members and five Taliban insurgents including a local commander of the group identified as Mullah Noor Agha were among those killed. Khaama
Eight Killed as Airstrikes, Artillery Fire Pound ISIS-K Hideouts in East of Afghanistan
Nangarhar: A series of airstrikes and artillery fire pounded the hideouts of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria Khurasan (ISIS-K) hideouts in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. The operations were conducted in the past 24 hours in the vicinity of Tangi Mamand area in the restive Achin district. At least eight insurgents belonging to the terrorist group were eliminated during the operations and their dead bodies were left in the area. Khaama
Eight Taliban Killed in Herat Infighting
Herat: At least eight Taliban have been killed during infighting in the Shindand district of western Heart province. Pajhwok
Policeman among Seven Dead in Farah Clash
Farah: At least one policeman and six Taliban have been killed in a clash in western Farah province. The clash erupted after militants stormed police check-post in the outskirts of Farah City. Pajhwok
POLITICAL
MPs Accuse Ghani of Nepotism after Deadly Army Attack
Members of parliament said that Major General Mohmand Katawazai, the commander of 209 Shaheen Army Corps, Balkh Governor Atta Mohammad Noor, Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi, Army Chief of Staff General Qadam Shah Shaheem, Minister of Interior Taj Mohammad Jahid and the Head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) Masoom Stanekzai must all be held accountable for deadly attack on Balkh army base, which left at least 135 soldiers dead. Senator Hashim Alokozai and MP Latif Pedram, among others, accused President Ashraf Ghani of nepotism in his appointments, and particularly in appointment of Gen. Katawazai as commander of the Shaheen Corps. Tolonews
Security Forces Failing to Prevent Terrorist Attacks: Murtazawi
Shahhussain Murtazawi, a spokesman for the president, said that forces failed to prevent terrorist attacks on military installations and that government acknowledged this. According to Murtazawi, “As a responsible government, we accept we failed. But our achievements in tackling insurgents should not be ignored.” Tolonews
Karzai Shifts his Stance on Taliban, Calls them Terrorists
In a rare change of tone, former president Hamid Karzai labeled the Taliban as an insurgent group, saying he will no longer see the Taliban as “brothers”. Karzai’s policy shift on the Taliban comes two days after ten Taliban suicide attackers infiltrated the Afghan National Army’s (ANA) 209 Shaheen Army Corps in the northern province of Balkh killing at least 135 offices and wounding over 80. Tolonews
Sunday Declared a Day of National Mourning
President Ashraf Ghani ordered Sunday a national day of mourning in honor of the dozens of soldiers killed in the Afghan National Army 209 Shaheen Military Corps Headquarters in Dehdadi district in Balkh on Friday afternoon. In a decree issued on Saturday night, Ghani ordered Sunday a national day of mourning and said all Afghan flags must be flown at half-mast for the day. Tolonews
Top Afghan Defense Officials to be summoned by Parliament over Base Attack
The top Afghan defense officials will be summoned by the Afghan parliament after a deadly attack on the main military base in northern Afghanistan that left scores of soldiers dead. The lawmakers in the Lower House of the Parliament, Wolesi Jirga, decided to summon the top defense officials during the general session of the parliament. Khaama
Afghan, Pak Tribal Elders Hold Peace Gathering
Tribal elders from Pakistan and Afghanistan held a joint gathering in southeastern Paktia province and agreed to work together for bringing peace and stability in the region. They discussed the reopening of crossing points between Pakistan and Afghanistan and decided to work together in this regard. According to Tribal elders, “We had organized jirgas (tribal meetings) in the past as well for peace and today’s gathering was about peace”. Pajhwok
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
German Officials Concerned over Taliban Migrants
German officials have voiced concern over the possibility of thousands of former Taliban fighters having entered Germany over the past two years among an influx of more than a million migrants and refugees. Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) informed security officials that thousands of migrants had identified themselves as former Taliban insurgents during the asylum application process. Tolonews
Trump Administration’s Afghan Policy Likely to be Finalized Next Month: Khalilzad
According to Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, the new policy of Donald Trump administration regarding Afghanistan will likely to be finalized next month. The Office of the National Security Council of Afghanistan (NSC) said that Gen. McMaster had visited the country in a bid to review the policy of Washington regarding Afghanistan. According to NSC, Gen. McMaster reaffirmed Washington’s support to expand its military support to Afghanistan and said US will support Afghan government’s policy to expand capabilities of Afghan Air Force. Khaama
Japan Pledges $3.6m in Aid for Afghanistan Development
The Japanese government would provide $3.5 million to Afghanistan in aid for economic and social development under an agreement signed in Kabul on Sunday. The grant was pledged under the ‘Extension of Non-Project Grant MoU’ signed between Japan and Afghanistan. Pajhwok
OIC Strongly Condemn Attack on Afghan Army Base in Balkh
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned the attack carried on army base in northern Afghanistan on Friday in which more than 200 people were killed and many injured. Pajhwok
Iran Condemns Deadly Attack on Shaheen Corps in Balkh
Iran has vehemently denounced a deadly terrorist attack on the Afghan National Army (ANA) base in the northern Balkh province and considered the attack as a threat to peace and stability not only in Afghanista but in the rest of the region as well. Pajhwok
Terrorism a Common Enemy, Sharif Assures Kabul
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa have called terrorism a common enemy and a threat to peace in the region. Pajhwok
