SECURITY
Afghan Air Force Targets Taliban Safe Havens in Helmand, Kill 43
Helmand: At least 43 Taliban insurgents were killed in an Afghan air forces airstrike in southern Helmand province. The airstrike took place during the night in Marja district of the province. A number of weapons belonging to the insurgents were also destroyed. Tolonews
Tora Bora Falls to Daesh after heavy Clashes with Taliban
Nangarhar: Daesh insurgents have taken control of Tora Bora, a strategic area, in Pacher Agam district of eastern Nangarhar province after heavy clashes with the Taliban. Hundreds of families have fled the area. Provincial Council members have accused government of negligence which led to the fall of Tora Bora. Report about the causalities has not yet produced. IS also claimed the capture of Osama Bin Laden’s hideout in the remote Tora Bora valley. Tolonews, Khaama
Taliban Kill Father of Captive Soldier in Sar-e-Pul
Sar-e-Pul: Insurgents have shot dead the father of a soldier who taken captive by the Taliban in Kohistanat district of in northern Sar-e-Pul province. The incident took place in Kohistanat district of the province. The soldier was captured by the Taliban nearly two years ago. The insurgents have now killed the soldier’s father and his aunt’s husband while they were returning from the district. Tolonews
Tagab District Cleared but Taliban Threat Remains
Badakhshan: At least eight of the militants were killed, 15 wounded and three of them were arrested in Badakhshan province when security forces have cleared the Taliban from Tagab district’s insecure areas. Taliban had stationed themselves one kilometer from the district center for the past two years. The Taliban has now fled to Warduj district after they were pushed back from Tagab. Tolonews
Six Killed in Kabul Mosque Explosion
Kabul: At least six people, including one policeman, were killed and more than ten wounded in the attack in al-Zahra mosque in Dasht-e-Barchi in PD 13 in Kabul city. The explosion happened while people around the country were preparing to observe the Lailatul-Qadr. The attack happened at a Shia ceremony. Two attackers were involved in the attack. The Taliban has rejected any involvement in the attack. Tolonews
Special Air and Ground Campaign Kicks Off against ISIS in East of Afghanistan
Nangarhar: A special operation involving air and ground strikes has kicked off in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan for the elimination of the militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group’s offshoot in Afghanistan, ISIS Khurasan. The campaign has kicked off in Chaparhar and Pacher Agam districts. This comes as the Afghan security forces have been conducting operations against the terror group under name of Hamza operations. The US forces based in Afghanistan are also occasionally contributing to the operations and mainly provide air support to the Afghan forces fighting the terror group. Khaama
Seven Afghan Army Personnel Arrested for Facilitating Attack on Shaheen Corps
Balkh: At least seven Afghan army personnel have been arrested for facilitating the deadly attack on the 209th Shaheen Corps in northern Balkh province of Afghanistan. According to Gen. Dawlat Waziri, the Ministry of Defense spokesmen, the seven army personnel were identified during the investigations and are in custody of the Afghan intelligence for further questioning and probe. Khaama
Paktika ALP Commander Loses Eight Relatives to Explosion
Paktika: At least eight people, including children and women, have been killed and five others wounded in a blast inside the residence of an Afghan Local Police (ALP) commander in southeastern Paktika province. Pajhwok
Intelligence Agents among Three Killed in Shindand Ambush
Herat: At least two National Directorate of Security (NDS) personnel and a district land authority manager have been killed in a Taliban ambush in western Herat province. Pajhwok
Three Children Killed in Wardak Army-Taliban Clash
Wardak: At least three children have been killed during a clash between the Taliban and security forces in the Syedabad district of central Maidan Wardak province. Pajhwok
POLITICAL
NDS Shares Findings of Kandahar Guesthouse Blast
The National Directorate of Security (NDS) released the results of the investigation into the Kandahar guesthouse blast. NDS chief, Mohammad Masoom Stanikzai, called the attack heinous and said the main operative behind the attack was Sayed Mahboob Agaha, the chef at the guesthouse. The Taliban promised to give the chef $30,000 USD and a house in Pakistan in return for carrying out the explosion. He had worked at the guesthouse for several years. According to the chef, “Someone came to me and I went to Quetta (city of Pakistan) with him and we visited a Taliban leader there. They told me that there are rumors that the Emirate’s ambassador is coming to Kandahar. They said that this person (the ambassador) should be eliminated. He said that their elders have decided that the individual (the ambassador) must be killed”. Tolonews
Daesh May Threaten Kabul if not curbed on Time: Hazrat Ali
Lawmaker Haji Hazrat Ali warned Daesh or so-called Islamic State (IS) in the eastern Nangarhar province may threaten the security of capital Kabul and other neighboring provinces if action against the rebel group was not taken on time. Lawmakers shared their deep concerns about new violence created by Daesh militants during their meeting with the CEO Abdullah Abdullah and the National Security Advisor Hanif Atmar. The IS militants recently appointed their shadow governors and started their activities in Kunar and Nuristan provinces. Pajhwok
Committed to Info-sharing with Media: CEO
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Abdullah has said problems exist in access to information, but the government remains committed to sharing information on time with media. According to him median can play a very important role in establishing peace in conflict torn countries. Pajhwok
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
U.S will not repeat ‘Past Mistakes’ in Afghanistan: Mattis
James Mattis, U.S Defense Secretary, said that the U.S will not repeat the mistakes of the past and in setting new troop levels, its military will have greater agility in conducting operations in Afghanistan. His statement comes after Trump gave Mattis the authority to set troop levels in Afghanistan, opening the door for future troop increases. This will enable our military to have greater agility to conduct operations. Tolonews
Pakistani Militia Backed Daesh in Tora Bora Offensive: NDS
Abdul Saboor Sabet, the head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) in Nangarhar claimed that Pakistani militia fully supported Daesh in their offensive against the Tora Bora region this week in eastern Nangarhar province. Daesh militants sustained heavy loses, whenever they suffer a toll, they get reinforcements from the other side of the border who are the Pakistani militias. Tolonews
Stop Pakistan from Aiding Terror, CEO Urges UN Chief
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Abdullah has asked the UN secretary general to press Pakistan into supporting the moribund Afghan peace process. According to him Pakistan can play a vital role in establishing peace and stability inside Afghanistan. Pajhwok
Ghani, Guterres Talk Terrorism, Peace Process
The UN secretary general vehemently denounced recent terrorist attacks in Kabul, calling terrorism a common enemy. During their meeting they discussed how to establish peace and security inside Afghanistan. Pajhwok
Atmar, Kubiš Discuss Afghan Reconciliation Process
The UN Under-Secretary-General Ján Kubiš has hailed the Afghan government for the successful conduct of Kabul Process Conference and admired the Afghan government efforts for peace and stability. They also discussed reconciliation process in Afghanistan. Pajhwok
Situation in Afghanistan not well, Admits Tillerson
, According to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the Trump administration is looking at a long-term solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. We have an Afghanistan policy, under review as well which will be announced very soon. Pajhwok
Afghan Stability Vital to Regional Development: China
According to China’s foreign minister, peace and stability in Afghanistan is vital to the development and security of neighboring and regional countries. Without peace and security in Afghanistan this region cannot develop. Pajhwok
