SECURITY
Heavy Clashes Ongoing Close to Kunduz City
Kunduz: A number of security forces in Kunduz province said that heavy clashes were going on between Afghan soldiers and Taliban in areas close to Kunduz city. At least five police and army outposts are under siege by the insurgents. The clashes have closed the Kunduz-Takhar Highway to traffic for past five days. Causalities of any type have not been reported so far. Tolonews
Parwan Ulema Council Chief Killed in Bombing
Parwan: The Ulema Council chief for central Parwan province, Maulvi Abdul Rahim Hanafi, was killed and five of his students were wounded in a blast. The incident took place in the vicinity of Charikar city. No group including the Taliban insurgents has so far claimed responsibility behind the incident. Pajhwok
Twelve Insurgents Arrested on Kunduz-Khan Abad Highway
Kunduz: At least twelve Taliban insurgents were arrested on the Kunduz-Khan Abad highway while on route to join fellow militants in their fight against security forces in the area. The insurgents were arrested while they were on their way to join other insurgents who are fighting security forces on the Kunduz-Khan Abad highway. Tolonews
IS Recruiter Held in Kunar; Three Injured in Nangarhar Blast
Daesh militant group’s recruitment in-charge for eastern Kunar province has been detained during an operation in the province. On the other hand, in neighboring Nangarhar province, a bomb blast injured three civilians. Pajhwok
Taliban’s Command and Control Center Demolished
Helmand: A huge command and control center of Taliban has been destroyed during an operation by security forces in the Nad Ali district of southern Helmand province. Their sleeping cells were also destroyed during the military operation. Pajhwok
Cop among Four Killed in Zabul, Farah Incidents
Unidentified gunmen have shot dead a police officer in western Farah province while three insurgents have been killed in southern Zabul. The insurgents were killed during the military operation. Pajhwok
FOREIGN AFAIRS
Pakistan Asked to Stop ‘Supporting Terrorists’
Dozens of residents and tribal elders from both sides of the Durand Line blamed Pakistan of supporting and training terrorists and stated that Daesh was also supported by some circles within Pakistan. They urged Pakistan to stop “supporting terrorists”. They said that Daesh was a serious threat to the region. Zarjan Shinwari, head of a tribal council on the Pakistan side of the Durand Line, said that Pakistan was destroying our homes on the other side of the Durand Line. We are not terrorists. It was due to Pakistan that Daesh has turned into a big force on the two sides of Durand Line. Tolonews
U.S Considering ‘Major Changes’ to Afghan War Strategy
The government of the United States is reportedly considering ‘major changes’ in its war strategy in Afghanistan. Under the new strategy more power will be given to American forces in order to widen their air raids on Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan and eliminate insurgents’ hideouts and training camps beyond Afghan borders. U.S officials have said that the U.S military had wrapped up sketching the new plan and it would be put for final approval on the U.S President Donald Trump’s desk within a week time. Under the new strategy, 3,000 more US troops could be sent to Afghanistan to stem a spike in insurgent-related violence. Tolonews
EU Accuses Taliban of War Crimes, Calls for End to Violence
The European Union (EU) has accused the Taliban of committing war crimes by killing innocent civilians and destroying towns, and called on the group to end the violence. Franz-Michael Skjold Mellbin, EU Special Representative to Afghanistan, said that the killing of innocent civilians and the destruction of towns by the Taliban was no longer acceptable. He further said that the Taliban have committed war crimes. Tolonews
Geological Team to Carry out Spin Boldak Border Survey
Afghan officials said that a joint geological team would conduct a survey along the disputed section of the Durand Line in Spin Boldak area of Kandahar. During the meetings between Afghan and Pakistani officials after Friday’s skirmish, it was eventually agreed that a joint team would conduct a survey to decide exactly where the de-facto border line between Pakistan and Afghanistan was. Technical teams of both countries would use GPS and Google Maps as well as other means to get the answer. Tolonews
Pakistan’s Aziz Says Dialogue Needed to Settle Dispute
Sartaj Aziz, advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, said at a press conference that there was a need for bilateral dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan to settle disputes. This comes in the wake of recent cross-Durand Line tensions where border forces opened fire on each other in Chaman and Spin Boldak. Tolonews
Trump Committed to Defeat ISIS and Taliban: White House
US President Donald Trump wants to make sure that the Taliban group and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group are defeated in Afghanistan. Sean Spicer, the White House Press Secretary, said that he wanted to make sure that we defeated ISIS and Taliban — that was something in our national security interests. Khaama
Karzai Offers Mediation to Ease Af-Pak Tensions
Former president Hamid Karzai has discussed Kabul-Islamabad relations at a meeting with a group of journalist from Pakistan in Kabul. He said that he was ready to play a role of a mediator in order to normalize the relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Their relations have reached to its lowest ebb after clash at the border. Pajhwok
Kabul, Islamabad to Defuse Tension, Hopes Beijing
Afghanistan and Pakistan will take steps to amicably address the tension arising from a recent clash on the Durand Line, China hopes. A peaceful and friendly relation between them is in the interests of not only of Pakistan and Afghanistan but of the whole region. Pajhwok
