Afghanistan War News Updates -- October 20, 2010

THREAT WATCH - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kevin Murphy looks for potential threats as Afghan forces board a CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter in Jahazi, Afghanistan, Oct. 17, 2010. Murphy, a crew chief, is assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Deanne Hurla

Taliban Elite, Aided by NATO, Join Talks For Afghan Peace -- New York Times

KABUL, Afghanistan — Talks to end the war in Afghanistan involve extensive, face-to-face discussions with Taliban commanders from the highest levels of the group’s leadership, who are secretly leaving their sanctuaries in Pakistan with the help of NATO troops, officials here say.

The discussions, some of which have taken place in Kabul, are unfolding between the inner circle of President Hamid Karzai and members of the Quetta shura, the leadership group that oversees the Taliban war effort inside Afghanistan. Afghan leaders have also held discussions with leaders of the Haqqani network, considered to be one of the most hard-line guerrilla factions fighting here; and members of the Peshawar shura, whose fighters are based in eastern Afghanistan.

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More News on Afghanistan

Afghan Lawmaker: Karzai in Talks With Haqqani -- New York Times/AP
Afghan leader sees hope for peace and reconciliation -- Reuters
Afghan President Karzai hopes for peace in two years -- Channel News Asia
Taliban gets safe passage to Kabul -- The Australian/AP
Afghan lawmaker: Karzai in talks with Haqqani -- AP
Senior Taliban commanders emerge from hiding for Afghanistan peace talks -- the Telegraph

Airstrikes Kill Taliban Leaders, Other Insurgents -- U.S. Department of Defense
3 NATO service members killed in south Afghanistan -- Daily Times
British soldier killed in Afghanistan blast -- AFP
341st UK soldier to die in Afghanistan -- London Evening Standard
Iranian Weapon Shipment to Afghan Taliban Raises Alarm -- FOX News

Afghan Detainee Killed in Kandahar -- New York Times
US Soldier in Custody After Afghan Detainee Dies -- New York Times/AP
U.S. Soldier Held in Death of Afghan Detainee -- Wall Street Journal

Nearly a quarter of Afghanistan election votes disqualified -- Christian Science Monitor
Afghan govt throws out nearly a quarter of ballots -- AP
Officials: Nearly 1 in 4 Afghan ballots invalid due to fraud -- Washington Post
Afghanistan annuls nearly a quarter of ballots -- Yahoo News/AP
New Candidates to Win Half of Afghan Parliament Seats Amid Fraud -- Bloomberg Businessweek

Iran offers to 'help stabilise Afghanistan' -- Yahoo News/AFP
Iran joins talks and Petraeus briefing on Afghanistan -- CNN
Iran Sends Delegate to International Meeting on Afghanistan -- New York Times

Far more troops survive IEDs in Afghanistan -- USA Today
Journalist Embeds Canceled In Afghanistan -- NPR/Global Post
Taliban Influence Grows in North -- Wall Street Journal
Officials aim to establish Afghan local police force by March -- L.A. Times
Afghanistan Orders Audits Of All Private Banks -- New York Times/Reuters