Afghanistan War News Updates -- May 5, 2018

CNN: Over a dozen killed in mosque blast, as violence grips Afghanistan

At least 13 people were killed, and dozens more injured, after an explosion at a mosque in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, the latest in a wave of deadly attacks in the country in recent weeks.

The mosque, in the city of Khost, was also being used as a voter registration center, ahead of parliamentary elections in October.

The blast was caused by a bomb placed in the mosque, rather than by a suicide bomber, Khost's Chief of Police Basir Bina told CNN.

The Taliban denied involvement in the blast, and so far no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which happened at 2:20pm local time.

Read more ....

Afghanistan War News Updates -- May 5, 2018

Afghan Forces Retake District From Taliban; Fighting Spreads -- VOA/Reuters
Taliban overruns district center in northeastern Afghanistan -- Long War Journal
Afghanistan: At least 17 killed in Khost mosque blast -- BBC
At least 16 die in Afghanistan mosque blast -- UPI
Roadside bomb kills 7 shopkeepers heading to Afghan market -- AP
Indian engineers kidnapped in Afghanistan's Baghlan province -- BBC
Taliban Control Of Districts Remains Unchanged: SIGAR -- TOLO News
Mattis Says The Taliban Is On Its ‘Back Foot,’ And No, He Wasn’t Making A Funny Joke -- Task & Purpose
Afghanistan’s ‘fraying’ security forces to face inquiry after militant gains -- Arab News
Terror isn't subsiding in Afghanistan -- Shazar Shafqat, The Hill

Afghanistan War News Updates -- March 10, 2018

BBC: Taliban attacks Afghan soldiers in Farah, killing at least 24

At least 24 members of the Afghan security forces have been killed in a Taliban attack in the western province of Farah, officials said.

Militants reportedly attacked soldiers who had assembled in preparation for an attack in Bala Buluk district.

The attack triggered a deadly skirmish between fighters from the hardline Islamic movement and security forces.

Afghanistan has seen a surge in attacks in recent months, with militants often targeting state security forces.

Much of Afghanistan's opium harvest comes from Farah province, which borders Iran.

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Afghanistan War News Updates -- March 10, 2018

As many as 18 Afghan soldiers killed fighting in western province -- Reuters
Dozens Dead After Taliban Ambush On Afghan Government Forces -- Radio Free Europe
Suicide Bomber Kills 9 in Kabul; Taliban Kill 16 in Province -- Military.com/AP
Suicide bomb kills at least seven at Shi'ite gathering in Kabul -- Reuters
Ten Suspected Insurgents Killed In Afghanistan's Helmand -- Radio Free Europe
US military ramping back up in Afghanistan with little scrutiny -- NYPost/AP
Numbers on US Counterterrorism Efforts in Afghanistan Don't Add Up -- Military.com/Stars and Stripes
Afghan Taliban urge religious scholars to boycott peace conference -- Reuters
We've been in Afghanistan for 6000 days. What are we doing? -- Washington Post

Afghanistan War News Updates -- August 27, 2017

Fred Weir, CSM: As Trump doubles down on Afghanistan, Russians shake their heads

The US president's decision to extend the war, reversing his campaign pledges to withdraw from it, stand in sharp contrast to the lessons that Mikhail Gorbachev and the USSR took from the conflict almost 30 years ago.

When President Trump announced earlier this week that on the advice of his generals, he was expanding operations in Afghanistan despite his repeated promises to end US involvement in the 16-year-old conflict, some Russians couldn't help but think back to February 1989, when Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev did just the opposite.

On a blustery day back then, the last of over 100,000 Soviet troops rolled across the unhappily-named "Friendship Bridge" into then-Soviet Uzbekistan, bringing an end to the futile nine-year war to keep Afghanistan in the USSR's orbit. Their return home prompted an explosion of public joy across the Soviet Union, and the withdrawal even spawned a popular song, "We're Leaving!", which briefly dominated the Soviet airwaves.

Though some of his generals and intelligence chiefs counseled him against the decision, Mr. Gorbachev was convinced that the war was unwinnable. The conflict had drained the Soviet economy, killed 15,000 troops, and stirred deep currents of anti-war unrest around the country.

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Afghanistan War News Updates -- August 27, 2017

Afghanistan bomb attack: 13 killed in car blast in Helmand -- BBC
Several Killed By Suicide Car-Bomber In Afghanistan -- RFE
Taliban suicide bomb attack on Afghan forces kills 13 -- Al Jazeera
Deadly airstrikes target Taliban insurgents in Helmand leaving several dead -- Khaama Press
Mullah Omar’s family members, some Taliban leaders returned from Pakistan -- Khaama Press
How Much of Afghanistan Is Under Taliban Control After 16 Years of War With the U.S.? -- NYT
Ex-Intelligence Officers Respond To Trump's Afghanistan Strategy -- NPR
Why Afghanistan actually matters to the United States -- Tom Rogan, Washington Examiner
Can the US bomb the Taliban to the peace table? -- Jamie McIntyre, Washington Examiner
'The Taliban is a very determined enemy': Trump's new Afghanistan plan explained -- David Wroe, Sydney Morning Herald
Deciphering the Taliban -- Diego Solis, Stratfor
If goal in Afghanistan 'is stalemate, we have achieved it,' former US envoy say -- ABC News
What Works in Afghanistan: The country is not always a graveyard of empires. -- Phillip Carter, Slate
U.S. Calculus in Afghanistan Must Factor in Taliban’s Own Equations -- Michael Morell, Cipher Brief
The ‘forever war’ in Afghanistan that the Taliban are destined to lose -- Rosie Dimanno, Toronto Star
The Observer view on US strategy in Afghanistan -- Guardian editorial
Who are the key players in Afghanistan? -- CNN

Afghanistan War News Updates -- August 20, 2017

Afghan Special Forces arrive at the airport as they launch a counteroffensive to retake the city from Taliban insurgents, in Kunduz, Sept. 29, 2015.

VOA: Afghanistan’s Special Operations Forces Transition from Division to Corps

Afghanistan’s elite Special Operations Forces officially transitioned from a division to a corps, as part of a four-year security plan aimed at vastly improving the country's security forces.

“Today, it is a special day because the success you all have achieved for this nation is exemplified here,” Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said at the ceremony in Kabul on Sunday. “This year you defeated the enemy on the battlefield. I can see the results of your fight from last week and I see the huge improvement from last year.”

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Afghanistan War News Updates -- August 20, 2017

Top US commander in Afghanistan tells troops 'we are with you' with Trump set to address nation -- The Independent
'Guardian angel' need for advisers in Afghanistan drives call for more troops -- Reuters
Joint Taliban, Islamic State raid killed disarmed Afghan fighters, civilians: U.N. -- Reuters
UN Probe Concludes Taliban, Islamic State Jointly Killed 36 Afghans -- VOA
IS Atrocities Spike in North, East Afghanistan -- VOA
Afghan Air Force to get organic intelligence reconnaissance capability for the first time -- Khaama Press
How Afghanistan is ramping up its fight against corruption — especially among the country’s elite -- Washington Post
ISIL in Afghanistan: A growing threat -- Al Jazeera
Taliban calls on US to withdraw forces as Afghanistan celebrates 98th Independence Day -- Khaama Press
Afghanistan Marks 98 Years Of Independence From Britain -- RFE
Erik Prince's Plan to Privatize the War in Afghanistan -- The Atlantic
5 Rules for Sending Contractors to War in Afghanistan -- James Carafano, Daily Signal
In Afghanistan, a Destructive 'Game of Thrones' -- New York Times
A Reporter’s Anguished Farewell to Afghanistan -- WSJ
The U.S. cannot abandon Afghanistan now -- Washington Post editorial

Afghanistan War News Updates -- June 5, 2017

Afghan security forces prepare before leaving for an operation in Chaparhar district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan May 24, 2017. Picture taken on May 24, 2017. REUTERS/Parwiz

Reuters: Weary Afghan army fights on as U.S. weighs troop increase

From his sandbagged command post outside the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, Brigadier General Mohammad Nasim Sangin says he needs more troops and equipment to beat the Taliban and hold on to ground his soldiers take.

But one thing he does not want is foreign troops returning to front-line combat in Afghanistan.

"We know our own country better and we can defeat our enemies ourselves," he says.

"NATO can help Afghan forces with training, they can provide more equipment but we will recruit Afghans."

As U.S. and NATO officials contemplate the way forward in Afghanistan, government soldiers face a resilient enemy and an array of problems from lack of equipment, poor leadership, political interference and chronic corruption.

Read more ....

Afghanistan War News Updates -- June 5, 2017

Aftermath of bloody Afghan blasts stokes government tensions -- Reuters
Afghan Intelligence Arrests 'Would-Be Suicide Bomber' As Kabul Protest Continues -- RFE
Afghan intelligence release new findings about Kabul funeral bombing -- Khaama Press
Kabul funeral suicide bombers trained in Pakistan, Afghan intelligence says -- Long War Journal
ISIS leaders among 22 killed in airstrikes, ground operations in East of Afghanistan -- Khaama Press
Taliban Vows Revenge As Kabul Eyes Prisoner Executions Over Bombing -- VOA
Afghan Peace Conference Comes Amid Rising Terror, Political Tensions -- VOA
A week after Kabul bombing, Afghanistan gets ready for multi-national peace conference tomorrow -- First Post/AFP
German Foreign Minister Gabriel calls for peace talks with Taliban -- DW
People in Kabul 'have had enough' (Audio) -- BBC
‘How can 3,000 US troops help Afghanistan if 100,000 US troops couldn’t?’ -- RT

Taliban Launches Multiple Attacks In Afghanistan

RFE: Militants Attack Afghan Forces In South As Gunmen Storm Kabul Guesthouse

Afghan officials say militants attacked several checkpoints in the country’s south, killing at least 20 security forces, as gunmen stormed a guesthouse in the capital, Kabul, killing a foreign aid worker and a local security guard.

Gul Islam Seyal, spokesman for the provincial governor in Zabul Province, said on May 21 that the battles began late the previous day when dozens of Taliban fighters launched coordinated attacks on security posts in the Shah Joy district.

He said at least 10 other security forces, including national and local police officers, were wounded.

Seyal said the Taliban, which claimed responsibility for the attacks, also fired mortar rounds on the provincial capital, Qalat.

Read more ....

Afghanistan War News Updates -- May 21, 2017

German woman killed and Afghan guard beheaded in Kabul -- BBC
German and Afghan killed, Finnish woman kidnapped in Kabul -- AFP
German woman, Afghan guard killed in Kabul guesthouse attack -- Washington Post
German NGO worker killed in Kabul amid multiple attacks by Taliban -- RT
Taliban Attempt to Take Afghan City From Three Sides -- VOA
Afghan Taliban launch three-pronged assault on Ghazni city -- Swiss Info/Reuters
ANA artillery units pound Taliban hideouts in Ghazni, leaving scores dead -- Khaama Press

Twenty policemen, dozens of Taliban killed in Shah Joi -- Al Jazeera
Taliban raid kills 20 policemen in southern Afghanistan -- AFP
20 policemen killed during clashes with Taliban in South of Afghanistan -- Khaama Press
Police Suffer Heavy Casualties in Zabul Clashes -- Tolo News
A surprise attack by the Taliban kills 25 Afghan police and spotlights security failures -- L.A. Times
Attack on bank kills 8, wounds 31 in Afghanistan's Gardez city -- Xinhuanet
6 dead in ISIS attack on TV station in Afghanistan -- CNN
The US Plan to Give Afghanistan a Fleet of Black Hawks Is Deeply Flawed -- The Drive
Time for a surge in Afghanistan -- Michael O’Hanlon, USA Today
What should the US' next move be in Afghanistan? -- Omar Samad, Al Jazeera

Afghanistan War News Updates -- May 9, 2017

A soldier walks towards a CH-53 helicopter in Kunduz, Afghanistan on March 27, 2017. REUTERS/Sabine Siebold

Reuters: Afghan forces try to push back Taliban from Kunduz city

Afghan security forces are battling Taliban insurgents blocking a main route into the northern city of Kunduz with improvised explosives, officials said on Tuesday, as fears grew local residents could be forced to flee the city.

Heavy fighting has been underway for days around Kunduz, a city that the Taliban have twice come close to capturing in recent years, and government reinforcements included Special Forces units rushed to the province to bolster defenses.

"A fight is going on between Afghan forces and the enemy around Kunduz city," said defense ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish, adding that three operations were underway. "We have the capacity and enough reinforcements to tackle them," he said.

Read more ....

Afghanistan War News Updates -- May 9, 2017

Afghan forces losing to Taliban in fight for Kunduz -- FOX News
Taliban back on the offensive in Kunduz -- Long War Journal
Thousands flee as Taliban take district in Kunduz province -- CNN
Taliban Again Threaten Key Northern Afghan City -- VOA
ISIS radio station destroyed, 34 militants killed in East of Afghanistan -- Khaama Press
31 ISIS militants killed in airstrikes in East of Afghanistan -- Khaama Press
Nearly 90,000 Afghans displaced in 2017, says UN -- Al Jazeera
Taliban Broaden Their Reach in Villages Across Afghanistan -- WSJ
Taliban teachers: how militants are infiltrating Afghan schools -- The Guardian
Taliban spring offensive will result in further net loss of territory controlled by Afghan government -- Jane's 360
Trump Weighs Sending as Many as 5,000 More Troops to Afghanistan -- NBC
US considering sending up to 3,000 additional troops to Afghanistan -- ABC news
US considers 'boosting troop presence' in Afghanistan -- Al Jazeera
Pentagon wants more troops, bombs for Afghanistan to counter Taliban -- USA Today
More British troops could be deployed to Afghanistan amid mounting fears over Taliban resurgence -- Daily Mail
Taliban fight: US may send 3,000 more troops to Afghanistan -- BBC
UK 'could send more troops to Afghanistan after Nato request' -- The Telegraph
Back in Afghanistan: Marines 'exposed to some danger,' commander says -- Marine Times
Real tragedy of Operation Medusa is that Taliban may soon win back ground hard won by Canadian troops -- CBC
The US And Afghanistan Are Fighting 2 Enemies At Once -- Newsy

Afghanistan War News Updates -- April 30, 2017

Reuters: U.S. Marines back in Helmand as Afghanistan 'stalemate' continues

The U.S. Marine Corps has returned to Helmand, the restive province in southern Afghanistan where it fought years of bloody battles with the Taliban, to help train Afghan forces struggling to contain the insurgency.

Many of the 300 Marines coming to Helmand as part of the NATO-led Resolute Support training mission are veterans of previous tours in the province, where almost 1,000 coalition troops, mostly U.S. and British, were killed fighting the Taliban.

When they left in 2014, handing over the sprawling desert base they knew as Camp Leatherneck to the Afghan army, the Marines never expected to return. The fact that they are back underlines the problems Afghan forces have faced since being left to fight alone.

Read more ....

Afghanistan War News Updates -- April 30, 2017

Marines Return to Helmand Province for a Job They Thought Was Done -- NYT
'It feels like Groundhog Day': US Marines return to Helmand province -- The Guardian
US marines return to Taliban stronghold of Helmand -- Al Jazeera
1700 Troops Head To Afghanistan As Taliban Declares Fighting Season Is On -- Daily Caller
US Army Will Send 1500 Troops To Afghanistan For Summer 2017 -- Newsweek
The Pentagon is considering up to 5,000 additional troops for Afghanistan -- Military Times
More British troops could be on their way to Afghanistan as Nato considers mission boost -- The Telegraph
2 Taliban commanders reportedly killed in US strike in Pakistan -- Long War Journal
Haqqani network and ISIS militants among 53 killed in airstrikes: MoD -- Khaama Press
Taliban vows to ‘harass, capture, kill’ enemies in fresh spring offensive in Afghanistan -- RT
US: Top Islamic State leader in Afghanistan Likely Dead -- VOA
A Look at Islamic State's Operations in Afghanistan -- VOA
Sixty percent of Taliban funding said derived from illegal opium trade -- World Tribune
Taliban are main reason behind US forces presence in Afghanistan: Hekmatyar -- Khaama Pres
Afghanistan tense as warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar returns to the fold -- Sydney Morning Herald
Visit at Ground Zero – From the MOAB Attack Site in Afghanistan -- Defense Update
MOAB’s Bright Flash turns Into a Dud in Afghanistan -- Abdullah Sharif, Huffington Post
How to win peace in Afghanistan -- Stephen J. Hadley, Andrew Wilder and Scott Worden, Gulf News
More U.S. troops might turn the tide of war in Afghanistan -- Ahmad Shah Katawazai, Military Times

Afghanistan War News Updates -- April 19, 2017

Afghan National Army soldiers keep watch at a checkpoint in Logar province, Afghanistan, Feb. 16, 2016. Afghan forces and U.S. airstrikes targeted ISIS fighters Tuesday. PHOTO: REUTERS/OMAR SOBHANI

Reuters: U.S. troops still battling Islamic State near site of bomb strike: official

U.S. troops are still battling suspected Islamic State fighters near the site where a massive bomb was dropped in eastern Afghanistan last week, a U.S. military official said on Wednesday.

Nicknamed "the mother of all bombs", the GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb was dropped last Thursday from an American MC-130 aircraft in the Achin district of Nangarhar, bordering Pakistan.

Since then questions have surrounded the decision to use the weapon, which is one of the largest conventional bombs ever used in combat by the U.S. military. The strike drew condemnation from some prominent figures, including former Afghan president Hamid Karzai and Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan.

After arriving at the site the day after the strike, U.S. troops, who are fighting alongside Afghan forces, have since left but continue to conduct operations in the area, said U.S military spokesman Captain William Salvin.

Read more ....

Afghanistan War News Updates -- April 19, 2017

Marines headed to southern Afghanistan, where Taliban are reversing previous victories -- Marine Times
U.S. Isn’t Saying How Much Damage ‘Mother of All Bombs’ Did in Afghanistan -- NYT
13 key ISIS leaders killed in MOAB bombing in East of Afghanistan -- Khaama Press
Afghan Taliban Confirm Killing of Shadow Governor -- VOA
In Afghanistan, Battle With ISIS Grinds On After ‘Mother of All Bombs’ -- WSJ
Devastation and a war that rages on: visiting the valley hit by the Moab attack -- The Guardian
Top Taliban commander killed in northern Afghanistan -- Anadolu Agency
Afghanistan rejects Taliban claims of killing over 155 thousand soldiers -- Khaama Press
The U.S. Military Bombed ISIS In Afghanistan, But The Taliban Are Winning The War -- Tom O'Connor, Task & Purpose/Newsweek
Historian Says The U.S. Is 'Losing Hearts And Minds In Afghanistan' (Audio) -- NPR
After More Than A Decade And A Half In Afghanistan The US Needs To Deploy More Troops To Win, Experts Say -- Alex Pfeiffer, Daily Caller
The ISIS antidote: The women of Afghanistan -- Morgan Ortagus, FOX News
Growing Russian Involvement In Afghanistan – Analysis -- Eurasia Review
How active are Indian jihadists in Afghanistan? -- Masood Saifullah, DW
Afghanistan: Making It Worse -- Ahmed Rashid, New York Review of Books
Bigger bombs, more airstrikes are going to make the war in Afghanistan worse -- Douglas Wissing, The Hill

Afghanistan War News Updates -- April 12, 2017

USA Today: U.S. troops may not be needed in Afghanistan by 2020, U.S. Afghan ambassador says

Afghanistan’s military should be able to carry on the fight against Taliban insurgents mostly without the help of U.S. and other foreign troops by 2020, Afghanistan’s ambassador to the United States said Tuesday.

“By 2020 our security forces will be able to have what they need to carry on the fight on their own for the most part,” Hamdullah Mohib told the USA TODAY editorial board.

“We’re not talking about creating a new military,” Mohib said. “What we’re talking about is adjusting what we already have.”

He said the forecast assumes there won't be any major changes in the security threat in Afghanistan. The Islamic State has made some inroads in the country, though is not considered a major threat.

Mohib said Afghan’s fledgling air force also is growing more self reliant.

Read more ....

Afghanistan War News Updates -- April 12, 2017

Envoy: Afghan forces will probably be able to go it alone after 2020 -- Stars and Stripes
Afghan Security Reforms Falter, With Tough Fighting Ahead -- New York Times
IS Claims Suicide Bombing In Kabul, Five Dead -- RFE
Suicide explosion in Kabul kills at least 5 -- CNN
Suicide bomb attack in heart of Kabul kills five -- Al Jazeera
7 Taliban militants killed in Afghan Air Force strike in Laghman -- Khaama Press
Afghan Violence Leaves 13 Afghan, 1 US Soldiers Dead -- VOA
Taliban leader in charge of group of 80 insurgents arrested -- Khaama Press
U.S. Soldier's Death Highlights Threat Of ISIS In Afghanistan -- NPR
US cites progress against ISIS in Afghanistan -- News24
300 Marines To Deploy To Afghanistan -- NPR
200 US troops deployed in Helmand province of Afghanistan -- Khaama Press
Pakistan puts US on notice to ‘fix’ Afghanistan -- The National
Russia Opens New Front in U.S. Rivalry With Taliban Support -- Bloomberg
Why Russia might be working with its Cold War enemy, the Taliban -- L.A. Times
After Syria, the US And Russia Are Now Clashing Over Afghanistan -- Newsweek
Amid the violence and corruption of Kabul, some still hold onto hope -- Independent

Afghanistan War News Updates -- February 21, 2017

Long War Journal: Taliban overruns Afghan district where al Qaeda ran training camps

The Taliban claimed it “completely liberated” the district center for Shorabak in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar earlier today. Shorabak was the site of a massive al Qaeda training camp that was assaulted and destroyed by US forces in Oct. 2015. The Taliban now claims to control four of Kandahar’s 18 districts, and that others remain contested.

According to a statement released on Voice of Jihad, the Taliban’s official propaganda outlet, Taliban forces torched the administration buildings and police headquarters after local police and Afghan soldiers abandoned the Shorabak district center.

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Afghanistan War News Updates -- February 21, 2017

Taliban suffer heavy casualties in Helmand airstrikes -- Khaama Press
12 ISIS militants killed in US drone strike in East of Afghanistan -- Khaama Press
Air strike, operation kills 21 militants in E. Afghanistan -- Kuwait News Agency
Afghan intelligence foil plot by Taliban to carry out attacks in Laghman -- Khaama Press
Afghanistan Police Surround Vice President’s House -- New York Times
Pakistan shells border with Afghanistan as tensions rise over terrorist attacks -- Washington Post
Mattis: Assessment on Afghanistan Coming Soon -- US Department of Defense
No civil war, but war among states in Afghanistan, claims Ghani -- The International News
No truth to rumors about a Russia-Taliban friendship - expert -- RBTH
How to Lose the War in Afghanistan -- Daniel Davis, National Interest
To End The War In Afghanistan, The US Needs To Make Some Difficult Decisions -- Matthew Gault, Task & Purpose
Trump Needs an Afghanistan Plan -- Bloomberg editorial

Afghanistan War News Updates -- January 11, 2017

FOX News: Afghanistan's 'ghost soldiers' take scary toll on US taxpayers, says watchdog

The U.S. government is paying the salaries of “tens of thousands” of non-existent Afghan soldiers, police, teachers and civil servants, a top Pentagon official said Wednesday in reporting on the scale and variety of misspent U.S. money.

John Sopko, special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR), said the salaries of “ghost soldiers” is just one of many ways Americans' money is wasted in Afghanistan – all for rather modest gains.

His comments summarize a SIGAR report that aims to help inform the new Congress and administration of the most pressing reconstruction challenges in 2017 and beyond. Sopko’s message was one American leaders have heard before.

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WNU Editor: I can tell that the Afghan government is losing this war when I read reports like this one .... Afghans push for Taliban 'safe zone' to outflank Pakistan (AFP). More details and analysis here .... Afghan officials call for Taliban ‘safe zone’ (Threat Matrix).

Afghanistan War News Updates -- January 11, 2017

Watchdog warns Trump administration of 'high risk' issues in Afghan reconstruction -- The Hill
SIGAR: ‘High-Risk List’ Shows Continued Erosion in Afghanistan Reconstruction -- Defense News
Two years after NATO steps down, Afghan forces still struggle: US inspector -- AFP
Bombs near government offices in Afghan capital kill 38 -- AP
Dozens killed in twin attacks targeting Afghan intelligence agency -- Stars and Stripes
Kabul And Kandahar Rocked By Taliban Attacks As 50 People Die In Three Blasts -- India Times
Five UAE officials among 57 killed in Afghanistan bombings -- AFP
Afghanistan ‘On The Brink’ Of Ruin As Hundreds Of US Marines Head Back -- Daily Caller
U.S. Ramps Up Airstrikes in Afghanistan -- WSJ
ISIS is suffering setbacks in Syria and Iraq, but they are gaining ground in Afghanistan -- VICE News
New Afghan Taliban video shows US, Australian hostages -- DW
Taliban video claims to show American, Australian captives in tearful pleas to Trump -- Washington Post
Kidnapped professors beg Trump to negotiate release in Taliban video -- The Guardian
Refugees in Afghanistan caught between winter and war -- DW
Afghanistan now a ‘continual emergency’, as war drives record numbers from their homes -- IRIN

Afghanistan War News Updates -- October 26, 2016

Afghan soldiers are seen on a rural road during a foot patrol ©Roberto Schmidt (AFP/File)

Reuters: Taliban attack Afghan provincial center, cut highway

Taliban fighters on Wednesday cut the highway linking the Afghan capital to the southern city of Kandahar, following an attack on the main town of Wardak province to the west of Kabul, officials said.

The attack on Maidan Shahr, about 45 km (28 miles) from the capital, follows a series of assaults on provincial capitals in recent months as Taliban militants step up their insurgency aimed at toppling the Western-backed government in Kabul.

Fighting was continuing just outside the town, and the main highway was blocked, said Abdul Rahman Mangal, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

Read more ....

Afghanistan War News Updates -- October 26, 2016

Taliban block major Afghan highway in expanding attacks -- Washington Post
Taliban cut off crucial Afghan highway -- The Times
Eight Afghan Border Policemen Killed in Taliban Attack in Torkham -- Pakistan Today
Eight Afghan Police Officers Killed Near Pakistani Border -- RFE
Angry Protests Erupt After 31 Civilians Killed In Afghanistan -- RFE
Ghani vows revenge as ISIS group massacre at least 30 Afghan civilians -- Khaama Press
The Taliban Is Killing Off Afghan Forces At A Rate Of 18 Per Day -- Daily Caller
Afghan intelligence foil attack on Indian consulate in Nangarhar -- Khaama Press
US carries out more air strikes in Afghanistan -- RTE
U.S. air strikes spike as Afghans struggle against Taliban, Islamic State -- Reuters
UN Blames Afghan War for Almost 2,600 Deaths This Year -- VOA
The US isn't getting out of Afghanistan anytime soon -- Josh Smith, Reuters

Afghanistan War News Updates -- July 19, 2016

Olivier Laurent, Time: When War Is Just Another Day in Afghanistan

With at least 20% of Afghanistan still in the hands of a resurgent Taliban, the longest war in American history is far from over. Last week, President Barack Obama announced he would prolong the nation’s presence into the country well into 2017 with 8,400 troops expected to remain by the time he leaves office.

The news didn’t make front pages, but for Andrew Quilty, who’s been photographing the conflict from Kabul for the past three years, the world’s attention is essential. “Despite arguably good intentions, the 14-year international intervention in Afghanistan has been largely disastrous for all involved,” he tells TIME. “The international community shouldn’t be allowed to just walk away and forget Afghanistan.”

Read more ....

Afghanistan War News Updates -- July 19, 2016

U.S. commander: Progress in fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan -- USA Today
U.S. military support may turn tides in Afghanistan war, commander says -- AP
Taliban Stages Fresh Attacks in Northern Afghanistan -- VOA
Taliban attack key tunnel connecting Kabul with North of Afghanistan -- Khaama Press
Major Taliban attack repulsed in Kunduz province -- Khaama Press
Taliban’s provincial council chief, Mullah Hamza, killed in Helmand -- Khaama Press
Afghan officials report Taliban attacks, uptick in violence -- AP
Afghan Governor: 400 'Ghost Soldiers' Found on Payroll -- Breitbart News
Attacks on hospitals: Afghanistan's medics under fire -- Al Jazeera
Würzburg attack - Why 'IS' presence in Afghanistan should be taken seriously -- DW
Can more powers to US troops change the course in Afghanistan? -- DW
Future of US Engagement in Afghanistan to Fall to Next President -- VOA

Afghanistan War News Updates -- May 31, 2016

VICE/Reuters: Taliban Attacks Have Killed Dozens of Police and Civilians Across Afghanistan in Past Three Days

The Taliban killed nine people and abducted 35 more in a series of bus attacks in the northeastern province of Kunduz on the same day that a leading humanitarian organization released a report revealing that the number of afghans internally displaced has doubled in the last three years to 1.2 million because of fighting and attacks.

Province officials said the gunmen, wearing Afghan army uniforms, forced passengers from several busses that were traveling en route to Kabul to disembark from the vehicles in Aliabad district before killing some and abducting others. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the Aliabad district chief and a spokesman for Kunduz's governor blamed the attacks on Taliban militants, who have been responsible for multiple kidnappings across the country, according to the Associated Press.

Read more ....

WNU editor: No kidding .... Hopes for peace dim with new Taliban leader. (AP)

Afghanistan War News Updates -- May 31, 2016

Taliban overrun Afghan police checkpoints in Helmand Province -- NYT
More than 50 Afghan police killed in Helmand fighting -- Reuters
Afghanistan: More than 50 police killed in Helmand -- Al Jazeera
Afghan Taliban kill nine, kidnap 20 bus passengers, army rescues 140 others -- Reuters
Taliban Said to Kill 16 in Worst Attack Since Leader Named -- Bloomberg
Taliban Gunmen Kill 10 Bus Passengers, Kidnap Dozens -- WSJ
Taliban kills 17 after abducting about 200 at fake Afghan checkpoint -- UPI
People internally displaced by conflict in Afghanistan doubled to 1.2 million in just three years -- Amnesty International
Afghans Displaced by War Doubles to 1.2 Million, Amnesty Says -- Bloomberg
Number of Afghans fleeing war doubles to 1.2 mn, says Amnesty. -- AFP
Number of displaced in Afghanistan doubled since 2013 to 1.2 million, report says -- Washington Post
Taliban chief’s body handed over to heirs in Afghanistan -- Hindustan Times
Al Qaeda branches eulogize Taliban leader Mullah Mansour -- Long War Journal
Analysts: Chances of Taliban's Entering Peace Negotiations Remain Dim -- VOA
In Afghanistan, the Taliban isn’t the only group battling for land -- Washington Post

Al Qaeda Has Returned To Afghanistan

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

New York Times: As U.S. Focuses on ISIS and the Taliban, Al Qaeda Re-emerges

WASHINGTON — Even as the Obama administration scrambles to confront the Islamic State and resurgent Taliban, an old enemy seems to be reappearing in Afghanistan: Qaeda training camps are sprouting up there, forcing the Pentagon and American intelligence agencies to assess whether they could again become a breeding ground for attacks on the United States.

Most of the handful of camps are not as big as those that Osama bin Laden built before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But had they re-emerged several years ago, they would have rocketed to the top of potential threats presented to President Obama in his daily intelligence briefing. Now, they are just one of many — and perhaps, American officials say, not even the most urgent on the Pentagon’s list in Afghanistan.

More News On The War In Afghanistan

Al Qaeda is reemerging in a troublingly familiar place as the US focuses on other threats -- Business Insider
Daesh vs. Taliban: Afghanistan Between Devil and Deep Blue Sea -- Sputnik
Terrorists VS terrorists: ISIS in ‘direct rivalry with Taliban in Afghanistan,’ UN says -- RT
Afghan cops refuse to face Taliban in their heartland -- CBS/AP
Daesh, Lashkar-e-Islam militants bombed in Nangarhar, at least 38 killed -- Khaama Press
At least 68 IS members killed in bombings in Afghanistan -- EFE
Talks underway on supply of helicopters to Afghanistan: Russian envoy -- Khaama Press
Moscow to supply small arms with ammunition to Kabul in January — foreign ministry -- TASS
Russia begins supplying weapons to Afghanistan, sides with Taliban -- Washington Times
Russia may be 'flexible' on easing of U.N. sanctions against Taliban: TASS -- Reuters
Afghanistan, Pakistan Lay Groundwork for Taliban Peace Talks in Early 2016 -- The Diplomat
Afghanistan, Pakistan to Hold Peace Talks With Taliban Next Week - Kabul -- Sputnik
Afghanistan: Aid workers pull out in the face of Isis and Taliban threat, turning a healthcare revolution into a crisis -- The Independent
Taliban Controls More Territory in Afghanistan Than At Any Time Since 2001 -- Reason
Amid Taliban surge, a witness to Afghanistan's endless war -- Scott Peterson, CSM
Afghanistan — the case for staying -- Michael O'Hanlon, USA Today

Afghanistan War News Updates -- December 27, 2015

Al Jazeera: Afghanistan army suffers losses in Helmand

Fighting results in deaths of 21 soldiers in Taliban stronghold, where government has lost control over four districts.

Army officials in Afghanistan say 21 soldiers have been killed by the Taliban in Helmand province during the last 48 hours.

Fighting between Afghan soldiers and the Taliban has been particularly heavy around the town of Sangin, which is under Taliban control.

Helmand is a traditional stronghold of the Taliban and a major centre for opium that US and British troops fought for years to control.

Afghanistan War News Updates -- December 27, 2015

SAS kill 20 Taliban in siege of Sangin as photo emerges which appears to show British heroes on daring night raid -- Daily Mail
Roadside bomb blast claims four lives in Helmand -- Khaama Press
Taliban Presence in Afghanistan’s Helmand Worries Western Supporters -- Sputnik
Afghan official: IS, militia beheading each other's fighters -- AP
A head for a head: Afghan militia decapitate four ISIS fighters - after extremists killed their own men in the same brutal way -- Daily Mail
In Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, pro-government armed men behead IS militants to revenge -- Khaama Press
Taliban deny talks with Russia on IS in Afghanistan -- AFP
Taliban says no contacts with Russia over Islamic State -- Reuters
Russian Ambassador brief Karzai on Russia-Taliban information exchange reports -- Khaama Press
Residents stranded as battle for Helmand intensifies -- RAWA
Pakistani army chief leaves for Kabul to discuss peace talks -- AP
Pakistan Army Chief in Kabul for Crucial Talks -- VOA
Pakistani army chief visits Kabul amid Taliban's revival -- DW
Pakistan army chief in Afghanistan to revive stalled peace talks with Taliban -- Al Bawaba
Afghan opposition group pressures Ghani on security crisis -- Reuters
Asia’s Least Developed Country Is Afghanistan: UN Report -- RAWA News
Need to know, 2016: Fighting ISIS and in Afghanistan -- Air Force Times
Analysis: The Taliban's resurgence in Afghanistan -- Dawood Azami, Al Jazeera
Why capturing Helmand is top of the Taliban’s strategic goals -- Borhan Osman, The Guardian
Amid Taliban surge, a witness to Afghanistan's endless war -- Scott Peterson, CSM

Afghanistan War News Updates -- December 24, 2015

CNN: Afghan forces on offensive against Taliban in Sangin

(CNN)Afghan security forces have launched their latest offensive in the Sangin district, where the Taliban are largely in control, police said Thursday.

The militant group has taken over the entire district except for the police chief's compound and another compound, where a battalion of the Afghan National Army is based, according to Shah Mahmood Ashna, a spokesman for the police chief in Helmand province.

The police chief's compound remained under attack, and food and ammunition were in short supply, Ashna said. Some Afghan National Army reinforcements arrived via helicopter on Wednesday. Wounded forces were ferried out.

Afghanistan War News Updates -- December 24, 2015

Sangin: Taliban take strategic town in Helmand province as Afghan army forced to abandon HQ. -- The Independent
Taliban take town where 106 British soldiers lost their lives: Group's flag flies over the centre of Sangin after Afghan forces lose control after days of fierce fighting -- Daily Mail
Afghanistan: Sangin almost entirely in Taliban hands -- BBC
Afghanistan: 'Dozens of Taliban killed' in battle for Sangin -- BBC
50 Taliban insurgents killed in Afghan Special Forces operation in Helmand -- Khaama Press
U.S. air strikes hit targets in embattled Afghan district -- Reuters
US strikes Sangin from air as Afghan forces battle Taliban. -- The Guardian
US launches air strikes in embattled Afghan district. -- Al Jazeera
After 2 U.S. airstrikes, Afghan official says: 'Helmand isn't falling' -- L.A. Times
The US Just Bombed the Taliban to Stop It From Taking Afghanistan's Largest Province -- VICE News
Taliban attack underscores worsening Afghanistan security amid drawdown -- FOX News
The Taliban Winter Offensive Bodes Ill for Afghanistan’s Future -- International Policy Digest

Afghanistan War News Updates -- December 23, 2015

VOA: Afghan Reinforcements Sent to Helmand Province

The Afghan government has sent reinforcements to the besieged southern district of Helmand province, after Taliban militants captured large parts of the area in recent days.

Fighting continues as army and police arrive to help security forces after days of clashes.

The Taliban began their advance on the Sangin district Sunday, after storming government buildings and capturing the administrative center.

WNU Editor: Even with Afghan/British/U.S. reinforcements, the Taliban advance continues .... Afghanistan Taliban 'push further' into Helmand town of Sangin (BBC).

Afghanistan War News Updates -- December 23, 2015

Afghan Troops Rushed to Area Under Taliban Attack -- AP
British troops are back in Helmand to oust the Taliban: Forces train struggling Afghan troops amid calls for Government to think 'long and hard' about expanding UK's role -- Daily Mail
Reinforcements rushed to Afghan district under Taliban siege -- AFP
Afghan reinforcements 'reach besieged town' of Sangin as Britain sends troops -- The Guardian
Afghan forces battle Taliban in Helmand -- SBS
Taliban Pins Down Afghan Security Forces In Helmand -- AP
‘Dig 200 graves’: UK troops return to Helmand as local police chief delivers grim prediction -- RT
Afghan forces in desperate fight to hold off Taliban in Sangin -- CNN
UK deploys military to Afghanistan Helmand province in 'advisory role' -- DW
Britain 'stupid' for returning to Helmand, say Taliban -- The Telegraph
Remains of Americans killed in Afghanistan attack returning to the US -- FOX News

Afghanistan War News Updates -- October 25, 2015

Paul D. Shinkman, US News and World Report: New President, Same Problems in Afghanistan

One year after a new U.S. ally took office, troubling results project a dim future.

The Taliban is on the rise. Corruption plagues Afghanistan's government, fueled by an illicit narcotics trade that funds insurgency now more than ever before, and many senior leadership positions in Kabul remain vacant.

Voters in Afghanistan and U.S. officials funneling billions into the war zone expected to see some signs of change under President Ashraf Ghani, who ushered in the fledgling government's first democratic transition of power and was hailed as the solution the West had been waiting for. But to some, after a year in office, he doesn't seem any more effective than his discredited predecessor at delivering on the reforms Afghans thought would come quickly.

Afghanistan War News Updates -- October 25, 2015

Elusive Peace In Afghanistan: Taliban Control More Territory – Analysis -- Eurasia Review
Afghanistan's Northern Borders Heat Up: Analysis -- Stratfor
Afghanistan says Taliban fighters marooned on river island -- Reuters
Taliban Chased To Island Between Afghanistan, Turkmenistan -- RFE
Afghan Fighting Reaches Turkmenistan's Border -- Eurasianet.org
Afghan Army Retakes Taliban-Held District -- RFE
Afghan forces retake control of Ghormach district from Taliban -- Khaama Press
Afghanistan army reclaims district from Taliban -- Economic Times
47 militants killed in Afghanistan airstrikes -- Times of India
15 Militants, Six Security Personnel Killed In Afghanistan -- India Panorama
Ministry of Defense: 760 Taliban including 11 Pakistanis killed in 2 months in Helmand -- Khaama Press
Taliban upsurge draws Afghan city dwellers into battle -- Inquirer.net
Taliban vows to escalate attack on U.S> troops in Afghanistan -- Dispatch Times
Taliban declare war on two of Afghanistan’s TV broadcasters -- Globe and Mail
Hospital charity says death toll in northern Afghanistan bombing hits 30 -- FOX News/AP
Death toll from MSF hospital bombing in Kundoz rises to 30 -- Khaama Press
General to Investigate U.S. Airstrike on Doctors Without Borders Hospital -- NYT
NATO report into Kunduz hospital air strike delayed -- Reuters
British Soldiers Face Afghanistan Abuse Probe -- SKY News
Spain closes 14-year mission in Afghanistan but leaves 25 troops in Kabul -- Khaama Presss
The girl who secretly filmed the Taliban -- BBC
Investing in Afghanistan, 14 Years Later -- The Diplomat