Afghanistan - Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

'Voices From Afghanistan' Exhibit Profiled In 'The Washington Post'

"The Post's" Style section highlights the exhibit at the Library of Congress, which showcases some of the thousands of handwritten scrolls and letters sent in by listeners to RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan. More

Latest Afghanistan News

Afghan Children Face World's Worst Conditions

Afghanistan is the hardest place in the world to be a child, the South Asia regional director for UNICEF said, with high child mortality rates, poor levels of nutrition and rampant sexual abuse. More

Creditor States Cancel Afghan Debt

For the past eight years, financial experts from the U.S. government have been helping Afghanistan improve its economy and restructure its debt. Today those efforts paid off when nations holding much of Kabul's public debt agreed to forgive the entire amount. More

Suicide Bombers Killed In Afghanistan

Afghan officials say two would-be suicide bombers dressed in burqas were shot dead today as they tried to enter the compound of an international aid organization in the southern province of Helmand. More

Petraeus: Hard Year Ahead In Afghanistan

The head of the U.S. Central Command, General David Petraeus, said today that the war in Afghanistan will "likely get harder before it gets easier." More

Afghanistan Pardons Pre-2001 Abuses

Afghanistan today confirmed for the first time publicly that it had enacted into law a blanket pardon for war crimes and human rights abuse carried out before 2001. More

More Afghanistan News

"Voices From Afghanistan"

'Voices From Afghanistan' Exhibit Opens At The Library Of Congress

On display now in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. is an exhibit showcasing some of the thousands of letters and handwritten scrolls received by Afghanistan's most popular radio station, RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. More

Features & Commentary

Vulnerable Kandahar Reels After Blasts

The beleaguered southern Afghan city of Kandahar is in mourning after a series of bombings in that killed at least 30 and wounded 50 more. More

Afghans, Iranian Honored As 'Women Of Courage'

Ten extraordinary women have been recognized by the U.S. State Department in a ceremony in Washington. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appeared in person alongside first lady Michelle Obama to praise the group of women that she and her staff have chosen as this year's International Women of Courage. More

Kabul Stuck Between U.S., Iranian 'Double Game' Claims

The verbal jousting between the United States and Iran has provided fodder for debate over whether Iran has Afghanistan's best interests in mind, while placing Kabul in an uncomfortable position between its two allies. More

In Marjah, New Gains Could Offer Escape From Tragic Past

Locals see a window of opportunity in the wake of a recent offensive in Marjah, which for years served as an insurgent stronghold in southern Afghanistan. More

For Afghan Women, Some Hard-Won Successes And An Ongoing Struggle

After the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, a new wave of NGOs entered the fray to champion the cause of the downtrodden Afghan woman. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, it is apt to consider what progress has been made, and what challenges continue to hinder the efforts of well-intentioned parties. More

Afghan Reporters Caught In The Crossfire

The challenge for Afghanistan's rapidly growing and chaotic media sector now is to determine what approach they should adopt to uphold their independence and professionalism, while also protecting themselves from crushing reactions from rival sides. More

Even The Taliban Questions Afghan Media Ban

An unlikely voice has joined the chorus of criticism directed against the Afghan government's commitment to civil liberties -- the Taliban. More

Peace With Taliban Remains Elusive

Afghan government efforts to reconcile with moderate Taliban are already in motion, despite domestic opposition. But Kabul appears unprepared to provide the conditions insurgents want to see. More

Karzai's Takeover Of Afghan Election Watchdog Raises Concerns

A decree issued by Afghan President Hamid Karzai has raised concerns among Western diplomats that Karzai may be trying to prevent fraud rulings against his political allies in upcoming parliamentary elections. More

Islam Does Not Imprison Women

Many of those who have not read the Koran regard the word of God as conveyed to the Prophet Muhammad as sanctioning such practices as the mandatory wearing of the chador by women. This is emphatically not the case. More

The U.S. Congress appropriated funding for broadcasting to Afghanistan in December 2001 as part of an effort to build a peaceful and democratic country, following the U.S.-led ouster of the Taliban regime. Radio Free Afghanistan has since built a substantial audience in Afghanistan, with surveys showing it as the most popular radio station in the country.

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Facts & Stats

Population
32.7 million

Ethnic Groups:
Pashtun 42%
Tajik 27%
Hazara 9%
Uzbek 9%
Aimak 4%
Turkmen 3%
Baloch 2%
Other 4%

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 80%
Shi'a Muslim 19%
Other 1%

Languages:
Dari 50%
Pashto 35%
Turkic languages (primarily
Uzbek & Turkmen) 11%
30 minor languages
(primarily Balochi & Pashai) 4%