Afghanistan - Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Latest Afghanistan News

NATO Admits Afghan Children Killed

The U.S.-led NATO force in Afghanistan has conceded that several children died during a military operation in the northeastern province of Kapisa, but says it's not clear if NATO was to blame. More

Taliban Announces Death Of Ex-Minister

Obaidullah Akhund -- one of the top deputies of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar -- was among those in power when the Islamist regime ruled Afghanistan in the 1990s. More

Four Tajiks Killed In Afghan Crash

A transport helicopter has crashed in southern Afghanistan, killing all four people on board. More

Panetta Calls For New Probe Into U.S. Marine Photo

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has asked the U.S. Marine Corps to look again at an investigation, which concluded that Marine snipers who posed with a logo resembling a Nazi symbol in Afghanistan should not be disciplined. More

French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet (right) on an official trip to Afghanistan in January

Afghan Exit Route Via Uzbekistan 'Costly'

French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet said in an interview with "L'Orient-Le Jour" that using the route through Uzbekistan to withdraw NATO troops from Afghanistan was too costly. More

More Afghanistan News

Gandhara -- Blogging Afghanistan

Family members of missing Baluchs, mostly political activists, rally in protest on the eve of international Human Rights Day in Quetta, Balochistan, on December 10, 2011.

U.S. Hearing On Balochistan Raises Hackles, Awareness In Pakistan

The U.S. Congressional hearing last week on Balochistan, the largest of Pakistan's four provinces, though it was firmly rejected by Islamabad, is being seen in Pakistan as any eye-opener for the state and its security agencies. More

A policeman, rescue workers, and security officials collect evidence from the site of a bomb attack in western Pakistan in January.

Strong Criticism Of Pakistan Practices On Rights

Human Rights Watch suggests Pakistan is a state where a democratic government under considerable pressure from the army is failing to hold those responsible for serious abuses accountable. More

Blog Archive

Features & Commentary

A vendor in the central Bosnian town of Zenica sells heart-shaped cushions with proclamations of love for 1 euro each.

Love It (Or Hate It), It's Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, the Western holiday celebrating love, has become a global phenomenon over the past two decades. The fall of communism and the emergence of the Internet have helped February 14 become something of an unofficial international day of romance. However, not all the passions the holiday stirs are related to love. While some countries have openly embraced the holiday, others are attempting to ban it or replace it with local customs.

With no domestic ID system in place, passports are essentially Afghanistan

Afghans Accuse Authorities Of Passport Scam

A shortage of blank passports in Afghanistan has led to a flourishing black market for the little blue books, according to Afghans who say they have had to go underground to obtain them.

The Mes Aynak archaeological site in Afghanistan

Afghanistan's Cultural Riches Threatened By Mineral Wealth

More than 10 years ago, the Taliban blew up Afghanistan's ancient Buddha statues of Bamiyan, sparking international outcry. Now, the country's diverse cultural heritage is facing a new threat as a Chinese mining company prepares to destroy another ancient archaeological site.

A midwife helps a mother with her newborn baby at the Razai Foundation Maternity Hospital in Herat. In Afghanistan, not having a son can doom a mother

Baby Girls Seen As Mixed Blessing In Afghanistan

Many Afghan families put a premium on sons, rather than daughters, as chillingly highlighted by a recent report that a woman may have been killed by her husband for the crime of not delivering a boy.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai meets with Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar in Kabul on February 1.

Interview: Rashid On 'Bad Timing' Of NATO Report On Pakistan And Taliban

Ahmed Rashid, a journalist and the well-respected author of several books on the Taliban and militant Islam, answers questions about the impact of a leaked NATO report that alleges that Pakistan's ISI intelligence agency is "intimately involved" with the Afghan insurgency. Rashid spoke with RFE/RL correspondent Abubakar Siddique.

The sextuplets were born prematurely and are being kept in incubators.

In Afghanistan, Worried Mother Of Sextuplets Gets Help

Local authorities in the northern Afghan province of Balkh have stepped in to provide assistance to a young mother who had expressed dismay at how she would be able to care for her six newborns. Sara Gul delivered three boys and three girls early on January 24.

NATO tankers are parked near oil terminals in the port city of Karachi after Pakistani authorities shut vital NATO supply routes into Afghanistan.

Pakistan Keep Afghan Border Shut

For six weeks, Pakistan has blocked NATO supply trucks from entering Afghanistan. Now, as Islamabad looks to reset ties with NATO, there is still no certainty about when the border will reopen.

Afghan Girls Throw Punches, Aim For Olympic Gold

Once, Kabul's Ghazi stadium was used by the Taliban for public punishment, like stoning women for adultery. Now it's where Afghanistan's first team of female boxers trains, aiming for gold in this summer's Olympic Games.

Fifteen-year-old Sahar Gul is seen after her rescue from imprisonment and torture, allegedly at the hands of her husband and in-laws.

Afghan Newlywed Girl Rescued From Torture

The torture endured by a 15-year-old newlywed allegedly at the hands of her husband and in-laws has shocked Afghan officials and the world alike.

RFE/RL's Radio Azadi is the leading media outlet in Afghanistan today, reaching 50 percent of the Afghan population across the country with its radio and Internet programs.