Afghans demand achievements of past 20 years be preserved in peace talks

'We want a system where all Afghans can participate,' says one religious scholar.

Killing of top al-Qaeda leader highlights capabilities of Afghan forces

The death of Abu Muhsin al-Masri in Afghanistan also refocuses concerns that al-Qaeda retains strong ties with the Taliban.

Afghan delegation explores trade opportunities in Pakistan

The Pakistan-Afghanistan Investment and Trade Forum 2020 in Islamabad helped solidify the bonds of peace and development between the two countries.

Chinese agents charged with involvement in global intimidation scheme

'Operation Fox Hunt' is a campaign waged by Beijing to harass, stalk and coerce opponents of the Chinese regime's leadership.

Nimroz residents vow to safeguard Kamal Khan Dam from Iranian plots

The Taliban -- with Tehran's support -- attacked Kamal Khan Dam on October 23, killing 6 security guards and injuring 3, prompting anti-Iran protests among Nimroz residents.

US senators declare China's campaign against Muslims in Xinjiang 'genocide'

Beijing for years has undertaken a systematic campaign to root out Islamic culture, destroy mosques, indoctrinate Muslims with Communist propaganda and forcibly sterilise women.

Khalilzad reiterates call for halt in Afghan violence amid deadly attacks

'The window to achieve a political settlement will not stay open forever,' said the US envoy.

Religious scholars say Taliban will face 'God's curse' for unIslamic war

'There is no justification and no Sharia-based reason for fighting the war in Afghanistan,' said Sheikh Ahmad al-Raysuni, president of the International Union of Muslim Scholars in Doha.

ISIS attack on Kabul education centre deemed 'un-Islamic and inhumane'

ISIS claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on the Kawsar-e-Danish education centre that killed at least 24 people and injured more than 50, most of them young students.

Donated equipment empowers Nangarhar farmers to become self sufficient

Equipment provided by Nangarhar authorities with funds from the United States is aimed at enabling local farmers to produce high-quality products and increase their income.

Work continues on Bakhshabad Dam despite threat from Tehran, Fatemiyoun

'The Fatemiyoun Division has received training from Iran, and it threatens all the dams in western and southern regions of the country,' said a member of the Wolesi Jirga representing Farah.

Iran's broken promises shatter thousands of lives in Afghanistan, Pakistan

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) promises young Afghans and Pakistanis money, citizenship and purpose to join its militias. In reality, these vulnerable youth get nothing close.

Disbanded Local Police to get priority in job market after years of fighting

As the government plans to phase out the Local Police structure, authorities and organisations are preparing to offer jobs to qualified personnel who are out of work.

Russia, Iran caught trying to intimidate US voters ahead of key election

Russia, Iran and China have a long history of social media disinformation efforts aimed at influencing US voters, US intelligence officials warn.

Taliban hiding in civilian houses ambush security forces in Takhar

The continuing violence is threatening peace negotiations in Doha, Qatar, say officials.

US military pushes to strengthen alliances to counter China, Russia

Both Beijing and Moscow lack the network of allies one needs to wield influence, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said, adding that their lawless behaviour will scare away potential partners.

Laghman residents slam Taliban for recent surge in attacks

The increase in violence during the peace talks is hypocritical and 'is playing games with our lives,' locals say.

Al-Qaeda, ISIS 'civil war' intensifies amid fragmentation and retreat

While both groups specialise in deadly violence and terror as a means to territorial expansion, their ideologies differ so fundamentally that they are increasingly killing each other.

Escalation in violence threatens peace process, Khalilzad warns Taliban

A car bomb Sunday exploded near a police headquarters in Ghor Province, leaving at least 16 people dead and 154 wounded, including women and children. Locals blamed the Taliban.

Tensions rise after Iran vows to buy and sell weapons as embargo ends

Moscow and Beijing have openly suggested they will sell weapons to Iran, but the United States says such moves would break international law.

'There is no jihad,' say surrendered Taliban fighters in Badghis

'It is useless to be a member of the Taliban. We were in the mountains day and night. We had no life,' one Taliban member said.

Displaced families in Herat decry ongoing Taliban violence

More than 1,000 families have been forced to leave their homes in recent weeks, amid an uptick in violence while the Taliban and Afghan government are engaged in slow-moving peace talks.

Taliban meet with US forces, agree to reduce Afghan casualties

'Too many Afghans are dying,' said US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad.

Herat residents demand preservation of ANDSF as outcome of peace talks

Maintaining the security forces is a 'red line' for the peace talks, one demonstrator said. 'We don't want to go backward and won't allow our security forces to be dissolved.'

Thousands flee Helmand as Taliban fighting surges

Taliban militants launched a series of attacks on Lashkargah, in what appears to be a violation of the terms preceding intra-Afghan peace talks under way in Doha.

Newly trained Afghan soldiers vow to destroy enemies of the country

Soldiers say they want peace but that they're ready to sacrifice their lives to defend their country and destroy the militants who seek to prolong the decades of war.

US air strikes target Taliban in Helmand as troop drawdown halts

The continuing violence in Afghanistan is not consistent with the US-Taliban agreement or with intra-Afghan peace talks under way in Qatar, officials say.

40 ISIS, Taliban fighters surrender in Kunar, deem ongoing war 'illegal'

'We used to fight against the government, and we were told that they are all infidels, but now I realise that all of them are Muslims like us,' said one surrendered fighter.

Afghan forces gain ground in clearing Taliban from Sherzad District

Government forces have vowed to fight to the end if the Taliban refuse to accept a peace offer.

Nangarhar, Nuristan residents question Taliban's adherence to Islamic values

There is no religious justification for the Taliban's ongoing campaign of violence against the Afghan people, say religious scholars and tribal elders.

China's unorthodox coronavirus vaccine testing bewilders analysts

Under Beijing's 'emergency use' scheme, tens of thousands of Chinese have received unproven COVID-19 test vaccines, worrying global health specialists.

Nations around the world express unease over China's 'vaccine diplomacy'

Beijing is dangling the prospect of free COVID-19 vaccines to countries vital to its interests in apparent exchange for co-operation on strategic issues and economic 'assistance'.

Khalilzad seeks side agreement between Afghanistan, Pakistan amid peace talks

"There are economic reasons that would be transformative for the region should peace in Afghanistan come," said the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation.

Young, educated recruits bolster Afghan security forces in southwestern provinces

Thousands of youth have signed up this year with the army and police in Kandahar, Zabul and Uruzgan provinces.

Ghani urges Taliban to 'have courage' and 'declare ceasefire'

Amid an uptick in violence in Afghanistan, President Ashraf Ghani remained hopeful for peace. "We cannot end 20 years of war in 20 days," he said.

Forgiveness is possible if Taliban agree to make peace, say Kunduz war victims

Despite losing their family members to Taliban violence, Afghans say they want an immediate ceasefire so that peace negotiations under way in Qatar can succeed.

Nearly 300 Taliban fighters lay down arms in Balkh, Sar-e-Pul

Pressure on Taliban fighters by Afghan security forces led some of the insurgents to surrender, while others determined that war was no longer a solution to the country's problems.

Driver's licences in Faryab mark latest achievement for Afghan women

Thirty Faryab residents became the first women in their province to obtain the right to drive.

Nangarhar residents return home to rebuild after defeat of ISIS-K

Afghan forces dealt the terrorist group a series of territorial setbacks and have since managed to prevent the return of fighters and curtailed the group's revenue sources.

Laghman governor survives suicide attack as blast hits Nangarhar government building

The separate assaults come as peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government stall in Doha, Qatar.

Nangarhar residents confident Afghan forces can hold security gains

Coalition forces withdrew from the Alta Band area of Spin Ghar District after defeating ISIS, and now Afghan forces are maintaining security and paving the way for residents to return.

New army recruits in Herat get commando training to better fight terrorism

The move by the military comes as youth are showing rising interest in joining the National Army.

Stalled peace talks progress as Taliban, government close gap on key issue

A resolution over which interpretation of Islam will be used to frame laws means one less obstacle for negotiators.