U.S. Diplomat Carries Out Shuttle Diplomacy for Afghan Peace
U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad is traveling to India, Pakistan, and Qatar in a new push to de-escalate the conflict in Afghanistan and accelerate the start of intra-Afghan negotiations (U.S. State Department)
U.S. Stops Releasing Data on Air Strikes in Afghanistan, Middle East
The U.S. Air Force will cease publishing regular reports on its air strikes in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria due to diplomatic concerns, including that such reports could “adversely impact ongoing discussions with the Taliban,” a spokesperson said (Voice of America)
U.S.-Led Coalition Withholds Data on Taliban Attacks
The U.S.-led military coalition in Afghanistan failed to provide data on Taliban attacks in the first quarter of 2020 to a U.S. military inspector general, saying the information is a critical part of ongoing deliberations with the Taliban (Voice of America)
Officials from Afghanistan’s northern province of Badakhshan said yesterday that around four hundred foreign militants are fighting alongside the Taliban. The Taliban’s use of these fighters would violate the terms of a February deal with the United States (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
UN: Hundreds of Afghan Civilians Killed in First Quarter
More than five hundred Afghan civilians were killed in conflict in the first three months of the year despite steps toward peace negotiations by the United States, the Afghan government, and the Taliban, the United Nations reported (TOLO)
Taliban Reject Ramadan Cease-Fire
The Taliban rejected Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s call for a cease-fire during Ramadan, citing “hurdles” in a U.S.-brokered peace process (TOLO)
Washington, Doha Discuss Afghan Conflict
U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani spoke on the phone about the importance of the Taliban reducing violence in Afghanistan so a peace process can proceed (TOLO)
Separately, dozens of people were killed within twenty-four hours in nationwide clashes between the Afghan government and Taliban forces, authorities said yesterday (Reuters)
Taliban Attacks Kill Thirty Afghan Security Members
The Taliban carried out attacks in three Afghan provinces Sunday evening, killing a combined thirty Afghan security force members, according to a statement from officials yesterday (TOLO)
Taliban Says U.S. Violated Deal
The Taliban said that U.S. and Afghan forces have conducted fifty attacks against the militant group since a U.S.-Taliban deal was signed in late February. A U.S. military spokesperson said U.S. forces continue to defend Afghan forces, per terms of the deal (TOLO)
Taliban Announces Second Prisoner Release
A Taliban spokesperson said the militant group freed twenty Afghan prisoners as part of confidence-building measures with the Afghan government outlined in a U.S.-Taliban deal. Earlier this month, the Taliban released twenty other prisoners (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Eighty-Three Afghan Civilians Reportedly Killed Since U.S.-Taliban Deal
At least eighty-three Afghan civilians have been killed since the Taliban signed a peace deal with the United States, half of them by the Taliban, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission found. A Taliban spokesperson said the group made no immediate commitment to the Afghan government to reduce violence (TOLO)
U.S. and Taliban Delegates Meet in Qatar
U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad and U.S. Army General Scott Miller met with Taliban delegates yesterday in Qatar to discuss additional details regarding the prisoner exchange agreement between the Taliban and Afghan government as well as an increase in Taliban violence. Both sides have already released a number of prisoners as part of the exchange agreement (Reuters)
Taliban Releases Afghan Government Prisoners
The Taliban released twenty prisoners as part of a swap with the Afghan government, said the militant group and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The government said it has released 361 Taliban prisoners so far (TOLO)
Afghanistan Releases One Hundred Taliban Prisoners
The Afghan government released one hundred Taliban prisoners yesterday, proceeding with confidence-building measures toward talks with the Taliban even after the militant group described meetings between the two sides as “fruitless” (TOLO)
Islamic State Claims Rocket Attack on U.S. Base in Afghanistan
Five rockets hit the Bagram airfield in Afghanistan, the U.S. military said. No casualties were reported, and the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack (Reuters)
Taliban Halts Prisoner Exchange Talks
A Taliban spokesperson tweeted that the group will no longer participate in “fruitless” negotiations for a prisoner exchange with the Afghan government due to repeated delays (Al Jazeera)
Afghan Forces Arrest Islamic State Leader
Afghan special forces arrested Aslam Farooqi, the head of an Afghan militant group affiliated with the Islamic State (TOLO)
The group claimed responsibility for an attack on a Sikh place of worship last week that killed twenty-five people (Al Jazeera)
Afghanistan Begins Prisoner Swap With Taliban
Afghan officials reportedly authorized the release of one hundred Taliban prisoners in exchange for the Taliban’s release of twenty security force members. The swap is a critical confidence-building measure in the U.S.-Taliban peace deal (Reuters)
Afghan, Taliban Delegations Meet on Prisoner Swap
Delegations from the Afghan government and the Taliban met in Kabul to discuss details of a prisoner exchange, part of a U.S.-brokered roadmap for peace talks in the country (TOLO)
At least nineteen Afghan security force members were killed in suspected Taliban attacks in two provinces (TOLO)
U.S. Envoy: Afghanistan Prisoner Swaps to Begin This Month
The Afghan government and the Taliban agreed to begin prisoner releases by the end of March, according to U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad (Twitter)
Islamic State Attack in Afghanistan Kills Twenty-Five
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on a Sikh place of worship in Kabul that killed at least twenty-five people (TOLO)
Washington Pulls $1 Billion in Aid to Afghanistan
Washington will reduce aid to Afghanistan by $1 billion this year due to a leadership impasse in the country that is hindering a U.S.-brokered plan for Afghan talks with the Taliban, the U.S. State Department announced yesterday (State Department)
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attempted to negotiate a power-sharing agreement in Kabul between Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, the official victor of a recent election, and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who also claimed victory (New York Times)
While Pompeo said $1 billion could also be cut in 2021 if the two candidates did not resolve the dispute, Ghani stated that the country could turn to alternate sources of funding to offset the reduction in U.S. aid (TOLO)
Afghan government officials and members of the Taliban discussed prisoner releases over a video call (TOLO)
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Afghanistan this morning to mediate tensions between Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and former Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who has attempted to form a parallel government (Washington Post)
Seventeen Afghan Security Personnel Killed in Insider Attack
A suspected insider attack on an Afghan security base in southern Zabul province killed seventeen Afghan soldiers and policemen. Local officials stated that Afghan security personnel within the base facilitated the attack (Associated Press)