Trump Reportedly Plans Afghanistan Drawdown
- President Donald J. Trump has reportedly ordered the withdrawal of about half of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, or roughly seven thousand troops (New York Times)
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Violent Extremism in South Asia
U.S. Envoy: Afghan Peace Talks “Productive”
- Three days of talks involving Taliban militants, U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, and representatives from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates on ending the war in Afghanistan concluded with no breakthroughs. Khalilzad said the meetings promoted intra-Afghan dialogue, and Emirati state-run media said a second round of talks will again be held in Abu Dhabi (RFE/RL)
Afghan Government Joins Taliban Talks
- Afghan government negotiators joined peace talks with the Taliban that began this week in Abu Dhabi and include representatives of the United States, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates. A Taliban spokesman denied that the militant group would meet with government officials and said it would only discuss ending the U.S. war (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
U.S., Taliban in Abu Dhabi for Peace Talks
- A Taliban delegation and U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad are meeting in Abu Dhabi for talks on a political settlement to the seventeen-year U.S. war in Afghanistan, according to Pakistani and Taliban officials (Voice of America)
- Representatives from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates will also attend, according to a Taliban spokesperson (Bloomberg)
Twelve Killed in Bombing in Afghanistan’s Kabul
- At least four Afghan security forces and eight civilians were killed by a suicide bombing in western Kabul that targeted security forces. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack (Al Jazeera)
Top U.S. Military Official Argues for Staying in Afghanistan
- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford, at an event hosted by the Washington Post, said that if U.S. forces do not stay in Afghanistan to put pressure on terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, they could regain the capability to carry out another 9/11-scale attack (TOLO)
Afghanistan Overtakes Iraq as Deadliest Country for Terrorism
- Afghanistan suffered more than a thousand terrorist attacks last year, in which more than 4,600 people died, according to a new report by the Sydney-based Institute for Economics and Peace. Terrorism deaths worldwide dropped by nearly half between 2014 and 2017 (Stars and Stripes)
Fourth U.S. Soldier Dies After Roadside Bombing in Afghanistan
- A U.S. soldier died as a result of a coordinated roadside bombing that killed three other soldiers on November 27 (New York Times)
Taliban Military Leader Reported Killed in Drone Strike
- Mohammad Rahim Mannan, the head of the Taliban’s military commission, was killed in a drone strike along with four other militants, the governor’s office for Helmand Province said yesterday (TOLO)
- In eastern Paktia Province, residents protested after they said twelve civilians died in a military operation by Afghan and allied forces (TOLO)
Afghan Civilians Reported Killed in U.S. Strike
- The UN mission in Afghanistan said at least twenty-three civilians, mostly women and children, were killed in a Tuesday air strike in southern Helmand Province (Tolo)
- A U.S. military spokesperson said U.S. aircraft carried out the strike after Afghan forces came under Taliban fire (Associated Press)
Kabul Bombing Targets Private Security Firm
- The Taliban claimed responsibility for an attack yesterday targeting the compound of the British private security firm G4S in Kabul involving a car bomb and gunmen. Ten people were killed and nearly twenty wounded (BBC)
EU Signs Afghan Aid Agreement
- The EU signed an aid agreement for Afghanistan worth $535 million yesterday in Geneva. The assistance package is to support issues including healthcare, law enforcement, and elections (Al Jazeera)
Three U.S. Soldiers Killed in Eastern Afghanistan
- Three U.S. soldiers were reported killed in central Ghazni Province by a roadside bomb (New York Times)
- Separately, envoys from sixty-two countries are gathering in Geneva for a two-day conference during which the Afghan government is expected to present a strategy to improve security, build infrastructure, and empower Afghan women (Al Jazeera)
U.S. Soldier Fatally Wounded in Afghanistan’s Nimruz Province
- A U.S. Army Ranger was wounded during a firefight in the Khash Rod district of Nimruz Province on November 24 and died after being airlifted to Helmand Province (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
- Separately, at least twenty Afghan policemen were killed after the Taliban ambushed a convoy in Farah Province. The newly appointed police chief was among those killed (Associated Press)
Explosion in Afghanistan’s Kabul Kills Dozens
- An explosion in Kabul killed at least forty people and wounded sixty others (Al Jazeera)
U.S.-Taliban Meeting Ends Without Agreement
- Taliban leaders and Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, concluded three-day talks in Qatar without reaching an agreement on a deadline for ending the war in Afghanistan (Reuters)
Taliban Attack Police Outpost in Afghanistan, Killing Thirty
- Heavy clashes between security forces and the Taliban were reported overnight in Afghanistan’s western Farah Province; at least thirty police officers were killed, according to Afghan officials (Associated Press)
Afghan Peace Talks Get Underway in Moscow
- Peace talks between the U.S.-backed Kabul government and the Taliban began in Moscow today (Al Jazeera)
- Delegates from more than a dozen nations are expected to attend; Russia’s foreign ministry invited representatives from countries including the United States, China, India, Iran, and Pakistan (Hindu)
Taliban Attacks in Seven Provinces Kill Nearly Sixty
- Dozens of Afghan security forces personnel were killed in at least nine Taliban attacks across seven provinces during a twenty-four hour period earlier this week, including an assault where the Taliban captured an Afghan Border Force battalion headquarters in Farah Province (New York Times)
U.S. Soldier Killed in Insider Attack in Afghanistan
- A major in the Utah National Guard was killed on November 3 during an insider attack (New York Times)
Watchdog: Afghan Government Losing Control of Territory
- The Afghan government has control or influence over about 55 percent of the country’s districts, according to a new report by the U.S. special inspector general for Afghanistan. The watchdog said the percentage is the lowest since it began tracking it in 2015 (Tolo)
Former Afghan Taliban Guantanamo Bay Detainees Will Take Part in Peace Talks
- Five Taliban officials previously detained at Guantanamo Bay will take part in upcoming peace talks with the United States in Qatar, according to a Taliban spokesperson. The prisoners were released in an exchange for U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl in 2014 (Voice of America)
- Separately, a suicide bomber targeted a bus of prison employees in Kabul; at least seven were killed including police officers and prison staff (Agence France-Presse)
Suicide Bomber Targets Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission, Injuring Six
- A suicide bomber targeted Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission in Kabul, wounding at least four election officials and two police officers (Al Jazeera)
Senior Afghan Taliban Leader Released From Prison in Pakistan
- Afghan Taliban deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was released from a Pakistani prison to live with his family in Karachi, according to the militant group (New York Times)
Dozens Killed on Afghanistan’s Election Day
- At least thirty-six people were killed on October 20 as voters turned out to vote in parliamentary elections (BBC)
- President Ashraf Ghani called the elections a success, saying that Afghans showed “determination through democracy” by taking part in voting. Afghan election officials report more than three million Afghans voted in the election (TOLO)