Afghanistan

Kabul, May 3 (AFP) A huge peace meeting aimed at finding an exit from Afghanistan's war is due to finish Friday in Kabul, with leading politicians expected to announce visions for a much-needed breakthrough.

This week's "loya jirga", or grand assembly, saw about 3,200 religious and tribal leaders, politicians and representatives gather under tight security to try to find common ground and discuss possible conditions for a peace deal with the Taliban.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban say a fresh round of talks with U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is to start in Qatar, where the religious movement maintains a political office.

Khalilzad is trying to negotiate an end to Afghanistan’s 17-year war, America’s longest military confrontation. He was in Pakistan on Tuesday.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told The Associated Press that Wednesday’s talks will be the sixth round of direct meetings with Khalilzad since his appointment last year.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban announced Friday the start of their spring offensive despite talking peace with the United States and ahead of a significant gathering of Afghans meant to discuss resolutions to the protracted war and an eventual withdrawal of American troops from the country.

The insurgents released a lengthy missive in five languages, including English, saying the fighting would continue while foreign forces remain in Afghanistan.

Kabul, April 10, IRNA – Afghan Minister of Defense and NATO Resolute Support announced that one fighter belonging to Afghanistan's Army and one foreign drone have crashed in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday.

QALA-E-NAW, Afghanistan, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Militants loyal to the Taliban completely took control of the turbulent Ab Kamari district in Afghanistan's western Badghis province overnight, an official said Saturday.

"Taliban militants finally managed to take control of Ab Kamari district, after three days of siege this late Friday night," Mohammad Naser Nazari, an official of provincial council, told Xinhua.

KABUL, March 26 (Xinhua) -- As part of its annual program to exhibit various domestic products, Afghanistan has held its 22nd agriculture and handicrafts exhibition in capital Kabul.

The exhibition, which was held from March 22-26 at the Badam Bagh agriculture park, a garden in northern outskirts of Kabul city, was visited by thousands of people from around the country.

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, March 23 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 civilians were killed and eight others wounded following airstrikes targeting militants in northern Afghan province of Kunduz overnight, a local official said Saturday.

"Fighting and clashes during a military operation have been ongoing in Taluka, an area some 8 km north of provincial capital Kunduz city within the past days. Security forces launched airstrikes against militants in Taluka Friday night, but the strikes also caused civilian casualties," Yousuf Ayoubi, a provincial council official, told Xinhua.

Kabul, Mar 22 (AFP) Two US service members were killed in Afghanistan Friday, NATO said, in the latest casualties to hit the international coalition amid ongoing peace talks between Washington and the Taliban.

NATO's Resolute Support mission would not immediately release any details about the soldiers but said they had been killed during an unspecified "operation" in the country.

01 Mar 2019; AFP: At least 23 Afghan security forces were killed in a Taliban attack on a joint US-Afghan base in southwestern Afghanistan, officials said Friday, as fighting continued during a pause in peace talks between the insurgents and American negotiators.

MAIMANA, Afghanistan, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- A total of 17 militants including a Taliban key commander were confirmed dead and eight others injured, as government forces targeted Taliban hideouts in Afghanistan's northern Faryab province on Monday, army spokesman Mohammad Hanif Rezai said.