
Kabul blasts: At least 8 killed, 31 injured in series of rocket explosions in Afghan capital ahead of Pompeo's visit
The explosions hit various parts of central and north Kabul, including in and around the heavily fortified Green Zone that houses embassies and international firms

US-Taliban peace deal: India remains deeply skeptical of ‘agreement’; New Delhi has no options but to cross fingers and pray
India reads the 'agreement' between the United States and the Taliban not as a treatise of 'peace' but the first step towards an exit strategy of the former.

‘Time to end war that began after 9/11’: Veterans welcome long overdue withdrawal from Afghanistan, but fear return of Sharia law
For many, the US is long overdue in withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan after more than 18 years of fighting. Others question the trustworthiness of the Taliban, whose hard-line government the US-led forces overthrew in 2001

US 'realistic' but sees opportunity for Afghan peace, says Mike Pompeo after America signs historic deal with Taliban
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the US is “realistic” about the peace deal it signed with the Taliban, but is "seizing the best opportunity for peace in a generation"

US, Taliban sign historic deal aimed at ending America's longest war; forces to leave Afghanistan in 14 months if Taliban meets commitments
Under the agreement, the Taliban promise not to let extremists use Afghanistan as a staging ground for attacking the US or its allies.

US, Taliban close to 'reduction in violence' agreement, but imminent withdrawal of troops unlikely, says Donald Trump's national security advisor
US president Donald Trump's national security adviser said Tuesday he is cautiously optimistic that there could be a US agreement with the Taliban over the next days or weeks, but a withdrawal of American forces is not “imminent"

Away from better known sports in cricket and football, war-hardened kids in Afghanistan find a new sport: Rugby
Essentially unheard of before the arrival of international forces, rugby has slowly begun to pick up steam in Afghanistan, where football, cricket and body-building are better known.

Donald Trump says he wants US troops to get out of Afghanistan 'as quickly as we can'
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that he wants to get out of Afghanistan "as quickly as he can" and reiterated that the US should not have been in these wars

Afghan peace talks: US-Taliban meeting to focus on counter-terrorism ops, troops withdrawal, dialogue and ceasefire
An American delegation led by Zalmay Khalilzad has been holding marathon meetings in Doha, Qatar with a high-level Taliban team led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

After 17 years of US-led intervention in Afghanistan, country stares at uncertain political future
We have become accustomed to conceptually seeing Afghanistan as a destabilised political entity, rife with sanguine ethnic faultlines and sectarian divisions.

Khawaja Asif slams Donald Trump over 'lies and deceit' remark: Pakistan says US is speaking the 'language of India'
Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif alleged that Donald Trump’s recent remarks against his country showed that he was “talking in the language of India”

'20-30 rockets' land near Kabul airport as James Mattis, Jens Stoltenberg arrive in capital: No flights cancelled
Multiple rockets landed near Kabul's international airport on Wednesday after US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis flew to the Afghan capital for talks, an official said.

Donald Trump's frustration with Afghanistan carries echoes of Barack Obama's term
Since taking office, US president Donald Trump has shown an affinity, and perhaps even a deference, to the generals he has surrounded himself with in his cabinet and at the White House, save one exception: the war in Afghanistan

Amnesty intl slams US for civilian deaths in Afghanistan since 2001
The report said it had gathered evidence of "a deeply flawed US military justice system that cements a culture of impunity" in dealing with Afghan civilian deaths and injuries caused in NATO coalition operations since 2001.

Afghan President expresses "extreme anger" with US over war
Karzai told his interviewers as he escorted them out of his office on Saturday night: "To the American people, give them my best wishes and my gratitude. To the US government, give them my anger, my extreme anger."

US all for India playing constructive role in Afghanistan
During the just concluded tri-lateral dialogue involving India and Afghanistan in New Delhi yesterday, the US expressed particular appreciation for the former's leading role in developing regional trade and investment.

Peace talks with Taliban should be led by govt: Karzai
Hamid Karzai insisted the government — and not foreign powers — must lead the talks if the country is to have any hope of emerging from a decade of fighting as a strong and unified nation.