Northern Alliance

Taliban less than 100 km away from Kabul with latest gain of Maidan Wardak; capital besieged from all sides

The fall of Mazar-e-Sharif, the country's fourth-largest city, hands the insurgents control over all of northern Afghanistan, confining the Western-backed government to the centre and east.

Afghanistan beyond 2014: What should India do?

As the US withdraws from Afghanistan, India's policy there should be guided by its interests not just platitudes about wanting a "peaceful stable and democratic" Afghanistan.

US exit from Kabul means India has to back Tajik alliance

The impending exit of the US from Afghanistan means we are going to return to the pre-9/11 position. The US has left a mess behind, and we will have to pick up the pieces.