Afghanistan
Bombs and beatings: Life among the Taliban
Monthly Archives: February 2010
Know your enemy
The BBC has a chilling story of Meena, a young Pakistani girl from Dir whose father and brother are Taliban. The father and brother had recruited, trained, and deployed many suicide bombers, according to Meena. They tried to make her become a suicide bomber, too, and forced her 9-year-old younger sister to carry out a […]
Afghanistan
Germany – Lethal Nato bombing details leaked
Afghanistan
Taliban reject “deal” with Afghanistan, West
Syria
Syria – Analysis: Assad sits comfortably on his throne
Afghanistan
US commanders in Afghanistan face tougher discipline for battlefield failures
Taliban
US military faults leaders in deadly attack on base
Pakistan
Even where Pakistani law exists, Taliban find a porous border
US forces courting Mullah Omar’s father-in-law?
Mullah Mohammed Omar, the Amir al Mumineen (“the commander of the faithful”) of the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban. The Financial Times shares these highlights about one of the elders US commanders in Arghandab are trying to bring on side as part of their work to bring Afghans on side: Once locked up in Guantánamo Bay […]
Al Qaeda
China attacks Guantanamo Uighurs’ asylum in Switzerland
Iran
The German foreign minister said that the West will not accept a nuclear Iran. Russia said that it sees no problem in selling arms to Iran as long as no UN weapons embargo is in place. Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh said Iran is prepared to swap low-enriched uranium for fuel rods.
Bombings kill 41 Shia pilgrims in Karbala
The attack is the third major strike against Shia worshippers in five days and the sixth major strike since Jan. 25.
Pakistan
Fifteen Taliban were killed in airstrikes in Bajaur. Security forces detained 35 suspects in yesterday’s suicide attack in Dir. The Taliban said Hakeemullah Mehsud is in hiding; US intelligence officials believe he is dead.
Pakistan
Pakistani Taliban leader alive, in hiding, spokesman says
Somalia
Hassan Turki confirmed the merger of the Ras Kamboni Brigade with Shabaab and said he made the decision to aid in “the unification of all Mujahidins and Muslims.” Hizbul Islam leader Hassan Dahir Aweys denied that the Ras Kamboni Brigade joined Shabaab. The government claimed the military would begin a major offensive in Mogadishu. Two […]
United States
US puzzles over top militant’s fate
Iraq
The Iraqi government said a court’s decision to postpone a ban on electoral candidates was “illegal.” Six Iraqis were killed in a bombing in Karbala. Security forces detained 22 wanted men north of Baqubah and 14 more in Basrah.
Pakistan
Who™s who of terror meet in PoK, vow jihad
Afghanistan
Pakistan ‘ready to help’ Afghan reconciliation: ministry
Al Qaeda
Law official: Airline bomb suspect flips on cleric
Afghanistan
Thousands of Afghan electoral staff banned after troubled vote
Egypt
Egypt: Fatwa forbids Muslims from using Facebook
Afghanistan
McChrystal notes progress in Afghanistan
Inside job suspected in suicide attack on US soldiers in Pakistan
The planning and execution of the suicide car bomb attack in Dir was “too perfect,” according to US military and intelligence officials.
Afghanistan
British troops launch major Afghanistan offensive
United States
US makes urgent appeal to NATO on Afghan training
Iran
Analysis: negotiation with Iran an ‘unending waltz’
Taliban
Karzai’s Taliban reconciliation strategy raises ethnic, rights concerns at home
Afghanistan
Coalition and Afghan forces killed 32 Taliban fighters in Nad Ali; three Afghan soldiers were also killed. Police killed five Taliban fighters in Zabul. The Taliban killed six civilians in a suicide attack in Kandahar and kidnapped two teachers in Faryab.
Iran
China warned that sanctions against Iran will derail diplomatic efforts. Opposition leaders Karoubi and Moussavi urged supporters to rally during celebrations for the anniversary of founding of the Islamic Republic. Tehran accused America and her allies of waging a “psychological war” in the Persian Gulf.