Aug 24 CIA head meets Taliban leader as fears for Afghanistan grow By Nomaan Merchant, Jamey Keaten, Associated Press The director of the CIA met with the Taliban’s top political leader in Kabul, an official said Tuesday, as more reports emerged of abuses in areas held by the fighters. Continue reading
Aug 22 Crush at Kabul airport kills 7 as Afghans try to flee By Ahmad Seir, Tameem Akhgar, Jon Gambrell, Associated Press At least seven Afghans died in a panicked crush of people trying to enter Kabul’s international airport, the British military said Sunday, as thousands were still trying to flee the country in a chaotic exodus a week after the Taliban… Continue reading
Aug 18 WATCH: Defense officials say U.S. troops can’t escort Afghans to Kabul airport By Robert Burns, Ellen Knickmeyer, Zeke Miller, Associated Press U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the U.S. military doesn’t have the capacity at this point to extend security forces beyond the perimeter of the Kabul airport in order to get more civilians safely evacuated out of Afghanistan. Continue reading
Aug 18 Taliban violently disperse protest; 1 killed, 6 wounded By Ahmad Seir, Kathy Gannon, Jon Gambrell, Tameem Akhgar, Associated Press The Taliban violently broke up a protest in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing at least one person as they quashed a rare public show of dissent. The militant group meanwhile met with former officials from the toppled Western-backed government. Continue reading
Aug 17 WATCH: U.S. military airlift from Kabul to accelerate, per Defense Department officials By Robert Burns, Ellen Knickmeyer, Zeke Miller, Associated Press The U.S. military is coordinating with the Taliban while accelerating the airlift of Americans and Afghan allies from the Kabul airport, and also bringing in additional U.S. troops in a scramble to complete the evacuation in two weeks, Pentagon officials… Continue reading
Jul 16 Reuters photographer killed as Afghan forces fight Taliban By Kathy Gannon, Associated Press Reuters said Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Danish Siddiqui, who was embedded with the Afghan special forces, was killed as a commando unit sought to recapture Spin Boldak. Continue reading
Jul 06 After troops exit Afghanistan, safety of U.S. Embassy in Kabul top concern By Kathy Gannon, Associated Press As the end to America's "forever war" rapidly approaches, the U.S. Embassy and other diplomatic missions in Kabul are watching a worsening security situation and looking at how to respond. Continue reading
Jun 14 Watch 10:11 Afghan allies ‘begging’ for their lives, face Taliban attacks amid US withdrawal By Jane Ferguson During the 20-year American war in Afghanistan, thousands of locals worked for, and with, the United States. As the U.S. departs, many of them are left in profound danger. Earlier this year, Special Correspondent Jane Ferguson profiled a decorated Afghan… Continue watching
May 20 WATCH: Defense, military officials testify on U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press The Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing Thursday on the implications of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Continue reading
May 17 Watch 12:30 Afghanistan ‘ready’ for Taliban violence after US withdrawal, Afghan president says By Amna Nawaz, Dan Sagalyn, Ali Rogin, Layla Quran There has been continuous carnage in Afghanistan. Last week, more than 200 people were killed, many at a girls school in Kabul. The violence comes as the U.S. and NATO are withdrawing troops, scheduled to be gone completely by September. Continue watching