US Public's Support for War in Afghanistan Rises but Most Still against It: Poll
07 June 2011
Public opposition to the war in Afghanistan has eased from its peak, likely influenced by the killing of Osama bin Laden. But most Americans continue to say the war has not been worth fighting -- and nearly three-quarters favor a substantial withdrawal of U.S. combat forces. Given the war's costs versus tis benefits, 54 percent in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll say it has not been worth fighting, a majority that has grown steadily since...
Read the post »
Clashes Displace 12,000 in Faryab Province
07 June 2011
Clashes between government forces and the Taliban have displaced at least 12,000 people in Afghanistan's remote northwestern province of Faryab, creating a dire need for water, sanitation and other essentials, the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) warns. “These IDPs [internally displaced persons] have now sought refuge either with families and friends or have camped in the open in a miserable situation in some secure, but remote, villages...
Read the post »
Govt Curbs Recruitment of Children into Police but Minors Still at Risk of Abuse
07 June 2011
Afghanistan is making progress weeding out children from its police forces but is only starting to tackle persistent allegations of sexual abuse and may still have minors serving informally, UN officials said on Tuesday. Peter Wittig, Germany's ambassador to the United Nations and head of a mission to Afghanistan looking at protection of children in war, also said that UN sanctions might be considered as a measure of last resort against insurgent...
Read the post »
Helmand, Kandahar Key Areas in Fight against Taliban in 2011: General
07 June 2011
The population centers of Afghanistan’s Helmand and Kandahar provinces and Spin Bolduk on the Pakistan border constitute key areas in the fight against the Taliban this year, the commander of International Security Assistance Force Joint Command said here today. Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez told reporters traveling with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates that the Taliban and its terrorist allies are trying to return to the area, which coalition...
Read the post »
Kidnapped Afghan Politician Was Killed in "Usually Stable" Area: Officials
07 June 2011
A leading politician from what is normally one of Afghanistan's most stable regions has been killed, officials said on Tuesday, another blow as NATO-led forces prepare to begin handing over security responsibility to Afghans next month. The body of Jawad Zuhaak, the head of the provincial council in central Bamiyan province, was found in neighbouring Parwan province on Tuesday, a senior hospital official said. Zuhaak and his bodyguard had been kidnapped...
Read the post »