No more trade relations with Pakistan: ACCI

The Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) Tuesday said that it will end trade relations with Pakistan following a long-running dispute over containers stalled in Karachi port. ACCI officials said despite assurances made by Pakistani officials to release the 3000 containers belonging to Afghan traders, the issue is still not resolved. “Despite so much… Continue reading No more trade relations with Pakistan: ACCI

President Karzai Orders Investigation into Prison Abuses

President Hamid Karzai has ordered an investigation into the use of torture and human rights’ abuses in Afghanistan’s prisons, appointing a delegation to look into the findings of a United Nations prison assessment that torture is systemic. “President Hamid Karzai has assigned a delegation to investigate the findings and allegations of a report released by… Continue reading President Karzai Orders Investigation into Prison Abuses

Over 30 detained in Baghlan

More than thirty people were detained during the past month in northern province of Baghlan, local security officials said Monday. Provincial police chief Assadullah Shirzad said that those who have been detained were involved in drug-smuggling and armed opposition groups who are active in the province. “We detained these people in different areas of Baghlan.… Continue reading Over 30 detained in Baghlan

AISA Plans Industrial Parks for Afghanistan

The Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) plans to build four industrial parks across Afghanistan by the end of 2013, AISA chief Wafiullah Eftekhar said Monday. The industrial parks will ease the problems faced by Afghan and foreign investors in Kabul, Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat provinces, he said. “Our priority is to build an industrial park in… Continue reading AISA Plans Industrial Parks for Afghanistan

Taliban attacked Police HQ in Kabul: Updates

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Monday, “Today at around 5:00 a.m. a large number of militants entered the Kabul Police HQ in Dehmazang and attacked an American training center, a police center, and other military centers and caused heavy casualties on the enemy.” A powerful car bomb blast followed by several explosions hit the… Continue reading Taliban attacked Police HQ in Kabul: Updates

Russia starts major naval drills in Mediterranean Sea

Russia has launched its largest naval exercises in decades in the Mediterranean and Black Seas near the territorial waters of Syria amid the ongoing crisis in the Arab country. The drills “are held in line with the Russian Armed Forces’ 2013 combat training plan and focus on interoperability of task forces from several fleets while… Continue reading Russia starts major naval drills in Mediterranean Sea

Taliban insurgents have been killed in joint Afghan and coalition forces operations

At least ten Taliban insurgents have been killed in joint Afghan and coalition security force operations in the past 24 hours, the Afghan Ministry of Interior (MOI) said Sunday. Ten other Taliban insurgents were arrested during the operations. “During the past 24 hours, Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army, NDS [National Directorate of Security] and… Continue reading Taliban insurgents have been killed in joint Afghan and coalition forces operations

2013 Budget finally approved

Afghanistan’s parliament on Sunday approved the budget for the next year only four days after the majority of lawmakers voted against it. In the budget for Persian year 1392 (Mar 2013-Mar 2014), the lower house had contested an “unequal distribution of funds” across provinces, loans for major projects, a $70 million payment for Kabul Bank,… Continue reading 2013 Budget finally approved

Drug-related clashes kill 11 in Mexico

At least 11 gunmen have been killed in the latest clashes between security forces and drug smugglers in Mexico, authorities say. Army troops on Saturday repelled an attack by armed men working for drug gangs in the eastern town of Puente Nacional in the state of Veracruz, killing six of them. In a separate incident… Continue reading Drug-related clashes kill 11 in Mexico