Afghanistan

SHARAN, Afghanistan, July 1 (Xinhua) -- The armed insurgents blew up a bridge in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province on Thursday, disconnecting the provincial capital Sharan to several districts, provincial government spokesman Shah Mahmoud Arian said.

"The bridge was built with millions of U.S. dollars few years ago and linked Sharan city to 11 districts onward to Pakistan was dynamited early today and caused big problems for the people," Arian told Xinhua.

PARWAN, Afghanistan, June 30 (Reuters) - Gun in hand, 55-year-old Dost Mohammad Salangi recites poetry as he leads a small group of men to a look-out post high in the rugged hills of Parwan province, north of the Afghan capital Kabul.

Heavily bearded and wearing a traditional circular pakol hat to keep off the sun, he has a warning for the Islamist militant Taliban movement, which has increased attacks on Afghan forces and claimed more territory as foreign troops withdraw.

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Six militants have been confirmed dead as fighting planes struck a group of Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province Saturday night, an army spokesman in the northern region captain Abdul Razaq said Sunday.

A group of Taliban mine planters were busy in planting mines on a road in Ali Abad district that links Kunduz to the national capital Kabul city on Saturday night. Acting on tip-off, the fighting planes targeted them, killing six on the spot, Razaq said.

Taliban outfit has yet to make comment.

KUNDUZ, Jun 26 (NNN-XINHUA) – At least 24 Taliban militants were killed and 15 others wounded, in battles in Kunduz city, capital of Afghanistan’s northern Kunduz province, last night, sources said today.

Sixteen militants were killed and 10 others wounded, as Afghan Special Operations Forces conducted night raid operations, in Seh Darak, Enayat and Zakhil localities in the city, 250 km north of the national capital, Kabul, Khalid Amiri from the special operations forces told Xinhua.

KOH DAMAN, Afghanistan (AP) — For two days the fighting was blistering. Rockets and heavy machine gun fire pounded Imam Sahib, a key district on Afghanistan’s northern border with Tajikistan.

When the explosions died down and Syed Akram finally emerged from his home earlier this week, three of his neighbor’s children had been killed, and a tank was burning on a nearby street corner. Several shops and a petrol station were still smoldering. In the streets, the Taliban were in control.

KABUL, Jun 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Afghan President, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, leading a high-level delegation, left for the United States last night, the Afghan Presidential Palace confirmed today.

During his stay in the United States, Ghani will meet with U.S. President, Joe Biden, members of the U.S. Congress, as well as, other influential personalities, the palace said, in a statement.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Taliban fighters took control of a key district in Afghanistan’s northern Kunduz province Monday and encircled the provincial capital, police said, as the insurgent group added to its recent battlefield victories while peace talks have stalemated.

The Taliban’s gains came as the Pentagon reaffirmed the U.S. troop withdrawal was still on pace to conclude by early September.

KABUL, June 20 (Reuters) - The Taliban said on Sunday they were committed to peace talks, adding they wanted a "genuine Islamic system" in Afghanistan that would make provisions for women's rights in line with cultural traditions and religious rules.

The statement came amid slow progress in the talks between the hardline Islamic group and Afghan government representatives in Qatar and as violence rises dramatically around the country ahead of the withdrawal of foreign forces by September 11.

KABUL, June 20 (Reuters) - (This story has been refiled to correct typo in paragraph 4)

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has replaced his defence and interior ministers and the army chief of staff amid rising casualties among Afghanistan’s security forces in sharply increased fighting with the Taliban.

The changes, announced late on Saturday by the presidential palace, come as Afghan security forces battle the Taliban in 28 of 34 provinces in the country, with the hardline Islamic group claiming more territory in recent weeks.

KABUL, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Ten suspected Taliban insurgents have been arrested in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province, the provincial governor said Sunday.

"The Special Operations Forces of National Directorate of Security (NDS) launched targeted operations in Kunar province in recent days, arresting 10 suspects and seizing weapons and ammunition," governor Mohammad Iqbal Sayyed told reporters.

The NDS is the country's national intelligence agency.