Rocket attack on US Embassy in Afghanistan on 9/11 anniversary
A rocket exploded near the U.S. embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan early Wednesday, the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Afghanistan
Secretary of State Pompeo Declines to Sign Risky Afghan Peace Deal
The U.S. is closing in on a deal with the Taliban that is designed to wind down America’s 18-year war in Afghanistan, but the best indication of how risky the pact maybe is this: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is declining to sign it, according to senior U.S., Afghan and European officials.
U.S. to withdraw 5,000 troops from Afghanistan, close bases
The United States would withdraw almost 5,000 troops from Afghanistan and close five bases within 135 days under a draft peace accord agreed with the Taliban, the chief U.S. negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad said on Monday.
Trump Says U.S. To Retain Military Presence In Afghanistan, Even With Peace Deal
President Donald Trump says the United States will continue to maintain a military presence in Afghanistan even after a peace deal with the Taliban is reached.
Final Touches Being Put on Deal As Taliban Reviews Proposal On U.S. Withdrawal
As U.S. and Taliban officials look to apparently seal a historic deal to end the 18-year Afghan conflict, leaders of the extremist militant group are reviewing the proposed agreement at an undisclosed location along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
U.S. Peace Envoy Heads To Qatar, Afghanistan For New Talks
U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is heading to Qatar to resume talks with Taliban negotiators and to Kabul to meet with Afghan leaders, amid reports indicating a deal could be close to end the near 18-year war in Afghanistan.
Islamic State, Al-Qaeda Hunker Down to Rebuild in Weaker Nations
Islamic State has been battered in Iraq and Syria and declared defeated by President Donald Trump. But the terrorist group and its predecessor, al-Qaeda, are finding ample room to rebuild in other places with weak central governments, officials and analysts warn.
Afghanistan vows to crush ISIS havens after attack
Afghanistan’s president on Monday vowed to “eliminate” all safe havens of the Islamic State group as the country marked a subdued 100th Independence Day after a horrific wedding attack claimed by the local ISIS affiliate.
Trump Wants All Troops Out Of Afghanistan By 2020 U.S. Election: Reports
U.S. President Donald Trump has told aides that he wants to pull all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan before the presidential election in November 2020, U.S. news agencies are reporting, citing unnamed current and former administration officials.
US preparing to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan as part of proposed Taliban deal
The Pentagon is preparing to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan as part of a proposed peace deal with the Taliban, U.S. officials told Fox News Thursday.
Pompeo Hopes for Afghan Peace Deal Before September
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday during a visit to Afghanistan that the Trump administration is aiming for a peace deal in the war-ravaged country by September.
U.S., Taliban resume talks as Afghan govt seeks role in peace process
American and Taliban officials resumed talks in Qatar to end a 17-year war in Afghanistan on Wednesday while the Afghan government hosted a rare assembly in Kabul to ensure its interests are upheld in any peace deal.
F-35A deploys to Middle East for first time
The Air Force’s most advanced fighter jet has, for the first time, been deployed to the Middle East.
Pentagon plan could have US troops out of Afghanistan in 3 to 5 years
All U.S. troops could exit Afghanistan within the next half-decade, according to a new report.
Trump: ‘Great nations do not fight endless wars’
President Trump gave an emphatic defense of his intention to conclude ‘endless wars,’ one day after the Senate issued a warning against a ‘precipitous withdrawal’ from Syria and Afghanistan.
Senate pushes back against Trump over Syria troop pullout
The Senate voted Monday to oppose the withdrawal of US troops from Syria and Afghanistan, breaking with President Donald Trump as he calls for a military drawdown in those countries.
Senate rebukes Trump, advances measure on Syria troops
In a rebuke of President Donald Trump, the Republican-led U.S. Senate advanced largely symbolic legislation on Thursday opposing plans for any abrupt withdrawal of troops from Syria and Afghanistan.
US and Taliban “draft” framework for Afghanistan peace deal
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said Monday the Taliban should ‘enter serious talks’ with his government, as both the Taliban and Washington’s top envoy touted significant progress during unprecedented negotiations in Qatar last week.
Pompeo Launches Middle East Tour to Galvanize Region Against Iran
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to depart on a tour of the Middle East next week in a bid to galvanize regional leaders to confront Iran and remind allies that the United States is not disappearing from region amid the Trump administration’s decision to pull American troops out of Syria and possibly Afghanistan, according to senior State Department officials.
Ugandan Christians live in fear of minority Muslims on quest for conversions
Christians in eastern Uganda are among those in their faith who face the most serious dangers in the world, according to World Watch Monitor, a group that tracks persecutions of Christians. The charity counted at least two incidents of Muslims killing Christians as well as vandalism of at least two churches.