War in Afghanistan

The Afghan war between US-lead Nato forces and Taliban insurgent groups was triggered by the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York and Pentagon on September 11, 2001. It has cost more than 3,000 lives on the Nato side and some 13,000 civilian lives. On May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden, a major target of the war, was killed by US special forces.

AFGHANISTAN

Taliban likens US Afghan role to Vietnam war

2 Jan 2013

The Taliban on Wednesday likened the planned withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan to America’s pullout from Vietnam, calling it a “declare victory and run” strategy.

Briefs, November 21, 2012

21 Nov 2012

Portuguese merchant shot dead in Corsica

War-weary Afghans shrug off Obama re-election

7 Nov 2012

In Afghanistan, where US troops are fighting and dying in America’s longest conflict, the re-election of President Barack Obama was met with a war-weary shrug on Wednesday as foreign forces...

Seven British marines arrested over a killing in Afghanistan last year

13 Oct 2012

Seven Royal Marines have been arrested on suspicion of murder after one of their colleagues came forward and claimed an insurgent had been killed in a manner that broke the British military's...

Nato charts path out of Afghanistan, 'post-combat' role

10 Oct 2012

Nato defence ministers looked to the future in Afghanistan on Wednesday, planning for their mission after combat forces are withdrawn in 2014 in the knowledge that the transition is fraught with...

Opinion

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Alex Lo

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Afghan civil war feared as Taliban survive US surge

With the end of the US surge in Afghanistan, the Taliban have survived the biggest military onslaught the West will throw at them – and fears are growing that a disastrous new civil war looms.

Withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan may be speeded up

The retreat of Western forces from Afghanistan could come sooner than expected, the head of Nato said, as he conceded that the Taliban strategy of "green on blue" killings - Afghan security forces...

US military deaths in Afghanistan reach 2,000

The killing of an American serviceman in firefight with allied Afghan soldiers pushed US military deaths in the war to 2,000, a cold reminder of the perils that remain in the 11-year conflict.

AFGHANISTAN

Nato halts work with Afghan allies to stem insider attacks

Nato ordered a cutback on Tuesday on operations alongside Afghan forces in response to a surge of “insider attacks” on foreign servicemen.

AUSTRALIA

Australian PM cuts Pacific trip after troop deaths

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard cut short her trip to a major Pacific summit on Wednesday after five of the nation’s troops were killed in two separate incidents in Afghanistan.

China offers hope for Afghanistan

Developed nations have always had good intentions towards Afghanistan. But the peaceful and prosperous country envisaged at their first donors' meeting a decade ago remains a dream despite...