'The camp would provide military training for 1,800 ordinary Taliban fighters and 200 low-level commanders,' an unnamed Afghan government official was quoted by The Independent as saying.
India has much paranoia in India about a new 'Terroristan' coming up between Pakistan and a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Pakistan has zero ability economically, diplomatically, geostrategically or militarily to create one. If they try, it will be great for India as they will destroy themselves yet again, asserts Shekhar Gupta.
NATO's chief spokes-man in Kabul, Col. Tom Collins, was quoted as saying his force intends to head off the militants' assault with pre-emptive attacks against Taliban strongholds.
In spite of the presence of thousands of British soldiers in the Helmand province of southern Afghanistan, it has become the biggest source of illicit drugs in the world.
The operation in Musa Qala is one of the largest against the Taliban since the invasion in 2001. It was launched after weeks of air strikes and probing attacks had softened up their defences and killed hundreds of their fighters.
A day after the worst attacks since the rout of the Taliban, the Afghan president said Taliban leader Mullah Omar was a coward who was hiding in Pakistan and sending youngsters to kill Afghans.
A French restaurant popular with foreigners in Kabul was the target of a New Year's Day bombing on Friday, officials said.
Afghanistan's political district was rocked by violence on Thursday when Taliban terrorists blew up a British embassy vehicle and later gunfire broke out at an army base.
In a major crackdown to eliminate the terrorists' sanctuaries, Afghanistan has carried out three air strikes within a week in Kunar province, bordering Pakistan, inflicting heavy casualties on Lashkar-e-Tayiba terror group.
The latest militant assault on the Afghan capital comes as the Taliban intensify their nationwide offensive against the US-backed government in Kabul.
On Sunday, after 13 years of war, over 500 deaths and over 20 billion, United Kingdom withdrew from Afghanistan. In a touching ceremony, the Union Jack flag was lowered at Camp Bastion, which has been the center of UK operations in Afghanistan since 2006. British Prime Minister David Cameron vowed that Britain will 'never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice' and Labour leader Ed Miliband said the handover was a "time to remember those who have served Britain so courageously in Afghanistan over the last decade".
There have been conflicting reports about whether Taliban's supreme council was consulted or not on the election
Nearly 200 fighters at an Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent terror training camp in the Af-Pak border region were killed in a recent attack by the US and Afghan commandos.
The daughter of Indian immigrants from Punjab, Haley was the first woman tapped by Trump for a top-level administration post during his transition to the White House.
The election seem to have been conducted without any major security lapses. However, in the coming weeks, the military situation in Kandahar could tilt in the Taliban's favour, notes Aveek Sen.
Four Indians and an American, were killed during the five-hour long siege that ended early Thursday morning.
The South Carolina governor has become the first woman and minority to join Trump's administration.
Father Alexis Prem Kumar, who was just released after eight months of Taliban captivity in Afghanistan reacted to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat
'It is highly doubtful that the Trump administration will consider inserting itself into the volatile India-Pakistan dispute.'
The Turkmenistan event underscores the lengths to which China's oil-and-gas companies will go to curry favour in resource-rich locales.
Here are some of the most stunning moments of the week that was.
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