Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'afghani'

2008 A Deadly Year For Afghan Civilians

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:02:00 EST

During the most violent year in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban, civilians often paid the highest price. Some 1,200 men, women and children considered non-combatants died in 2008. Many expect the toll to increase in 2009 as more U.S. troops arrive to fight a revived Taliban.

Rural Afghans Resistant To Official Judicial System

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:52:00 EST

Afghanistan's courts are too slow and corrupt to get the job done, many say. Those Afghans turn instead to local jirgas, or tribal councils, to solve legal disputes. Efforts are being made to fix the official system and teach residents their rights, but the impact has been negligible outside of major cities and provincial centers.

Rough Road Ahead For Afghanistan Legal System

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 EST

Corruption and nepotism in the struggling Afghan justice system have fostered rampant bribery and insider dealing. One expert believes it might take a generation or more to fix what only began in 2001, after the ouster of the Taliban.

Do Foxholes Convert Atheists...

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST

One year ago, commentator Benjamin Tupper's National Guard unit was embedded with Afghan troops. Tupper is an atheist, and he recently learned that one of the young interpreters he worked with was captured, tortured and murdered by the Taliban. Tupper hopes the interpreter's vision of an afterlife is real.

Gen. McKiernan Sheds Light On Afghan Ops

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST

Gen. David McKiernan, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, talks about the operations in Afghanistan.

Mumbai Attack Strains India-Pakistan Relations

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 17:01:00 EST

After the terrorist attacks in Mumbai this week, Indian officials are accusing Pakistan of coordinating the attack, and Pakistan is using the incident to move troops on its Afghan border to its Indian border. Stephen Cohen of the Brookings Institution talks to Andrea Seabrook about what it means for the U.S. as tensions rise between two of its biggest partners in the war on terrorism.

Afghan Official: Engaging Taliban 'Necessary Evil'

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:14:00 EST

Said Jawad, Afghan ambassador to the U.S., defended talks between his country's government and the Taliban. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said he thinks the way to achieve stability is by reaching out to the Afghan people.

Debate Rages Over Those Still At Guantanamo

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:34:00 EST

So far, more than 500 Afghans, Pakistanis, Europeans, Saudis and others have been released. But 101 Yemeni detainees are still held at Guantanamo. They represent the single largest contingent at the camp.

Postcard From Kabul Tells Of Fear And Hope

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST

Writer Gayle Tzemach is in Kabul researching a book on women entrepreneurs. Gayle offers an audio postcard describing people's fears and hopes in the city. She says Afghans are particularly anxious to know if Barack Obama is serious about focusing on their country.

Will Obama Sign-Off On New Afghan Strategy...

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST

President-elect Barack Obama will have to grapple with conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. He will have to decide whether to negotiate with members of the Taliban as a way of stemming the violence in Afghanistan. The idea is supported by the new chief of the U.S. Central Command, Gen. David Petraeus, who used a similar tactic as part of a broader strategy in Iraq.

What Path Should Obama Take In Afghanistan...

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST

Afghan President Hamid Karzai this week called for an end to American airstrikes on Afghan civilians. Barnett Rubin of the Center on International Cooperation talks to host Jacki Lyden about what path President-elect Obama should take in Afghanistan.

U.S. Embassy In Kabul Hosts Election Party

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST

In Afghanistan, the U.S. Embassy invited scores of Afghans to watch the U.S. election results at a party in Kabul. The party was held at the Serena Hotel, where a well-planned Taliban bombing and gun attack in January grabbed world headlines.

Taliban Kill Five In Brazen Kabul Attack

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:55:00 EDT

Taliban militants have stormed the Information Ministry in the heart of Kabul, killing at least five people. It was the most brazen attack in the Afghan capital since last summer's suicide bombing at the Indian Embassy.

Hints Swirl, But Afghan-Taliban Talks Not Yet Reality

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:42:00 EDT

Reports last month of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban raised eyebrows in several world capitals, but it turns out there were no formal negotiations. There are signs, however, that both sides are more interested in peace talks than ever before.

Commanders Look For New Strategy In Afghanistan

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:02:00 EDT

As the war in Afghanistan continues, military commanders are exploring new options and strategies as they struggle to contain a strengthening enemy. Efforts are under way to train more Afghan forces as U.S. military equipment is moved into the country from Iraq.

Pakistanis Flee Military Crackdown On The Taliban

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Thousands of Pakistanis are fleeing to Afghanistan to avoid a military launch against the Taliban. Pakistani soldiers are going door-to-door in the area demanding that Afghan refugees, many of whom have lived in Pakistan for decades, go back to Afghanistan as well. Afghan officials question how many more refugees they can house and feed in the midst of a food shortage.

Report: Afghanistan In Downward Spiral

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EDT

A new report says Afghanistan is in danger of falling prey to Taliban influence yet again. The report, to be released by major U.S. intelligence agencies after the elecion, cites a breakdown in Afghani leadership and a steady increase in violence from militants as well as corruption.

Afghan Amputees Avoid Begging With Bike Service

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:01:00 EDT

Most of the tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan who have lost legs to land mines have no way to make a living other than begging. But one group has come up with another way to feed its families: It operates a bicycle messenger service in Kabul.

Afghanistan Wants Changes In Foreign Troop Operations

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Afghan President Hamid Karzai meets with President Bush Thursday. The Afghan leader plans to push for major changes to the existing status of forces agreement between U.S. and other Western troops in Afghanistan. The move comes as anger grows in Afghanistan over the number of civilian deaths at the hands of Western troops.

Failing Wheat Crop Causes Afghan Food Crisis

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:39:00 EDT

A lingering drought in Afghanistan has led to the smallest wheat harvest in the country in years. The diminished crop has thrown farmers and residents into a food crisis. Many point to the government for not coming to the farmers' aid fast enough.

Civilian Casualty Numbers Differ For Afghan Raid

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:31:00 EDT

Survivors of the raid in Azizabad, the Afghan government and the U.N. counted many more dead from the Aug. 22 raid than the U.S. government.

U.S.-Afghan Bombing Raid Kills 90 In Afghanistan

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:41:00 EDT

After a joint U.S.-Afghan bombing raid killed 90 Afghan civilians, Afghan support for U.S. military action is waning. Officials say bad intelligence probably led to the deadly strike aimed at Taliban fighters.

U.N.: U.S.-Led Strike Killed Dozens Of Afghan Children

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EDT

The Afghan government is demanding that the U.S. and NATO presence there come under greater scrutiny. The move comes after the U.N. determined a U.S.-led air strike last week killed 90 civilians, most of them children.

U.S.-Afghan Force Raids Suspected Taliban Hideout

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:00:00 EDT

NPR's Jackie Northam has the second in her two reports on U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan. Northam accompanies the commandos during an air assault on a suspected Taliban hideout. It's the first time a journalist has been allowed to accompany the Afghan-U.S. commandos on an operation.

U.S. Troops Train Afghans To Take Their Place

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:00:00 EDT

In Afghanistan, U.S. Special Forces are undertaking an ambitious program — training thousands of Afghan soldiers to be commandos. The U.S. military says their Afghan counterparts are a long way from standing up on their own. But American commandos feeling the strain of so many tours of duty since late 2001 say they see the Afghans as their ticket out of the country. This is the first of two reports from NPR's Jackie Northam, who is embedded with the Special Forces unit.