By , KABUL (Reuters) - Western powers are backing the Afghan government’s refusal to free hundreds of prisoners accused of some of Afghanistan’s most violent attacks, a release demanded by the Taliban as a condition to start peace talks, five sources told Reuters.The issue is a final major sticking point which, if resolved, is expected to lead quickly to intra-Afghan peace negotiations in Qatar aimed at ending more than 18 years of war in a U.S.-brokered peace process.“The contentious part right now is the prisoners issue,” a senior government source told Reuters. Two European diplomats, an...…By , KABUL (Reuters) - Western powers are backing the Afghan government’s refusal to free hundreds of prisoners accused of some of Afghanistan’s most violent attacks, a release demanded by the Taliban as a condition to start peace talks, five sources told Reuters.The issue is a final major sticking point which, if resolved, is expected to lead quickly to intra-Afghan peace negotiations in Qatar aimed at ending more than 18 years of war in a U.S.-brokered peace process.“The contentious part right now is the prisoners issue,” a senior government source told Reuters. Two European diplomats, an...WW…

By , KABUL/HERAT, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Iranian border guards killed 45 Afghan migrant workers trying to cross into Iran this month by forcing them into a raging mountain torrent at gunpoint, according to two Afghan lawmakers investigating the deaths.The incident has triggered a diplomatic crisis between the neighbours, who share trade, economic and cultural ties. Iran has denied that such an event took place on its soil.Afghan authorities said on Thursday they had recovered 12 bodies in the past two days from the Harirud River, which forms much of the northern, mountainous section of...…By , KABUL/HERAT, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Iranian border guards killed 45 Afghan migrant workers trying to cross into Iran this month by forcing them into a raging mountain torrent at gunpoint, according to two Afghan lawmakers investigating the deaths.The incident has triggered a diplomatic crisis between the neighbours, who share trade, economic and cultural ties. Iran has denied that such an event took place on its soil.Afghan authorities said on Thursday they had recovered 12 bodies in the past two days from the Harirud River, which forms much of the northern, mountainous section of...WW…

By , , KABUL (Reuters) - After struggling to get pregnant for years, Zainab, 27, gave birth to a baby boy on Tuesday morning at a small hospital in the southwestern corner of Kabul. She was overjoyed and named the boy Omid, meaning ‘hope’ in Dari.At around 10 a.m. (0530 GMT), an hour before she and her family were set to return home to neighbouring Bamiyan province a three-hour drive away, three gunmen disguised as police burst into the hospital’s maternity ward and started shooting.Zainab, who rushed back from the washroom after hearing the commotion, collapsed as she took in the scene....…By , , KABUL (Reuters) - After struggling to get pregnant for years, Zainab, 27, gave birth to a baby boy on Tuesday morning at a small hospital in the southwestern corner of Kabul. She was overjoyed and named the boy Omid, meaning ‘hope’ in Dari.At around 10 a.m. (0530 GMT), an hour before she and her family were set to return home to neighbouring Bamiyan province a three-hour drive away, three gunmen disguised as police burst into the hospital’s maternity ward and started shooting.Zainab, who rushed back from the washroom after hearing the commotion, collapsed as she took in the scene....WW…

By , , KABUL/MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Taliban have mounted more than 4,500 attacks in Afghanistan, marking a sharp escalation in violence, in the 45 days since signing a deal with the United States that paves the way for a U.S. troop drawdown, according to data seen by Reuters.Two sets of data, one from a Western military source and one from an independent body, both show attacks by the hardline Islamist group up by more than 70 percent between March 1 and April 15 compared with the same period a year ago.Separately, Afghan government data indicates that more than 900 Afghan local and...…By , , KABUL/MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Taliban have mounted more than 4,500 attacks in Afghanistan, marking a sharp escalation in violence, in the 45 days since signing a deal with the United States that paves the way for a U.S. troop drawdown, according to data seen by Reuters.Two sets of data, one from a Western military source and one from an independent body, both show attacks by the hardline Islamist group up by more than 70 percent between March 1 and April 15 compared with the same period a year ago.Separately, Afghan government data indicates that more than 900 Afghan local and...WW…

By , KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan officials on Friday blamed the Taliban for a bloody attack on a maternity hospital in the capital, Kabul, this week, rejecting a U.S. assertion that it was carried out by Islamic State militants.Three gunmen disguised as police attacked the hospital on Tuesday, killing 24 people including two babies in a clinic run by the international humanitarian organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).No group has claimed responsibility.The Taliban, who struck a deal with the United States in February clearing the way for the withdrawal of U.S. troops and the end of...…By , KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan officials on Friday blamed the Taliban for a bloody attack on a maternity hospital in the capital, Kabul, this week, rejecting a U.S. assertion that it was carried out by Islamic State militants.Three gunmen disguised as police attacked the hospital on Tuesday, killing 24 people including two babies in a clinic run by the international humanitarian organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).No group has claimed responsibility.The Taliban, who struck a deal with the United States in February clearing the way for the withdrawal of U.S. troops and the end of...WW…

By , KABUL (Reuters) - More than a dozen rockets struck Kabul on Tuesday, wounding at least ten people, including children, prompting some foreign embassies to order a lockdown, officials and sources in the Afghan capital said.The identity of the attackers was unknown, though an interior ministry spokesman said two suspects had been arrested.The attack comes at time when the United States is encouraging peace talks between the government and the Taliban, while preparing to withdraw the last U.S. troops to end almost 19 years of war.Smoke billowed, alarms rang out and shrapnel flew, said...…By , KABUL (Reuters) - More than a dozen rockets struck Kabul on Tuesday, wounding at least ten people, including children, prompting some foreign embassies to order a lockdown, officials and sources in the Afghan capital said.The identity of the attackers was unknown, though an interior ministry spokesman said two suspects had been arrested.The attack comes at time when the United States is encouraging peace talks between the government and the Taliban, while preparing to withdraw the last U.S. troops to end almost 19 years of war.Smoke billowed, alarms rang out and shrapnel flew, said...WW…

By , KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday signed a decree to release a final batch of “hardcore” Taliban prisoners demanded by the militants, sources told Reuters, paving the way for long-awaited peace talks to begin in Qatar.“It is signed,” a presidential palace source said.Afghanistan’s grand assembly, or Loya Jirga, on Sunday approved the release, under election-year pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump for a deal allowing him to bring home American troops.The war has ground on since U.S.-backed Afghan forces ousted the Islamist Taliban government in late...…By , KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday signed a decree to release a final batch of “hardcore” Taliban prisoners demanded by the militants, sources told Reuters, paving the way for long-awaited peace talks to begin in Qatar.“It is signed,” a presidential palace source said.Afghanistan’s grand assembly, or Loya Jirga, on Sunday approved the release, under election-year pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump for a deal allowing him to bring home American troops.The war has ground on since U.S.-backed Afghan forces ousted the Islamist Taliban government in late...WW…

By , JALALABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghan security forces on Monday killed at least 10 Islamic State fighters who had taken control of a prison in the eastern city of Jalalabad, ending a siege in which hundreds of prisoners escaped.At least 29 people were killed in the militants’ assault on the prison on Sunday evening and subsequent clashes with security forces, a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province said before the final shootout.“The attack is now over,” Sohrab Qaderi, a member of the provincial council, told Reuters after security forces clashed night and day with...…By , JALALABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghan security forces on Monday killed at least 10 Islamic State fighters who had taken control of a prison in the eastern city of Jalalabad, ending a siege in which hundreds of prisoners escaped.At least 29 people were killed in the militants’ assault on the prison on Sunday evening and subsequent clashes with security forces, a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province said before the final shootout.“The attack is now over,” Sohrab Qaderi, a member of the provincial council, told Reuters after security forces clashed night and day with...WW…

By , JALALABAD/KABUL (Reuters) - A truck packed with explosives blew up near a court in the eastern Afghan city of Gardez on Thursday, killing at least five people in an attack claimed by Taliban insurgents.The explosion comes two days after at least 56 people were killed in attacks elsewhere in the country, including women and newborn babies, dealing a setback to peace plans in the war-ravaged nation.“A car bomb explosion took place near a military court in Gardez city, which is a populated area. Dozens of civilians are feared to be dead and wounded,” said Tariq Arian, an interior ministry...…By , JALALABAD/KABUL (Reuters) - A truck packed with explosives blew up near a court in the eastern Afghan city of Gardez on Thursday, killing at least five people in an attack claimed by Taliban insurgents.The explosion comes two days after at least 56 people were killed in attacks elsewhere in the country, including women and newborn babies, dealing a setback to peace plans in the war-ravaged nation.“A car bomb explosion took place near a military court in Gardez city, which is a populated area. Dozens of civilians are feared to be dead and wounded,” said Tariq Arian, an interior ministry...WW…

By , KABUL (Reuters) - Taliban militants kidnapped about 60 civilians in central Afghanistan over the past week, officials said on Sunday, with more than half still being held amid efforts by the United States and other foreign powers to start peace talks.The Taliban took the hostages in the central province of Daikundi after a women escaped a Taliban-controlled village in a neighbouring province, according to the provincial deputy governor, Mohammad Ali Uruzgani.Some 26, including women and children, had been released and tribal elders were mediating to free the remaining civilians,...…By , KABUL (Reuters) - Taliban militants kidnapped about 60 civilians in central Afghanistan over the past week, officials said on Sunday, with more than half still being held amid efforts by the United States and other foreign powers to start peace talks.The Taliban took the hostages in the central province of Daikundi after a women escaped a Taliban-controlled village in a neighbouring province, according to the provincial deputy governor, Mohammad Ali Uruzgani.Some 26, including women and children, had been released and tribal elders were mediating to free the remaining civilians,...WW…