Afghanistan

Pentagon to release photos of detainee treatment

Pentagon Washington - The US Defense Department next month will release 44 photographs of prisoner treatment at facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan, in response to a long-running lawsuit over detainee abuse.

In documents filed late Thursday, the government said that 44 photos would be issued by May 28.

The court documents were released by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a non-governmental organization that sued starting in 2004 for the release of photos and other documents pertaining to possible detainee mistreatment and abuse at numerous military facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan.

US-led coalition claims two Taliban killed in southern Afghanistan

AfghanistanKabul- US-led coalition forces killed two suspected Taliban militants in an operation in southern Afghanistan while three other suspects were detained in central Afghanistan, the US military said Thursday.

Using information provided by intelligence sources, a combined force of Afghan and coalition troops conducted an operation in the Tarin Kot district of Uruzgan province Wednesday and killed two suspected militants, the US military said in a statement.

The joint forces also seized pistols, one AK-47 assault rifle and ammunition during the operation, it said.

Afghanistan announces establishment of first national park

Afghanistan MapWashington, April 22 : Afghanistan’s National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA) has announced the establishment of the country’s first internationally recognized national park.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided key funding that led to the park’s creation, including support of Wildlife Conservation Society
(WCS) to conduct preliminary wildlife surveys, identify and delineate the park''s boundaries, and work with local communities and the provincial government.

Coalition destroys anti-aircraft weapons, 8 Afghan rebels killed

Coalition destroys anti-aircraft weapons, 8 Afghan rebels killedKabul  - US-led coalition forces destroyed two Taliban anti-aircraft weapons in southern Afghanistan, while two separate operations conducted by Afghan and international forces in the same region left eight militants dead, officials said Tuesday.

Acting on intelligence information provided by local villagers, the coalition forces destroyed a ZPU-1 anti-aircraft weapon by "precision strike" in Nad Ali district of Helmand province on Tuesday morning, the US military said in a statement.

Now, Pak religious party threatens to hit NATO supplies if drone strikes continue

NATO ForcesLandikotal, Apr. 20 : The Jamaat-e-Islami has threatened to disrupt supplies to the NATO forces stationed in Afghanistan, if the United States continues with drone attacks in Pakistan’s Tribal Areas.

The warning was issued at a JeI public meeting, during which the participants took out a rally against drone strikes, the military operation in FATA, and the country’s cooperation with the US in its war on terror.

JeI’s FATA Deputy Secretary General Zarnoor Afridi argued that drone attacks in the FATA were violation of the Geneva Convention and basic human rights of the Tribal Area inhabitants, the Daily Times reports.

US says Pak has to do more to dismantle terror safe havens operating on its soil

US says Pak has to do more to dismantle terror safe havens operating on its soilKabul, Apr. 20 : The United States has once again urged Pakistan to do more to dismantle the terror safe havens operating on its soil.

Addressing a joint press conference with Afghan Defense Minister General Abdul Rahim Wardak, top commander of U. S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, General David McKiernan, said that the terror breeding grounds in Pakistan were destabilizing the whole region.

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