Afghanistan is set to hold parliamentary elections on Sunday, September 18. In the final days of the campaign, hopes and difficulties abound. The hopes stem from the fact that people see the elections as a positive step towards democracy. The difficulties arise from the lack... MORE

Preparations are underway for the Afghan parliamentary elections on September 18, amid continuing violence and intimidation. At the same time, there is optimism as the U.S.-led coalition forces prepare for the security challenges that the elections present. The parliamentary balloting will complete the final stage... MORE

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has completed the deployment of additional forces in northern and western Afghanistan to support the holding of elections to the National Assembly and Provincial Councils. ISAF units are tasked to act as Election Support Forces in the run-up... MORE

As Afghanistan's September 18 parliamentary elections draw closer, there are new allegations about Pakistan's involvement in that country's domestic politics. Pakistan has also announced the closure of more than 30 refugee camps in Baluchistan and the North-West Frontier. Afghan and U.S. officials have spoken in... MORE

Afghanistan's Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) has issued its final list of the 5,805 candidates registered for the parliamentary and local council elections that are to be held on September 18. However, there are an increasing number of questions about the screening process in general,... MORE

Pressure continues to pile on Pakistan over the visit to Pakistan by the London bombers months before the attacks on July 7. Immigration officials have established that two of the four suspected bombers (both of Pakistani origin) — Shahzad Tanweer and Mohammed Siddiq Khan —... MORE

On June 30, 2005, Afghanistan concluded the Disarmament Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) process. During the closing ceremony, President Hamid Karzai called the experience a success and symbolically accepted the last weapon from a commander (Afghan Tolo TV, July 9). Ariane Quentier, a spokesperson for the... MORE

In the biggest operation since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, last week the U.S.-led coalition and Afghan forces backed by U.S. helicopters and British jet fighters killed more than 170 insurgents and arrested another 56 men, some of whom wounded. Afghan and... MORE

Afghanistan is facing a bloody summer, after the June 1 bombing of a mosque in Kandahar and an attack in southern Afghanistan on June 8 that killed two American soldiers. Such incidents have raised many questions about the Taliban's current activities (see EDM, June 2).... MORE