Stories about Afghanistan from July, 2011
Afghanistan: How aid ends up financing mansions in Dubai
Nick Fielding reviews a new Afghanistan reconstruction report, which investigates the scandal of large US currency exports from Afghanistan to private bank accounts due to ineffective aid coordination, inconsistent Afghan cooperation and insufficient cash controls.
Afghanistan: Taliban killing civilians with IEDs
Nick Fielding reports that civilian deaths in Afghanistan increased by 15 per cent in 2011, pointing out that the dramatic growth was mainly due to the use of landmine-like improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by the Taliban.
Afghanistan: Book offers diplomatic insights
Nick Fielding briefly reviews a book by Britain's former ambassador in Afghanistan, Sherard Cowper-Coles, and says that it is stuffed with fascinating material.
Afghanistan: Study on the Taliban's rules and actions
Nick Fielding writes about the report into the Taliban's code of conduct, using it to gain an insight into the organisation itself.
Afghanistan: Continued fracturing of politics
Joshua Foust reviews political factions in Afghanistan, trying to map out different parties in Afghan politics – both political actors, insurgency groupings and marginal gangs.
Afghanistan: Underage girl used for a suicide bombing
Cassandra Clifford writes about a crying incident, in which a 9 years-old girl was kidnapped, drugged and forced to wear a detonation vest with orders to blow herself up in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan: Ahmed Wali Karzai Assassinated
Faheem Haider reports that Ahmed Wali Karzai, President Hamid Karzai’s close relative and the most influential person in Kandahar province has been assassinated by a close family associate.