Khalil Zad Presses Mohaqiq to Quit His Candidacy Kabul and Paktiya

Issue August 2004

Saturday, 28 August Tuesday, 31 August Britain Sends Jets to Afghanistan Khalil Zad Presses Mohaqiq to Quit Britain is sending six combat aircraft to Afghanistan next His Candidacy month. UK Defense Secretary said that the dispatch of aircrafts, which are expected to stay for at least nine Mohammad Mohaqeq, former planning minister and one months, “confirms our commitment to the NATO mission of the 17 presidential candidates said that the US in Afghanistan,” It is said that the aircrafts will be ambassador asked him to withdraw his candidacy in equipped with a whole range of weaponry, including favor of Karzai. Mohaqiq said: “I would not withdraw. pave way laser-guided bombs, maverick precision- October election will be the first experience of guided air -to-ground missiles and CRV7 Unguided democracy with the peaceful handover of power on a Rockets. Radio Ashnah, Voice of America popular vote,” Bakhtar Afghan Agency Friday, 27 August Monday, 30 August Amanullah’s Transfer to Kabul Kabul and Paktiya Blasts Kill 17

A car bomb exploded opposite of US Company Dyncorp “Commander Amanullah was brought to Inc, close to Ansari square in Kabul on Sunday, killing Kabul Today from the western city of Herat,” two Americans, three Nepalese and two Afghan said Jawed Ludin, a spokesman for President nationals. On Saturday, a blast wrecked a religious Karzai. Dozens were killed in fighting that school in Zurmat district of Paktiya province, killing nine broke out earlier this month between children and an adult and injured at eastl 20 other Amanullah and Ismail Khan. Ludin said children. An official at the scene in Kabul’s explosion said Amanullah agreed to the transfer, but officials he expected the toll to rise. “I think there will be more speaking on condition of anonymity said he dead than that. Some bodies were just blown to pieces.” had little choice and was essentially being kept The Taliban claimed responsibility. Afghanistan TV under arrest. Radio Azadi and Afghanistan TV

Sunday, 29 August Thursday, 26 August Mental Health Problems Reported in Taliban Threatening to Kill Afghanistan Rumsfeld

The American Medical Association says: “The most common trauma events experienced by the respondents Talibans are threatening to kill Rumsfeld and were lack of food and water (56.1%) for non-disabled vowing "a flood of jihad" against Americans, persons and lack of shelter (69.37%) for disabled in a statement posted on their web site. Two people,” Exposure to trauma and mental health rockets landed in Kabul just hours after a brief symptoms of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic visit by Rumsfeld in August 11. No one was stress disorder are prevalent among people in injured in the attack and one of the rockets Afghanistan but often go untreated because of lack of failed to explode. Radio Azadi resources and mental healthcare professionals. Radio Kelid

WFP Afghanistan Public Affairs Office monitors, collects, compiles and disseminates information released by various local media sources, for internal use by WFP Afghanistan staff members. The views presented in the Local News Review are those of the authors of the articles and are not necessarily shared by the World Food Programme

Issue August 2004

Jointly Interrogations of Pakistani Monday, 23 August Prisoners Pak-Afghan to Tighten Boarder

Pakistan's acting Foreign Minister Khurshid Security Mehmood Kasuri has said that all Pakistani prisoners to be released from Afghan jails will be President Karzai and President Musharraf have discussed jointly interrogated by American, Pakistani and how to tighten security along the Pak-Afghan border, today in Islamabad. The two leaders agreed to step up Afghani sleuths. Lately on his trip to Pakistan, operations against Al Qaeda, the Taliban and anyone President Karzai assured Pakistani government on who supports them. Radio Kelid release of 400 Pakistani prisoners arrested in 2001. Radio Kelid Netherlands Sends Planes to Wednesday, 25 August Afghanistan Karzai in Touch With Taliban The Dutch government sends six F-16s, a fueling plane and a transport plane to Afghanistan as its contribution President Karzai said he has been in touch with former to NATO's efforts to reinforce the 6,500-strong Taliban foreign minister Wakeel Ahmad Mutawakil and International Security and Assistance Force. Other NATO will meet him soon to discusse ideas on how to members have also promised help, including Spain, strengthen peace in Afghanistan. Radio Kelid which has volunteered to double its forces in Afghanistan to about 1,000 troops. Tolafghan.com Tuesday, 24 August Sunday, 22 August UN Expert Demands Release of 725 UN Secretary General Calls for more Taliban Prisoners International Security Forces A UN human rights expert has demanded immediate release of some 725 Taliban prisoners, about half of UN Secretary General Kofi Anan, demanded expansion of them Pakistanis, arrested during anti-Taliban operations the International Security Forces in Afghanistan. Hinting in 2001, declaring that “there is no legal, human or at the recent events in Herat, he presented a letter to political justification for keeping them in prison.” Radio the UN Security Council to expand International Security Kelid Forces in Afghanistan, to guarantee security during the upcoming Presidential Elections. Anis Abdul Zahir Qadeer Escapes Assassination Attempt Saturday, 21 August

The Chief of the Nangarhar Border Security Forces and Resignation of President Karzai Is son of the late Haji Abdul Qadeer, ex-Afghan Vice Illegal President, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt when his vehicle was hit by a road bomb on the Jalal Jawid Lodin, president Karzai’s spokesperson rebutted Abad-Torkham highway. Almost two years ago his father the proposal of a number of the presidential candidates was killed in an ambush in Kabul. Tolafghan.com who recently asked for Karzai’s resignation. 14 presidential candidates recently claimed that Hamid Karzai misuses government facilities for electoral

Issue August 2004

propaganda. While reading a copy of the constitution to History was made on a judo match Wednesday, when reporters, the president’s spokesperson denied this and 18-year-old Fariba Razayee became the first woman said the claim in not conform the constitution. Anis ever to compete for Afghanistan at the Olympics. Razayee is one of the two women on the five-member Explosion in Election’s Office Afghan Olympic team, along with sprinter Robina Muqimyar. The young judo fighter lost her match against On August 19th, six explosions occurred in one of the Spains's Cecila Blanco. But she said repeatedly that she election offices in Farah province, injuring seven local is happy just to be at the games. Sabawoon.com polices. Two of them, who were reported critical, died afterwards. Anis Tuesday, 10 August Friday, 20 August Pir Gilani Supports President Karzai Pakistan to Deploy Some 100,000 The leader of the Islamic Front of Afghanistan, Pir Sayed Ahmad Gilani once again announced his support for Troops along its Borders with Hamid Karzi in the forthcoming presidential elections. A number of Mujahiddeen leaders have expressed their Afghanistan support for Karzai, including Mujaddidi, Rabbani and Sayyaf. But Defense Minister Muhammad Fahim, Pakistani authorities are looking to deploy more than following Yunus Qanoni’s nomination, said the latter ran 100,000 troops along its 2400 km long western border, as Mujahiddeen candidate and added, “President Karzai extending from the northern mountains towards the has already lost a great part of the Mujahiddeen”. The southern deserts. This was stated by Muhammad Sadiq, Kabul Times care-taker Pakistani ambassador to United States of America, on Friday. The move is aimed to suppress Monday, 09 August terrorist activities and infiltration to either side. Tolafghan.com Father of the Nation Registers Thursday, 19 August Father of the nation, ex-king Muhammad Zahir Shah, Afghan Election Boycott Threat received his voting card from a mobile team of UNAMA in his Haram Sarai Palace, yesterday. He termed 17 rivals of Hamid Karzai in the presidential race democracy as the foundation for a civilized society and a yesterday threatened to boycott the landmark elections guarantee of bringing social justice. He urged the nation unless he step down before the vote. "Karzai misuses to take part in the registration process and elect a government facilities for his campaign. All 17 candidates president of their choice. Daily Hewad have unanimously agreed to ask for his resignation," Abdul Sattar Sirat, one of the candidates, claimed at a Sunday, 08 August press conference in Kabul. The candidates want Karzai to resign "within one week" Sirat said. All 17 candidates Ariana Transports Afghan Carpets would boycott the polls, if Karzai rejects their call to resign, he said. Sabawoon.com for Free

Wednesday, 18 August Ariana Afghan Airlines will transport Afghan made carpets abroad for free. This was agreed in a meeting Afghan Women Make Debut at with local traders held in the Ministry of Trade and Commerce. Ariana intends to serve its compatriots by Olympics making markets for Afghan carpets abroad. It is also

Issue August 2004

reported that a new carpet gallery will be opened soon health care talking books for Afghans. The books will in Kabul. Tolafghan.com help the estimated eighty percent of Afghan women who cannot read and write to improve health in their country Saturday, 07 August rapidly and to reduce child mortality, as well as maternal mortality. The books deliver information through point- Attack On Election Workers and-touch and are in Dari and Pashto languages. Radio Azadi

Two election workers traveling from Charchino to Kajran district of Uruzgan province were shot dead. Reportedly, Wednesday, 04 August four vehicles of their office were demolished in this attack. Taliban spokesperson claimed responsibility for 50 Militants Killed in South-East the attack. Radio Arman Afghan and U.S. troops killed 50 Taliban in a battle near Child Kidnappers Arrested the border with Pakistan in Khost province on Monday. Officials said that the battle began at about 2 a.m. when about 50 Talib militias attacked a border check post in A woman and her husband were arrested by police in the south of the province. Radio Azadi Khost province when they kidnapped a child from a local hospital. The child was released and the couple is in the Bomb Kills Three Children custody of Khost police. Daily Anis A remote control bomb placed on a bicycle was Friday, 06 August detonated next to a vehicle carrying government officials, a judge and his three children in Baraki Barak Two Afghan detainees released district of Logar province on Tuesday. All three children aged four to ten were killed in the incident. The officials, US authorities released two Afghan prisoners from the judge and their driver were unharmed. Afghanistan TV Guantanamo detention center in Cuba. The two men have denied being enemy fighters in appearances before Tuesday, 03 August US military tribunals reviewing the status of Guantanamo Bay detainees. For the first time, MSF to Handover Office equipments journalists were allowed to attend the hearings. Both admitted they were with the Taliban but said they never “MSF must relinquish all office equipments including fought US forces. The US Supreme Court ruled that the vehicles before they pull out of Afghanistan,” said Dr. prisoners could challenge their detentions. It is the first Ramazan Bashardost, minister of planning. He added: time any of the around 600 detainees, who have been “according to the agreements between NGOs and held without trial or access to lawyers for more than two Afghan government, MSF can not leave before handing years, have been allowed any form of hearing. over their equipments to Afghan authority,” Radio Azadi Radio Azadi Monday, 02 August Thursday, 05 August Afghan Girl Football Players in US Health Care Talking Books for A group of eight young girl football players from Afghans Afghanistan are in in Cleveland, Ohio for the The Department of Health and Human Services of the International Children’s Games held in July 29 to August United States announced on Wednesday that it will send 2.

Issue August 2004

“The goal is that these girls will go back to Kabul to promote sports in their communities and to take leadership roles both in sports and outside of sports,” said Awista Ayub, founder of the Afghan Youth Sports Exchange in US. Radio Voice of America

Sunday, 01 August Two Child-Kidnappers arrest in Southern Region

Two child kidnappers arrested in Spin Boldak, could face the death penalty, a local official said yesterday in Kabul. Official said in Spin Boldak those kidnappers took the human organs for sale in neighboring Pakistan where people pay large amounts of money for healthy organs for transplants. Afghanistan Radio Two Election Workers Escape from Abductors

“Two local staff of the Afghan Election Commission managed to escape from the custody of unknown abductors between Chaghcharan and Murghab districts of Ghor province on Thursday,” said UN spokesman. He added: “Thankfully in the incident they suffered no injuries but they lost the vehicle and communication equipment,” Afghanistan TV