Tag Archives: Afghanistan
13 January 2013
On 11 January 2013, President Barack Obama, after meeting with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, said that the United States (US) would accelerate the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in the coming months, because of gains made by Afghan security forces.
After the NATO combat mission will end in 2014, the mission would be focused on advising and supporting Afghan troops, and targeting the remnants of Al Qaeda. Mr. Karzai said the United States had agreed to turn over control of the prisons that house terrorism suspects to Afghan control. He also said he would push for legal immunity for US soldiers – which is a requirement for the US to leave troops behind in Afghanistan.
Source: The New York Times | Obama Accelerates Transition of Security to Afghans
27 May 2012
Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) agreed at the recent summit in Chicago on the security transition for Afghanistan, starting in 2013.
President Obama stated at the summit that NATO member states are ‘unified behind a plan to responsibly wind down the war in Afghanistan’. The plan of withdrawing 130.000 NATO troops by 2014 is ‘irreversible’. He however also stated that Afghanistan will not be abandoned, at least some troops will stay after 2014.
France will withdraw its combat troops from Afghanistan already at the end of this year.
Source: New York Times | NATO Agrees on Afghan Security Transition in 2013
3 May 2012
The Danish Government has decided to appoint a Commission of Inquiry on the Danish involvement in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Commission also has to examine the practice of detention and transfers of prisoners in Afghanistan by Danish forces.
Source: EJIL:Talk! | Denmark Establishes a Commission of Inquiry into the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
10 April 2012
On 8 April 2012, Afghanistan and the United States concluded an agreement under which the US hands control of special operations missions to Afghan forces, including night raids, relegating American troops to a supporting role and bringing the raids under Afghan judicial authority.
Afghan forces can still call on American troops for help and authorize them to enter Afghan residences and private compounds. An interministry Afghan command center with representatives of the Defense and Interior Ministries, as well as the National Directorate of Security, would review or develop information about potential targets in consultation with Americans, who would continue to provide extensive intelligence support. The interministry group would then decide whether to go after a target and send Afghan special operations forces to carry out the raid. The Afghans can request American assistance at any point in the operation — for intelligence, for back-up military support, air support, medical evacuation and post-operation intelligence gathering.
The agreement covers all night raids carried out by special operations forces. However, a small number of night operations are conducted under other auspices, including special C.I.A.-trained units, that are not covered by the agreement.
Source: New York Times | U.S. Transfers Control of Night Raids to Afghanistan
1 February 2012
Claims brought by relatives of French soldiers killed in an ambush in Afghanistan in 2008 alleging that military commanders failed to ensure safety of the troops were declared admissible by the Court of Appeal of Paris on 30 January 2012. The families of the victims alleges that soldiers lacked equipments and that the mission had not been properly organized. This possibility of legal action regarding military operations was not welcomed by army officials and the Ministry of Defense who fear that “judicialization” of military actions would lead to military inefficacy.
Source: France24 | French court approves probe into deadly Afghan ambush
Source: Le Monde | Ouverture d'une enquête sur l'embuscade d'Uzbin