Afghanistan - miscellaneous

General Conditions

Afghanistan Is in Its Worst Shape Since 2001, European Diplomat Says - One of the most experienced Western envoys in Afghanistan said Sunday that conditions there had become the worst since 2001. He urged a concerted American and foreign response, even before a new American administration took office, to avoid “a very hot winter for all of us.” , by Alison Smale - NYT

War and Drought Threaten Afghan Food Supply - A pitiable harvest this year has left small farmers all over central and northern Afghanistan facing hunger, and aid officials are warning of an acute food shortage this winter for nine million Afghans, more than a quarter of the population , by Carlotta Gall - NYT

Afghanistan's Communications Revolution - Today, Afghanistan bears little resemblance to the nation it was long forced to be. Working together after the Taliban was removed from power, the U.S. and Afghan governments recognized the importance of dramatically increasing access to communications networks and establishing access to the Web. Experts from around the world helped Afghanistan establish a modern ministry of communications , by David A. Gross and Amir Zai Sangin - WP

Refugees and Returnees

Remembering Afghan Refugees - ...But there still are over 3 million Afghan in Pakistan, and over 1 million in Iran, and these remaining refugees are now reluctant to return home. Deteriorating security, widespread poverty and unemployment, and a severe lack of social facilities such as access to education and healthcare constitute major obstacles to voluntary repatriation of most Afghan refugees , by M. Ashraf Haidari - EurasiaNet

Shadow of Guantanamo follows freed inmates back to their homes - After years in detention, Afghan returnees have bitter memories as they face new hardships....They call them the Bandi Guantánamo, the Guantánamo returnees, and their welcome home is far from warm. All across Afghanistan in recent months, scores of men have been coming back from a long journey halfway around the world , by Jason Burke - Guardian

History - Archeology

Soldiers in Helmand unearth British rifles lost in 1880 massacre - British soldiers serving in Afghanistan have recovered weapons looted from the bodies of their Victorian forebears.
Rare Martini-Henry rifles lost in the bloody defeat at Maiwand in July 1880 have been retrieved 128 years later by troops fighting the Taliban and al-Qa'ida in Helmand province , by Keith Howitt - Independent

In Afghanistan, French archaeologists uncover ancient city - Poor villagers who once looted the site now help excavate walls and artifacts at what they call the City of Infidels....For years, villagers have dug in the baked earth on the heights of Cheshm-e-Shafa for pottery and coins to sell to antiques smugglers , by Matthew Pennington - AP

Archaeologists Find Giant 'Sleeping' Buddha In Afghanistan - More than seven years after the Taliban destroyed the two giant Buddha statues at Bamiyan, an Afghan-led archaeological team has uncovered the remains of a third giant Buddha nearby , by Ron Synovitz - RFE/RL