According to reports, Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul has said that Afghanistan will work “vigorously” to seek peace with Taliban insurgents. He made these remarks at the launch of new body set up to steer ties with the US in Washington DC on October 3. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also vowed the United States would stand by Afghanistan as it seeks to emerge from decades of war, even after all US and NATO combat troops have left the country by late 2014. 1

In another development, a suicide bomber tore through an Afghan-NATO foot patrol in eastern city of Khost on October 1, killing at least 20 people including three foreign troops and their interpreter. Taliban insurgents claimed responsibility for the attack. 2

• 1. “Afghanistan will work to make peace with Taliban : FM”, Dawn, October 3, 2012 at http://dawn.com/2012/10/03/afghanistan-will-work-to-make-peace-with-tali...
• 2. “Taliban suicide attack kills 20 in Afghanistan including NATO troops”, Dawn, October 1, 2012 at http://dawn.com/2012/10/01/taliban-suicide-attack-kills-20-in-afghanista...