8 CIA personnel killed in a suicide attack in Khost; Parliament rejects 70% of nominations for the new cabinet under Karzai ; Election Commission: Afghanistan parliamentary elections to be held on May 22, 2010;
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    • The CIA base in the eastern province of Khost was hit by suicide bombing on December 30 as a result of which 8 CIA personnel were killed. Officials described the attack as a major blow to one of CIA’s key center for intelligence related to its counterterrorism operations. The deadly incident is quite similar to the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut where 8 CIA officers were killed, reports noted.1

    Meanwhile, on January 2 the Parliament rejected 70% of the nominations for the new cabinet as proposed by President Karzai. The complex process of voting rejected of 17 of the 24 nominees. The nominations were announced in December 2009 and retained 12 current ministers in their posts for a second term.2

    The Parliamentary elections would be held on May 22 this year as announced by the Election Commission on January 2. Chief electoral officer for the Independent Election Commission, Daoud Ali Najafi, addressed a press conference in this regard and noted, “The election of the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) will be conducted within the constitutional framework.”3

    In other developments, there were reports suggesting that in 2009 the number of US troops who died in Afghanistan is much more in comparison to Iraq. More than 300 U.S. troops died in Afghanistan in 2009 as against 148 in Iraq. According to Pentagon records, this is the first time since 2003 that more troops died in Afghanistan. Amidst such developments, military officials and analysts predict increased violence in Afghanistan in the year 2010.4

    The residence of Mulla Abdus Salam, District Chief of Musa Qala (in Shah Kareez area of Kajki district), was attacked by Taliban on December 30. At least 25 security guards were killed, 7 injured and 5 were reportedly missing after the attack.5

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