Over 7 people, including an Indian engineer were killed in a suicide attack on their convoy in Nimruz province, southeastern Afghanistan on January 3. The convoy of Indian engineers belonging to the Border Roads Organization (BRO) was being escorted by Afghan and Indian security personnel. New Delhi reiterated its “determination to continue to work for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Afghanistan and the well-being of Afghan people1.”

The Associated Press noted that the US forces suffered the largest number of casualties in a year in 2007, having lost 110 soldiers. While the United Kingdom lost 41 soldiers, 30 Canadian soldiers as well as 40 coalition soldiers were killed. Over 900 Afghan police officers also lost their lives while the Taliban set off a record number of more than 140 suicide attacks2.

Among other developments, the Afghan Islamic Council urged President Karzai to monitor the work of Christian aid organizations in the country as well as ban the screening of the immensely popular Indian soap operas and movies on Afghan television, for allegedly containing immoral content3.

• 1. “Bomb hits Indian workers in Afghanistan”, The New York Times, January 4, 2008, at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/04/world/asia/04afghan.html?ref=todayspaper
• 2. “Afghanistan: 110 GI’s killed in 2007”, The New York Times¸ January 1, 2008, at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/01/world/asia/01briefs-110GI8217SKI_BRF.h...
• 3. “Afghan clerics warn Karzai against missionaries”, The New York Times, January 6, 2008, at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/world/asia/06afghan.html?ref=todayspaper