A three day 'Peace Jirga' held in Kabul; Taliban targets Jirga with gunfire and rocket attacks; President Karzai call on Taliban and Hizb-i-Islami to join the reconstruction process of Afghanistan;
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  • A three-day “Peace Jirga” was held in Kabul to discuss how to end the nine-year war in Afghanistan. It began on June 2nd and concluded on June 4. Peace Jirga is an assembly of elders and religious figures comprising around 1,600 delegates. The Jirga issued a 16-article non-binding declaration which advocates peace talks with armed opposition groups. It recommended that the Afghan government should hold talks with the Taliban and other militant groups. At the end of Jirga, Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai said, “I want to call on Taliban and Hizb-i-Islami to use this opportunity to join with us and join in the reconstruction of this country.”1 Earlier Taliban targeted the opening session of Jirga on Wednesday with gunfire and rocket attacks. Meanwhile, it was clearly pointed out in the Jirga that those Taliban figther who are connected with Al Qaeda are not welcome.2 On the other hand, Taliban has vehemently opposing the Peace Jirga and stressed that it would participate in reconciliation efforts only when foreign forces leave Afghanistan.3

    Reports noted that the US will take control of about 8,000 British troops in Helmand province in Southern Afghanistan. This decision has been taken as a part of a restructuring of NATO forces in Southern Afghanistan where command and control will be split into the two. Welcoming the changes, British Defence Secretary Dr. Liam Fox said that the changes were "based on sound military rationale" and in the interests of the coalition strategy. The UK force level in Afghanistan is currently totals at nearly 10,000 which include Special Forces as well.4

    German President Horst Koehler has resigned after being criticized for his remarks on Germany’s military mission in Afghanistan. In a Radio interview on May 22, he had suggested that German military engagement is necessary to protect Germany’s economic interests. His remarks resulted in strong protests by opposition lawmakers with a demand of withdrawal of remarks. After announcing his resignation in Berlin on May 31, Koehler said, “I regret that my comments could lead to misunderstanding for a question that’s important and difficult for our nation.” However, he asserted that the criticism “lacks any foundation” because it “goes so far as to accuse me of favoring military operations” not covered by Germany’s constitution which “undermines the necessary respect for my office.”5

    US Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Azerbaijan capital Baku in order to shore up a link for its supply chain to Afghanistan. Azerbaijan is a transit point which had complained that it was not getting enough attention by Obama administration. Since 2001, tens of thousands of military aircraft and supply trucks have crossed Azerbaijan by air and land, carrying U.S. and NATO forces and equipment to Afghanistan. Gates is most senior member of the Obama administration who has visited Azerbaijan till date.6

    Director-General of Afghan financial intelligence unit Fintraca has claimed that millions of dollars from Saudi donors routed to Afghanistan through Pakistan’s tribal areas have fuelled terrorism in Afghanistan during the last four years. He figured out that funds, which are more than 920 million pounds in total, entered from Pakistan where it is converted into rupees or dollars, which is a favoured currency for terrorist operations.7

    In other development, a senior Taliban commander Haji Amir who was one of the top two rebel commanders in Kandahar’s Panjwayee district and some of his associates have been killed in a NATO air strike in the southern province of Kandahar, NATO sources told in a statement.8

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