Afghanistan

Government Short of Cash to Build Free Trade Zones

Hopes are being placed in two free economic zones in the north and south of Tajikistan, but the government is short of cash to put them into operation.

Afghan Girls Suffer for Sins of Male Relatives

Traditional means of settling disputes usually involves giving young girl to family of perceived victim of crime.

Afghanistan: Feb ‘09

Journalist undergoing IWPR training breaks story that Coalition forces accidentally killed civilians.

Afghanistan: Feb ‘09

IWPR story reveals that US-led forces killed civilians in raid, not warlord and militias, as they claimed.

Tajiks Divided on New Regional Force

Tajikistan’s proximity to Afghanistan means the new rapid-reaction force to be set up by members of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, CSTO, carries real significance.

ISAF Risks Losing Hearts and Minds in North

Kunduz residents’ anger over accidental shooting reflects hardening of attitudes towards foreign forces in relatively secure north.

Afghanistan: Jan ‘09

Training sessions boost capacity of journalists from provinces that tend to be overlooked by the Kabul media.

Afghanistan: Jan ‘09

IWPR report on efforts to destroy war crimes evidence puts suspects on the defensive.

Tajikistan Struggles With Rising Drug Use

The Tajik government is pursuing a programme to deter young people from using drugs, but the number of addicts is rising.

Karzai's Great Gamble