Afghanistan

The Limits of Afghan Press Freedom

Afghan Government Defends Chaotic Execution

The authorities are unrepentant in spite of claims that some of the 15 men executed were convicted as a result of flawed trials.

Afghanistan: Oct' 07

Plans in train for new Helmand newspaper and next set of stories for local voices project completed.

The Dancing Boys of the North

Wealthy strongmen recruit adolescent boys for entertainment and sex, with the local authorities powerless to stop the practice.

Foreign Taleban Rile Helmand Residents

Afghans in the troubled province say many of the insurgents are not Pashtuns but incomers from other countries who behave in a high-handed and aggressive way towards local civilians.

Harvest Season in Helmand

Photographs by Safai, Ahmad Shah Patsoon and Abaceen Nasimi.

Community TV Comes to Helmand

The government has set up a new local television channel, but in a conflict-torn province, there may not be enough electricity to keep it running.

British Get Blamed for Helmand Security Problems

Allegations in an Afghan parliamentary report that British forces are actively promoting strife reflects lingering suspicions of a country many still see as a historical enemy.

Jury Out on Kyrgyz Islamists

Little consensus on whether group claiming to want to improve Islamic education poses a danger.

Herat Reeling From Violent Crime Wave

A spate of murders and kidnappings is denting the economic prospects of a formerly stable part of Afghanistan.