Taliban kills suspected 'mastermind' of bombing that killed 13 US troops, officials say

Table Of Content

• Kabul Afghan Cuisine
• Enjoy the Authentic Taste of Afghan Food
• MORE: Single suicide bomber killed US troops and Afghans in ISIS-K attack at Kabul airport, Pentagon finds
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• For Afghan Refugees, a Choice Between Community and Opportunity
• MORE: Veterans' searing testimony drives GOP-led House panel hearing on Afghanistan exit

Slums creep up hillsides to accommodate a population that tripled to more than 4.5 million between 2001 and 2015. Meanwhile, outside the family’s window, foundations are being laid for a mosque. The planners had promised to build a playground, Aimal says, dreading the prospect of being woken up by the 5 a.m. “Our country is broken,” Parwin chimes in, “but we try our best to make a good atmosphere inside the house.” In the children’s bedroom, Arshid, 10, and Rashid, eight, sleep on Mickey Mouse bedsheets. Marvel stickers decorate the walls, and a cage with two canaries takes up most of the bedside table. A few ATMs that accept international cards are scattered around the city, and most dispense both Afghanis and US dollars.

Kabul Afghan Cuisine

At 71, the former communist who spent four decades as a government meteorologist before retiring is lean and has the hoarse voice of a lifelong smoker. He wears an embroidered white robe and keeps his mustache neatly trimmed and his white widow’s peak slicked back. So far Qasaba’s comfortable new apartment blocks on the edge of Afghanistan’s capital city have been less vulnerable to Taliban attacks than downtown areas. Kabul is not a cheap place to stay, principally due to the costs of running a generator and providing security. The hotels are good if you are just passing through, however for long term stays opting for a guest house is more popular. There are several in Wazir Akbar Khan and Shar-i-Naw, often in huge Pakistani style mansions.

Enjoy the Authentic Taste of Afghan Food

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who chaired the hearing at which Vargas-Andrews testified, criticized the Biden administration in a statement to ABC News on Tuesday. The Afghanistan withdrawal received renewed public attention last month after the most gravely wounded U.S. survivor of the blast at Abbey Gate gave powerful testimony during a GOP-led House hearing on the matter. It is not clear why the Taliban has so far not publicly taken credit for such a high-profile blow against its adversary, according to the senior official. The U.S. did not coordinate with the Taliban in the killing of the ISIS-K leader, according to the official. Grilled Seafood | Meat | Vegetable Pita Sandwiches to fulfill your cravings. I knew about my culture, and I felt a sense of, like, that my community was part of Fremont,” Mr. Mojadedi recalled recently over a game of teka and chapli kebabs during lunch with other young Afghans from the area.

MORE: Single suicide bomber killed US troops and Afghans in ISIS-K attack at Kabul airport, Pentagon finds

'Nowhere to go': 17 families face eviction from Dehradun's Kabul House amidst winter uncertainty - The New Indian Express

'Nowhere to go': 17 families face eviction from Dehradun's Kabul House amidst winter uncertainty.

Posted: Tue, 07 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

The official said that there's no expectation the news will take away the pain felt by grieving families, but "we felt and feel a moral responsibility" to inform them. "He was a key ISIS-K official directly involved in plotting operations like Abbey Gate, and now is no longer able to plot or conduct attacks," Kirby said, in part. The official would not give the name of the leader but said he "remained a key ISIS-K figure and plotter" after the Abbey Gate bombing. Apartments here have running water and central heating, a luxury in a city dominated by slum housing heated by polluting woodstoves, and the air is cleaner than it is downtown. Outside, women walk freely and socialize over ice cream, a sign of liberalism and security. Istalif in a side valley of the Shamali Plain makes for an excellent overnight or day trip destination.

From 1979–1989, the Soviet Union maintained military and governmental headquarters in Kabul. After the Soviets left, the government collapsed in 1992 and left local warlords to fight over the city, leaving tens of thousands dead and (according to the UN) 90% of the city's buildings destroyed. In 1996, the political movement known as the Taliban captured the city, publicly hanging the former (pre-1992) president and imposing notoriously strict Islamic rule over the country.

We could go on and on claiming how exquisite our foods are, but we invite you to come and taste for yourself. The new bill was passed , with strong support from a majority of both Republicans and Democrats. It’s part of a larger package that includes foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, and was likely included as a way for House Speaker Mike Johnson to attract more conservative support.

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In 871 Kabul fell to the Islamic invasion (nearly 200 years after invading Muslims reached modern-day Afghanistan). The Kabulistan empire was formed covering much of Afghanistan and parts of western modern-day Pakistan. The city once again passed uneventfully through the hands of several empires, including the Samanids, Ghaznavids, Ghorids, Timurids, Mughols, Durranis, and the Barakzais, before conquest by the Mongols in the 13th century. The famous Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta visited the city in 1344, noting, "We travelled on to Kabul, formerly a vast town, the site of which is now occupied by a village inhabited by a tribe of Persians called Afghans." Efforts to ban TikTok go back to the Trump administration, but the issue has been revived in recent months. The House already passed a similar bill in March — a bill that the Senate showed little interest in taking up.

House Republicans Demand Answers from Pentagon on Failure to Prevent Kabul Airport Bombing - National Review

House Republicans Demand Answers from Pentagon on Failure to Prevent Kabul Airport Bombing.

Posted: Thu, 18 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

People are generally helpful and polite if you ask for directions. Not only are you supporting local small business by visiting but you will receive high quality meals and services from happily operated family staffs. But those communities lack the kind of cultural support that Mr. Mojadedi experienced. The displaced Afghans would most likely find language barriers, few social services and perhaps hostility toward foreigners.

MORE: Veterans' searing testimony drives GOP-led House panel hearing on Afghanistan exit

While the city is fairly safe, it isn't a bad idea to be proactive and avoid catching a taxi near any sensitive location (embassy, military facilities, 5-star hotels). After dark local yellow taxis become a rarity, so keep a few taxi numbers in your phone as a backup. In the early 20th century, electricity was introduced to the city and the Darul Aman palace was constructed for the royal family. Kabul University was opened; the roads were paved; modern shops, offices, & schools were opened; shopping centers and a cinema were opened; and the Kabul Zoo opened. The city also saw a vibrant tourism industry appear, largely due to the Istanbul–New Delhi "Hippie Trail" which passed through Kabul in the 1960s and 1970s. The city was badly damaged during the various wars since 1979, particularly its western parts.

The vast numbers of foreigners in Kabul has led to the city being perhaps the best place to eat in the region, and in the mid-range bracket there are dozens of good places to eat for US$15-25 per person for an evening meal. There is the Millie Bus which operates many routes around Kabul, but it is faster and more comfortable to use taxis. Some buses are relatively new, but many are old as one might expect in a 3rd world country. We have Kabul House cater parties big and small for us and they have always been excellent. Truly one of the few places that have mastered their dishes so well that there are zero complaints.

A day trip to the north (Shamali Plain, Salang Pass, Panjshir Valley and Jabal os Saraj), Qargha Reservoir to the west of Kabul. It is wise to look closely at the security arrangements for any of these hotels. Many, especially those in the Splurge section, have been attacked by Taliban or other insurgent groups. Always think about escape routes and safe places to shelter. Despite being illegal, alcohol is pretty easy to find in Kabul's expat restaurants - buying your own supply involves befriending someone working at an embassy or military base, or dipping into the murky world of expat black-marketeering. Beer and spirits are available at UNICA, but the selection is slim.

Today its streets bustle with battered Toyota Corollas, street kids hawking wares, fruit peddlers, and schoolchildren. Mansions painted in pastel colors dot the cityscape—one sign that funneling massive funds into a largely agrarian country has disproportionately benefited a small elite in the capital. Yet modernity hasn’t affected their traditional family hierarchy. Khalida, as the youngest woman in the house, also cooks, cleans, washes dishes, and takes the sons to the playground. Aimal, who has given up looking for a job, spends much of his day playing video games with the boys. The second coup was carried out by the Marxist PDPA, which a year later invited the Soviet military to maintain their power over the country.

One outcome of an escalation in the war between the Taliban and the Western-backed government is that it could threaten Qasaba’s calm. Mikrorayons, building projects similar to Khwaja Rawash that embody a bygone era of Soviet support for the former communist regime, became a target of armed factions in the civil war during the 1990s. The fundamental obstacle for progress in Afghanistan is not a lack of development money but the government’s inability to secure the country. Living close to people from other backgrounds can help smooth ethnic tensions that pervade Afghan society, they say, adding that they, a Pashtun family, often hang out with the Uzbek family on the fourth floor. “Well-educated people think migration is good,” says Ziarkash’s sister, Sima, who is visiting for lunch. Abdul Kabir Ziarkash greets me at the door to his apartment in Khwaja Rawash.