RFE/RL

Iran Launches Naval Drills With Russia, China Amid Tensions With U.S.

Iran’s navy has launched its first joint maneuvers with Russia and China in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, Iranian state TV reports.

Kidnapped Afghan Peace Marchers 'Released Without Harm'

Twenty-seven Afghan peace activists who were kidnapped by the Taliban in the country's west have been freed "after being held by the militants for 45 hours," an official has said.

U.S. Unfreezes Pakistani Military’s Participation In Training Program

The United States is allowing Pakistan to rejoin a military training program following a two-year suspension -- representing one element of U.S. military assistance frozen by President Donald Trump after accusing Islamabad of not doing enough to stop terrorism.

U.S. Envoy Meets Afghan President In Push To 'Finalize Deal With Taliban'

U.S. special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has met in Kabul with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to discuss "efforts to finalize a deal with the Taliban" militants fighting the central government and U.S. and NATO troops, officials said.

Pakistan Lawyer Involved In Enforced Disappearances Cases Goes Missing

A lawyer known for pursuing cases of people allegedly kidnapped by the country’s security agencies was abducted from his residence, his family says.

While Number Of Journalists Killed Falls, More Behind Bars In 2019, RSF Says

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says journalism remains a “dangerous profession,” with 49 journalists killed this year, 389 currently imprisoned, and 57 others being held hostage.

Pakistan's Musharraf Sentenced To Death In Treason Case

A Pakistani court has handed a death sentence to former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf on treason charges for suspending the country's constitution 12 years ago.

Islamic State Prisoners Shown To Media As Afghans Return To Ruins

Afghans have been returning to their ruined homes in Nangarhar Province after officials claimed they had cleared it of remaining IS fighters and showed captured militants to the media.

U.S. To Publish New Central Asia Strategy Amid Russian, Chinese Competition, Afghan Threat

The Trump administration plans to publish a new U.S. strategy for Central Asia as China and Russia fight for influence in the energy-rich region and militants from Afghanistan threaten to destabilize it, a senior State Department official has said. 

Insider Attack Kills At Least Nine Afghan Troops

At least one member of an Afghan militia has shot dead nine of his fellow militiamen in what the Interior Ministry is calling an insider attack.

Afghan Presidential Candidate Abdullah To Allow Ballot Recount

Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah has agreed to allow a ballot recount in provinces where his supporters had stopped the process for nearly a month.

U.S. Envoy Briefs Pakistani Officials On Peace Talks With Taliban

U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is on a two-day visit to Pakistan to brief the country's leaders about his latest negotiations with the Afghan Taliban.

Watchdog Demands Pakistan End Silence On 'Disappeared' Activist

Human Rights Watch is urging the Pakistani authorities to provide information about the whereabouts of a political activist and human rights activist who has been missing for one month.

Roadside Bomb Kills 10 Civilians In Eastern Afghanistan

Ten people, including four women and a child, were killed in a roadside bomb explosion in eastern Afghanistan, officials said on December 13.

Thirteen Dead In Pakistan After Truck Collides With Passenger Bus

A passenger bus caught fire after a collision with a pickup truck loaded with fuel in Pakistan on December 13, killing 13 people, officials said.

Police: Violence Erupts as Pakistani Lawyers Storm Hospital

India's Parliament Passes Controversial Citizenship Bill

India's parliament has approved legislation granting citizenship to non-Muslim illegal immigrants from mainly Muslim Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

Pakistani Militant Accused Of Mumbai Attacks Faces Terror-Financing Charges

A Pakistani court has indicted Islamist militant Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind of deadly 2008 attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai, on terrorism financing charges, a government prosecutor and a security official said on December 11.

Court Orders Release Of Pakistan's Ailing Ex-President Zardari

A Pakistani court on December 11 ordered the release of former President Asif Ali Zardari on bail on medical grounds to allow him to seek medical treatment at a hospital of his choice in the country.

Taliban Assault On Key U.S. Base In Afghanistan Kills Two, Wounds Dozens

Taliban militants have attacked a medical facility near the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan, officials say, killing at least two Afghan civilians and wounding more than 70 other people, including five Georgian soldiers.