Foreign soldier killed in Afghanistan attack

Last year, the Upper House of Afghanistan’s parliament ratified the controversial Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with Washington, according to which about 10,000 American troops would stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014, when the US-led combat mission ended.

In recent months, the Taliban have stepped up their attacks on Afghan soldiers and police.

Mansour was appointed the new leader when Mullah Omar’s death was announced as the group grappled with peace negotiations-related infighting that triggered defections to the growing Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) jihadist organization in Afghanistan.

The residual force is not engaged in day-to-day fighting with the Taliban but focuses instead on training, support and counter-terrorism operations.

Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour also said that all existing military and security deals between the Kabul government and other countries must be revoked.

“ONLY FOR A FEW WEEKS” The USA spent more than $5.5 billion on military equipment, including Humvees, for Afghan forces between 2002 and April 2013, according to a us government report.

A senior Afghan official said “dozens” had been lost, and that the seized vehicles posed “a big threat to our forces and they must be destroyed or recaptured”.

“Also Mansour wants to show the Afghan people and the world that the Taliban are capable of continuing the war”.

Others said the process to choose Mansour as his successor was rushed and even biased. Mullah Omar was the type of leader who relied on his personal authority to smooth over the tribal and regional divisions which could otherwise fracture the movement and reduce its effectiveness on the battlefield.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani telephoned Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday, relieving tensions caused by a string of Taliban attacks allegedly planned by the Afghan Taliban’s Pakistan-based leaders.

Mr Rubin says that some Taliban also own businesses in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

A North Atlantic Treaty Organisation force member was killed in a militant attack on a USA air base in Afghanistan, the organization said Wednesday.