Afghanistan Focus

[Bengal_Tiger]

** News and discussion related to Afghanistan **

Background

Afghanistan is a country lying at the very heart of the world's biggest continent Asia and is close to three major global powers, Russia, China and India all of whom are nuclear powers and part of BRICS. It is also very important in Islamic history for its Islamic heritage as is central Asia in general.

In recent history it is seen as the country which led to the demise of the 15-nation Soviet Union and thus the complete transformation of the bi-polar world order to a new one.

In this thread I will be compiling news and events related to Afghanistan.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Ghani Says Afghan Mineral Wealth to Transform Economy

By Eltaf Najafizada September 29, 2014



Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, seen here, was sworn in as Afghanistan’s president.

Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai vowed to tackle endemic corruption and use Afghanistan’s mineral wealth to wean the government off foreign aid after he became the country’s second elected leader since the U.S. invasion in 2001.

“The rich mineral resources in Afghanistan can transform the country into an industrial nation,” Ghani, a 65-year-old former World Bank economist, said after being sworn in as president today in Kabul. “We broadly depend on imports and foreign assistance, and we aim to create a sound economic system for the country to stimulate exports and develop economy.”

Ghani’s elevation paves the way for the U.S. to sign a pact that would keep American troops in the country beyond this year and secure billions of dollars in aid to support Afghan soldiers as they fight Taliban insurgents. He faces the challenge of overhauling Afghanistan’s political system, rooting out graft and boosting growth in Asia’s poorest country.



The government put the country’s mineral wealth at $3 trillion in 2011, triple an estimate from the Pentagon the previous year. The U.S. and other donors fund about 60 percent of Afghanistan’s national budget, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, known as Sigar. Last year, the Afghan government raised about $2 billion in revenues, or less than a third of its stated budget needs.

“The sheer size of the U.S. government’s reconstruction effort has placed both a financial and operational burden on the Afghan economy and its government that it simply cannot manage by itself,” John Sopko, Sigar’s inspector general, said in a Sept. 12 speech.

Dollars, Deaths

The U.S. spent about $93 billion in military and economic assistance to Afghanistan from the Taliban’s ouster in late 2001 through September 2013, with a further $6.1 billion budgeted for this year, the Congressional Research Service said in May. As of Sept. 18, 2,346 Americans have died in the war.

STORY: Australian Economy Changes as Exports to China Slow
The Obama administration plans to reduce this year’s deployment of more than 30,000 troops to about 9,800 by the start of next year. That number would be reduced by about half by the end of next year and cut again to a small security force for the U.S. embassy in Kabul by the end of 2016.

Ghani signed a document today making runner-up Abdullah Abdullah the chief executive officer as part of a power-sharing agreement reached to avoid violence following a disputed election. Ghani succeeds Hamid Karzai, who ruled the country for 13 years and refused to sign the pact to keep U.S. troops in the country.

Security Pact

Ghani will sign the pact within days, Rangin Dadfar Spanta, the outgoing national security adviser of Afghanistan, said by phone on Sept. 29. During the campaign, Ghani pledged to sign it within a week of taking power.


“A hopeful environment has emerged in Afghanistan,” Ghani said at the inauguration today, which was attended by officials from the Obama administration led by John Podesta. “Afghanistan is different now from the previous Afghanistan.”

Taliban attacks today killed 12 people in a reminder of the challenges Ghani will face as president. He called for peace talks with the group, which ruled Afghanistan and harbored the late al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden before the U.S. invasion in 2001.

Tensions are still lingering over the two-round, six-month election process that ended Sept. 21. Afghanistan’s poll commission said on Sept. 26 that Ghani received 55 percent of votes, drawing criticism from Abdullah, who called it a violation of an agreement to keep the results confidential.


Abdullah put aside any animosity during the inauguration proceedings.

“As a national unified team, our commitments will be accomplished,” Abdullah said. “Today, Afghanistan needs peace and stability more than anything else.”

Ghani is a Pashtun who served as Afghanistan’s finance minister from 2002 to 2004. He lived outside of the country for more than 20 years while Afghanistan was mired in conflict with the Soviet Union in the 1980s and the Taliban in the 1990s.


Ghani received a doctorate from Columbia University and taught at the University of California, Berkeley, and Johns Hopkins University, according to his website. During his tenure at the World Bank, he spent time in Russia, China and India managing large-scale development projects, it said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Eltaf Najafizada in Kabul at enajafizada1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Daniel Ten Kate at dtenkate@bloomberg.net Jeanette Rodrigues

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-09-29/ghani-becomes-second-elected-afghan-leader-since-u-dot-s-dot-war

[Bengal_Tiger]

1. Ashraf Ghani is saying that Afghanistan is sitting on $3 trillion worth of mineral resources.

2. In addition to these mineral resources, Afghanistan is sitting on a very strategic location as a transitory point between the Arabian Gulf/Indian Ocean and resource rich central Asia/Eurasia.

3. It also has a border with the largest country and economic market in the world, China.

4. It borders gas rich Turkmenistan which has the potential to become a central Asian Qatar as it has a very small population but is rich in resources.

A rich Turkmenistan would stimulate the Afghan economy.

The key prerequisite however for Afghan progress is the elimination of militant groups backed by hostile neighbouring states, including one in particular.

[Bengal_Tiger]

The following article is from online Bangladeshi newspaper, Bdnews24, a few weeks ago:



Afghanistan sits on $1 trillion mineral trove

News Desk, bdnews24.com

Published: 2014-09-05 10:21:45.0 BdST Updated: 2014-09-05 10:22:19.0 BdST


The fate of Afghanistan, one of the poorest nations in the world, might just change as US scientists believe the war-ravaged country has one of the richest troves of minerals in the world, reports Live Science.


A violent collision between the Indian subcontinent with Asia deposited the minerals that are thought to be worth around $1 trillion.

"Afghanistan is a country that is very, very rich in mineral resources," Jack Medlin, a geologist and program manager of the US Geological Survey's (USGS) Afghanistan project, was quoted as telling Live Science.

The USGS began looking for Afghanistan's mineral resources after the Taliban was ousted in 2004.

In 2006, the US researchers surveyed over 70 percent of the country in just two months confirming old Soviet geological maps that hinted at possible 'geological goldmines' in Afghanistan.

"We've identified the potential for at least 24 world-class mineral deposits," Medlin was quoted as saying by Live Science. The scientists' work was detailed in the Aug 15 issue of the journal Science.

According to the report, Afghanistan may hold 60 million tonnes of copper, 2.2 billion tons of iron ore, 1.4 million tons of rare earth elements such as lanthanum, cerium and neodymium, and lodes of aluminum, gold, silver, zinc, mercury and lithium.

The Khanneshin carbonatite deposit in Helmand province alone is valued at $89 billion.

But, political instability, in-fighting and poor infrastructures pose biggest challenges in reaping benefits from the potential sector.

The Afghan government has signed a 30-year, $3 billion contract with state-owned China Metallurgical Group to exploit the Mes Aynak copper deposit. Indian state-run and private companies have been awarded mining rights for the country's biggest iron deposit, says the Live Science report.

"These resources provide the potential for Afghanistan to develop its economy, to create jobs and build infrastructure, as it goes into the future," Medlin said.

http://bdnews24.com/world/2014/09/05/afghanistan-sits-on-1-trillion-mineral-trove

1. Afghanistan's economy is improving:






2. It now has a government led by an American trained economist, Ashraf Ghani, which has adopted an inclusive policy of ensuring national stability by accommodating the leader of Afghanistan's second main ethno-linguistic group, Tajiks/Farsizaban Afghanistanis etc.

3. Afghanistan needs to optimize trade relations with its central Asian neighbours, a process which it is already undertaking.

[Bengal_Tiger]

New Afghan Government? Check. Now Get the Economy Going

A long-delayed pipeline to ship gas from Turkmenistan to India could produce $400 million a year for the country.


By SAAD MOHSENI

Sept. 30, 2014 7:13 p.m. ET

On Monday Afghanistan got a new government through a peaceful transition of power. Ashraf Ghani was sworn into office as president while Abdullah Abdullah became chief executive, a post similar to that of prime minister that was created as the result of an agreement between the two rivals. The leadership of the new government must make improvement of the economy its top priority.

Pessimists argue that foreign aid, which constitutes the majority of Afghanistan's $20 billion GDP, will decline after 2014—sending the economy, and the country, into a downward spiral. This could happen, but not if the new leadership seizes the initiative. Afghanistan is rich in natural and human resources, with large tracts of arable land and a relatively small population of 30 million. The government can, through short-, medium- and long-term policies, foster a lasting prosperity. These policies include:

• Establishing certainty in property rights. According to private estimates, there is some $4 billion in the country's commercial banks that can be lent to enable Afghans to improve their homes, launch small businesses and raise their standard of living. My own rough calculation suggests that there is potentially $40 billion of value in residential buildings in Kabul alone. Unlocking this value will spark a boom in construction and consumer demand.


Unfortunately, disputes over land are relatively common in Afghanistan due to conflicting laws, tribal and community customs, and presidential decrees. The uncertainty over property rights is made worse by mortgage laws that need to be clarified and strengthened to spell out the rights of borrowers and lenders. As it is now, banks in many cases are reluctant to lend.

Clear title to private property can yield great social benefits and legally empower poor and ordinary citizens—and has done so elsewhere. For example, data cited by the National Endowment for Democracy show that property rights and business reform in Peru resulted in a $2.9 billion increase in the value of urban real-estate assets, nearly $8 billion in additional tax revenue and nearly $200 million in reduced red-tape costs between 1992 and 2007. This turnaround came after Peru reached out to foreign institutions and governments as well as to domestic experts to institute reforms following decades of internal conflict. The Afghanistan Independent Land Authority can do the same.

• Encouraging foreign investment, particularly in natural resources. Afghanistan's mineral resources—which include copper, iron ore, gold, silver, aluminum and rare-earth elements—are worth an estimated $900 billion according to the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, a Pentagon unit tasked with rebuilding Afghanistan's economy.

Unfortunately, former President Hamid Karzai viewed international investment and the West with suspicion, which held back development. A new government willing to award contracts to begin a dozen or more mines could help enable the country to meet domestic expenditures from its own revenues.

While large-scale mining could take a decade or more to bear fruit, small- to medium-size projects—including the Zarkashan gold and copper mine in Ghazni province—could be up and running within two years, according to geologists. Lithium deposits throughout Afghanistan's evaporite lakes, and cobalt and copper mines in Logar province, would also bring relatively quick returns to the Afghan treasury.

In the past, disagreements between mining companies and the Afghan government over the funding of railroads delayed projects such as an $11 billion iron-ore mine in Bamiyan province, the rights to which belong to an Indian steel consortium. No single entity can fund and manage Afghan railroads. Instead, what is needed is a partnership between the government, aid agencies and mining firms.

• Modernizing agriculture. Before the Soviet invasion in 1979, Afghanistan produced 10% of the world's raisins. Today intermittent battles with insurgents and logistical hurdles have combined to slow the growth in agriculture, which supports three-quarters of the population. Few proper roads make it difficult for goods to get to market. Afghanistan's rivers flow freely into neighboring lands while shoddy irrigation and storage systems deprive Afghan farmers of adequate water supplies.

The new government needs to focus on dam projects while also pursuing peaceful resolutions over water rights with Iran, Pakistan and other neighbors. These neighbors—who have been accused in the past by Afghan officials of interfering in the country's dam projects—ought to realize that a stable, peaceful Afghanistan that works in partnership with them is far more beneficial than a weak state vulnerable to terrorists.

Today, Afghanistan too often produces low-margin raw goods with little processing or packaging, such as onions or cotton, for export to nearby markets, while importing more expensive processed versions of those same goods. There is potential for entrepreneurial Afghan farmers and business leaders to offer more profitable, value-added products, including bottled juice, high-quality cashmere and cotton yarn.

• Servicing Asia's energy markets. With its location between energy-rich and energy-hungry nations, Afghanistan could become a transportation corridor linking its neighbors in Central Asia and the Middle East with the growing demand in India and Pakistan. For example, the long-delayed Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline, or TAPI, could pipe natural gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and India. Upon completion, ideally by 2017, TAPI could produce $400 million a year in revenues for Afghanistan. The market is certainly there: The Asian Development Bank estimates that South Asia's energy demand will more than double between 2010 and 2020.

In recent months China and Bangladesh have reportedly expressed eagerness to join the TAPI project. Once the regional grid is in place, Afghanistan's own substantial natural-gas and oil reserves can be developed for domestic use and export.

• Sharpening the work force's skill set. As of 2014, according to GIZ, the German government's aid agency, there were only 250 vocational schools training 90,000 young people in Afghanistan, a country with 20 million people under age 25. This won't do. Afghanistan has begun to formalize its vocational-education sector but needs to do far more to educate more carpenters, mechanics, technicians and other workers needed to build the economy over the next generation.

Afghans defied threats from the Taliban and showed enormous courage in voting this spring. Their new leaders should match the people's courage with an unstinting commitment to economic reform. Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah should put aside the rancor and political battles of the past several months and ensure that their unity government speaks with one strong voice, expressing a clear strategic vision for a stable and prosperous Afghanistan that is no longer a haven for extremism. Responsible investments by the international community can help this vision be realized.

Mr. Mohseni is the chairman of MOBY Group, Afghanistan's largest media group, with additional holdings in the Middle East and South and Central Asia.

http://online.wsj.com/articles/saad-mohseni-new-afghan-government-check-now-get-the-economy-going-1412118823

*I believe the GOA (Government of Afghanistan) should have a plan B just in case the TAPI pipeline does not materialize, which it hasn't for a long time.

The Afghan armed forces are developing their military capabilities and are increasing their abilities to neutralize foreign-backed insurgents and militants destabilizing the country which was evidenced by their ability to hold relatively peaceful nation-wide elections earlier this year which have resulted in a peaceful transition of power (albeit with some political disagreements as to actual percentage of the votes attained by rival candidates).

Peace and a terrorist-free Afghanistan is the foundation upon which Afghanistan can utilize its possible $3 trillion worth of mineral resources to catapult itself in to becoming a central Asian tiger economy.

Those states who seek to destabilize Afghanistan and keep it weak will ultimately suffer as the law of karma will result in their own demise as we can see.

[Bengal_Tiger]

A picture from the New Kabul project in Afghanistan.

New Kabul is the name of the new city which is planned to be built outside of Kabul as a modern new city.

[Bengal_Tiger]

IHFD Kabul New City Development Animation - YouTube

[Bengal_Tiger]

Afghan intel agency captures two senior Haqqani Network leaders

By BILL ROGGIOOctober 16, 2014 2:19 PM





The National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan's intelligence service, captured Anis Haqqani, the son of the group's leader and the brother of its operational leader, and Hafiz Rashid, the network's military commander for southeastern Afghanistan, during a special operations raid yesterday. The NDS released a statement on the raid and the two Haqqani Network leaders, which was excerpted by Khaama Press:

The statement further added that Anis Haqqani is one of the powerful members of Haqqani Network who is arrested by National Directorate of Security (NDS). Anis was the deputy of his brother Sirajudin Haqqani, the leader of Haqqani Network and was playing key role in strategic decisions of this network.

"Anis Haqqani has special skills in computer and was considered one of the master minds of this network in making propaganda through social networks. He was responsible for collecting and preparing funds from Arabic countries to carry out operations of this network," NDS said.

The statement also added that military command of Haqqani Network in South Eastern Afghanistan Hafiz Rashid is the son of Mohammad Omer. He is originally from Ismailkhil district of Khost province.

"Currently, he lived in Chakwal area of Pakistan Panjab province. He was a shadow governor of this network for the Ismailkhil district of Khost province. Recently, he was appointed as a military commander of Haqqani Network in south eastern provinces of Afghanistan," the statement said, adding that "Hafiz Rashid was responsible of choosing targets and providing equipment to the suicide bombers."

According to NDS, Hafiz Rashid was considered one of the responsible people for transferring suicide bombers from Peshawar and Waziristan to Kabul. Hafiz Rashid is 34 years old and his brother Mohammad Nabi Omer was the deputy of Jalaludin Haqani at the ministry of Borders and tribal affairs during Taliban regime.



Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat...#ixzz3GPf1C2zc



1. Afghan security forces have captured two key members from the militants fighting against the Afghan national government.


2. There is Arab backing for these militants.

Afghanistan is not strong enough by itself (the same with Bangladesh) to confront Arab regimes for support for these militants. It should liaise with senior members of the international community such as China, Russia, India and others to put pressure on Arab regimes not to destabilize Afghanistan.

The stability of Afghanistan is important for China, Russia and India.




A member of Afghanistan's armed forces.

















A soldier of the Afghanistan National Army (ANA).

The Armed Forces of Afghanistan protect one of the oldest nation states in the world, namely the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan whose existence as an independent nation-state is older than virtually every country in Africa, all other countries in South Asia, most of the Arab world, most of central and eastern Europe. They inherit a martial tradition which includes the legendary Muslim hero and commander, Ahmed Shah Abdali (rahmatullahi 'alaih).

The ANA have successfully ensured that Arab/Pakistani backed militants were not able to disrupt Afghanistan's national elections which were generally carried out in safety and peace.


[MENTION=223]JAMALUDEEN[/MENTION] [MENTION=4551]hamid954[/MENTION]

[Bengal_Tiger]

Ghani: Qualified mayor needed to transform Kabul into a modern city

By KHAAMA PRESS - Fri Oct 17 2014, 7:01 pm


Kabul city modernization President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai said Friday that a competent and qualified mayor is needed to transform capital Kabul into one of the best cities of the world.
Speaking during a meeting with the open civil society organizations, President Ghani said Kabul is the capital city of Afghanistan and the next mayor should have a master plan for the modernization of the city.
President Ghani admitted that the standards have not been considered in construction of roads and high rise buildings in the capital.
He insisted that the mayor of capital Kabul should be appointed based on the election which should be conducted within the next two years.
President Ghani said a tender will be requested on an international level for the implementation of master plan to modernize the Kabul city, where the international experts and successful mayors will be requested to share their expertise for the modernization of Kabul city.
He also called on new generation and youths of the country to share experiences to establish a transparent administration and insisted that all government officials will remain for their responsibilities and activities.

http://www.khaama.com/ghani-qualified-mayor-needed-to-transform-kabul-into-a-modern-city-6851

1. In most countries the capital is the centre of economic activity.

If Kabul modernizes it will be of huge benefit to the overall Afghan economy and Kabul will no doubt get bigger as people from across the country and even from countries next door may go there for work.

2. The huge Afghan diaspora above in the west can help to fund the growth of Kabul.


3. With the right planning and organization, Kabul can compete with other central Asian cities and capitals.



Ashgabad the capital of Afghanistan's western neighbour, Turkmenistan.





Tashkent, the capital of Afghanistan's northern neighbour, Uzbekistan.

[ghumbasa]

Afghanistan is a country whose resources are shared by outsiders....and whats left is given to hazara,uzbek and tajiks...Nothing is given to pashtuns.

[Bengal_Tiger]

New Gov't Determined to Combat Terrorism

Friday, 17 October 2014 16:50
Last Updated on Friday, 17 October 2014 18:53
Written by Tariq Majedi


The National Directorate of Security (NDS) has said that the new government has the strong-will and commitment to fight the war against terrorism and extremism.

According to security organs, President Ashraf Ghani's remarks made during his first week in office about not forgiving those who shed the blood of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) has added respective morals for the security forces demonstrating a vow and determination to fighting the war against insurgency side-by-side.

"When there is support from the political leaders for us the moral of the security forces of the country are nourished," NDS spokesman Hasib Sediqi said. "Whenever a major threat is posed on the structure of the insurgents it has damaging impacts on strength of the opponents in the long and short term periods."

He added that with the arrests and deaths of senior terrorists group leaders, in the past week, have resulted in major losses for the terrorist organizations.

Sediqi expanded explaining that with the arrest of the Haqqani Network leader's brother, Anas Haqqani who the strategic brains behind the network and Hafiz Rashid who is responsible for equipping the insurgents, the group will face financial and strategic difficulties in their absences.

In addition, on Thursday evening, Shamsuddin known as Qari Zubair, leader of the Jundullah Network was killed in an air strike.

http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/16773-new-govt-determined-to-combat-terrorism

1. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is facing an insurgency from militants. Other Muslim nations have faced similar problems and have had to deal with terrorism.

- Algeria, in the 1990s lost 100,000 people to radicals in an insurgency which they have more or less won.

- Bangladesh is dealing with the threat from the Saudi/Pakistani-backed Jamaat i "Islami" terrorist organization who are linked to organizations recently said to be planning to murder the prime minister.

So Afghanistan is not alone in the Muslim world in facing this problem.


2. Afghan security forces have secured a major step this week in arresting key insurgency leaders who are backed by Pakistan.

3. The security forces are beefing up their capabilities with the introuduction of MD helicopters a week ago.




An Afghan military helicopter pictured launching a missile. The Afghan armed forces require strong aerial mobility in their pursuit of militants across the country.

[Bengal_Tiger]

!!! *** Key Al-Qaeda Leader Killed in Nangarhar *** !!!


Sunday, 19 October 2014 15:25

Written by TOLOnews.com


Key Al-Qaeda leader Abul Bara Al-Kuwaiti was killed in an operation by the National Directorate of Security (NDS) forces in eastern Nangarhar province on Saturday, the NDS said in a statement on Sunday.

The statement highlighted that, "Abul Bara Al-Kuwaiti had close relations with the family of Ayman Al-Zawahiri, the Al-Qaeda leader," adding that Al-Kuwaiti was killed in Nazyan district of the province at Al-Qaeda's commander, Abdul Samad Khenjeri's house.

During the operation, the NDS also seized weapons and important documents regarding Al-Qaeda activity.

This is while three days ago, the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) arrested two top leaders of the Haqqani Network, Anas Haqqani and Hafiz Rashid, marking a major blow to the infamous terrorist group.

Anas, the stepbrother of Sarajudin Haqqani, had a substantial role in high-level decision making in the network. Rashid was said to have overseen the preparation of suicide bombers for attacks inside Afghanistan, according to NDS.

http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/16797-key-al-qaeda-leader-killed-in-nangarhar

*Stunning successes this week by the NDS!

- They have eliminated a key Al-Qaeda militant and captured important documents related to their activities.

As a Bangladeshi I am very happy to hear this success against Al-Qaeda as they have been increasing their threats against Bangladesh.

- The NDS have also captured two high-level Pakistani backed militants including one apparently heavily involved in suicide bombings.


These major successes should seriously degrade terrorist capabilities in Afghanistan while the Afghan military and security forces are continuously upgrading their armoury, training and operational capabilities.



Bangladesh and Afghanistan flags. Bangladesh and Afghanistan are both Muslim countries and members of SAARC and face a threat from Pakistani-backed "Islamist" terrorist organizations e.g. Jamaat e "Islami", and others such as Al-Qaeda.

[MENTION=223]JAMALUDEEN[/MENTION] [MENTION=4551]hamid954[/MENTION] [MENTION=17579]Loy Afghanistan[/MENTION]

[ghumbasa]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KAcbGPhEyQo

[ghumbasa]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UfhCUhw16vg

No matter how many outsiders play their role...its doing nothing for pashtuns...no security let alone education ,funding or jobs bla bla...just media talks to deviate from tapi project for external forces.

[Bengal_Tiger]

35 Taliban militants killed in joint clearing operations: MoI

By KHAAMA PRESS - Tue Oct 21 2014, 11:51 am

Former Taliban commander killed

At least 35 Taliban militants were killed and 8 others were injured following joint military operations by Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police and Afghan intelligence – National Directorate of Security (NDS) operatives.

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) following a statement, said “In past 24 hours, Afghan National Police conducted several anti-terrorism joint operations with Afghan National Army and NDS to clean some of the areas from terrorists and enemies of peace and stability of Afghanistan.”


The statement further added that the operations were conducted in Kandahar, Zabul, Uruzgan, Ghazni and Paktika provinces, as a result 35 armed Taliban members were killed, eight wounded and nine others were arrested by Afghan National Security Forces.
Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated light and heavy rounds ammunition, MoI said.
The statement also added, Afghan National Police discovered and defused seven different types of IEDs placed by enemies of Afghanistan for destructive activities in Nangarhar, Laghman, Balkh, Maidan Wardak and Logar provinces.
The Taliban militants group has not commented regarding the report so far.

http://www.khaama.com/35-taliban-militants-killed-in-joint-clearing-operations-moi-8856