Thread by @afghanpeacenews

#Haqqani Network’s Weapon Facilitator Detained in Kabul:
"the #Afghanistan Interior Ministry said Sardar was responsible for facilitating the supply of weapons, munitions and military kits to Taliban and 'other' militants"
reporterly.net/live/newsfeed/…

In #Afghanistan, Is Sirajuddin #Haqqani Ready for #Peace? defenseone.com/ideas/2019/08/… via @defenseone

"In S. Asia, where we face a nexus of al Qaeda,Taliban,Haqqani&ISIS, our search for a negotiated settlement must confront the question of whether we can ‘out-innovate’ the adversary. It's unwise 2assume our traditional approaches will suffice these adversaries adapt too quickly"

"Holding peace talks with the #Taliban is futile if the United States is not also committed to disaggregating and defeating the ascendant #Haqqani network and its partners."
defenseone.com/ideas/2019/08/…

Afghan Special Forces arrest two suspects linked with #Haqqani network who wanted to launch a rocket attack on the ceremony of Independence Day celebration at the Presidential Palace and the Ministry of Defense, NDS said in a statement. @TOLOnews

Wow
.@MujMash: Really interesting detail from @RahmatullahN: after Anas #Haqqani was arrested, he had NDS officers drive him around Kabul and show him the city .. — to show him the reality of a capital the Haqqani network has repeatedly arranged to blow up

https://twitter.com/MujMash/status/1169299160186724352?s=19

"Rather than focus on constructing new,parallel governance institutions, like the “shadow” structures of the Quetta Shura Taliban in S.#Afghanistan, the #Haqqani N has adopted a far more opportunistic approach: infiltrating the existing state architecture"
cfr.org/blog/afghanist…

a senior Afghan #Taliban leader with close ties to Mullah Omar:
"#Pakistan is protecting Sirajuddin #Haqqani in the hope of continuing jihad by proxy. As #US forces leave #Afghanistan, Haqqani will acquire two countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan."

"Sirajuddin #Haqqani could be ready for peace, but he is also ready to win the war, and he marches in lockstep with his al-Qaeda base."
cfr.org/blog/afghanist…

An airstrike in Mohammad Agha district of #Logar killed Qari Burhan, a prominent #HaqqaniNetwork leader:
According to a statement released by MoD, he had close cooperation with #AlQaeda and was facilitating transfer of suicide bombers to Ghazni & Logar khaama.com/airstrike-kill…

According to the statement, he had planned/conducted/facilitated:
-the 2017 Jamhuriat Hospital attack (103 killed and 235 wounded)
-the attack on a high rise building in Abdul Haq Square in 2011
-a Kabul car bomb attack in 2015 (400 wounded)
-the attack on Alburz Township.

Mohib said Khalilzad was in Kabul to discuss the release of two foreign professors who were kidnapped by Taliban in 2016: “He wanted to discuss the release of two professors who are under custody of the Haqqani Network. There was no discussion about peace" ariananews.af/ghani-sets-a-m…

"#Taliban has demanded the release of 80 prisoners, including Anas Haqqani and Hafiz Rashid--2 leaders of the #Haqqani Network--for a swap with two #US professors, sources close to the Taliban said."
#Afghanistan
tolonews.com/afghanistan/so…

.@hayatamanat:
Anas #Haqqani, Haji Mali Khan and Hafiz Rashid are dressed to get free from prison as president @ashrafghani announced their conditional-released this morning.

Some background here:
Who are the Haqqanis, #Afghanistan's most feared insurgents?
#HaqqaniNetwork malaysia.news.yahoo.com/haqqanis-afgha…

.@SecKermani: #Afghanistan Govt source told us as part of the prisoner exchange deal Anas #Haqqani would be sent to Doha, and would be kept under surveillance there - not allowed to travel out of the country: bbc.com/news/amp/world…

Firoz Bashar, head of the Government Media and Information Center, said that “international partners have assured us” that Anas #Haqqani, Haji Mali Khan and Hafiz Rashid will “not return to the battlefield” and will “go to #Qatar and remain there.” tolonews.com/afghanistan/go…

A #Taliban source told @bbcpersian that Annas #Haqqani arrived in #Qatar. bbc.com/persian/amp/af…

A source told @TOLOnews that the prisoner exchange of captured #Haqqani Network members Anas Haqqani, Hafiz Rashid and Mali Khan for two kidnapped professors did not take place, as "there is a vacuum of confidence on both sides."
tolonews.com/afghanistan/ha…

#Russia sees the release of three commanders from the #Taliban-linked #Haqqani network as a gesture of good will from the Afghan govt: Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Thursday.
tass.com/world/1089041