Asia Pacific
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Jul- 2019 -9 July
Afghanistan peace talks end without Taliban ceasefire agreement
Talks between Afghan government representatives and Taliban insurgents – concluded with a "roadmap" for a peace deal but no ceasefire
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9 July
US approves $2.2 billion sale to Taiwan of Abrams tanks and Stinger missiles
The US has approved the sale to Taiwan of M1A2T Abrams tanks and Stinger missiles at an estimated cost of over $2.23 billion
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8 July
Afghanistan school children increasingly vulnerable in surging conflict
Children in Afghanistan are increasingly the victims of brutal violence even as the government and Taliban sit down for peace talks
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8 July
Intra-Afghan peace talks resume in Qatar
DOHA, Qatar (AFP) – Dozens of powerful Afghans resumed talks with the Taliban on Monday, July 8 in Doha, where a possible ceasefire is on the table along with key issues such as women’s rights. Stakes are high for the talks which follow a week of U.S.-Taliban negotiations with both sides eyeing a resolution to the bloody 18-year conflict. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted that the Afghan gathering “has been a long time coming” and praised the country’s “government, civil society, women, and Taliban” for coming together. Washington has said it wants to seal a political deal with the Taliban ahead of Afghan presidential polls due in September to allow foreign forces to begin to withdraw. Around 70 delegates are attending the two-day gathering which has been organized by Germany and Qatar. “History will remember those who were able to set their differences aside for the sake of the country” said Germany envoy Markus Potzel as he opened the gathering Sunday. A German source confirmed the second day of talks got underway just before 0600 GMT. Delegate Asila Wardak, a member of the High Peace Council established by former president Hamid Karzai to engage with Taliban elements, said …
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2 July
Sri Lanka defense secretary and police chief arrested over Easter bombing ‘negligence’
Sri Lanka police arrested their top commander and a former defense chief over alleged failures to prevent the Easter bombings that killed 258 people
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2 July
Khalilzad should persist with Taliban talks to end the endless Afghanistan war
Despite the second-guessing, nobody has come up with a better solution for Afghanistan than negotiations with the Taliban, retired US Ambassador Herman J. Cohen argues
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1 July
Afghanistan: 6 killed, dozens injured in car bomb blast in central Kabul claimed by the Taliban
Dozens of people were wounded as a powerful car bomb rocked Kabul and gunmen battled special forces near government buildings, Afghan officials said
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Jun- 2019 -28 June
Philippines counter-terrorism soldiers killed in Jolo ‘firefight’
An attack on a special Philippine army counter-terrorism unit left three soldiers dead and nine others wounded in the southern Philippines
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26 June
Two US service members killed in Afghanistan, Resolute Support says
Two US service members were killed in Afghanistan, NATO's Resolute Support mission said, the latest international casualties as the US and the Taliban prepare new talks
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24 June
Sri Lanka ex-defense secretary faces charges over security ‘lapses’ before Easter attacks
Sri Lanka's former most senior defense official, Hemasiri Fernando, faces possible criminal charges over "major lapses" linked to the Easter Sunday bombings that killed 258 people
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