Mon Mar 01, 2010 at 16:06:53 PM EST
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So, if the Afghanistan government has its way, these might be the last published photos of what's really going on there:
AP - Kabul, a couple days ago.
AP - Kandahar yesterday.
Afghanistan bans coverage of Taliban attacks
Sayed Salahuddin and Hamid Shalizi (Reuters)
Monday, March 1, 2010 2:08pm EST
Kabul - Afghanistan on Monday announced a ban on news coverage showing Taliban attacks, saying such images embolden the Islamist militants, who have launched strikes around the country as NATO forces seize their southern strongholds. . . . |
| fairleft :: Afghanistan bans coverage of Taliban attacks |
The announcement came on a day when the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) fighting the Taliban reported six of its service members had been killed in various attacks.
Journalists will be allowed to film only the aftermath of attacks, when given permission by the National Directorate of Security (NDS) spy agency, the agency said. Journalists who film while attacks are under way will be held and their gear seized.
"Live coverage does not benefit the government, but benefits the enemies of Afghanistan," NDS spokesman Saeed Ansari said. The agency summoned a group of reporters to announce the ban. . . .
"The government should not hide their inabilities by barring media from covering incidents," said Laila Noori, who monitors media issues for Afghanistan Rights Monitor, the country's main liberties watchdog. "People want to know all the facts on the ground whenever security incidents take place." . . .
Two blasts hours apart on Monday killed at least six people in the southern city of Kandahar, birthplace of the Taliban whose fighters are being targeted in a renewed push by NATO-led troops.
One ISAF member was killed in one of the Kandahar strikes. In various attacks in the country, five other ISAF service members were also killed, the force said.
AP - Kandahar yesterday.
As always, us foreigners need to listen to Malalai Joya and then (imitating the Dutch) unceremoniously butt out of Afghanistan's civil war:
Joya condemns 'ridiculous' military strategy
By Glyn Strong
Monday, 15 February 2010
Afghanistan's "most famous woman" has voiced deep scepticism about Operation Moshtarak's [the NATO invasion/occupation of Marjah] aims and its impact on Afghan civilians.
"It is ridiculous," said Malalai Joya, an elected member of the Afghan parliament. "On the one hand they call on Mullah Omar to join the puppet regime. On another hand they launch this attack in which defenceless and poor people will be the prime victims. Like before, they will be killed in the Nato bombings and used as human shields by the Taliban. Helmand's people have suffered for years and thousands of innocent people have been killed so far." Her fears were confirmed when Nato reported yesterday that a rocket that missed its target had killed 12 civilians at a house in Marjah. . . .
Ms Joya believes that corruption is endemic, citing uranium deposits and opium as incentives for Nato and Afghan officials to retain a presence in Helmand. Operation Moshtarak is described as an inclusive offensive, depending for its longer-term success on involvement of Afghan forces. But Ms Joya said: "The Afghan police force is the most corrupt institution in Afghanistan. Bribery is common and if you have money, by bribing police from top to bottom you can do almost anything. In many parts of Afghanistan, people hate the police more than the Taliban. In Helmand, for instance, people are afraid of police who commit violence against people and make trouble. The majority of the police force in this province are addicted to opium and cannabis." |
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