Franz J. Marty
The Diplomat
Afghanistan
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Past articles by Franz:
The Plight of the Refugees Who Fled to Afghanistan
A looming famine in Afghanistan not only threatens Afghans, but several thousand Pakistani refugees – and among them, armed militants. → Read More
A Remote Corner of Afghanistan Offers a Peek Into the Future of the Country
In Kamdesh, Nuristan, where U.S. forces withdrew more than a decade ago, the American presence is a distant – and negative – memory for many locals. → Read More
3-Day Ceasefire Gives Some Respite to Afghans
A temporary truce to mark the end of Ramadan mostly held, allowing Afghans to celebrate in relative peace. → Read More
Spike in Violence Follows Failed Negotiations Between the Pakistani Taliban and Islamabad
Sources reveal secret negotiations between Pakistan’s government and the TTP, which ultimately fell apart. → Read More
Fire From the Sky: The Afghan Taliban’s Drones
Despite ongoing peace negotiations, the Taliban continue their attacks, recently incorporating weaponized commercially available drones into their arsenal. → Read More
The Taliban Say They Have No Foreign Fighters. Is That True?
The Taliban denial of the presence of foreign fighters in Afghanistan raises questions about the implementation of the U.S.-Taliban deal. → Read More
Waigal, Afghanistan: ‘This War Will Never End Here’
In Afghanistan’s “Land of Light,” the Taliban-government war is as much personal blood feud as political conflict. → Read More
The Peculiar Presence of the Islamic State in Kunar
An opaque offshoot of the self-declared Islamic State in one Afghan province displaced thousands of civilians. → Read More
Afghan Parliamentary Elections Marred by Technical Troubles and Insecurity
Despite security risks and technical difficulties, Afghanistan goes to the polls. → Read More
Taliban Attempting to Outdo US in Fighting ISIS in Afghanistan
The Taliban have resumed their fight against ISIS in Afghanistan, showing that eliminating the local chapter of the terrorist group isn't just a goal of the United States. → Read More
The Last 2 Sikhs in the Taliban’s Heartland
A religious minority that has weathered many episodes of Afghanistan’s turbulent history may soon disappear. → Read More
With Increased US Airstrikes, Taliban Forced to Change Tactics
The surge in U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan since U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new strategy for South Asia over a year ago has made fighting more difficult for insurgents, forcing them to change tactics. → Read More
Switching Sides: Defection in Afghanistan’s Conflict
Such switching of sides is anything but new to the conflict in Afghanistan, although it was more prolific during the earlier, more fluid chapters of the decades-old Afghan war. → Read More
Afghan-Pakistani Cross-Border Terrorism Cuts Both Ways
Exploring on-the-ground reports of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan presence in Afghanistan. → Read More
What Living in Kabul Is Really Like
Afghanistan's capital is not even half as dangerous as everyone thinks. → Read More
Afghanistan’s Opium Trade: A Free Market of Racketeers
A visit to Afghan opium fields challenges the notion that the Taliban controls the lucrative trade. → Read More
Afghan Jihad Frozen in Time?
SHIGAL, KUNAR — The bearded men lie their AK-47 Kalashnikovs on the rugs at their feet; they had put away the heavy machine guns and RPG rocket launchers seconds before. Then they devotedly bow in the warm spring sunshine of the terrace of the unfinished, ancient-looking building, going silently through their Islamic prayers. Behind them the view stretches across a remote, narrow valley, tucked… → Read More
The Taliban's New Plan for Capturing Kunduz
The Taliban seem determined to upgrade their strategy from 2016, posing a continued threat to provincial capitals. → Read More
Speaking to an Afghan Disciple of the Caliphate
An interview with a commander of the self-declared Islamic State in Afghanistan → Read More