President Ashraf Ghani

Daily Bulletin: India exercises right to reply at UNGA after Imran Khan's nuke threat; Afghanistan to elect new president amid Taliban threats; day's top stories

Voting in Afghanistan's fourth presidential election begins at 7.00 am (02.30 GMT) at some 5,000 polling centres across the country. Authorities had initially planned to open hundreds more but, were unable to do so owing to the abysmal security situation.

Afghanistan to elect new president: 18 candidates, including incumbent Ashraf Ghani, vying to lead amid threats of Taliban violence

To protect voters, Afghanistan forces supported by NATO troops mission have been monitoring election stations across the country from 22 September.

As Afghanistan’s election season begins, 20 die in attack targeting Kabul office of vice-presidential candidate Amrullah Saleh

At least 20 people were killed and 50 others wounded on Sunday in an attack targeting the Kabul office of Amrullah Saleh. The violence came on the first day of campaigning for the upcoming presidential elections. After about six hours the siege ended with all attackers killed and the rescue of about 150 people who had been trapped in the building.

70 Afghan delegates attend two-day gathering in Doha to resume peace talks with Taliban and end 18-year-old conflict

Dozens of powerful Afghans resumed talks with the Taliban on Monday 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 US-Taliban negotiations with both sides eyeing a resolution to the 18-years-old conflict. 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.

Amid US-Taliban talks, Afghan leaders to meet separately with terror group in bid to secure peace; Ghani administration snubbed

The Taliban, who have refused to negotiate with the Afghan government of President Ashraf Ghani, have stressed that those attending are only doing so in a 'personal capacity'.

US rejects invitation to Russia-led talks on Afghanistan, says discussion 'unlikely to yield progress'

Russia said that the Taliban will be joining the 4 talks in Moscow, along with representatives of several neighbouring countries. It will be one of the insurgent group's biggest diplomatic forays since the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan.

19 killed in Afghanistan suicide bombing: 17 Sikhs, Hindus, among dead; Islamic State claims responsibility

Of the 19 killed, 17 were Sikhs and Hindus, provincial health director Najibullah Kamawal told AFP. Another 20 people were wounded in the attack.

19 dead, 20 injured in suicide bomb blast in Afghanistan's Jalalabad; Hindus, Sikhs among those killed

A suicide bomber blew himself up in a city in eastern Afghanistan where President Ashraf Ghani was visiting, killing at least 19 people, many of them Sikhs, officials said on Sunday, in the latest violence to rock the country.

Kabul military base attack: President Ashraf Ghani says seven Afghan army officers, including two generals, sacked

Seven Afghan army officers, including two generals, have been sacked over a deadly attack on a Kabul military base, President Ashraf Ghani said, as the Afghan capital braces for further assaults.

US government watchdog files report on Afghanistan child sex abuse

Washington: A US government watchdog has filed a secret report to Congress into allegations of child sex abuse by the Afghan security forces and the extent to which America holds them accountable.