News (Consolidated) - UNSOM

MAZAR – The terrible impact of the Afghan war on its civilians was the focus of this week’s 2018 Mazar Short Film Festival. Supported by UNAMA, the festival showcased the work of film-makers from Balkh province. The films, of up to six minutes in length, looked at the many different ways the lives…

SHARANA - The active participation of young Afghans in peace-building is necessary for creating a more stable, inclusive and peaceful region, said participants at a UN-backed symposium in the south-eastern province of Paktika. In the event, young Afghans from across Paktika, along with journalists…

NEW YORK - The UN’s top envoy in Afghanistan said important decisions made now on elections and peace will affect the fundamental fabric of the society and future of Afghanistan. “The Afghan people are scheduled to cast their votes on 20 October to choose their parliamentary representatives for the…

NADALI - Government officials, elders, activists and other community leaders in the southern province of Helmand gathered at a UN-backed symposium to discuss local peace efforts and to strategize on ways to build national and sustainable peace. More than 50 leaders from Helmand’s Nadali district…

PUL-E-KHUMRI - All Afghans must play their part in bringing the ongoing conflict to an end, said religious scholars and rights activists in a UN-backed TV programme broadcast in the north-eastern province of Baghlan. The programme, which featured panellists exchanging ideas about peace and taking…

NEW YORK - The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The Secretary-General and the Chief Executive discussed the upcoming parliamentary elections, prospects for peace negotiations, and regional dynamics, as well as the Geneva…

KABUL - The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expresses its concern about the rising number of civilian casualties from airstrikes this year in Afghanistan, with credible reports of the latest incident occurring late Saturday in Kapisa province. UNAMA received multiple, credible…

KABUL - Preliminary findings from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) indicate that 12 civilians were killed Sunday in an airstrike in Maidan Wardak province during operations conducted by Pro-Government Forces in the area. All of the victims were women and children from the same family…

JALALABAD - A UN-backed peace initiative has helped ease a longstanding land dispute in Nangarhar, demonstrating the power of local communities to determine their fate through dialogue, even against the backdrop of the broader conflict playing out across the country. What started two years ago in…

KANDAHAR - With a special focus in 2018 on the meaningful participation of women in peace initiatives, this year’s nationwide ‘Global Open Days’ events commenced in Afghanistan with a UN-backed symposium in Kandahar. The Kandahar event is the first in a series that will take place across the country…

LAL WA SARJANGAL - Government officials, religious scholars, activists and other community leaders in a remote district of Ghor gathered at a UN-backed symposium to strategize on ways to promote social cohesion, both locally and nationally, in the interest of advancing peace. More than 20 community…

KABUL - The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expresses its concern around the level of violence early in the campaigning period for the 20 October parliamentary elections, including intimidation and attacks against candidates, their agents and supporters. The Mission condemns today’s…