An Afghan soldier watches a coalition force member use his radio during an Afghan-led security patrol to deny the enemy freedom of movement in Khak-E-Safed in Afghanistan's Farah province, Oct. 30, 2012. Afghan forces have been taking the lead in security operations, with coalition forces as mentors, to bring security and stability to the country's residents. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Pete Thibodeau
Taliban Hits Region Seen As ‘Safest’ For Afghans -- New York Times
BAMIAN, Afghanistan — The war has finally found Bamian, a remote corner of Afghanistan that for a decade had enjoyed near immunity to Taliban violence.
As the American troop surge peaked over the past two years, Taliban insurgents began contesting parts of this central province, flowing in from more embattled areas of the country. And now, a series of deadly strikes in recent months has intimidated residents and served notice that roads are unsafe and government officials are targets.
That it has happened in Bamian — known for its rugged beauty, nascent skiing industry and the ancient Buddha statues that once kept vigil here — has added to the sense that nowhere in Afghanistan can be considered safe. And that, Afghan and Western analysts say, is a crucial part of the Taliban’s strategy in coming here.
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Two British soldiers shot dead in Afghanistan -- BBC
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Afghanistan Sets Presidential Vote for 2014 -- Wall Street Journal
Afghanistan: Presidential Election Set For April 2014 -- Huffington Post/AP
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Afghanistan's need for reform: We have seen the enemy, and it is our anecdotes -- Frances Z. Brown, Foreign Policy
US military deaths in Afghanistan at 2,015 -- Mercury News/AP
