KABUL (Reuters) – The nomination of diplomatic heavyweight Ryan Crocker as the next U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan represents a shift by Washington away from a military surge to a new political emphasis as foreign troops prepare to leave, diplomats and analysts said on Thursday.

Diplomats in Kabul have long complained of a political “vacuum”, while Washington concentrated on a military surge initiated by President Barack Obama in late 2009.

KABUL, March 28 (Reuters) – Under threat of the loss of
support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and billions
of dollars of aid, the Afghan government has agreed to break up
Afghanistan’s biggest private lender after a multi-million
dollar fraud scandal.

Diplomats in Kabul said government approval for placing
Kabulbank into receivership would be given later on Monday and
the process would be complete within two weeks, clearing the way
for the IMF to renew its support programme under which billions
of dollars of foreign aid are mandated.

KABUL (Reuters) – Britain said on Wednesday it would delay payment of 85 million pounds ($137.6 million) in aid to Afghanistan this year, a warning shot to the government in Kabul over its handling of a banking scandal.

The British Department For International Development (DFID) said the payment was being delayed because of the continued absence of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) support programme. IMF support is a crucial element for most of Afghanistan’s donors who pour in billions of aid.

KABUL (Reuters) – Britain said on Wednesday it would delay payment of 85 million pounds in aid to Afghanistan due to the absence of an International Monetary Fund support programme, which has been hampered by a banking scandal.

An IMF assessment team last month delivered a grim assessment to diplomats of the Afghan government’s handling of a corruption scandal at Kabulbank, the country’s biggest private lender, which has put at risk hundreds of millions of dollars through fraud, mismanagement and bad loans.

KABUL (Reuters) – The United Nations has called for a review of air strikes by foreign forces in Afghanistan after the inadvertent killing of nine children this week drew condemnation from Afghans and apologies from U.S. leaders.

U.S. President Barack Obama has expressed his “deep regret” to Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai over the killing of the nine children, who were collecting firewood in a volatile eastern province on Tuesday when they were gunned down by helicopters from the NATO-led force in Afghanistan.