Afghan

Paris attack suspect says he planned to burn Charlie Hebdo offices

France — Link

French prosecutors said a Pakistani national detained after an attack on two people with a meat cleaver last Friday outside the former Paris premises of Charlie Hebdo is aged 25 and not 18 as he first claimed, and that he told investigators he went to the location, believing it to be still the site of the magazine, to attack staff and set fire to their offices in retaliation for the re-publication of cartoons depicting Islam's Prophet Mohammed.

Friday Paris attack suspect 'mistook' victims for Charlie Hebdo staff

France — Link

An 18-year-old of Pakistani origin arrested on suspicion of carrying out an attack with a meat cleaver on Friday against a man and a woman outside the former premises of Charlie Hebdo magazine said he mistakenly believed they were journalists from the magazine, according to judicial sources, and acted in revenge for its republication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed ahead of the trial opened this month of alleged accomplices of the jihadists who carried out the January 2015 shooting massacre in and outside the offices that left 12 dead.

Tourists among seven wounded in Paris knife attacks

France — Link

British and Egyptian tourists were among seven people stabbed on Sunday night in a popular canal-side location in Paris by a man believed to be an Afghan national who was chased and overpowered by members of the public, notably pétanque players who reportedly threw their iron balls at the assailant's head. 

Ex-Afghan interpreters say French army abandoned them

France — Link

Nearly 100 ex-interpreters gathered near French embassy in Kabul holding banners calling for protection and solidarity from former employer.

Former UK soldier cleared of 'people smuggling' charge by French court

International — Link

Rob Lawrie was instead given a fine for placing a child in danger after trying leave Calais for the UK last october with a 4-year-old Afghan girl.

The Afghan interpreters cut adrift by French army

France — Link

Threatened at home, only 73 of the 258 former Afghan auxiliaries in French army who requested visas to live in France have been granted them.

French court convicts nine in Afghan terror network

France — Link

The men, three of them tried in their absence, were part of terrorist network that trained in Afghanistan and reportedly planned attacks in France.