Afghanistan: Pamlarena siege ends in Kabul after suicide bombers kill 24

Three Taliban gunmen and one civilian have been killed Kabul in a 12 hour police siege marking the end of a day of carnage in which 24 more people were killed and more than 90 wounded in twin suicide attacks outside the Afghan Ministry of Defence. The siege followed three blasts in the capital in 24 hours, two have been claimed by the Taliban. Sep 6, 2016

Hostage video pleads with Afghan government not to execute prisoners

Caitlin Coleman and Joshua Boyle were kidnapped whilst on a hiking trip in Afghanistan in 2012. This is the first video released of them - Coleman is said to have now given birth twice in captivity. A Taliban source says the release of a video showing a US and a Canadian citizen held hostage by the Taliban is designed to pressure the Afghan government not to impose the death sentence on the son of a feared militant leader. Sep 1, 2016