U.S. Targets Haqqani Insurgents

The Haqqani network is saying it had nothing to do with the assassination of Afghan peace-talks leader Burhanuddin Rabbani, but the U.S. isn’t letting up: its mission in Afghanistan is shifting to shut down the byways that allow Haqqani insurgents to pass between Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to The New York Times. With U.S. troops set to be mostly out of the country by 2014, that doesn’t leave a lot of time. The goal is to take on Haqqani fighters while boosting the ranks of Afghan troops and police in the most contested areas. According to Reuters, the Haqqani network also worked with al Qaeda and the Taliban to create a special, ruthless unit to murder U.S. informants.