Update for Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Today in Afghanistan Three U.S. service members are killed and four injured in an explosion near Ghazni. A U.S. contractor was also injured. No further details have been released as of yet.

A U.S. army ranger was killed on Saturday in Nimroz province during an assault on Al Qaeda positions. It is believed he was shot accidentally by an Afghan soldier. Sgt. Sgt. Leandro Jasso, 25, of the 75th Ranger Regiment was on his third deployment to Afghanistan.

Taliban abduct 25 travelers in Balkh, later release the women. The motive for the action is not reported.

A severe drought has led to food shortages affecting half of Afghanistan’s rural population. The UN Food and Agricultural Organization is working to assist the most severely affected farmers.

The drought and fighting have led to displacement of a quarter million people in the western provinces of Herat, Badghis and Ghor. The UN is flying in 15,100 family size tents to shelter the population as winter approaches.

The United Kingdom has pledged 35 million pounds for drought relief. This story from The Guardian has further information on the crisis.

Following criticism of the recent parliamentary elections, the Afghan government is considering postponing the presidential election scheduled for April.

Taliban ambush a police convoy on Sunday in Farah, killing 22 police.

The number of bombs dropped on Afghanistan by the U.S.-led coalition is approaching the record set in 2011. The number through September of this year was 5,213. 5,411 was the total in 2011.

Today in Afghanistan