France hands over Afghan province July 4, 2012 -- Updated 1015 GMT (1815 HKT) The announcement comes weeks after the new French president visited Afghanistan Hollande visited the says he will wihdraw (CNN) -- The French military handed over control of the Afghan province of Kapisa to local forces, a French military spokeswoman said Wednesday. This announcement comes weeks after new French President Francois Hollande visited the troops in Afghanistan and said his country will withdraw 2,000 troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2012. "After 10 years of European military engagement in Afghanistan, now Afghan security forces are taking the responsibility of their own security, and it is time for us to leave," Hollande said during the May visit. Her story of torture by the Taliban made her the iconic face of the oppression of women in Afghanistan. June 8, 2012 -- Updated 1924 GMT (0324 HKT) Unexploded munitions from war games in Afghanistan make a dangerous play ground for local children May 29, 2012 -- Updated 1453 GMT (2253 HKT) A hospital in northern Afghanistan admitted 160 schoolgirls Tuesday after they were poisoned, a Takhar province police official said. May 22, 2012 -- Updated 1055 GMT (1855 HKT) In parts of rural Afghanistan a fierce battle is going on between the Taliban and the country's government. And the victims in this battle, it seems, are school children. May 22, 2012 -- Updated 1336 GMT (2136 HKT) NATO leaders signed off on Obama's exit strategy from Afghanistan that calls for an end to combat operations next year and the withdrawal of the U.S.-led forces by the end of 2014. May 18, 2012 -- Updated 1953 GMT (0353 HKT) Some Afghans say the NATO exit plan are short on specifics and do not fully tackle the political, economic and regional challenges. May 21, 2012 -- Updated 2316 GMT (0716 HKT) CNN's Wolf Blitzer and Afghan President Hamid Karzai discuss Obama, Romney and Ben Kingsley May 22, 2012 -- Updated 2056 GMT (0456 HKT) Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, is expected to step down this summer after a year in the job, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul said. May 16, 2012 -- Updated 2045 GMT (0445 HKT) When it comes to negotiating with the Taliban, it's always one step forward, two steps back. April 19, 2012 -- Updated 1202 GMT (2002 HKT) Will the latest incident involving leaked photos damage the U.S. mission in Afghanistan? Experts weigh in. April 17, 2012 -- Updated 1410 GMT (2210 HKT) When Afghan forces repelled a barrage attacks from insurgents near Kabul's green zone it was hailed as proof of how far local security forces had come.