BY BILL ROGGIO
Since USA forces withdrew of the mass of its “surge” forces inwards 2014 too turned over safety to Afghanistan’s armed forces too police, the safety province of affairs has chop-chop deteriorated inwards Helmand province, according to information compiled past times FDD’s Long War Journal. That information is confirmed past times Resolute Support (RS), which provided the district score assessments to the Special Investigator General for Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). The Taliban currently controls 7 of Helmand’s thirteen districts (Baghran, Dishu, Kajaki, Musa Qala, Naw Zad, Reg or Khanshin, too Sangin). The other half dozen districts (Nad Ali, Lashkar Gah, Nahri Sarraj, Nawa-I- Barak Zayi, Washer, too Garmser) at that spot are contested.
LWJ too RS/SIGAR care on the assessments of the 7 Taliban controlled districts. Baghran, a remote district inwards northern Helmand, has remained nether Taliban command since the USA invaded Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan inwards 2001 afterward al Qaeda’s laid upwards on on Sept. 11, 2001. The other half dozen districts guide keep been hotly contested since the vast bulk of USA forces left Helmand inwards 2014
However, of the remaining half dozen districts, LWJ too RS somewhat differ on the assessments. RS has 5 classifications for a district: Government Controlled; Government Influenced; Contested; Insurgent Contested; too Insurgent Controlled. LWJ has solely iii classifications: Government Controlled; Contested; Insurgent Controlled.
LWJ developed this classification organization for 2 reasons. First, it is rattling hard to assess Control vs. Influence based on press reports too other opened upwards rootage information. Second, nosotros believe the “influence” distinction is somewhat meaningless. Whether the authorities controls lxx part or thirty part of a district, the authorities is soundless unable to fully secure too administer to the population too faces a challenge from the Taliban inwards these realms; nosotros so course these districts every bit contested.
Of the half dozen remaining districts RS has assessed Garmser every bit Insurgent Influenced; Nad Ali every bit Contested; too Lashkar Gah, Nahr-i-Sarraj, Nawa, too Washer every bit Government Influenced.
LWJ has assessed all half dozen districts every bit Contested. Press reports from Helmand deport this out. For instance, the upper-case alphabetic lineament of Lashkar Gah has been nether important Taliban pressure level for to a greater extent than than 2 years. In belatedly 2016, the Taliban surrounded the provincial capital, ambushed Afghan safety forces, too killed to a greater extent than than 200 safety personnel. The Taliban routinely deportment suicide attacks, ambushes, too assassinations inwards Lashkar Gah, too soundless command areas of the district.
Nawa is about other district where the Taliban is highly active. The district exchanged hands 4 times from 2016-2017. Afghan forces final liberated Nawa’s district center inwards July 2017, nonetheless the Taliban is known to guide keep a important presence inwards the district too remains active.
In Nahr-i-Sarraj, the Taliban are constantly attacking Afghan safety bases too outposts. In the past, the town of Gereshk too surrounding areas guide keep been hotly contested. While the USA Marines too the Afghan armed forces believe that they guide keep “Gereshk nether control,” much of the district remains inwards the hands of the Taliban, according to The Washington Post.
Al Qaeda has taken payoff of the safety province of affairs inwards Helmand too is known to piece of job inwards southern Helmand. Fighters from al Qaeda inwards the Indian Subcontinent are reported to guide keep trained at camps located inwards Helmand’s Dishu too Khanashin districts every bit late every bit 2014. The town of Baramacha inwards Dishu is a known hub of jihadist activity. The camps are believed to hold upwards operational to this day. [See FDD’s Long War Journal report, Al Qaeda operates inwards southern Helmand province.]
Buat lebih berguna, kongsi:
