Helmand's 'dagger' cuts three ways By Wahidullah Mohammad
Officials in Helmand province in Afghanistan say that the military's United
States-led Operation Khanjar (Dagger) is completely different from previous
operations. Mohammad Davoud Ahmadi, spokesperson for the Helmand governor, says
that this time they have launched the biggest operation ever against the
insurgents in Helmand province. "This time we will move the Taliban from all
Helmand districts and after that the plan is to conduct major reconstruction
projects in all districts to provide people with jobs. We will ensure permanent
security for Helmand residents." [1]
According to Ahmadi, the operation, which is led by American Marines and
supported by the Afghan National Army (ANA), is going smoothly in many
districts of Helmand. According to Ahmadi, no civilian casualties have been
reported during this operation, except for one small girl who received a small
injury in Nawa district but soon recovered.
Mir Wali, a member of parliament from Helmand, says that in some places where
large numbers of people were living, residents
were displaced because of the military operation. "Most of the people left
their houses and are living under the sky. They have no shelters and it is too
hot in Helmand now. They were not able to take their possessions with them -
they just left everything at their houses." [2] Mir Wali says that civilian
casualties have been reported. "Fourteen people were killed in the Malgir area
of Grishk district when the area was bombed by US airplanes. Women, children
and old people were among those killed," said Mir Wali in Kabul.
According to the Helmand member of parliament, if the government and
international forces really keep their promises to the people of Helmand, the
situation can be changed and local residents will help the government defeat
the Taliban in their home regions. If not, the situation will again be like it
was in the past. "Time will make clear how the government and international
forces can keep their promises. I cannot say anything now about their promises,
because they gave many times the same promises but later did nothing for the
people."
Operation Panther's Claw
In the meantime, another operation, "Panther's Claw", is also being conducted
in Nad Ali and some other parts of Helmand, led by British forces with support
from Danish troops, the ANA and the Afghan National Police. British troops
leading the operation have suffered significant casualties, with 11 killed and
over 100 wounded since the operation began in early July.
Ms Nasima Niazi, a member of parliament representing Helmand, says that local
people are suffering many difficulties because of the operation, especially in
the areas where the operation is ongoing. [3] "The weather is very hot and
people have no homes to live in. People are displaced - they are living in
tents but they still hope that security will come to their areas. That is why
they have patience," she said in a telephone interview from Helmand.
Nasima said that even in those areas where the Taliban have been removed, the
insurgents are still infiltrating to plant roadside bombs. This activity
presents people with many problems; "People cannot travel from one place to
another. The Taliban are putting roadside bombs everywhere; they don't care
whose car will be exploded. It now takes four hours to travel to a destination
normally reached in an hour and a half."
According to Nasima, in those areas where the operation has ended it seems that
security is better and people are returning to their homes. She says that most
Helmand residents are against the military operations. "People are afraid that
the government and international forces will once again leave and the Taliban
will be back. They say that if they are conducting military operations they
should do it in a proper way - they should stay in the areas captured by the
government and foreign forces from the Taliban and increase the number of
police and soldiers based in the area. If [the security forces] leave the areas
again, the Taliban will be back in a day."
Helmand police chief Asadullah Shirzad says the Taliban have become very weak
and are not able to fight Afghan and foreign forces. "The only thing the
Taliban are able to do now is to place roadside bombs. During the past few days
we have removed more than 100 bombs from different places." [4] Shirzad says
security forces have killed more than 200 Taliban in the latest operation with
no casualties to the police, but Ahmadi confirmed four dead ANA soldiers.
Rural development or military infrastructure?
Helmand governor spokesperson Ahmadi says that American envoys along with the
Afghanistan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development came to Helmand on
July 16 and promised the people they will conduct major development projects in
the province. "Paving the road from Lashkar Gah [the Helmand provincial
capital] to Grishk district and also from Lashkar Gah to Garamsir district is a
serious plan which will be conducted soon. Other development projects will come
later when the area is completely cleansed of insurgents."
But Afghan political analyst Fazal Rahman Orya says that paving roads cannot be
counted as a development project in the areas where military operations are
ongoing. "They are paving roads for their own benefit because the Taliban are
planting roadside bombs in unpaved roads and, from the other side, paved roads
are good for military convoys. We cannot count that as a development project
for the local residents." [5]
According to Orya, this operation is no different from operations in the past -
the authorities always give people promises but they never keep them. The
people do not trust the authorities anymore. Orya says that because of the
military operations, a huge number of local residents have been displaced and
are living in very bad conditions. The Helmand governor's spokesperson claims
only 160 families have been displaced during military operations and they are
working together to provide the displaced families with better living
conditions.
The experience of Musa Qala
Orya says the government and international forces gave the same promises
regarding stability and security when they recaptured the Musa Qala district of
Helmand from the Taliban two years ago. At that time they promised the people
they would pave roads, build mosques, schools and clinics and provide people
with jobs, but later it became clear these pledges would not be honored. "After
a while the Taliban were back and government control was limited to the center
of the district. Now the government is unable to support its 200 police there
because all the ways to Musa Qala are controlled by the Taliban."
Orya believes the government and coalition forces will be able to move the
Taliban from the rural districts, but they will not be able to ensure security
in all remote areas and villages:
They can move the Taliban from the
centers of the districts but they cannot move them from the villages. The
government will not be able to control entire districts - they will only remain
in the centers of the districts and the remote villages will be again
controlled by the Taliban. That is why the government and international forces
are losing their trust among the people.
But Ahmadi, the
governor's spokesperson, disagrees with Orya. Ahmadi says this time the
government will keep its promises and they will expel the Taliban from all
remote villages and ensure security for the whole province:
When Musa
Qala was recaptured from the Taliban the roads to Musa Qala were controlled by
Taliban. That is why the government was not able to keep their promises, but
this time we are keeping open all ways to all districts to support the district
authorities and development projects. This time we are not only ensuring
security; we promise the people that they will witness a lot of reconstruction
and development projects in their districts.
Member of
parliament Nasima said that some reconstruction projects have already started
in Lashkar Gah and other places, which gave future hope to the local residents.
In the meantime, the Taliban have issued their own view of the Helmand
offensive, describing it as the last nail in the coffin of US President Barack
Obama's strategy for Afghanistan:
The mujahideen and Taliban, who act
like hunters in the face-to-face battles, swift campaigns, ambushes and
roadside mines, sent back to the West dozens of enemy aircraft full of the
bodies and coffins of their dead sons. Almost 1,000 soldiers who have always
led a life in comfort and luxury passed out because of the hot climate of the
grueling sun in the vast deserts of Helmand, suffering from sun stroke ... We
would like to declare our stance once again that your advanced and
sophisticated weapons will not protect you from death. You will achieve nothing
by increasing your forces. They will not make you safe from the wrath of the
mujahideen. Do not stick to stubbornness. There is still time to hammer out a
logical exit strategy. Listen! The operation of Helmand will prove to be the
last nail of the mujahideen in the coffin of Obama's bloated strategy.
(Alemarah, July 15).
Helmand member of parliament Mir Wali says
that if the government really provides jobs to Helmand residents, the people
will not let the Taliban use their villages against the government and foreign
troops. "People hope to find jobs. Most of the people are jobless and have
nothing to support their families. If the government provides them with jobs
they will absolutely avoid Taliban activities in their villages and support the
government, but now they don't trust the government."
Notes
1. Mohammad Davoud Ahmad, spokesperson for the governor of Helmand province,
was interviewed on July 16, 2009.
2. Helmand member of parliament Mirwali was interviewed on July 26, 2009.
3. Helmand member of parliament Nasima Niazi was interviewed on July 26, 2009.
4. Helmand chief of police Asadullah Shirzad was interviewed on July 16, 2009.
5. Political analyst Fazal Rahman Orya was interviewed in Kabul on July 16,
2009.
Wahidullah Mohammad is a freelance journalist in Afghanistan writing
under a pseudonym.
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