Anger spreads on Marjah's front line
By Aziz Ahmad Tassal and Mohammad Elyas Dayee
HELMAND - People in Marjah district in Helmand province, where a Western and
Afghan military operation aims to oust the Taliban, say several civilians have
been killed in addition to the 12 acknowledged by the International Security
Assistance Force, ISAF. They also say the fighting has caused hunger because
people cannot leave their homes to fetch food.
Helmand provincial governor Mohammad Gulab Mangal visited the area on the fifth
day of the operation to see for himself. "People asked me to provide them with
food ... as the operation goes forward, many mines have been planted, so it
takes time to clear them. However, we are working on a plan to send food to
the
people quickly," he told journalists. The people of Marjah would soon be able
to go about their regular business, he said.
At least 13 NATO troops, one Afghan soldier, 12 civilians and about 120
insurgents have been killed during the fighting, according to news reports
including by the Associated Press and Voice of America.
General David Petraeus, the top US commander in the Middle East and Central
Asia, said at the weekend that US losses in Afghanistan would be "tough" and
that while Taliban forces were "a bit disjointed", they were "formidable".
"There's still fighting going on, without question," he said.
Shortly after "Operation Moshtarak" ("Together") began in Helmand province on
February 13, Defense Minister General Abdul Rahim Wardak, Interior Minister
Hanif Atmar Minister and General Stanley McChrystal, the commander of
Internatinoal Security Assitance Force (ISAF) and North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) forces in Afghanistan, hailed the operation as a success.
The offensive involves around 15,000 Afghan and NATO troops. McChrystal said
the foreign forces were acting in support of Afghan forces at the front line.
Many in Marjah fled as the coalition forces tried to oust the insurgents, but
large numbers also stayed.
Wardak said the operation was likely to last about a month. "We will not be
able to eliminate all the problems in a short time. However, we promise the
people of Marjah that we will pave the way for them to live a better life," he
told reporters. He called on the Taliban to lay down their weapons and join a
peace process.
Atmar accused the Taliban of using the population as human shields, "The
opposition have used the people as a shield and there have been some civilian
casualties. A complete brigade of police will go to Marjah soon in order to
ensure security and help tribal elders prepare for better governance."
Although the government says it has tried to avoid civilian casualties, people
in the area were angry at the conduct of the operation and gave details of
incidents in which at least four were killed.
One man, Harun, who spoke to the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR)
in a hospital in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital, said two of his brothers
had been wounded in the fighting and one of their wives had been killed by a
shell from a coalition tank. He had brought the men for treatment.
He said the incident began when the Taliban opened fire at the Western forces
from a location 100 meters from their house, and his brothers were shot at and
wounded as they ran from the house because they were afraid it would be
shelled.
"My wounded brother Fazel Omar got married six months ago. When he was wounded,
his wife came out of the house and ran towards her husband, but [they] shot at
her from their tank and [killed] her," he said.
He added angrily, "That moment was very difficult for me because I could not go
out of the house; I could not take my wounded brothers to the hospital and
could not bring my dead sister-in-law's body home."
In a second incident in Qari Sada village, a rocket reportedly fired by
coalition forces hit a house. Relatives traveled to Bost Hospital in Lashkar
Gah to accompany the bodies of two young women.
Most were too grief-stricken to speak to the media but Gula Jan told IWPR, "My
two little sisters were martyred by the foreigners' rocket, and I will not
reconcile with the infidels until I can avenge my sisters."
There were reports of a fourth civilian fatality in Karwa Square. A driver
there was said to have been killed by fire from foreign forces when he left his
home to buy food.
Ahmad, his son said, "The body of my father was left inside our home for two
days because the foreigners did not let us out to bury the body in the
cemetery. We were scared of being killed. They are cruel and the infidels have
no sympathy for us."
Asked about these four deaths, an ISAF spokesman in Afghanistan said, "We have
no information that verifies these incidents."
The ISAF has reported that 12 civilians were killed in Marjah when a rocket hit
a house. It was initially said to have been a system error. However, officials
in Afghanistan have been quoted as saying the system functioned correctly but
the house that was destroyed had been used by the Taliban to launch attacks.
Local people are fearful that more of them will be caught up in the fighting.
One resident of Marjah district, Zaher Jan, said on the phone, "They governor
announces on the radio that bombardments will not take place, but [they are]
going on as we speak. If these bombardments are not stopped, there will be many
civilian casualties."
Taliban spokesman Qari Yosuf Ahmadi said insurgents were resisting the Afghan
and foreign forces and that more than 2,000 had gone to Marjah for the purpose.
A regional commander of the Taliban in Marjah district, Mullah Osman, said, "We
have planted mines everywhere in the area. We have warned the people not to
come out of their houses. If they have any urgent matters, they should tell us
about it. Our goal is jihad and the fight against the infidels."
He denied the insurgents were using civilians for their own protection. "We do
not use civilians as a shield like the government and foreign forces. The
people's life and protection of their honor is our task," he said.
Afghan General Sher Mohammad Zazai, commander of the 205 Atal Army Corps in
Kandahar, confirmed that the area had been heavily planted with mines. "There
is no resistance from the Taliban. There is only one problem, which is the
problem of mines. For this reason, the operation may take longer," he said.
Another Marjah resident, Dr Ahmad Ahmadi, told IWPR on the phone, "There are
thousands of mines hidden here. It is impossible for ordinary life to return to
Marjah unless these mines are cleared. The Taliban have planted 35 mines 200
meters from my house alone."
Aziz Ahmad Tassal and Mohammad Elyas Dayee are IWPR-trained
reporters in Helmand.
Head
Office: Unit B, 16/F, Li Dong Building, No. 9 Li Yuen Street East,
Central, Hong Kong Thailand Bureau:
11/13 Petchkasem Road, Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
