1-15 September 2012
CONFIDENTIAL— NGO use only No copy, forward or sale © INSO 2012
Issue 105 REPORT 1‐15 September 2012 Index COUNTRY SUMMARY Central Region 1-4 Strongly embracing the “economy of ef- RCIED attack against an ANSF vehicle in 5-8 Northern Region fort” approach that has pervaded through- Nangarhar, making nearly half of the 12 Western Region 9-10 out 2012, AOG conducted seven suicide NGO incidents the result of collateral attacks countrywide this cycle - including a damage rather than direct targeting. 11-13 Eastern Region complex attack against Camp Bastion in Amongst the seven remaining NGO inci- Helmand - despite registering a decline in Southern Region 14-17 dents, three involved the stopping and overall AOG incident volumes. While late 18 questioning of NGO staff in transit - two ANSO Info Page reporting will partially bridge this gap, at by AOG (Kapisa and Ghazni) and one by the time of writing the first half of Septem- ANSF (Kunar) - and a further two in- ber had recorded 367 AOG initiated inci- volved the robbing of demining NGO HIGHLIGHTS dents, a 37% decrease from the average of equipment in Kandahar and Parwan. 582 that had occurred every half-month While this puts September on pace to rec- 12 NGO incidents in- over the height of the fighting season (June cluding the death of ord the highest volume of NGO incidents an NGO volunteer in - August). However, whereas incident vol- thus far this year (the previous high being Kabul umes may be starting to gradually decline 17 in June), trends involving NGO inci- in line with established seasonal trends, the dents have followed few precise patterns Seven suicide attacks use of a relatively high volume of BBIED other than a broad correlation between across the country and SVBIED assets denoted a significant their peak and the months of greatest con- post-Eid, pre-winter push by AOG. In flict activity, suggesting that the current Complex attack on fact, whereas June, July, and August saw a levels may not sustain. IMF Camp Bastion, total of 23 incidents involving suicide ele- Helmand The last days of this cycle also witnessed ments - thus averaging just under eight a four peaceful demonstrations (three in the month - the seven that occurred in the first East and one in Kabul) against a movie half of September therefore nearly equaled made by independents overseas which was that previous monthly average. ANSO is supported by deemed anti-Islamic and resulted in a wave Although the high profile suicide attacks of protests in the Middle East. While none noted above primarily targeted ANSF, of these four escalated, the situation was IMF, or the GOA, NGOs were not be- gaining traction at the time of reporting, yond the reach of collateral involvement, and the fact that violence occurred in inter- and suffered in two separate instances due national protests over the same issue has to the close proximity of NGO staff or created significant concern. It should be compounds to the targets. Most signifi- noted however, that the majority of past cantly, this included the death of a young protests of a similar nature in Afghanistan NGO volunteer in a BBIED attack in which have resulted in violence have not downtown Kabul, while two NGO com- systematically targeted the entire interna- pounds - a clinic and a school - were also tional community, but rather occurred ex- damaged during a complex attack that took pressly in the vicinity of ISAF, ANSF, or place against an IMF base in Wardak. GOA compounds, or international organi- More broadly, NGOs were affected in a zations. As such – much like BBIED total of 12 security incidents this period, strikes - the risk to NGOs remains primari- also suffering collaterally in an IED strike ly collateral. in Balkh, an IDF attack in Kunar, and an
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C ENTRAL REGION
NGO Incidents ABUL Year to Date 10 KABUL K 50 This Report Period 1 Two significant events stood out 40 in Kabul’s security environment of a single, essentially ineffective 30 over the first half of September, attack by a lone operative suggests 20 that in spite of frequent concerted each of them insightful examples 10 attempts, the armed opposition of the state of the conflict within 0 the national capital – and moreo- appears to have been stopped ver both taking place on the same from staging any meaningful as- day. sault against government and mili- tary facilities in the national capital KABUL AOG KABUL Crime First, at approximately 1100 hrs during the height of this fighting on the 8th, an explosion took place season. This is further reinforced which only served to cause more locals to sur- in the immediate vicinity of the by the use of a child to bypass round the convoy. When ANP from District 6 US embassy and the international tight security in the city, indicating arrived on the scene shortly afterwards, they military forces’ command head- a potential AOG view that it is acted in such a way so as to appear on the side quarters, in what was initially re- better to stage a small attack with of those in the convoy; some of the first re- ported to have been a young boy a higher likelihood of completion sponders on the scene fired directly at the BBIED operative detonating his than a larger one where the finan- crowd, which sparked increased unrest and explosive device. In the explo- cial and personnel costs of disrup- eventually led to unarmed attacks on the police sion, four children working as tion are high. The armed opposi- by the crowd, a small number of whom did street-sellers - one of whom also tion will continue attempting to later arm themselves with AK-47s. In the pro- volunteered at an NGO - were stage such statement attacks in tracted violence that followed, which lasted killed and another four injured, Kabul city going forward, but it is roughly eight hours, one policeman and two while two policemen were also noteworthy that the summer of local civilians were killed, while 11 policemen wounded. Uncertainty about the 2012 has been the quietest the city and nine civilians were injured, and a number precise nature of the device used has had since the opposition em- of vehicles and police CPs in the area set arose later, with alternative report- barked on a strategy of such at- ablaze and destroyed. ing suggesting that the boy re- tacks in 2008. It can often be forgotten amid the widespread sponsible may have instead been Just an hour later on the same elevation of Ahmad Shah Massoud since 2001 carrying an RCIED that he – or that for many, particularly in southern Kabul, another person – control detonat- day, which happened to be ‘Ahmad Shah Massoud Day’, a his legacy is not a positive one, given their ed, rather than being strapped memories of that part of the city being a front- with an explosive vest. vehicle from outside of the prov- ince in a convoy of Massoud sup- line between his and HIG forces during the Nevertheless, the salient point of porters struck a local pedestrian dark days of the country’s civil war. As such, the incident remains unchanged when driving through District 5 at the presence of large convoys of Massoud sup- by its precise tactical form. After Mazari Square. After a small porters driving through this part of the city a long summer without a major crowd spontaneously gathered to may stir passive resentment – and the addition suicide/complex attack within express their anger at the accident, of armed Massoud supporters and sympathetic Kabul city, and multiple disrup- armed men within the convoy ANP firing on local crowds could generate tions of complex attack cells by fired warning shots into the air, strong anger. security agencies, the occurrence
NOTICE: The graphs provided in the report are accurate as of 12 September 2012 THE ANSO REPORT Page 2
NGO Incidents ARDAK Year to Date 5 WARDAK W 70 This Report Period 1 60 In Wardak, an NGO was victim focused activity was seen in Mai- 50 to collateral involvement in the 40 twin BBIED/SVBIED attack that dan Shahr, which was in fact 30 took place at the Saydabad DAC home to the highest number of 20 on September 1st, consistent with incidents of any district during the 10 the key form of risk that NGOs fortnight. On the Maidan Shahr- 0 face from such attacks. At 0700 Bamyan road, just inside the dis- hrs, a BBIED operative first deto- trict but close to the AOG strong- WARDAK AOG WARDAK Crime nated his vest at the entrance of holds of Ismailkhel and Mul- the ANP HQ, while shortly after- lahkhel, five young Hazara men soldiers injured in the clashes as well); a further wards, another operative driving a were stopped by armed men in operation in Mullahkhel two days later (and truck rigged as a SVBIED deto- the late afternoon while on their just two days before the above-described kill- nated his charge at the entrance of way to Dai Mirdad. After being ings of the five civilians), saw the arrest of four the nearby IMF base, in an attack taken out of the car and ques- AOG operatives in possession of a number of very similar to recent SVBIED tioned for approximately 20 ANA uniforms. The salient point being that attacks in neighbouring Logar; minutes, they were all shot and even such a large clearing operation did not indeed, it is highly likely that the killed, in spite of exhibiting no prevent such killings taking place during the operational trail originates via affiliations with the government mid-afternoon just five kilometers from the Logar’s Baraki Barak, whose dis- or security forces. The precise provincial capital – an indication of how en- trict road enters Saydabad just motivations of the incident re- trenched the opposition is in this area. north of the DAC area, using a main unclear – whether they were well-established infiltration route. killed simply for their eth- Other IMF operations did not have the same In the detonations, a clinic and a nic/sectarian identity by an AOG scale of fatal consequences, and the most note- school belonging to an NGO op- cadre increasingly influenced by worthy of developments were therefore two erating in the area were damaged, the presence of foreign fighters in clashes between IEA and HIG cadres in with some of the civilians queuing their midst; or perhaps because of Nirkh. On September 3rd in Tokarak, a clash for treatment in the clinic their westernized appearance and saw two Hezb-e Islami fighters killed, while amongst the high numbers of in- residence in Kabul, a fact seen five days later in Sad Morda, another clash saw jured: 47 in total, alongside three increasingly by Wardak’s armed a total of seven killed, with the IEA suffering IMF soldiers and 11 policemen, opposition as a problem in itself. three deaths and HIG four. Given the current with the death toll standing at However, regardless of the precise relatively even balance of power between the four policemen, seven civilians reason, the execution of five men two factions in the district, the IEA are unlike- and one NDS official, as well as for no strong identifiable reason ly to achieve their strategic objective of dis- the AOG operatives themselves. along this main road in the middle placing the HIG cadres from their resident of the day is without precedent, position; the cumulative effect of these clashes As has been previously detailed, even in an area of the province is therefore likely to remain increasing num- such attacks are part of the oppo- where kidnapping civilians for bers of casualties. sition strategy of demonstrating ransom is relatively common for presence whilst at the same time Elsewhere, a number of SAF and IED attacks the armed opposition – and is the reducing their overall operational targeted supply convoys, exclusively in Sayda- latest in a series of incidents in levels in Wardak, as in Logar and bad - except for one such attack in southern Wardak that demonstrate a deteri- a number of other provinces to Maidan Shahr. The overall volume of these oration of AOG consideration for the southeast, all the while in- attacks has reduced considerably over the past local society, which can and has creasingly focusing on socio- month, by more than two thirds, although in affected NGOs as well. political shaping of local society the handful of such incidents the armed oppo- ahead of widespread reductions of This incident, moreover, came a sition still managed to destroy nearly a dozen international military presence few days after a large ANSF/IMF logistic trucks and fuel tankers, continuing to across the country over the next operation in Mullahkhel to push demonstrate their ability to effectively carry three years. back and weaken AOG in that out such attacks along the long stretch of area, in which 15 opposition fight- Highway 1 that runs north-south through the An example of such societally ers were killed (with seven ANA east of the province. THE ANSO REPORT Page 3
NGO Incidents P ARWAN Year to Date 1 PARWAN 50 This Report Period 1 While the overall volume of inci- 40 dents in Parwan remained rela- during the late evening does not 30 present a threat to NGOs as long tively low, amongst them were an 20 as the use of the highway remains unusually high number of signifi- 10 cant importance across the prov- confined to the daytime travel 0 ince, which moreover occurred in window. quick succession. First, on Sep- If Salang witnessed some effect tember 1st during the mid- from AOG strength in Ghorband, morning, an armed group entered the valley itself also continued to PARWAN AOG PARWAN Crime an NGO demining work site on be home to high profile AOG- rather than withdrawing to home territory in the outskirts of Jabal Sarraj and authored incidents. Most signifi- Wardak or Baghlan in late September/early forcibly stole a small amount of cantly, in Sheikh Ali an IO food October - as they have done in previous years - electronics – mobile phones, a relief convoy was intercepted for instead continue operations later into the au- VHF radio and a digital camera – the second time this summer, on tumn and early winter. before departing from the area, in this occasion seeing six of the a type of incident that is unfortu- eight trucks loaded with grain hi- Two important events also occurred in Bagram nately relatively common amongst jacked and brought to a side valley and Charikar, summing to an unusually wide those that effect demining NGOs, where their loads were stolen; spread for significant incidents across Parwan and very similar to one which ANP responders managed to re- during the period. In Bagram, three weeks took place in a nearby part of Ka- trieve the trucks and drivers with- after accurate IDF struck the aircraft of the pisa in July. out much trouble later in the day, United States’ senior-most military officer while he was visiting Bagram Air Field, further Then, on the 8th, in the first secu- but the incident again demon- accurate rocket fire struck a military helicopter rity incident to take place in Sa- strates the willingness of the inside the air field, with some details of the lang district this year, a two-man armed opposition in the area to incident – whether an IMF or ANSF helicop- team of opposition gunmen am- interfere with commercial and/or ter, and whether on the ground or taking off – bushed an ANP convoy just south humanitarian activities on top of remaining contested. However, uncontested of the tunnel as it was travelling their kinetic targeting of security was the information on casualties; three NDS north from Kabul to Baghlan forces. officers and an ANP policeman were killed, bringing two deceased ANP po- Also in the valley, an ANP convoy while a further two NDS officers and two licemen back to their home prov- passing through Shinwari was at- ANP were injured. Other rockets that were ince late in the evening. It seems tacked early in the morning the part of the volley also struck inside the facility, likely that the opposition fighters day before, killing one policeman injuring five IMF soldiers. These two IDF misidentified their target, believ- and injuring three others. Finally, attacks sum to a particularly effective pair of ing the convoy to be Salang ANP, in the Pul-e Ashawa area of Shin- statements vis-à-vis the large air field, which and the ensuing front-on SAF wari, a pressure plate IED deto- has enjoyed a relatively untroubled existence attack led to the killing of two nated against the vehicle of the disproportionate to its value as a key facility ANP policemen standing guard in district chief of police, in which for the international military force’s national the rear platform of the first vehi- both the COP and the district efforts. cle, and the injury of three others governor were travelling, early on in the convoy, including a senior the morning of the 1st; the chief Secondly, in Charikar an NDS/ANP operation ANP officer from Baghlan. was injured in the attack. in the Tutum Dara area captured eight AOG operatives who were reported to be planning a Regardless of the specific target, In all these incidents, the armed large attack on an unknown facility in the an armed assault of this kind is opposition continues to forcefully province with a suspected suicide component. highly unusual for Salang, and is demonstrate the strategic value While this disruption marked a notable opera- likely to be the result of some ex- they have placed on operations in tion for the security forces in the province, in pansion of AOG operational the valley this fighting season, and most other respects the armed opposition has presence northeast out of the may imply that they will attempt demonstrated a qualitatively improved opera- Ghorband valley, most likely from to prolong their traditional period tional capability across multiple locations in Shinwari; however, its occurrence of presence there: that is to say, Parwan in recent weeks. THE ANSO REPORT Page 4
NGO Incidents KAPISA K APISA Year to Date 1 50 This Report Period 1 40 Kapisa was home to one of the region’s four NGO incidents dur- mand for ransom or having been 30 ing the fortnight, when an NGO mistreated. 20 employee was briefly abducted The incident conforms to previ- 10
from a taxi in Tagab, in what ously recorded patterns of abduc- 0 amounted to a detention by the tions of national staff across the armed opposition for the purpose country, where the detention is of information gathering. In the primarily to gather information early afternoon of the 11th, an about local operational actors for KAPISA AOG KAPISA Crime the armed opposition’s contextual NGO national staff member was continues to be home to an armed opposition knowledge – hence the lack of travelling south towards Surobi in presence that is comparatively receptive to ransom demands and the staff a taxi alongside other passengers, local society – partly because of a relatively when the taxi was stopped at an member’s quick release after certi- high level of social integration with it – focus- fication of his identity and profes- AOG checkpoint just a little ing instead its efforts on the security forces. sional affiliation. south of the DAC on the main This conflict pattern continued to be visible district road. Having some doubt The occurrence of such incidents during the past fortnight, with a third of all over the employee’s statement of is also a good measure of how the incidents in the province taking the form of his identity, the opposition fight- armed opposition conducts itself AOG assaults on ANSF in Tagab; across the ers manning the checkpoint de- in a particular area, or at least how attacks a number of ALP, ANP and AOG tained him to confirm his name much they pragmatically value were injured, with no fatalities. However, the and position; after lobbying by positive perceptions of them from most significant kinetic event was in fact an community members who certi- local society; in this manner, in AOG ambush of an NDS convoy in Nijrab, fied his story, he was released the spite of the relatively high intensi- near Qala-ye Khoja; in the ambush, an NDS following day without any de- ty of conflict in the district, Tagab official was killed.
NGO Incidents L OGAR Year to Date 5 LOGAR This Report Period 0 50 Security force operations out- 40 clearing operations on the 5th, weighed opposition activity for 30 opposition fighters defending the first time this year in Logar 20 province, where only four AOG their mountain positions shot 10 initiated incidents occurred, de- down an IMF helicopter, killing noting at least a 75% decrease two IMF soldiers. 0 from any of the four periods prior Apart from that incident, which to this one. Across a dozen oper- does little to detract from the per- ations focused on Puli Alam, but sonnel losses they suffered during LOGAR AOG LOGAR Crime also taking place in Baraki Barak the multiple security force opera- fers good insight into the often fragmentary and Mohammad Agha, a total of tions, there were just a small nature of AOG rule in districts under their 33 opposition fighter were killed handful of notable AOG kinetic control, and is likely to increase in rural areas during IMF and joint operations, events. of the region as the armed opposition contin- with a further 15 arrested. Of First, in Puli Alam’s Qala-ye Juma, ues to consolidate their position away from these fatalities, 26 were killed in a PPIED detonated against an ANSF-heavy urban areas. Puli Alam, and 14 specifically in ANP vehicle and killed one po- the AOG-dominated Babus area Finally, similar to neighbouring Wardak, inse- liceman. Second, in AOG- curity on Logar’s main provincial highway was northwest of the provincial capi- dominated Baraki Barak, two tal. considerably lower than rates seen earlier in AOG units became embroiled in a the summer, with just a single IED detonation It was during an operation in Ba- firefight after a disagreement, in Tangi Wagjan, which moreover was prema- bus that the period’s most notable leading to the death of one fight- ture, striking no target; another IED was dis- AOG action was recorded; during er. Such factional infighting of- covered and defused in the Surkhabad area. THE ANSO REPORT Page 5
N ORTHERN REGION
NGO Incidents F ARYAB Year to Date 4 FARYAB This Report Period 1 50 Armed groups operating in the 40 just the perception of some high province crossed paths with both 30 an NGO and an IO over the first profile entity. two weeks of September. In one Rather, in both cases the 20 of two incidents directly involving NGO/IO found themselves in 10 an NGO in the North region this occasionally insecure areas, to 0 cycle (for the other see Balkh), an which an AOG has expanded NGO vehicle received SAF after their activities. In Tailan the running into an illegal checkpoint AOG that attacked the NGO re- FARYAB AOG FARYAB Crime near Tailan on the Maymana- mains in place and has most re- two weeks of September the proportion of Kohistan road close to the border cently attacked the Tailan village IMF/ANSF-initiated incidents stood at 17%, between Kohistan and Pashtun itself on 11 September. AOG however that includes two ANP responses to Kot. Both the NGO driver and a activity also continued in the Pata criminal incidents. Although six IEDs were local civilian survived the attack, Baba area of Dawlatabad, where removed during this cycle by IMF/ANSF, the albeit they were wounded in the an ANP patrol was attacked with last arrest of a suspected AOG member was shooting. SAF a day after the attack against reported on 29 July. SAF was also directed at several the IO. The area is close to Alti- bolak in Qaramqol district, where Meanwhile, ANSF checkpoints and patrols IO vehicles parked inside an IDP continue to come under frequent SAF and camp in Dawlatabad district by an IO had been targeted twice since the beginning of July. RPG attacks in Pashtun Kot and Qaysar and the side of the Maymana- there is evidence of AOGs renewing pressure Shibirghan road while the IO The past two weeks saw the be- on communities in Shirin Tagab and Khwaja staff, none of whom were injured ginning of the withdrawal of IMF Sabz Posh by targeting local elders known for in the incident, were interviewing troops from the province. On 12 their support of the GOA. In Shirin Tagab beneficiaries inside the camp. September the transition ceremo- two gunmen on a motorcycle shot a local elder It appears that in neither of these ny for the province concluded and a vocal GOA supporter as he was on the incidents were the staff attacked without an incident at the former way to the mosque on 10 September and in primarily due to their status as Camp Griffin and the last IMF Khwaja Sabz Posh an elder was abducted and NGO/IO employees. The car troops are set to leave Faryab by subsequently killed on the 12th. the end of September, when the used by the NGO to travel to Ko- Continuing North, the AOG-initiated attacks histan was low-profile and un- PRT will be handed over to local authorities. against former jihadi commanders continued marked and rather attracted the in Andkhoy with a SAF attack against the pri- attention of the AOG manning So far, the months leading up to vate residence of the provincial governor of the checkpoint only after the driv- the IMF withdrawal from the Samangan (who was also a former district gov- er rapidly turned the car around to province have seen a sharp de- ernor of Andkhoy) that killed one of his body- avoid driving into it. Meanwhile, crease in ANSF-initiated activity. guards and injured another. Previously, two in Dawlatabad the SAF against While at its peak this year in April, attacks took place against former jihadi com- the IO was fired from a signifi- ANSF/IMF-initiated incidents manders who hold no GOA position in And- cant distance and the AOG visited comprised 46% of the recorded khoy on 25 and 31 August, indicating that, as is the IDP camp later on the same incidents for the month, that pro- often the case in Faryab, the attempts were day to inquire after the identity of portion gradually fell and bot- carried out by a local AOG commander with their earlier target, suggesting that tomed out in August, when only long-standing grievances against other former the organization itself was not 7% of the recorded incidents were jihadi commanders in the district. specifically targeted, but instead ANSF-initiated. During the first THE ANSO REPORT Page 6
NGO Incidents B ALKH Year to Date 3 BALKH 50 This Report Period 1 An RCIED mounted on a bicycle 40 simply stage a high profile inci- and placed on a busy street in cen- 30 tral Mazar-i Sharif detonated at dent within Mazar to demonstrate 20 1000 hours on 3 September, injur- AOG ability to penetrate the city’s ing eight locals, including one perimeter. Contrary to this, the 10 NGO and one IO member of volume of recorded IEDs within 0 staff. The IED was the first to the city remains low this year in successfully detonate within the comparison with last year’s four. BALKH AOG BALKH Crime city security perimeter this year, In the rest of the province the military continued to exercise although another bicycle-mounted cle in Kaldar on 29 August. After the arrest of pressure on AOG through joint IED exploded on the city’s West- a senior commander in Fayzabad (see Jawzjan), operations in Chimtal district, ern outskirts two weeks prior (14 the Shortepa district leader was arrested in August). where four AOG members were Hairatan on 10 September. However, the Kal- killed in a night raid in Alburz The targeting of the IED was not dar district AOG commander thought respon- mountains on 5 September. The immediately clear as it was left in sible for the RCIED had not been located as operations in Chimtal have been the vicinity of several government of the writing of this report. ongoing through the summer and offices, the ANP HQ and near the In a criminally-motivated incident apparently provincial governor’s compound, the military focus on the district has pushed AOG out of their usu- unrelated to the recent AOG activity in Kaldar, in a location that a number of a fuel tanker was targeted with SAF and an VIPs and GOA employees pass al areas of operation into the sur- rounding districts (see Jawzjan). RPG in Hairatan, the first such attack to take through every day. While these place in Balkh province this year. The incident The AOG network was targeted offices give the location strategic was identified as stemming from a dispute be- value, it cannot be discounted that in several arrests following an tween a fuel transporting company and their the explosion was intended to RCIED attack against an IO vehi- former security provider rather than by AOG.
NGO Incidents B AGHLAN Year to Date 3 BAGHLAN This Report Period 0 50 Unlike Faryab and Kunduz, the 40 been targeting passing ANSF con- other highly kinetic provinces in 30 the North, Baghlan did not record voys and high-profile GOA vehi- an increase in security incident cles over the past several months. 20 volume levels, but instead contin- The two RCIED attacks on the 10 ued existing patterns with 15 rec- road during this cycle took place 0 orded incidents. The bulk of the in the second (Fabrika area), tar- reported insecurity continued to geting a fuel tanker and an IMF BAGHLAN AOG BAGHLAN Crime be concentrated in Baghlani Jadid, vehicle, but Charshanbe Tepa, the accounting for 60% of the total third chronically insecure area, recorded no incidents this cycle. factor rather appears to be the profile of the number of incidents in the prov- vehicle, as attacks continue to clearly target ince. The timing of the recent IED at- tacks on the Puli Khumri-Kunduz ANSF, IMF, or GOA elements. In an incident that took place on road does not comply to a single The first IED detonation on the Puli Khumri- 31 August but was only reported pattern and attacks seem equally Mazar road this year took place in Baghi Sha- during this cycle, an IED struck likely to take place in the middle mal, Puli Khumri, at 1800, when an IED deto- the vehicle carrying the deputy of the day as the middle of the nated prematurely, killing only the AOG mem- governor of Kunduz province night. The attack against the dep- ber who was attempting to emplace it. While along the Puli-Kumri-Kunduz uty governor took place at 1400 IED detonations have been rare on the Puli- road in the Jangal Bagh area, in- and the fuel tanker was targeted at Khumri-Mazar road, the timing of the incident juring three of his bodyguards. 1300, both in the afternoon, while complies with what previously observed AOG Jangal Bagh belongs to one of the the detonation against IMF took kinetic activity has occurred there, the majority three areas on the Puli Khumri- place at 0300. The determining of which has taken place during evening hours. Kunduz road where AOG have THE ANSO REPORT Page 7
NGO Incidents K UNDUZ Year to Date 2 KUNDUZ 50 This Report Period 0 Kunduz province demonstrated 40 its first increase in incident vol- The incident serves as an extreme 30 manifestation of the province’s ume reporting from period to pe- 20 riod since June with 30 total secu- militia problem. After a number rity incidents. However, two of PGMs were admitted into the 10 high-profile incidents in particular ALP program in 2011, the GOA 0 dominated provincial reporting. failed to disarm those PGMs, in- cluding the one behind the On 2 September, a long-standing Kanam Kalan incident, whose KUNDUZ AOG KUNDUZ Crime conflict between a PGM and the members failed to pass the ALP villagers of Kanam Kalan, sus- vetting criteria. tember for allegedly colluding in an AOG- pected by the PGM of collusion initiated killing of a PGM member. The incident prompted a number with the AOG, came to a head In the second high-profile incident, an AOG with an early morning killing of 13 of nonviolent demonstrations in Kunduz city and limited efforts took advantage of an increased ANSF posture villagers by the PGM. The AOG- in Kunduz city following a Kanam Kalan- initiated killing of a PGM-member on behalf of the ANSF to arrest those responsible, which resulted related demonstration on 10 September to in the village on the previous stage a BBIED attack. The attack targeted a night served as an immediate trig- in at least one protracted fire fight but which are unlikely to stop the group of ANP policemen standing in a busy ger, however the PGM has been central area at 1500 hours, killing eight police- targeted by the AOG in the vicini- PGM from operating in the area. Meanwhile, a similar incident was men and seven local civilians and injuring five ty of the village at least eight times policemen and 20 civilians. Some volume of since the beginning of 2011, lead- reported from Archi district, where three members of a family, suicide attacks are to be expected in the city, ing to a strong resentment of the which has thus far witnessed two BBIED at- villagers on the part of the PGM including a woman and a child, were killed by a PGM on 7 Sep- tacks this year after four such attacks took members. place in 2011.
NGO Incidents S AMANGAN Year to Date 1 SAMANGAN This Report Period 0 50 The province continued to experi- April and early July this year. The 40 ence a period of little manifested 30 insecurity, recording only three Dara--i-Sufi Payan AOG was dis- 20 criminally motivated incidents in placed during a week-long military Aybak city during the entire two operation in the area that culmi- 10 week cycle, with none of those nated with the killing of two 0 occurring after 3 September. In AOG commanders and arrest of fact, Samangan has recorded no eight AOG members in Jamalak SAMANGAN AOG SAMANGAN Crime AOG-initiated incidents since the valley on 15 July. Former AOG burning of 23 fuel tankers in the members are said to continue liv- ing in the district - as has histori- roads where there is minimal ANSF presence Robatak area on 18 July and the as well as in Aybak city BBIED attack that killed Ahmad cally been the case - however for Khan Samangani four days prior. the moment they lack adequate Two months after the death of Ahmad Khan leadership and external support to Samangani there has been no evidence of vio- However, although Samangan engage in armed activities. lent power struggles in the province. However, recorded no AOG-initiated inci- Furthermore, the number of during this cycle a hand grenade was thrown dents over the past seven weeks, into an Aybak compound belonging to the the overall number of AOG- ACG-initiated incidents this year (27) has already matched the over- relative of a female deputy head of the Provin- initiated incidents so far this year cial Council (and a known supporter of Ahmad (13) - although few - already ex- all number of such incidents in 2011. According to local ac- Kahn) while she was visiting the house, caus- ceeds the total for all of 2011 (12). ing no casualties. The incident marks a mild This is mainly due to AOG activi- counts, criminality remains of concern in the province’s remote intimidation effort, possibly due to a personal ty in Dara-i-Sufi Payan between dispute, rather than a serious attack. THE ANSO REPORT Page 8
NGO Incidents S AR- E PUL Year to Date 2 SAR‐E PUL This Report Period 0 50
Sar-e Pul province remained calm 40 on the surface with four recorded lasted for an hour and at least one incidents after just two the PRP. truck driver - a young man with 30 AOG maintained a minimal no known GOA ties - was ab- 20 amount of activity in some of the ducted. (and later released). Alt- 10 chronically insecure areas of the hough the incident was notable, as 0 province: ANP checkpoints were random abductions of non-VIPs briefly attacked with SAF in Say- rarely occur on the road, no indi- SAR‐E PUL AOG SAR‐E PUL Crime yad and Sari Pul districts, on the cation of further AOG activity has since been recorded. border between Sar-e Pul and on the province’s hotspots, during the past The reason behind the reduced Jawzjan. The one incident of note two weeks ANSF have focused their attention AOG activity in Sayyad and Sari this cycle was the first illegal on Gosfandi district, where eight AOG mem- checkpoint on the Shibirghan-Sari Pul districts continues to remain bers were killed in Shekyar, Chogdan and Ka- unclear as AOGs are known to be Pul road since 29 July, which was riz areas. The district has only recorded three present in the area and no further set up by a large AOG in the AOG-initiated incidents this year, although clearing operations have taken Imam Jafar area on 1 September anecdotal reports have suggested an increased at 2200 hours. The checkpoint place there. Rather than focusing presence of opposition members recently.
NGO Incidents J AWZJAN Year to Date 1 JAWZJAN This Report Period 0 50 Similarly to Sar-e Pul, Jawzjan 40 recorded isolated incidents in are- proached the villagers of as of known AOG activity: a sin- Chakosh-e Sarband in an apparent 30 gle RCIED prematurely detonated effort to expand their sphere of 20 in a village in the Southern Shibir- influence from the ANSF and 10 IMF-heavy districts of Balkh ghan city belt on 2 September and 0 an IED detonated against an ALP (Chimtal and Chahar Bolak). The vehicle in Darzab on the 4th. AOG was pushed back after a protracted fire fight with the ANP JAWZJAN AOG JAWZJAN Crime The districts in the Eastern part of that killed two AOG members, Jawzjan were exposed to spill- however the possibility of a future a senior AOG commander from Balkh was over AOG activity from Balkh return to the area cannot be dis- arrested with strong linkages to local AOGs in province. In Aqcha, an AOG counted. Meanwhile in Fayzabad, Shortepa and Kaldar districts of Balkh. from Chimtal district (Balkh) ap-
NGO Incidents B ADAKHSHAN Year to Date 6 BADAKHSHAN This Report Period 0 50 The province experienced a sharp 40 The only incident of note was the drop in reported security inci- 30 dents, with only three after the ambush of an ANP convoy along 20 PRP’s 13. There have been no a secondary road connecting the high-profile criminal incidents or Shuhada and Shignan districts on 10 demonstrations in Fayzabad city 1 September in a manner reminis- 0 in the past two weeks and no re- cent of the attack that killed the porting of AOG-activity in War- Shignan district governor in Ar- BADAKHSHAN AOG BADAKHSHAN Crime duj or the surrounding districts, ghanj Khwa on 14 August. The even though no indications have AOG responsible for the attack maintain presence along the Arghanj Khwa- surfaced of decreased AOG pres- against the district governor is not Shignan main road, possibly connecting it to ence there. local to the area and continues to the current incident. THE ANSO REPORT Page 9
W ESTERN REGION
NGO Incidents H ERAT Year to Date 5 HERAT 50 This Report Period 0 A BBIED detonated inside a pri- 40 vate shop in the Kushk Kuna well as throughout Badghis Prov- 30 DAC where several community ince - and are expected to contin- 20 elders as well as an ALP com- ue to be primary targets for AOG mander were having a gathering, as such programs expand with the 10 killing six of the elders and an continuing ring road construction. 0 ALP commander, and wounding In contrast, Herat city remained five local civilians. This marks calm, with no AOG incidents rec- HERAT AOG HERAT Crime only the second suicide attack in orded at any time the past month. the province this year (the first, This was likely attributed to in- cline. Following a series of ANSF/IMF opera- involving a significant number of creased ANSF efforts (12 ANSF tions the PRP, IMF killed a brother of one of casualties, was recorded in Guzara authored incidents over the past two key AOG commanders, and another influ- in April). The attack appears to two fortnights) which have coun- ential figure loyal to the noted commander have targeted community leaders tered the increased AOG activity subsequently joined the APRP. Further de- who were in favor of the ALP that took place throughout July pleting AOG leadership, the head of a major program, which has gained trac- and the first half of August. local AOG in Pashtun Zarghun joined a CIP tion in the province, thereby also to protect the construction of the Herat- attracting more attention from Recent intensification of ANSF operations in Guzara – where a Pashtun Zarghun main road. With these AOG (as evidenced by this rare shifts, it is likely that the northward move- use of significant assets in the local AOG has played a major role as a conduit for external ments of exogenous AOG from Shindand or province). ALP programs have Farah will be shifted from Guzara/Pashtun been targeted heavily in the region AOG to access the city – is anoth- er contributing factor to the de- Zarghun to Obe, where local AOG remain - especially in Shindand district as present and active.
NGO Incidents G HOR Year to Date 9 GHOR This Report Period 0 50 Ghor recorded no significant se- 40 makes the relations between the curity incidents this cycle, howev- 30 er some potentially combustible official’s militia and the slain PC situations continued to develop. member’s militia still hostile. As 20 The conflict between a local such, it is likely that the affected 10 armed group from Du Layna and area (the western part of the dis- 0 a militia related to a high-ranking trict) will remain volatile until this GOA official had reached a six- dispute has been settled. months-ceasefire agreement fol- AOG operations slightly increased GHOR AOG GHOR Crime lowing mediations held by power- after Eid, but only two incidents in the province, the overall level of AOG oper- brokers external to the situation. were recorded this cycle. The first ations remain low due to the fact that infiltra- However, it failed to include an- occurred when an RCIED deto- tion is primarily limited to the south of the other militia - allied with the nated against an ANP vehicle at province (mainly Passaband and Taywara), group from Du Layna - whose the Tulak DAC (no casualties), with AOG influence currently diminished in leadership (an ex-Provincial and the second when a roadside the north (Charsada, Chaghcharan, and Dawlat Council member) had been assas- IED detonated prematurely, kill- Yar). Nevertheless, AOG activity has peaked sinated in an August RCIED at- ing two AOG members emplac- in September both of the past two years, and tack in Chaghcharan. This latter ing it in the southern part of Du the potential for a resurgence late in the month group’s belief that the GOA offi- Layna. Although statistically, remains existent. cial’s militia carried out the attack AOG have increased IED activity THE ANSO REPORT Page 10
NGO Incidents FARAH F ARAH Year to Date 3 100 This Report Period 0 Farah witnessed two major inci- 80 the targeting of GOA officials is dents this reporting cycle. The 60 not irregular, it demonstrates in- first occurred when a roadside 40 IED detonated against a convoy creased AOG capacity to plan and of 16 commercial trucks trans- carry out significant operations in 20 porting IO food items along the conjunction with recently in- 0 Herat-Kandahar highway in creased AOG infiltration into the Bakwa. Although IOs have not provincial capital. often been effected, IEDs have Further to the above, AOG ex- FARAH AOG FARAH Crime tended their operational focus been relatively common in this AOG incidents that accounted for 59% of the within the central districts from area, and the attack appears to total AOG activity throughout the province. the provincial capital to Pusht denote the opportunistic targeting This period the conflict intensified with six of a high profile convoy being Rod, where a complete lack of separate AOG initiated attacks in Bakwa AOG activity over the Ramadan escorted by ANSF rather than any (mainly targeting IMF supply convoys and period ended when a roadside shift towards the targeting of IOs. PSC/ANSF vehicles along the Herat- IED detonated against an ANA In the second, a triple RCIED Kandahar highway) and five ANSF/IMF oper- attack took place in the immediate patrol vehicle. This was followed ations, which combined for large casualty by three other attacks (one close vicinity of the governor’s com- numbers on both sides. In Shinwan of Bala range attack and two roadside pound in Farah city, likely target- Buluk - the most prominent AOG stronghold IEDs) resulting in fatalities and ing high-ranking GOA officials, in the province - AOG launched two direct and resulting in the death of one casualties amongst both ANSF attacks on ANSF which led to protracted fire and AOG, as well as within the local civilian and injuries to 11 fights and resulted in the death of seven AOG civilian population. others along with six ANP/NDS members – including a key commander – and officers. A triple IED attack had Despite the above, Bakwa and one ANA soldier. ANSF also launched two never been recorded in the west- Bala Buluk remained the focal operations, with net results that included the ern region prior to this, and while point of AOG activity, hosting 10 deaths of three AOG members.
NGO Incidents B ADGHIS Year to Date 2 BADGHIS This Report Period 0 50 A BBIED detonation occurred in tricts, with 13 AOG initiated inci- 40 Badghis this reporting cycle when 30 an operative detonated his suicide dents recorded this cycle, account- 20 vest in Qala-I-Naw shortly after ing for 68% of the overall total being detected by NDS, but be- for the province. AOG remain 10 fore reaching any obvious target, focused on disruption of the ring 0 leaving no casualties or fatalities road construction by using close outside of himself. Suicide attacks range conventional attacks on have been both rare and ineffec- ANSF CPs established along the BADGHIS AOG BADGHIS Crime road, including those of newly tive in the province thus far, with likely to attract AOG activity later in the pro- only three similar incidents ever formed ALP/CIPs tasked with protecting them. cess due to the strong presence of local and recorded prior to this one, all of exogenous elements in those areas. For the which exclusively intended to tar- To date, multiple CIP checkposts time being, kinetic activity is likely to remain have been established along the get IMF or IMF facilities. As moderate, as AOG influence appears limited in section of the ring road between such, the risk of such attacks ef- the south of Qala-I-Naw district, and those Qala-I-Naw and Sabzak pass fecting NGOs remains low and local AOG present have taken a somewhat limited to collateral involvements. where construction has already moderate stance, appearing more likely to co- commenced. However, other Ghormach and Qadis continued operate due to both financial incentives and sections (Muqur-Murghab-Qadis- to be the most AOG kinetic dis- existing community ties. Ghormach-Farayab) are more THE ANSO REPORT Page 11
E ASTERN REGION
NGO Incidents N ANGARHAR Year to Date 16 NANGARHAR This Report Period 1 100 Nangarhar was home to one 80 in attendance. 25 people, includ- NGO incident this period, when 60 in Bati Kot at 1145 hrs, an NGO ing one of the district governor's 40 ambulance transporting a patient sons, were killed and a further 67, to Pakistan by way of the Tork- including the district governor and 20 ham-Jalalabad highway sustained two ANP officers, were injured. 0 superficial damage when an The district governor is known RCIED, likely targeting a passing for having taken a hard line NANGARHAR AOG NANGARHAR Crime ANP vehicle travelling in the op- against the armed opposition since his appointment in the au- posite direction, detonated. nor was not in the vehicle when the blast Whilst the incident was minor in tumn of 2010 – following the as- sassination of the previous district struck and no one was injured, the incident its severity, it nonetheless under- demonstrates (along with that in Dur Baba) the scores the risk to NGOs of collat- governor by an RCIED detona- tion – including through the re- armed opposition’s undiminished intent to eral involvement in AOG attacks target high profile GOA officials in Nangarhar. against ANSF targets along major cruitment of a local defense force to disrupt AOG infiltration into, The province has recorded six targeted killings roads, particularly in districts in total so far this year – including that of the where the armed opposition has and operations within, Dur Baba. The initiative underwent a fresh Dih Bala deputy governor in an IED strike on intensified its operations and 30 May, and the fatal shooting of the director where attacks during daylight round of recruitment in the past month, as did a similar initiative in of the Youth Department of Sherzad on 3 July hours are not uncommon. In Bati – along with seven failed attempts. Kot, AOG-initiated incidents Hisarak (contrary to reports of have increased by 74% over the spontaneous community uprising In the final incidents of note, the province wit- previous year and the IED deto- against AOGs) which may have nessed two demonstrations over the release of nation against the ambulance was been what motivated the attack. a film which allegedly maligns the prophet Mo- followed two days later by a direct Accordingly, it is highly likely that hammad (one occurred also in Khost Prov- attack at 1500 hrs, again along the an AOG was responsible and that ince). In the first, approximately 200 people district’s stretch of the Torkham- public denials to that effect are an gathered in Ghani Khel in Shinwar after Friday Jalalabad highway, by AOG fight- indication of the armed opposi- prayers, whereupon they chanted anti- ers dressed in ANA uniforms tion’s sensitivity to popular con- American slogans before being dispersed by against an ANP patrol. demnation of the scale of civilian the ANP some 20 minutes later. In the se- casualties and the violation of a cond, 50 people started a demonstration in IED detonations also made up religious ceremony. Murakhabat Square in Jalalabad city’s Zone 1, the two other most significant Second, an RCIED detonated but it failed to gain momentum and ended 15 AOG attacks this period. First, a minutes after it had begun. Although the issue BBIED operative detonated his against the vehicle of the district governor of Goshta as it ap- may spur further demonstrations, these two suicide-vest amidst a funeral in were small, showed no indications of becom- Dur Baba at which the district proached his home in Jalalabad’s Zone 2. Even though the gover- ing violent, and were effectively contained by governor and chief of police were ANSF.
ACRONYMS: Please see the final page for a list of ANSO-utilized acronyms. THE ANSO REPORT Page 12
NGO Incidents KUNAR K UNAR Year to Date 6 160 This Report Period 3 140 Kunar recorded three NGO inci- 120 round during an IDF attack on 100 dents in the first half of the 80 month – the highest of any re- Asadabad city – the ninth so far 60 porting period so far this year. In this year – causing significant 40 damage to its roof, but no casual- 20 the first incident, two NGO staff 0 were stopped at an ANP/ALP ties. IDF is notoriously inaccurate checkpoint in Khas Kunar whilst and thus collateral involvement in driving en route to a field site in a attacks of this kind is not an un- rented vehicle, whereupon an common occurrence, as was KUNAR AOG KUNAR Crime ALP member unleashed several demonstrated in April 2011, when an AOG attacking the Chapa Da- The volume of both overall and AOG-initiated bursts of SAF into the air above incidents differed little from the previous peri- their vehicle. It remains unclear ra DAC with mortar fire uninten- tionally hit an NGO clinic. od, continuing the decrease seen in mid- what prompted him to do so, but August, although there was a notable absence In the final incident, several the most likely reason appears to of IMF airstrikes, of which there had been ten armed men vandalised an NGO be that the shots were warning in August as a whole, killing a total of 126 health center (also in Khas Kunar) fire, resulting from the belief that AOG fighters in strikes in the armed opposi- the NGO staff and their driver after coercing the guard on duty at tion’s rural strongholds. Whilst it is too early the time to leave. The affected were displaying threatening be- to draw any definitive conclusions, it may be NGO is not known to be in dis- haviour. The incident is the first the case that it was a temporarily intensified pute with the armed opposition or of its kind on record in Kunar and campaign aimed at inflicting as much damage as such is likely to remain a rela- other elements of the community to AOG strength as possible before IMF with- and as such it would seem that the tively isolated case. draws from Kunar in October and that opera- incident was an act of wanton In the second incident, an NGO tions have simply hit a temporary lull for re- criminality. clinic was struck by a stray mortar evaluation.
NGO Incidents N URISTAN Year to Date 0 NURISTAN 50 This Report Period 0 In Nuristan, the armed opposition 40 continued to harry ANSF targets tacks in comparison to the same 30 in Kamdesh, with four attacks on months in 2011, from 16 to 34, 20 record during the period. In the including a three-sided massed 10 assault on ANP and ALP forces first, AOG fighters attacked the 0 DAC with heavy weapons and in the DAC area on 29 June that SAF, injuring two ANA soldiers lasted for several hours and result- ed in substantial casualties on and two ALP members. Then on NURISTAN AOG NURISTAN Crime the following day an IED detonat- both sides. Whilst this figure is ed against an ANBP vehicle, kill- still significantly below the 56 inci- dents recorded from January to In Waygal, AOG fighters forcibly closed the ing five ANBP policemen and Waygal village high school after assaulting sev- injuring two others, with two fur- September in 2009 – the year in which AOG pressure forced IMF eral teachers and burning furniture. The inci- ther policemen sustaining injuries dent follows the burning of a high school in when a secondary device detonat- to withdraw from the district, its only presence in Nuristan – it is Want on 4 August – widely attributed to the ed in the same area. The remain- armed opposition – though unlike in that in- ing incidents amounted to direct nonetheless an indication, one supported by anecdotal reporting, stance, which was a clear attempt to demon- attacks against ANSF check- strate political control on the ground in the points, only one of which resulted that the armed opposition may attempt to wrest control of face of a series of IMF airstrikes, the motiva- in casualties, amounting to six tion for this recent case is not known, with no injured AOG fighters. This year Kamdesh from what little GOA authority remains in the district in recent IMF operations having been recorded the district has seen over a dou- in the district. bling in the number of AOG at- the coming months. THE ANSO REPORT Page 13
NGO Incidents L AGHMAN Year to Date 3 LAGHMAN 50 This Report Period 0 After the lull that occurred over 40 the second half of August, Lagh- dents, the district had recorded 30 only one AOG attack on an IMF man saw a marked increase in 20 conflict activity this period, with target for the year – an IDF as- the overall volume of incidents sault on an IMF base on 26 June, 10 increasing from 11 to 18, of which which failed to find its mark. 0 14 were AOG-initiated – double However, after recording 29 the number recorded in the previ- AOG initiated attacks against ous period – with notable inci- ANSF in the same area, neither LAGHMAN AOG LAGHMAN Crime dents in Qarghayi and Alingar. the level of activity nor the target- ing denotes any significant shift. the other. This period also saw further evi- In Qarghayi, the armed opposi- dence of the armed opposition’s intent to Meanwhile in Alingar, AOG fight- tion carried out three attacks maintain a significant presence in Besram, with against IMF targets in the space of ers shot and killed the deputy the establishment of the fourth illegal check- head of NDS for the district in two days. First, an IED detonat- point targeting GOA employees this year, all the fourth targeted killing of a ed against an IMF vehicle travel- of which have occurred in the last two months. ling along the Kabul-Jalalabad public official (GOA or ANSF) in Laghman this year. The deputy Alishing was home to the most significant se- highway at 1000 hrs, injuring four curity forces operation this period, where ten IMF soldiers. This was followed was also the third member of the NDS to be killed in 2012, follow- AOG fighters along with the district shadow the next day by a near identical governor were killed. The commander is incident, though in this case no ing the fatal shooting of an NDS officer on 14 March and an known to have orchestrated a number of casualties were reported. Finally, AOG attacks in both Alishang and neighbour- AOG fighters fired two mortar RCIED detonation against a mo- torcycle being ridden by two NDS ing Bad Pakh, and as such, his death may tem- rounds at an IMF base in the Ma- porarily deteriorate AOG capabilities. shala area. Prior to these inci- officers, killing one and injuring
NGO Incidents AKTYA PAKTYA P Year to Date 1 50 This Report Period 0 In Gardez, an IED detonated 40 against the vehicle of the Provin- armed opposition in Gardez to 30 cial Operational Coordination plan and execute effective attacks 20 Center commander; the com- of this nature against GOA and 10 ANSF targets. mander was unhurt, but a 0 passerby was killed in the blast In Sayid Karam, an IED detonat- and four others were injured. The ed against an ANP vehicle, killing
incident followed an IED strike one ANP officer and injuring PAKTYA AOG PAKTYA Crime earlier in the month against an three others. In addition, AOG ANP checkpoint, which killed fighters staged an attack on the is instead a reflection of the fact that a combi- three ANP policemen, and an funeral of an ANP policeman - nation of highly mountainous terrain and a RCIED detonation against the whom they had killed the previous strong AOG presence, including foreign fight- vehicle of a former parliamentari- month - injuring a civilian. The ers, has left it almost entirely uncontested in an in the previous period, of district was also home to an IMF recent years. As such, recent IMF operations which he was the likely target, clearing operation, in Lakari, in in Lakari – which also included an airstrike in though he was not in the vehicle which one AOG fighter was killed the previous month that killed over 60 AOG when the blast occurred (which and seven were arrested, in what fighters – can be understood as a sign of re- instead killed his son, brother and amounts to the third incident of newed concern over the ability of the armed an accompanying bodyguard). As any kind ever recorded in the area. opposition to use the area as a staging ground such, this most recent incident is a Rather than indicating that it is of in which to prepare for attacks elsewhere in further indication of the undimin- peripheral importance to the con- the province. ished intent and capability of the flict however, the lack of incidents THE ANSO REPORT Page 14
S OUTHERN REGION
NGO Incidents H ELMAND Year to Date 0 HELMAND This Report Period 0 140 In Helmand, one major AOG 120 operation stood out amidst a and six soft hangers until they 100 moderate volume of security inci- were eventually stopped. 80 60 dents, which otherwise demon- By the early morning, when the 40 strated a decrease on August’s last of the fighting had ended, a 20 levels (prior to late reporting). At total of 14 AOG fighters had 0 approximately 2200 hrs on the been killed by the defending IMF 14th, three AOG units numbering contingents, while two IMF sol- 15 operatives in total, dressed in diers were also amongst the dead; HELMAND AOG HELMAND Crime US military uniforms, attacked the Further to this, one AOG opera- the south. As such, the effective penetration province’s main international mili- tive who had been wounded by of the operatives into the area of the runway - tary facility, Camp Bastion the IMF was arrested, and a num- often referred to as “one of the busiest in the (known as Shorab locally), located ber of other IMF soldiers were world” - is a powerful demonstration that a in Nahri Sarraj, with heavy weap- injured. substantial capability - and intent - remains ons and small arms, including While the IEA claimed the highly with the armed opposition, in spite of the pro- rockets and mortars; it was later effective operation was retaliation tracted downturn in AOG kinetic activity from claimed by the IMF that at least for the production of a film by a August 2011 onwards as a result of the IMF some of the fighters were wearing US citizen that allegedly insults surge. This perhaps, not its opportunistic tying BBIED vests, but at the time of the prophet Mohammad, this is to a film, is the operation’s true message - at writing it remains unclear how likely to have been merely a con- least as intended for international military forc- many of them were thus venient narrative for a carefully es. equipped. prepared operation, which was The only other incident of note in Helmand It was clear, however, that one unlikely to have been hatched, during the period occurred in Lashkar Gah, BBIED operative was used to planned and executed in the 48 when two Zarang rickshaws rigged as moder- blast a hole in a pre-identified hours between the story of the ately sized VBIEDs were simultaneously deto- weak spot in the outermost pe- film hitting the news and the oc- nated against an ANA ranger that was parked rimeter fence, which was then currence of the attack itself – par- at the Kandahar bus station in the city; in spite used by the remaining operatives ticularly given the use of large of the use of twin blasts no one was killed, to enter the facility near to the numbers of heavy weapons and with three ANA soldiers and four civilians main runway. The operatives some BBIED vests. however suffering injuries of various degrees then proceeded to both engage Nonetheless, the assault was high- of severity. Also in the provincial capital, an IMF soldiers inside the facility, as ly significant for a number of rea- opposition unit attacked with hand-grenades a well as attack aircraft, buildings sons. While the amount of dam- senior official from the Tribal and Border Af- and other structures in the area of age done was exceptional, most of fairs line department, although he managed to the runway, penetrating a signifi- all, for all the intensity of the con- escape unharmed, while a motorcycle-borne cant distance within the large fa- flict in Helmand, the facility has AOG ‘hit team’ shot and killed an ANP police- cility and avoiding containment remained broadly insulated from man near the ANP HQ, in a form of attack measures by IMF for a number of attacks by the armed opposition, identical to that being increasingly seen in hours during which they were able in spite of its high military im- neighbouring Kandahar city. to destroy a total of eight aircrafts portance for the IMF campaign in THE ANSO REPORT Page 15
NGO Incidents ANDAHAR Year to Date 2 KANDAHAR K 140 This Report Period 1 120 A demining NGO was targeted 100 for robbery by gunmen in rural ment. This tactic has been partic- 80 ularly popular in 2012, given the 60 Kandahar during the past fort- 40 night. In a village near to the Ar- ability of the attackers to blend in 20 ghistan DAC on the 8th, gunmen and escape quickly afterwards; of 0 entered a demining worksite and the approximately 120 such at- abducted four staff members in tacks ever recorded in the city, 53 have occurred this year. The final one of their vehicles, bringing KANDAHAR AOG KANDAHAR Crime some of the deminers’ equipment SAF attack was a little less oppor- with them; after stopping at a tunistic, with an AOG unit attack- tiveness of the security forces in disrupting nearby location, the gunmen ing an ANP CP in district 2 dur- such attacks during the height of the summer physically assaulted the deminers ing the early morning hours, lead- fighting season, which has its parallels in other and then released them approxi- ing to the death of a policeman major Afghan cities in the country, although in mately five hours later after de- and injuries to six more. Kandahar the threat remains extent to a greater stroying their vehicle. Regardless In terms of security force actions, degree than any other urban area in the coun- of whether the gunmen responsi- four AOG operatives were arrest- try. ble were armed criminals or asso- ed by a joint IMF/ANP team in ciated with the armed opposition district 7, the biggest personnel Outside the city there was also a large seizure in some form, the motives of this haul during the fortnight. More of explosive materials: in the Maywand district incident – as with so many that widely, ANP were in the lead in center, a total of 4000kg of explosives, as well affect demining organizations arresting AOG operatives (a total as a number of suicide vests, were seized from across the country – seem to have of five others) and seizing weap- a truck on the 8th, and the two drivers of the been exclusively those of predato- ons and explosives caches, the truck arrested. Consistent with this, it was in ry criminality, the radio and mine- most significant of the latter being Maywand, as well as Panjwayi and Zhari, that detection equipment being of the seizure of a Zaranj rickshaw the conflict remained focused, with roughly considerable value for any armed filled with ammonium nitrate (also two thirds of the incidents occurring in these group. in district 7); this was shortly after districts. The ANP bore the overwhelming brunt of the opposition’s kinetic activity, In the wider provincial security the arrest of an AOG operative in which was mostly evenly distributed between environment, overall incident vol- the same area by the ANP, along- IED and SAF attacks, while PSC convoys con- umes continued a small but dis- side a small amount of weaponry stituted the target in a small minority of the cernible creep downwards from and equipment used in the con- incidents. There were only a minor number of their peak in July and early Au- struction of triggers for suicide countervailing security force operations, lead- gust. In terms of geographical IEDs (whether BBIED or ing to just a small number of AOG deaths and breakdown, Kandahar city re- VBIED), in what were apparently arrests, but not matching the momentum dis- mained relatively undisturbed caches for a planned suicide at- played by the opposition in these districts. while significant conflict activity tack. took place in the traditionally With the disruption of this inci- The final development of note was not con- heavily contested districts just dent, and the absence of other flict-related, but rather climatic. A short burst outside the provincial capital. In suicide/complex attack activity, of very heavy rainfall on the 10th in Kandahar the city, two types of activity pre- Kandahar has now been free of city, particularly affecting districts 1, 6, 7 and 9, dominated: ANSF operations and such activity for just over two saw considerable property damage and some minor AOG SAF attacks. From months, the last such attack being loss of life - with a total of 71 houses being the opposition side, there were the July 9th assault on the ANP destroyed or severely damaged due to flooding, just four significant incidents, HQ. This security force seizure and six civilians losing their lives. However, three of which were motorcycle- follows the August 28th NDS sei- government construction crews quickly re- borne targeted killings of a tribal zure of a large quantity of explo- sponded to the trouble, demonstrating a capa- elder; a national civilian IMF con- sive materials, IEDs and small bility and willingness to aid civilians in emer- tractor; and two civilians suspect- arms rounds in the city, and gency circumstances than has not always char- ed of affiliation with the govern- demonstrates at least-partial effec- acterized such services in similar events. THE ANSO REPORT Page 16
NGO Incidents G HAZNI Year to Date 2 GHAZNI This Report Period 1 180 160 As in Kandahar, a single NGO 140 incident occurred in Ghazni this AOG control for a number of 120 years now, and it is an established 100 period, which was however an 80 event with positive outcomes and characteristic of AOG relations 60 implications. While an NGO with NGOs in AOG-governed 40 areas that they tend to act in a 20 doctor and his driver were travel- 0 ling through Andar on their way manner mirroring other governing to a medical facility in neighbour- authorities – for instance by GHAZNI AOG GHAZNI Crime ing Sharana, they were stopped by checking the identities of outsid- an armed opposition unit in Sul- ers coming through their area, and tions from established conflict parameters, tan Bagh and questioned as to be inquiring if legal or moral prin- with overall incident levels significantly down their identities and purposes of ciples have been transgressed, as by about a third on rates between June and being in the area. After replying was evidenced in the two detailed August. Most notably, opposition fighters truthfully as to their employment instances. abducted two civilian GOA officials from as NGO workers on their way to Although not directly relating to Jaghatu, and in Deh Yak, opposition fighters a medical facility, they were let go conflict or criminal security dy- killed a former ANP officer and burned down without harm. namics, in Ab Band a civilian bus his home, both incidents thus being examples filled with passengers travelling This incident was just the third of the broadened targeting of individuals asso- from Kabul to Kandahar on NGO incident to occur in Andar ciated with the GOA – here including former Highway 1 collided with a fuel since ANSO records began, with government employees and those working in a tanker travelling in the opposite the previous incident (in May purely civilian branch of the government. direction, causing the tanker’s fuel 2009) taking a very similar form, Meanwhile, in Andar an IED struck an NDS tank to ignite and engulf both when an AOG unit temporarily convoy, killing four NDS officials, while an tanker and bus; in the ensuing fire, detained an NGO employee trav- armed guard at the provincial governor’s com- 51 civilians lost their lives, includ- elling in a taxi through Sultan pound was shot and killed in a bazaar in Ghaz- ing the driver of the tanker, with Bagh to ask him about an incident ni city while he was out shopping, in incidents just five people injured, indicating of impropriety that had allegedly more directly targeting those with close prox- a near total death rate for the bus occurred within the NGO; in that imity to the parts of the government most in- passengers. instance also he was released volved in the anti-AOG effort. (shortly afterwards) without harm. In the wider conflict, there were Andar has been effectively under few incidents of note or devia-
NOTICE: Your input is invaluable for the production of this report. While we appreciate information on incidents, we also need general information on the security situation and context in your area. So please remember to call or email us regularly. Contact details of ANSO staff are provided on the last page.
ANSO: “..by NGOs for NGOs..” THE ANSO REPORT Page 17
NGO Incidents U RUZGAN Year to Date 0 URUZGAN This Report Period 0 100 Uruzgan’s most noteworthy inci- dent during the past fortnight RCIEDs were very exact in their 80 took the form of a targeted killing targeting, indicating a well- 60 of two members of the govern- planned and executed operation. 40 While overall targeting of GOA ment-backed Islahi Shura, a dis- 20 pute resolution council aimed at officials has fallen this year in 0 improving access to justice for Uruzgan (unlike in many other local society. As the council’s provinces), these two strikes do deputy chief, his two sons and represent significant blows to the URUZGAN AOG URUZGAN Crime province’s governance, particular- another council member were occur, and in Chora, two policemen were killed leaving the deputy’s house in the ly given their occurrence in the provincial capital. in a blast that targeted their motorcycle, while early afternoon, an RCIED placed in Khas Uruzgan an ANA soldier was killed outside detonated, killing three of The primary threat across the rest when an IED hit his foot patrol. the four and leaving one son with of the province came in the form serious injuries. This was the se- of IED strikes, almost exclusively From the security force side, a number of cond time this summer that mem- against ANP but targeting ANA ANSF operations were recorded with the only bers of the Islahi Shura have been and ALP in some instances also. IMF incident recorded being a raid on a fatally attacked by RCIED deto- However, security forces did man- mosque during prayer; while the raid was con- nations in Tirin Kot, making the age to discover and defuse almost ducted on the basis of arresting AOG-affiliated Shura more targeted than any oth- two-thirds of the IEDs, a greater individuals inside, two locals were shot and er civilian branch of local govern- average than in many other prov- killed during the operation, and the nine arrest- ment in the province thus far this inces in the country. However, ed released without charge shortly after. year. In both incidents, the IED effective detonations did
NGO Incidents P AKTIKA Year to Date 0 PAKTIKA 100 This Report Period 0 Incident volumes in Paktika re- 80 covered somewhat from the Eid- fire into Kunar province, Paktika’s 60 related drop of the previous peri- mountainous parallel in the north- 40 east – the likely reason for local od - although still remaining be- 20 low that of early August. The sensitivity to such an issue. An- 0 capital, Sharana, was quiet, indi- other such anti-Pakistan protest, cating the relative effectiveness of involving more than 900, took place in Yahya Khel on the other the ALP paramilitary forces that PAKTIKA AOG PAKTIKA Crime have been established in neigh- side Sharana, two days prior to the Sar Hawza event. bouring districts to insulate the Away from the reasonably well-resourced and - town. Indeed, the only event that Indeed, in an event of high coinci- defended provincial capital, the armed opposi- generated casualties was a road dence, just two days after these tion’s activities were more prevalent, focusing accident in which four NDS offi- protests Pakistani forces were re- their efforts on SAF and IDF attacks in Bar- cials were killed when their vehicle ported to have entered an area of mal and Mata Khan particularly, but with many rolled over in Chardiwal. In Barmal, near Shkin, that is defined other districts seeing low-level opposition ac- neighbouring Sar Hawza mean- by the GOA as Afghan territory, tivity also. The incidents that most stood out while, a focus area for the ALP, and to have established two included an IMF airstrike that killed an AOG apart from one nighttime IDF checkposts there. There had been weapons expert in Mata Khan on the 14th, and attack on the DAC the only nota- no response by ANSF or the an ambush of an ANP convoy in the Yosuf ble development was a large pro- GOA at the time of writing, and Khel DAC area, which led to the death of two test (of roughly 600) by local soci- the weakness of both in the area of the AOG attackers. ety against cross-border rocket suggests there may not be. Contact List Brian Dr. Mukhtar Tomas Rory Vacant Camille Naseer Tereza COUNTRY CENTRAL Sayed Taro WEST SOUTH Ross EAST NORTH Firoz Vacant ‐ od Device Islamic mili Explosive Police ACG Pro
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