The Afghanistan NGO Safety Office Issue: 54 16-31 July 2010 ANSO and our donors accept no liability for the results of any activity conducted or omitted on the basis of this report. THE ANSO REPORT -Not for copy or sale- Inside this Issue COUNTRY SUMMARY Central Region 2-4 In CENTRAL region the IMF present from 06-09 for the mistaken belief that 4-8 Northern Region Kabul Conference dominated proved incapable of pre- they were involved in Par- Western Region 9-11 the period with delegates venting massive AOG ex- liamentary campaigning. articulating a rather fanciful pansion during that period. ANSO assesses that it will Eastern Region 11-14 narrative of growth, stability Elsewhere in CENTRAL be intra-candidate violence Southern Region 15-17 and rights that seemed at former AOG allies the Is- that will mark this election odds with the reality of se- rather than any AOG ef- ANSO Info Page 18 lamic Emirate (Taliban) and vere and deteriorating war. Hezb-i-Islami (HiG) initi- fort to disrupt it. The conference likely marked ated a major clash in Abduction dominated the the beginning of the end, in NIRKH, WARDAK re- YOU NEED TO KNOW terms of foreign political and NGO threat profile this portedly as a result of IEA period with an unprece- military commitment to Af- efforts to disarm the latter • Kabul Conference sets the ghanistan, in that it laid the dented eleven persons after accusations of intent taken since July 1st (many stage for the exit narrative tracks for the exit to reconcile with the Gov- and transferred, albeit in were late reported). The • Intra-AOG conflict esca- ernment. This event has abductions occurred in as word only at this stage, re- deep similarities to the lates sponsibility for all successes diverse settings as March/April intra-AOG FARYAB, WARDAK, • Risk of NGO abduction and failures on to the Afghan conflict that sparked the now severe Government. The declaration BAGHLAN & HERAT current round of instability and yet all were resolved in of the 2014 deadline for ‗full in BAGHLAN and pro- • Election violence rising the same way via local security transition‘ became vides a useful portent of the the central outcome of the community intervention • Local militias attract insta- impending character of the predicated on the NGOs bility event and led to a slew of conflict which over time commentary on whether this impartiality and acceptance. will become less dominated To date all but two (the ANSO is supported by is feasible or not. We feel by the IMF vs AOG para- these largely missed the point latest) have been released digm and instead see unharmed. as the ‗end date‘ is not as smaller, local battles be- relevant to the conflict as the tween Afghan parties only. ‗peak date’ after which IMF AOG capability expanded will have an ever decreasing Elections related violence in PARWAN, KAPISA, capacity to influence the was prominent with Parlia- JAWZJAN, FARYAB & course of events. Whatever mentary candidates ab- NURISTAN while it was has not be achieved by then ducted in HERAT and challenged by IMF in is unlikely to be and so it is GHAZNI and one targeted BAGHLAN and HEL- from this baseline, not the with an IED in KANDA- MAND and by flooding in final exit date, that the con- HAR. An ex-Parliament KHOST. member‘s convoy was am- tours of the new conflicts Local militias were targeted will be drawn. The peak still bushed in SUROBI (KABUL) while seven civil- in KUNDUZ and TAK- looks set to occur in 2011. HAR while IMF and AOG Readers would do well to ians on a pick-nick in PARWN were murdered both cause civilian casual- remember that the +80,000 ties in the south. THE ANSO REPORT Page 2 NGO Incidents PARWAN PARWAN Year to Date 2 50 This Report Period 0 NGOs should keep an eye on 40 continuing contextual changes in transit through the province from 30 Parwan. As noted previously, the Kabul to Bamyan should be ac- 20 counted for. province appears to be experienc- 10 ing an increased AOG presence, In an example of the last concern, 0 likely initially spurred by AOG AOG ambushed three vehicles—a migration from Baghlan. With Surf, Saracha, and pickup truck— this, the new presence of AOG as they were proceeding in Siagerd PARWAN AOG PARWAN ACG throughout the province, paired District on the Kabul-Bamyan with a low ANSF presence, could Road towards Bamyan, apparently District on the 25th and a Director of the Dis- easily result in abductions or de- because they believed the vehicles trict Lower Court in Ghorband District on the tentions of NGO staff for NGOs were associated with campaigning 26th. which do not have acceptance in for the upcoming parliamentary NGOs which transit through the province the areas they are travelling or election. In actuality, the vehicles should also note continual AOG activity in working in. Additionally, errone- contained a family that was travel- Baghram. Specifically, the district witnessed ous targeting of NGOs as they ling for leisure in Bamyan. In sum, the arrest of suspected AOG and a significant the ambush resulted in 7 family find of bomb making materials and military KEY THREATS & CON- members killed and an additional uniforms on the 16th in Qala-e Now. Two days CERNS 5 injured. Additionally, it marked later an SVBIED targeted an IMF convoy in AOG activity in Ghorband the first incident in the district Ma Qalandar Khel. On the 25th, Qalandar Valley since May 2008. Also west of Khel also was the scene for an AOG ambush ACG activity in Chaharikar Chaharikar, AOG abducted a lo- on an IMF road patrol. cal shura member in Shinwari NGO Incidents LOGAR Year to Date 1 LOGAR This Report Period 1 50 Logar became the focus of inter- 40 national attention on 22 July when one of the victim‘s corpses in 30 AOG attacked an IMF armoured Qalai Sayddan, Charkh, on the 20 vehicle in Charkh District. While 26th. NGOs experienced misfor- 10 details are sparse, AOG killed one tune during the aftermath, though, 0 IMF in the apparent attack and with one NGO guard being killed abducted the other. Following the in an IMF operation in Dasht-e LOGAR AOG LOGAR ACG incident, IMF mobilised through- Dobar on the 27th. out the area to locate the service Besides the above incident, AOG mad Agha, Barak-e Barak, and Charkh; and members, purportedly locating activity was noted throughout the IED discoveries occurred solely in Pul-e Alam. KEY THREATS & CONCERNS province as usual. Looking at IED Of note, AOG attacked a road construction activity, specifically, it was some- site and abducted three staff on the 23rd near IEDs, especially targeting IMF what limited: IED strikes were the Charkh District Centre. Abduction recorded in Pul-e Alam, Muham- NOTICE: Your input is important 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. THE ANSO REPORT Page 3 NGO Incidents KAPISA KAPISA Year to Date 1 50 This Report Period 0 Tagab, Nijrab remain the primary 40 areas of concern in Kapisa. AOG AOG attacked an ANA/ANP 30 joint patrol in the area. Two ANA reportedly have substantial free- 20 dom of movement night in these soldiers and four civilians were districts. The Tagab District have reportedly injured during the at- 10 the highest incident fre•quency. tack. And, on 24 July Mahmud 0 However, Alasay is reported to be Raqi District, AOG ambushed an unstable, with the lack of inci- IMF patrol in the area. IMF re- sponded to the attack, and the dents reflective of a limited secu- KAPISA AOG KAPISA ACG rity presence rather than a dearth AOG withdrew from the area of AOG. following a brief firefight Further- more on 26 July Alasay District, On 20 July in Tagab District, AOG attacked an IMF convoy on not. Last year, AOG incidents in Kapisa a road in the area. The IMF re- dropped on drastically in July. This year they KEY THREATS & CON- sponded to the attack. As a result remained high in July so the recent decline may CERNS of the attack, two IMF soldiers very well be attributable to a later than normal AOG expansion were injured. AOG incident levels slowdown. Kapisa should still be considered Low intensity factional disputes have been increased so far this an AOG shelter which serves a risky environ- in Kohistan I & II month, but it is difficult to know ment situation for NGOs. AOG in Alasay, Nijrab, & Ta- if the incident decrease is from The overwhelming number of incidents in gab military operations. Likely, it is Kapisa have been attacks on security forces. NGO Incidents KABUL KABUL Year to Date 6 50 This Report Period 0 40 All were quite surprised that the 30 Kabul Conference did not result 107mm rockets were fired to- in a grandiose attack in Kabul wards Kabul Airport with two of 20 City, as is the usual case surround- three reported to be landing inside 10 ing high-profile events. The pres- the perimeter but causing no sig- 0 ence of some regionally important nificant damage. Earlier that same figures likely contributed to the day ANSF interdicted what they lack of activity on the day. believed was a suicide attack cell KABUL AOG KABUL ACG in District 8 of Kabul.