DAILY SITUATION REPORT 11 September 2010

Safety and Security Issues Relevant to SSSI Personnel and Clients

STANDING THREAT ASSESSMENT (KABUL): The threat level in Kabul City remains elevated. Caution should be exercised as the Parliamentary elections grow closer. There is a continual elevated threat level for Kabul City in regards to the ability of insurgent forces to carry out planned and opportunistic attacks in an effort to destabilize international relief and reconstruction efforts, the election process and the GIRoA in general. GIRoA, ANSF, IM, and the International Community are all potential targets as are Indian-associated assets and locations. Suicide Vehicle Borne IEDs (SVBIEDs) and Body Borne IEDs (BBIEDs) continue to remain the preferred methods of attack. These two attack types are potentially the highest casualty producing methods available to insurgents at this time. It remains prudent for international agencies in Kabul to maintain adequate security vigilance. Maintaining as low of a personal profile as possible, avoiding being time, place, and route predictable, and limiting movement (especially after hours and during holidays/celebrations) will aid in increasing your level of personal safety.

MAJOR COUNTRY WIDE EVENTS Badakshan Province: Ten thousand protestors gathered outside an IM base.

Kunduz Province: Eight ANSF KIA defending their Northern checkpoint. Region

Eastern Western Central Region Region Region

South Eastern Region

Southern Nimroz Province: 13 ANSF arrest Region and charged with desertion and forming an insurgent group.

Privileged and Confidential This information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential, and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this information is strictly prohibited without the explicitly approval from Strategic SSI Management. Page 1 of 15 Strategic SSI - Afghanistan

THREAT REPORTS RECEIVED IN THE LAST FOUR DAYS Insurgent and civilian activity targeting IM (due to planned International Day of Holy Quran Buring) and insurgent activity aimed at disrupting the parliamentary elections is still on the rise through acts of murder and intimidation.

Northern Region

Eastern Western Central Region Region Region

South Eastern Region

Southern Region

Breakdown of Incidents Reported for Afghanistan in SSSI DSR For the Period of 09 – 11 September 2010

Successes, 1 Arrest, 1

Public Protest, 3 Explosive Device, 3

Attack, 3 Kidnap, 1

Insurgency, 2

Intimidation, 1 Murder, 1 Ambush, 1

Table of Killed (KIA), Wounded (WIA), and Missing (MIA)

IM ANSF PSC/FN LN INSURGENTS

KIA WIA MIA KIA WIA MIA KIA WIA MIA KIA WIA MIA KIA WIA ARR

Aug 10 24 84 0 200 239 17 42 58 0 193 323 47 667 103 248 1-Sep 2 1 4 7 3 1 5 0 62

2-Sep 1 8 1 1 2 1 8 22 11

3-Sep 1 6 1 12 7 2 3

4-Sep 1 6 8 5 23 2 1 7

5-Sep 9 2 1 14 20 2 1 12

6-Sep 8 5 8 24 22 11 3

7-Sep 1 4 7 5 1 4 10 12 33

8-Sep 2 1 3 3 3 1 1 1 5 1 3 4 13

9-Sep 11 1 2 2 2 9 8 23

10-Sep 3 1

Sep 10 7 14 0 46 37 2 5 1 2 44 107 6 83 26 167

(Kindly note that these figures are from the SSSI DSR and are not official statistics and may differ from those released by IM or other agencies or organizations.)

Security Incidents Reported for the Period of 09 – 11 September 2010

Central Region

Intimidation: 09 Sep, Parwan Province, Sayed Khel District. Multiple acts of intimidation and violence against a female parliamentary candidate and her supporters has caused her to curtail her campaigning in this area. Municipal authorities have promised to investigate.

Public Protest: 10 Sep, Parwan Province, Charikar District, Charikar. A convoy of unclear origin (probably NGOs) was attacked by protestors as they passed through the area. The convoy received assistance from local ANSF and escorted the convoy out of the area. The protestors were protesting the planned “International Day of Holy Quran Burning” to be held in Gainesville, Florida, USA.

Kidnapping: 07 Sep, Wardak Province, Jalrez District. Zaywalat. An ANSF member was abducted by suspected insurgents operating an IVCP in this area.

Murder: 09 Sep, Logar Province, Charkh District, Garmabi. A local civic leader and former anti-Soviet resistance fighter was murdered by nine suspected insurgents. The victim was forcibly removed from his home and shot in the street.

Central Region continued:

IED/Attack: 07 Sep, Uruzgan Province, Tarin Kot District, Nayak. Close air support was called in to repel an insurgent attack on a joint IM/ANSF patrol (and IM EOD) while they were diffusing two IEDs found.

Western Region

IED: 09 Sep, Herat Province, Gulran District. Two ANSF KIA, three WIA when an IED detonated as they passed it in their vehicle.

Northern Region

Arrest: 07 Sep, Badakshan Province, Kuran wa Munjan District, Puli Iskazur. One insurgent was arrested before he could carry out an attack against a parliamentary candidate’s convoy. One firearm was recovered.

Public Protest: 10 Sep, Badakshan Province. Ten thousand protestors gathered outside an IM base and voiced their anger over the planned “International Day of Holy Quran Burning”. The crowd, having turned hostile towards the IM base began throwing stones at IM members. One civilian was killed when opened fire on by IM base defense teams.

Public Protest: 07 Sep, Takhar Province, Farkhar District, Mashtu. Two groups from opposing political camps engaged each other with small arms weapons. One member of a group was wounded.

Success: 08 Sep, Kunduz Province, Chahar Dara District, Gul Bagh. ANSF/IM forces conducted a successful operation resulting in the arrest of three insurgents from a group originating north of Afghanistan. The insurgent commander did however escape capture.

Attack: 09 Sep, Kunduz Province, Imam Shaib District. Eight ANSF members were KIA defending their checkpoint from an insurgent attack.

Insurgency: 08 Sep, Baghlan Province, Puli Khumri District, Babhura. A three hour gun battle between insurgents operating an IVCP and ANSF resulted in four insurgents KIA, one WIA, one civilian vehicle and two civilians missing.

Northern Region continued:

Attack: 08 Sep, Baghlan Province, Puli Khumri District, Puli Khumri. An ANSF patrol was attacked on the Puli Khumri-Mazar highway. The attacking insurgents lost the initiative in their attack and suffered a counter-attack from the ANSF forces. Four insurgents KIA and six WIA, no ANSF casualties or injuries were reported.

Ambush: 08 Sep, Balkh Province, Charhar Bulak District. No casualties were reported after an INGO convoy was ambushed along the Mazar – Sherbergan Highway.

Attack: 07 Sep, Sari Pul Province, Sayyad District. One insurgent commander and two ANSF KIA and three insurgents and two ANSF WIA after insurgents staged four simultaneous attacks on ANSF checkpoints in the area over a six hour period.

Eastern Region

IED: 07 Sep, Nangarhar Province, Jalalabad District, Bihsud Sub-District. An EOD team disarmed and recovered and IED discovered by an ANSF patrol.

Public Protest: 10 Sep, Nangarhar Province, Kuz Kunar/Dara-i-Nur District Border. Protestors, voicing their anger over the planned “International Day of Holy Quran Burning” held a large protest action in the district center of Kuz Kunar. One protest leader voiced his desire for a “Jihad” against Americans.

South Eastern Region

Ordinance Recovered: 08 Sep, Paktya Province, Sayid Karam/Ahmadabad District. One arrest was made after ANSF forces located and recovered the contents of a cache. The contents are reported to have included five AK rifles, an RPG launcher and rockets, a rifle grenade launcher and other munitions.

Southern Region

Ordinance Recovered: 06 Sep, Zabul Province, Qalat District, Puli Sangi. It has been reported that 500 kg of explosives were discovered in a cache. The ordinance was recovered by ANSF forces on-scene.

Ordinance Recovered: 07 Sep, Kandahar Province, Dand District. Two insurgents were arrested when found in possession of three radio transceivers, IED making components, small arms and associated ammunition.

IED: 08 Sep, Kandahar Province, Arghandab District. One civilian KIA and another WIA when an IED detonated IVO District Center.

IED: 08 Sep, Helmand Province, Marjah District. Five IEDs were detonated/discovered throughout the district. One insurgent was the only casualty, being seriously wounded.

IED: 09 Sep, Helmand Province, Nahri Sarraj District. No casualties reported after an ANSF vehicle was subjected to an IED strike while the ANSF members were participating in repelling an insurgent attack on Highway 1 South.

Insurgency: 06 Sep, Nimroz Province, Khash Rod District. ANSF arrested one insurgent, 13 ANSF members, and an ANSF commander when they were stopped at an ANSF checkpoint. The arrested ANSF members are being charged with desertion and forming an insurgent group.

Special Interest News

Afghan protesters attack US-led base

Press TV / September 10, 2010

Thousands of protesters have attacked a US-led NATO base in northeastern Afghanistan to condemn a Florida-based churches plan to burn the holy Quran.

Thousands of people took to streets in Faizabad town, capital of Badakhshan Province, On Friday to hold an anti-US demonstration.

They were chanting slogans against the United States and hurled stones to show their anger over a plan by a Florida evangelical church to set fire to hundreds of copies of the Muslim holy book, Press TV correspondent reported.

The demonstrations began after Eid al-Fitr prayers marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Terry Jones, pastor of Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, was planning to burn the holy Quran on the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

He however, retracted from his decision after the infuriated international community condemned the blasphemous plan.

US President Barack Obama condemned the plan, branding it as "destructive and dangerous."

"If he [Terry Jones] is listening, I hope he understands that what he's proposing to do is completely contrary to our values as Americans, that this country has been built on the notion of freedom and religious tolerance," Obama said in an interview broadcast Thursday on ABC's Good Morning America program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Thursday slammed the plan to burn the Quran, warning of the response of the Muslim world and the followers of other religions.

"The US officials should carry out their duties to guarantee the basic right of American Muslims and prevent the promotion of such offensive acts," Mottaki said.

Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, earlier urged Obama to personally intervene and to stop the plan to burn Quran.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said, "Anyone who even thought of such a despicable act must be suffering from a diseased mind and a sickly soul. It will inflame sentiments among Muslims throughout the world and cause irreparable damage to interfaith harmony and also to world peace."

India has also called on the US authorities to take "strong action" and prevent the event.

A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Wednesday that "we strongly condemn any kind of attempt of this kind."

The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon slammed the plan saying, "Such actions cannot be condoned by any religion."

Afghanistan, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Pakistan, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the NATO have also condemned the plan.

Afghanistan Weather 12 - 15 September 2010

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday 12 Sep 10 13 Sep 10 14 Sep 10 15 Sep 10 Scattered Clouds Scattered Clouds Scattered Clouds Scattered Clouds Kabul 28° C | 13° C 27° C | 13° C 27° C | 14° C 29° C | 14° C 82° F | 55° F 80° F | 55° F 80° F | 57° F 84° F | 57° F Clear Clear Clear 20% Rain Jalalabad 35° C | 17° C 32° C | 16° C 32° C | 16° C 33° C | 16° C 95° F | 62° F 89° F | 60° F 89° F | 60° F 91° F | 60° F Clear Clear Clear Clear Mazar 31° C | 19° C 27° C | 17° C 31° C | 20° C 33° C | 20° C 87° F | 66° F 80° F | 62° F 87° F | 68° F 91° F | 68° F Clear Clear Clear Clear Kandahar 34° C | 16° C 32° C | 16° C 31° C | 16° C 33° C | 17° C 93° F | 60° F 89° F | 60° F 87° F | 60° F 91° F | 62° F Clear Clear Clear Clear Herat 28° C | 10° C 27° C | 09° C 31° C | 13° C 35° C | 14° C 82° F | 50° F 80° F | 48° F 87° F | 55° F 95° F | 57° F Clear Clear Clear Clear Farah 34° C | 18° C 31° C | 17° C 32° C | 18° C 35° C | 21° C 93° F | 64° F 87° F | 62° F 89° F | 64° F 95° F | 69° F 20% Rain 20% Rain 20% Rain Clear Khost 31° C | 18° C 28° C | 17° C 29° C | 17° C 30° C | 17° C 87° F | 64° F 82° F | 62° F 84° F | 62° F 86° F | 62° F Clear Clear Clear Clear Kunduz 30° C | 15° C 28° C | 13° C 31° C | 14° C 32° C | 17° C 86° F | 59° F 82° F | 55° F 87° F | 57° F 89° F | 62° F Clear 30% Rain Clear Clear Gardez 24° C | 11° C 22° C | 10° C 23° C | 10° C 24° C | 11° C 75° F | 51° F 71° F | 50° F 73° F | 50° F 75° F | 51° F Clear Clear Clear Clear Faizabad 32° C | 12° C 29° C | 13° C 33° C | 11° C 33° C | 14° C 89° F | 53° F 84° F | 55° F 91° F | 51° F 91° F | 57° F

Calendar of Events and Notable Dates

11/12 Aug-10/11 Sep 10 - Ramadan 18 Sep 10 - Parliamentary Election 08 Oct 10 - Parliamentary Election Preliminary Results Expected 30 Oct 10 - Parliamentary Election Final Results Expected 16 Nov - 17 Nov 10 - Eid-al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) Note. Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last up to several days, depending on the region.

News and Information

Kabul Attack Network commander killed in Coalition airstrike A senior member of the Kabul Attack Network was killed yesterday during a Coalition airstrike in the central Afghan province. The commander, who was identified as Nur Mohammed, was described as "a senior commander involved in improvised explosive device and suicide attacks in Kabul city," in an International Security Assistance Force press release.

Koran burning protests turn violent in Afghanistan Thousands of Afghans staged violent protests today against a tiny American church’s plan to burn the Muslim holy book. The demonstration today in Puli Alam, the capital of the eastern Logar province, turned ugly with protesters chanting “death to America” and setting shops and police checkpoints on fire.

US losing in Afghanistan, should withdraw: Taliban The Taliban marked the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States on Saturday by calling on American forces to withdraw unconditionally and end the "illegal occupation" of Afghanistan. In a statement that also coincided with the Eid holiday; marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the Taliban said the United States had no chance of bringing peace to Afghanistan after nearly nine years of war.

Acronyms AA Anti-Aircraft MNF Multi National Forces AGE Anti-Government Elements (Generic term for MO Modus Operandi insurgent groups) MOD Ministry of Defence ABP AFGHAN Border Police MOI Ministry of Interior ADZ AFGHAN Development Zone (in Central NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organisation HELMAND around LKG) NBC Nuclear, Biological and Chemical AEF AFGHAN Eradication Force NBD Non-Battle Death ANA AFGHAN National Army NBI Non-Battle Injury ANP AFGHAN National Police NDA NAD-e ALI (in HELMAND Province) ANSF AFGHAN National Security Forces NFDK No Further Details Known ANSO AFGHAN NGO Safety Office NGO Non-Governmental Organisation AMF AFGHAN Militia Forces NSTR Nothing Significant to Report AO Area of Operations NDS National Directorate of Security (Afghan) AP Anti-Personnel OEF Operation Enduring Freedom (US Operation APC Armoured Personnel Carrier with a separate command structure and remit to AQ Al Qaeda ISAF, predominantly operating in the ASF AFGHAN Special Forces EASTERN region) AT Anti-Tank OP Observation Point BBRCIED Bicycle Borne Remote Controlled Improvised OPCEN Operations Centre Explosive Device OPSEC Operational Security BBIED Body Borne Improvised Explosive Device P2K PAKTIKA, PAKTIA & KHOWST BDA Battle Damage Assessment PAK PAKISTAN BME Bomb Making Equipment PB Patrol Base BP Border Post PBIED Person Born Improvised Explosive Device CAS Close Air Support PD Police District CASEVAC Casualty Evacuation PEF Poppy Eradication Force CNP Counter Narcotic Police PPIED Pressure plate IED CivPop Civilian Population PRT Provincial Reconstruction Team COIN (Ops) Counter Insurgency (Operations) PSAF Precision Small Arms Fire CoP Chief of Police PSC Private Security Company CP Checkpoint PSD Protective Security Detail CQA Close Quarter Assassination QRF Quick Reaction Force CWIED Command Wire IED Recce Reconnaissance DC District Centre RC Radio controlled / Remote controlled (as in DDR Disarmament, Demobilisation, Reintegration RCIED) DF Direct Fire RL Rocket Launcher DIAG Disarmament of Illegal Armed Groups RPG Rocket Propelled Grenade EF Enemy Forces (Generic term for insurgent RTA Road Traffic Accident groups) SAF Small Arms Fire EOD Explosive Ordnance Disposal SAFIRE Surface-to-Air Fire FOB Forward Operating Base SAM Surface-to-Air Missile FP Firing Point SF Special Forces / Security Forces GIRoA Government of the Islamic Republic of SIOC Security Information Operations Centre AFGHANISTAN SOP Standard Operational Procedure GOA Government of Afghanistan SRA Security Risk Assessment GR Grid Reference (Provided in MGRS – Military SVBIED Suicide Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Grid Reference System) Device GSK GERESHK (in HELMAND) S Suicide i.e. SIED – suicide IED, SVBIED – HIG HEZB-I-ISLAMI GULBUDDIN suicide VBIED HME Home-made explosives (usually fertiliser- TB TALIBAN based) TBD To be determined HMG Heavy Machine Gun TTPs Tactics, techniques and procedures HQ Headquarters UGV Upper GERESHK Valley (HELMAND HVT High Value Target Province) IDF Indirect fire (Rockets and mortars) UN United Nations IEC Independent Election Commission UN DSS United Nations Department of Safety and IED Improvised Explosive Device Security IM (F) International Military (Forces) USV Upper SANGIN Valley (HELMAND Province) INGO International Non-governmental Organization UXO Unexploded Ordnance INS Insurgent(s) VBIED Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device ISAF International Security Assistance Force VCP Vehicle Check Point (Also, IVCP – Illegal IVO In the Vicinity Of (i.e. mil-speak for near) VCP) JEMB Joint Election Management Body VOIED Victim Operated IED JTF Joint Task Force WB World Bank KAF KANDAHAR Airfield WFP World Food Program KAIA KABUL International Airport WIA Wounded in action KCP KABUL City Police WHO World Health Organisation KIA Killed in action LKG LASHKAR GAH (in HELMAND Province) LN Local National (i.e. Afghan) MCIED Motor cycle improvised explosive device MCN Ministry of Counter Narcotics MEDIVAC Medical Evacuation MG Machine Gun MIA Missing in action