The Afghanistan NGO Safety Office Issue: 60 16-31 October 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 2-8 Despite the expected, though steady deterioration in cated, immune to counter- Northern Region 9-13 minimal, downturn (see Ghor, 2 NGO staff were measures, and indiscrimi- Western Region 14-16 graph p.19) in conflict vol- also taken for a 4 day pe- nate, hence the risk it poses umes this period, NGO inci- riod. Criminality in Kabul to civilians, and by default, Eastern Region 17-21 dent levels have continued again affected the NGO the NGO community. apace (see graph p.20). Octo- community, with 2 separate Southern Region 22-27 Elections result demonstra- ber recorded volumes in line occurrences of attempted tions were widespread this ANSO Info Page 28 with September, just below robbery using the ‘slashed period, and are likely to the highest volume recorded tire’ tactic. Despite the se- continue into the short this year. Typically it is diffi- verity of the conflict in the term. Regional and provin- YOU NEED TO KNOW cult to discern trends related East, NGO interactions cial centres serve as the to cause and effect of inci- with armed opposition has locus, with Kabul hosting • Electoral results related dent volumes, though it is remained relatively benign, demonstrations the highest number, it be- expected that these volumes with 2 instances of engage- ing the seat for both na- • NGO staff abductions will begin to drop off as or- ment at AOG checkpoints tional governance and ganisations shift into winter recorded this period. Fi- regulatory bodies. • In-transit criminality planning cycles and weather nally, another temporary related access issues reduce detention of an NGO na- The IEA taxation of apple • Victim operated IEDs exposure. With the exception tional staff member by IMF production in Wardak brings to light both the • IEA funding efforts of 2009, general patterns of (in Logar) emphasized the summer peaks and winter risks faced by national diversity of their funding downturns have been re- NGO living and working in models as well as the extent corded. areas with high military op- of their perceived local erational tempos. legitimacy and governance The spectre of NGO staff abilities. A more grim re- ANSO is supported by abductions in the Northern IEDs have been regular minder of this were the Region came to the fore feature of the landscape incidents in the South in- again this period, marking a since the beginnings of the volving ‘tribunals’ meting shift from the typical focal conflict, with this period out death sentences on point of Faryab. An incident being no exception. Despite criminals and ‘spies’. in Takhar involved the first accounting for only 16% of international this year, per- the total IED incidents (145 While persistent attacks haps serving as a litmus test this period), civilians ac- against road construction regarding IEA application of counted for 40% of all efforts appear to reaffirm their Code of Conduct and casualties. Not surprisingly, the belief that ‘where the the ‘abduct for info’ pattern. the South predominated, pavement ends, the Taliban In Balkh, the abduction of 3 followed by the West and begin’, perhaps in part an staff conjoined 2 significant Central the exception. This effort to prevent penetra- NGO trends this year, ab- high rate can be attributed tion into AOG safe havens, ductions and the targeting of to a combination of the having companies pay pro- demining organisations. As extensive use of this tactic tection money (paying well, the wounding of a and a return to greater de- AOG to not attack them) deminer by SAF in Kandahar ployments of ‘victim- is a lucrative and low risk furthered this trend. Attest- operated’ (i.e. pressure funding model and testa- ing to the widespread impact plate) devices. These types ment to the pragmatic re- of abductions, as well as the of devices are unsophisti- alities of the conflict THE ANSO REPORT Page 2 NGO Incidents KABUL KABUL Year to Date 7 50 This Report Period 2 The NGO community was tar- 40 geted on two occasions, both un- of 15 AOG (including a foreign 30 successfully, by organized groups national), and the seizure of 11 20 using the tyre stabbing method in RCIEDs, 5 BBIED vests, various 10 other IED components, 21 BM1 an attempt to get hold of valu- 0 ables left inside the car. While the rockets, 1 GPS, 13 Toyota Corolla first case was actually reported vehicles and one Mazda truck. While the operation demonstrated from the typical area for such at- KABUL AOG KABUL ACG tacks, that is the Jalalabad Road, the capability of the security the second attack was attempted forces to disrupt AOG supply chains, the mere volume of the ments sent to relieve pressure from the convoy on the Taimani Road. In both security detail. Latest reporting indicates that cases, an expat member was discovery raises concerns about the district being increasingly used the attacks were designed and conducted by a among the car occupants, likely local Uzbin-based AOG. Following the retreat increasing the profile of the vehi- as an alternative AOG transit route between the southern prov- of the group back inside the Valley, two days cle. Specific risk management later ANP located an IED emplaced on the strategies, communicated by inces and the capital. Another police operation came to the fore road in the Khwaja Baba Area. Similar attacks ANSO CR in the past, should be may be expected in the near future. adopted into NGO movement on 30th of October in Khwaja protocols. Bughra (PD 15), when a tactical In a political movement preceding the NATO ANSF detachment managed to summit in Lisbon, the Commander in Chief of The 30% increase in the incidents free an abducted female and arrest the French IMF in Afghanistan announced levels (13 incidents reported five perpetrators at the site. plans to hand over management of security in against 10 in the previous cycle) is Although threat reporting, largely the district fully to the ANSF by the spring to be ascribed mainly to several next year. Such a situation will most likely be successful police actions, aiming centred on the extant risks of AOG spectacular and IDF attacks interpreted as a military achievement by both at the interdiction of AOG activ- sides to the conflict, and may increase the at- ity, as well as the disruption of in the capital, continued to shape the security environment in the tractiveness of the district for the conduct of criminal networks, in particular military operations in the short to mid term. abduction gangs. Four separate province, all three AOG strikes recorded (a three-fold IDF attack Besides the critical Surobi section of the road, arrests of AOG members, includ- NGOs should be aware of sporadic AOG at- ing a higher rank commander (in against an ANP CP in Musaye, and two ambushes in Surobi) oc- tacks in Qarghayi, Laghman, as well as of the Chehelsetun, PD 7), were out- recurrent magnetic-IED attacks targeting the matched by a dramatic police op- curred in the periphery and fea- tured low lethality. Following a IMF supply convoys in the vicinity of Jala- eration reported from Shakardara labad. Checking the status of the road with st period of stability, the two Surobi in the night of 21 October. A ANSO prior to the road missions, and main- joint IMF-ANSF taskforce raided attacks, reported on 24th (evening) and 25th of October (morning), taining a safe distance from the security targets an AOG safe haven in the Al- where possible, are the main risk management ghawi Area, leading to the arrest both targeted IMF supply con- voys in transit on the Kabul – strategies. Besides the Khwaja Baba discovery, an additional three emplaced IEDs were dis- KEY THREATS & CONCERNS Jalalabad Road in Qabri Mullah Burjan (Tangi Abreshum Area). covered by ANP in PD 5 (Company) and PD IDF and spectacular attacks in 7 (Reshkor Area) in the present cycle. Kabul City The latter incident resulted in the Demonstrations injury of an ANP serviceman, deployed with ANP reinforce- THE ANSO REPORT Page 3 NGO Incidents KAPISA KAPISA Year to Date 2 50 This Report Period 0 40 The threat picture pertaining to the NGO operations in the prov- the latter location has been singled 30 ince has not changed over the last out for occasional ‘presence’ pa- 20 reporting cycle. The western dis- trols of AOG. 10 tricts allow for a reasonably safe Despite the traditionally low inci- 0 operational environment; al- dents levels (six violent escalations though an expansion of AOG this cycle), the eastern districts networks from the East towards continue to be dominated by KAPISA AOG KAPISA ACG Mahmudi Raqi remains a possibil- AOG kinetic activity against IMF and ANSF with larger parts of ity, supported by occasional re- before the close air support team interdicted Tagab and Alasay, and to a lesser ports of AOG intimidation of the attack. The final accounts of casualties extent Nijrab, being only lightly local communities and recent po- haven’t been determined yet; however, IMF lice operations in the area. penetrated by pro-GOA forces. reported several AOG killed in action. Besides an unfortunate IDF strike Following a minor weapons sei- In a single case of a targeted killing, a Nijrab zure by ANP during a house against the Alasay DAC on 18th of October which killed three and shura member who ignored AOG warnings search in Shamsher, Mahmudi against joining the council was shot dead in Raqi, ANP and IMF reportedly injured one civilian, AOG activity concentrated on close-range at- Firozaye on 16th of October.