European Asylum Support Office EASO Country of Origin Information Report Afghanistan Security Situation December 2017 SuppORt IS OuR mISSIOn European Asylum Support Office EASO Country of Origin Information Report Afghanistan Security situation December 2017 Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union. Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (*) Certain mobile telephone operators do not allow access to 00800 numbers or these calls may be billed. More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). ISBN: 978-92-9494-837-3 doi: 10.2847/574136 © European Asylum Support Office 2017 Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged, unless otherwise stated. For third-party materials reproduced in this publication, reference is made to the copyrights statements of the respective third parties. 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EASO COI REPORT AFGHANISTAN: SECURITY SITUATION — 3 Acknowledgements EASO would like to acknowledge the following national asylum and migration departments as the co-authors of this report: Belgium, Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons, Cedoca (Center for Documentation and Research) France, Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless persons (OFPRA), Information, Documentation and Research Division Poland, Country of Origin Information Unit, Department for Refugee Procedures, Office for Foreigners ACCORD – Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation Slovakia, Migration Office, Department of Documentation and Foreign Cooperation Finland, Finnish Immigration Service, Country Information Service Furthermore, the following cooperated in reviewing and commenting on the report: Austria, Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum, Country of Origin Information Department The Netherlands, Immigration and Naturalisation Service, Office for Country Information and Language Analysis (OCILA) UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), RSD Section It must be noted that the review carried out by the mentioned departments, experts or organisations contributes to the overall quality of the report, but does not necessarily imply their formal endorsement of the final report, which is the full responsibility of EASO. 4 — EASO COI REPORT AFGHANISTAN: SECURITY SITUATION Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................... 3 Contents .................................................................................................................................... 4 Disclaimer .................................................................................................................................. 9 Glossary and Abbreviations ..................................................................................................... 10 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 16 Map.......................................................................................................................................... 20 1. General description of the security situation in Afghanistan .............................................. 21 1.1 Overview of recent conflicts in Afghanistan ................................................................. 21 1.2 Political landscape ......................................................................................................... 22 1.3 Peace talks ..................................................................................................................... 23 1.4 International context .................................................................................................... 24 1.5 Actors in the conflict ..................................................................................................... 25 1.5.1 Pro-Government Forces (PGF) ............................................................................... 25 1.5.2 Anti-Government Elements (AGEs) ....................................................................... 32 1.5.3 Other forces ........................................................................................................... 40 1.6 Recent security trends and armed confrontations ....................................................... 41 1.6.1 Armed clashes and assaults ................................................................................... 43 1.6.2 Improvised Explosive Devices ................................................................................ 44 1.6.3 High-profile attacks ................................................................................................ 45 1.6.4 Targeted killings and conflict-related abduction ................................................... 46 1.6.5 Aerial attacks and bombings .................................................................................. 47 1.7 State ability to secure law and order ............................................................................ 48 1.8 Impact of the violence on the civilian population ........................................................ 49 1.8.1 Civilian casualties ................................................................................................... 49 1.8.2 Socio-economic life ................................................................................................ 50 1.8.3 Refugees, IDPs and returnees ................................................................................ 51 1.8.4 Children .................................................................................................................. 55 1.8.5 Health facilities ...................................................................................................... 57 1.9 Geographical overview of the security situation .......................................................... 58 1.9.1 Urban/rural divide ................................................................................................. 58 1.9.2 Regional differences .............................................................................................. 59 1.9.3 Government versus Taliban control ...................................................................... 63 1.9.4 Road security ......................................................................................................... 67 2. Regional description of the security situation in Afghanistan ............................................ 69 2.1 Kabul City ...................................................................................................................... 69 General description of the city ....................................................................................... 69 Background on the conflict and actors in Kabul City ...................................................... 70 Recent security trends in Kabul City ............................................................................... 71 Displacement .................................................................................................................. 73 2.2 Badakhshan ................................................................................................................... 74 General description of the province ............................................................................... 74 Background on the conflict and actors in Badakhshan .................................................. 75 Recent security trends .................................................................................................... 76 Displacement .................................................................................................................. 78 2.3 Badghis .......................................................................................................................... 78 General description of the province ............................................................................... 78 Background on the conflict and actors in Badghis ......................................................... 79 EASO COI REPORT AFGHANISTAN: SECURITY SITUATION — 5 Recent security trends .................................................................................................... 81 Displacement .................................................................................................................. 82 2.4 Baghlan .......................................................................................................................... 83 General description of the province ............................................................................... 83 Background on the conflict and actors in Baghlan ......................................................... 84 Recent Security trends .................................................................................................... 85 Displacement .................................................................................................................. 87 2.5 Balkh .............................................................................................................................. 88 General description of the province ..............................................................................