Afghan weekly update

8/10/2019 Afghan weekly update

1/8

AfghanistanWeekly Security ReportNovember 6, 2014
http://www.triplecanopy.com/


2/8

Executive SummaryInternational Security Assistance Force (ISAF) steps up withdrawal from remaining facilities, violence nationwide

remains above 2013 levels.

Armed instability spreads across Kunduz-Takhar border, Kabul-Baghlan highway conditions improved.

Threat level in Jalalabad reduced, militants shift to bombing tactics in Gardez city.

Direct risk to commercial convoys on Zabul A1 highway, Uruzgan operating environment stabilizes.

National OverviewISAF steps up withdrawal from remaining facilities, violence nationwide remains above 2013 levels.

Major US military facilities in Bagram and

Kandahar saw further reduction in men

and equipment over the reporting period

as ISAF air operations were suspended

across much of the southern and eastern

border zones. At present, operating con-

ditions across the country are among the

most stable since May 2014, though in

pockets of the country, including northern

Parwan and south-east Zabul, coalition

facilities and logistics vehicles reported an

increase in militant attacks, although with-

out ISAF casualties. Politically, President

Ghanis administration continues to press

ahead with popular reforms, in particular

the investigation of corrupt former finan-

cial officials, but with less than 10 days

until a new cabinet is scheduled to be

announced prospects for a further delay

in ministerial assignments are high given

unresolved issues within the Governmentof National Unity (GNU)over the qualifica-

tions and ethnicity of new appointments.

Security AnalysisOctober 30 - November 5, 2014

Northern RegionBADAKHSHAN, TAKHAR, BAGHLAN, KUNDUZ, SAMANGAN, BALKH, SAR-E POL, JOWZJAN, FARYAB

Instability spreads across Kunduz-Takhar border, Kabul-Baghlan highway conditions improve.

Provincial levels of violence remained largely unchangedduring the reporting period. As before, rural Faryab andKunduz continue to account for some of the greatest vol-

atility across the region, though in the case of the lattethere is evidence that armed groups are now spreadingout from the eastern districts into the previously stable

Reported violent incidents October 30 - November 5, 2014

Threats to international transits increases in south-eastern Zabu

and Parwan as militants target ISAF support networks.

Over 20 Incidents

Over Ten Incidents

Over Five Incidents

At Least One Incident

No Incidents

NIMRUZ

LAGHMAN

LOGARNANGARHAR

PAKTIA

KHOWSTGHAZNI

DAYKUNDI

GHOWRHERAT

FARAH

URUZGAN

PAKTIKAZABUL

KANDAHAR

HELMAND

PARWANBAMYAN

SAR-E POL

BADGHIS

FARYAB

JOWZJANBALKH

SAMANGAN

BAGHLAN

KUNDUZ

TAKHARBADAKHSHAN

NURISTAN

KUNAR

KAPISA

WARDAKKABUL

PANJSHII


3/8

villages of neighboring Takhar. In Khwajah Ghar districtalone, three attacks upon police officers were reportedthis week resulting in the injury of one Afghan NationalPolice (ANP) officer and five children from a nearbyschool. Previous patterns of violence in the border regionwould suggest that Takhars Ishkamish district may alsoemerge as the next target of sporadic small arms fire over

the coming week as militants move down to the prov-inces southern mountain frontier. With criminal activitycurrently reduced on Baghlans regional highway, Bada-khshans Warduj district remained the scene of heavyfighting as Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF)unitsattempted to clear villages and recover hostages follow-ing major insurgent advances of the past two weeks.

Central RegionKABUL, LOGAR, WARDAK, BAMYAN, PARWAN, KAPISA, PANJSHIR

Targeted killings increase in Kabul city, IDF risk to Bagram airfield remains.

Low-level IED strikes and armed attacks in centralKabul represented the most common security inci-dents in central Kabul this week, with transits alongthe Kabul-Jalalabad road briefly suspended in SorobisJagdalk area on October 30 following armed raids onANP checkpoints. In contrast to the high profile suicideattacks of recent months, militant violence was directedprimarily towards local civilians, witnessed most prom-

inently in the assassination of two local sportsmen in

central Kabul on October 31. At present it remainsunclear whether the murders were related to wideinsurgent strategies or occurred as a result of personagrievances. The exception to this trend was Parwanprovince, where insurgent forces staged a revival of tra-ditional IDF missile strikes against coalition airbases inthe Bagram area, resulting in the injury of a number ofANSF personnel as well as the death of some 25 prison-

ers of Bagram prison where at least one rocket landed

Eastern RegionNURISTAN, KUNAR, LAGHMAN, NANGARHAR, PAKTIA, KHOWST, GHAZNI, PAKTIKA

Threat level in Jalalabad reduced, militants shift to bombing tactics in Gardez city.

A heavy blast on November 3 killed and injured some26 Afghan civilians in Gardez city occurred as one of12 major bombing attacks across the eastern regionthis week. While shootings and checkpoint raids stillaccount for the large majority of violence, roadsidebombings are currently experiencing an upsurge inuse and have likely been used in lieu of summer tac-tics, including mass assaults upon ANP positions due

to the limited numbers of new militant recruits able tobe drawn from villages with the onset of winter condi-tions. This shift has had a dramatic impact on the scaleof unrest in Nangarhar where attacks in the provin-cial capital have now fallen to annual lows as a con-sequence of mass arrests and sweeping operations inneighboring Chaparhar carried out by combined coali-tion and ANSF detachments.

Western RegionHERAT, FARAH, BADGHIS, GHOWR

Militant cells regroup in northern Badghis, kidnapping incidence unchanged across Herat

Low level clashes across the expanse of the Herat and

neighboring provinces continue to characterize security

conditions in the western region. Criminal groups tar-

geting individuals, often civilians or local political figures



4/8


represent an important element of this unrest, though as

events in Badghis this week have demonstrated, estab-

lished insurgent forces remain active, with IED strikes in

public spaces and ambushes against ANP patrols reported

across Bala Murghab and Muqur districts during the

reporting period. Kidnapping by contrast remains largely

a Herat-province phenomenon, with a strong correlation

to areas of existing instability. Guzara district, scene of

the abduction of three government workers on Octobe

30 is one such location, though Adraskan and Shindand

to the south have experienced equal if not greater risk of

kidnap for ransom over the course of 2014.

Southern RegionKANDAHAR, HELMAND, URUZGAN, ZABUL, DAYKUNDI, NIMRUZ

Direct risk to commercial convoys on Zabul A1 highway, Uruzgan operating environment stabilizes.

Main routes leading from Zabuls provincial capital Qalatcity and the border district of Shah Joy have experiencedrepeated attacks on private vehicles over the past threeweeks, with fighters deliberately targeting commercialfuel tankers supplying NATO and ANSF forces. Previousraids, occurring on October 2, 22 and 25 largely failedto halt the convoys, though more recently severe dam-ages have been inflicted on personnel even within urban

areas. Most recently on November 2, an ANP officer waskilled and six tankers destroyed in four separate ambushesalong the outlying villages of Qalat, with routes east of thecapital likely to experience continuing high threat levelsfor the near future. In Uruzgan conditions have improvedfrom the previous reporting period following efforts byANSF units to root our militant arms caches and disruptIED plots in the volatile Dehrawood district.

Weekly Violence figures June through November

0

50

100

150

200

250

30 - 523 - 2916 - 229 - 152 - 826 - 118 - 2511 - 174 - 1028 - 321 - 2714 - 207 - 1331 - 624 - 3017 - 2310 - 163 - 926 - 219 - 25

JUNE JULY AUG SEP OCT NOV


5/8

NIMRUZ

LAGHMAN

LOGAR

NANGARHAR

PAKTIA

KHOWSTGHAZNI

DAYKUNDI

GHOWRHERAT

FARAH

URUZGAN

PAKTIKAZABUL

KANDAHAR

HELMAND

PARWANBAMYAN

SAR-E POL

BADGHIS

FARYAB

JOWZJANBALKH

SAMANGAN

BAGHLAN

KUNDUZ

TAKHAR

BADAKHSHAN

NURISTAN

KUNARKAPISA

WARDAKKABUL

PANJSHII

Key Security EventsOctober 30 - November 5, 2014

GHOWR, NOVEMBER 3:

Unknown gunmen shot dead a pro-

vincial judge, Qazi Abdul Majid, as he

was walking in the Firoz Koh area of

Cheghcharan city. No group has yet

claimed responsibility for the killing.

HERAT, OCTOBER 30:

Four employees of the Provincial

Stability Office were kidnapped by

militants in the Gurzara district, south

of Herat city.

NIMRUZ, NOVEMBER 5:

INS destroyed the Chahar Borjak dis-

trict dike, built by the Afghan govern-

ment in 2011.

KANDAHAR, NOVEMBER 1:

A motorcycle suicide bomber was killed

by his own explosives in PD3 of Kandaha

city. The attacker detonated his explosive

prematurely when his VBIED was discov-

ered by an ANP patrol. No ANSF casual-

ties were reported.

LOGAR, NOVEMBER 1:Nine ANSF personnel were killed and at

least 29 people injured in a direct BBIED

strike on a joint ALP-ANA checkpoint in

the Chatr-e Payen are of Azarah district.

BADAKHSHAN, NOVEMBER 3:

Over 40 militants were killed in Wardujdistrict during the course of Afghan

National Army (ANA) clearance opera-

tions in 20 villages. Four ANA personnel

were also killed in the fighting.

PARWAN, OCTOBER 31:

INS RPG rounds which had been targetin

Bagram Airport inadvertently struck the

main Bagram prison, killing 25 inmates,

including a number of Taleban and othe

insurgent fighters a well as injuring 10

ANA soldiers.


6/8

Politics and Security New Cabinet Expected in 10 Days Tolo News.

The national unity governments cabinet will be formed

within 10 days, in keeping with President Ashraf Ghanis

timeline, presidential spokesman Nazifullah Salarzai said

on Tuesday. The 45-day timeline hasnt finished, efforts

are underway for the formation of a new cabinet and

progress will be made in the next two weeks, Salarzai

assured on Tuesday. Although Salarzai claimed efforts

to select the new cabinet were being fast-tracked, there

have also been unconfirmed reports that President Ghani

and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah have yet to over-

come the differences that divided them over the matter

of appointments when they were negotiating the deal

that ended the election crisis. So far the national unity

government has been in office for 37 days without a

fresh crop of ministers. Full Article

Why Afghanistan Courts China The New York

Times. Last week, Afghanistans new president, Ashraf

Ghani, traveled to China for his first state visit abroad.Ghanis calculation that Beijing could offset the decline

in American and Western support creates a long-term

strategic conundrum: Can Afghanistan attract Chinese

investment and security assistance while avoiding the

perils of excessive dependency on Beijing? Ghanis out-

reach to China is driven by a combination of short-term

realities and long-term goals. Full Article

Afghanistans Future Is Not Iraqs Present Asia

Times.Western ground combat forces in Afghanistan

will be gone by the end of this year. British and United

States units are furling their guidons and boardingtransport planes for the journey home. Concern over the

ability of the Afghan National Army (ANA) to stand up

against the Taliban after the withdrawal has deepened

after the dismal showing of the Iraqi army, portions of

which showed their heels last June in the face of an

Islamic State offensive. The armies of Afghanistan and

Iraq share uncomfortable similarities. Both are composed

of peoples with long histories of mistrust. Both were rap-

idly put together, which saw the promotion of unquali-

fied NCOs and officers. Full Article

US Army Loses MilitaryEquipment Worth $420Million in AfghanistanThe US army has lost $420 million worth of mil-

itary equipment, including weapons systems, vehi-

cles, encryption devices and communications gear in

Afghanistan, according to an embarrassing internal

investigation. The report by the Pentagons inspectorgeneral criticized Army officials for being slow to

report and investigate the losses of equipment, much

of it highly sensitive, from its main operating bases at

Bagram and Kandahar.

The investigation did not conclude how the inven-

tory losses of 156,000 pieces of hardware for the

2013 financial year occurred, but noted a series of

failings in oversight, accounting and record-keeping.It was not clear if the any of equipment may have

fallen into enemy hands, but the report underscored

the costs and challenges facing the US as it winds

down its military operations in Afghanistan after 13

years. The withdrawal could cost a further $7 billion,

according to Pentagon estimates.

Source: Telegraph Full Article

News SummaryOctober 30 - November 5, 2014
http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/17000--new-cabinet-expected-in-10-dayshttp://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/04/opinion/why-afghanistan-courts-china.htmlhttp://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MID-01-041114.htmlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/11211358/US-army-loses-military-equipment-worth-420-million-in-Afghanistan.htmlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/11211358/US-army-loses-military-equipment-worth-420-million-in-Afghanistan.htmlhttp://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MID-01-041114.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/04/opinion/why-afghanistan-courts-china.htmlhttp://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/17000--new-cabinet-expected-in-10-dayshttp://www.triplecanopy.com/


7/8

Economics and Business Afghanistan Ready to Construct Wakhan-ChinaRoad Tolo News. In response to President AshrafGhanis call for a direct land link from Afghanistan to

the Republic of China, the Ministry of Public Works

(MoPW) has said Afghanistan is ready to coordinate

with China on the construction of the road, which will

follow the ancient Silk Road trading route. The high-

way will link the Xinjiang state of China with Bad-

khshans Wakhan district, passing through the moun-

tains of Guzar Wakhan through to the Anjuman Pass

of Panjshir province and then on to central Afghani-

stan. According to the MoPW, the construction will be

expensive, but will be possible with Chinas contribu-

tion. We are ready to construct the highway in joint

effort with China, MoPW spokesman Sohail Kakar

said. Full Article

US $300 Million Recovered from Kabul BanksEmbezzled Money Wasdam. The Afghanistan

Central Bank Governor Noorullah Delawari said theKabul Bank scandal has been resolved with the

recovery of more than US $300 million funds. Dela-

wari told the Associated Press that the government

is continuing its efforts to recover the remaining

funds that have been identified to be worth 500-600

million in assets. On his second day of presidency, Dr.

Ashraf Ghani issued a decree to reopen the Kabul

Bank scandal case. Full Article

Key Upcoming Dates

November 15 Introduction of NewCabinet (Estimated)

December 4 InternationalConference onAfghanistan in London

January 1 Birth of ProphetMuhammad (Shia)

US Turns to Iran forHelp to Jump StartAfghanistans EconomyAccording to reports, the United States has turned to

Iran in a bid to help jump start the fledgling econ-

omy of Afghanistan. The move was reportedly made

by the Pentagon to seek out business relations with

Afghanistans western neighbor by establishing a spe-cial task form.

Iran has been asked by the special task force to

establish a pharmaceutical company in Afghanistan

and develop four mines, the Wall Street Journal

reported. This comes as Washington has levied strict

sanctions on American companies doing business in

Iran.

The trade value between Afghanistan and Iran has

hit $4 billion annually with Iranian officials saying

that the growth was noted in trade deals, includingtransit of goods and fuel products. In the mean-

time, Afghanistan is expected to find new sea routes

through Irans Chabahar port after the Indian govern-

ment approved a plan to develop the port. The port

will be developed by an Indian joint venture com-

pany, with an investment of $85.21 million, who will

operate the port for 10 years.

Source: Khaama Press Full Article

News SummaryOctober 30 - November 5, 2014
http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/16932/http://www.wadsam.com/usd-300mn-recovered-from-kabul-banks-embezzled-money-232/http://www.khaama.com/us-turns-to-iran-for-help-to-jump-start-afghanistans-economy-8935http://www.khaama.com/us-turns-to-iran-for-help-to-jump-start-afghanistans-economy-8935http://www.wadsam.com/usd-300mn-recovered-from-kabul-banks-embezzled-money-232/http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/16932/http://www.triplecanopy.com/


8/8

triplecanopy.com

[email protected]

12018 Sunrise Valley Drive

Suite 140

Reston, Virginia 20191

USA

About Triple CanopyTriple Canopy is a leading provider of mission support, security,

training and advisory services to government agencies and

multinational corporations across a range of market sectors and

geographies. The company excels at delivering complete

program management solutions to help clients achieve critical

mission objectives in challenging locations worldwide. Fromlogistics and life support to personal protection and training,

clients rely on Triple Canopy to mitigate risk and ensure busi-

ness continuity. Triple Canopy is ISO 9001:2008 certified and a

founding signatory of the International Code of Conduct.
http://www.triplecanopy.com/mailto:BizDev%40triplecanopy.com?subject=Afghanistan%20Reporthttp://www.triplecanopy.com/rss/http://www.facebook.com/pages/Triple-Canopy/124336684312136https://twitter.com/triplecanopyhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/27208mailto:BizDev%40triplecanopy.com?subject=Afghanistan%20Reporthttp://www.triplecanopy.com/http://www.triplecanopy.com/

Afghan weekly update

Documents

Transcript of Afghan weekly update